Maya was growing desperate to uncover the reason behind Aryan and Sanju’s sudden disappearance from the office. Determined to find out Sanju’s medical condition, she hired a woman to visit the hospital and probe the chief doctor for information.
The woman arrived at the hospital under the guise of a regular patient. She met with the chief doctor, claiming she was experiencing fatigue and needed a general check-up.
After a brief examination, the doctor smiled and said, “You’re perfectly fine. Maybe just some fatigue. I’ll prescribe you some vitamin supplements, they should make you feel more energized.”
The woman nodded. “Doctor, my friend Sanjana had similar symptoms a few days ago.”
The doctor looked up. “Which Sanjana?”
“Sanjana Aryan. She’s also your patient, right?”
“Yes, of course,” the doctor confirmed.
“How is she now? Is her health okay?”
The doctor narrowed his eyes slightly, pausing for a beat.
“I actually spoke to her recently,” the woman added quickly. “Just thought of checking with you to see if there’s any serious illness.”
“She must be okay now,” the doctor said cautiously. “Aryan sir hasn’t contacted me since yesterday.”
“What happened yesterday?” she asked.
“Usual thing. Nothing to worry,” the doctor replied vaguely.
“I don’t understand. What’s the usual thing?”
The doctor now looked visibly uncomfortable. “I’m sorry. I don’t discuss patient history with anyone.”
“That’s alright. I’m her best friend,” she tried again.
“In that case, you should be able to speak directly to her about her health.”
“Yes, of course. I’ll talk to her. Thank you, doctor.”
Sensing the doctor’s suspicion, the woman decided not to push further and left.
As soon as she walked out, the doctor immediately picked up the phone and dialed Aryan’s number.
“Good noon, sir,” he greeted.
“Hello, doctor. I was just about to ring you,” Aryan responded.
“Oh, is Sanjana fine?”
“She’s doing good. I just wanted to check if there’s an alternative for the protein supplement the gynecologist suggested yesterday. Sanjana feels nauseous from the smell.”
“In that case, you can go for flavored ones. There are multiple options.”
“That’s great. What did you call for?”
“I had a patient today who seemed overly curious about Sanjana’s health. She claimed to be a friend, but I found her behavior suspicious.”
“Did you tell her anything?”
“No, sir. I never reveal patient details to unknown people.”
“Good. Just inform the gynecologist to be cautious too. We don’t want the news getting out right now.”
“Understood, sir. I’ll take care.”
Aryan ended the call and summoned Ranjith to his study.
“Maya is trying to dig into Sanju’s health. Someone followed the doctor’s car yesterday. Luckily, it was the chief doctor’s car. Today a woman met him, pretending to be Sanju’s friend.”
“That means our mansion is under surveillance,” Ranjith concluded.
“Exactly. Just find out who’s behind it but don’t make a move yet.”
“I will, sir.”
Over the next two days, Maya’s frustration grew. Her plans to uncover the truth failed repeatedly. Ranjith identified a few men watching the mansion and quietly increased security to monitor them.
Meanwhile, Aryan and Kowsalya continued to take excellent care of Sanju. Aryan, in particular, was going above and beyond to manage her mood swings and fulfill her changing cravings.
One night, after ensuring Sanju was asleep, Aryan lay beside her and drifted off. But within minutes, she shook him awake.
Startled, he sat up instantly. “Sanju, baby, what happened? Is anything wrong? Do we need to go to the hospital?”
“Aryan, I’m feeling hungry,” she mumbled.
Aryan let out a relieved sigh, chuckling. “Tell me what you want?”
“I want spicy ghee idly.”
“That’s it? I’ll get it for you,” he said warmly.
“I’ll come with you,” she insisted.
He smiled and lifted her into his arms, carrying her to the kitchen. He placed her gently on the counter and took out the idly batter from the fridge. As he filled the plates and set the cooker, he turned to see her yawning.
Grinning, he tugged her nose. Sanju pulled him close, placed his hands on either side of her, and kissed his nape. Wrapping her arms around his neck, she pecked his lips and then bit his lower lip, making him hiss.
“Are you starving that much?” he teased.
“Yes, I’m gonna bite and eat you,” she whispered playfully.
He chuckled, kissing the pulse on her throat, trailing down toward her chest until a sharp whistle from the idly cooker pulled them back.
Aryan quickly turned off the stove, took a pan, added ghee and spices, tossed the idlys, and finished with fresh curry leaves. The aroma filled the kitchen as he transferred them onto a plate and brought it to her.
Sanju leaned forward, took in the scent, and smiled. He picked up a fork and fed her gently. She returned the gesture, feeding him a few bites as well. After the meal, he carried her back to bed and held her close as she dozed off in his arms.
A few days later, Maya returned home from office in a furious mood. She flung whatever she could get her hands on, leaving the living room in chaos. The maids stood frozen, afraid to approach her. One of them called Rajesh, who immediately informed Chandrasekar.
Within minutes, Chandrasekar drove home and walked into the mess. Seeing him, the maids scurried away, leaving father and daughter alone.
“Maya, what’s the problem?” he asked sternly.
“Aryan and Sanjana haven’t been to the office.”
“So?”
“It’s been almost a month! I still don’t know why.”
“A month?” he raised an eyebrow. “Fine. I’ll find out. Now go and freshen up.”
Maya walked away silently.
Chandrasekar turned to Rajesh. “Tell me everything. What has Maya been up to?”
Rajesh hesitated, then revealed everything he knew, including Maya’s attempts to gather Sanju’s medical details.
“Next time, make sure you inform me of anything Maya asks you to do,” Chandrasekar warned.
“Sure, sir. I’m sorry.”
Three months passed, and Sanju was now in her fourth month of pregnancy. The doctor scheduled a comprehensive check-up and abdominal scan to monitor the baby’s development.
Knowing their house was still under watch, Aryan made strategic plans to reach the hospital without being followed.
As per the plan, Aryan’s sleek black Lamborghini rolled out of the mansion gates with Bala in the driver’s seat. The heavily tinted windows kept the identity of the passenger hidden, and just as expected, Maya’s men followed the car, thinking Aryan was inside.
Minutes later, once the car had disappeared from sight and Ranjith confirmed that Maya’s men were no longer around, Aryan stepped out from the shadows with Sanju in his arms. He gently helped her into the backseat of his BMW, and Ranjith took the wheel, driving them straight to the hospital. All of Aryan’s cars had tinted windows, a deliberate measure to keep away nosy paparazzi and prying eyes.
They reached the hospital soon and entered through the private entrance, wearing masks for added discretion. Taking the exclusive lift, they headed straight to the doctor’s cabin.
The lady doctor greeted them warmly. After checking Sanju’s weight and vitals, she smiled and said, “Everything looks stable. Now let’s proceed with the scan.”
Sanju was taken to the scan room, and Aryan accompanied her. She lay down on the cot and pulled her top above her abdomen. The doctor applied a cool gel over her stomach and gently ran the transducer across her skin. The screen lit up, revealing the tiny form growing inside her.
Aryan held her hand, and both of them stared in awe as their baby appeared on the screen. Tears welled up in their eyes at the sight of the little life they had created. Then, the doctor turned on the audio.
A strong, rhythmic heartbeat filled the silent room.
Thump-thump. Thump-thump.
The sound sent a chill through their bodies.
“That’s your baby’s heartbeat,” the doctor said softly, smiling.
Sanju’s fingers tightened around Aryan’s hand. He bent down and kissed her forehead.
The doctor recorded all the growth details before stepping away to her desk. Aryan picked up a tissue and gently wiped off the lubricant from Sanju’s belly, helping her sit up and get dressed. Once ready, they both returned to the doctor’s cabin.
“Mother and baby are fine,” the doctor said reassuringly. “The growth is also up to mark. Your baby is now fifteen weeks.”
“When should we come for the next check-up?” Aryan asked.
“Next month,” she replied. “I’ll let you know the date. But if there’s any discomfort in the meantime, don’t hesitate to call me. Until then, she needs to continue with the vitamin supplements already prescribed.”
“Thank you, doctor.”
Sanju looked up. “Can I resume my job?”
The doctor considered it for a moment. “You can, but make sure you take good care of your baby. No stress. Since you’ve already suffered from chronic stress, it wouldn’t be safe for the baby.”
“We will take care, doctor,” Aryan assured her.
After thanking the doctor again, Aryan and Sanju made their way out and got into the car.
Once seated comfortably, Sanju turned to him. “Aryan, I’m getting bored staying at home.”
“So tell me what you want to do,” he replied. “But anything other than office.”
“I will not take stress. I promise I’ll work less.”
“Wifeyy,” he said with a sigh, “you heard what the doctor said, right? Please, I can’t risk your health. Pavi, Keerthy, and Pradeep are managing the business well. And the new product launch will definitely stress you out.”
Sanju frowned and turned away. “I’m upset with you. Don’t talk to me.”
Aryan gave her a sideways glance. “If you don’t listen to my words, then I’ll cancel the partnership and shut down the business forever.”
She turned to him in shock. “Are you nuts?”
“What?” he asked, unfazed. “I don’t care about the loss from it. Nothing is more important than you and our baby.”
She pouted, still staring at him.
Aryan chuckled and said, “Fine. Let’s go to the beach house for a couple of days. You’ll feel better there. Is that okay?”
“Okay,” she agreed, softening. “But after returning home, you should get back to office. I can take care.”
“We’ll discuss that later,” he said evasively.
“No,” she insisted. “I listened to you, so you’ll listen to me. Once we return home, you’ll get back to office and handle the business.”
“Why, sweetheart?” he asked, curious.
“If you take care of business now, then you can stay with me after our baby is born.”
“You’re right,” Aryan admitted, smiling. “But I need to take care of my baby now.”
“Your baby can take care of her and also our baby,” Sanju teased.
Aryan laughed, kissed her hand, and signaled Ranjith to drive them to the beach house, where they would spend the next couple of days together, away from all the chaos.
