10

Please read the note at the end of the chapter. ENJOY! ❤️

Yuvraj lay on his bed, staring at the ceiling, a smile tugging at his lips. The events of the previous night were fresh in his mind, a kaleidoscope of colors and emotions. He couldn't believe how everything had changed between him and Aisha. For so long, they had been at each other's throats, the very definition of enemies. But now, after the cultural fest, everything was different.

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the morning after the cultural fest:

Yuvraj woke up with a contented sigh, the memories of last night warming his heart. He reached for his phone, eager to send Aisha a message, but before he could type anything, his phone rang. It was his younger brother, Aman.

"Bhaiya, urgent hai," Aman said, his voice strained.

"Abhi subah subah kya urgent ho gaya?" Yuvraj asked, sitting up.

"Aap jaldi ghar aao. Papa ki tabiyat theek nahi lag rahi."

Yuvraj's heart sank. His father had been battling health issues for a while, but this sounded serious. "Main abhi aata hoon."

He quickly got dressed and rushed out of his penthouse, his mind racing with worry. He tried to call Aisha to explain, but her number went straight to voicemail. Shit. She's going to be worried, he thought, but there was no time. He had to get home.

(NOTE: Yuvraj and Naina stay in a penthouse near their college for easy transportation and his parents stay in Rathore Mansion with his younger brother, Aman)

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at Rathore Mansion:

The house was in chaos when he arrived. His mother was pacing, her face pale with worry, while Aman was on the phone with the doctor.

"Kya hua?" Yuvraj asked, his voice trembling.

"Mujhe nahi pata," his mother said, tears streaming down her face. "Unhone subah se kuch nahi bola. Just collapsed."

Yuvraj's heart clenched. He rushed to his father's side, taking his hand. "Papa, main hoon yahan. Aap theek ho jayenge."

The doctor arrived soon after, and Yuvraj stepped back, giving him space to work. He watched, helpless, as the doctor examined his father, his mind a blur of fear and anxiety.

After what felt like an eternity, the doctor turned to him. "He needs to be hospitalized. Immediately."

Yuvraj nodded, his throat tight. He helped carry his father to the car, his mind racing. I need to tell Aisha. She'll understand. But there was no time to call her. He could only hope she would forgive him for disappearing without a word.

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at the hospital:

The next few hours were a blur of doctors, nurses, and medical jargon that Yuvraj could barely process. His father was taken into surgery, and Yuvraj sat in the waiting room, his head in his hands. Aman sat next to him, silent but supportive.

"Papa theek ho jayenge, Bhaiya," Aman said softly. "Hum sab yahan hain."

Yuvraj nodded, though his heart was heavy with worry. He checked his phone, seeing a flood of missed calls and messages from Aisha. Each one was more frantic than the last.

Yuvraj, where are you?

Please, call me back. I'm worried.

I don't understand what's going on. Please, just... let me know you're okay.

He wanted to call her back, to explain everything, but his mind was a mess. He couldn't think straight, couldn't focus on anything but his father's condition. I'll call her as soon as I can, he promised himself.

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hours later:

The doctor finally emerged from the operating room, and Yuvraj leaped to his feet. "Doctor, Papa kaise hain?"

"He's stable for now," the doctor said, looking tired. "But he's not out of the woods yet. We'll need to monitor him closely."

Yuvraj nodded, relief flooding through him. "Thank you, doctor. Thank you so much."

As the doctor left, Yuvraj sank back into his chair, exhaustion crashing over him. Aman put a hand on his shoulder. "Bhaiya, ab ghar chalein? Aapko rest ki zarurat hai."

Yuvraj shook his head. "Nahi, Aman. Main yahin rahunga. Papa ke saath."

Aman nodded, understanding. "Theek hai. Main mom ko le jaata hoon."

Yuvraj watched them go, then leaned back in his chair, closing his eyes. He pulled out his phone, his fingers hovering over Aisha's number. He wanted to call her, to hear her voice, but he was too drained to even think.

I'll call her later,  he decided, slipping his phone back into his pocket. He rested his head against the wall, trying to block out the sterile smells and sounds of the hospital, and drifted into a fitful sleep.

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Yuvraj woke up with a start, disoriented and groggy. He looked around, remembering where he was, and his heart sank. His father was still in the ICU, hooked up to machines, his breathing shallow but steady.

He checked his phone, seeing more messages from Aisha. Each one made his chest tighten with guilt. I need to explain everything to her.

Just as he was about to call her, his phone rang. It was his mother.

"Yuvraj, doctor ne bulaaya hai. Jaldi aao."

He rushed to the ICU, his heart pounding. The doctor was waiting for him, his expression serious.

"We need to talk about your father's condition," the doctor said, his tone grave. "It's more complicated than we initially thought."

Yuvraj listened, feeling the weight of the world on his shoulders. He couldn't think about anything else, couldn't focus on anything but his father's survival. The doctor's words blurred together, and all he could do was nod numbly.

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hours later:

Finally, he had a moment to himself. He stepped outside, took a deep breath of fresh air, and pulled out his phone. He called Aisha, his heart heavy with dread.

"Aisha," he said when she answered, her voice frantic. "I'm sorry."

"Yuvraj! Where have you been? I've been so worried!"

"I... I can't explain everything right now. But trust me, please. I'll come to you as soon as I can."

"Yuvraj, kya ho raha hai? You're scaring me."

"I know, and I'm sorry. Just... wait for me, okay? I promise I'll make everything right."

Before she could respond, he hung up, his heart heavy with regret. He hated leaving her in the dark, but he couldn't handle any more right now. He had to focus on his father, on getting through this crisis.

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back inside the hospital:

Yuvraj returned to the waiting room, feeling the weight of his responsibilities pressing down on him. He couldn't afford to fall apart, couldn't afford to let his emotions get the better of him. He had to be strong, for his family, for his father.

As he sat there, watching the clock tick by, he couldn't help but think about Aisha.

Now, he could only hope that she would trust and understand him.

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(Note: Many of you might be wondering why Naina is unaware of anything isn't she their family member? So I would like to clarify that Naina had just returned from her camp and Yuvraj didn't want her to get worried like the rest of the family and wanted her to rest. Therefore, he decided that it would be better if he informed his sister about all this when the situation was under control)

Oopsie, I feel bad for my baby he is going through a lot. Let's hope that Aisha does not lose her faith in him!

Please ignore my grammatical errors, do share your reviews and please give some love and support🌷

-tara✮

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