Chapter 8

Aarohi's Hospital :

In the middle of the hospital's constant hustle, the telephone receiver in Aarohi's hand felt as heavy as a stone. Her mother’s voice crashed against her ears like a cold, terrifying wave.

"Hello... who is this...?" Aarohi’s voice trembled.

"Beta... come to your Papa’s office immediately... a call came from there...!" Saisha’s voice contained a tremor of fear that shook Aarohi to her core.

"Why... Mumma, what happened?" Aarohi asked, nearly screaming. Her mind began racing toward the worst possible scenarios.

"I don't know either, beta... they just called and asked everyone to come quickly..." At that moment, Saisha broke down into loud sobs. Her crying through the phone felt like it was piercing Aarohi's heart.

Aarohi tried to compose herself, even though her own legs felt weak. "Alright... Mumma, I'm coming right now. Please stop crying. I'm almost there!"

As soon as she hung up, Disha rushed toward her. "What happened, Aarohi? Is everything okay? Why have you turned so pale?"

"I don't know, Disha... Mumma was crying uncontrollably on the phone. I have to get to Papa’s office. Please, take care of the rest of the work," Aarohi said, pulling off her stethoscope, her eyes brimming with tears.

he had just turned to leave when a deep, velvety voice stopped her.

"Aarohi... where are you going?"

Aarohi froze. Standing before her was Raghav. Raghav—Aarohi’s senior, known not only for his medical brilliance but also for his calm and serious personality.

He was as striking in appearance as he was wise in nature. His deep eyes always seemed to read the truth instantly. This was the first time Aarohi was seeing him, and at any other time, she might have been struck by his presence, but right now, her world felt like it was falling apart.

"Sir... a call came from home... so I'm leaving...!" Aarohi said breathlessly.

Raghav looked at her, his concern evident. "You look extremely stressed, Aarohi. Is everything okay? Your face says the situation is serious."

"I don't know... Sir... I'm so anxious... Mumma was just crying on the call," Aarohi said with a sob.

Raghav took a step forward, his voice now carrying the comfort of an elder brother.

"Don't lose hope. Everything will be fine. Look, driving in this state isn't safe for you. If you want, should I come with you?"

Aarohi wiped the corners of her eyes.

Raghav’s empathy gave her a bit of strength, but she didn't want to trouble anyone. "No, Sir, I'll go. If something urgent happens, I will call you."

Raghav thought for a moment, then nodded slowly. "Alright... but take care of yourself. And do call me; I’ll be waiting."

Without another word, Aarohi ran out of the hospital. She had no idea what was waiting for her at her father’s office, but she could feel that her life was never going to be the same again.

Akshay office :

Every step Aarohi took into the office felt like a heavy blow to her chest; her heart was drumming against her ribs with terrifying force. Every corner of the building, which used to be a source of pride and joy for her, now felt like a desolate, frightening void.

"Where is my Papa...?" Aarohi gasped as she reached the reception, her breath coming in short, panicked bursts. Her face was drenched in cold sweat, and the sheer terror in her eyes was impossible to hide.

The receptionist looked at her with trembling lips, her voice faltering.

"Madam... the boss... he...!"

"What about him...? I asked where my father and your boss, Mr. Akshay Malhotra, is!" Aarohi shouted. Her patience had snapped, her fear curdling into a desperate, sharp anger.

"He’s upstairs... in his cabin..!" The receptionist gestured vaguely, lowering her eyes as if she couldn't bear to look Aarohi in the face.

"Okay...!!" Without wasting a single second, Aarohi sprinted toward the stairs. She didn't have the patience to wait for the elevator. She ran like a madwoman toward the upper floor.

As she reached the hallway outside Akshay Malhotra’s cabin, the scene froze her blood. The door was wide open, and several employees stood outside with their heads bowed, weeping silently.

"Mum... M-Mumma..!" Aarohi saw her mother collapsed on the floor, wailing and clutching her head in agony.

As Aarohi’s gaze shifted inside the cabin, her world was obliterated in an instant. Her brave father—the man who knew how to fight every storm—had lost to a single, weak moment. She saw her father’s lifeless body; he had taken his own life. A horrific, heavy silence hung in the cabin, broken only by Saisha's gut-wrenching sobs.

"Beta... your... Dad... he’s... gone.." As soon as Saisha saw her daughter, she rushed toward her, throwing her arms around her and crying hysterically.

Aarohi’s body turned as cold and rigid as stone. Tears began to stream down her face in a silent flood, but not a single sound escaped her lips. She couldn't process the reality that the man who had called her 'Angel' just this morning had now left her forever. Her eyes remained fixed on her father’s face, hoping against hope that he would suddenly sit up and pull her into a hug. But Akshay Malhotra had fallen into an eternal sleep, leaving behind nothing but a never-ending sorrow and the dark secrets he took to his grave.

The scene inside the cabin was like a waking nightmare. Papers were scattered across the mahogany desk, and in the high-backed chair sat the lifeless form of Akshay Malhotra. As Aarohi’s eyes fell upon the sight, the veins in her temples felt as though they would burst. She couldn't believe that the hands that had risen to bless her just this morning were now cold, pale, and motionless.

"Mum... Mumma...!" A choked cry escaped Aarohi’s throat. There was so much agony in her voice that it could have shattered the hearts of anyone listening.

"Be... Beta... your Papa..." Saisha reached out toward her daughter, her voice drowned in tears. She looked as though she had lost all sense of reality.

Aarohi’s face turned deathly pale, but a strange, stubborn seriousness took hold of her. She looked at her father’s face and began to step back. "No... Mumma, this isn't my Papa...!" she whispered, her voice trembling but her tone so dead-serious it felt like she was trying to force the universe to make it a lie.

"Beta... it is your Papa...!" Saisha said, shaking her. Her weeping grew louder, more frantic.

"Mumma, no! Have you gone mad? My Papa cannot leave me!" Aarohi began to scream now. Her mind was utterly refusing to process the truth. She wanted to run as far away from this bitter reality as possible. "He knows I would die without him! He would never do this!"

Saisha grabbed Aarohi by the shoulders, trying to force her to see the mirror of reality. "Aarohi... wake up! This is your Papa... and he is no more... he is gone!"

"N... No... no Mumma... these cannot be my Papa... he cannot leave me!" Aarohi’s entire body began to shake, and she started shaking her head like someone who had lost their mind.

Just then, Sanjay entered the room. He was Akshay’s younger brother and business partner. His face was clouded with grief, yet he was trying his best to hold himself together. "Aarohi... Beta...!!" he called out, his voice thick with emotion.

Aarohi lunged toward her uncle and grabbed his shirt tightly. "Un... Uncle... you explain it to Mumma! These cannot be my father... my father cannot leave me! He loves me too much... he could never do something like this! Tell her... tell her this is someone else!"

With a heavy heart, Sanjay placed a hand on Aarohi’s head, his own eyes brimming with tears. "Be... Beta, your father committed suicide... and he is no longer with us. The doctors and the police have confirmed it... everything is over, Beta."

Aarohi’s grip on his shirt loosened. Her world felt like it had come to a grinding halt in a single second. Suicide. That word rang in her ears like a hammer hitting an anvil. The father who had always taught her to fight—had he really given up? "No... I refuse to believe it... my Papa would never commit suicide!"

Aarohi shrieked the words and collapsed onto the floor. A flood of tears finally burst from her eyes, but her soul was still at war with the truth that stood naked and cruel before her.

To be continued...