Chapter 43

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I was sleeping but i jolted awake when i felt a presence in my room.

But when i turned on my lamp lights there was no one.

Weird.

I checked my phone its 6 am.

For my assurance I switched on my room lights and looked around

Door locked
Windows locked
Everything is in place

Maybe I saw a nightmare or something

I switched my lights back to off
And decided to sleep again as it was just 6 am.

✧

Rhena was talking care of me. Preparing meals and serving them. Although i told her several times that she is nurse and should not do all housework. But she won’t listen.

She was polite, efficient, and professional, but her presence was… unfamiliar. I wasn’t used to anyone hovering around me.

In the afternoon, rhena knocked softly and stepped in with my medicines. I forced a small smile, but something felt off,

Maybe It wasn’t her face that I wanted to see.

So I reached for my phone.

My thumb hovered over the screen, debating for a second,

‘ agar meri kareli ne gussa kiya to?

‘kahunga kya?’

‘jaan se hi na maar se, dar bhi lagta hai is se.’

‘ chlo dekhi jayegi.’

I finally hit Vani’s contact.

” good morning.” i said instantly.
Itna bhi nahi darna chihe mard ko.
I mentally cursed myself

“Nav? Tum theek ho? Why are you calling this early?” her voice tensed

I cleared my throat. “Wo… I just… couldn’t find my notebook. The one you kept near my table last time. Mujhe lagta hai Rhena ne shift kar diya hoga.”

“Notebook?” Vani frowned maybe. “Nav, tumhe abhi likhne ki kya zarurat hai? Rest karo.”

I let out a breath, staring at the ceiling. “Nahi… mujhe zarurat hai. Without it… I can’t sleep, eat, or rest. Can you come? You know exactly where you kept it.”

I didn’t say it aloud, but what I really wanted was her

Koch badl sa geya hai. I don’t want to name it. But i like her presence. Her being around me.

her fussing, her quiet scolding, her being here.

✧

Finally!

Vani stepped further inside, her bag still slung carelessly over her shoulder. She muttered a polite “good morning” to Rhena, but her eyes didn’t leave mine.

Rhena returned a calm smile.

“His vitals are stable. He just needs rest. I’ll step outside for a while and prepare the next set of medicines.”She said smiling at me. I forced return her smile.

The nurse stayed there looking at me
Vani cleared her throat

” don’t you have to go?” she said stressing the word and with furrow brows. And i supress a chuckle.

With that, the nurse quietly left being embarrassed, the door clicking shut behind her.

I turned back to Nav, folding my arms.

” aap yahan aye kis liye?” he asked while maintaining the tune in his voice

“aapne bulaya is liye.” I said replying ” aye hai to kaam bhi bataiye.” I said the next line because it suits me

” pehle zara aap muskuraiye.” he said

I narrowed my eyes,

” done?” I asked tilting my face a little

” apne muskuraya to hai hi nahi.” he said and i rolled my eyes.

” sudhro ge nahi na tum?” I asked him

“tsk” he made a sound, while shaking his head once.

We both stare at each,
He didn’t speak.
But i didn

“Notebook, huh?” she asked, her brow raised. “You really called me here, in office hours for that?”

Nav didn’t even pretend to look guilty. His lips curved slightly, almost smug.

“It worked, didn’t it?”

She blinked.

“You-Nav!” my voice dropped, a mix of exasperation and disbelief. “Tum pagal ho kya? I was about to-“

“About to go to work again?” he cut in smoothly, eyes glinting. “I couldn’t. Sleep or do work, I thought if you came, maybe I could.”

My heart told me to smile, though i tried to mask it with a scoff.

“Unbelievable.”

Still, I walked to his bedside, fingers brushing across the table until I found the notebook exactly where I left it yesterday. I picked it up, placed it gently on his lap.

“Here. Happy now?”

Nav’s hand rested lightly over the cover, but his eyes remained on my face.

“Much happier than before.”

For a moment, neither of us spoke.

I forced myself to break eye contact, tugging the blanket over him properly.

‘vani yaar, maat kr.’ my subconscious mind warned me.

“You should’ve asked Rhena. That’s literally her job.”

Nav tilted his head lazily on the pillow.

“But she’s not you.”

The words slipped out so simply, so quietly, that I froze mid-motion.

I straightened abruptly, masking her reaction with irritation.

” men will be men, flirt maat chordna tum.” I said shaking my head lightly.

But Nav just smiled faintly, and lean back to the headboard

” okayyy soo….” I took a pause, he looked at me

” I’ll go now.” I said and he straighten up

” this soon?” He asked

” I have to go to office too. You are bedridden, not me.”

” hmm” he nodded. I stood up lazily.

” tumhe pta hai?” he said and i looked at me, stopping on my tracks

” what?” I asked

” I think rhena likes me.” He said and i quickly narrow my eyes

” kyu? I- I mean. Why you think so..?”
I said, eager to hear the rest

He just shrugged

” Just the feeling. She always smile at me, tries to flirt, and too sugary. Maybe she-” I interrupted him

” matlab hoga use koi tumse. Abhi change kro use.” I said too fast, he stopped and smirk, and raise an eyebrow

” really?” He asked

Oh shit.

” I mean-” words vani words. ” i mean you are telling me na, so maybe.. maybe she wants something. We are in different nation, who knows her true colour?” I said

He nodded with a raised, but his face says clearly
“Oh really vani?”

” don’t look at me like that!” i snapped

” like what?” he asked, slightly tilting his face

” like you’re being affected by her presence, and I know?” He said with raising his eyes.

” rubbish. Just a logical question why would i be affected?”

” just a logical reply, maybe you started to like me,–” he was saying but I interrupted him in between, by raising my finger at him ” you!!”

He calms me down by showing his palm indicating i should let his sentence complete

” or or or. Maybe you don’t hate me now. Now you tell, which one of is it vani?” He asked.

” I do hate you.” I said almost instantly

” so, you are not affected at all?” he said with suspicion

” NOT. AT . ALL.” I give stress to each word

” we’ll see about that.” he said while noddingly slightly

” yea.. we’ll see.”

Before I could decide whether to walk out or give in to his shameless demand, the door clicked open.

Rhena stepped inside, holding a tray with tea and medicines.
Her smile was gentle, but in that moment, it pricked like a thorn.

“Mr. Nav,” she said, setting the tray down on the side table. “I thought you’d like some tea. Shall I pour it for you?”

“Pila hi do. Diaper bhi change krdo.” I mumbled, not for him to hear.

Nav’s gaze flicking between her and me. He didn’t answer right away, almost as if he wanted me to hear his choice.
Finally, he said in that smooth voice,

“No need. Vani will do it.”

My head snapped toward him.

“Excuse me? Since when did I-“

But Rhena’s face falter, though her brows lifted ever so slightly. She simply gave me the polite kind of smile nurses are trained to wear and stepped back.

“As you wish. I’ll just do something outside.”

The door shut again, leaving the two of us alone.

I glared at him, snatching the teacup from the tray a little harder than necessary.

“what was this huh? Am i your nurse?”

Nav’s lips curved.

“Not nurse. You are my-” He stopped himself, the pause deliberate. “my solnyshka.”

“karela kahika.” I muttered

I quickly looked down, pretending to focus on pouring.

” Don’t call me that.”

” what solnyshka?”

I controled the urge to roll my eyes.

When I handed him the cup, his fingers brushed mine just slightly, whether by accident or on purpose-I couldn’t tell. All I knew was the flutter in my chest didn’t stop.

He took a sip of his tea, and looked at me, too pleased with himself.

Suddenly door open and she came back

” i think i forgot to check the IV” she said and nav nodded

I busied myself by straightening the already straighten bedsheet, avoiding both of their eyes.
Why was I even reacting this way? She was just doing her job.

But when Rhena stepped closer to check his IV line, leaning in a little too much for my liking, I felt a sharp irritation rise in me.
I cleared my throat loudly.

“Tea’s getting cold, Nav. I won’t make it another.”

He smirked, catching it immediately

” Its alright rhena, can you go please?”
He said and rhena went out.

“I’ll leave you both for now,” she said after a beat, her voice even but her eyes lingering a little too long. “Call me if you need anything.”

The moment the door shut, I let out a breath I didn’t realize I’d been holding.

He looked at me with that smug look on his face.

“What?” I snapped.

“Nothing,” he said innocently, sipping his tea. Then, after a pause, “But I think Rhena definitely saw something.”

“Saw what?”My head whipped toward him.

His lips curved, that infuriating half-smile.

“That you don’t like her around me.”

I rolled my eyes so hard it almost hurt.

“congratulations, You’ve officially lost it. I don’t care who’s around you.”
I scoffed

Do i still hate him?

But the smirk on his face only deepened. His silence was louder than any words, like he was daring me to say more.

I couldn’t take it. Not his eyes, not that smile, not the way he looked so smug just because he knew I was… affected.

Snatching my bag off the chair, I stood up abruptly.

“You know what? Enjoy your tea, enjoy your nurse, enjoy whoever. I really don’t have time for this nonsense.”

I turned sharply toward the door, my heels clicking against the floor with more force than necessary.

Behind me, his voice came lazily, amused,

“Don’t be late to the office. But I’ll call again… just in case I need that notebook.”

I froze for half a second at the door. My heart kicked so hard against my ribs I thought it might break free. Without turning around, I muttered,

“Don’t you dare.”

And then I walked out

The corridor felt cooler than his room, but it didn’t calm me down.

And, it doesn’t concern me who he is with or not. Not a bit

I leaned back against the headboard, the faintest smile tugging at my lips.

The tea sat untouched on the tray. I hadn’t called her for the notebook, or even the company.
And she knows.

I closed my eyes, satisfied, replaying the flash of jealousy in her eyes when Rhena leaned too close.

So she does care…

My chest felt lighter, calmer.

I took a deep breath, a smile tugging on my lips and then I close my eyes.

Back in the office, I stared at my laptop screen, pretending to type something important. But my mind wasn’t here.

Why did he have to call me for something so small when the nurse was literally right there? He wasn’t clueless. He just wanted me there.

And then that nurse… fussing over him like she owned the right. The way she tucked his blanket, the way she hovered a little too close. My jaw tightened at the memory.

I pressed my pen against the desk, scribbling aimlessly on my notepad, trying to shake it off. It’s not like you’re his wife, Vani. He can let anyone take care of him. Stop acting like this.

But still… my heart refused to listen. Every time I thought of her standing near him, I felt a strange burn in my chest.

When my phone buzzed again, my breath caught. His name lit up the screen. For a second, I didn’t move, just stared at it, warmth rushing to my cheeks.

Nav: Did you reach office safe?

My lips curved into an involuntary smile. He didn’t need to check on me. He was the one lying in the bed. But still-he did.

And suddenly, the jealousy I felt moments ago, melt into something softer

I quickly typed back,

“Yep, don’t exhaust yourself too much. And…”

I was about to write about staying away from rhena but,

I stopped and was about to erase, but i sent it accidentally
I didn’t meant to send it.

I face palm myself

” And?” His reply came instantly

“It was nothing just a typo”

And when he replied with just a tiny, Okay 🙂 …

✧

I pushed open the office glass door, the familiar hum of keyboards and ringing phones wrapping around me like a second skin. For once, I was thankful for it. Here, at least, things were structured, rational. No unexpected nurses with soft laughs and easy smiles.

Dropping my bag on the desk, I powered up my laptop. The screen blinked awake, flooding me with pending mails and half-written reports. Good. Something real. Something I could control.

But the problem with hearts is-they don’t understand professionalism. My fingers flew over the keyboard. Nav’s face came infront of me. The way he had leaned back, tired but comfortable, as if my presence had tilted his world into balance.

I shook my head and forced myself back into my document. Focus, Vani.

“maam, this draft is missing the financial projection,” my secratary said.

“Yeah, I’ll add it. Send me the numbers,” I replied smoothly, though a part of me was already distracted again. Somewhere, probably at this very moment, that nurse was offering Nav a glass of water or adjusting his blanket.

My jaw tightened before I caught myself. God, why did this bother me so much? I should be glad he wasn’t alone, glad someone was there while he healed. And yet…

A notification popped on my phone. His name. My breath caught.

Nav: Did you have lunch?

That simple. That casual. And yet my stupid heart fluttered like a teenager’s. I typed back quickly, Not yet. Busy with work. Then hesitated, deleted it, rewrote it softer: In a bit. You?

I stared at the screen until his reply came.

Nav: Not hungry. But Rhenna insists.

That name again. My stomach twisted. My eyes lingered on the word far longer than I wanted them to. I slammed my phone face down on the desk, muttering under my breath, “She insists. Great. Perfect. Amazing.”

Richard from the next desk raised an eyebrow at me. I forced a smile. “Just talking to myself.”

He shake his head lightly.

I hate you nav.

✧

I stood outside my door, keys clenched tight in my palm. My bag slipped slightly off my shoulder, but I didn’t bother adjusting it. The silence of the corridor pressed down on me, my breath uneven. My fingers hovered over the handle of my own door-just one twist and I could be inside, away from the chaos his presence stirred in me

But instead… I froze.

My chest tightened. Against every ounce of logic, I turned, my heels clicking softly on the tiled floor as I walked two steps across. My gaze fell on his door. Nav’s.

Before I could second-guess myself, my finger pressed his doorbell.

A long pause. Nothing.

I bit my lip, waited, and pressed again. Still silence.