Chapter 11: chapter 10- The big revelation

Author's pov-

The day began like any other at Sehgal Enterprises, with Mahir Sehgal running his empire with his usual cold precision. Meetings flowed in and out of his day like clockwork. Employees treaded carefully around him, knowing that even a single misstep could earn them a sharp reprimand. He was known for his ruthless efficiency and the impenetrable walls around him.

Mahir was in a meeting with Reyansh Malhotra and Ekansh Malhotra.

Mahir’s phone buzzed on his desk just as he was reviewing the project details. He answered without looking,“Yes?”

The panicked voice of his mother, Shivani Sehgal, came through, trembling,“Mahir! It’s your dadi… She fainted. Her heart—”

Mahir’s pen dropped onto the papers.

“What? Where are you now?”

“We’re on our way to the Hospital. The doctors are preparing for her arrival,” She said

Without another word, Mahir disconnected, grabbed his coat, and strode out of the office. Reyansh and ekansh followed him.

"What happened," asked Reyansh

Mahir explained and they all went to the hospital.

The entire Sehgal family had gathered in the VIP waiting area of Heartbeat Hospital, their faces etched with worry. Rajeshwari Sehgal, the matriarch who held the family together, was now on a hospital bed fighting for her life.

“How could this happen? She was fine this morning,” Devansh gritting his teeth

“It’s her age. And the stress she takes for all of us. She’s strong. She’ll pull through. She has to,” his wife told him

Mahir, Reyansh, ekansh and kabir reached soon. As the family sat in grim silence, their attention was drawn to a commotion a few feet away.

A family was arguing loudly with a junior doctor near the OT,“It’s been over 10 hours! The doctor said seven hours for the surgery. Why is it taking so long?”

“Is my son even alive in there? What is taking so long?!”

The junior doctor, visibly exhausted, stood firm,“Do you even know what the doctor is going through right now? She’s been inside for 10 hours without a break, operating tirelessly to save your son. Do you know she started the surgery during her menstrual cycle? She’s been bleeding for hours, but she hasn’t moved because every second counts in saving your son’s life.”

"That women is the best neurosurgeon in the world so stop blaming her and pray for your son"

The family fell silent, stunned by the revelation.

“She hasn’t eaten, hasn’t even been able to step out for a minute. And yet, you stand here blaming her. At least respect the woman who’s trying to save your child!”

The Sehgals and Malhotra sons overhearing the entire exchange, couldn’t help but feel a newfound respect for the doctor inside.

Devansh in a low voice

“Whoever this doctor is… she’s extraordinary.”

The whole sehgal clan and even mahir agreed to that.

Suddenly, the OT doors swung open. A woman stepped out in OT scrubs, her face and hair covered by masks, her  clothes bloodstained. Staff immediately rushed to her side, draping her in a green hospital overcoat to maintain professionalism.

She approached the anxious family and spoke calmly,“The surgery was successful. Your son is stable now.”

The boy’s family broke down in relief, thanking her profusely and apologised for their accusations. But the doctor, visibly drained, simply nodded and stepped back.

The whole sehgal Family was looking at her. As the boy’s family left, she moved toward the wall and slid down, stretching her legs out and leaning against the cold surface.

The interns gathered around her, their faces lighting up with admiration. “Dr. Siara, you did it again. That was incredible. I don’t know how you do it. You’re a literal miracle worker.”

Siara opened her eyes slowly, her exhaustion evident. Just then an intern gave her a glass of juice,she needed it or else she will faint soon. She removed her face mask, She was drinking the juice and then she froze. Across the corridor, standing like statues, was her family.

Their eyes were wide, their faces pale. The shock was almost tangible.

“Of course, they’d find out like this. How can my life be less dramatic” siara thought

She stood up slowly. The collective gasp from her family echoed in the quiet hallway as they always thought that she worked as a normal receptionist somewhere.

Devansh

“Siara…?”

"Bhabhi bol", said mahir even though he was as shocked as them

Mahir in his thoughts

“This… this is my wife?

“She’s… a doctor?” avya faintly

But the real emotions were deployed in the eyes of Reyansh and ekansh. They – couldn’t shake their disbelief. They had no idea that the girl they had once known had transformed into someone entirely different.The girl who used to run away from studies is now standing here as world's best neurosurgeon.

Reyansh, the eldest of the Malhotra brothers, had always been protective of Siara. She was his "doll" in their childhood, the little sister he used to dote on. But as he watched her stride through the hospital corridors with such cold composure, he felt a pang of guilt mixed with awe. His little sister had grown into a force to be reckoned with, and he wasn’t sure if he was proud or scared.

"No no, her life was dance. She wanted to be a dancer. No this is not my doll" thought Reyansh

Ekansh chuckling lightly

“I always thought she would end up being a dancer, but I never imagined this. I thought she’d be the one who’d keep our family laughing, not… well, this.”

Both brothers fell silent as Siara entered the room, her presence commanding the attention of everyone around her. They couldn’t help but feel a mix of admiration and guilt. They had never stood up for her when she needed them most. They had let her slip through the cracks when she was already broken.

Reyansh’s Flashback-

Siara, with her wide eyes and messy hair, had walked into his room with a huge grin on her face. "Rey bhai, can I borrow your game console for a bit?”

“Again? You were just on it yesterday, Siara!” Reyansh frowned

“Please? I promise I won’t break it this time.” she grinned

And then there was the time she’d pretended to be a famous pop star, running around the house in her oversized T-shirt and pretending the floor was a stage. She had even dragged him into her little act, making him her “backing dancer.”

“Come on, Rey bhai! You’ve got to do the moonwalk. It’s the latest trend, and I’m the next Britney Spears!” siara flipping her hair

“You are insane, Siara!”

Ekansh's Flashback-

Siara had burst into his room, holding a notebook filled with doodles of dance moves and fashion ideas.“Ekansh bhai! I’m going to be a dancer one day, I swear! I’ve got moves like you wouldn’t believe!”

Ekansh raising an eyebrow

“A dancer? You can’t even keep a straight face when you try to do a twirl, Siara.”

“I’ll show you! I’ll be the best dancer in the world!” said siara

And then there were the countless times she had danced around the house, practicing for the little performances she dreamed of. He could still hear her laughter echoing through the halls, her voice loud and carefree.

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Back to present

As Siara turned back to face her family, Reyansh and Ekansh couldn’t help but feel a surge of guilt. They had known her since she was a child, but they had never once been the protectors they should have been.

“She used to tell me she’d have a big fairytale wedding one day. She used to talk about it for hours… the prince, the dress, the whole thing.” Ekansh told Reyansh

Reyansh nodding, voice filled with regret “Yeah, I remember. She thought Mahir would be the one to give her that.”

They both fell silent, the weight of their actions felt heavy to them

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Siara walked towards the family who were still in shock, her expression void of emotion. “What happened? Why are you all here?”

Before anyone could respond, another doctor hastily approached. It was Dr. Samet, assistant intern for the surgery she just performed. His face was a mixture of guilt and nervousness.

“Siara mam… I swear I was on time but someone unintentionally locked me in the —”

Siara’s eyes hardened, her jaw clenching. Her voice was cold and firm.“Leave.”

"God dammit, bhabhi is more scary than bhai"- whispered shivay

“Please, just hear me out. I didn’t mean to—” Dr. Samet spoke nervously

“Do you even know, how serious this case was. You know what get out, don't show me your face. Leave Before I lose my very last ounce of patience.” siara screamed in her high pitched voice

The family was shocked would be an understatement. They never knew she can speak more than few words in the same sentence.

Dr. Samet hesitated but, seeing the fury in her eyes, he walked away without another word.

The family watched the entire exchange, bewildered.

“Who even is this woman?"- muttered Myra

Siara turned back to her family, her tone softening just slightly.  “What happened? Why are you all here?”

Shivani finally found her voice.

“It’s Maa. She fainted. The doctors are examining her now.”

Without hesitation, Siara moved toward the room. She was about to scan her thumb print to enter.

“Wait, where are you going?” devansh asked

“To check her.” she replied camly

As she approached the door, a junior doctor stopped her.

“Mam, you should clean up first.”

Siara looked down at her scrubs, realizing she was still wearing bloodied clothes inside the green overcoat. She nodded curtly,“I’ll be back.”

She moved in the opposite direction. Her posture screamed tiredness but she kept her composure.

"Nurse, please provide some sanitary items to Dr. Siara" junior doctor called the nurse

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When Siara returned after 15 minutes, she was a completely different figure. Dressed in a crisp white coat over a professional outfit, her hair tied back neatly, and her expression sharp, she exuded authority. A group of junior doctors walked beside her, hanging on her every word as she scolded them for minor errors.. She was the most respected doctor in the hospital, and her reputation for no-nonsense leadership was known to everyone. The room fell silent as the interns nervously fumbled for words.

“Dr. Siara, we—uh, we were just—”

Siara cutting him off, her voice colder than ever “Let me make it clear, you do not have the luxury of ‘just’ anything in here. We are in a hospital, not a coffee shop. The patient on that table depends on every second, and every moment you waste giving your baseless and fluke assumptions, you are gambling with someone's life.”

She took a step forward, her gaze piercing.

The interns nodded quickly, visibly trembling under her intense scrutiny. Siara’s sharp eyes scanned the rest of the team, her gaze lingering on each of them until everyone felt the weight of her stare.

The Sehgal family stared, their jaws practically on the floor.

Kabir whispering to Devansh

“She’s… terrifying.”

“And weirdly impressive.” muttered shivay

Siara ignored their stunned expressions as she approached. “Nothing will happen to Dadi. I’ll see to it myself.”

Without waiting for a response, she entered inside, leaving her family grappling with the realization that Siara, the woman they’d underestimated for years, was far more than they ever imagined.