Eclipse of Heart

19 | Protective

Silence fills the room, and I look up to see Akash's focused gaze on me. He lets out a sigh, gaining everyone's attention. "I'll talk to Aryan and see what info I can get," he announces, straightening up.

Suddenly, a memory resurfaces. "Wait," I interject, causing everyone to pause. "I asked him who he thought did this. He said he didn't know. Then I asked if it was because of the case yesterday he was talking about, and he said maybe," I explained, noticing Akash's attention turning towards me.

"He did?" Akash asks, surprised, and I nod. "Then I asked if he wanted to talk about it, and he hesitated before looking towards the door and saying he didn't think so. That's when Vivek stumbled in," I add, seeing Akash's eyes widen.

"Vivek?" he repeats, taking a step closer to me. "The one from the Mumbai mission?"

"Yes, the same one. And I didn't get a good vibe from him," I reply, feeling uncomfortable. "Why?" Jay's question hangs in the air, and I decide to disclose the encounter from last night. "He and I had an argument at the accident spot. I wanted to see if Aryan was there or speak to someone about him, but he wouldn't let me. He accused me of causing the accident," I explain, noticing the confusion on everyone's faces.

"Why would he?" Zia asks, echoing my thoughts. "I don't know. He seemed different from the person I saw in Mumbai," I admit. "He was cocky, rude even. And when he saw me here with Aryan, he wasn't pleased," I add, prompting thoughtful expressions from everyone.

"Did he see your face that day?" Karthik asks sceptically. "I don't think so. I made sure to avoid talking to Aryan or Vivek," I reply, recalling Jay's precautions.

"We'll look into it," Karthik says, sighing as he pulls out his phone to make a call. Akash exits the room, leaving us in a tense silence, Jay's expression growing more serious by the moment.

I take a step closer to Jay, noticing he's lost in thought. "Jay?" I call out quietly, but he doesn't respond. Placing my hand on his arm jolts him out of his reverie.

"You're in your own world," I remark, crossing my arms over my chest. He shakes his head, looking away momentarily.

Sighing, he meets my gaze again, his expression grim. "Rhea had an accident too," he states, and my heart skips a beat.

"What? How?" I ask, my worry evident. He glances at Zia and Karthik across the room before returning his attention to me. "Day before yesterday. She was heading back from the hospital to her friend's place," he explains.

"The hospital? Why was she there?" I inquire, feeling a sense of unease creeping in. "She works in a hospital. As a general surgeon. To be precise the very one we are standing in. This hospital is also partially owned by her husband, Aarav," Jay reveals, filling in the details.

"How did the accident happen? Was it planned like Aryan's?" I ask, my mind racing with concern. "We suspect so. Abhishek had a history with Rhea, and he mentioned wanting to get rid of her in Mumbai as you know. It might have been his doing," Jay explains, his lips pursed.

"How is she? Did you see her?" I question, eager for any news about Rhea. "Similar condition to Aryan. Broken bones. Recovery in about a month," Jay responds, his gaze meeting mine.

I nod, resolving to visit Rhea soon. I get distracted when I Spot a bandage on Jay's arm, I gesture towards it. "What's this?" I ask, concern evident in my voice. "Oh, I donated blood for Rhea. She had lost a lot," Jay explains, his gaze drifting to the bandage. I wince at the thought.

"That severe?" I ask, shocked by the extent of her injuries. Jay nods in response.

"Is she still here?" My eyes widen when I realise she might still be in the hospital and maybe I could visit her. I take a step to the door but Jay pulls me back beside him shaking his head, "No. She was discharged yesterday." He informs me.