Anguish & Affection

Part 22

Atharv Singh Chauhan's heart was pounding with rage, his fists clenched in pure fury as memories of the scathing remarks from the two women closest to him echoed in his head. His guilt for disappointing them seared his soul and the pain of being denied any glimmer of kindness pushed him to a breaking point. Every thought that ran through his mind boiled with resentment and gnawing anguish until one emotion became too powerful to hold back - an intense, raw and undeniable love.

His breathing was shallow and labored as he tightened his grip on the steering wheel, his knuckles turning so white they were almost translucent. He wished he could do the same to the steering wheel of his life - a life that had been taken from him by destiny, forced to dance to the tune of his deepest fears and insecurities brought upon by a dark past.

Fear and panic consumed him as he remembered his thoughtless mistake of leaving Diya alone in a faraway place while a storm raged outside. He harshly revved the engine, defying the "No U-Turn" sign, and raced back to reach her as quickly as possible. His body thrummed with desperate energy and his mind was a flurry of frantic thoughts, all revolving around one hope - that she would be safe when he reached her.

Tension coiled in his gut as he drove the winding road, the length of it feeling as if it could never end. His heart plummeted when he saw a woman lying on the tarmac, her still figure bathed in an eerie grey light. The car screeched to a halt and suddenly he was running, desperation fueling him forward. Was it Diya? As he closed the gap between them, dread settled like an icy fist around his heart - he knew, without doubt, that the unconscious form lying before him was his beloved.

He begged and pleaded in despair as he illuminated the woman's sleeping face with his trembling phone flashlight. His heart plummeted when he saw the familiar features of Diya, lying motionless on the ground.

"Diya! Diya!" he shouted desperately, pulling her into his arms desperately. Her skin was frigid and laboriously cold to the touch, an indication that she was hypothermic. Quickly he scooped her up in his arms and ran towards his car, calling out frantically for her response as every second felt like an eternity.

The relentless downpour pelted him with icy cold rain as it cascaded around him, making it nearly impossible to move through the rising water. He carefully lifted her body into the car and fastened the seatbelt with an urgency that matched his racing pulse. Taking her to his farmhouse was his only option and he pushed the vehicle to its limits. His hands trembled as he feverishly adjusted the air-conditioning system to maximum output in an effort to save her from hypothermia.

He screamed "Diya! WAKE UP!" in a frenzied panic, his helpless eyes flicking between the road and her still body with desperation. No matter how much he pleaded and begged her to wake up, she remained in a deep trance of unconsciousness, amplifying his torment and throwing him even further into an abyss of despair. In a mad dash, he slammed on the brakes before leaping out of his seat and rushing to her side. With shaking hands, he yanked off her seatbelt and pulled her motionless body into his arms as tears streamed down.

Panic surged through his veins as he realized that his most trusted confidante, Dr. Khanna, was away due to a family emergency and he had no one else to safeguard the news of his marriage to the Shekhawat heiress or the fact that he had abandoned his beloved wife in the pouring rain. He knew that if this sensitive information were to be leaked, his conniving father-in-law would use it against him to ruin his reputation and paint him as an impetuous fool in court, which could lead to his indictment. The thought made his chest tighten with dread, knowing that he may never have the chance to tell her how much he regretted leaving her or even lay eyes on her again.

Atharv's guilt surged up within him as he made his way to her room. He felt bad for ignoring her wishes and going against her trust. Taking a deep breath, he apologized for it.

He slowly laid her down on the bed, then dashed to get the necessary items. He quickly adjusted the air conditioner from cooling mode to warming mode with trembling hands. Then he took a towel and wound it around her damp hair in an intricate twisted knot. As he anticipated what lay ahead, he bemoaned his choice to let go of all staff members.

He embraced her while taking the zipper of her sundress down. His fingers trembled and his lips shook in anticipation and nervousness. As he slid the garment off her shoulders and arms, a breath escaped him at the chilliness of her skin. Letting go of her upper body, he allowed her to recline against the bed before he pulled the dress away from her. He had draped another dress over his arm in preparation for when it was needed and without having to look, gently placed it over her. Afterwards, she was settled on the bed.

He carefully laid heat packs around her and added several woolen blankets to keep the warmth in. As he held her hands, he studied her for any sign of recovery. But she still breathed shallowly and her pulse was weak – his worry only increased.

He muttered apologies as he kissed her knuckles, praying that she would regain consciousness soon. The combination of the air conditioner and the heat packs had made the room stiflingly hot, but the fire of guilt and anxiety inside him was even more unbearable. He had made a silent vow to himself never to leave her again, no matter what happened.

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