
Finally, I reached the hospital. My feet, still bare, scraped against the cold floor, but I didn’t care. The sharp pain in my body was nothing compared to the ache in my chest. I could barely feel the burns and cuts on my feet, the blood on my shirt, or the exhaustion that dragged at my limbs. All that mattered was her.
I couldn’t afford to waste another second. I had to get to her.
My pace quickened as I moved down the sterile hospital corridors. The world around me blurred—every step felt heavy, but I kept pushing forward, driven by the only thing that mattered: Niranya.
When I finally arrived at her room, I stopped in the doorway. I saw Vedant and Megha standing by her bed. They were tending to her, but all my attention was on her. Niranya.
There she was, lying in the bed, her face pale, but alive. My heart nearly stopped as I saw her breath rise and fall. She was okay, and that was all that mattered.
But then her eyes found mine, and time seemed to freeze. The shock in her gaze sliced through me. She was taking in the blood on my shirt, the burns on my feet, the mess of me, and the horror in her eyes almost destroyed me.
Her mouth moved, but no sound came out. I could feel her fear, her confusion, and somewhere deep in me, I knew it was because of me. Because I wasn’t in front of her sooner.
I opened my mouth, but the words felt too heavy. Too inadequate. “I’m fine,” I whispered. The words barely escaped my lips, but they were all I could manage.
I could feel the tears that threatened to fall, the guilt clawing at me. But I had to be strong for her. I needed her to be okay.
“I’m fine,” I repeated, this time more firmly, though my voice trembled.
But I knew it wasn’t true. I wasn’t fine. I hadn’t been fine since the moment she was taken from me. And now, I was haunted by the fact that I hadn’t saved her in time. My heart ached at the thought. The guilt of not being there when she needed me most was like a thousand knives twisting in my chest.
Vedant and Megha exchanged looks, their concern growing by the second, but they didn’t speak. It didn’t matter. They didn’t know the depth of the pain I was feeling.
I couldn’t focus on them, though. My eyes were only for Niranya.
I moved toward her, my legs shaking with every step. She was trembling, her lips parting as though she was going to say something. But I reached her before she could speak.
I pulled her into my arms without hesitation, desperate to hold her, to feel her warmth, to know that she was really here, that she was alive.
The second I held her, all the pain in my body, all the exhaustion, and all the guilt vanished. It was as if she was the only thing that mattered. I buried my face in her hair, breathing her in.
I didn’t want to let go. Not ever.
But the moment I held her, she cried out softly, her hands shaking as they clung to me. I could feel the wetness on her cheeks, and I knew it wasn’t just from her tears.
“Don’t cry, Jaan,” I whispered, my voice breaking. “I’m here now. You’re safe. Please, don’t cry.”
She pulled back just slightly, her hand gently touching my face. “You’re hurt... Ash,” she said, her voice trembling, full of concern.
I could hear the pain in her voice, the worry that filled her eyes as she traced the blood on my shirt, the burns on my feet. She didn’t deserve to see me like this, covered in my own pain, but all I could think about was how I had failed her. I hadn’t gotten to her in time, and that thought was tearing me apart.
“I couldn’t save you in time,” I whispered, my voice heavy with guilt. “I’m sorry, Angel. I’m sorry I couldn’t get to you sooner. I couldn’t save you from him. I couldn’t protect you like I promised.”
Her hand pressed against my chest, and I saw her tears fall. “Ash, you didn’t fail me. You saved me. You brought me back. You kept me safe,” she whispered, her voice hoarse from crying.
But I couldn’t accept that. I couldn’t let go of the guilt. “I should’ve been faster. I should’ve known sooner. I let you down...”
She shook her head, her hand gently lifting my chin, forcing me to meet her gaze. “No, you didn’t. You were there for me. You kept me alive. You did everything you could.” Her voice softened, but there was a steel in her eyes now that wasn’t there before.
“You saved me, Ash. And I know everything. I know your past. I know the curse. I know the pain you carry... But I also know this: You did everything out of love. Your guilt... it doesn’t change what you did for me. It doesn’t change how much I love you.”
Her words hit me like a wave, washing over me and taking away the tightness in my chest. Her love for me was the one thing I didn’t deserve, but the one thing I craved more than anything.
I tightened my hold on her, burying my face in her neck. “I couldn’t bear losing you. Not after everything we’ve been through.”
“I’m not going anywhere, Ash,” she whispered, her voice full of promise. “I’m not going anywhere... because you’re everything to me too.”
And in that moment, in her arms, I felt the weight of my guilt lessen. I felt a glimmer of hope, something I hadn’t allowed myself to feel in so long. I had her. I hadn’t lost her.
And that, for now, was enough.
I held her tighter, my body aching, but I couldn’t pull away. Not now. Not when she needed me, and I needed her more than anything.
But just as I began to lose myself in her warmth, I heard Vedant’s voice, calm but firm, pulling me back to reality.
“Ashtram,” Vedant said, his tone soft but laced with concern. “You’re in no condition to be standing here like this. You need medical attention. You’re bleeding, your feet... they’re burned. You’ve been through enough.”
I didn’t respond right away, too lost in the feeling of Niranya’s arms around me. But I knew he was right. I could feel the searing pain in my feet, the blood that had dried on my shirt. But none of that mattered. Not while I could still hold her.
“Not now, Vedant,” I muttered, my voice rough, barely above a whisper. “I just... I need some time with my wife. Alone.”
The words felt right on my tongue, as if they had always belonged there. My wife. The woman who had always been my salvation, my reason for surviving.
Vedant didn’t argue, but I could see the worry in his eyes. He nodded, signaling to Megha.
“We’ll leave you two alone,” he said softly, stepping back. Megha gave me a quick, gentle look of understanding before following Vedant out of the room.
As the door clicked shut behind them, the silence between Niranya and I was overwhelming. She didn’t say anything, but her hands moved to cup my face, wiping away the stray tears I hadn’t even realized had fallen.
I finally allowed myself to exhale, the weight on my chest slightly lifting. I pulled her closer, burying my face in her hair, letting myself just be. The pain didn’t matter anymore. The guilt didn’t matter. All that mattered was that she was here, with me, safe.
And in that moment, I knew that nothing in this world could ever come close to the relief I felt just having her by my side.

The first thing I saw when I opened my eyes was Vedant and Megha sitting beside me, their faces filled with relief. But my heart clenched with an ache that refused to fade.
Where is he?
Where is my Ash?
My eyes searched the room frantically, but he wasn’t there. Panic rose in my chest as I tried to sit up, but a sharp pain shot through my body, reminding me of my weakness.
“Where is Ashtram?” My voice was hoarse, barely above a whisper, but filled with desperation. “Where is my Ash?”
Vedant and Megha exchanged a look before Vedant placed a reassuring hand on mine. “Niranya, calm down. He… he wasn’t here. But I’ll call him. Just rest.”
How could I rest? I needed to see him. I needed to feel his warmth, to hear his voice.
Minutes felt like hours as I lay there, my heart racing. And then—finally—the door burst open.
And there he was.
My breath caught in my throat as my eyes landed on him. His feet… bare, burned, leaving faint traces of blood on the hospital floor with every step he took. His shirt was stained with dried blood, his usually sharp, commanding presence replaced with raw, unguarded pain.
“Ash…” I whispered, my throat tightening as tears welled up in my eyes.
He was hurt.
My Ashtram, my unbreakable man, looked utterly broken.
But when his tear-filled eyes met mine, there was no pain in them—only relief.
I struggled to push myself up, but he was already by my side.
"Don’t," he murmured, his voice thick with emotion. "You need to rest, Jaan."
My tears finally fell. “What happened to you?” My voice trembled as I reached out, my fingers barely grazing his arm before he took my hand in his.
"I’m fine," he said softly, his lips pressing into a small, broken smile. But I could see the exhaustion in his body, the torment in his eyes. He was lying.
Vedant stepped forward, his eyes filled with worry. "Ashtram, you need medical attention. Your feet—"
“I said I’m fine,” he cut in, his voice gentle but firm. His gaze never left mine, his fingers tightening around mine like I was the only thing keeping him grounded.
Vedant sighed. “Ash, stop being stubborn. You’re bleeding, and your feet—”
"Not now, Vedant," Ashtram interrupted, his voice barely above a whisper. "I need some time alone with my wife."
Vedant hesitated, then gave me a knowing look before nodding at Megha. Without another word, they both left the room, leaving just the two of us.
As the door closed behind them, Ashtram finally let out a shaky breath, his control slipping.
I reached up, my fingers trembling as I cupped his face. "What have you done to yourself?" I whispered, my tears falling freely.
His eyes fluttered shut for a moment, as if absorbing my touch. When he opened them again, there was so much pain in them that it shattered my heart.
“I deserved it," he murmured, his voice breaking. "I couldn't save you in time, Niranya. I failed you."
My heart clenched at his words. I shook my head, my hands moving to hold his face more firmly. "No, Ash. You didn’t fail me. You saved me."
His breath hitched, and before I could say anything more, he crushed me into his arms, his body trembling against mine.
“I thought I lost you,” he whispered into my hair, his voice cracking. "I would’ve died if anything happened to you, Angel."
Tears streamed down my face as I held onto him just as tightly. “I’m here, Ash. I’m not going anywhere.”
He buried his face in my neck, his warm tears soaking into my hospital gown.
"You are my life, Niranya," he whispered, his voice raw with emotion. "I’ll never let anything happen to you again."
His grip on me tightened as if afraid I would disappear if he let go. Then, in a voice so soft yet filled with so much love, he whispered, "I love you so much, Angel..."
My heart swelled with emotion, and without hesitation, I cupped his face, pressing a soft kiss on his forehead. "I love you too, Ash… more than anything in this world."
He pulled back just enough to look into my eyes, his own shimmering with unshed tears. "Say it again," he pleaded, his voice barely above a whisper.
I smiled through my tears, brushing his cheek with my thumb. "I love you, Mr. Ashtram Niranya Raghuvanshi… with every breath in me."
A tear finally escaped his eye, and with a broken smile, he leaned his forehead against mine. "You are my everything, Jaan. I swear, I will never let go of you again."
And as we held onto each other, wrapped in our love and pain, I knew—no matter what came our way, we would face it together.
No force in this world could ever tear us apart now - not even fate itself.
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