THIRD PERSON'S POV

Her tears were not stopping no matter how hard she was trying to control them. Her dad was lying unconscious on the hospital bed with a pale face. Her eyes couldn't leave the sight of his face even though her mind wanted to.

It felt like someone had squeezed her heart painfully.

How did this happen?

Few hours ago

"Why isn't she opening the door?" Dhriti mumbled and rang the doorbell for the fourth time.

Reeva never takes this much time to open the door especially during this time of the day when her daughter usually returns from the hospital.

"MAA.." She shouted banging on the door but got no response. Her heart started thudding loudly as she banged on the door continuosly.

Something was not right, she could feel it. She took out her phone from the bag and dialled Reeva's number but before she could call her, the door opened and her body froze seeing her mother in front of her. Her eyes were red and she was trembling badly.

"Dh-hriti, yo-our pa-apa..." she was stuttering, she couldn't utter a word properly but Dhriti's mind got alerted when she mentioned about her father.

"Maa, wh-hat hap-ppened? Te-ell me" she asked holding her arms as Janet was crying uncontrollably.

She was not saying anything she was just sobbing. Dhriti quickly ran inside and found her father lying on the sofa unconsciously.

"PAPA" She shouted running towards him and started patting his cheeks, her heartbeat dropped in fear as he was not responding.

She checked his veins and sighed in relief. She held her phone and dialled called the ambulance with shaky hands, her mind was clouded with fear.

Meanwhile, she tried sprinkling water drops on his face but he still didn't respond.

"Maa, calm down!" Reeva was visibly shaking standing in a corner.

She was cooking the lunch when she called her husband to help her getting down some jars. When he didn't answer, she went to the hall and to her utter shock, found her husband unconscious on the sofa.

Her mind had stopped working completely. She became numb. Faintly, she could still hear the doorbell but her cold feet were not able to take her anywhere.

Finally, after sometime she realised what she was doing and quickly ran to open the door.

The siren of the ambulance declared it's arrival soon.

She made her mother sit on the chair and gave her a glass of water which she took with a shaky hand. The doctor was checking John inside the room while Dhriti and her mother were waiting outside.

Dhriti knew something was wrong with her father. It was not the first time. The first time it happened, Dheeraj got his consciousness back after few minutes. She has told him so many times to have a full body check up but he denied saying that he is fit and fine.

She herself gulped the water and took few deep breaths, her tears were threatening to fall from her eyes but somehow she was controlling them. She couldn't cry in front of her mother, not when her mother was looking so miserable and weak.

"I..I wa-as..i-in the ki-itc-chen..when I called hi-im.." suddenly Reeva spoke and took few more deep breaths. Dhriti rubbed her back to calm her down.

"Wh-hen I ca-ame i-in th-he ha-all...I...I sa-aw y-your papa..." Dhriti hugged her tightly before she could finish her sentence.

Reeva started crying in her arms making her heart clutch in pain.

She could understand her feelings. Reeva and Dheeraj's relationship is something she admires the most. The way they kept holding onto each other no matter how much hardships life kept throwing their way, is just commendable.

********

"We have taken his blood samples, the report will be out by tomorrow." The doctor said handing Dhriti the list of medicines. She thanked him and then he went out of the room.

They admitted Dheeraj in a reputed hospital which is owned by his old friend.

Dhriti wanted to talk to him regarding her father's health but he is currently out of the country, performing a critical surgery in Germany.

However, he personally instructed the doctors to take very good care of his friend and find out what is wrong with him as soon as possible.

"He will be fine, Maa." She said caressing her mother's hair as tears started sliding down her cheeks.

Her mother was looking at her father without blinking her eyes. She was looking lost. Her father was laying there with an oxygen mask over his mouth.

You know what is the worst feeling in this world? Seeing your parents lying on the hospital bed and not being able to do anything about it.

Dhriti was feeling terrible, worthless and helpless. Never in her life had she thought she will witness such things one day.

She couldn't see her parents like this. They are her pillar of strength then how could they become weak like this?

"Thank you, uncle" She smiled sadly at the old man who came to check on her father.

A good friend of Dheeraj who is a physician here.

"Are you mad?" Inder held her hands and squeezed them lightly.

She felt like her papa was comforting her. Inder is indeed a fatherly figure for her since childhood.

"When will he be able to go home?" She asked.

"Not today beta, but you can take him home after the results come out." he answered glancing at his friend.

A look of sadness covered his eyes seeing the once lively and smiling man laying there.

Life is truly unpredictable..

At night, Reeva was sleeping on the couch and Dhriti was sitting beside her father. After so many pleadings, she convinced her to sleep as she was looking really tired, not only physically but mentally too.

"Papa, please wake up." She whispered holding his hand.

She was dying to hear his voice. It was the longest he didn't talk to her.

"I want to tell you what happened today in my hospital." She complained lightly poking his shoulder.

It's her habit to tell her father everything about her day in school, her college and now her hospital.

She shares everything with him since childhood. It's not that she is not close to her mother but the bond she shares with her father is something else.

A sigh escaped her lips looking at his face keenly. His face was looking dull and pale his lips were chapped and dry.

"Papa, papa wake up!" She didn't know when her eyes started closing on their own and she drifted off to dreamless slumber.

~~~~~~~~

"How is uncle?" Akshat asked handing her a cup of coffee.

It's been two days since that incident and yesterday they brought Dheeraj home. The doctor has not given his reports yet as the lab was closed due to some issues but his reports will come by tomorrow hopefully.

"Papa is fine now." She answered massaging her temple. Her head was throbbing due to all the sleepless nights and stress.

Dheeraj has become quite weak but he shows that he is perfectly healthy and fine. He tries to joke everytime and he is smiling more than before. However, she very well knows that he is faking everything.

"Hey Dhriti, Dr. Sahay is asking for your presence in his cabin." Prisha said as she came running towards them.

Dhriti frowned. Why would he call her again? She still remembers his guest whom she met three days ago.

She won't lie but that man was creepy as hell.

"Okay! thanks" she said and made her way towards his cabin.

She didn't know why but she was not feeling well like something bad was about to happen but still she couldn't put a finger on it.

For some reasons, she was praying for that man to be not there in his cabin again.

She softly knocked on his door but got no response. She again knocked on his door but again no answer. She slowly opened the door and peeked through it only to find his chair empty.

"Dr. Sahay?" She called his name slowly entering inside.

A gasp left her mouth as found a tall figure standing against the window on her right side.

She quickly recognised him, but was he doing here, again?

Abhimanyu Singh, the one and only was standing there in his glory wearing black pants and shirt, something which he usually wears. The colour which matches his personality.

She gulped before running her tongue over her lower lip as it suddenly turned dry and so did her throat.

This man is something.

He always makes her feel intimidated and somewhat afraid.

"Miss, Sharma" came his authoritative cold voice as he nodded in acknowledgement,

She slightly smiled greeting him as well.

"If he is not here then why did he call me?" She wondered but then she felt a heating gaze on her which reminded her that she is not alone in this cabin.

"I..I guess he js attending the patients. I should leav--

"Who was that boy?" His voice cut her words in between making her look at him confusingly.

"Excuse me?" After registering his words, she asked.

He kept looking at her for few seconds before taking predatory steps towards her. His eyes were dark and he was looking pissed and she wondered why.

Her heart rate accelerated and breathing became abnormal. She started taking steps backwards, unknowingly.

She couldn't take more steps backward as her back touched the door. His huge frame towered her small figure.

He was bulky, tall and scary.

"Answer me, Dhriti."

Shivers ran down her spine when he took her name.

Her body shook in anger.

"I don't owe you an answer. I am leaving." A loud gasp left her mouth as he shut the door loudly when she turned around to open it.

Now, she was trapped between him and the door.

"Who was that boy with you three nights before?" She looked at him in utter shock.

Three nights before? She was with Prisha and Roy and they were watching a movie in the theatre. So, was he talking about Roy?

"None of your concern." She stated trying to meet his gaze confidently.

"It is---" she flinched as he hit the door beside her head. He closed his eyes and inhaled sharply before opening them. "It is very much my concern."

Her lips trembled badly as she started feeling scared suddenly.

She was not liking it. No, this was not right. Something was wrong, terribly wrong. He had no rights to ask her anything related to her personal life. She doesn't even know him and same goes with him.

What's wrong with him?

"Lis-sten, Mr. Singh.. I don't want to talk you. Just please let me go." Her voice quivered a bit.

No matter how hard she tried, the man in front of her was way too intimidating and scary.

"Never." She shuddered hearing his words and even though she knew what he was saying still her mind was not ready to accept it, yet.

Tears fell from the corner of her eyes as she placed her hands on his bulky chest, trying to push him but in vain.

His chest vibrated as a chuckle escaped his throat making her more scared. He slowly titled his head and leaned towards her making her shut her eyes in fear.

"Never" he repeated in her ear making her tremble.

He backed away slowly and removed his hands from the door as she released a shaky breath.

"Marry me." She quickly looked up at him with widened eyes. She was looking at him with shock written all over her face but, he was looking serious.

"Wh-hat?" She questioned and now she was angry.

"I won-n't." She stated sternly.

He chuckled darkly which made her more scared of him, there was no humour in his chuckle suddenly he got silent and stared at her with a scary gaze.

"Who said you have a choice, haa?" Her vision was blurred with tears after hearing his words, in a swift movement he grabbed her waist and pulled her towards him.

Her hands landed on his chest and her eyes widened in fear, she was continuously pushing his chest to create some distance but he was hard as rock.

He pulled her more towards him and leaned down to her ear.

"I am giving you just one day and after that I will handle this situation in my way" he whispered angrily in her ear as his hold tightened on her waist making her yelp out in pain.

She kept looking at him with horror filled eyes.

What was happening with her?

Why was he doing this?