Choice

Author's Pov:

Advika stood frozen in the sterile hospital corridor, the harsh scent of antiseptic filling her nostrils. The world around her blurred as she stared at the doctor, his lips moving, but the words drowned out by the deafening roar in her ears.

"I'm sorry, Advika," the doctor's voice finally pierced through the haze. "Your parents... they didn't make it."

Her knees buckled, and she grasped the cold metal railing for support. The vibrant colors of her life drained away, leaving a monochrome landscape of despair.

She was led into a dimly lit room, where two covered forms lay on gurneys. With trembling hands, she lifted the sheets, revealing the serene faces of her parents, as if they were merely sleeping.

A strangled sob escaped her lips as she crumpled beside them, clutching their lifeless hands. The weight of loss pressed down on her chest, making it hard to breathe.

Memories flooded her mind—their laughter during family dinners, the warmth of their hugs, the unwavering support in their eyes. All of it, gone in an instant.

As the minutes stretched into hours, Advika remained by their side, whispering promises into the void. "I'll make them pay for it." she vowed, tears streaming down her face. "I'll punish them."

[Present Day]

Advika's heart raced as she stood in the sterile hospital corridor, the cold, antiseptic scent filling her nostrils. Two years ago, she walked into these same halls, her world shattering as she faced the lifeless bodies of her parents. The memory was a haunting echo, a wound that had never fully healed.

Now, the past and present blurred as she approached the emergency room where Vivan lay. The same overwhelming dread consumed her, threatening to pull her under. But this time, she couldn't afford to succumb to it. She had to be strong—for Vivan, for their future.

Advika’s heart pounded as she walked through the familiar hospital corridor, her hands ice-cold despite the warmth of Vivan’s family surrounding her. The same walls, the same sterile smell—memories of the past crashed into her, but she forced herself to focus on the present. This wasn’t about her past wounds; this was about Vivan.

They were about to ask the receptionist for information when they spotted Agam standing nearby. His white shirt was stained with blood, his face pale and exhausted. A dreadful silence fell upon them.

Vivan’s father was the first to speak, his voice tight with concern. "Agam, where is he? How is Vivan?"

Agam swallowed hard, his expression unreadable. “He’s in there,” he said, nodding toward a door down the hall.

Advika's legs moved before she could think. She pushed past everyone, her breath uneven, heart racing with fear as she reached the door. Without hesitation, she pushed it open.

The moment her eyes landed on him, relief and emotions surged through her. Vivan was sitting upright on the hospital bed, looking tired but unharmed. Doctors stood beside him, speaking in low voices, but all Advika could focus on was his face—the way his lips curled into a soft smile as he saw her.

"Advika," he murmured.

She didn't wait. She ran straight to him, throwing her arms around his shoulders, gripping him as if she was afraid he'd disappear. Her body trembled against his, and before she knew it, words tumbled from her lips. "I’m sorry... I’m so sorry."

Vivan wrapped his arms around her, holding her close, his chin resting against her head. His touch was warm, grounding. "Hey, shhh. I’m okay," he whispered, rubbing slow circles on her back. "I’m right here."

But Advika couldn't stop the tears from spilling. The weight of everything—the accident, the fear, the secrets she was keeping—pressed down on her. She clung to him, not caring about the people in the room, not caring about anything but the fact that he was safe.

Vivan gently pulled back, his hands still cupping her face as he looked into her teary eyes. A small frown formed between his brows.

"Why are you saying sorry, Advika?" he asked, his voice soft but laced with curiosity.

Advika stiffened slightly, her mind racing. She hadn't even realized she had said those words aloud. She quickly blinked, forcing down the storm of emotions threatening to break free.

"I... I was just scared," she mumbled, lowering her gaze. "When I heard about the accident, I—" Her voice caught in her throat.

Vivan sighed, his fingers gently tucking a strand of her hair behind her ear. "I’m okay, love," he reassured, his voice a soothing balm to her panic. "It wasn’t serious, just a little scratch."

But Advika couldn’t shake the feeling that this was more than just a simple accident. Raghav’s message flashed in her mind. The result of ignoring my messages…

Her grip on his hospital gown tightened. She wanted to tell him everything. She wanted to warn him, to let him know that danger was lurking close—too close.

But then, she thought about the consequences. About the secret she was still hiding. About the way he would look at her if he knew the full truth.

So, she swallowed it all down.

"I just... I can’t lose you," she whispered instead, her voice barely above a breath.

Vivan cup her face, his thumbs wiping away her tears. "You really thought you’d lose me that easily?" he teased gently.

Advika tried to glare at him, but the sight of his warm, reassuring smile only made her more emotional. "Don't joke about this," she scolded, her voice shaky.

He chuckled softly, pressing a kiss to her forehead , Vivan's expression softened, his arms pulling her back into his warmth. "You won’t," he promised. "I’m not going anywhere, princess."

And for a brief moment, despite all the chaos surrounding them, she allowed herself to believe him.

After spending some time with Vivan, making sure he was truly fine, Advika finally let herself relax a little. His family surrounded him, asking about the accident, but the doctors assured them that there was nothing to worry about. He had a few minor injuries, but nothing serious.

However, Advika’s mind was far from calm. Her fingers clutched the edge of her dress as she silently observed everyone. This wasn’t an accident. This was a warning.

Agam stood beside her, his arms crossed as he listened to the conversation. But Advika couldn't shake off the strange feeling that crept into her mind whenever she looked at him. He was there when it happened. He was the first to reach Vivan. He was also the only one who entered our room back home.

Before she could dwell further on her thoughts, Vivan’s voice pulled her back.

"Advika?" He reached for her hand, his thumb brushing over her knuckles. "You’re so quiet. What’s wrong?"

She forced a small smile. "Nothing. Just still shaken up."

Vivan sighed. "I told you, I'm okay."

His words were meant to comfort her, but they did nothing to ease the storm raging inside her. Instead of answering, she looked at Agam. "You were with him, right? What exactly happened?"

Agam met her gaze, his expression unreadable. "I got a call that Vivan met with an accident. When I reached the location, I saw him sitting inside the car. The driver had already called for help, so I brought him here."

His explanation was simple. Too simple. Something felt off.

"Who called you?" she asked.

Agam hesitated for a fraction of a second before replying, "An unknown number."

Advika clenched her jaw, nodding slowly. She didn’t believe him. Not entirely. But she also knew now wasn’t the time to push.

Just then, Vivan’s father stepped forward. "Let’s not stress Vivan right now. He needs rest. We can talk about everything later."

Everyone agreed, and after another few minutes, the doctor insisted on keeping Vivan under observation for a few more hours.

As much as Advika didn’t want to leave his side, she knew she had to step out and make a call.

She needed answers. And there was only one person who could give them to her.

Stepping outside, she took a deep breath and dialed a number.

"Ah, so you finally decided to call," Raghav’s voice came through the phone, laced with amusement.

Her grip on the phone tightened. "Why did you do this?" she demanded.

"Consider it a reminder, sweetheart," he said casually. "I told you not to ignore me. You thought I was joking?"

Her blood boiled. "Stay the hell away from Vivan!"

Raghav chuckled. "That depends on you, Advika. You know what I want. So the question is… how far are you willing to go to keep him safe?"

Her heart pounded in her chest. She had made a deal with the devil, and now, the price was coming due.

Advika’s fingers tightened around the phone as she swallowed the lump forming in her throat. Her voice was laced with controlled fury. "What do you want, Raghav?"

Raghav hummed on the other end, as if contemplating his answer. "Meet me, Advika. I prefer discussing business face-to-face."

She let out a shaky breath, her mind racing with possibilities. "Where?"

"I’ll send you the location. And come alone," he warned. "You wouldn’t want me to get impatient again, would you?"

Before she could respond, the line went dead.

Her grip on the phone trembled as a mix of rage and helplessness surged through her. She closed her eyes, trying to steady herself. This isn’t over. I need to think carefully.

She turned to go back inside when she spotted Agam standing a few feet away. He was watching her, his expression unreadable.

"Bhabhi ,You look tense," he commented casually, stepping closer.

Advika forced a small smile. "Just tired."

Agam studied her for a moment, as if trying to read her mind. "Who were you talking to?"

She hesitated for the briefest second before replying, "Tara."

He didn’t look convinced, but he didn’t press further. "You should go back inside. Vivan’s asking for you."

The mention of Vivan made her chest tighten with guilt. She nodded and walked past Agam, but she could feel his eyes lingering on her back.

As she stepped back into the room, Vivan’s eyes immediately found hers. He was sitting up now, looking at her with a mixture of concern and curiosity.

"Where did you go?" he asked.

Advika forced a reassuring smile and sat beside him. "Just needed some fresh air."

He didn’t seem convinced. His hand reached out, cupping her cheek. "Are you sure? You seem… distracted."

Her throat felt dry. How could she tell him the truth? That the man responsible for his accident was now trying to manipulate her? That she was being blackmailed?

Instead, she leaned into his touch, closing her eyes for a second. "I'm fine, Vivan. Just worried about you."

His gaze softened. "I told you, I'm okay."

She nodded, but the turmoil inside her refused to settle.

Because no matter how much she wanted to stay by his side, she knew she had to leave soon.

She had to meet Raghav.

The sun had begun to set by the time Advika arrived at the location Raghav had sent her. A secluded warehouse on the outskirts of the city—typical of him. The place reeked of damp concrete and secrecy, making her stomach churn with unease.

Her heels clicked against the ground as she walked inside, her eyes quickly adjusting to the dim lighting. In the center of the large, empty space stood Raghav, his hands casually tucked into his pockets, a smug smile plastered on his face as he watched her approach.

"You’re punctual," he mused, tilting his head. "I like that."

Advika crossed her arms, her expression cold. "Cut the nonsense, Raghav. What do you want, Raghav?"

He leaned back, intertwining his fingers. "Straight to the point, as always. I admire that about you."

"It will not take me more than 2 minutes to finish your chapter here and now so just cut the crap," she snapped at him taking out her gun and pointing at him.

Raghav's expression hard."Press the trigger and close my chapter , and loose your husband forever."

Advika's stomach churned. "What do you mean?!"

He leaned forward, lowering his voice. "I will not call you here without safeguarding my own life , the hospital where your husband is right now is surrounded with my people the moment your tried to harm me they will kill your husband , so just keep this gun under your purse".

She clenched her fists, struggling to maintain her composure , she put the gun back and asked him angrily , "What do you want?!"

He smirked, sensing her desperation. "Well lets come to the point, vivan is going to do something against my dad , he had some proof against him I want you to steal them and have it to me"

She recoiled, realization dawning. "You want me to betray my husband."

"You are saying like you never betrayed him," he replied nonchalantly. "Betray him , steal hum do whatever you want to do , I want that damn proof now."

Advika's chuckled " you know what tell vivan the whole freaking truth about me even better I will do it but don't think that I will not help you just to hide my lie"

Raghav's eyes gleamed with malice. "But you will help me if you want your husband alive. The choice is yours"

She stared at him, weighing his option, Betray Vivan's trust or protecting his life.

Without another word, she turned and walked away, her mind a whirlwind of fear and determination. She needed to protect Vivan, but she couldn't let Raghav control their lives.

As she stepped out into the cool night air, she knew one thing for certain: this was far from over.

~Rishta ki neev

sach par khadi hoti hai,

Apna rishta bachana ka liya,

Hazaro qurbani deni padti hai!!~

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