Chapter - 28 ꜰʟᴀꜱʜʙᴀᴄᴋ

I rushed out and sat in the car, driving towards my safe place, the one that gives me peace. Tears flowed as I wondered how I could marry someone when I'm in love with "him". What if I can't love the person I'm going to marry? I've tried to move on from Aarav, but it's not possible. Somewhere in my heart, I feel that he was forced to say that, but my brain tells me otherwise. I'm clueless about what to do...

Chandlai lake ~ It's a lesser-known spot, and most days it's empty, which is why I love this place. Far from the hustle of the city, I stood there watching the lake, but my mind is a mess right now, and I don't even understand what to do. If he hadn't broken my heart, we'd be happy now.

"My thoughts were interrupted by a phone call. I pulled my phone out of my purse and saw Bhai's name on the screen. I answered the call.

'Where are you, princess?' he asked.

'I'm near Chandlai Lake,' I replied.

"What are you doing there? Are you okay? You don't sound well," he asked, his concern evident.

Bhai..." I whispered, my eyes filling with tears, ready to spill over.

"You stay there; I'm coming right now," he said, before I could say anything else. The call abruptly ended. Just 20 minutes later, he was standing in front of me, concern etched on his face. How did he get here so fast? He'd covered a 40-minute route in just 20 minutes—did he break the signals?

"Are you okay, princess?" he asked gently. I looked up at him, struggling to find words, my chest tight with emotions. The tears that had been threatening to fall finally spilled over, and I wiped them away quickly.

"She wants me to get married..." I said, glancing at him, noticing the way he clenched his jaw in response.

"To whom?" he asked, his tone icy and cold.

"I don't know," I replied, a heavy sigh escaping my lips. "The guy is someone my dad has chosen for me." I ran a hand through my hair, feeling completely lost. "I don't even know what to do anymore."

He stared at me for a long moment, his expression unreadable. Then, he let out a deep breath, his gaze softening just a little.

"You don't have to do this if you're not ready," he said, his voice low and serious. "Your happiness matters. Don't let anyone rush you into something you're not sure about."

After hearing him, I wrapped my arms around him tightly, burying my face in his chest. "It's not that I don't want to marry anyone," I whispered, my voice breaking. "It's just... I'm afraid. What if it falls apart? Or worse, what if I can't love that person?"

I let out the words I had been holding inside for so long, unsure of how else to express the confusion that had been weighing me down.

He smiled softly and gently pulled me back to look at him. "You don't have to worry," he said, his voice warm and reassuring. "If dad has chosen this guy, there's probably something about him that makes dad trust him. And remember, dad was so protective of you that he didn't let any male species near you." he added with a light laugh, trying to lift the mood.

I chuckled hearing him, I didn't knew he was protective of me, like it's obvious that every father is protective of their daughter. I don't even know many things about dad, how he felt seeing me and all. I shrugged of my thoughts and hugged him, as he kissed my forehead.

"Let's go, Princess. It's late now. We'll head home and have a nice dinner." Bhai said this with a warm smile as I nodded in response. We then headed home, and as promised, he cooked a delicious meal for me. After savoring the wonderful dinner together, we both moved to our respective rooms to wind down and bring the day to a close.

"Sir the attack was done by someone unknown" I sighed listening to my assistant.

"i said you to give me his name not this, do you want me to repeat it you idi-" I was interrupted  by Maa sa

"You better not scold him, he's doing his work and sometimes it happens" She scolded me as i sighed in reply.

"you better find you who was behind it." I cut the call and looked at her. She was holding a bowl of soup to which i made an ugly face, she glared in return.

"You better finish it soon"

"Maa sa not this please.." i pleaded

"Aarav, you have to recover soon, and tomorrow you have a doctor's appointment," she said. My eyes lit up upon hearing this, knowing I'd be able to see her. Before she could say anything else, I drank the soup and took my medications, as it was already nighttime, and then went to sleep because the medications were strong.

Next morning

I got up and headed to the bathroom because I was feeling okay. If Maa Sa finds out, she's going to blast me. I know it's funny—a king still scared of his mother—but I'm also her child, and she gets truly scary when she's angry.

When I was a child, she would often scold Dad for teaching me things that weren't appropriate for my age. He never did it intentionally, but sometimes he'd cuss, and I was a quick learner. Whenever he'd say a bad word, I'd immediately go and blabber it in front of her, and she'd scold him for it.

Sometimes, I think those days were the best. I was pampered by them and didn't have any responsibilities. Those are the days I cherish the most because I met her and grew more interested in her. I still remember the day I first met her.

FLASHBACK

Author's pov

The sun hung lazily in the afternoon sky as Aarav held his father's hand, his small feet struggling to match his father's long strides. The grand gates of the Rajputana-style mansion creaked open, revealing sprawling gardens and a wide pathway leading to an ornate veranda.

"Papa, whose house is this?" Aarav whispered, clutching his father's hand tighter.

His father, Dev singh Rajvansh, chuckled. "This is Uncle Yash's house, Aarav. My best friend. And he has a little daughter. Maybe you'll meet her today."

Aarav scrunched his nose. "A girl? But Papa... girls are boring."

Dev laughed loudly, ruffling Aarav's hair. "Just wait, my little prince. You might change your mind."

As they entered the living room, a tall man with a booming voice greeted them. Yash Malhotra  wrapped Aarav's father in a warm embrace before crouching down to Aarav's level.

"And who's this brave young man?" Yash asked with a grin.

"I'm Aarav," the little boy said proudly, puffing out his chest.

"Well, Aarav, my daughter's somewhere around here. She's a little troublemaker—much like you, I'm sure."

Just then, a small voice called out, "Papa!"

A tiny girl came toddling into the room, her short legs barely keeping up with her excitement. She was dressed in a pale blue frock with little white flowers on it, her hair tied into two uneven pigtails. She stopped abruptly when she noticed Aarav, her wide ocean blue eyes blinking curiously.

"Aanya, come here," Yash said gently, gesturing for her to step forward.

The little girl clutched a ragged stuffed rabbit in one hand and hesitantly shuffled closer to her father.

"Aanya, this is Aarav. Say hello," Yash encouraged.

"Hello," Aanya said in a barely audible whisper, her voice as soft as a feather.

Aarav stared at her for a moment before leaning closer to his father and whispering loudly, "Papa, she's so tiny! And she talks like a kitten!"

Yash  and Dev burst into laughter, while Aanya's cheeks turned a deep shade of pink.

"I'm not tiny!" Aanya protested, stomping her little foot. "I'm big!"

Aarav smirked and crossed his arms. "No, you're not. You're like... this small." He held his hand comically low to the ground.

Before Aanya could retort, Yash said, "Why don't you two go play in the garden while your fathers talk?"

Aarav rolled his eyes but obeyed, walking toward the garden with little Aanya trailing behind him.

The garden was filled with blooming flowers, a small fountain, and scattered toys clearly belonging to Aanya. Aarav spotted a little tea set on the grass and groaned.

"Tea party toys? Seriously? Do you even have any cars or soldiers?" Aarav asked, turning around with his hands on his hips.

Aanya fumbled with her rabbit, her lips forming a pout. "No... but Bunny likes tea. You can have tea too."

Aarav sighed dramatically and plopped down on the grass. "Fine. But only if Bunny doesn't make me wear a hat or anything silly."

Aanya giggled and sat across from him, carefully placing her rabbit on one of the tiny chairs. She poured imaginary tea into tiny cups and handed one to Aarav.

"Here, Golu bhaiya," she said sweetly.

Aarav was surprised to hear her call him that. He puffed up his cheeks and said, "Don't call me that! And I'm not your bhaiya!"

Aanya blinked her eyes and replied "I liked the name and I'll call you this only"

Aarav crossed his arms over his chest, his brows furrowed. "Do I look like a Golu to you? I'm a brave warrior, not some... some squishy teddy bear!"

Aanya giggled again, her eyes sparkling with joy. Aarav couldn't help but smile back.

"But you are squishy! Look at your cheeks—they're like laddoos!"

Aarav's face turned a shade of red as he quickly cupped his chubby cheeks with both hands. "They are not laddoos! And stop laughing!"

"Okay, okay," Aarav sighed dramatically, plopping down onto the grass again. "You can call me Aarav. Just Aarav. Got it?"

Aanya nodded eagerly, her pigtails bouncing with every move. "Okay, Aarav!"

"Okay, Aanya. You're not that bad for a girl. Maybe... we can be friends."

Aanya beamed, her pigtails bouncing as she nodded eagerly. "Best friends?"

Aarav hesitated, then grinned. "Okay, best friends."

From the verandah, their fathers watched the scene unfold, smiling knowingly.

"Looks like they're already getting along," Dev said.

Yash nodded. "Some friendships start early, Dev . And some... are meant to last forever."

At PRESENT

Back to Aarav's pov

I chuckled, remembering the way she called me that name—she was so incredibly cute. At first, I didn't have any particular liking towards her, but after meeting her, I got used to her presence. Though we didn't meet frequently after that, especially since Yash Uncle passed away. The last time I saw her was near her school when my dad spotted her and stopped to talk. She was unusually quiet, and of course, after losing her father, she must have felt so lonely.

I came out of the bathroom and went into the closet to select an outfit for the day. I wore a white T-shirt and black jeans. I struggled to get dressed as my shoulder was aching due to the shot. After much effort, I walked out of the closet and sat on the bed, taking my phone to check my emails.

I was looking at it but was interrupted by a knock on the door. I knew it must be Maa Sa. I allowed her inside.

"Aarav, you're awake?"

"Yes, Maa Sa."

"You could've called me or your brothers to help you,"she said, noticing that I was already fully dressed.

"Ok let's go and have breakfast and after that we'll visit the hospital" She said and i nodded and we headed towards the dining room to have our breakfast..

Dining Room

"Good morning bhai" Atharva wished as I reciprocated and others to wished me except dad. We ate our breakfast in silence as it is one of my rules to eat in silence and as a king they've to obey me.

After finishing my meal, I took my medicine and ordered the driver to bring out the car as we were heading to the hospital. I walked out without saying anything, maintaining my usual cold demeanor, and Maa Sa followed behind.

I sat in the car with Maa Sa next to me, and the journey began. I was probably texting my PA about the meeting and other tasks. After some time, we arrived at the hospital, and I stepped out, followed by Maa Sa. As I glanced at the hospital, a surge of excitement washed over me—the mere thought of meeting her made my heart skip a beat.

The hospital lobby buzzed with activity—nurses hustling, patients waiting, and doctors walking briskly to their destinations. Yet, amid the chaos, my focus remained sharp. I could feel Maa Sa's presence behind me, but my thoughts were elsewhere.

I and Maa sa headed toward her cabin after talking to the receptionist. We stood in front of her cabin and i asked Maa sa to stay out "Why can't i be there?"

"Maa Sa, I'll be fine. Besides, she's just a doctor—nothing will happen to me," I said, trying not to make her suspicious about me meeting Aanya alone. After a lot of convincing, she finally agreed, and I went inside Aanya's cabin.

The sterile scent of antiseptic filled the air as I sat across from her in her cabin. The clock on the wall ticked loudly, marking each second of the unbearable silence between us. Aanya sat behind her desk, her posture straight, her expression unreadable.

"So, Aarav," she said finally, her voice steady but devoid of warmth.  "I believe you have an appointment."

I cleared my throat, trying to steady the sudden nervousness building in my chest. "Yes, I do. The follow-up after my surgery."

She nodded, flipping open a file in front of her. "Let's keep this professional, then."

Her words stung more than I'd expected, but I couldn't blame her. I deserved this—her cold tone, her distant eyes. She gestured towards the examination table "Remove your T-shirt please so that i can check the wound"

I obeyed silently, removing my T-shirt.  As I lay back on the examination table, Aanya put on her gloves and moved closer. Her hands, though professional and precise, felt colder than I remembered.

The silence stretched as she examined the wound, her fingers grazing the scar left behind by the bullet. My gaze remained fixed on her face, searching for any trace of the Aanya I once knew—the one who'd light up at the sight of me, whose laughter could heal wounds deeper than any bullet ever could.

"The scar is healing well," she said softly, her voice almost hesitant. "But you need to be careful. No strenuous activities for at least another month."

"Understood," I replied. "Thank you Aanya"

"It's ok it's my job to save my patients"  She turned away, removing her gloves and tossing them into the bin.

"Anything else, Aarav?" she asked, her back still to me.

"Yes," I said, my voice firmer this time. "Why won't you look at me, Aanya?"

She froze for a moment before slowly turning around. Her eyes were glistening now, and for the first time since I entered the hospital, I saw a flicker of vulnerability.

"You want me to look at you, Aarav?" she said, her voice trembling slightly. "How can I, when every glance reminds me of how easily you broke me? How can I look at you and not remember the night you shattered me?"

My chest tightened. "Aanya... I—"

"No!" she snapped, her voice rising as she pointed a finger at me. "You don't get to stand here and pretend like a few words can erase those things you said to me."

Her voice cracked at the end, and I felt the weight of every unspoken word between us pressing down on me.

"I had my reasons," I said softly.

She let out a bitter laugh, brushing a tear from her cheek. "Reasons? You think reasons justify breaking someone's heart?"

I took a step forward, but she raised her hand, stopping me in my tracks.

"Don't," she said firmly. "Don't come close me"

"And just get out, I don't want to see you"

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Tere bin jee na paunga

Sach much mar hi jaunga

Yeh tay hai, yeh tay hai...

Hasna rona tujhse hi

Mera hona tujhse hi

Yeh tay hai, yeh tay hai

Maujood hai har saans mein

Tu har dafa, yeh tay hai

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Heyyya !! My lovely reader, I'm so sorry as i couldn't upload the chapters frequently but I've written this chapter as long as possible. and i hope you guys will love this chapter and please do COMMENT your reviews and do vote.

Thank you,

Your author,

Aeris 💜

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