CHAPTER 13 （mahi）
As Raj disappeared from my sight, I released a breath of relief.
Thank God.
He was gone.
The tightness in my chest eased slightly.
Only slightly.
My gaze dropped.
And immediately landed on my hand.
Still gripping Aryan's sleeve.
I blinked.
Once.
Twice.
Then, as if burned, I pulled my hand away.
My eyes widened.
The fabric was completely wrinkled.
Great.
Just great.
Of all the things to notice after that conversation, this was apparently what my brain chose.
I stared at the sleeve for a moment.
Then, without thinking, tried to smooth the wrinkles with my hands.
One swipe.
Nothing.
Another swipe.
Still nothing.
I frowned and tried again.
The wrinkles remained exactly where they were.
Aryan looked down at my hands.
Then at the sleeve.
Then at me.
I immediately stopped.
Slowly.
Very slowly.
As if I had never been doing anything in the first place.
The silence stretched.
I looked away.
There was absolutely no reason for my face to feel this warm.
None whatsoever.
"It was already wrinkled."
The lie left my mouth before I could stop it.
Aryan's eyebrow rose.
I pointed at his sleeve.
"It attacked itself."
His expression didn't change.
Which somehow made everything worse.
I cleared my throat.
"Anyway."
A pause.
"Raj is gone."
Excellent recovery, Mahi.
Truly remarkable.
He finally looked at me.
"Are you okay?"
For a moment, I simply stared at him.
Then I blinked a few times and nodded.
"Yes."
It wasn't entirely true.
But it wasn't entirely false either.
Aryan studied my face for a second.
As if deciding whether to argue.
Thankfully, he didn't.
He nodded once.
Then adjusted his coat.
"Let's talk in the car."
I released a breath.
"Okay."
Together, we started walking toward the car.
The evening air felt colder than before.
Or maybe I was just exhausted.
Aryan opened the passenger door for me.
I slid into the seat and immediately stared out of the window.
The door closed.
A few seconds later, Aryan took the driver's seat.
The engine started.
Neither of us spoke.
Wonderful.
Now I had time to overthink.
I closed my eyes briefly.
Relax, Mahi.
Just tell the truth.
Not the whole truth.
Just the truth.
No lies.
You can do that.
Probably.
Maybe.
The car pulled away from the curb.
Streetlights blurred past the window.
The silence stretched for several minutes.
Then Aryan finally spoke.
"Who was he?"
Straight to the point.
Of course.
I should have expected that.
My fingers tightened around the strap of my bag.
I stared at the passing lights outside.
Then answered honestly.
"My ex."
The words sounded strange out loud.
Aryan's hands remained steady on the steering wheel.
His expression didn't change.
Not even slightly.
Which somehow made me more nervous.
A few moments passed.
Then he asked quietly,
"How long?"
I knew exactly what he meant.
"Three years."
For the first time, Aryan glanced at me.
Just briefly.
Then his eyes returned to the road.
The silence that followed felt heavier than before.
Not uncomfortable.
Just... thoughtful.
As if both of us were trying to figure out what came next.
He nodded once.
The city lights flashed across the windshield.
Then he asked,
"Why was he there?"
My gaze remained fixed on the road ahead.
My fingers tightened around my left arm.
A habit.
One I slipped into whenever I felt uncomfortable.
I released a slow breath.
"He said he wanted to come back into my life."
The moment the words left my mouth, I noticed it.
Aryan's grip on the steering wheel tightened.
His knuckles turned white.
But when he spoke, his voice remained perfectly calm.
Too calm.
"Do you want him back?"
The question surprised me.
I turned toward him.
Aryan's eyes never left the road.
He looked completely composed.
As if the answer didn't matter.
As if he was simply asking a question.
Liar.
I looked at him for a second.
Then answered immediately.
"No."
No hesitation.
No doubt.
No confusion.
Just no.
For the first time since this conversation started, some of the tension left my shoulders.
Because that answer was easy.
Aryan gave a small nod.
Nothing more.
Nothing less.
But somehow the grip on the steering wheel relaxed.
Just slightly.
I looked out of the window again.
The silence returned.
Strangely enough...
It felt lighter this time.
A few moments passed.
Then Aryan spoke again.
"What happened between you two?"
I stared at the passing streetlights.
There it was.
The question I knew was coming.
The question I had been trying not to think about.
I pressed my lips together.
Not because I wanted to lie.
Because I was deciding how much truth I was ready to give.
I swallowed the lump forming in my throat.
For a few seconds, I watched the passing streetlights.
Then I spoke.
"He was careless."
Aryan remained silent.
Waiting.
"At first, he wasn't like that."
My fingers tightened around my arm.
"But with time, he became distant."
The words tasted bitter.
I hated talking about this.
Hated remembering it.
I released a slow breath.
"So I went to a party to see him."
A humorless laugh escaped me.
"One of my friends thought it was a good idea."
Aryan glanced at me briefly before looking back at the road.
I continued.
"He was there."
A pause.
"He was having fun."
The bitterness in my voice surprised even me.
My gaze dropped to my hands.
"Then he threw me into a swimming pool."
Silence filled the car.
I stared out of the window.
"I told him not to."
My voice had become quieter now.
"I don't know how to swim."
For the first time since the conversation started, the car felt completely still.
As if even the air had stopped moving.
"I nearly drowned."
The words came out flat.
Emotionless.
As though I was describing something that had happened to someone else.
"After that, we broke up."
I released a breath.
The memory still hurt.
Not because I missed him.
Because of how stupid I had felt afterward.
Slowly, I turned my head.
Aryan was looking at me.
Only for a second.
Then his gaze returned to the road.
His jaw had tightened.
The muscles there visibly tense.
But when he finally spoke, his voice was calm.
Too calm.
"He knew you couldn't swim?"
I looked at him.
And nodded.
"Yes."
The silence that followed felt far heavier than before.
His knuckles turned white around the steering wheel again.
I noticed.
Then immediately looked away.
The streetlights blurred past the window.
I really didn't know what to say.
You are a doctor, Mahi.
You should know words.
I knew plenty of words.
Thousands of them.
Yet somehow, at moments like this, they all refused to cooperate.
The silence stretched between us.
Not uncomfortable.
Just... quiet.
I kept my eyes on the road ahead.
Anything but him.
Then Aryan spoke.
"You don't have to worry about him anymore."
His voice was surprisingly soft.
Completely contradicting the tension in his jaw.
I finally looked at him.
For a brief second, his eyes met mine.
Steady.
Certain.
As if he had already made a decision.
"I won't let him hurt you."
The words settled somewhere deep inside my chest.
A dangerous place.
The kind of place I preferred people not to reach.
For a moment, neither of us spoke.
I should have said something.
A joke.
A sarcastic comment.
Anything.
Instead, I found myself staring at him.
At the determination in his expression.
At the way his hands remained firmly on the steering wheel.
At the quiet promise hidden beneath those simple words.
My throat tightened unexpectedly.
So I looked away again.
Fast.
Before he noticed.
"I can handle myself."
The protest sounded weak even to my own ears.
A corner of Aryan's mouth lifted slightly.
"I know."
The answer came immediately.
Without hesitation.
Without doubt.
"I've seen you threaten my brother with a frying pan."
Despite everything, a laugh escaped me.
Small.
But real.
And for the first time since leaving the library, the weight on my chest felt a little lighter.
The car rolled into the driveway and came to a stop in front of the mansion.
For a moment, neither of us moved.
Then I unbuckled my seatbelt and stepped outside.
The cold evening breeze brushed against my skin.
Refreshing.
After everything that had happened today, I needed it.
I wrapped my arms around myself and started walking toward the entrance.
The sound of my footsteps echoed softly against the stone pathway.
Behind me, I could hear Aryan.
Not saying anything.
Not asking questions.
Just there.
Silent.
Steady.
Protective.
The thought made me frown.
I immediately pushed it away.
The guard opened the door for us.
I nodded in thanks and stepped inside.
The mansion was unusually quiet.
Most people had probably gone to bed.
Good.
I wasn't in the mood for conversations.
Or people.
Or Raj.
Or feelings.
Especially feelings.
I climbed the stairs and headed straight for my room.
The moment I stepped inside, I released a breath I hadn't realized I was holding.
Home.
Well...
Close enough.
I opened my wardrobe and pulled out a comfortable nightdress.
Then made my way to the bathroom.
The door clicked shut behind me.
Finally.
Alone.
I looked at my reflection in the mirror.
The same green eyes.
The same face.
Yet somehow I looked exhausted.
A humorless smile touched my lips.
"What a wonderful Sunday."
The mirror offered no opinion.
Probably for the best.
I changed quickly and washed my face.
The cool water helped.
A little.
When I finally looked up again, my reflection seemed calmer than before.
Not okay.
But calmer.
And right now...
That was enough.
A few minutes later, I stepped out of the bathroom.
My hair was still slightly damp.
I expected the room to be empty.
Instead, Aryan was sitting on the couch.
His phone rested in one hand.
The soft glow from the screen illuminated part of his face.
For a moment, I paused.
Then continued as if seeing him there was completely normal.
Which it wasn't.
I made my way to the bed and slipped beneath the blanket.
Warmth immediately wrapped around my cold hands and feet.
I released a quiet sigh.
Much better.
For a few moments, only silence filled the room.
Aryan's attention remained on his phone.
Mine remained on the ceiling.
A perfectly reasonable arrangement.
Then curiosity got the better of me.
I looked at him.
Just for a second.
Unfortunately, that second was enough.
As if sensing it, he slowly lifted his eyes from the phone.
Our gazes met.
Wonderful.
I immediately considered pretending to be asleep.
A terrible plan.
But a plan nonetheless.
"What?"
The word escaped before I could stop it.
Aryan raised an eyebrow.
"You were staring."
I narrowed my eyes.
"I looked at you for one second."
"Three."
I stared at him.
"You counted?"
"No."
His answer came far too quickly.
Suspicious.
I pulled the blanket higher.
"Then how do you know?"
A corner of his mouth twitched.
"I guessed."
I rolled my eyes and turned onto my side.
The man was impossible.
Silence settled again.
Comfortable this time.
Or maybe I was simply too tired to care.
Just as I closed my eyes, Aryan spoke.
"Mahi."
I opened one eye.
"What now?"
His gaze rested on me for a moment.
Long enough to make me nervous.
Then he said quietly,
"You did good today."
Confusion immediately filled me.
"What?"
"With Raj."
I blinked.
Aryan leaned back against the couch.
"You didn't let him manipulate you."
For a moment, I didn't know how to respond.
No one had ever congratulated me for surviving something.
People usually expected it.
Assumed it.
Moved on.
I looked away.
"Oh."
Brilliant response.
Truly inspirational.
A faint amusement appeared in his eyes.
I hated when he looked amused.
"Go to sleep, Doctor."
I pulled the blanket over my head.
"Good idea."
Because if I stayed awake any longer, I might start thinking about the fact that Aryan Rathoore had just said he was proud of me.
And I absolutely did not have the energy for that tonight.
I kept myself completely hidden beneath the blanket.
If I couldn't see the world, then the world couldn't see me.
A flawless strategy.
I stretched one hand out from beneath the blanket and switched off the light.
Darkness immediately filled the room.
Perfect.
I ignored whether Aryan was ready to sleep or not.
If I was sleeping, then everyone was sleeping.
That was how life worked.
"Good night."
My eyes flew open beneath the blanket.
For a second, I froze.
Then somehow managed to answer in a perfectly calm voice.
"Good night."
A complete lie.
There was absolutely nothing calm about me.
A few moments later, I heard the rustling of sheets.
The sound of someone lying down.
Then silence.
I closed my eyes tightly.
Immediately, his words returned.
You did good today.
Wonderful.
Of all the memories my brain could replay, it chose that one.
Not Raj.
Not the library.
Not the six hours I spent reading.
No.
Just those four words.
I turned onto my side.
Then onto my other side.
Then back again.
Sleep remained unavailable.
Fine.
If sleep wanted to be difficult, I could be difficult too.
I started counting.
One.
Two.
Three.
Four.
Five.
Six.
Seven.
Eight.
Nine.
Ten.
I reached fifty-three before my thoughts betrayed me.
I won't let him hurt you.
My eyes opened instantly.
I glared at the ceiling hidden above the blanket.
Traitor.
My own brain was a traitor.
I squeezed my eyes shut again.
One.
Two.
Three.
Four.
Five.
This time I reached one hundred and twenty.
A personal achievement.
Unfortunately, my mind immediately reminded me of something else.
You did good today.
I pressed my face deeper into the pillow.
This was ridiculous.
I was a surgeon.
I had performed operations that lasted hours.
I had handled emergencies.
I had survived medical school.
Yet somehow one compliment had completely destroyed my ability to sleep.
Embarrassing.
Absolutely embarrassing.
A sigh escaped me.
From somewhere across the room, Aryan's voice suddenly broke the silence.
"You're still awake."
My eyes widened.
How?
How did he know?
I remained completely silent.
Maybe if I didn't answer, he would think I was asleep.
A pause.
Then—
"Mahi."
I pulled the blanket lower until only my eyes were covered.
"What?"
His voice sounded suspiciously amused.
"Go to sleep."
I narrowed my eyes at the darkness.
"Thank you."
"You're welcome."
I stared at the ceiling for another minute.
Then another.
Eventually, sometime between counting three hundred and arguing with my own thoughts...
Sleep finally won.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The darkness felt endless.
Cold.
Silent.
Wrong.
I looked around.
Nothing made sense.
The place was unfamiliar.
An abandoned warehouse, maybe.
Or perhaps my mind had simply invented it.
Then I heard a voice.
"Mahi."
My head snapped up.
Aryan.
Relief flooded through me.
Only to disappear instantly.
He was tied to a chair.
My breath caught.
"Aryan!"
I ran toward him.
But no matter how fast I moved, the distance never seemed to shrink.
It was like running through water.
Slow.
Heavy.
Impossible.
Aryan's eyes found mine.
For the first time since I had known him, I saw something unfamiliar there.
Concern.
Not for himself.
For me.
"Mahi."
His voice was calm.
Too calm.
"Leave."
"No."
I fought against the invisible force holding me back.
"No!"
The shadows around him shifted.
Someone stepped forward.
I couldn't see their face.
Only a silhouette.
Only danger.
Panic surged through me.
"Aryan!"
He never looked away from me.
Not even once.
"Leave."
I shook my head violently.
"No."
The darkness seemed to close in around us.
My heart pounded harder.
Faster.
Louder.
I tried to reach him.
Tried to scream.
Tried to do something.
Anything.
But my body refused to move.
And for the first time in my life...
I felt completely helpless.
Then—
"Aryan!"
My eyes flew open.
The room was dark.
My chest rose and fell rapidly.
For several seconds, I couldn't breathe properly.
It took a moment to remember where I was.
The mansion.
My room.
A dream.
Just a dream.
I pressed a trembling hand against my chest.
Trying to slow my heartbeat.
Slowly, my gaze moved across the room.
Toward the couch.
Toward the sleeping figure there.
Aryan.
Safe.
Unaware.
A wave of relief hit me so suddenly that I almost laughed.
"Stupid dream," I whispered.
Yet even as I lay back down...
Sleep refused to return.
Because for some reason...
The fear still felt real.
I twisted and turned beneath the blanket.
Sleep refused to come.
I turned to one side.
Then the other.
Then back again.
Nothing.
With a sigh, I sat up.
It was useless.
Sleep had officially abandoned me.
Wonderful.
I rubbed my face.
"What am I supposed to do now?"
My eyes drifted toward the window.
Moonlight spilled through the glass.
Soft.
Silver.
Peaceful.
A smile slowly appeared on my face.
Of course.
The moon.
I slipped out of bed as quietly as possible.
The floor felt cool beneath my feet.
Careful not to make any noise, I crossed the room and slid open the balcony door.
Immediately, a cool night breeze brushed against my skin.
I closed my eyes.
Relief.
Instant relief.
The air smelled fresh.
The world felt quieter at night.
Simpler.
No hospitals.
No parties.
No Raj.
No complicated thoughts.
Just the moon.
I stepped closer to the railing and rested my arms against it.
The garden below was bathed in silver light.
Beautiful.
For a few moments, I simply stood there.
Breathing.
Thinking.
Or maybe not thinking.
I wasn't entirely sure.
My gaze lifted toward the sky.
The moon hung high above the mansion.
Bright.
Unbothered.
Steady.
A small smile touched my lips.
"When I was little," I whispered to no one, "I used to think the moon followed me."
The memory made me laugh softly.
I could almost hear Alina teasing me for it.
The breeze played with my hair.
For the first time since waking from the nightmare, the tightness in my chest began to ease.
Slowly.
Little by little.
Until all that remained was the quiet night and the moon overhead.
And somehow...
That felt enough.