Pari arrived at the villa with Ved and Saanvi and was greeted by the home manager. She settled the kids on the couch before glancing around.
“Where is Zara?” she asked the home manager.
“Madam hasn’t come out of her room for the past two days. The maids have been serving her meals in the room, but she barely touches them. One of the maids went in this afternoon and saw that the breakfast was almost untouched. Madam was sleeping, so she quietly placed the lunch and left without disturbing her.” the home manager replied and Pari’s eyes widened in shock.
“Why didn’t you inform us earlier?” she demanded but without waiting for his response, she told the nanny to stay with the kids and rushed to Zara’s room. She sat beside Zara on the bed and gently shook her.
“Zara, wake up, girl. You’re not doing well and you know uncle and aunty won’t take this lightly,” Pari said, pushing the sheets aside and shook her again.
When Zara didn’t respond and panic shot through Pari. She patted Zara’s cheeks and realized she was unconscious. Her heart raced as she ran out of the room, shouting for the home manager and ordered him to call the doctor immediately. She hurried back with a glass of water and sprinkled it on Zara’s face, but there was still no response.
With trembling hands, she grabbed her phone and called Reyansh to inform him, then quickly dialed Ishaan. Returning to Zara’s side, she rubbed her palms and her eyes filled with tears.
“Why did you do this to yourself, Zara? Ayaan would be returning to you tonight ” she whispered and wiped the tears from her cheeks.
Within thirty minutes, cars lined up outside the villa. The doctors hurried in and were led straight to Zara’s room. Pari stepped aside, giving them space to examine her and paced anxiously in the hallway.
Moments later, she saw Reyansh, Vaishu and Ishaan rushing up the stairs, their faces etched with worry.
“What happened? How is she now?” Vaishu asked as her voice trembled with fear.
“The doctors are checking her. She looks much worse than when we saw her last week. The home manager said she’s barely been eating and hasn’t stepped out of her room in days.” Pari replied and Reyansh’s expression darkened. In a flash, he grabbed the home manager by the collar, his teeth gritted in fury.
“My daughter locked herself in her room and stopped eating and you didn’t think to inform us? What the hell do you get paid for?” he thundered but Vaishu quickly intervened and pulled him back.
“Sir, madam strictly ordered us not to disturb her. She said she was taking her medicines,” the home manager stammered in fear.
Ishaan signaled him to leave and turned to his father, hugging him to calm him down. Moments later, the doctor stepped out and everyone’s attention immediately shifted to her.
“She’s severely dehydrated and her blood pressure is very low. We need to shift her to the hospital immediately for treatment.” the doctor said and without wasting a second, Ishaan made the necessary arrangements and Zara was soon admitted to the VVIP ward. The family waited anxiously in the corridor while the doctors attended to her. Reyansh spoke to his PA to make some arrangements and paced back and forth, his face pale with worry.
Finally, the doctor emerged again, this time with a small smile. “Congratulations, She is pregnant ” she said warmly and everyone took a moment to calm down as smile touched their lips.
“The weakness and stress have taken a toll on her health. She’s extremely fragile, so she’ll need to stay under observation for a few days. Both the mother and baby must be closely monitored. She needs proper rest, a peaceful environment and regular meals. Avoid anything that could cause her stress, it could affect the baby. She should regain consciousness in three to four hours. You can visit her, but please don’t disturb her sleep.” the doctor said and the family thanked the doctor before they entered the room quietly. Zara lay on the hospital bed, her breathing even but her face pale, framed by dark circles under her eyes. She looked fragile like someone who had been emotionally and physically abandoned.
Vaishu sat beside her and gently stroke her hair before she broke down in tears. She turned to Reyansh, a faint smile trembling on her lips.
“Ansh, our Ayaan and Zara are going to be parents. Our grandchild…” she whispered, her voice choked with emotion. She leaned down and kissed Zara’s forehead tenderly and tears slipped down her cheeks.
At Delhi, Ayaan was working on his laptop, but his mind refused to stay still. A wave of restlessness washed over him, his chest tightened painfully as if the air around him had turned thin. He stopped typing, took a deep breath and drank some water, hoping it would help. But no matter how hard he tried to focus, his thoughts kept circling back to Zara. Something felt terribly wrong and he rubbed his chest to ease the discomfort.
Just then, his phone buzzed loudly, jolting him. Seeing his father’s name flash on the screen, he answered immediately.
“Get in the car and head to the airport. The jet is ready to take you home,” Reyansh’s voice came through, clipped and tense.
“Dad, what happened ? I have informed Sameer to arrange my return tonight. I will be home before 8 “
“Now, Ayaan,” Reyansh thundered before cutting the call.
The tone in his father’s voice made Ayaan’s stomach twist. Something was definitely wrong. He barely had time to think before he saw Sameer and the driver waiting at the doorway.
“Do I have time to change?” he asked but Sameer shook his head. “Your brother called me. We need to leave immediately.”
Without another word, Ayaan grabbed his phone and followed them out. Once in the car, he tried calling Ishaan, but his mobile was switched off. He dialed Pari, next then the home manager but all their mobile was switched off. His pulse quickened as anxiety clawed at him and he prayed for everyone’s safety.
By the time they reached the airport, Ayaan’s nerves were frayed. He boarded the jet and immediately checked the news, scrolling through headlines for any clue of what might have happened but there was nothing.
He called his CSO next and the man answered with a hesitant, hello. His tone was weak, almost fearful. Ayaan instantly understood he wouldn’t get answers, not with his father’s direct orders hanging over everyone. Without another word, he ended the call and leaned back, his jaw clenched, eyes burning with worry.
When the jet finally landed in Chennai, Rey’s personal driver was waiting by the car, which only deepened Ayaan’s unease. He slid into the backseat while Sameer took the passenger seat. A few minutes into the drive, Ayaan noticed they weren’t heading toward the manor or the villa. The route was completely different.
“Where are you taking me? Drive to villa, I will meet my wife before I meet dad ” Ayaan asked sharply.
The driver stiffened, “I…… I’m sorry, sir,” he mumbled, eyes fixed ahead.
Ayaan’s patience snapped. He slammed his fist against the seat, his voice low but seething with fury. “What the hell is going on?” he muttered through gritted teeth and his heart pounded with dread.
Twenty minutes later, Ayaan realized the car was heading toward their family hospital and his heart began to pound violently in his chest. Dread coursed through him and his fingers trembled in fear. The moment they arrived, the driver parked in the private lot and the guards rushed him to the VVIP floor. Ayaan’s eyes darted around until he spotted Ishaan and Pari outside one of the rooms. Panic surged within him as he grabbed Ishaan’s arm.
“Bro… is everyone okay? Why are you here? What happened ? ” he asked, his voice trembled with desperation.
Ishaan clenched his jaw, unable to meet his brother’s eyes. Before he could respond, Pari said quietly, “Go inside, Ayaan.”
Ayaan didn’t wait another second. He pushed open the door and the sight before him made his world collapse. His heart stopped, the air left his lungs and his knees nearly gave way. Zara lay unconscious on the hospital bed, her skin pale, her frame fragile, her breathing shallow. Tears burned his eyes and streamed down his face before he even realized it.
Reyansh stormed towards him, fury blazing in his eyes. He grabbed Ayaan by the collar and shook him with rage. Before he could go any further, Vaishu rushed forward and stepped between them.
“Look at her, Ayaan, look what you’ve done to that poor girl. Is it her fault that she fell in love with you? I don’t care what went wrong between you two but she stayed. She stayed while you took your sweet revenge on her and you couldn’t even stay back to face her like a man. Her love was strong enough to fight for both of you, but you were too weak to fight for your love for her. You don’t deserve her and definitely she doesn’t deserve a coward like you ” Reyansh thundered ready to slap him but Vaishu stopped him.
“Ansh, please, calm down. Don’t disturb Zara. She needs rest.” Vaishu whispered, holding his arm. She gently guided Reyansh and Ayaan out of the room, while Pari remained inside to watch over Zara. Vaishu and Ishaan followed the two men to the VIP guest room as tension and grief hung heavy in the air.
Before Reyansh could speak again, Ayaan looked up, his eyes red and brimming with tears. “Dad, please… stop. Yell at me, hate me, hit me, do whatever you want later. I failed my wife and I deserve it but first, please… tell me what happened to her ” His voice broke on the last word and he dropped to his knees and folded his hands before his family.
Vaishu and Ishaan exchanged a glance before Ishaan spoke quietly. “She locked herself in her room. Pari found her unconscious. She hadn’t been eating or sleeping. When we brought her here, the doctor ran some tests and…she’s pregnant, Ayaan.” Ishaan said.
Ayaan froze. His lips parted, but no sound came out. “Pregnant?” he whispered.
Vaishu nodded, her eyes glistening. “You should have stayed, Ayaan. You should have talked things out or if you truly thought it wouldn’t work, you should have let her go. But you let her suffer alone. She should’ve been the one to tell you the news, to surprise you with it. You both could’ve celebrated this moment together… not like this.” Her voice cracked and she wiped her tears away.
Ayaan buried his face in his hands. Tears streamed freely down his cheeks, tears of joy, sorrow, and self-loathing. His dream of having a little Ayaan or a little Zara had come true… but at the worst possible cost. He cursed himself for avoiding her messages, for letting guilt win over love.
“H-how is she now?” he asked in a trembling voice.
Ishaan repeated the doctor’s words, that Zara was weak, dehydrated and needed complete rest. Ayaan stood and walked toward the door, his hand touched the knob but stopped on Rey’s words.
“If you’re going to stay drowned in your guilt forever, then walk away now. I’ll take care of my daughter.” Reyansh said coldly behind him. Ayaan paused and his shoulders trembled. Without looking back, he opened the door and entered Zara’s room.
Zara was still asleep, her face peaceful yet hauntingly pale. Ayaan sat on the chair beside her and with a trembling hand he brushed her hair away from her face. Tears rolled down silently as he took in the dark circles under her eyes, her hollow cheeks, her fragile body. Gone was the vibrant, smiling girl he knew.
He cupped her cheek gently, then rested his palm over her abdomen. A sob escaped him as he slipped off the chair, falling to his knees beside the bed. His forehead pressed against the back of her hand, his voice broke into whispers.
“I’m sorry… I’m so, so sorry. Please forgive me, Zara. Please…” he cried softly.
The family stood silently, watching Ayaan break down beside Zara’s bed, their hearts heavy with emotion. A soft knock on the door broke their trance, and Pari quickly moved to open it. The home manager from the manor stepped in, followed by a staff member carrying several bags, hot packs, and freezer boxes. He placed them neatly on the table.
“Madam, all the food you requested has been packed. I also asked one of the maids to pack Madam Zara’s clothes, they’re here as well,” he reported respectfully. Pari nodded, her expression weary but composed. “Thank you. You can leave now,” she said gently, dismissing them.
Ayaan sat quietly, his gaze fixed on Zara, unwilling to look away even for a moment. An hour later, she stirred faintly in her sleep. Her lashes fluttered before her eyes opened slowly, adjusting to the soft light in the room.
She saw the family standing at a distance, their anxious faces immediately coming into view. Then she felt a familiar warmth, a gentle hold around her palm. She turned her head slightly, and the moment her eyes met Ayaan’s, she froze. He was sitting beside her, watching her with tear-filled eyes.
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A/N:
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