The moment Chaitanya held her tightly, Anvitha felt like she might stop breathing. Appa… Thank God, someone's coming. We escaped… Otherwise, he would have bit my lips again. The pain from the bite he gave me this morning still hasn't gone away, she thought to herself as she looked at the nurse who entered.
The nurse had a tray with tablets and an injection meant for Chaitanya. She took it from Anvitha, asked for clarification, and administered the injection herself.
Chaitanya, who agreed to everything she did, stopped the nurse before she left and asked her to bring his medical report directly to him.
"Okay, sir," she said and left.
Confused, Anvitha looked at Chaitanya.
"Why are you looking at me like that? Can't I see my own medical report? I want to know when I'll walk again… I want to live happily with you. I didn't know if you'd come back. That's why I never wanted to see the report before. I didn't even care about living. But now, everything is different. From the moment I saw you, I decided I want to live with you. That's why I asked for the report. Even if I'm asleep when the nurse brings it, wake me up. I have to see it," he said.
"Okay," she replied gently and helped him lie down. The moment he lay down, he held her hands tightly.
"Don't go anywhere. Stay right here until I tell you," he said.
When he closed his eyes, she sat in the nearby chair, still holding his hands. Chaitanya let out a deep sigh.
"Aadhira… my medical report will be here any moment now. I don't have the courage to see it… so until I calm down a little, please don't leave me. If it says I won't be able to walk again, please stay with me until I gather the strength to face it. After that… you can leave," he said.
Anvitha was shocked by what he said.
"What did you just say? You want me to leave? Why… don't you like me?" she asked, unknowingly confessing her love through the tears in her eyes.
Sensing her anguish, he replied,
"Hey! Silly girl… If I didn't like you, would I be holding your hand like this?" He then took her hands and placed them on his chest.
"No, Aadhira… If the report says I'll never be able to walk again, why should you suffer by marrying me? I'll include your name in my will. I've already given you a share in the hospital… Marry someone you like," he said.
Anvitha was stunned by his words. She continued to look at Chaitanya.
Noticing her gaze, he added,
"You think someone who loves you this much would ask you to leave? Of course, I love you, Aadhira! I love you so deeply I can't live without you… but I'll never ask you to sacrifice your life by marrying someone who might never walk again. I'm not that selfish."
Unable to bear hearing that, Anvitha covered his mouth.
"Nothing like that will happen… Even grandpa said you will walk again. So nothing serious will happen," she said reassuringly.
"If that's true, I'll be the happiest person, Aadhira. But still, we need to be prepared for anything, right? I love you more than my life, but I'll never be the reason you have to sacrifice yours," he said and fell silent.
Anvitha was scared by his words. But in that moment, she decided — No matter what, even if he never walks again, I'll stay with him.
"Dear God, please help him recover quickly… please help him walk again… But even if that doesn't happen, no one can separate me from him… I'll live as Aadhira, beside Chaitanya, taking care of him till the end," she prayed sincerely.
A little while later, the nurse brought the medical report. Seeing it, Anvitha jumped in fear. Chaitanya gently tapped her hand and smiled warmly. He took the report from the nurse and sent her away.
"No one should come in for a while. Let them come only after I say," he told the nurse.
"Yes, sir," she said and left.
Then he looked at Anvitha.
"Lock the door. We're going to see the report together. Whatever's in it — you should know too. That's why I said I wanted to see it with you. Go on, lock the door," he said.
Seeing his honesty, Anvitha was surprised. Could this man really have deceived my sister? Definitely not. Something went wrong there, she thought. Her legs trembled, her hands shook, and beads of sweat formed as she slowly locked the door and returned.
She was scared to even touch the report. If it really says he'll never walk again, would he push me away? That's what I fear — not his condition, but him leaving me. She silently wished that even death should never part them.
But Chaitanya was anxious too. Even in the air-conditioned room, he was sweating. He didn't want to lose Aadhira either. He prayed to God to change his fate. As he flipped through each page of the report, he showed it to her too.
He checked everything, from the X-rays to every medical note. As she read along, Anvitha slowly gained courage. After a while, a wave of happiness swept through both their hearts — the spinal injury wasn't severe. He would definitely be able to walk again.
Filled with joy, Chaitanya set the report aside, looked at Anvitha with love, and raised his hands, calling her close.
Seeing the report herself, Anvitha was speechless with happiness. She ran and hugged him tightly.
In that emotional moment, she cried uncontrollably. She didn't even know why she was crying. Tears filled Chaitanya's eyes too. Holding her close, he whispered,
"I can do it, Aadhira… I will walk again." Then he kissed her gently on the cheek, and with passion, on her lips.
His hands pulled her close by the waist. It was a new experience for her. As his hands moved upward, she shivered in nervousness.
Seeing her reaction, he chuckled,
"Hey, stay still. Why are you shivering? I haven't even touched you properly yet. If not me, who else do you think will touch you? There's no need to give you away to anyone else, Aadhira. You are mine — only mine," he said, pulling her into another deep kiss.
As he kissed her lips, he slowly pulled back and leaned in close to her ear, whispering "Aadhira… Aadhira…" Her body trembled at the sound of that name, as if hot water had been poured on her.
So much love — for her sister, not for her — she realized. Tears streamed down even from his embrace.
Feeling the tears on his chest, Chaitanya hugged her tighter.
"Don't cry anymore, Aadhira…"
"I still don't know why you left me back then… but after losing you, I hated life. I had a letter from you that said you'd end your life if I came searching for you. That's the only reason I didn't come looking. I held my pain in and took it out in car races. I drove recklessly. During the accident, the only thing on my mind was you. You have no idea how much I grieved over your betrayal. That's why I lost control and had the accident."
"Why, Aadhira? Why did you leave me that day? I've been trying to figure it out, but I can't remember anything. We were doing fine… what happened suddenly?" he asked softly in her ear.
She had no answer — if only she knew. She cried silently.
Holding her close, he comforted her by rubbing her back.
"Okay, okay, don't cry, little devil. Whatever happened that day, let's forget it, alright? From now on, let's focus only on being happy. Got it? You are mine… and I'm yours. Let's always be happy together," he said, wrapping her in his embrace.
Anvitha decided — she had to tell him the truth. If she told him everything, she'd finally feel peace. She would speak to grandpa and find a way to tell him she was Anvitha. With that firm resolve, she nestled into his chest, her heart full.