Chapter 47: chapter 46

Lisa paced nervously in the hospital hallway, the phone pressed against her ear as she desperately tried calling Rivaan again. As expected, he didn’t answer. Since learning the full truth about his mother’s interference in his relationship with Naina, Rivaan had stopped answering Lisa's calls altogether.

But this time, it wasn’t about her—it was about Naina and their babies. Lisa sighed, realizing she had no other option. With shaking hands, she dialed another number.

“Anamay” she said when he picked up. “Naina’s gone into labor. I’m at the hospital with her right now. Please, you have to tell Rivaan. He needs to be here.”

There was a pause on the other end, but Lisa could hear the urgency in Anamay’s voice as he responded, “I’ll get him there. Don’t worry.”

A weight lifted off Lisa’s shoulders as she hung up, but the tension in the air didn’t leave her. She couldn’t do anything more now but wait.

---

Meanwhile, Rivaan had been at home, pacing around his living room, trying to clear his head. His relationship with Naina was still fragile, and every day, he questioned whether he could ever truly make things right. The sudden vibration of his phone interrupted his thoughts. Seeing Anamay’s name on the screen, he answered without hesitation.

“Rivaan, you need to get to the hospital—now!” Anamay’s voice came through, tense and urgent. “Naina’s in labor. Mom called me.”

Rivaan’s heart skipped a beat. “What? She’s early—are they okay?”

“She’s in pain, and mom said there might be complications. You need to go. Now.”

Without wasting another second, Rivaan grabbed his keys and rushed out the door, his mind racing faster than his feet. The drive to the hospital felt like a blur, every second stretching longer as he feared the worst.

---

As Rivaan burst through the hospital doors, his eyes scanned the hallways for any sign of Naina. The unmistakable sound of her screaming reached his ears, and he didn’t need directions to know where she was. He followed the sounds of her voice, his heart pounding as he approached her room.

He opened the door just as she let out another pained scream. There she was, her face contorted with pain, clutching the sides of the bed. Without thinking, Rivaan rushed to her side, taking her hand.

“Naina, it’s going to be okay,” he said, his voice soft but trembling with concern. “I’m here.”

But through the haze of pain, Naina’s eyes locked on Rivaan, and her Bhojpuri came out in a flurry. “Ee sab tohhar kasoor hai! Tohhare karan ee sab ho raha hai! (This is all your fault! All this is happening because of you!)” she snapped, her words sharp despite the pain.

Rivaan blinked in confusion as she continued, her complaints in Bhojpuri flying at him at full speed. “Tohar maan kaboo karat rahas! (You should have controlled your mind!) "Kahe na sun le ba tu hamar baat? Sab kuch aisa kahan se ho rahal hai?"! (Why didn't you listen to me? Why is all this happening?)”

Despite the seriousness of the situation, a small smile tugged at the corner of Rivaan’s lips. Only Naina could make him laugh, even in the middle of such chaos. Her words, though harsh, were tinged with the kind of warmth and humor that had drawn him to her in the first place. He squeezed her hand gently.

“Naina, I’m sorry,” he whispered. “It’s all my fault, you’re right. But I’m here now. I won’t leave.”

Before Naina could fire back another retort, the doctor entered the room, his expression grave. “Mr. Raghuvanshi, we’ve detected some complications with the delivery. We’re going to need to perform an emergency C-section. It’s the safest option for both Naina and the babies.”

Rivaan’s heart sank as the seriousness of the situation hit him. He nodded, his grip tightening on Naina’s hand as the doctors prepared to take her to the operating theater. “I’m here, Naina. I’m not going anywhere,” he reassured her.

Naina, exhausted and in pain, looked up at him, her eyes softening slightly despite everything. “Hum jiyat raheb na? (I’ll survive this, right?)” she asked, her voice faint but filled with fear.

“You will,” Rivaan said firmly, though he felt anything but certain. “You have to.”

---

The next few moments passed in a blur. Naina was wheeled into the operating room, and Rivaan was left standing outside, his heart pounding with worry. He could do nothing but wait.

Soon after, his family arrived. His father, brother, and even Lisa joined him in the waiting room. His father gave him a reassuring pat on the shoulder, but Lisa stood a bit apart, glancing at her son with uncertainty. She knew their relationship was strained, but seeing his face, pale with worry, stirred something inside her.

Rivaan barely noticed his family’s arrival, too lost in his own thoughts. He stared at the doors to the operating room, willing everything to be alright.

“She’ll be okay,” Anamay said quietly, standing next to him. “She’s strong.”

Rivaan nodded, not trusting himself to speak. He had to believe that everything would be fine—that Naina and their babies would be alright. And no matter what happened after today, he promised himself that he would never let her face anything alone again.