The morning light seeped through the half-closed blinds as Reva slowly opened her eyes. The white ceiling above her blurred into focus, and a sharp scent of antiseptic made her realize she wasn’t home.

She was in a hospital.

Her body felt heavy, but she tried to sit up. A dull ache shot through her back.

Just then, the door opened and a doctor in a white coat stepped in, followed by a young nurse holding a tray.

“Please lie down, you’re still weak,” the doctor said gently, noticing her struggle.

“I’m fine... I want to leave. Where... where am I?” Her voice cracked.

“You’re in SG Care Hospital, Mumbai. One of the best hospitals here,” the nurse replied with a calm smile.

“Mumbai?” Reva whispered, eyes wide. Lucknow se itni door...?

(So far from Lucknow...?)

She looked away, biting the inside of her cheek. How did I even get here...?

The nurse placed the tray on the side table and adjusted Reva’s IV line.

“I don’t have money to pay right now,” Reva murmured. Her fingers trembled as she unclasped a silver chain from her neck and placed it in the nurse’s palm. “Take this… for now.”

The nurse looked shocked. “No, no. That’s not needed,

Reva blinked at her.

“I’m Diksha. Intern here. Don’t worry about the bills. The doctor said your condition was more from exhaustion than anything else. But…” she paused, her voice softening, “what happened to you?”

Reva looked down. Her hands clenched the sheet beneath her.

“Some memories… are better left buried,” she said, her voice barely above a whisper.

Diksha didn’t press her. She simply nodded and smiled.

“what's your name ?"

Reva looked up. “… Reva.”

She paused. A flicker of anger ran through her mind.

Reva Dix— no. No, not his name.

“Reva Mehra,” she said firmly.

“Pretty name.” Diksha smiled. “Do you have any friends or family here in Mumbai?”

Reva shook her head.

“Then…” Diksha hesitated. “If you don’t mind, I live alone. It's not a fancy place, but it’s safe. You can stay with me until you figure things out.”

Reva’s eyes widened. “No... I can’t just live with a stranger.”

Diksha chuckled softly. “I understand. Agar tumhe ajeeb lage toh mana kar do. But mujhe laga... tumhe kisi ki zarurat hai.”

(If it feels weird to you, say no. But I just thought… maybe you need someone.)

Reva looked at her for a long moment. Her gut didn’t scream danger. Her heart wasn’t panicking.

Just… numbness.

Maybe, just maybe… she could breathe for a while. Not live. Not laugh. Just breathe.

“Okay,” she whispered.

Three Weeks Later

The luxurious VIP ward of the SG CARE Hospital stood still — cold, quiet, except for the rhythm of the heart monitor beside the bed.

Vidhyut Rajvansh lay motionless.

Rajsree sat beside him, her hand placed over his. Her eyes were fixed on his bruised face, but her voice remained steady.

“Aapko kuch nahi hoga, Vidhyut. Aapko theek hona hi hoga.”

(Nothing will happen to you, Vidhyut. You have to get better.)

A man stepped inside and bowed slightly. “Masa. Hukum dijiye.”

(Madam. Your orders?)

Rajsree turned to him, her expression stone-cold. “Pata chala kaun tha woh truck wala?”

(Found out who was behind the truck?)

Keshav shook his head. “Nahi masa, abhi tak nahi. But we’re digging deep.”

“Galat karne wala insaan, humein chahiye. Zinda.”

(The one who did this — I want him. Alive.)

Before he could respond, Sourya entered with another doctor.

“Kab tak theek honge hmare Vidhyut?” Rajsree’s voice cracked a little now.

Sourya hesitated. “Masa… He’s been in coma for three weeks. There’s brain trauma. We can’t—”

“I don’t want excuses. I want him awake. Doctor ko bolo kuch bhi karo... lekin hmare Vidhyut ko wapas laao.”

(Call the best doctor. Do anything... just bring my Vidhyut back.)

She stood up and left.

Somewhere Else... in a Small Café

Reva, dressed in a plain black kurti with her hair tied in a neat bun, placed a hot cup of coffee on a wooden table. A tiny black bindi adorned her forehead. She gave a polite nod and walked back behind the counter.

Life was quieter now. Not peaceful. But quieter.

She wiped down the surface, eyes flickering toward the window. A man had been staring at her moments ago.

He was gone now.

She blinked and shook her head. Maybe her mind was playing tricks. Maybe it was just another customer.

She went back to work.

Back at the Hospital

Inside the stillness of the hospital room, Vidhyut stirred.

A soft beeping noise began to rise. His fingers twitched.

Inside his dream, a girl danced in a red lehenga — hair flying as she spun in the foggy air, laughter echoing like a memory.

He chased after her. “Wait! Stop!” he called out.

She turned back — her face blurry, glowing.

And then she vanished into smoke.

Vidhyut jolted up, breathing heavily. “stop…”

Doctors rushed in, alarms beeping.

“Vidhyut, calm down!” someone shouted.

But Vidhyut started removing his IV lines. “I have to go. She’s calling me.”

Rajsree entered and rushed to his side. “Vidhyut, stop! Tum theek nahi ho!”

(You’re not well!)

“I’m fine, Dadisa. Mujhe uske paas jaana hai.”

(I need to go to her.)

His voice wasn’t just urgent — it was desperate.

Rajsree nodded to the doctors. “Sedate him. Let him rest.”

But in Vidhyut’s mind, the red lehenga still twirled…

and the girl’s face? Still hidden in mist.

One week later…

The dim golden lights of the office fell on the tall figure lounging lazily on the leather sofa. Vidhyut Rajvansh sat back, dressed in black, completely healed from the accident — at least physically. His mind, though, was still haunted by soft eyes and trembling lips.

The silence in the room was broken by the sound of the door creaking open.

"Speak," Vidhyut said coldly without lifting his eyes.

Raheel stepped inside, his expression calm but urgent. “Sir, we found her.”

Vidhyut’s gaze slowly rose, black eyes sharp as a blade.

“Where is she?”

“She’s working at a café… Living with a girl named Diksha Mathur. Intern doctor at SG Care Hospital.”

For a moment, the air stood still. Then a slow, dangerous smirk curled on Vidhyut’s lips.

“Leave,” he said. “You know what to do.”

Raheel nodded silently and exited, his steps echoing against the marble.

Later that day – In a private room inside RV Empire Headquarters…

The room was huge, silent, intimidating. Vidhyut sat like a king on the wide velvet couch, legs crossed, fingers casually tracing the rim of a glass of water.

Diksha sat on the opposite side of a long sofa, visibly shaking. Her eyes darted between the door and the man in front of her. His presence was suffocating. His eyes unreadable. His aura—terrifying.

“Do exactly what I say,” Vidhyut said in a flat, commanding tone. “Or else…”

He didn’t finish the sentence.

Instead, he turned slightly to his right—where the low, deadly growl of a panther echoed from a steel-caged enclosure behind a curtain.

Diksha flinched, her heart skipping a beat.

"Y-Yes sir! I-I will do what you say… I promise…”

Her throat was dry, and her eyes couldn’t meet his.

A smirk touched the corner of his lips. He leaned back coolly.

“Good. Now… leave.”

She got up in a flash, stumbling toward the door, where Raheel stood like a silent shadow.

As she passed him, she didn’t dare look up. Her legs shook as she hurried down the stairs, her heart racing in her chest.

At Night – Diksha’s Apartment

The lights were warm, the dinner simple — dal, rice, and some sabzi. Reva sat across the table in a loose tee and pajama, her eyes tired but peaceful. For the first time in days, she had started sleeping without flinching.

Diksha watched her silently for a moment, then cleared her throat.

“Uhm… Reva?”

“Hmm?” Reva looked up while chewing.

“You said you’ve done a hotel management course, right? So… why don’t you apply for a proper job? Café tak theek hai, but tumhari skills ke liye kuch better hona chahiye na?”

(“The café is okay, but for your skills… something better would suit you, no?”)

Reva blinked. “Yeah… I mean I’ve thought about it but—”

“But what, Reva?” Diksha asked firmly. “You can’t keep hiding from life forever. Apply karna chahiye tumhe. Kal hi karo.”

(“You should apply. Do it tomorrow itself.”)

Reva gave her a small smile. “Okay. I’ll try.”

Diksha forced a smile too. But inside… guilt scratched at her chest. She didn’t know what she had dragged Reva into — or what was coming.

The night ended calmly, as both girls laid down in their separate beds. Outside, though, fate had already begun to twist their path in a way none of them could see coming.