“I’m not even shocked,” she murmurs. “He always seemed like someone you couldn’t fully trust. There was just something about him that felt off.”
My jaw tightens. “I never should’ve let him off the hook. I should’ve dug deeper back then.”
She exhales shakily. “I just want all of this to end.”
I reach out and wrap my hand around hers, giving it a firm squeeze. “Viraj is already on it. If Deepak is involved, we’ll have proof soon. He’s not getting away with a damn thing this time.”
She nods, her fingers gripping mine tightly. “Kavya called earlier. But I didn’t tell her about Sunita Aunty. I couldn’t. I…” Her voice cracks, guilt bleeding through. “I lied. Told her everything’s fine.”
I brush my thumb over her knuckles. “You did the right thing.”
She sighs, her shoulders sagging. “But I don’t know how long I can keep lying to her. Kavya knows me too well. Eventually, she’ll sense something’s wrong. And when she does, I don’t know how I’ll look her in the eye and explain why I kept this from her.”
I glance at Sunita Aunty, still unconscious, then turn my eyes back to Nisha. “That’s why I’ll make damn sure to take those bastards down before Kavya even gets a whiff of what really happened.” I motion towards the bed. “But right now, we stayfocused. She needs us. We make sure she heals. One step at a time, Nisha.”
She lets out a quiet breath and leans into me, her head dropping onto my shoulder. “Everything feels like it’s falling apart, but when you’re here, it doesn’t feel so scary,” she murmurs, her voice raw and honest. “I don’t know what I’d do without you.”
I wrap my arm around her and pull her closer, letting her rest where she feels safest.
“You’ll never have to find out,” I promise, pressing a comforting kiss to her hair as I hold her tighter. My chest aches with a mix of rage and love. I’ll do whatever it takes, but I won’t let anything break her again.
Chapter 29
Nisha
As my eyes flutter open, it takes a moment to adjust to the soft morning light filtering through the window. The steady beep of the monitors pulls me back to reality. I’m still here… in the hospital. Still waiting for Sunita Aunty to wake up. It’s been three long days, and honestly, I don’t know how I’ve managed to hold it together this long. The waiting, watching her lie there, completely unresponsive, has almost broken me more times than I can count. I finally understand what Kavya must have gone through when I was in a coma for so long, and how having someone special by your side to hold your hand can make all the difference.
That someone special, for me, is Sidharth, the only one keeping me sane in this moment of storm.
Even now, I’m curled up beside him on the narrow couch in the corner, my head resting against his chest, listening to his heartbeat. A peaceful smile curls my lips as that steady rhythm is the only thing that’s allowed me to sleep, even if only for a few hours each night.
I shift slightly and reach for my phone, blinking at the dim screen. It’s still only five in the morning. I exhale as I try to situp, careful not to disturb him, but his arms tighten instinctively around my waist, pulling me right back against him.
“You awake, sweetheart?” he murmurs, his voice husky with sleep as his lips brush against my hair.
“Yeah,” I whisper, closing my eyes for a beat and pulling in a slow breath.
“It’s still early. You could catch a few more hours of sleep,” he says, his hand gently smoothing over my hair.
“I can’t,” I reply quietly, sitting up and easing out of his hold. “I tried, but can’t.”
His thumb lifts to trace the edge of my jaw, back and forth. “What’s going on in that beautiful head of yours?”
“I think it’s a little of everything,” I say, swallowing past the knot in my throat. “Sunita Aunty still hasn’t woken up. And that message…”
“It’s normal to feel like this,” he murmurs, his hand sliding to the nape of my neck and squeezing it gently. “A lot has happened. But this…” His eyes don’t leave mine. “The fear, the waiting, the pain… it’s temporary. You won’t be stuck in this forever. Soon, you’ll be free from all of it.”
“I know you’ll make sure of it,” I whisper, holding his gaze.
He leans forward and presses a soft kiss to my forehead. “You’re damn right about that, sweetheart.”
I give him a small smile in return.
“I should go grab some coffee,” he says, brushing a thumb under my eye as if trying to wipe away the fatigue.
I nod. “Okay.”
He hesitates for a second longer, like he doesn’t want to leave me alone. Then he leans in and brushes his lips against mine before walking towards the door.
