Daksh was lying on the floor in a pool of blood. As it was nighttime, very few doctors were present in the hospital, and unfortunately, none heard his scream.

...

An hour passed, and Daksh was still lying on the floor in a semiconscious state.

There was some movement in Vineet.

Vineet opened his eyes, and an 'Ahh' escaped his mouth. He placed his hand over his stomach as it was hurting a little. He looked around in search of Daksh but couldn't find him.

"Jaane mere behosh hone ke baad kya hua hoga. Meine badam wala halwa khaya ye baat toh usko pata chal hi gayi hogi. Halwa bhabhi layi thi, ye bhi pata chal gaya hoga. Uske saath toh pakka ladai ki hogi usne. Jaane kitni badi fight hui hogi. Kya jaroorat thi wo halwa khane ki mujhe," he made faces.

"But halwa tha toh tasty," he licked his own lips. He looked here and there in search of Daksh. "Jaane ye kahan gaya," he thought.

"Daksh.. Daksh," Vineet called him but didn't get any reply.

Vineet tried to sit up as he wanted to go to the washroom, but he failed and fell on the bed. He tried a few more times but all in vain. Vineet got irritated and shouted.

"Dakshhhhhh," he yelled. Daksh, who was lying on the floor in a semiconscious state, moaned his name, "V..i..n...e..e.."

Vineet heard his voice and looked here and there in search of him, but couldn't find him. With some effort, Vineet looked down the bed and was left shocked to see Daksh lying in a pool of blood.

"Daksh," Vineet shouted. Vineet sat up with a jerk but due to weakness, fell down on the floor with a thud. His fractured hand and head hit the floor; it hurt, but he ignored it. Vineet crawled towards him. He patted his cheeks, "Daksh.. Daksh uth.. Tujhe kya hua.. Uth naa," Vineet shouted, tears rolling down his cheeks.

"M..o..m," Daksh moaned, trying to tell him about his condition but fainted due to excessive blood loss. Vineet tried to wake him up but all in vain.

"Daksh uth.. Uth naa," Vineet cried but there wasn't any movement in him.

"Koi haiiii," Vineet shouted. "Koi toh aao," but no one came. Vineet felt so helpless; he couldn't even save his brother who was dying in front of his eyes.

"Main kya karun," he cried. His eyes fell on Daksh's phone which was lying at a distance. He stretched his hand but couldn't reach the phone. He tried to move towards the phone but his body wasn't responding. Every part of his body was aching but he ignored all his pains and, gathering all his power, reached for the phone.

He opened up the phone and called Dr. Mathur, but unfortunately, he didn't pick up. Vineet tried several times and the result remained the same. Vineet thought for a while and dialed Ruhana's number.

...

Ruhana was sleeping in her hotel room, her face wet with tears. She opened her eyes with a jerk when the door of her room opened. She sat up. Raunak entered with a tray of food.

She looked at him and asked, "Tum iss waqt yahan kya kar rahe ho?"

Raunak smiled at her and placed the tray on the bed, settling down himself.

"Tum bina khaye so gayi thi, toh socha tumhare liye khana le aayun," he said sweetly.

"Woh toh thik hai, par tum mere room mein bina knock kiye kaise chale aaye? Aur darwaza kaise khola tumne, maine toh lock kiya tha," she said, glancing at him.

"Ruhana, I'm your fiancé. Tumhare room mein bina knock kiye toh main aa hi sakta hoon," Raunak said.

Ruhana gave him a look. "Fiancé ho iska matlab ye nahi ki tum apne manners bhool jao. Mere parents bhi mere room mein bina knock kiye nahi aate," she said with some anger in her voice.

Raunak got angry but controlled himself. "Okay, I'm sorry. Agli baar se main knock karke aunga," he said, controlling his anger.

"Better," she said.

"Chalo, ab khana kha lo. Dekho, maine tumhari favorite dishes order ki hain," Raunak said with a smile.

"Thank you, par mujhe bhookh nahi hai," she said and turned her face to the other side.

"Lekin tumne toh kuch nahi khaya hai. Thoda sa kha lo please, main bahut pyar se laya hoon," he said, making a sad face. She looked at him, sighed, and started eating.

Raunak smiled. He knew her weakness; she couldn't see anyone sad, especially if it was because of her.

Ruhana was eating when her phone started ringing. She looked at the screen, and Daksh's name flashed on it. She got angry but picked up the call as it might be a professional call. Raunak got angry at this but said nothing.

...

"Hello," Ruhana said.

"Kya?? Main abhi aa rahi hoon," she said.

She disconnected the call and hopped out of bed.

Raunak looked at her confusedly. "Kya hua? Kahan jaa rahi ho tum?" he asked.

"Main hospital jaa rahi hoon," she said as she collected her belongings.

"Iss samay? Kyun?" Raunak asked.

"Vineet ka call tha. Daksh ko kuch ho gaya hai," she said as a tear slipped down her cheek. Raunak got angry seeing tears in her eyes. Her tears were proof that she was still concerned for him, that she still loved him. Raunak couldn't control himself and said,

"Tumhe kya, tum kyun jaa rahi ho?" he asked.

She gave him a look.

"I mean, tumhe jaane ki kya zaroorat hai? Wahan doctors honge, woh dekh lenge kya karna hai," Raunak said, controlling his anger.

She looked at him in disbelief and said, "Agar wahan doctors hote toh Vineet mujhe call hi nahi karta. Aur agar doctors hain, tab bhi main jaungi kyunki I'm a doctor aur mujhe kisi ne help ke liye bulaya hai. Main apni zimmedari se piche nahi hatungi," she shouted at him. He shook his head in denial.

"Nahi, main kahan keh raha hoon tum piche hato. Main toh bas..." He couldn't complete his sentence as she cut him off. "Tumhe kahin ye toh nahi lag raha ki main ab bhi usse pyaar karti hoon, isliye wahan ja rahi hoon," she gave him a hateful look. "Agar tumhe lagta hai na, toh sorry main tumhari soch ka kuch nahi kar sakti aur na hi tumhare saath yahan behas karke time waste kar sakti hoon. I need to leave." She left the place saying so.

Raunak banged his hand on the glass table, and it broke.

"Apni ek ek shabd ki keemat tumhe chukani hogi, Ruhana," he yelled.

He too left for the hospital to know the matter, with many thoughts running in his head.

...

Ruhana was on the way to the hospital. She was very tense and was constantly thinking about what could have happened to Daksh, as Vineet hadn't told her the details. She was worried for him and kept shouting at the taxi driver to drive faster as he was driving too slow.

In about 15 minutes, she reached the hospital. She paid for the taxi and ran inside. At the reception, she found all the doctors gathered, talking, and laughing. She got angry and moved towards them.

"Kya ho raha hai yahan?" she asked angrily. Seeing her, their faces fell. None of them replied.

"Maine pucha kya kar rahe hain sab yahan. Ye hospital hai ya koi hotel jo baith ke gossip kar rahe hain aap sab ke sab?" she shouted at them. They hung their heads down.

"Kya saare floors pe staffs hain?" she asked. Again, no reply.

"Kya sab gunge ho gaye hain? Maine pucha sab floors pe staffs hain?" she asked, this time a bit louder.

"Nahi ma'am, sab floors pe staff nahi hain. 3rd floor pe koi bhi nahi hai kyunki wahan sirf Vineet sir aur aapki patient hain aur Dr. Shergill the toh koi nahi hai uss floor pe," one of the doctors said.

Ruhana got mad at the reply, but instead of replying, she ran to the third floor to see Daksh. The other staff followed her, confused.

She reached the room and pushed open the door, and was left shocked by the scenario in front of her eyes.

She rushed to him and fell on her knees. She patted his cheeks. His body was getting cold. A tear slipped down her eyes, but she composed herself. At the same time, Dr. Mathur entered the room, also left shocked. He immediately ordered the ward boy to bring a stretcher and the doctors to arrange the OT as they needed to do the operation.

The ward boy brought the stretcher and they picked up Daksh from the floor and laid him down on it. Vineet, who was crying, looked at them.

"Kahan le jaa rahe hain aap log isse?" he asked, crying and holding his hand.

Dr. Mathur freed Daksh's hand from Vineet's grip and signaled the doctors to take him. He helped Vineet sit on the bed and said, "Humein unka operation karna hoga, Vineet. Yahaan charo taraf blood se pata chal raha hai kitna blood loss hua hai unka. Humein turant hi unke ghav band karne honge." Vineet looked at him.

"Usko kuch hoga toh nahi na?" he asked, tears still flowing down his eyes. Dr. Mathur patted his shoulder and shook his head, assuring him nothing would happen to Daksh.

At the same time, Ruhana entered. "Dr. Mathur, OT is ready, chaliye," she said.

Dr. Mathur nodded and moved out. Ruhana turned to move out when Vineet held her hand. She looked at him.

"Please usse bacha lo. Mere bhai ko bacha lo, bhabhi. Usse kuch ho gaya toh main bhi jee nahi paunga," he broke into tears. Ruhana was stunned to hear him. A question arose in her head: Why is he calling her bhabhi? She wanted to ask but found it an inappropriate time to ask anything. She looked at him; he was crying bitterly.

Ruhana wiped his tears and cupped his face 'unhe kuch nahi hoga.. Wo thik ho jayenge, sambhalo khud ko' she assure him.. And left the room..

...

Ruhana was moving towards the OT when Raunak came and stopped her.

"Ruhana.. Kya hua hai Daksh ko?" he asked, trying to sound tense.

She looked at him with teary eyes. "Abhi mujhe jana hai, main tumhe baad mei sab batati hoon.. Unka operation karna hai," saying so, she rushed to the OT.

"OT, usse hua kya hai?" Raunak thought.

He then asked a ward boy about the matter and came to know about the whole situation.

"Ooh! Thik hai, aap jaiye," Raunak said. The ward boy left from there, and Raunak smiled. He moved to a corner and called someone. The person picked up the call on the second ring.

...

"Hello.. Jaaneman, jaane bahar, jaane gulzar.. Kaisi hain aap?" Raunak asked the person. The person was a girl. She got angry and shouted.

"Shut up! Kyun call kiya hai mujhe? Tumhare paas koi kaam nahi kya jo jab dekho call karte rehte ho?" she asked angrily.

"Itna gussa sehat ke liye accha nahi hota sweetheart," he said.

"Meri sehat ki chinta karne ki tumhe zaroorat nahi. Call kyun kiya ye batao," she asked.

"Baby, tumhari sehat ki chinta toh ab mujhe karni hi padegi.. Kyunki jo khush khabri mei tumhe dene wala hoon uske baad shayad tumhari tabiyat upar niche ho jaaye," Raunak said.

"Bologe ki bakwas hi karte rahoge?" she said angrily.

"So the good news is humare pyare Daksh ji ne suicide attempt kiya hai, abhi wo OT mei hai aur unka operation chal raha hai. Aur uss se bhi dhamakedar news ye hai ki wo marne wala hai. O God kahin main khushi se pagal naa ho jaayu," Raunak said, extremely happy.

She got shocked by the news. "What??" she shouted in shock.

"Haayeee.. Ye jo tum shock hoke 'what' bolti ho.. By God bada accha lagta hai mujhe.. Mujhe toh abhi tumhara face dekhne ko dil kar raha hai.. Sacchiii."

"Shut up, just shut up.. Mujhe tumhari bakwas mein koi interest nahi samjhe," she yelled over him.

"Arey shant baby shant.. Itna chillaogi toh BP badh jayega.. Waise bhi ab tumhare chillane se kuch hone wala toh hai nahi.. Daksh ka marna toh tay hai, uska blood loss hi itna hua hai ki wo bach nahi payega," he sighed deeply. "Aur uske marne ke baad toh meri life set hai. Yahan wo mara, kal hi main Vineet ko swarg ke darshan karwa dunga aur fir.. Fir main karunga apni Ruhana se shadi.. Haayeee kitna accha lag raha hai sab," Raunak said dreamily.

"Sapne dekhna band karo samjhe. Agar Daksh ko kuch hua toh I'll kill you," she said angrily.

"O miss, usse maine kuch nahi kiya hai.. Wo khud marne chala hai, main kya kar sakta hoon," Raunak said.

"Bachao usse, kyunki agar wo mara toh uske saath main sab ko maar dungi.. Uski life uski nahi meri hai, meri aur jab mujh pe aanch aati hai toh tum jante ho main kya kar sakti hoon," she said in a threatening tone.

Raunak laughed, "Tum mujhe dhamka rahi ho?" he asked.

"Nahi.. Bata rahi hoon.. Agar Daksh ko kuch hua toh main tumhara wo raaz jo tumne apne sine mein dafan kar rakha hai jiski wajah se tumhara khandan aaj tak sadme mein hai.. Wo jaa ke tumhare baap ko bata dungi.. Isse jyada aur kuch nahi karungi.. Kyunki uske baad jo karenge tumhare Dad karenge," she said in a calm but threatening tone.

Raunak shivered in fear. He immediately said,

"I'll call you later.. Main Daksh ko dekh ke aata hoon," Raunak said and disconnected the call.

....

Raunak rushed towards the OT and found Ruhana and Dr. Mathur coming out. He ran towards them.

"Kaisa hai Daksh?" he asked. They exchanged glances.

Raunak was waiting for the reply. "Aap log bata kyun nahi rahe? Wo thik hai na?" he asked again.

In reply, Ruhana hugged him and burst into tears.

....

To be continued..