Page 14 of Shattered

“You guys stay here and manage the guests. I’ve got this,”I reply, not waiting for their response as I head quickly to the exit.

When I step outside, I see the jerk’s car as he runs around to open the back door. Hurriedly, I lean in and carefully lay her on the back seat before getting in myself. Then, I gently lift her head to make it rest on my lap. He closes the door, rushes to the driver’s seat, and starts the engine.

“I won’t let anything happen to you,” I whisper as I run my hands over her forehead. I am doing my best to calm my heart, but it’s a struggle as I see how pale she looks. Akash keeps throwing worried glances at us through the rearview mirror, but I don’t give a damn what he makes of all this. I couldn’t care less if I end up looking like a wreck; my sole focus is toprotect the woman who has come to mean so much to me, no matter what it takes.

Ten minutes later, he brings the car to a sudden stop outside the emergency entrance of the hospital. I quickly open the door, gently lifting her head from my lap as I slide out of the car. Then, I bend down to scoop her into my arms. Akash comes to my side, and together we rush inside.

“Get a doctor now!” I command as I step inside and spot a nurse with two of her colleagues standing in the empty hallway of the emergency room.

“Make her lie down here,” the nurse says, bringing over a stretcher bed. With trembling hands, I carefully lower Kavya onto the bed. My heart racesas her colleagues swiftly wheel Kavya away towards the emergency room. I take a step to follow them, but the nurse steps in front of me, blocking my path and halting me in my tracks.

“You need to wait here, sir, while the doctors check her. Also, can you tell me what happened?”

I open my mouth to answer, but Akash beats me to it. “She fell down the stairs.”

The nurse nods. “We will have the doctor examine her and update you on her condition.”

Unable to speak, I simply nod as the nurse turns and slips into the room. Standing there, a wave of nausea washes over me as I gaze at my hands, still stained with blood. A lump forms in my throat, suffocating me with dread. All I can think about is her safety, and the fear of what might happen engulfs me entirely. Fuck. Never before have I felt so utterly powerless, consumed by a torrent of emotions I can’t control.

Suddenly, Akash’s phone interrupts my thoughts, and he answers the call.

“Sweetheart, I am at the hospital. Kavya had an accident and we’ve just brought her here,” he says, pausing briefly before continuing, “I will let you know. Love you.”

Rage consumes me as Ioverhearhis conversation. The bloody nerve of this guy. His girlfriend is in the hospital, yet he’s talking to another woman, professing his love. I turn to glare at him, the urge to grab him by the collar almost overwhelming. But the knowledge that we’re in a hospital, coupled with worry for Kavya, restrains me from acting violently.

“Your girlfriend is in the hospital, and you’re flirting with another woman?” I snap,my voice tight with anger.How could this fool not see the angel he’s been blessed with, and instead he’s flirting with another woman? It’s fucking infuriating.

His brows furrow in confusion, and then he shakes his head, “Kavya is not my girlfriend.She works for me, and over time, we’ve become good friends. She came to the party as my datebecause I requested her to.”

My heart thuds heavily in my chest, and I blink at him.

“She’s not your girlfriend?” I ask again,unable to contain the rush of relief and joy that floods through me.

He shakes his head, but then his gaze sharpens.

“She’s not, but why do you care?” he asks, raising his eyebrows.

I rub my hands over my face, trying to mask the raw feelings I have for Kavya, but despite my best efforts, I find myself answering. “I... I don’t know how to explain it,” I begin, my voice firm and strong. “There’s something about her that pulls me in. It might sound a little crazy, but she’s become incredibly important to me, even though we’ve only known each other for a day. My feelings for her are undeniably strong, something entirely beyond my control.”

He studies me for a few seconds before replying, “Look, I don’t want to sound harsh, but your reputation with women has me questioning if you’re the right man for Kavya. Trust me, she has been through a lot in life,and the last thing she needs is another heartbreak. So,if this is just a fleeting attraction or away to satisfy your own desires,I suggestyou walk away and spare her the trouble. She deserves better than that.”

His words cause me to fly off the handle. “Don’t you dare belittle my feelings for Kavya,” I snap, “I couldn’t care less about your opinion of my reputation, but don’t you dare question my intentions with her. I am not here to toy with her emotions,” I retort fiercely.

He holds my gaze for a few moments before letting out a heavy sigh. “It’s not my story to tell, but something in my gut tells me you need to know. Kavya lost her parents a few months ago. Her sister is in a coma, and her fiancé cheated on her. Since then, she’s been unable to find peace and truly live her life.But despite everything, she puts on a brave face every day, clinging to the hope that one day, her sisterwill wake up fromthe coma.”

A heavy ache grips my heart, and a sharp pang of hurt shoots through me as I resonate with the weight of her pain. Before I can say anything, we hear the door to the emergency room open and the doctor steps out.

“Hi, I’m Dr. Kumar. I am the one taking care of the patient you brought in,” he introduces himself.

I gulp nervously. “Is she okay, doctor?”

“She did hit her head pretty hard, and we’ve bandaged the injury. Fortunately, there’s no sign of a concussion. She’s currently unconscious, but we expect her to regain consciousness soon. Once she wakes up, we’ll conduct a final check before discharging her. She’s been moved to a room, and you can see her now,” the doctorexplains before walking away.

I release the breathI didn’t realise I was holding, finally feeling the tension easing from my body. “She’s okay. She’s okay,” I murmur to myself, each repetition bringing a deeper sense of calm after the chaos I experienced.

Chapter 7

Kavya

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