With You Until The End ✔️

Bonus Chapter - 6

(This takes place after Aarav and Rhea confess their feelings for each other.)

Aarav's POV

"Rhea?" I call out from the kitchen, setting down the last scoop of cookie dough on the tray.

"Yeah?" she yells back from the living room.

"I called you ten minutes ago!"

"Sorry! I got caught up watching a surgery video!"

Of course she did.

I sigh, shaking my head as I slide the tray into the oven and set the timer. I take off the gloves, drop them onto the island, and grab a bottle of water before heading toward the living room.

And the second I walk in—yep, there it is a man's open abdomen, organs and all, and I immediately looked away, grimacing, turning my face toward my wife instead, who looks very comfortable watching it.

Surgeon Traits.

"Why are you watching that on television, Rhea?" I ask, sinking down beside her while keeping my eyes far away from the surgical horror show. "You could have used your laptop or iPad instead," I suggest.

"I wanted to observe the finer details. The smaller movements," she says without looking away, her chin resting on her knees, knees pulled up to her chest.

"I thought we were supposed to bake cookies together," I said, narrowing my eyes at her, hoping for a little guilt trip.

She turned to me with a sheepish smile. "I know, I know. Sorry. It popped up on AutoWatch, and I... got a little distracted," she admitted, gesturing toward the screen.

I nod, sipping my water, and glance at the screen again—mercifully, the flesh is gone, replaced by something vaguely less disturbing.

That is, until the next video starts.

And I swear, I freeze when I see the title: Pregnancy: Vaginal Delivery.

"Alright, turning it off now," Rhea said quickly, reaching for the remote. "Don't want you traumatised." Before she can reach for the remote, I snatch it up faster than she can blink. "Aarav?" she asks, brows furrowed.

"Traumatised?" I ask, narrowing my eyes. "What do you mean traumatised?"

And I press play.

Forty minutes later, I'm just... sitting there.

Still. Blinking. Processing.

What. Did. I. Just. Watch? 

Exactly, my consious screams in horror.

My soul was screaming. My brain was trying to recover. My entire being was just... malfunctioning.

"...Aarav?" Rhea's voice is softer now, her fingers curling around my palm like she's trying to pull me back to earth. I turn to her slowly. "That's... that's what you'd have to go through? If we had kids?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.

Her gaze softened, and she nodded gently, "If I choose normal delivery, yes. There's also a C-section, but that's—"

"No," I interrupted, shaking my head. "I can't let you go through that," I interrupt, voice low and raw. "Rhea, I can't. That looked so damn painful."

She chuckles under her breath, but I'm not laughing.

"No. I'm serious." I grab her hands in both of mine, staring at her like she just told me she wanted to walk through fire barefoot. "If you want kids, we'll adopt. But what I just saw... no. No way." I pause, trying to slow my breath.