The car’s engine roared as it sped down the dark streets, the tires screeching against the pavement, pushing the limits of speed. Inside the car, Samaira’s eyes were locked on Advait, her hands shaking as she applied pressure to the wound at his temple, trying to slow the flow of blood. Every minute felt like an eternity. She had never been this scared in her life.

“Advait…” she whispered, her voice thick with panic. “Don’t leave me. Not now. Not when everything is finally falling into place.”

Advait's eyelids fluttered open, a weak, breathless smile tugging at his lips. His voice was barely a rasp, so faint that Samaira could hardly hear him. “It’s good, na?” he whispered, barely a sound. “Now… you don’t have to run anymore… I’m going… myself.”

“No!” Samaira cried out, her heart shattering at his words. “Don’t say that! Don’t joke about it. I won’t let you leave me, Advait. I won’t.” Her voice broke with desperation, but she held it together as best she could. She couldn’t afford to break now.

He turned his head slightly, his exhausted gaze meeting hers, and there was a fleeting glint of something—maybe hope, or regret—before he spoke again, his voice almost a whisper. “Especially what?”

Samaira’s throat tightened, the words feeling like they would choke her. She looked down at his pale face, her hand trembling where it rested against his chest. “Especially because…” She inhaled deeply, tears welling up in her eyes. “Because I love you.”

For a moment, Advait didn’t respond. Then, his lips curved slightly upward in a smile that was faint but full of a lifetime of emotion. “Isn’t this the perfect day of my life?” he said quietly, his eyes fluttering closed once more. “I avenged my father’s death… finished my enemies… and now… now my Mrs. Advait Singh Shekhawat is saying she loves me.”

His words were tender, bittersweet, but they crushed her all the same. Samaira’s hands shook as she held him close, desperately trying to keep him with her. “Please, Advait, don’t talk like that. You’re going to be okay. I won’t let anything happen to you!”

But his voice grew weaker with every breath, and his eyes remained closed. “But…” His voice barely reached her. “It’s sad... this is the last day of my life…”

“No!” Samaira cried, clutching him tighter, her tears falling freely. “No, don’t say that!” She looked toward the front, her gaze fixing on Rohit, her voice demanding, “Rohit, drive faster! We’re almost there, we can make it. Just a little longer, please.”

Rohit nodded without a word, his face grim but focused as he pressed harder on the gas pedal, weaving through traffic with practiced speed.

Within moments, the car screeched to a halt outside the hospital, and Samaira didn’t wait for anyone to help her. She threw open the door, her hands still covered in Advait’s blood, and sprinted toward the emergency room, shouting for assistance. The nurses rushed toward her as she cradled Advait in her arms, panic evident in her eyes.

“He’s been shot in the head!” Samaira screamed, her voice desperate. “If you don’t act fast, he’ll die in the next few minutes!”

The nurses hesitated, exchanging anxious glances. One of them stepped forward, glancing at Advait’s condition before turning to Samaira. “Our neurosurgeon isn’t available, ma’am. He’s out on a family emergency. We only have interns here… and this is beyond their level of expertise.”

Samaira’s heart sank, but she didn’t let fear paralyze her. She squared her shoulders, taking a deep breath. “I’m a neurosurgeon,” she said firmly, her voice leaving no room for doubt. “You can verify my credentials later if you have to. But right now, I need to operate. My husband is dying, and I’m the only one who can save him. Get the interns, and prepare the operation theatre.”

The nurses exchanged uncertain glances, clearly hesitant. One of them stepped forward, nervously biting her lip. “We can’t let you perform surgery without proper clearance, ma’am. It’s against protocol.”

Before Samaira could argue, a voice called out from behind them.

“Dr. Shekhawat?”

Samaira turned, her heart leaping in recognition. It was the senior doctor, someone who had seen her on television during her interviews with Advait. His eyes widened in shock as he stepped forward. “Dr. Shekhawat, I didn’t expect to see you here. I saw your interview with Mr. Shekhawat just last week.”

“I don’t have time for explanations,” Samaira snapped, her voice full of authority. “My husband has been shot in the head. I’m a well-qualified neurosurgeon, and I need to perform surgery immediately. I don’t care about protocol. Please, let me do this.”

The doctor hesitated for a moment, then nodded grimly. “Prepare the operation theatre,” he instructed the nurses. “We’ll make an exception. Let her do what she needs to.”

As the nurses scrambled into action, Samaira’s mind raced. She couldn’t afford to waste a single second. She needed to save Advait. He was everything to her now, and she wouldn’t lose him.

The moment they entered the operation theatre, Samaira moved swiftly. “Scalpel,” she ordered, her voice steady as she took charge. The interns, though visibly nervous, followed her instructions without question.

Outside the operating theatre, Rhea was pacing, her eyes darting toward the door with every passing second. She could feel the weight of the moment, the uncertainty of what was happening to Advait. But there was nothing they could do now except wait.

Inside, Samaira’s focus was absolute. Her hands worked like they were on autopilot, every movement precise, every decision made with years of training and experience. The minutes bled into hours, but she didn’t allow herself to break. Advait needed her, and she would not fail him.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, the door to the operating theatre opened. Samaira stepped out, her scrubs drenched in blood, her face pale but resolute.

Rhea rushed forward, her eyes wide with concern. “How is he?” she asked, her voice laced with anxiety.

Samaira swallowed hard, her gaze flickering toward the recovery room where Advait lay. “He’s alive,” she said, her voice tight, “but he’s not out of danger. The next 24 hours are crucial. We have to hope he makes it through.”

Rhea nodded, but her face was drawn with worry. “He’s strong,” she said, though the doubt in her eyes betrayed her words.

Samaira didn’t respond. She just stared at the door to the recovery room, her heart heavy with the weight of what had just happened. She couldn’t allow herself to lose him now. Not when they had just started to build something together.

She stepped back into the hallway, her hands trembling as she steadied herself against the wall. Rhea was by her side in an instant.

“You did everything you could,” Rhea said softly, her voice full of understanding. “He’s a fighter, Samaira. He’ll pull through.”

Samaira closed her eyes, letting out a shaky breath. “I just… I can’t lose him. Not now, not after everything…”

Her voice trailed off, and Rhea stood there, offering silent support as Samaira fought against the torrent of emotions threatening to break her. She needed Advait to survive. She needed him with her.

And she would do whatever it took to make sure that happened.