The Arrangement by Chauhan

24) Blood

Before he could lace more words, Shreya was taken out of his arms and laid on a stretcher that was being rolled into the emergency wing.

He was held back by another staff nurse who held his arm to restrain his movements. "I am her..."

"We need her details, sir." She pressed cutting him off, unbothered by the scowl shot at her. "This will be reported to police officers being a suicide attempt. Please cooperate with us."

"She...she wasn't thinking." He glanced between the bed the doctors and nurses hovered above and back at the paper pad passed by this woman who seemed to have a spine of steel instead of bone, daring him to cross the doorway. "Just don't report her."

"It is a protocol, sir." The nurse pursed her lips.

"Did I not make myself clear? She was not in the right state of mind." He pressed, heels digging into the floor as he stopped himself from strangling the infuriated woman.

"We will see what can be done. Fill in her details, please. Will you?" Another woman in her mid-forties stopped near them and then turned towards the wing to join the commotion.

"Fine." He begrudgingly snatches the pad and quickly starts scribbling her details in the form. He handed it over and she walked away without another word.

Rakshit peaked through the curtains. The elderly woman talked with the physicians in hushed whispers. Her eyes communicated in gestures with the attending physician who passed her a nod in assurance for whatever question she had asked and her frown dropped to support a small twitch of relief, something that seemed to calm his entangled nerves as he stepped back and took a shaky breath he kept on hold for a period unknown to him.

He exhaled his panic out and leaned against the steel chair at the opposite wall, closing his eyes, and letting the past hour play back. His mind played games playing the scenarios of what ifs and if only that he failed to achieve.

Not that he blamed himself for her acts yet he felt the undying regret of acting like an asshole in the morning. He could have found the source of those pictures and acted rationally rather than a petulant teenager who never tired out by showing his possession.

He was no teenager yet he was possessive of her.

He was obsessed with her.

"Are you family?"

His eyes snapped open. He had informed none. "I am her fiancé."

"I see." Another nurse he didn't see before nodded forwarding a plastic bag, the contents were too familiar to him. "We will be taking her for surgery. Please sign these forms."

He swallowed the bile that burned his dry throat. "Will she be okay?"

"The doctor will be the one to answer it for you." She grimaced, yet her eyes were soft and gentle. "The cut is deep, something that will require a quick surgery. Luckily, The attending physicians think that no vital vein is damaged. Once the surgery goes well, he will be able to inform you more on her state."

"Thank you." He bowed in gratitude quickly scribbling his name on the dotted lines.

"Please inform your families. In normal scenarios we require family's confirmation before operating on the patient. However, this is urgent and severe, we will be working with yours. Are you really her fiancé?"

"I am." He stated firmly. "She is Shreya Thapar and I am Rakshit Chauhan. Dr. Vidyut Chauhan's twin brother."

The introduction earned wide eyes and flashing recognition.

"Oh, of course." She nodded fervently taking the papers from him. "I will be taking them to the doctor."

"Sure. Thank you." He piped and glanced at her.