Aryan tried calling her again.
Still nothing.
Simran noticed the worry on his face.
Aryan immediately called home. Prerna answered.
"Hello, Bhai?"
"Prerna, did Aanya come home?"
Prerna looked confused.
"No, Bhai. She said she was going shopping with Tara."
"What?" Aryan asked in shock. "She didn't come home?"
"What happened, Bhai?"
But Aryan ended the call without answering.
Devika walked toward Prerna.
"Who was that?"
"Bhai."
"What happened?"
"Bhai was asking whether Aanya had come home."
Devika's expression changed.
"What?"
"He sounded really worried, Mom."
Simran looked at Aryan nervously.
"Sir, is everything okay? You look worried."
Aryan suddenly turned toward her.
"Why didn't you tell me that Aanya called during the meeting?"
Simran became nervous.
"Sir... you usually only answer calls from your mother or your sister during meetings. That's why I didn't—"
"Aanya is my wife!" Aryan shouted.
Simran froze.
Aryan took a deep breath, his anger turning into worry.
"If something happened to her, I won't be able to forgive myself."
He quickly walked away, leaving Simran stunned.
She stared after him.
Sir... got married to Aanya?
Aryan hurried toward his car. Suddenly, he remembered the time when Aanya had used his phone to call Tara.
He quickly searched for Tara's number and called her.
After a few rings, Tara answered.
"Hello?"
"Hello, Tara. This is Aryan."
Tara was confused.
"Aryan ji?"
"Is Aanya with you?"
"No. I came home. Why are you asking about Aanya? Didn't she come home?"
Aryan got into his car, his voice filled with worry.
"No, she didn't. She also sent me her location, saying that something was wrong."
He started the car.
Tara immediately became worried.
"What? But how is that possible? Her cab was supposed to arrive within five minutes. Did you call her?"
"I did, but her phone is out of network."
"Oh no... What should we do now? I hope Aanya is okay."
Aryan tightened his grip on the steering wheel.
"I'm going to the location she sent me."
"Aryan ji, please inform me about Aanya as soon as you reach there."
"I will."
He ended the call and drove toward Aanya's location as fast as he could.
Meanwhile
Aanya slowly got back on her feet and tried to run.
But before she could get far, the auto driver caught up with her and grabbed her arm.
"Where do you think you're going?"
"Leave me!" Aanya cried, desperately trying to pull her hand free.
The driver tightened his grip.
Aanya struggled with all her strength.
"Leave me!"
She suddenly pushed him as hard as she could.
The driver lost his balance and fell to the ground.
Aanya immediately ran.
The driver looked at her angrily.
"How dare you push me? Just wait! I'll show you!"
He quickly got back up and chased after her.
Aanya ran as fast as she could.
She looked back and saw him coming after her.
Then—
A car suddenly came speeding toward her.
Aanya froze.
Her eyes widened.
Before she could move—
The car hit her.
Aanya fell heavily onto the road.
The auto driver stopped in his tracks, staring in shock.
"Oh no... she got into an accident."
He looked around and saw people beginning to gather.
"Before anyone sees me, I need to leave."
He quickly ran back to his auto and drove away.
Within moments, several people gathered around Aanya.
"Oh my God!"
"Someone call an ambulance!"
"She looks badly injured!"
"Move back! Give her some space!"
Aanya lay motionless on the road as the crowd gathered around her.
Aryan finally reached the location Aanya had sent him.
He quickly got out of the car and looked around.
"Aanya?"
There was no sign of her.
He started running forward.
"Aanya!"
Suddenly, he noticed something lying on the road.
Aryan stopped.
He walked closer and bent down.
His eyes widened.
It was Aanya's phone.
"This is Aanya's phone..." he whispered. "What is it doing here?"
He immediately looked around, panic rising in his chest.
"Aanya!"
He started running again.
A little farther ahead, he noticed a crowd gathered on the road.
Aryan rushed toward them and pushed his way through the people.
"Move! Please, move!"
And then he saw her.
Aanya was lying unconscious on the road.
Aryan froze for a moment before rushing toward her.
"Aanya!"
He knelt beside her and gently held her face. The moment he touched her, he felt blood on his hand.
Aryan froze.
He slowly looked at his bloodstained hand.
"Blood..." he whispered, his voice trembling.
He immediately looked back at Aanya.
"Aanya, open your eyes!"
He carefully tried to wake her.
"Please, Aanya. Wake up. Nothing can happen to you."
He looked around desperately.
"Someone call an ambulance!"
A man from the crowd immediately replied,
"I already called one. It's on the way."
Aryan nodded quickly and turned his attention back to Aanya.
"Aanya, please open your eyes. Nothing can happen to you."
His voice began to tremble.
"If you're not there... then who am I going to buy butterscotch ice cream for? And who will fight with me?"
Aanya remained unconscious.
Aryan's eyes filled with tears.
"Look, I know you're angry with me. So please... scold me. I'll listen to anything you say."
His voice broke.
"Aanya, please open your eyes."
Still, she didn't respond.
Aryan gently held her hand.
"I can't live without you, Aanya. Please don't leave me."
A tear slipped down his cheek and fell onto Aanya's face.
A few seconds later, Aanya's fingers moved slightly.
Her eyes slowly opened.
"Mr. Aryan..."
Aryan's eyes widened.
"Aanya!"
Relief washed over his face.
He immediately pulled her into a careful hug.
"Aanya... nothing willhappen to you. I'm here, right? Nothing will happen."
Just then, the ambulance arrived.
The paramedics quickly came over and carefully placed Aanya on the stretcher.
Aryan stayed beside her, refusing to leave her side.
As the ambulance doors closed, he climbed in with her.
The ambulance rushed toward the hospital.
They reached the hospital, where the medical team immediately took Aanya to the ICU.
Aryan held her hand until a nurse gently stopped him.
"Sir, please stay here."
Aryan reluctantly stopped and watched as Aanya was taken inside.
He stood there for a moment, staring at the doors of the ICU. Then he began pacing back and forth, desperately trying to hold back his tears.
He whispered to himself,
"This all happened because of me. If I had gone to pick up Aanya, none of this would have happened."
He lowered his head, overwhelmed with guilt.
Just then, a nurse approached him.
"Sir, what is your relationship with the patient?"
Aryan looked at her, his voice breaking.
"I'm... I'm her husband."
The nurse nodded.
"Okay, sir. You need to fill out this form first."
She handed him the form.
Aryan took it and slowly began filling it out, his hands trembling.
Meanwhile, at Home
Tara called Prerna and told her everything.
"What are you saying, Tara?" Prerna asked in shock.
Devika, who was nearby, immediately noticed the worry on Prerna's face.
"What happened, Prerna? Who called?"
Prerna looked at her mother anxiously.
"Mom... Tara called. She told me that Aanya is missing and Bhai went to find her."
Devika's face went pale.
"What? Aanya is missing?"
Nandini also came out of her room after hearing them.
Prerna continued,
"Tara said Bhai told her that he would inform her once he found Aanya. But he still hasn't called her."
Devika's worry deepened.
Prerna looked at her mother.
"Mom, I'm feeling really anxious. Please call Bhai."
Devika immediately took out her phone and called Aryan.
At the Hospital
Aryan filled out the form and handed it back to the nurse.
After that, he stood there, lost in his thoughts, unable to stop thinking about Aanya.
Suddenly, his phone started ringing.
The nurse looked at him.
"Sir, your phone."
Aryan suddenly realized that his phone was ringing.
He quickly answered the call.
"Hello?"
"Aryan, where are you?" Devika asked anxiously. "Aanya is with you, right?"
Aryan didn't say anything.
Devika became more worried.
"Aryan, why aren't you saying anything?"
Aryan's voice finally came, trembling with emotion.
"Mom... Aanya got into an accident."
Devika froze.
"What? Aanya got into an accident?"
Prerna became tense after hearing that, while even Nandini looked worried.
Devika quickly asked,
"Aryan, where are you now?"
"Mom, I'm at the hospital."
Devika immediately replied,
"We're coming now."
She ended the call.
Prerna looked at her mother in shock.
"Mom... what are you saying? Aanya got into an accident?"
"Yes, Prerna."
"We need to go."
Nandini walked toward them.
"Devika, I'll come too."
Devika nodded.
---
At the Hospital
Aryan sat on a chair, completely heartbroken.
He stared at the operation theatre doors, desperately trying to control his emotions.
After some time, Devika, Prerna, and Nandini arrived.
"Aryan!"
Aryan looked up.
Devika went toward him.
"Don't worry, beta. Everything will be fine."
Aryan didn't say anything.
He simply lowered his head.
Everyone sat quietly, waiting.
A little later, Aanya's friends also arrived.
Aryan noticed them walking toward them.
Prerna said,
"I told them, Bhai."
Tara immediately asked worriedly,
"How is Aanya?"
Prerna replied,
"Her operation is still going on."
Everyone waited anxiously.
After some time, the doctor finally came out.
Everyone immediately stood up and rushed toward him.
Devika asked,
"Doctor, how is Aanya?"
The doctor smiled reassuringly.
"She is out of danger."
Everyone breathed a sigh of relief.
Prerna asked,
"Can we see her now?"
"Not yet. She is still unconscious."
"You can see her later. For now, let her rest."
Everyone nodded.
"Thank you, doctor."
Aryan followed the doctor for a moment.
"Doctor... she's fine, right?"
The doctor looked at him reassuringly.
"The injury isn't major, but she has lost a lot of blood, and she needs plenty of rest."
"We'll keep her under observation for 24 hours. After that, if everything remains stable, we'll shift her to a normal ward."
Aryan looked at the doctor worriedly.
"Doctor, whatever treatment she needs, please give her the best possible treatment."
The doctor placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder.
"Mr. Mehra, don't worry. She will be fine. We'll take full responsibility for her treatment."
Aryan nodded.
The doctor walked away.
After some time, Devika noticed that Aryan was no longer with them.
She looked around and finally found him standing alone in a corner.
Devika walked toward him.
"Aryan, what are you doing here?"
Aryan turned toward her.
Devika froze.
His eyes were filled with tears.
"Aryan... what happened?"
"Why are you crying?"
"The doctor said everything is fine, right?"
Aryan tried to control himself, but his voice broke.
"Mom... you don't know how I felt until the operation was over."
He wiped his tears.
"For the first time... I was scared."
Devika listened silently.
"I was scared of losing someone, Mom."
His voice trembled.
"I thought I was going to lose her."
He looked down.
"Because I know... I can't live without her."
Devika's eyes softened.
"All this happened because of me, Mom."
Devika immediately frowned.
"Aryan, why are you saying that?"
"If I had gone to pick her up, none of this would have happened." His voice broke. "She called me, Mom… and I didn't even answer. I was in a meeting."
He clenched his fists.
"I should have answered her call. I should have been there for her."
"Aryan—"
"If I had just gone to get her…"
He suddenly struck the wall with his fist.
"ARYAN!"
Devika grabbed his arm, shocked.
Aryan stared at his hand, tears streaming down his face.
"It's all because of me, Mom." His voice cracked. "She got hurt because of me."
Devika held his face gently between her hands.
"Aryan, look at me."
He slowly looked at her.
"You didn't do anything on purpose, right?
Aryan's lips trembled.
"No…"
"Then don't punish yourself for something you never intended to happen."
"I thought…" His voice barely came out. "I thought I was going to lose her."
Devika's eyes filled with tears as she realized just how deeply Aryan had come to care for Aanya.
She gently placed her hand on his shoulder and comforted him.
Later, Devika asked,
"Aryan, did you inform Aanya's parents?"
Aryan shook his head.
"No, Mom."
"Then when will you tell them?"
Aryan looked at her.
"Let's tell them tomorrow. Not now."
Devika nodded.
"Okay."
After a pause, she continued,
"The nurse said only one person is allowed to stay with her tonight."
"I'll tell the driver to drop you home, Mom."
"Okay, beta."
Devika placed a hand on his shoulder.
"Don't blame yourself, okay?"
She gave him a reassuring look and left.
Later, Aryan went inside Aanya's room.
He saw her lying unconscious on the bed.
He walked closer and sat beside her.
For a while, he simply looked at her.
Then he gently held her hand, and tears began to fall from his eyes.
"I'm sorry, Aanya."
"I was so careless about you."
"If I had come when you called me, none of this would have happened."
"I'm sorry."
"I promise I'll never do this again."
"From now on, nothing will be more important to me than you."
Suddenly, Aanya slowly opened her eyes.
She saw Aryan sitting beside her.
"Mr. Aryan..."
Aryan immediately looked at her.
"Aanya!"
"You woke up."
Relief spread across his face.
Aanya spoke weakly,
"Mr. Aryan... this isn't your fault."
Aryan shook his head.
"No, Aanya."
"I know all this happened because of me."
"I'm sorry."
Aanya slowly looked at him.
"Mr. Aryan..."
"Yes?"
"One auto driver tried to harass me."
Aryan's expression suddenly changed.
"What?"
He stared at her in shock.
---
End Of Chapter 97.