Early update to celebrate 175K views!<3
Thank You My Dear Readers
Just clearing up the confusion here: Devansh was aware of the rose petals, to which he has a mild allergy. However, he has a serious allergy to pecan nuts, which were mixed into the cake by Pari, and he didn't know about it. But everyone was confused whether he knew about it or not because he mentioned something about the cake. He assumed Pari had made the cake with love. How foolish of him, right? *hurt*
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PARINIDHI
The dread of snuffing out a life seized me with an iron grip, squeezing my soul with a vice-like force of guilt and remorse. My entire being felt paralyzed, as if encased in ice, rendering me incapable of even the simplest movements. Each breath I attempted to draw in felt like a monumental struggle, as if the air itself had turned viscous and resistant.
And amidst this suffocating fog of despair, one thought echoed relentlessly in my mind, a damning mantra that reverberated with each beat of my heart: "I've taken a life. I've taken Devansh's life." The weight of those words bore down on me like a leaden shroud, enveloping me in an impenetrable darkness from which there seemed to be no escape.
The resounding knock on the door shattered my reverie, my hands still trembling as I cautiously swung it open. Mukul welcomed me with an inviting smile, urging, "Bhabhi, come on, let's join the......"
But his words caught in his throat as he noticed Devansh's body lying on the floor. Shock washed over Mukul as he rushed to Devansh's side, kneeling beside him and gently rousing him, his voice filled with desperation. "Dev, Dev, open your eyes," he pleaded desperately.
I remained rooted in place, a silent observer to the unfolding tragedy. While Mukul checked Devansh's pulse, my own heart raced, a chilling fear taking hold. With trembling lips, I managed to ask, "Is he.....D...dead?"
Mukul's gaze snapped to mine, anger flaring in his eyes as he accused, "This is what you wanted, isn't it?"
Tears threatened to spill from my eyes at his accusation, and I cast my gaze downward to conceal my emotions. Mukul lifted Devansh's body and carried him inside, heading towards Devansh's bedroom. Devansh hung limply in Mukul's arms, a tragic sight that left me feeling utterly helpless.
As if compelled by an invisible force, I found myself trailing Mukul's steps, each footfall echoing in the tense silence. When Mukul reached the stairs, all eyes snapped to the devastating sight of Devansh's lifeless form cradled in his arms, leaving everyone frozen in disbelief. Anshika, Rahul, and Reshma hurried to the stairs, their expressions mirroring the shock and horror etched on our faces. Together, we followed Mukul into Devansh's bedroom, where he gently lowered Devansh onto the bed, his movements both deliberate and gentle.
Anshika settled herself at the edge of the bed, positioning herself beside Devansh's head. Tears streamed down her cheeks as she softly uttered, "Mukul bhaiya, what's happened to bhaiya?"
"Ansh, please, try to pull yourself together. Dev needs us right now, please," Mukul's voice quavered, his own distress evident as tears welled in his eyes.
The sight of Devansh lying motionless on the bed, Anshika and Mukul's tear-streaked faces, Reshma's concerned gaze, and the worry etched on Rahul's features pressed heavily upon me, as if a weight had settled upon my chest.
Mukul swiftly removed Devansh's shirt, revealing a shocking sight that left me speechless.
Devansh's chest and arms adorned with angry red, swollen hives, accompanied by dark patches of rash on his neck, was a harrowing indication of a severe allergic reaction coursing through his body. Each welt and rash spoke volumes of the distress Devansh was experiencing, painting a stark picture of his suffering.
I had anticipated that Devansh might experience some itching and discomfort from the pecan nuts, but the severity of his symptoms surpassed anything I had imagined. His shallow breathing was a troubling sign of respiratory distress.
"Reshma, where's the injector?" Mukul's urgent inquiry cut through the tension, his gaze fixed on Reshma as she hurried towards Devansh's cupboard. With a sense of urgency, she swung it open, but her face fell as she discovered the inner locker was locked. "Sir, it's locked," she reported, her tone tinged with concern.
Rushing to Reshma's side, Mukul swiftly began punching numbers into the keypad of the cupboard's inner locker. Each failed attempt elicited a sharp beep, intensifying Mukul's frustration as he pounded his fist against the unyielding surface, muttering under his breath, "Why would he change the passcode now?"
Turning to Anshika with urgency, Mukul inquired, "Ansh, has Dev given you the new passcode for his locker?" Anshika's tear-filled eyes and hesitant shake of the head conveyed the grim truth – Devansh hadn't shared the new code.
Frustration mounting, Mukul paused momentarily before redirecting his attention towards me, his tone urgent as he asked, "Bhabhi, what's your birth date?"
Caught off guard by the sudden question, I struggled to process his request, my confusion evident. Sensing my hesitation, Mukul's frustration bubbled over, his voice growing slightly louder as he repeated, "Bhabhi, what's your birth date?"
"Huh? It's October 22nd," I replied, my words rushed and uncertain. Without hesitation, Mukul darted back to the cupboard, swiftly entering a series of digits before the satisfying click of the lock signaled its release. Relief flooded the room, offering a glimmer of hope amidst the chaos.
With urgency coursing through his veins, Mukul retrieved the injector from the locker, his movements swift and determined. "Hold on, Dev," he muttered under his breath as he administered the life-saving medication into Devansh's arm.
As Devansh lay unconscious, Mukul anxiously awaited any sign of improvement. "Reshma, inform the guests that the party's concluded and urgently request a doctor," he instructed, his voice laced with urgency.
Reshma nodded and hurried off to fulfill Mukul's directives, leaving us standing vigil by Devansh's side, each passing moment feeling like an eternity as my heart pounded in my chest.
After what seemed like an interminable wait, Devansh's fingers twitched, and his breathing slowly steadied. With each shallow breath, a glimmer of hope ignited within me, alleviating the burden of guilt that had weighed heavily on my shoulders.
As Devansh's eyelids fluttered open and consciousness returned to his gaze, a wave of relief washed over me. In that moment, it felt as though the entire room exhaled a collective sigh of relief, the tension dissipating as the realization dawned that Devansh was going to pull through.
"Pari," Devansh whispered, his voice barely audible, but his call sent a shiver down my spine. Unable to meet his gaze, I felt a knot tighten in my stomach, a mix of emotions swirling within me.
As Devansh weakly extended his hand towards me, the attention of everyone in the room shifted, their eyes now on me. Still in a state of shock, I looked at Devansh with surprise, struggling to process everything that was happening.
Anshika and Mukul rose from the bed promptly, their concern evident as Anshika approached me, taking my hand and guiding me gently to sit on the bed. "Bhaiya, are you feeling better?" Anshika's voice was filled with emotion as she reached out to touch Devansh's forehead tenderly.
Devansh took Anshika's hand, pressing his lips against it in a gentle gesture before nodding faintly in response to her question.
"Bhaiya, you should rest now," Anshika murmured softly, leaning down to place a gentle kiss on Devansh's forehead. Tears glistened in Anshika's eyes as they fell onto Devansh's forehead, prompting her to wipe them away with a small smile before leaving the room, followed by Rahul.
"I've called the doctor; he'll be here soon. Until then, rest," Mukul reassured Devansh, his tone filled with concern. But as he spoke, his gaze shifted towards me, a flicker of anger in his eyes. Sensing his frustration, I quickly looked away, unable to meet his gaze.
With Mukul's exit, the room seemed to grow quieter, the weight of the moment pressing down on Devansh and me. Witnessing Devansh's gradual recovery stirred conflicting emotions within me—the relief of his improving health mingled with the lingering guilt of what could have been.
Devansh's struggle to cover himself with the blanket highlighted his weakened state, and I rushed to assist him. Hastily fetching a blanket, I carefully draped it over his body, ensuring he was shielded from the chill of the room.
As we sat in silence, the weight of the moment hanging heavy between us, I couldn't bring myself to meet Devansh's gaze, my fingers fidgeting nervously. Suddenly, his touch on my trembling hand jolted me, and I looked up to see him smiling at me, a warmth in his eyes that softened the tension in the room.
"Pari," Devansh began, but I cut him off, unable to contain my guilt. "Devansh, I never imagined your allergy would be so severe. I thought it was just a mild reaction; I never intended to endanger your life."
Still smiling, Devansh reassured me, his voice filled with unwavering trust. "I know, Pari. You would never put anyone in harm's way."
His words hit me like a wave, the weight of his trust in me both comforting and daunting. Despite my fears and mistakes, his faith remained unshaken.
Slowly pulling away from his grasp, I attempted to rise from the bed, but Devansh's hand reached out, halting my movement. With a gentle tug, he guided me back onto the bed, enfolding me in an unexpected embrace that caught me off guard.
With his face nestled against the curve of my neck, Devansh held me in a tight embrace, his grip firm as if afraid that any loosening would cause me to slip away like a wisp of smoke. In a voice barely above a whisper, he implored, "Pari, please, just for a moment, let go of your anger, and stay with me. I beg of you."
His vulnerability caught me off guard, piercing through the usual stoic facade he wore. It was a side of Devansh I had never seen before, raw and unguarded. Unable to find words to match his plea, I gently disentangled myself from his embrace and nodded in silent agreement.
As Devansh reluctantly released me, his hand still holding mine, I sensed the lingering fear of abandonment in his touch.
Assuming responsibility for his fragile state, I chose to remain silent, hoping that in time, he would find the strength to stand on his own again, allowing me to depart.
"Did you feel afraid?" Devansh's voice shattered the silence, his eyes searching mine for reassurance amidst the turmoil. It struck me how one could seek solace in the depths of such dire circumstances.
I nodded slowly, acknowledging the fear that had gripped me when I witnessed his condition.
After a prolonged silence, Devansh spoke again, his words barely audible. "I was scared too."
Devansh's words hung in the air, inviting me to dwell on the profound fear that surfaces when one confronts mortality. It struck me that such dread is universal, a natural response to the prospect of facing one's own demise.
"It's not the fear of death itself, but the dread of never seeing you again," Devansh confessed softly, his words laden with a poignant mix of longing and apprehension.
His words cut through the heavy air, shaking me to my core. Despite the turmoil raging within, a nagging voice urged caution, warning me not to yield to his plea. Lost in my inner turmoil, I remained seated, my mind and soul engaged in a silent struggle.
"Pari," Devansh's gentle voice called out, drawing me back to the present.
Before Devansh could utter another word, Arnav burst into the room, his disheveled appearance and trembling voice betraying the gravity of his news. "Boss, Sid... Sid... Siddharth has taken his own life," he stammered, his words shattering the silence like glass.
The ground seemed to shift beneath me as shock washed over me in waves, the weight of Arnav's revelation hitting me like a physical blow. Devansh, too, appeared stunned, his expression reflecting the disbelief that gripped us all. Attempting to regain his composure, he struggled to settle back into his seat, his movements restless with agitation. "But, I had already set him free then why?," he murmured, the words heavy with incredulity.
The revelation that Devansh had spared Siddharth's life left me reeling, my mind grappling with the implications of this revelation. Shocked into silence, I could only watch as the scene unfolded before me, my heart heavy with sorrow and confusion.
Amidst the chaos, Arnav stepped forward, extending a page to Devansh. "Siddharth left a letter for you," he announced solemnly, his voice thick with emotion.
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Hey readers,
How did you like the chapter? Please share your thoughts.
Devansh's allergy is anaphylaxis, which is life-threatening.
For those who might think that Pari melted too quickly and all, please keep in mind that the guilt of taking someone's life is overwhelming. Yes, it can momentarily blur the memories of the tortures inflicted upon oneself.
The meeting between Siddharth and Devansh will be revealed in the next chapter, during the flashback of the party day when Pari left Devansh and he went to meet Siddharth.
With love,
Wittywrits