Ruhanika smiled despite the storm inside. "I'm here, sweetheart.
Rahi rubbed her eyes and reached out. "Don't go away."
She climbed into the bed beside her daughter and hugged her close, breathing in the scent of baby powder and innocence
And in that moment, as Rahi snuggled into her arms, a truth hit her harder than any slap ever could — her daughter was the only family she truly had.
---
Later That Evening – At the Hospital
Her hands shook even as she changed into her scrubs.
It was supposed to be a regular shift — 6 hours in Trauma ER.
But her mind was anything but steady.
She stared at herself in the mirror. The woman in the reflection looked hollow, her eyes too tired, her mouth set in a grim line. Gone was the fiery Ruhanika who had once dreamt of running her own neurotrauma unit. Gone was the woman who had believed in love and respect and family.
All that remained was a surgeon. A mother.
And now — a potential bride again.
But this time, she wouldn't go blind.
This time, she would fight.
Not for a man. Not for her parents.
But for Rahi
And herself.
No matter what it took.
Scene 4 :
Her hand trembled as she placed the phone back on the glass table, a faint clink echoing in her office. For a moment, silence reigned, broken only by the hum of hospital life just beyond her door. Her heart raced, the edges of her composure fraying. A marriage—to a stranger—had just been decided for her. By people who had once sold her to save their honor.
A cruel déjà vu.
But there was no time to shatter.
A nurse knocked, voice tight. "Dr. Singhania—Code Crimson. Multiple trauma victims coming in. You're needed in OR-2. Stat."
Her body moved before her mind could catch up. The soft click of her heels against the linoleum was drowned by the thundering pressure in her chest. The corridor lights blurred slightly as she slipped on her surgical coat, tied her hair into a quick knot, and sanitized her hands for the first time that day. Her phone buzzed again—Samar's name flashing across the screen.
She didn't answer.
---
Emergency Department: 7:54 AM
The emergency department looked like a warzone. Stretchers rolled in back-to-back. Sirens still echoed from outside. There were screams, blood, broken bodies. An expressway pile-up. Eight criticals.
Ruhanika took one glance at the chaos and snapped into action.
"Prioritize by vitals," she barked. "Head injuries first. Start CTs. Intubate Room 4. Where's Dr. Ahmed?"
"In Room 6, tracheal obstruction."
"Good. Someone prep OR-2. I'm taking the teen with cranial hemorrhage."
YOU ARE READING
Bound by Ashes
Random"In today's world, we see that love breaks even the strongest. But sometimes, love heals..." This is not just a story about love. This is a story about healing in the ruins of what once was. It's about a woman who was broken, sold by those who were...
Chapter 1 : Ashes of the operating room
Start from the beginning
