Could This Be Love

chapter 15❤

"Where is Rajeev?" Aarav had all of his security guarding the house's entrances.

Rajvir stood up with a shock "Aarav. Aarav? Why are you here now?" He looked pale.

"Seriously? Now you dare ask me that question? Where is your incompetent brother? Where is that bastard? Get him out!"

"Brother, please, he is childish!"

"34 and childish??? He is way older than me! He's a psychopath, that's what we call people like him."

"No no, Aarav, He's not even here."

"You want to protect him? You want to play your part in this? Okay. I will find him, and I will revenge myself, and this time, all of you. Keep that in mind."

Aarav said, putting his gun back into his blazer.

Returning to the hospital for him was a shock.

His mother was there.

They knew.

"Maa? Aap?"

"Of course, child, isn't that what is normal."

"But..I didn't—"

"You didn't tell but every newspaper did, every news channel did, every neighbour knew before I got to know! Every relative wants to know! That is insulting, Aarav, the fact you want to exclude me from this."

"But maa, it was solely because you'd worry too much. You yourself aren't well."

"I am well enough to help you through this. You look like a mess!"

Aarav sighed "This is all my fault."

"No it is not."

"Yes it is. They were my rivals, my enemies. But..but they hurt her! Look at her, maa. Does she deserve this from a marriage we both didn't want? She deserves better. So much better. Better than me. And I have decided—"

The mother made him stop there "Not one lafz more. That woman lying amidst this chaos, is a person who loved  her husband enough to give up herself for the sake of her safety. She took bullets for you!"

"She had to take bullets for me. She was solely helpless in that situation. No one would take bullets for a man like me."

"You are absolutely dumb, and I wish I could laugh at you but all I want to do right now is look after my daughter"

"Maa, I do understand and acknowledge that what she has done maybe, maybe is for love but how can she love me?

And moreover, I am not going anywhere till Hritika is better."

"You are going. Now. You- you look like you will die right now. Look at you! Fetch some sleep. I'll call if I need you"

"But-"

"Leave"

There was nothing he could say more. He had to leave.

But his mother's thoughts never left. It stung his consciousness.

Aarav was slowly letting her in his life, unknowingly, she was a part of her morning and all those nights in which they stayed awake till late working and motivating each other— in which they laughed and complained, made smoothies, sometimes quick pasta—and he loved every bit of it.

He was so proud of who she was. She inspired her. She was a hard worker, go-getter, someone with brilliant leadership skills, someone who would listen with so much investment— she was everything he never thought he deserved. He was moved to be able to call her his wife. His wife!

He hurried his requirements at home, and left for the hospital as soon as he could, shortly stopping for a bouquet of orchids—she had mentioned once how she was so fond of them.

Reaching hospital, he ran towards her cabin where the doctor waited for him "She's better, Mr. Malhotra" and Aarav smiled, wide, he had found his peace.