04-03-2026, 06:13 PM
Chapter 169 The Vigil & The Call
As soon as Mirnaa stepped through the hospital doors, the night nurse on duty looked up from her station recognition flashing across her face.
“He’s stable,” the nurse said quickly, voice low and reassuring. “Just unconscious. We gave him a mild sedative drip to help him rest the concussion and shock were severe, but the CT is clear. No bleeding, no fracture. Vitals are strong. He should wake up soon.”
Mirnaa nodded numb barely hearing the words. She thanked the nurse mechanically and walked down the corridor legs heavy heart pounding. She searched for Swathi first scanning every waiting area, every nurse station but Swathi was nowhere.
She pushed open the door to Vikram’s ICU room.
The lights were dimmed only the soft blue glow of monitors and a single bedside lamp. Vikram lay still IV line in his arm, bandage wrapped around his head, face pale under the bruises. Machines beeped steadily a quiet, mechanical heartbeat.
Mirnaa pulled the stool close sat reached for his hand.
His fingers were warm too warm but limp.
She caught his hand in both of hers pressed it to her cheek tears already falling.
“I came,” she whispered voice cracking. “I came back for you… wake up soon.”
She cried there silently at first then harder shoulders shaking forehead resting on their joined hands. Exhaustion finally took her. She fell asleep like that still holding him head bowed over the bed rail.
Vikram felt it even in the fog.
Her hand in his.
Her tears on his skin.
The memories came in fragments backward and forward like a broken reel.
Years ago a medical camp in a dusty village he had been beaten badly ribs cracked blood in his mouth left for dead. Mirnaa had found him sat beside him the entire night holding his hand whispering he would be okay. She had slept like this then too head on the edge of the cot refusing to leave.
Now the same hand.
The same warmth.
He opened his eyes slowly world blurry, head throbbing.
The room swam into focus.
Mirnaa asleep still clutching his hand.
He stared at her chest tight love and pain colliding.
The AC was on cold air blowing across her bare arms. She shivered slightly.
Vikram moved carefully wincing at the pull of stitches reached for the bedsheet pulled it over her shoulders tucked it gently around her.
Then he closed his eyes again pretending to sleep.
Morning came.
Swathi was there when Mirnaa woke sitting quietly in the corner chair watching them both.
Mirnaa thought Swathi had covered her didn’t question it.
The doctor arrived checked monitors shone a light in Vikram’s eyes asked questions to Swathi and Mirnaa.
“Vitals stable. Concussion symptoms are improving. He should wake up today or tomorrow.”
He asked them to wait outside for a full examination.
Vikram hearing everything panicked.
If she knew he was conscious she might leave. Run back to Bharath. Disappear again.
He whispered to the doctor voice hoarse, weak:
“Please… tell them I’m still unconscious.”
The doctor looked surprised then nodded once understanding more than he let on.
The lie held.
For the next 48 hours Vikram played unconscious.
He listened eyes closed to everything.
Swathi moving between rooms tending to Vikram and Krish on the third floor. Mirnaa staying almost constantly bringing coffee, adjusting his blanket, whispering apologies when she thought no one heard.
She did everything sat with him for hours read to him from an old book held his hand cried when she thought he couldn’t hear.
Vikram listened heart breaking realizing the truth.
She had never stopped loving him.
She had only tried to save him from himself from Aadharsh from the darkness.
But why Bharath?
Why the sex?
Why the distance?
He didn’t know.
Shobi’s guards meanwhile had quietly dismantled their watch. No threats materialized. The gated community remained secure no suspicious men entered. They pulled back satisfied their “sister” was safe.
On the third morning the doctor stepped into the room looked at Vikram and decided to announce he is awake..
Mirnaa before she could get in the ICU room, her phone rang.
Unknown number.
Video call.
She answered hands shaking.
The screen showed Bharath tied to a chair rope biting into his wrists mouth gagged blood on his lip.
Aadharsh’s face appeared cold smile voice calm.
“Welcome, madam. You haven’t seen me, but I’ve heard about you. Great schemer, huh? Your live in partner is with me now. If you want to save him… just follow the address.”
The screen showed coordinates an industrial yard on the city edge.
The call ended.
Mirnaa panicked breath catching.
She realized Bharath had been right all along.
It was unsafe.
She turned ran to Shiney got her car keys voice shaking.
“I have to go.”
She started driving maps guiding her heart pounding.
She didn’t look back.
As soon as Mirnaa stepped through the hospital doors, the night nurse on duty looked up from her station recognition flashing across her face.
“He’s stable,” the nurse said quickly, voice low and reassuring. “Just unconscious. We gave him a mild sedative drip to help him rest the concussion and shock were severe, but the CT is clear. No bleeding, no fracture. Vitals are strong. He should wake up soon.”
Mirnaa nodded numb barely hearing the words. She thanked the nurse mechanically and walked down the corridor legs heavy heart pounding. She searched for Swathi first scanning every waiting area, every nurse station but Swathi was nowhere.
She pushed open the door to Vikram’s ICU room.
The lights were dimmed only the soft blue glow of monitors and a single bedside lamp. Vikram lay still IV line in his arm, bandage wrapped around his head, face pale under the bruises. Machines beeped steadily a quiet, mechanical heartbeat.
Mirnaa pulled the stool close sat reached for his hand.
His fingers were warm too warm but limp.
She caught his hand in both of hers pressed it to her cheek tears already falling.
“I came,” she whispered voice cracking. “I came back for you… wake up soon.”
She cried there silently at first then harder shoulders shaking forehead resting on their joined hands. Exhaustion finally took her. She fell asleep like that still holding him head bowed over the bed rail.
Vikram felt it even in the fog.
Her hand in his.
Her tears on his skin.
The memories came in fragments backward and forward like a broken reel.
Years ago a medical camp in a dusty village he had been beaten badly ribs cracked blood in his mouth left for dead. Mirnaa had found him sat beside him the entire night holding his hand whispering he would be okay. She had slept like this then too head on the edge of the cot refusing to leave.
Now the same hand.
The same warmth.
He opened his eyes slowly world blurry, head throbbing.
The room swam into focus.
Mirnaa asleep still clutching his hand.
He stared at her chest tight love and pain colliding.
The AC was on cold air blowing across her bare arms. She shivered slightly.
Vikram moved carefully wincing at the pull of stitches reached for the bedsheet pulled it over her shoulders tucked it gently around her.
Then he closed his eyes again pretending to sleep.
Morning came.
Swathi was there when Mirnaa woke sitting quietly in the corner chair watching them both.
Mirnaa thought Swathi had covered her didn’t question it.
The doctor arrived checked monitors shone a light in Vikram’s eyes asked questions to Swathi and Mirnaa.
“Vitals stable. Concussion symptoms are improving. He should wake up today or tomorrow.”
He asked them to wait outside for a full examination.
Vikram hearing everything panicked.
If she knew he was conscious she might leave. Run back to Bharath. Disappear again.
He whispered to the doctor voice hoarse, weak:
“Please… tell them I’m still unconscious.”
The doctor looked surprised then nodded once understanding more than he let on.
The lie held.
For the next 48 hours Vikram played unconscious.
He listened eyes closed to everything.
Swathi moving between rooms tending to Vikram and Krish on the third floor. Mirnaa staying almost constantly bringing coffee, adjusting his blanket, whispering apologies when she thought no one heard.
She did everything sat with him for hours read to him from an old book held his hand cried when she thought he couldn’t hear.
Vikram listened heart breaking realizing the truth.
She had never stopped loving him.
She had only tried to save him from himself from Aadharsh from the darkness.
But why Bharath?
Why the sex?
Why the distance?
He didn’t know.
Shobi’s guards meanwhile had quietly dismantled their watch. No threats materialized. The gated community remained secure no suspicious men entered. They pulled back satisfied their “sister” was safe.
On the third morning the doctor stepped into the room looked at Vikram and decided to announce he is awake..
Mirnaa before she could get in the ICU room, her phone rang.
Unknown number.
Video call.
She answered hands shaking.
The screen showed Bharath tied to a chair rope biting into his wrists mouth gagged blood on his lip.
Aadharsh’s face appeared cold smile voice calm.
“Welcome, madam. You haven’t seen me, but I’ve heard about you. Great schemer, huh? Your live in partner is with me now. If you want to save him… just follow the address.”
The screen showed coordinates an industrial yard on the city edge.
The call ended.
Mirnaa panicked breath catching.
She realized Bharath had been right all along.
It was unsafe.
She turned ran to Shiney got her car keys voice shaking.
“I have to go.”
She started driving maps guiding her heart pounding.
She didn’t look back.
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