Chapter 21

Chapter 21
"What the hell have you all been doing for all these months? Avyaanh shouted. His loud voice roared in the corridor out of the VIP ward making everyone shiver in fear.

A woman probably in her late forties was lying like a corpse on the hospital bed. Her condition was critical.

The best medical team was assigned to treat the woman who was in a coma for the last three years. "S…Sir, we're trying…our best b…but she's not responding…to the treatment," a senior doctor among them spoke out while his whole being stuttered. Who wouldn't fear the man standing in front of them was none other than Avyaansh Malhotra. A ruthless businessman who was capable of demolishing this hospital and ruining their career in a flick of a finger.

"We have called the specialist from Italy for her treatment. He will be here by this weekend" that same doctor enunciated after a while and Avyaansh dismissed them. He looked at the woman who was none other than his mother Shreya Malhotra. After that tragic incident, she fell into a coma.

Her eyes closed and she was lying on the hospital bed like a living corpse with IV drips attached to her hands. She looked older than her age as if she aged more. Her face was pale and her lips were parched, a food pipe was joined through her nose to feed her.

He held her rough hand in his both palm and brought it near his lips placing a soft peck on the back of her hand. His heart tightened in pain looking at her form. He could do nothing but only hope. Hope that one day his mother will wake up and hug him and tell him everything will be alright.

A pang of guilt rose inside his heart while a lone tear found its way through his eyes. After a very long time, he felt like crying. At the moment he wanted nothing but to hug his mother and cry his heart out. To the outer world, he was a ruthless businessman but he felt vulnerable right now. It's not easy for him to see his mother in this condition. But he didn't want to lose track and feel vulnerable. He hated that feeling.

This pain will keep reminding him about his revenge and it only will fade away once he will punish them brutally who had hurt his family. With that thought, his hatred came tenfold strong with a vengeance and the thirst to destroy them became vital only.

"Mom" his voice broke and his jaw clenched when he tried not to cry but a traitor tear escaped his eyes. "Please wake up" he could only whisper. His voice sounded so painful, so broken that he didn't know he had this side of him as well. He inhaled a deep breath to suppress the pain he felt in his chest.

After a while, the door was knocked and he was quick enough to wipe his tears off and the cold mask was back on his face. Natasha walked in and stood a foot away from him looking at his mother laying on the bed.

"Avyaansh" she placed her hand on his shoulder asking for his attention. Looking at his face she could feel his pain. He was not the only one who lost, she lost too which she never imagined in the worst of her nightmare. Her eyes stung with pain and she inhaled sharp breaths to stop her tears.

"I think you should shift her back to the US," Natasha affirmed from behind. His fist tightened and his muscles went rigid. "It's for her betterment," she added further. Avyaansh inhaled sharply, shutting his eyes. He brought his mother here when he planned everything. His mother suffered a lot and was still suffering. He can't leave her now when she needs him the most.

"I promised her I will get justice for her" after a while, Avyaansh said, staring at his mother, and stood up shoving his hands inside his pockets. "And I will not back off from my words. She lived here all her life and will recover here soon" he stated, his eyes holding determination. The promise he made to her three years ago was that he will make the person pay and bring justice to her.

"Now is the time" he declared.


It was late at night when Shanaya was sipping her hot chocolate sitting on the barstool of the kitchen counter. She was startled momentarily when Neil suddenly appeared out of nowhere and sat beside her. "You like it?" He asked, indicating at the hot chocolate, she scowled and didn't answer him.

No matter how much she tries but his behaviour and the way he scrutinizes her seem bizarre, it somehow feels grossing her out. Shanaya stood up ready to leave when he grabbed her wrist to stop her. "Where are you going?" He asked, raising his brow. Anger bolted her insides and she shot him a glare.

"Let go," she said sternly. Her tone of speaking to him pissed him off. For the last two days since he arrived, he was making an effort to talk to her, or more like he was interested in her but she was stubborn and didn't give a damn. "You don't like me, no?" He asked in a mocking tone.

"I don't wish to speak with you, and please don't try to intrude on my personal space. I despise it" she blurted out and said the last part with a clenched jaw and stormed out of the kitchen leaving the fuming Neil behind. "Stubborn brat" Neil gritted his teeth in anger and left.

Shanaya entered her room and slumped on the bed just then her phone chimed with a message. Snatching her phone she unlocked it and her eyes twinkled when she saw Avyaansh's name popping up on the phone screen. "You up?"

"Yep, what about you?" She typed and waited patiently for his reply and it didn't take much when he replied "I don't feel like sleeping" she bit her lip when a smile came to her lips and again typed "tired?"

"kind of, umm…Can we meet tomorrow?" He asked. She sat up straight with a wildly beating heart and an anonymous joy. She read that message again and again. Shanaya couldn't believe he was asking her out. She contemplated for a while whether she should go or not. A part of her wanted to say yes but she was a little bit nervous.

There's no denying she began liking him though he appeared like a riddle but the fact she couldn't deny that he saved her on multiple occasions and his this gesture was doing something with her innocent heart. With a wilding beating heart, she took a sharp breath and typed "okay"

Here Avyaansh was sitting across the counter of his mini bar installed in his room and sipping on his whisky while using his phone in his other hand. A wicked smile spread on his lips when she said yes. "Tomorrow after your college I will pick you up if that's okay for you?" He texted and it didn't take her much time to reply "alright" he shook his head and chugged down the drink.

The next morning was followed by Shanaya as usual but today she was a bit excited and nervous as well. And why not? Today she was meeting him. The thought that he asked her out gave her goosebumps. She had her breakfast and Rajeev left for the office while Neil was waiting for her in the living room when Tanya and Nia arrived.

"Bruh, he's a daddy material" Tanya whispered in Nia's ear and she shushed him. They came to Singhania mansion as Shanaya called them and asked to pick her up for college as Neil was dropping her at her college for the past two days and she didn't like it a bit.

Rajeev had told Shanaya that from now on Neil will be dropping her and picking her and when she denied Rajeev convinced her saying "princess, I know you don't like being surrounded by bodyguards so let Neil be around you. In this regard, I will be relieved that you are safe" Rajeev gave her an assuring smile and Shanaya had to agree.

"Is he really your father's friend's son? You are so lucky, babe" Tanya said and sighed dreamily. "Shut up Tanya. Stop drooling over him. I called you both here for a reason" Shanaya scolded them while stuffing her notebooks in the bag. They were in her room.

"First Malhotra and now Neil. Girls of our college are gonna get a heart stroke" Tanya giggled at her own words which earned a glare from Shanaya. Neil was hot with a well-built muscular body and there was no denying it. Girls swooning over him like crazy.

"You ready" all three of them were startled by a man's voice and turned to the source of the voice. There stood Neil ready in his office attire. "I…I am going with them" Shanaya said hurriedly and was about to walk past him when he daringly stopped her by standing in front of her. She was nearly about to collide with him but balanced herself and took back steps. Nina and Tanya shared a look. "It's fine for me. Come I will drop you all at college" Neil let out, shoving his hands inside his pockets.

"No, it's…" before Shanaya could deny him Tanya beat her up coming towards them and said "That would be great. Let's go" and dragged angry Shanaya along with her while Neil walked ahead of them. When Neil went to fetch his car Shanaya turned to her friends with a glare.

"Wooh, listen. Before you burst out listen to me" Tanya said hurriedly raising her hands in surrender. "You want to get rid of him because your father gave him the duty to pick and drop you off every time" When Tanya asked Shanaya looked at her as if asking 'yes then what?'

"So we will annoy him to the extent that he will withdraw" Nia spoke this time giving a high-five to Tanya and smirking mischievously. "You think it's easy. He's not what he looks like. He…He doesn't seem good. I don't get good vibes from him" Shanaya huffed.

"Don't worry, leave him for us. We will take care of him" Tanya said, grabbing Shanaya by her shoulder and walking ahead toward the car.