32. The Hospital

Anika

My head was pounding, and my body felt like it was trapped in a cage. I struggled to open my heavy eyelids, managing to crack them open. Everything was blurry, and I could hear someone calling my name.

"Ani!" I thought it was my mom's voice. Why was she here? I blinked a few times to clear my vision.

"Maa," I responded weakly. I realized I was in a hospital bed.

"How are you feeling?" Dad asked, standing beside Mom.

"My head hurts, and it's like my body's locked up," I complained.

"You were unconscious when Jai found you, Ani," she explained.

"What time is it?" I inquired.

"It's past 4 pm, beta," she replied. Jai was never home at this hour, but I pushed that thought aside.

The doctor arrived. "Hello, Anika."

"Hi," I replied.

"How are you feeling?"

"A little weak, but I'm fine."

"Your body was weakened from not eating and drinking. Your blood pressure dropped, causing you to faint. You should avoid stress, and that's it. Eat all the meals and drink water, and you'll be perfectly fine," he advised, and I averted my gaze.

I had lost my appetite, stopped talking to people, and even quit reading books. They all served as painful reminders of my current life situation. The only thing that lingered was my anger towards Jai. It was more of a heartbreak than anything else.

The doctor provided some instructions, but they barely registered in my mind. The loneliness crept back in.

"I'll rest for a bit," I told my parents and they looked at me with concern.

I never reached out to them when things went south. I didn't want to burden them. They would have seen right through me with a single glance. I wanted to keep my marital problems between Jai and me.

"Is everything okay, Anika?" they asked.

"Yeah, don't worry, maa," I assured her.

"Is everything all right between you and Jai?" she probed.

"I can talk to Jai if—" Dad began, but I interrupted.

"Don't, please. Everything's fine." I assured him. He simply nodded.

"We'll send Jai in," they announced, and I nodded.

A few minutes later, Jai entered with a bouquet of flowers. He always used to bring me gifts when we were dating, emphasis on the "before marriage."

"Hey," he said, handing me the flowers. With my weak hands, I accepted them.

"Thanks," I replied, my face devoid of emotion. I had forgotten how his presence used to affect me.

"I'm really sorry, Ani. I know I've been distant. It has nothing to do with you, you know?" he said, and my eyes welled up with tears. Why was I crying?

I simply shrugged. He stayed for a few minutes, explaining how he brought me here. I tried to keep my hands by my side, avoiding any physical contact. I might be upset with him, but the concern in his eyes was genuine.

"If fainting was the way to get you back, I would've done it sooner." I joked weakly.

"That wasn't the reason. I promise, I'll never leave your side again." he reassured me. If I were the old Anika, butterflies would have danced in my stomach. But now, I felt nothing.

He held my palm and started drawing circles with the pad of his thumb, talking about random stuff that happened. Like nothing had changed.

"The doctor said you're good to go. I'll take you home in a few minutes, okay?" he said, and a nurse came in.

"Let's get you changed," she suggested.

"Let me help you." He suggested, still holding my hand in his. I didn't deny.

This was so stupid; I should be mad at him. But I'd prefer his help over the nurses, so I didn't deny him.

Then I started feeling better, and the nurse led me out. I must have had a glucose injection in my hand at some point, as it now ached.

"Hey, beautiful," Aarav greeted me when I stepped outside.

"Hey," I responded.

"How are you?" Varsha asked, hugging me.

"Why's everyone so worried? It's nothing, guys," I reassured them as we started walking.

We settled in the car, Jai was driving, and I sat in the passenger seat, Aarav along with us. I don't know why.

"Why's he coming with us?" I asked Jai quietly, without Aarav overhearing from the back seat.

"He wants to talk to you about something." Jai said.

"Okay," I replied, turning my attention back to the view. Yes, it was Jai, alright.

Jai played my favorite playlist, which had a mix of Arijit Singh and Taylor Swift songs. It was a cute gesture, I must say.

Then we headed to our home, which was a short ride because Jai took me to the nearest hospital.

The story he said was out of a book. He carried me all the way down from our penthouse, which was on the 20th floor, to the parking lot. If I wasn't mad at him, I'd kiss him so hard for doing that for me.

We entered our apartment, and then Jai parked our car, opened the door for me. When he was about to pick me up in his arms, I said, "I can walk."

"If we want to reach in a year, sure." Aarav taunted, and I glared at him. He shrugged, asshole.

"I know you can. But I don't want you to walk when I'm here to carry you anywhere." Jai said with a small smile.

This was bad. He shouldn't be doing these things after he ignored me all this time. But the line, damn.

He carried me into our home and made me sit on the sofa.

"I'll bring water, talk to him until then. Want something to eat?" Jai says, kissing my forehead. I've missed those kisses.

"No, water is fine." I replied, but my stomach grumbled, which made him chuckle.

"I'll make you something," he said, and I nodded. He won't let this go. Jai was so particular about eating.

"Why's he acting like this?" I whispered to Jai.

"It's something from his past. Let him finish first, okay?" he said, and I saw the concern in his eyes. I nod in agreement.

"I'll be right back," he said before leaving.

"Long time no see?" I said.

"And whose fault is that?" he teased.

I looked at Aarav and gave him a guilty smile. I was the one who stopped talking to them.

"I'm sorry," I told him.

"So, what were you going to say?" I inquired, eager to hear what had been on his mind.

"Ahh," he cleared his throat.

He waited for a few seconds and then started talking.

"When I was 7, I went to the office every Saturday with my dad, played with the other colleagues' children. I got beaten by one of my dad's colleagues while I was hiding during hide and seek." I held back my tears.

"I kept shouting, but he said he'd complain about me to my dad. So, I kept quiet." I went towards Aarav and gave him the tightest hug ever. The amount of self-hate you get after such an incident is unbearable.

"I'm so sorry that happened to you," I said. He shrugged.

"You know what's the worst part? I didn't tell anyone about it. That guy, Daman, still works in the company as the managing head. I have to see him almost every day, and that past repeats in front of my eyes. I couldn't do anything about it." he said, his voice breaking. I cried into his chest.

"Does Jai know?" I asked him. Jai wouldn't let this matter slide.

"That is the reason he's been working nonstop. Daman is leaving the company, and Jai said that man has many illegal things going on outside the company, so he's trying to collect proofs," he says, and the pieces click.

Wait, then it clicked. This was Jai's goal. He didn't lie to me when he said he'll teach this guy a lesson. He's doing this for the girls who got trapped by that asshole. But he's also doing this for his brother.

"So that's the reason Jai is working so much?" I ask, and he nods. My husband is the best man. He wasn't the best husband recently, but he's the best man.

Then he lightened the conversation, and we talked about what happened in the past few days.

Right then Nisha entered our house, "Hello, bitch!" she said.

"Helloooo!" I hugged her.

"I missed you so muchhh" she said.

"Me too babe, me too!" I replied.

When I looked at Aarav, he was just as surprised as me to see Nisha here.

"What brings you here, love?" he asked holding her hand.

"Jai invited me over."

"Really?" I looked at the kitchen and found Jai arranging the food on my plate.

"Yep."

Then Jai arrived, he handed me the plate which had rice, dal takda, and gave me a spoon.

"Finish everything." He said. The quantity was more than I usually ate.

"But-"

"I'm not listening to anything, princess. You gotta finish this." He said.

"Okay." I replied. I was super hungry; I probably will add even more rice to my plate. Dal was my comfort food.

"Sooo, I have a small problem to deal with. I'll be back in an hour." He said, and I stared at him. He was doing this again.

"I've set an alarm in an hour to take your tablet, and I'll be back before that, shall I go? Or do you want me to stay?" he added and Aarav stood next to him, just gave me a nod.

"You'll come back in an hour?" I asked.

"For sure." He replied.

"Okay." I said, and he kissed my forehead.

"Take care of her?" and Nisha nodded.

"Byee, and don't do anything like that again; I can't have another heart attack." He teased, and both of them left. He was acting like the Jai I married. The goofy one when he was with me.

But hey, this doesn't change the fact that he needs to grovel and remove this heartbroken feeling from my heart. That is when I'll forgive him.

"Soo, what's happening?" I asked Nisha.

"Other than the fact that I'm dating Aarav?" Nisha grinned.

"I need the details, spill!!" I pouted, and she laughed.

Then we talked and teased each other, her making me laugh, which I did after so many days.

"You know what was the important work was about?" I asked Nisha.

"I'm not sure if I should tell you." She replied.

"You can. It's fine."

"You know Jai's assistant, right?" she asked.

"Yeah, why?"

"So, she deleted the chats you sent to him. And even the calls." She said, and I froze. Why would she do that? That means Jai didn't read the texts I sent him? And then it clicked.

"How? Nobody except me knows Jai's password."

"Are you sure?" Nisha asked, still skeptical.

"Absolutely. Jai is so secretive about his phone. We are the only ones who know his password. There's no way he said that to his assistant." I said confidently.

"He leaves his phone outside, right?"

"Yeah, he said he does. But her job is only to answer the calls. Answering calls doesn't need a password."

"True."

"So, they went to deal with her?" I asked.

"Yeppp. Let's wait for them to come" She said.

"Hmmm" I hope, Jai really teaches her a lesson.

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I hope this chapter clearly stated that Jai only left his phone for her to answer important calls. He didn't tell her the password.

Assistant nikli .............................?

You guys want Jai to teach her a lesson or not?

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I post every Tuesday and Saturday, so wait for the next one😉