His Angel

Chapter - 57

The evening was calm as the little family stepped out of the restaurant. The stars twinkled in the sky, and a cool breeze brushed gently against them. Laughter still lingered from their dinner, and Siya walked between her parents, holding both their hands.

They reached the car, and just as Priya was about to get in, her foot slipped on a small patch of water near the sidewalk. She gasped, losing balance.

"Priya!" Jai shouted, quickly reaching out.

Before she could fall, Jai caught her in his arms and steadied her.

"Are you okay, sweetheart? And the baby? No, no — we're going to the hospital. Right now. Just to make sure." his voice was filled with worry.

Priya gave him a soft smile and wrapped her arms around him.

"Relax, Jai. I'm okay, and so is the baby. It was just a small slip."

But Jai wasn't convinced. His brows were still furrowed with concern.

"I don't know, Priya... I don't feel right. Something's off. Let's at least call the doctor once we reach home."

Before Priya could reply, a tiny voice piped up.

"Mom! Are you okay? Did you get hurt somewhere?"

Siya, with big worried eyes, looked up at her mother.

Priya knelt down slowly and cupped Siya's cheeks.

"No, baby. Mom is not hurt. I'm perfectly fine. See?" she smiled to assure her.

That seemed to satisfy Siya, who gave her mom a tight hug.

The three of them got into the car—Siya in her child seat in the back, already starting to get sleepy, her head gently leaning to the side.

As Jai started driving, soft music played on the radio. Siya fell asleep in just a few minutes, her tiny hands curled in her lap.

Priya turned to Jai, her voice low and curious.

"Now will you tell me why you met the lawyer today? And what was the need for all that?"

Jai kept his eyes on the road.

"I told you, I'm just securing Siya's future."

"But why did you make a will, Jai?" she asked softly. "It's not necessary. You know that."

Jai sighed, gripping the steering wheel a little tighter.

"I know it's not necessary... but for the past few days, I've had this strange feeling.

Like something bad is going to happen."

His voice dropped.

"I just want to make sure that if anything ever happens to me, you and Siya—and our baby—will be safe. That's all I want."

His voice was heavy with something unsaid, and Priya didn't like it at all. Her heart sank a little.

Wanting to change the mood, she quickly said,

"You know, Veer Bhai is coming to India next month. This time, I'll make sure to fix everything with him."

Her eyes welled up with tears, the pain of six long years without her brother still fresh in her heart.

Jai reached across and held her hand, gently lifting it to his lips.

"Don't worry, sweetheart. Everything will be okay. You'll talk to him, and it'll all be fine."

Before Priya could answer, bright headlights suddenly flashed ahead of them. A loud horn blared.

A car came speeding from the front—too fast, too close.

BANG!

A terrible crash filled the night.

The car collided head-on, the sound of shattering glass and twisting metal echoing into the silence.

Jai's head slammed into the steering wheel, blood trickling down his forehead.

But even in that moment, he instinctively reached out—shielding Priya with his arm, pulling her head down just before the windshield shattered.

Siya, startled by the crash, woke up with wide, scared eyes.

She was safe—thankfully strapped in by her seatbelt—but she looked around, wide-eyed and shaking.

"Dadda!!" she screamed, her tiny voice filled with panic.

"Dadda! Wake up! Mom! Dadda is hurt!" she cried loudly, her tears falling as she saw the red on Jai's forehead.

She began sobbing, calling out again and again.

"Dadda, please! Please wake up!"

I woke up after at least an hour of restless sleep. The first thing my eyes searched for... was her.

Siya was still lying there—silent, still—as if the whole world had paused just for her to rest.

And maa was sitting beside her, gently brushing her fingers through Siya's hair. The concern in her eyes... it was the same that filled my chest. But I couldn't let it show. Not completely.

I got up quietly, went to the bathroom, splashed cold water on my face—hoping it would wash away the fear tightening around my heart.

But nothing helped.

When I came back into the room, I looked at maa and said,

"Maa... you should go rest now. I'll stay with her."

She looked at me for a moment, not wanting to move.

"Aarav, let me stay a little longer. What if she—"

I cut her off gently,

"I'll take care of her, Maa. I promise."

It took some convincing, but finally, she nodded and stood up slowly. She kissed Siya on her forehead before leaving the room, giving me one last look before closing the door softly behind her.

Now it was just me... and her.

I sat beside her and held her hand carefully, afraid she might slip away even if I blink.

Her skin was warm. That was a relief.

But still... she hadn't opened her eyes.

I looked at her, at the peaceful face I once didn't even know could hold so much power over me. And I started speaking—quietly, shakily—for the first time, not as a king, not as a CEO... but just as a man in love.

"You know, Siya... before you, I thought I had everything. And if I didn't, I believed I could buy it in a second."

I laughed under my breath. It was bitter.

"But right now... sitting here like this—I've never felt this helpless in my entire life."

I looked at her closed eyes, hoping they would flutter open at any second.

"I don't know when you became my peace... my calm in this loud, ruthless world."

I lifted her hand slowly and placed it against my lips.

"For two years... only your pendant gave me some kind of calm. I didn't even realize when I got addicted to it. Addicted to you."

I swallowed hard. My throat was burning.

"Maybe I loved you from the beginning... I was just too blind to see it. Too stubborn to admit it."

I brushed a strand of hair away from her face.

"But now... my every day starts with your name, and every night ends with you. Do you even know what those seven days without you did to me?"

My voice cracked.

"I counted every single hour, every minute, every second... just like you did, baby."

Tears welled up in my eyes, but I blinked them away. I couldn't break now. Not in front of her.

"And when I finally found you... you weren't even talking to me."

I laughed bitterly.

"Punishment suits me, Siya. Maybe I deserve it. But not like this. Please, not like this."

I bent forward and rested my forehead against our joined hands.

"I'm sorry, baby... if you want, I'll hold my ears in front of everyone. I'll fall to my knees, I'll do whatever you say. But please..."

My voice trembled.

"Don't stay silent. Don't punish me like this. Just wake up, baby."

I looked at her again.

"I have so much to tell you. And you... you've always loved talking, right? You have to listen to me now. Like I listen to every silly thing you say."

I held her hand tighter.

"So wake up, my angel. Please... I'm waiting."

And I stayed like that, sitting beside her, hoping... praying... that her fingers would move, her eyes would blink—anything.

Just a sign that she heard me.

Because without her... even this king is nothing.

I didn't even realize when my head dropped beside her hand, exhaustion pulling me down. And then—

"Dadda! Wake up! Mom! Dadda is hurt!"

My eyes snapped open.

"Dadda! Dadda! Please! Please wake up! Dadda!"

I turned to her—and my heart stopped.

Siya.

Her tiny face was twisted in panic, tears slipping down from closed eyes. Her hands were twitching, and she was gasping like she couldn't breathe. She was struggling in her sleep, her cheeks stained with tears and her lips trembling.

"Siya baby," I whispered quickly, cupping her face with both hands, "Wake up, jaan. Wake up—it's just a nightmare. See? I'm here. Everything is okay, angel."

Her eyes shot open.

"Avi! Dadda... blood... so much blood—"

Before she could say more, I pulled her into my arms, holding her tightly against my chest.

"Shhh... just relax, hmm?" I whispered into her hair, rubbing her back gently, "It was just a bad dream. Nothing happened. You're safe. Your Avi is here."

I felt her small arms wrap around my neck, holding on like she was scared I'd vanish.

I waited until her breathing slowed down, until her shivers stopped. Then I pulled back a little, cupping her cheeks again.

"Now tell me, angel. What did you see?"

Her voice trembled, but it was clear.

"Avi... Dadda... accident... lots of blood."

My chest tightened.

I knew it. She was remembering something... something real. That nightmare wasn't just a dream.

I didn't want her to relive that pain. Not now.

I gently hushed her again.

"Okay... okay, no more questions right now. Just breathe, baby. Just breathe."

I reached over and rang the bell. Within a minute, Dr. Mehra walked in. He looked at Siya and then at me.

"Mrs. Rathore, how are you feeling?"

Siya just gave a tiny nod, still wrapped in my arms.

The doctor checked her vitals and gently examined her. After a few minutes, he looked at me.

"Ranasa, we can discharge Ranisa tomorrow morning. She's healing well, but she needs rest—especially emotional rest."

I nodded, saying nothing. He left the room quietly, knowing I wasn't in the mood for small talk.

I looked down at the little girl in my arms—my reason to breathe.

I kissed her head and whispered, more to myself than to her—

"You've suffered enough, my angel. But no more. I swear... no shadow of the past will ever reach you again. Not while I'm breathing."

Even if I had to burn the world down to keep her safe.

Maa came with dinner in the evening. She quietly set the plates on the small table beside Siya's bed. As usual, she made khichdi for Siya—something light and easy to digest.

But Siya made a face the moment she smelled it.

Her nose scrunched up, her lips pouted, and she turned her face away like the bowl had poison in it. Maa tried not to laugh, and I just looked at her, raising my eyebrow.

"Khichdi?" she whispered to herself, loud enough for us to hear.

"Why does hospital food always taste like punishment?"

Maa chuckled softly. I didn't.

I took the spoon, scooped a little, and brought it to her lips.

"Eat," I said firmly.

"No," she murmured, shaking her head like a stubborn child.

I looked at her, unmoved. "Siya."

She sighed dramatically and opened her mouth.

Maa tried to hide her smile. Siya kept making faces after every bite, like she was being tortured. But we both ignored it and kept feeding her. She ate almost half before giving up completely.

After dinner, Maa sat with her while I stepped out to meet Dr. Mehra. I needed to speak to him—about the nightmare.

He was in his cabin, writing something when I entered. He looked up.

"Ranasa," he greeted, standing slightly.

"Siya had another nightmare today," I said directly.

I continued, "She was crying in her sleep—calling for her dad and mom. She said there was blood. Accident."

He looked at me carefully and asked, "Has this happened before?"

I nodded.

"A few months ago... she had a similar dream,about her mother. I didn't think much at that time. But now, after the accident... and now this..."

Dr. Mehra nodded thoughtfully.

"It's possible she's slowly remembering what she had forgotten," he said. "But these memories are returning through dreams—fragments. Painful ones."

I clenched my jaw.

"So what do we do now?"

He looked at me seriously.

"You must not force her to remember everything at once. It can affect her mental and emotional health. Her mind is healing, but slowly. Gently."

He handed me a prescription. "This is the medicine. It'll help her sleep better. And I'm recommending a therapist—someone gentle, who's worked with trauma cases before. Therapy will help her cope in a healthy way."

I took the paper and nodded. Said nothing.

On the outside, I looked calm. But inside, I was boiling. Angry at fate. At life. At myself—for not being there when she needed someone the most.

I left his cabin and returned to Siya's room.

She was lying in bed, playing with the corner of her blanket. Her eyes lit up the moment she saw me.

Maa stood up and smiled. "I'll come tomorrow morning."

She kissed Siya's forehead and gently touched my arm before leaving.

The room was quiet again.

I walked over to Siya's side and sat down on the edge of the bed. She looked at me with sleepy eyes and a soft smile—small, but enough to ease something heavy in my chest.

I reached out and brushed her hair back.

"How are you feeling now, Ranisa?" I asked.

She didn't reply.

I frowned and leaned closer.

"What happened now? Why are you not answering me?"

She turned her face away and said in a low voice,

"Because you made me eat that tasteless khichdi."

I blinked—and then let out a breath through my nose, almost amused.

"That was for your health, madam. And for your information, Maa made it, not me."

She still didn't respond. Just kept pouting like a stubborn little queen.

I sighed and said,

"Okay. Fine. When we go home, I'll make hot chocolate for you. Happy?"

Her face lit up instantly.

"Really?"

I nodded and leaned forward to kiss her forehead.

"Really. Promise."

Then she whispered,

"Avi..."

I looked at her,

"Hmm?"

She shifted on the bed and softly said,

"Lie beside me."

Without wasting a second, I took off my coat and lay down beside her carefully. She immediately moved into my arms, rested her head on my chest, and wrapped her little hands around me tightly.

Her voice was muffled but full of feeling,

"I missed you a lot..."

My arms tightened around her.

"I missed you too, baby. I was just counting every minute... waiting to hold you like this again."

We stayed like that for a while. She asked a few innocent questions, said a few sleepy things I couldn't even understand properly. And then, slowly, the medicine began to do its work. Her breathing turned soft. Slow. Peaceful.

I looked at her sleeping face, still holding on to my shirt like I'd disappear if she let go.

But my eyes didn't close.

My mind... wasn't quiet.

Her nightmare today... the one from months ago... the flashes of her mother... the accident... and the truth behind her parents' death.

Is it all connected?

Is there something Siya saw? Something she remembers in pieces? Is that why she's so scared?

There are so many questions.

And most of the answers... are trapped inside her.

Or buried in secrets that someone doesn't want to come out.

I looked out the window. The night was calm. Peaceful. But my heart wasn't.

And then my thoughts shifted to him—the bastard in my basement.

Tonight, he's sleeping peacefully.

But starting tomorrow, he won't remember what peace even means.

I'll make sure of it.

Because no one hurts my Queen and walks away breathing easy.

Let the world fear the king again.

I am coming.