Karan moved through the sterile white corridors of the hospital, the scent of antiseptic clinging to his clothes. He had powered through his routine rounds, checking vitals and charts with mechanical precision, but the day was far from over. He had scrubbed in for a high-risk Coronary Artery Bypass Graft—a complex open-heart surgery that required absolute focus. 

For hours, his hands had been steady, stitching vessels and restarting a stopped heart, performing miracles under the harsh operating lights.

But beneath the surgical mask, his mind was a chaotic storm.

He was already running on a short fuse, the temper from last night's chaos with Aira simmering just beneath his skin. Yet, he was a professional; he didn't let a single distraction bleed into his work. But the moment he peeled off the latex gloves, the guilt crashed back into him. He had burned her hand. The memory of it—the cruelty of it—gnawed at him. He wasn't just guilty; he was disappointed, seething with self-hatred for committing such a sin against her.

Meanwhile at home, 

Aira lay numbly on the bed, tears slipping from her eyes in a slow, endless stream. She hadn't even touched her lunch. How could she? After everything she had been dragged through, the thought of food made her nauseous. She lay there like a dead leaf that had finally fallen after weathering a heavy storm—lifeless and brittle.

The door was locked from the inside, so even the maid couldn't enter to force her to eat. All Aira could think about was escaping this place ASAP. She wanted to be with her mother right now, to bury her face in her lap and cry, but she couldn't go to her. Not with this burned hand. She couldn't let her mother see her like this.

But through the pain and the despair, she didn't lose her strength.

Forcing her body to move, she got up and went to the shower. She turned the tap, letting the icy cold water hit her skin, shocking her system into alertness. She scrubbed her face, wiping away the dry, crusty stains of tears.

By the time the sun had set thoroughly, casting long shadows across the room, Aira finally unlocked the door and stepped out. She went down to the kitchen where the maid was already preparing dinner. Aira asked for food quietly, and she forced herself to eat. She needed the energy.

After eating, she went out to the garden, sitting on the swing. She held herself together, wrapping her arms around her frame so she wouldn't break down again. All she was thinking of was getting through this—just this last one week. Once she got the money and her mother's operation was done, she would take her mom and leave this city forever. For her own good.

It was almost 11 PM when Aira finally went back to sleep while reading a novel.

🥀🥀🥀

Back at the hospital, Karan's work was finally done.

He sat in the driver's seat of his car, the interior dark. The glow of his cigarette illuminated his sharp features as he inhaled, the smoke swirling around him. He was thinking about Aira, the incident last night, and the guy—"Ayden."

Ayden's voice, calling her baby, talking all that sweet trash, was revolving inside Karan's head like a broken record.

Slowly, he looked down at his phone screen. The WhatsApp chat was open, displaying Ayden's details. A cold look settled in his eyes.

Throwing his cigarette out of the window with one swift motion, Karan started the engine and drove the car out of the hospital parking lot. He drove for some time, the city lights blurring past him, until he finally stopped outside a high-end club named The Onyx Lounge.

The car stood idling in front of the pub. Karan slowly stepped out, leaning against the bonnet of his luxury car. He took out another cigarette, lighting it calmly. As he took one deep puff, he started walking towards the entry gate.

As he entered, the bass of the music vibrated through the floor. His eyes scanned the crowd, hunting. It didn't take long. He saw Ayden with a bunch of friends, dancing and having fun, completely oblivious.

Karan walked over and sat near the bar. Girls were already gawking at him, drawn to his dark aura, but he ignored them. Ayden came to the bar a moment later, ordering drinks. Karan saw him coming but didn't do anything. He just watched.

Ayden ordered a round of Absinthe shots—one of the strongest spirits available.

"Woah strong man huh," Karan said to Ayden, slowly turning towards him and meeting his eyes.

"Yeah man!, strong guy needs strong stuff," Ayden said to Karan, laughing, completely unaware of who he was talking to.

"Yeah," Karan nodded slowly, giving him a smirk.

With that, Ayden left the bar counter, giving a friendly smile to Karan before heading back to the dance floor. Karan looked forward, his eyes turning dark. The rage was clearly seen in his gaze now, but that devilish smirk didn't leave his face.

With the last sip of his drink, Karan stood up. He put his glasses on and began walking outwards. He glanced once towards his left, where Ayden was laughing with his friends.

With that, Karan left the pub.

Just moments later, several men in black suits slipped inside the club. Suddenly, the pub's lights turned off completely. Every corner was plunged into pitch darkness. The music stopped abruptly. People shouted a little, confused by the sudden blackout.

In a few minutes, the lights flickered back on. The music started thumping again, and the people went back to enjoying themselves like nothing had ever happened.

Well, everyone thought nothing had happened. But here was the tragedy: Ayden was missing from his friend's circle.

His friends looked around, turning their eyes left and right, scanning the crowd, but they didn't find him anywhere.

One friend shouted over the music to the other, "Bro where the hell is ayden gone?"

They called his phone, but he was unreachable.

Just then, the other friend shrugged. "I think he must be went to the washroom, chill out guys, he'll comeback."

With that, everyone agreed subconsciously and carried on with their drinks.

Hours passed, but he didn't come back. Now, it was time for them to leave, and still, there was no sign of Ayden. His friends started calling him again, but they got the same response. They became anxious. Ayden wouldn't just leave like this without telling anyone. He wasn't the guy who would just fuck around with anyone in the pub and vanish.

🥀🥀🥀

Karan arrived home.

He scanned the house. There was just pin-drop silence—the kind of heavy silence that happens when everything is destroyed after a strong storm.

Karan went to his room. As he entered, his eyes fell on Aira. She was sleeping, curled in on herself in a defensive ball. Her burned hand was dangling below her head, falling a little out of the bed.

Karan slowly went towards her, cautious with his steps so as not to wake her up. He stood beside her, watching her sleep. It gave him a little relief, but that feeling vanished as soon as his eyes fell on her injured hand again.

Cautiously, he took her hand from below her head. He adjusted her posture, making her sleep straight, and placed her hands gently on her stomach. He reached out, moving her hair strands away from her face. Gently, he leaned in and placed a soft kiss on her temple.

It was so soft, as if he were kissing a glass doll that would shatter into pieces if he used just a little force.

Pulling himself away, he stared at her, his voice barely a breath in the quiet room.

"I'm sorry, I promise you I would neever ever hurt you again. and you can't escape from me."

With that, he left her in her peaceful sleep.

🥀🥀🥀

Author:-  

Well, Ayden vanished into the dark. Did Karan take him? And if he did... then.....
who is Karan, really? is he not really a doctor??
Any guesses 😉