Blood stained love

8

Meanwhile Dev,

Every time he saw Arjun’s face in his mind, a searing heat washed over him. What right does that bastard have? He clenched his jaw, trying to focus on the road, but his mind kept drifting back to the woman he had abandoned, the woman he had once called his own.

I f****d up.

It wasn’t just that he had left her five years ago—it was that he never realized how much she meant to him until now. Until it was too late. He had tried to bury her in the past, but everything about her—the way she cried, the way she looked at him when she thought he didn’t see—was etched into his soul. And now... now he was going to make sure no one, not Arjun, not anyone, could touch her.

Inside the hospital, Kaya stood, her heart shattered, her breath coming in ragged gasps. Arjun’s hand was on her back, his touch gentle but unfamiliar. She didn’t want to feel comfort from him. She wanted her mother to open her eyes and tell her everything would be okay. She wanted her to tell her that she wasn’t alone in this world. But that wasn’t going to happen. Vasundhara was slipping away, and there was nothing anyone could do to stop it.

“I’m here, Kaya,” Arjun whispered. “I’m here. You’re not alone.”

Kaya turned to him, her face stained with tears, and she clung to him like he was her lifeline. The room seemed to spin as she cried, her body shaking uncontrollably. Arjun held her, but his presence only seemed to amplify the loneliness she felt inside. The space in her heart that had once been filled by Dev was now an empty void, one that no one, not even Arjun, could fill.

“I’m so scared,” Kaya whispered between sobs. “I’m so scared of losing everything... of losing my mother, and of losing myself.”

Dev was getting closer. His mind was a storm, the adrenaline coursing through his veins, pushing him faster, faster—he needed to see her. He needed to make sure she was okay.

I’ll make this right. No more regrets. No more mistakes. I’ll take back what’s mine. Kaya is mine.

He ran past the nurse’s station, ignoring their protests. His body was a force of nature as he moved, pushing aside anyone who got in his way. He had one purpose, one focus: Kaya

Inside the room, Kaya’s face was streaked with tears, her hand still holding her mother’s. Vasundhara’s breaths were shallow now, each one more strained than the last. Arjun stood at her side, his eyes soft, as though he were holding back tears of his own. He was talking to her, whispering words of comfort, but it didn’t matter. Kaya knew the truth. She could feel it. The inevitable was coming.

Vasundhara opened her eyes for a final moment, weak but still with the same fierce love in them. Her hand tightened around Kaya’s. She whispered, just loud enough for Kaya to hear, “Tie the knot, beta... with Arjun... I won’t be here much longer, but I want to see you happy.”

Kaya couldn’t control her sobs. She bent down to her mother’s side, clutching her hand as though it was the only thing that could hold her together. “Maa... please, don’t leave me. I need you. I’m not ready... I’m not ready to let go.” Her voice cracked, but Vasundhara’s face softened, almost as if she were at peace with what was happening.

And then, in a final, painful moment, the beeping of the heart monitor grew slower... slower... until it stopped. The silence in the room was deafening.

Kaya’s world came crashing down in that instant. Her heart shattered into pieces, the weight of her mother’s passing pulling her under like a wave.

But before she could process the overwhelming grief, she felt Arjun’s hand gently slip a ring onto her finger.

“Kaya,” Arjun whispered, his voice full of sincerity, “this was her last wish. To see you happy, to see you married... with someone who cares for you.”

The words barely registered as Dev’s presence suddenly filled the room like a dark storm cloud. He stood in the doorway, his body radiating raw fury. His eyes locked onto the scene in front of him, his gaze narrowing as he saw the ring in Arjun’s hand and the ring on Kaya’s finger.

Kaya’s breath caught in her throat. She hadn’t expected him to show up now, not like this. Not when she was barely holding herself together. And yet, there he was—Dev. The man she had never quite forgotten, the man who had broken her heart.

Dev’s eyes were wild with fury as he stalked towards Arjun. His voice was a low growl, full of barely contained rage. “What the hell are you doing?”

Arjun stepped back, surprised by the sudden aggression. “Dev... what are you doing here?”

Kaya froze, her heart pounding in her chest. She couldn’t believe what she was seeing. Dev... here? Now? When her world had just fallen apart?

“Shut up,” Dev spat, his voice seething with anger. He grabbed Arjun by the collar, lifting him off the ground. “What the hell do you think you’re doing, putting a ring on her finger? This is not your place!”

Arjun struggled in Dev’s grip, but Dev’s rage was unstoppable. He shoved Arjun back into the wall, his body vibrating with fury. “You don’t get to do this. You don’t get to come into her life and take my place.”

Kaya stood there, frozen. Her eyes locked onto Dev’s face, but it was a face full of aggression, full of anger. She felt her body tremble, unsure of how to react. This was not the time, Dev. Not now.

But Dev wasn’t done. He turned to Kaya, his face filled with the same intensity. “You’re mine. Do you hear me? I don’t care if it’s too late. You’re mine, Kaya. And I won’t let anyone take you away from me.”

Kaya’s lips trembled, her tears mixing with the confusion in her heart. She wanted to speak, to scream, but the words wouldn’t come. What is this? Why is he doing this now? Why does it feel like he’s still claiming me, even when I don’t know if I’m ready?

Arjun, still shaken from the violent confrontation, took a step toward Dev. “You need to back off, Dev. This isn’t the time—Kaya needs someone who will stand by her now. Someone who will respect her, not throw tantrums like a spoiled child.”

Dev’s eyes flashed with rage as he advanced toward Arjun, his fists clenched. “You don’t get to tell me what I need to do.” He turned to Kaya, his gaze softening just a fraction, but the aggression never fully left his eyes. “I made mistakes, Kaya. But I’m here now. I’m not leaving.”

Kaya stood frozen, her body trembling as the weight of everything crashed down on her. She couldn’t breathe. The room felt suffocating, her mother’s lifeless body in front of her making everything spin out of control. Her heart shattered into a million pieces, and the echo of every fight, every word spoken in anger, seemed to reverberate through her mind, drowning her. Why now? Why did everything have to collapse at once?

Her eyes, still wide with disbelief, moved from her mother's body to Arjun and Dev—two men who had once meant the world to her, now locked in a battle she could neither comprehend nor endure. The noise of their voices, the tension in the room, only intensified the chaos inside her. She felt every ounce of energy drain from her, every breath she took felt like it could be her last. Her limbs turned to stone, her vision blurred, and she could no longer stand.

“Kaya!” Arjun’s voice broke through the fog, his hand reaching toward her, but she couldn’t bring herself to move. No. Not now. Not after everything.

Dev, still fuming with rage, sensed the change in her. He saw her collapse in slow motion, her body crumpling to the floor like a fragile piece of paper. His instincts kicked in, his body moving before his mind could process it.

“No!” Dev’s voice was primal, a mixture of fear and fury. He lunged toward her just as she hit the ground, his powerful arms catching her in midair. His breath hitched as he pulled her close, cradling her against his chest.

“Kaya, look at me,” he said, his voice hoarse. He was desperate now. Desperate for her to wake up, for her to be okay. “Don’t do this, Kaya. Not like this.” His hands roamed over her face, brushing her hair from her forehead, as though it could stop the chaos that had overtaken her.

Arjun, still in shock from the scene, stepped forward, but his gaze shifted to Dev and the way he held her—possessive, protective, and terrifyingly intense. He couldn’t move any closer.

Dev’s eyes were blazing with an aggression that could tear apart anyone who dared approach. “Stay away,” he growled, his voice low and threatening. “She’s mine to handle. Not yours.”

Arjun clenched his fists, his frustration boiling over. “You’re insane, Dev. Look at her! She needs help, she needs us—not your overbearing nonsense!”

Dev’s gaze locked with Arjun’s, the tension between them palpable. But Dev didn’t care. His focus was entirely on Kaya now, on the woman who had always held a piece of his heart. His arms tightened around her, as though he could shield her from everything—everyone.

“Don’t touch her!” Dev’s words were a venomous hiss as he turned his back on Arjun, carrying Kaya with a possessiveness that could only be described as primal.

He moved swiftly, ignoring Arjun’s protests. His every step was filled with purpose, filled with the need to protect her. Dev wasn’t thinking about the fights, the accusations, or the history that had brought them here. All he cared about was Kaya. She was in his arms, and she wasn’t going anywhere—not without him.

With one final glare at Arjun, Dev marched out of the room, his mind a whirlwind of emotions. I should have been here. I should have never left her. But I’m here now, and I won’t let anyone else have her.

Outside the hospital, in the dim light of the parking lot, Dev’s car was waiting. His eyes darted to Kaya’s pale face, his hands gently stroking her hair as he opened the door. He was so focused on her, he barely registered the world around him.

“Hold on, Kaya. Just stay with me,” he muttered under his breath as he carefully placed her into the car.

He slammed the door shut with a force that matched the storm in his chest. His fingers gripped the steering wheel tightly as he drove, his mind replaying the scene—the way she had looked at him, the way she had collapsed in his arms.

What did I do? Dev couldn’t help but ask himself. I left her. I made her feel alone, like she didn’t matter. And now, here I am, tearing the world apart just to get her back. But she still loves him. Doesn’t she?