Manvi came back in her cabin, the familiar quiet of the space wrapping around her. Her eyes immediately landed on a food package placed neatly on the table, an unexpected sight. Before she could even think one of the nurses entered the room a polite smile on her face.

"Dr this is your parcel" the nurse said pointing towards the food package. Manvi blinked in confusion when she heard her.

"But i didn't order anything," she muttered under her breath but the nurse had already left. She glanced at the package again curiosity starting to get the better of her.

As she stared at the food parcel, a thought suddenly struck her. She hadn't had her breakfast this morning and it clicked. Maybe Isha had sent it, knowing she'd skipped her meal. A small smile tugged at the corners of Manvi's lips as the warmth of the thought settled in.

Manvi unwrapped the package carefully, her smile widening as she peeked inside. There wrapped in a neat paper was her favorite cheese sandwich. The soft bread oozing with melted cheese was exactly what she needed to lift her spirits.

A chuckle escaped her lips as she thought of Isha, who always knew exactly what to do to make her feel cared for.

Manvi sat down in her chair, taking a bite of the sandwich. The creamy melted cheese was the perfect comfort food and it made her feel so so good. She continued to eat while reviewing some reports, the task almost soothing beacuse of this tasty cheese sandwich

Before she knew it the clock had ticked by and another round of patients was waiting for her attention. Manvi finished the last bite of her sandwich and quickly stood up, straightening her clothes as she readied herself for the next shift.

She made her way out of the cabin, heading toward the patient rooms.

❤️❤️❤️

Abhimanyu arrived at the café right on time his sharp eyes scanning the cozy space as he walked in. The smell of fresh coffee filled the air but he was focused on finding a quiet spot. He chose a table by the window, where the sunlight spilled in softly giving the place a warm glow.

He removed his sunglasses and placed them on the table adjusting the sleeves of his sky blue shirt, which was neatly folded to his elbows. The shirt, paired with his white pants gave him a clean and charming look. He ordered a juice and leaned back in his chair sipping it slowly while his eyes occasionally glanced at the entrance. Though his posture seemed relaxed, the light tapping of his fingers on the table showed he was growing a little impatient.

As he waited, he noticed a few women stealing glances at him whispering among themselves. It wasn't surprising, Abhimanyu had that kind of personality that made people turn their heads. But he ignored the attention completely, staying in his own world. For him, none of it mattered. His focus was only on the entrance, waiting for Isha to show up.

Soon, Abhimanyu's phone buzzed pulling his attention away from the entrance. He glanced at the screen and stood up from his seat. Sliding his phone out of his pocket, he walked toward the cafe's door.

Stepping outside, he brought the phone to his ear his deep voice steady as he greeted the caller. The faint hum of passing cars and the chatter of people in the distance filled the background.

"Hello Abhimanyu beta Where did you go? I thought you came back from the office," his mother's gentle voice came through the line.

"Mom I'm at a café Came here to meet..." he paused for a second, unsure of what to say next. What was Isha to him? A friend? No not exactly! A colleague? Definitely not!! College mate? Naa.

He didn't have an answer that felt fitting but he decided to keep it simple.

"Someone... came here to meet someone," he finally said his tone casual.

"Who's that someone? Are you perhaps on date?" his mother asked with curiosity and excitement.

Abhimanyu froze for a moment, caught off guard by the question. Frustration flickered across his face as he shook his head.

"Mom! How many times do I have to tell you? I'm not in the mood to date or marry anyone right now!" " he said with frustration.

"But beta, you're 30 now At least look at the pictures I sent you on WhatsApp," his mother insisted.

Abhimanyu let out a sigh running a hand through his hair.

" Mom I'm going now Bye." Without waiting for a her response he cut the call.

Just as he lowered his phone, his eyes landed on a familiar figure hurriedly crossing the road. His brows furrowed for a split second before recognition settled in it was Isha.

Her shoulder length hair bounced with every step, framing her face as she rushed forward. She was wearing a black leather jacket over a black tank top, paired with denim jeans an effortlessly stylish look that somehow made her appear even cuter. But what caught his attention more was the worried expression plastered on her face. She was clearly running late, her lips pressed into a thin line eyes darting around anxiously.

In no time, she spotted him standing there and hurriedly ran toward him. But just as she picked up speed, her foot collided with the edge of the footpath throwing her off balance.

"Ahh" she let out a startled gasp as she stumbled forward.

Abhimanyu's eyes widened as he instinctively reached out, his hands gripping her shoulders just in time to stop her from hitting the ground.

She clutched onto his shirt, trying to steady herself but the moment her wide eyes met his, she froze. Her throat went dry and she gulped hard realizing just how close they were.

Her heart began to race so fast that she was sure he could hear it. The warmth of his hands on her shoulders sent a shiver down her spine, making it even harder to think straight. Her cheeks burned.

"You okay?" Abhimanyu asked his voice calm and worried.

Isha blinked rapidly snapping out of her daze. "Y-Yeah! Of course," she stammered quickly letting go of his shirt and stepping back hoping he wouldn't notice the redness of her cheeks.

"Why are you always in such a hurry or anxious?" he asked, his tone genuine but with a hint of confusion. He couldn't understand it why did she always seem so nervous or rushed around him? Was it just her nature or was there something more?

"Umm it's nothing like that..." Isha smiled awkwardly her voice slightly shaky as she tugged a strand of hair behind her ear.

She avoided his gaze for a moment, trying to compose herself, but the redness in her cheeks wouldn't fade.

"Okay then..let's go inside," Abhimanyu said in his tone casual as he nodded toward the cafe gate.

He followed her from behind, choosing not to press her further on the topic after noticing her awkwardness. He didn't want to make things more uncomfortable for her so Instead he ignore the topice.

Once inside the cafe, Abhimanyu like a gentleman pulled out a chair for her gesturing for her to sit. The simple gesture made Isha's heart flutter.

She blinked, a flustered smile spreading across her face as she thought to herself, "Hayee bhagwan jii abh ispe crush nahi aayega toh kispe aayega?"

Isha sat down trying to shake off the warmth spreading through her cheeks while Abhimanyu himself settled in front of her, his posture relaxed and calm. Isha couldn't help but notice how freaking gorgeous he looked in that sky blue shirt.

The color of the blue shirt only enhanced his fair skin more, making him look even more charming than usual. The way he casually ran a hand through his hair made Isha's heart race a little faster, her breath hitching for a moment.

She shifted in her seat, trying her best to seem unaffected but her mind was not at all calm

"why does he have to look so good?"she thought, biting her lip to hide the flushed self.

"So what would you like to eat?" Abhimanyu asked, handing her the menu card with that effortless charm of his.

Isha, still lost in her thoughts barely glanced at the menu before she blurted out, "You!!"

The world seemed to pause for a moment. Abhimanyu blinked at her clearly not sure he heard that right.

"Sorry?" he asked, his eyebrow slightly raised, a bit of confusion on his face.

And then like a bucket of ice-cold water, reality hit her. "Oh my god, did I seriously just say that?" Her eyes widened in horror. She tried to cover up, her voice high-pitched and panicked

"I-I mean to say... latte!" Isha blurted out, her voice even higher now as if the word latte could somehow undo the disaster she had just created. She gave an awkward, nervous smile her cheeks practically on fire.

Abhimanyu, looking completely unbothered by her slip-up, just nodded with a small smile.

"Oh okay Excuse me," he said, calling over the waiter. " two latte please."

The waiter nodded scribbled the order down on his notepad and then turned to leave.

Isha sat there, her face still slightly flushed from her earlier slip-up. She tried to focus on the menu again her fingers tapping nervously against the table. But every time she stole a glance at Abhimanyu she couldn't help but feel that familiar flutter in her chest.

Their order arrived soon, and they both took in the calm environment sipping their drinks in comfortable silence. For Abhimanyu, it was probably just another chill moment but for Isha? She was sitting across from her CRUSH!! the guy who looked like he'd walked straight out of a Greek mythology textbook and she was trying to act cool like it was no big deal But inside her brain was short-circuiting and she couldn't help but wonder

"How on earth do you even breathe in this situation?" Every second felt like an eternity for her

She kept telling herself to act normal, but every time she glanced at him her brain just short-circuited. She took another sip of her drink but it felt like she was just sipping on air. The struggle was fucking REAL!! either she was going to spill her drink or somehow vanish into thin air from all the nervousness and shynes.

"Umm so sorry to disturb you suddenly, but this meeting was important..." Abhimanyu said suddenly breaking the calm environment around them and making isha to look at him.

She quickly put the coffee down and looked at him, sensing the shift of the environment.

"So what did you want to talk about them?" she asked in a serious tone as she remembered why they are here.

Abhimanyu took a deep breath, as though gathering himself before continuing his eyes filled with seriousness.

"I know you're bhabhi's best friend and you're probably aware of what happened between them" he began, his voice thick with emotion.

"I don't know how to put this but... I can't just stand by and watch him suffer anymore." he said making Isha's brow furrowed but she didn't interrupt and let him continue.

"He's a man who's always known how to bury everything deep inside. He's built this wall around himself that nobody can break through. I've seen him push everyone away, and I used to think it was just because of his pride his strength But... I saw him, I saw the real him "his broken self' and it was like everything I thought I knew about him shattered in an instant." he said in serious voice and isha listen him silently

"For the first time I saw the weight of everything he's been through, things he never let anyone see. He hides it so well. I mean he's so good at it you wouldn't even know. But I saw it and it's tearing him apart Isha. I just... I don't know how to help him," Abhimanyu murmured, his gaze dropping to the table defeated.

"It's like watching someone drown and not being able to reach them in time."he completed his voice barely above a whisper.

"I just... I just came here to beg you!! to make bhabhi understand and make her come back," he said with desperation and help

"That man... he doesn't say it but he can't even breathe without her. He's falling apart and he won't admit it but I see it!! I feel it. He needs her Isha. He needs her more than anything but i don't know what is stopping him from saying that."Abhimanyu's said and face tightened with emotion.

Isha sat there for a moment and suddenly a sarcastic smile tugged at the corners of her lips.

"Your friend huh? You just don't know Abhimanyu" she said, her tone sharp and laced with anger. "You don't know the real identity of your friend."

Abhimanyu looked at her confusion flickering across his face.

"What the hell do you mean?" Abhimanyu asked, his voice tight.

"I mean what I mean!" Isha shot back, her anger rising with each word.

"You just don't know anything about your friend! Your friend played very dirty with my Manvi and this time I won't even let his shadow be around her." she said while her eyes were burning with fury, a fire in her gaze that made it clear she was ready to protect Manvi anyhow.

Abhimanyu blinked taken aback by her sudden outburst.

"Wait a minute what do you mean by that?? I think it's must be a misunderstanding we can clear it out-"

"Misunderstanding?? Clear it out??" Isha snapped her voice trembling with anger now.

"Do you even know what he did to her five years ago?" Isha said her voice full of pure anger, her fists clenched on the table as if she were holding back everything she wanted to say.

Abhimanyu's confusion deepened. His mind raced trying to make sense of what Isha was talking about.

"What happened five years ago?" he asked, his voice barely above a whisper.

Isha took a deep breath, her gaze hardening before she began to speak. She told him everything! everything that had happened five years ago between them.

She watched Abhimanyu's face slowly change, his eyes widening with shock as he heard her.

"No!!.. I don't believe it!" Abhimanyu said suddenly his voice filled with disbelief. He shook his head as if trying to shake off what he had just heard.

Isha rolled her eyes frustration evident in her voice.

"If you don't believe it then go ask your friend," she said, her arms crossing over her chest.

"There must be some reason behind it. I know him well! He's not like this, he just can't play with someone's emotions like that! He's not a womanizer," he insisted, his words full of confidence but his voice trembled just slightly as if he was trying to convince himself more than anyone else.

Isha's eyes flashed with frustration and she stood up from the table, her expression unreadable.

"I'm no one to make you believe, Abhimanyu!" she snapped her tone sharp.

"You asked me so I told you Now, it depends on you whether you believe it or not." She paused for a moment, then added with quiet determination, "And Manvi will soon divorce that son of bitch."

With those final words Isha turned and walked away leaving Abhimanyu sitting there his mind in turmoil. The words echoed in his head but deep down he still couldn't believe it. Dhruv wasn't like that. He knew him better than anyone. There had to be more to this story. He couldn't accept that his friend! Someone he'd always looked up to could be capable of such thing.

With a deep breath, Abhimanyu stood up, his jaw set with determination. "I will prove everyone wrong" he thought to himself. "Dhruv isn't the monster they think he is!!"

He strode out of the café before paying.his steps purposeful, as he set his mind on finding the truth no matter what it took.

❤️❤️❤️

In hospital

Manvi walked alongside Shruti down the hallway of the hospital after their rounds, their voices lowered as they discussed the cases of some seriously ill patients. Their faces were serious, brows furrowed as they exchanged thoughts and observations about the treatments.

As they walked, Shruti's phone buzzed and she glanced down at the screen before excusing herself with a polite nod. She stepped to the side answering the call and Manvi pulled her phone from her pocket, her fingers swiping across the screen to unlock it. Her eyes scanned the notifications, and then she paused as a new message from Isha caught her attention.

The message read: " Don't forget to eat something from the cafeteria of your hospital. I know you haven't eaten anything this morning, so I dare you to skip your lunch too."

Manvi's eyes widened in shock as she read the message, her mind racing. She had just received a food package a few hours ago, and she had assumed it was from Isha after all, who else would send her something like that? But now, as the message sank in, doubt crept in.

It wasn't Isha, she realized, Her mind raced with questions Then who could have sent it?

Manvi turned to walk back to her cabin, but something caught her eye. She saw a nurse walking down the hallway, carrying a tray filled syringes, glass vials, and small beakers with liquids inside. The nurse was moving quickly, but as she walked a child dashed through the corridor running carelessly. The child bumped into the nurse making her lose her balance.

The tray wobbled and everything on it seemed to tilt toward the edge. In that split second Manvi saw the glass items flying toward her the sharp edges coming closer. Time seemed to slow as she watched the glassware about to fall directly onto her face. The sharp glass was just inches away and she froze her heart racing feeling like she couldn't move.

But before the glass could even touch her, a figure suddenly stepped in front of her. Without a moment's hesitation, the person reached out, pulling her into a tight hug shielding her from the falling glassware.

The items crashed onto his back the sound of shattering glass echoing through the hallway. The sharp edges dug into his clothes, breaking the beakers, vials, and syringes, but it was his back that absorbed the full impact.

Manvi felt the force of the crash against his body as she was pulled closer, his arms tightly securing her to him. Her heart raced, her breath catching as she could sense the familiar warmth and strength of his presence. The grip of his hands around her felt protective, urgent and possessive. For a moment, she was frozen surrounded by the scent of his cologne.

Dhruv. The name whispered in her mind, and her heart skipped a beat as she looked up meeting his intense gaze and she was shocked to see him their

Flashback

Dhruv was seen surrounded by a group of goons, his fists connecting with them one after another with a raw intensity. He was with his team, trying to catch some suspects, but in that moment it seemed like all his anger and frustration were being released in every punch. His face was tight, jaw clenched, and his eyes those usually controlled eyes were wild with emotion.

While he was focused on one goon, another managed to land a punch on Dhruv's forehead, sending a sharp pain through his head. The strike only made his anger increase. Without a second thought Dhruv turned to face the man who had hit him. He grabbed him by his collar and threw him to the ground with a force that shook the air around them.

Then, without a second thought Dhruv's punch came down on the man's face with brutal force, each punch harder than the last. He didn't care how many times he hit or how much blood was spilling from the man's face. All that mattered was releasing the anger inside him.

"Sir please stop! He's about to die!" one of the inspectors shouted, his voice shaking as he saw how angry Dhruv was looking.

The punches were so violent that even Dhruv's knuckles were starting to show signs of damage bruised and scraped from the harsh punch. But he didn't seem to care.

Dhruv finally stopped, breathing heavily his chest rising and falling with every sharp inhale. He looked down at the man whose face was unrecognizable from the beating.

"He's already dead" Dhruv said with unreadable expression.

Without another word, he reached for his gun and aimed it at the man's forehead, his finger tightening on the trigger. There was no hesitation, no mercy

The gunshot echoed through the air as the bullet struck the man right in the forehead, and he dropped lifelessly to the ground. Blood pooled beneath him, staining his shirt.

"Sir, what about the proof?" the inspector asked, staring at the lifeless body.

"He's useless," Dhruv said coldly. "Arrest the others." Without another glance, he turned and walked toward his jeep

Reaching his jeep, he pulled open the door and slid inside, glancing at his blood-streaked hands and shirt. His expression remained unreadable, as if the violence of the past few minutes hadn't affected him at all.

Just then, the inspector leaned in through the window. "Sir a few of the suspects admitted to Apollo Hospital have regained consciousness should we go?," he reported.

At the mention of the hospital, something flickered in Dhruv's eyes brief but undeniable. Apollo. The same hospital where Manvi was posted.

His grip on the steering wheel tightened, his jaw clenching slightly. For a moment the chaos around him faded into the background and then, out of nowhere, her face appeared in his mind. Manvi. Smiling. Her eyes filled with warmth, playfulness.

His fingers curled tighter around the wheel. He didn't know why this was happening, why that one smile was enough to shake something deep inside him. But no matter how much he tried to push it away, the image refused to leave him.

"Half of the team will go to the station, and a few of them will come with me to the hospital," Dhruv said, his voice cold and commanding.

"Give me your shirt," he said, his voice tight, as he glanced at the inspectors white shirt.

The image of her seeing him like this, blood staining his shirt, didn't sit right with him. It felt wrong, like a stain he couldn't wash away. He didn't want anything impure, anything dark, to come in front of her 'his jaan'

He would keep her far away from all of it, shield her from the man he had become, even if it meant locking away every part of himself she didn't deserve to see. He'd bury it all deep, behind walls she would never know existed, just to keep her safe from the shadows that followed him.

He couldn't let her be touched by the pain and violence he carried. He would keep her safe, even if it meant carrying that burden alone.

"What sir?" The inspector asked, clearly confused but Dhruv's sharp glare was enough to make him quickly remove his shirt and hand it over without another word.

Dhruv took the shirt, his jaw clenched and pulled it on. It was a bit too tight, the fabric stretched across his broad chest and muscular arms, as the inspector's build was leaner in comparison to Dhruv's bulky frame. Despite the discomfort, he wore it without hesitation.

He passed his bloodstained shirt to the inspector without a word, his eyes focused ahead. Without a second thought, he slammed his foot on the accelerator, the engine roaring to life as he sped towards Apollo Hospital.

Flashback end

Manvi saw his hazel eyes but they looked different. There was a slight redness in them like he hadn't slept or was holding back something. His eyes were hard to read but the sense of protectiveness and possessiveness in them was clear. It felt like he was guarding something, maybe her,but all she could focus on was the way he looked at her serious, concerned, and maybe even a little lost.

Manvi's breath caught as she felt the weight of his gaze, and for a moment, everything else seemed to disappear.

"Are you okay? Are you hurt? Is it hurting somewhere? Can you stand?" Dhruv's voice was urgent, the concern clear in his tone.

Without waiting for an answer, he quickly pulled back from the hug, his hands moving instinctively to cup her face. His rough, large hands gently held her face as he searched her eyes, his gaze shifting to every part of her to make sure she was unhurt.

His fingers brushed over her skin, checking for any signs of injury, but all she could feel was the intensity of his touch protective and filled with worry.

His eyes moved quickly scanning her face, her arms, her body, as if he couldn't bear the thought of her being hurt.

"I'm fine" Manvi said as She gently pulled back from him, stepping out of his embrace, her hands instinctively brushing her own face as if to calm the racing pulse in her chest.

Dhruv took a small step back, his eyes not leaving her face. There was still concern etched deeply on his features, but something else lingered too something unspoken, a tension that neither of them seemed ready to break.

"I'm so sorry Doctor! Are you both fine?" the nurse stammered, her voice filled with genuine apology as she hurried over to them before Manvi could respond, Dhruv's anger flared.

"Are you insane? Don't you have eyes? How can you work so carelessly?? Who made you a nurse?? What if she had got hurt by that?.." Dhruv's words echoed in the hallway, his frustration boiling over as he scolded the nurse, his voice sharp and angry.

But before he could finish, Manvi reached out her hand gripping his wrist pulling him back. She looked up at him her eyes burning with authority. Her glare was enough to make him fall silent

"We're fine" she said softly her voice cutting through the tension. "You can go now."

The nurse nodded quickly still looking shaken, and stepped back giving them both space to breathe. Dhruv's eyes lingered on Manvi for a moment, searching her face, but she didn't say anything. Without another word she turned and walked away leaving him standing there, his chest tightening with frustration.

He watched her leave, the silence between them growing unbearable. A surge of anger rushed through him, his hands curling into fists. She had just turned and walked off without even saying a word, leaving him standing there like a fool.

Before he could do anything, his phone buzzed, breaking the tension. He glanced at it, shocked to see that it was Manvi calling.

"Come to my cabin now!!" her voice was cold, sharp, and demanding. Before he could even respond, the call was abruptly cut off.