CHAPTER52 [SHE CHOOSE TO SAVE HIM]
The situation inside the hospital was getting worse with every passing minute.
Vihaan's condition was extremely critical.
The bullet had lodged dangerously close to his heart.
One wrong movement during surgery and he could lose his life instantly.
Doctors from different cities were contacted.
The best cardiac surgeons were called.
Some were unavailable.
Some were too far away to arrive on time.
And time...
Time was something Vihaan didn't have.
Every passing second was making the situation more dangerous.
Outside the ICU, the Singhania family stood helplessly.
Nobody was speaking.
Nobody knew what to do.
For the first time, power, money and influence seemed useless.
Because none of them could guarantee Vihaan's life.
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Meanwhile...
London.
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Aarohi slowly opened her eyes.
A sharp pain immediately shot through her head.
A bandage was wrapped around her forehead.
The accident had left a deep injury on her head and she had lost a significant amount of blood.
Everything around her looked blurry.
The room seemed to spin.
Even breathing felt difficult.
But none of that mattered.
Because only one thing existed in her mind.
Vihaan.
The phone call.
The gunshot.
The word "critical".
Suddenly Aarohi pushed herself up from the hospital bed.
The doctor standing nearby immediately rushed forward.
"Ma'am, please sit down."
"You've suffered a serious head injury."
"You need rest."
But Aarohi wasn't listening.
"Give me my phone."
The doctor tried again.
"Ma'am, you've lost a lot of blood."
"Please calm down."
Aarohi looked at him.
Her eyes were filled with panic.
Fear.
Desperation.
For an entire year she had forced herself to forget Vihaan.
Forced herself to move on.
Forced herself to believe she didn't care anymore.
But today...
Everything she had buried inside her heart came rushing back.
She wasn't thinking like a doctor.
She wasn't thinking logically.
She just wanted to reach him.
Immediately.
"Give me my phone."
The doctor hesitated.
"Ma'am-"
"MY PHONE!"
The sudden shout made everyone inside the room flinch.
The doctor immediately handed her the phone.
Aarohi's trembling fingers dialed Karan's number.
The call connected within seconds.
"Karan."
Her voice was shaking.
"Vihaan kahan hai?"
(Where is Vihaan?)
Karan froze the moment he heard her voice.
"Aarohi?"
She ignored everything.
"Vihaan kahan hai?"
(Where is Vihaan?)
Karan took a deep breath.
"ICU mein hai."
(He's in the ICU.)
"Condition critical hai."
(His condition is critical.)
"Bullet heart ke bahut paas lagi hai."
(The bullet hit dangerously close to his heart.)
Aarohi closed her eyes.
For a second she couldn't breathe.
Then she spoke.
"Theek hai."
(Okay.)
"Main aa rahi hoon."
(I'm coming.)
And she disconnected the call.
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Three hours later...
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Against the doctors' advice, Aarohi got discharged.
She barely had enough strength to stand properly.
But she didn't care.
She booked the earliest available flight from London to Mumbai.
The direct flight duration was approximately 9 to 10 hours.
After completing all airport formalities and waiting for boarding, another few hours passed.
For anyone else, it was just a journey.
For Aarohi...
Every minute felt like torture.
She sat near the airplane window.
Unable to sleep.
Unable to eat.
Unable to think about anything except him.
Questions kept running through her mind.
Was he awake?
Was he conscious?
Was he in pain?
Would she reach in time?
Would she be able to see him?
Or...
Would she be too late?
The thought alone made her chest tighten.
A tear slipped down her cheek.
For the first time in an entire year...
Aarohi allowed herself to admit the truth.
She still loved him.
And the possibility of losing him was destroying her.
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Almost 14 hours later...
Including hospital discharge, airport procedures, waiting time and the flight...
Aarohi finally landed in India.
The moment she stepped out of the airport, she didn't go home.
She didn't rest.
She didn't even change her clothes.
She went straight to the hospital.
Because there was only one place she wanted to be.
And only one person she wanted to see.
Vihaan.
Aarohi directly took a cab from the airport and headed towards the hospital.
The entire journey felt endless.
Her head was throbbing continuously.
The wound from the accident hadn't healed yet.
The doctor had strictly told her to rest.
But right now...
Nothing mattered more than Vihaan.
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A few minutes later...
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The hospital doors opened.
Aarohi stepped inside.
Still wearing the same clothes she had travelled in.
A bandage wrapped around her forehead.
Her face pale from blood loss.
Dark circles under her eyes.
Yet her steps didn't stop.
Not even for a second.
As soon as she reached the ICU floor, everyone turned towards her.
The Singhania family froze.
Shock was clearly visible on their faces.
Nobody had expected Aarohi to come.
And definitely not in this condition.
Anjali's eyes immediately filled with tears.
Karan looked completely stunned.
"Aarohi...?"
She didn't respond.
Not because she didn't want to.
But because her focus was somewhere else.
Only on one person.
Vihaan.
A group of senior cardiac surgeons stood outside the ICU discussing the case.
One of them immediately recognized her.
"Dr. Aarohi?"
He looked surprised.
"Ma'am, aap yahan?"
(You're here?)
But Aarohi ignored the question.
Her eyes remained fixed on the ICU.
Then she spoke.
"Patient ki condition kaisi hai?"
(How is the patient's condition?)
The doctors exchanged glances.
One of them handed her the medical file.
Aarohi immediately started reading.
Page after page.
Report after report.
Scan after scan.
With every line she read...
Her expression became more serious.
The bullet was dangerously close to the heart.
Internal damage was severe.
The blood loss was significant.
And the risk factor...
Extremely high.
A sharp pain suddenly shot through her head.
For a second her vision blurred.
She grabbed the file tighter.
Steadying herself.
Ignoring the pain.
Ignoring her injury.
Ignoring everything.
Then finally...
She closed the file.
Looked at the doctors.
And said only one sentence.
"OT prepare karo."
(Prepare the operation theatre.)
Everyone frowned.
Before anyone could ask anything, she continued.
"Yeh surgery main karungi."
(I will perform this surgery.)
Silence.
Absolute silence.
The entire corridor went still.
Every single person stared at her.
The doctors.
The nurses.
The Singhania family.
Everyone.
Because although they all knew one thing-
Dr. Aarohi was one of the finest cardiac surgeons.
Maybe even the best.
But her current condition...
Was terrible.
Before anyone else could speak, Karan stepped forward.
"Aarohi, dekho..."
(Look...)
"I agree tum best surgeon ho."
(I agree you're the best surgeon.)
"Tumne badi se badi surgeries successfully ki hain."
(You've successfully performed the most difficult surgeries.)
"Lekin iss baar apni condition dekho."
(Look at your own condition this time.)
"Tum khud injured ho."
(You're injured yourself.)
"Tum log ek saal baad mil rahe ho."
(You're meeting after a year.)
"Tum emotionally involved ho."
(You're emotionally involved.)
"Agar surgery ke beech tum emotional ho gayi toh?"
(What if you become emotional during the surgery?)
"Agar tumse mistake ho gayi toh?"
(What if you make a mistake?)
"We have already called the best surgeon from America."
(Wo thodi der mein pahunch jayenge.)
(He'll arrive shortly.)
"Kuch der aur wait kar lete hain."
(Let's wait a little longer.)
For a moment...
Nobody spoke.
Everyone waited for Aarohi's response.
Aarohi slowly turned towards Karan.
Her eyes were calm.
Dangerously calm.
Then she spoke.
"Pehli baat..."
(First of all...)
"Operation theatre mein sirf Dr. Aarohi jayegi."
(Only Dr. Aarohi will enter that operation theatre.)
"Na kisi ki dushman bankar."
(Not as anyone's enemy.)
"Na kisi ki biwi bankar."
(Not as anyone's wife.)
"Sirf ek heart surgeon bankar."
(Only as a heart surgeon.)
The corridor fell silent once again.
Aarohi took a step forward.
Then continued.
"Aur Mr. Karan..."
(And Mr. Karan...)
"Maine apni zindagi mein hazaron patients treat kiye hain."
(I've treated thousands of patients in my life.)
"Maine impossible cases ko successful banaya hai."
(I've turned impossible cases into successful ones.)
"Maine operation theatre mein kabhi apne emotions ko apne profession se upar nahi rakha."
(I've never put my emotions above my profession inside an operation theatre.)
Then she looked directly into his eyes.
"Aap meri condition par sawaal utha sakte hain."
(You can question my condition.)
"Lekin meri kabiliyat par nahi."
(But not my capability.)
Silence.
Nobody had an answer.
Not even Karan.
Because deep down...
Everyone knew she was right.
Then Aarohi looked towards the ICU glass.
Where Vihaan was fighting for his life.
And for the first time...
Her voice softened.
Almost into a whisper.
"Jab tak uska dil dhadak raha hai..."
(As long as his heart is still beating...)
"Main usse kuch nahi hone dungi."
(I won't let anything happen to him.)
And with that...
She turned around.
And walked towards the operation theatre.
Wait for next part...........??
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