8:30 PM…
Inside the car…
Aniket was driving like a responsible citizen (for once), and Aditya was sitting next to him, pretending to be normal. In the backseat sat Anamika — and well, it wasn’t just her.
Ruhi, looking as emotionally unavailable as ever, sat by the window, staring outside like she was waiting for the credits of life to roll.
Anamika had her headphones on, lost in a world of music, doodling in her notebook like a silent poet. Ruhi was equally lost — probably in some alternate universe where emotions came with a refund policy.
Aniket leaned slightly toward Aditya and whispered suspiciously, “Mind telling me when this Ruhi made her wild card entry?!”
Aditya muttered back, “Anamika didn’t want to meet Saaniya directly.”
Aniket blinked, “Meaning…?”
Aditya sighed dramatically, “Imagine this — the three of us are sitting peacefully in a hotel, enjoying our meal. Suddenly, boom! Saaniya walks in!”
Aniket smirked, “Nice imagination. And since Ruhi’s with you, Saniya can’t blame you for coming solo with Anamika. Clever. But riddle me this, Batman — why would that witch leave her hospital and come all the way to a hotel?!”
Aditya just stared at him. That was all it took.
Aniket instantly realized… he was the designated sacrificial goat today. RIP.
Thirty minutes later…Outside the hospital.
The car was parked near the hospital gates. Anamika and Ruhi were still seated inside like two statues from different art galleries. Aditya and Aniket were standing outside — one was full of hope, the other full of regret.
Aditya, trying to be smooth, said, “Just talk to her politely and bring her to the hotel next door, alright? We’ll be waiting there…”
This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.
Aniket made a face like someone just handed him bitter karela juice, “Why me?! And why would that witch even listen to me?! She at least listens to you!”
Aditya tried to reason, “Come on yaar… Ruhi is here too…”
Aniket gave him a blank look, “So? What’s that got to do with me dying today?”
Aditya lowered his voice dramatically, “I’ve noticed something. Ruhi doesn’t talk to Anamika at all. It’s been two days. I even told her to introduce Anamika to everyone at the office… but she hasn’t. I want to know if something’s really off, or if it’s just my emotional overthinking acting up again.”
Aniket narrowed his eyes, “Tch tch… stop lying. You’re just dumping this horror mission on me because you’re scared.”
Aditya looked away, almost too guilty, “Okay fine! Partially true. But I really want them to be friends too! Please bro… you’re like my brother!”
Aniket groaned like a martyr, “Fine! Since I’m the designated stuntman in your love story, I guess I’ll take the fall. Go play matchmaker for your gulabo (Anamika), I’ll go bring her bestie ( Saniya).”
And with that, Aniket marched into the hospital like a soldier walking into war.
Aditya returned to the car and as soon as he got in, Ruhi’s interrogation began.
“Sir… what were you and Aniket sir talking about? And why did he go into the hospital?”
Aditya gave her a suspiciously sweet smile, “Oh… he just went to get his bandages changed. He’ll join us at the hotel soon.”
Ruhi squinted, “Bandages? When did that happen? And how?”
Aditya grinned, started the car, and passed the hot potato: “Anamika, why don’t you tell her? You were there, right? You even took him to the hospital!”
Ruhi glanced at Anamika with a polite but not-so-genuine smile, “Oh! You were there? Why though?”
Anamika looked like she just got caught in a lie she didn’t even tell yet. She hesitated, clearly unsure of how to respond.
Meanwhile, Aditya smirked internally — Stage one of Operation: BFFs initiated.
Inside the hospital…
Aniket was on a mission: Locate Witch Khan’s Lair.
He waltzed to the reception with the confidence of a man who knew he was making a mistake. “Hey… Miss Charming! Can you tell me where Dr. Saaniya Khan is? I mean… her cabin? Or where she might be at the moment?”
The receptionist, doing her best not to roll her eyes, replied, “She’s our emergency doctor. Handles all the crisis cases. So, she’s probably in the OT or on rounds.”
Just then, a gossip-fueled nurse popped in like a character from a daily soap, “Oh! Looking for Saaniya ma’am? She’s in her room!”
The receptionist turned in surprise, “Her room? Why?”
The nurse, clearly loving the drama, said, “That suicide case boy... he didn’t survive. And when Saaniya ma’am couldn’t save him, his mother slapped her.”
Aniket blinked, “Wait… someone slapped Saaniya?!”
And just like every neighborhood aunty who pretends she’s not interested in drama but knows everything — the nurse spilled the tea. Every. Single. Drop.
“She’s always been arrogant, that one. Doesn’t know how to talk properly. But hey, who are we to say anything, right?” she added with fake innocence.
Aniket gave her a sarcastic smile, “Right… you’re not saying anything. It’s just your inner gossip-aunty doing all the talking.”
Thinking that, he headed toward Saaniya’s cabin.
But mid-walk, a thought crossed his mind:
“I didn’t think Saaniya was capable of going this far. Then again, what more can you expect from a self-centered queen?”
Just then, his steps froze.
Leaning by the cabin door was a man — silent, still, and definitely eavesdropping like a pro.
Aniket tried to pass him, but the man subtly stopped him with a gesture. No threats, just pure suspicious calm.
Aniket was about to ask who he was…
But then — he heard voices from inside the room.
He instantly stopped.
Silently, he took his place next to the mystery man, ready to listen.
And if you’re wondering who this secret guardian of gossip was — let me reveal it to you.
It was Rudra.
Inside that room, Saaniya was talking to someone. And whatever was being said in that room wasn’t just catching Rudra’s attention.
Now, even Aniket was hooked.
Because whatever was happening inside…
It wasn’t just a conversation. It was a revelation waiting to explode.
