I love you.
The three words I hadn't even been aware I was dying to hear.
Akshara loved me.
Despite all the foolishness i'd done, she still loved me.
I looked down at her spent face as she scrapped her nails on my chest lightly.
"What?" She asked, noticing that I had been staring at her.
I shook my head, unable to free myself from the hold she had over me.
"I was just thinking how lucky I am."
"Lucky?" She furrowed her brows.
"Yes. That out of all the people on this earth, somehow I'd managed to find you."
"Oh that you are." She responded, teasingly, making me chuckle.
"You should do that more often." She added, looking up at me with bright shiny eyes.
"Do what?"
"Laugh. I like the sound of your laughter." She said, casually, leaving me dumbfounded. No one had said that to me before.
Akshara took advantage of my surprise and up and brushed her lips against mine, pulling me in for a kiss. She then went back to laying her head against my chest as I mindlessly caressed her hair and bare back.
"By the way, how did you know what time I was going to be home?" I asked, looking down, searching her face for answers.
"I got ways. I have my sources." She flirted, leaving me confused.
"Sources?"
She nodded her head, grazing her nose against my chest. "Nurse Kavya. I asked her to message me once you left the hospital."
"Ah. You do have very high level security clearance sources." I chuckled, making her giggle.
"Abhi...," Akshara asked me hesitantly, drawing invisible circles on my chest.
"Yes. What is it?"
"I saw you, Vikram, Dr. Anand Birla and Mr. Harsh Birla getting onto an elevator together. Vikram had a bandaid on his nose and a cut on his upper lip."
Knowing exactly what she was going to say, I mindlessly brought my hand up and held it at our eye level so my knuckles were visible.
"I also saw your bruised knuckles." She added, gently caressing the wound with her thumb.
"And?" I pressed further, caressing her back.
"What happened?"
"I punched Vikram." I confessed.
"Why?"
"Because I found out he was harassing you. I'm sorry, I should have known." I held my breath. "I should have realized on the day of the elevator incidence when he came into my cabin demanding I fire you. I thought it was because of the elevator incident but now i know it was because you declined his advances."
"You shouldn't have punched him."
"I shouldn't have. But I wanted to. I needed to. He deserved it after what he did to you. And also because he does have a very punchable face." I quipped.
"Abhi! I'm being serious!"
"I'm too! He does have a very punchable face!"
"The punch landed you in trouble didn't it?"
"Yes. But nothing that I can't handle."
"We. Nothing that we can't handle." She stated intently.
My heart skipped a beat and my eyes softened. "Yes. We." I reiterated, immersed in Akshara's eyes and in complete and utter awe in the goodness of her heart.
I will keep repeating this day till the day I die, but how in the world had I ever gotten so lucky? Lucky enough to have found her?
Lucky enough to be given a chance —several of them in fact —to call her mine?
"When is the board going to be taking a decision?" Akshara asked, snapping me back to reality.
"Tomorrow."
"And what do you think they're looking at?"
"Suspension. Because I assaulted Vikram. They say I'm lucky he's not taking legal action against me."
"That's complete and utter nonsense! Whatever you did was a reaction to his actions! Why isn't he being held responsible?"
Akshara's button nose scrunched up in disgust and her voice marred with rage making me smile. She looked so cute when she was angry —and it made me want her even more.
I took this moment to distract her by pushing her on her back and shifting on top of her as I placed a giant sloppy kiss on her lips, making her moan in need.
"Abhi...," She muttered wrapping her arms around my neck as I peppered kisses to the side of her neck.
Things would have gone further had it not been for her stomach who chose to growl at the exact moment.
I looked down to see Akshara's reddened cheeks as she covered her face with the palms of her hand.
"I'm so sorry!" She squealed, embarrassed, making me chuckle.
"Come let's eat." I replied, standing up and walking bare assed to the closet and taking out a pair of boxer shorts.
"Does sex normally make you hungry?" She questioned innocently as she sat up on the bed, wrapping the white comforter around her chest.
"You do exert your energy during it so I would like to say yes? Especially if you're already starving."
"Oh, got it!" I swear I saw her cheeks turning even a darker shade of red.
"You wait here and I'll bring the food to you." I stated, stomping out of the bedroom without waiting for an answer.
There was no point of her getting dressed only to be getting undressed a few moments later.
I brought tray of food back and placed it in front of Akshara, who shuffled the comforter higher up her chest. She looked absolutely ravished —stunning —but ravished —thoroughly, making my heart swell with pride.
I scooped up some pasta on the fork and held it up to her mouth, willing her to open. A task she performed with absolute precision.
And just like that, the two of us polished off the tasty pasta, the grilled vegetables and mashed potatoes within minutes.
Because the two of us were starving.
For each other.
The food was just getting in the way.
~*~
I squeezed Akshara's hand as we stood in front of the board room, waiting the others to show. Our faces interlocked as I looked at her supportive yet scared eyes.
"It'll be okay. We'll be okay." She assured me.
"I don't care about the suspension as much as I care about not being able see or treat my patients. They all need me as much as I need them. I don't care about the hospital or for board. All that matters to me is my patients."
She squeezed my hand, going on the tip of her toes and placing a kiss right above my left eyebrow.
"I know. But it will be okay. Trust me." She whispered.
Trust.
And trust in her, I did.
"Abhimanyu." Dr. Anand Birla called my name, breaking both Akshara and me away from our trance.
"Doctor." Akshara and I spoke simultaneously.
Behind him, I saw Vikram walking alongside Mr. Harsh Birla. A smirk lined Vikram's face as he stared at both Akshara and I.
I felt rage bubbling up inside me just as Akshara's grip on my hand tightened.
This is what he wanted.
Getting me fired.
And I had walked right into his trap.
"Since all of us are here, shall we go ahead?" Dr. Anand asked.
"What about the other board members?" I questioned.
"Unlike yesterday's video conference, they are unable to join us today due to prior commitments but they've given Harsh and I authority to act on their behalf to make a decision regarding what is just and right for the hospital."
In order words protect the hospital's reputation. From the corner of my eye, I could see see Vikram's smirk broaden.
Asshole.
I gave Akshara a smile hopeful smile before following the others inside the boardroom.
~*~
"So gentleman, I'm asking you both again, can we not come to a practical solution to this little tussle that'll benefit all the parties concerned?" Dr. Anand inquired.
"I am ready to settle if Abhimanyu apologizes for his violent behaviour." Vikram sneered, cockily.
"Abhimanyu?" Dr. Birla asked me.
"Publicly. He punched me in front of a crowd of people. It's only fair he apologize the exact same way too."
I ignore Vikram completely and focus all Mh attention towards Dr. Birla and Mr. Birla.
"I'm not going to apologize for what I did. He was instigating me and had there been anyone else in my place, they would have done the same. The only difference would be that they'd have lost their patience much sooner." I stated, casually.
"Okay then, since you two are unable to come to a solution, we have no other option but to —" Mr. Birla's sentence was cutoff midway by a loud and persistent knocking on the door.
Harsh Birla opened the boardroom door and my eyes interlocked with Akshara who was followed by Nurse Kavya and Nurse Mikayla.
Furrowing my brows, I silently questioned Akshara with my eyes. She answered my queries with a reassuring smile.
"Ms. Akshara, Kavya, Mikayla, what are you all doing here?" Dr. Anand asked the question which was swimming in all our minds.
"Sir, before you give your verdict on Dr. Abhimanyu Birla, I want to lodge a complaint against Vikram." Akshara explained, taking me by surprise.
"Complaint? What sort of complaint?" Mr. Birla asked.
"Of sexual harassment."
"Sexual harassment?! What bull—" Vikram screamed, getting heated up at Akshara's words.
Akshara ignored Vikram and continued speaking, "Yes sir, Vikram has been harassing me since the day I joined this hospital a music therapist. He kept asking me out on a date, repeatedly. Despite me declining his advances every single time. And I'm not lying. You can ask Nurse Kavya and Nurse Mikayla. They were amongst the several people who witnessed Vikram harassing me for a date."
"Yes sir. And not just once but there were several times when despite Ms. Akshara saying no, Vikram sir would bother her, trying to get her to agree for a date." Nurse Kavya added.
"Yes sir. In fact, Ms. Akshara is not the first woman he's harassed, I've faced the same from him too." Mikayla added, disgustedly.
"Lies! All lies! They are doing all this do save Abhimanyu! Akshara is a liar! She's been lying to us. She is Akshara Goenka, not Akshara Singhania! You're going to listen to a liar?" Vikram exclaimed, the colour fleeting from his face.
"Akshara did not lie. I'm her supervisor and she informed me about the Singhania incidence and I was okay with it." I explained, calmly.
"Oh right. Of course you will! You're sleeping with her after all!" Vikram accused, making me angry.
I took a step towards Vikram, ready to smash his face again, but was held back by Akshara coming in between us, stopping things from escalating.
"Vikram! Abhimanyu! Behave! You both are adults! Vikram, there is no rule against employee fraternization at the Birla Hospital and since both Dr. Abhimanyu Birla and Ms. Akshara are employees of this establishment, their relationship isn't under any scrutiny." Dr. Anand explained, shutting Vikram up.
"And Ms. Singhania-Goenka, whatever it is, why wait till now to bring up the accusations?" He continued.
"Because I didn't want to stir up any trouble before but I can't let you unfairly punish Dr. Abhimanyu and allow the real culprit to roam around freely."
She looked up at me with pure love and admiration in her eyes before turning back to look at Dr. Birla.
"What Dr. Birla did was wrong and inexcusable but you need to know why he did what he did. He was trying to protect me. As an employee, or even as his girlfriend whilst Vikram did nothing but egg him on. If you are going to punish Abhimanyu then you have to punish Vikram too. Because Abhimanyu's actions were a direct reaction to Vikram's. They are directly correlated."
"No! She's lying!" Vikram accused, grasping at straws.
I stared at Akshara as my eyes sparkled with pride. Fearless. Adamant. Strong. My girl was all of those.
"Vikram. Before it was just your woes against Abhimanyu's. And now it's 2 women accusing you of sexual harassment. And that is not a charge we take lightly. The Birla Hospital can't be seen siding with a harasser." Mr. Birla announced, his face straight faced.
"So what do you reckon we do?" Dr. Anand Birla asked Akshara.
"Cut the root of the problem. If you suspend Dr. Abhimanyu today, and let Vikram stay, then he will go on and harass other women and the cycle will repeat. How many other people would you fire for one single person?" Akshara questioned.
I glanced at Vikram, whose face was absolutely pale now. Oh, how the tables had turned.
For a man who not a few moments ago wanted me to apologize was now about to go on his knees and beg for forgiveness.
"I didn't think this would be how things would turn out but Vikram, looking at what all these women have to say, you are fired. You will get your official letter of termination from the HR along with your last payroll but as of now, your services with us are officially terminated." Dr. Birla announced, running his hand over his forehead.
"So I suggest you empty your office now." Mr. Birla added.
Vikram glared at Akshara and I in anger and helplessness before stomping out of the boardroom.
"And you may go as well." Mr. Birla added, looking at Akshara, Kavya and Mikayla.
Akshara passed one last glance at me before following Kavya and Mikayla out of the room.
"And Dr. Abhimanyu, you are going to be placed on probation for one month. If we find out you lost your cool again, we will have to take drastic actions. Understood?" Dr. Birla announced.
I nodded my head. "Understood sir."
"Good. You may go back and rejoin your duties." He added.
"Thank you. Thank you so much." I replied, grateful as ever for this chance as I exited the room.
Akshara.
I had to go find Akshara.
My pillar of strength.
My saviour.
Mine.
<<<<<<<<<<>>>>>>>>>
Ah. So finally, Vikram faced the consequences of his actions! Hope you all liked this chapter!