Page 72 of Shattered

“I still can’t thank God enoughfor watching over my son,” Reyansh’s mom says,leaning into her husband’s arms. I look at her and see her weakness and vulnerability. Guilt hits me harderthan ever. I can’t do this to them. I can’t bear to see them suffer because their son fell in love with me—the one who is responsible for all this. They don’t deserve this pain.

“Relax, honey. You heard the doctor. It’s a minor accident, and he will be fine,” Reyansh’s dad says, gently wiping her tears away.

“Uncle, did you find out how this happened?” Akash asks beside me.

“It was a hit-and-run case. They’re still looking for the driver,” Reyansh’s dad answers.

‘No, it’s not an accident,’my mind screams, but I keep it to myself. Instead, I ask.

“Can I see him?” My voice comes out pleading.

“You can go see him, but you won’t be able to talk to him right now because he’s unconscious due to the medication the doctor gave him,” Reyansh’s dad says, looking into my eyes. “We’ll wait outside.”

I nod in response.

With my heart in my throat, I approach Reyansh’s room and gently push the door open.As I step inside,my world seems to freeze the moment my eyes land on him.He lies there, so still in the hospital bed, wrapped in the sterile hospital gown.I inhale sharply as I take in his appearance.His head is wrapped in bandages, and faint bruises mar his cheek. His right hand is connected to an IV drip,the quiet beeping of machines filling the room.

I sink into the chair beside him, clutching his left hand in mine.Tears spill freely down my cheeks as I lean closer to him.

“Reyansh, please come back to me,” I pause, my voice trembling as I stare at him. “Please wake up. Our baby needs you. I need you.” My hand gently squeezes his, desperate for any response, but he remains still.

I take a deep breath, steeling myself to say the words I never thought I would utter. “I have to let you go, Reyansh,” I whisper to his motionless form. “It’s breaking my heart, but I can’t keep risking your safety by being a part of your life,” I let out a sob and rest my head against his shoulder. “I don’t want to let go of what we’ve built, but I can’t be selfish. I have to end this and break your heart.”I rest my hand over his heart, feeling trapped between a rock and a hard place. “I am so sorry. I know this will hurt you… but I can’t risk being the reason you don’t wake up.”

I lift my head and kiss his stubbled cheek, my lips lingering against his skin. “My heart will always belong to you, even if I can’t be with you,” I murmur shakily, gently resting my palm on his cheek. “And our child will carry our love, always reminding me of what we shared.”

“I love you, Reyansh,” I whisper, tears streaming down my face as Ikiss him one last time, my lips trembling against his still ones. With my heart breaking, I pull away, slipping the ring off my finger and placing it on the table next to the bed. I then rise to my feet and head for the door, not daring to look back. Turning the knob, I leave, tears streaming down my cheeks.

The moment I step out of the room, I find his parents and Akash waiting in the same spot.Their eyes meet mine, full of concern. I take a moment to gather myself, feeling their silent support before speaking.

“I… I need to go,” I say softly, my voice wavering. “But I’ll be back later.”

Reyansh’s dad nods solemnly. “Take your time, dear.”

Reyansh’s mom cups my cheeks with one hand. “You lookexhausted. You need to go home and rest,” she says gently.

I nod, unable to form any words, and watch as they enter Reyansh’s room. I continue to stand there for a moment, my emotions still raw, as I try to compose myself. Akash offers to take me home,but I shake my head, explaining that Karan iswaiting outside to drive me home. He gives me a hesitant nod, and I quickly walk past him, needing to distance myself from the hospital, and more importantly, from Reyansh.

Just as I walk down the corridor, my feet halt in their tracks when I hear Karan’s voice coming from an empty waiting room.

“Kavya ma’am doesn’t know anything yet,” I hear him say, and my heart skips a beat.

Quietly, I take a hesitant step closer, peeking around the doorframe to see Karan standing with his back to me, deep in conversation on the phone.

“I tried to stop Kavya ma’am, but she wouldn’t listen.” There is a pause before he continues, “We’re still at the hospital, and Reyansh sir is still unconscious.” Another pause follows. “Don’t worry, I will handle it.”

A strange unease begins to settle in my chest, my mind racing with questions. Who is he talking to? And what is it he’s trying to hide?

“I’ll go see what’s happening and take Kavya ma’am home,” he says.

I am about to barge in and demand to know what’s going on and who he is talking to when his next words stop me cold. “Sidharth sir, trust me, Kavya ma’am won’t find out about Suman… that she was found dead.” He lets out a heavy breath. “I understand it’s bad, and Kavya ma’am can’t handle this with Reyansh sir in the hospital.”

Suddenly, the ground feels like it’s slipping away from beneath me. My breath catches and my heart pounding in my chest as I lean against the wall for support. Everything around me spins as I try to process what I’ve just heard.

As if sensing my presence, Karan turns around, his eyes widening in shock when he sees me standing there.

“Sir, I will call you back,” he says, ending the call abruptly before approaching me.

“Suman. Dead?” I whisper aloud.

---