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The deepest connections allow us to drop our armor without ever losing our strength.

​The sterile silence of the hospital corridor was shattered by the sound of hurried, panicked footsteps. Sarala rushed into the emergency wing, her face pale and streaked with tears, with a sobbing Sunny tight at her side.

The exact moment Sarala's eyes landed on Raghav through the glass partition-his head heavily bandaged, surrounded by beeping machines-her breath caught completely in her throat.

She collapsed against the wall, burying her face in her hands as loud, uncontrollable sobs escaped her. Sunny clung to his mother's side, crying bitterly.

​Seeing her family break down, a surge of protective strength took over Riya. She quickly stepped forward, firmly wiping the fresh tears from her mother and brother's eyes.

​"Nothing will happen to Papa," Riya said, her voice steady despite the tremor in her chest.

"Aap tension mat lo. (Don't worry.) He is going to be completely fine." She wrapped her arms tightly around both of them, drawing them into a fierce, reassuring hug.

​Meanwhile, the rest of the friends' gang arrived at the wing in a rush, having been informed of the tragedy by Yash. Standing a few paces back, Akshat, Purvi, Shivansh, and Isha watched the heartbreaking scene.

Isha's heart broke into a million pieces for Riya.Looking at the shattered family, a heavy, agonizing thought crossed her mind: Why do bad things always happen to good people?

​A senior doctor stepped out of the ICU, adjusting his stethoscope. He assured them that the primary treatment was underway and they were monitoring Raghav's vitals closely.

​As the hours dragged on and night firmly set in, the exhaustion was evident on everyone's faces. Riya turned to her mother, gently rubbing her shoulder.

"Mamma, please take Sunny home. He is exhausted, and you need rest too. I will stay at the hospital tonight."

​Just then, a floor nurse walked up to the group, holding a clipboard.

"Excuse me, only a maximum of two people are allowed to stay overnight with the patient. The rest of you will have to vacate the corridor."

​Hearing this, Riya turned back to her friends, offering them a weary, deeply grateful smile. "Thank you so much for being here, guys. Seriously. But it's gotten really late for all of you too. Please leave, get some rest."

​Akshat and Purvi stepped forward together, each placing a comforting hand on Riya's shoulder. "Take care of yourself, Riya. We are just a phone call away," Akshat said softly.

​Shivansh quietly stepped up beside Isha, glancing down at her. "Shall we go, Isha?"

​Isha didn't move an inch. She looked at Shivansh, then directly at Riya.

"They said two people can stay, right? I am staying here with you tonight, Riya."

​Riya instantly shook her head, trying to protest.

"No, Isha, you don't have to-"

​"No more arguments on this," Isha interrupted firmly, her tone leaving absolutely no room for negotiation.

"I am not leaving you alone today." She reached out and held Riya's hand, gripping it tightly.

​Yash smiled softly at the bond between the two girls. He looked at Riya.

"Yes, it's good to have someone with you. Isha will stay tonight. I will be back first thing tomorrow morning."

​Riya looked at Yash, her eyes filling with a deeper, unspoken emotion.

"Yash, seriously... you didn't have to do all this. You've been here, staying the entire day, managing everything."

​Yash shrugged lightly, a warm, characteristically comforting glint returning to his eyes.

"That's what friends do, right? And don't worry, CR Sahiba, I won't charge a fee for my services today. This one is absolutely free for you."

​A small, tearful smirk broke through Riya's exhausted face. With a collective sigh of relief, the rest of the friends quietly began to leave the hospital premises.

​Once the corridor quieted down, Isha stood up from the metal bench.

"Riya, you haven't eaten a single bite since afternoon. I'm going down to the canteen to get something for you."

​Isha walked down to the hospital's small, 24-hour cafeteria. When she reached the counter, the server informed her that only fresh roti and chole curry were available at this hour.

Hearing the names of the dishes, a sudden, vivid memory flashed in Isha's mind.

​She remembered a Sunday from their school days when she had visited Riya's house. Raghav uncle had spent the entire afternoon in the kitchen, carefully preparing roti and chole curry from scratch. He had made it simply because it was Sarala aunty's absolute favorite dish.

​Since childhood, Isha had deeply admired the profound, respectful way Raghav loved his wife and daughter. He was a man who effortlessly broke societal stereotypes, standing firm as an unyielding shield for his family's happiness.

They were a sweet, little, happy family-and now, because of someone's reckless arrogance, that beautiful world was shattered.

​Swallowing the lump in her throat, Isha took the packed container of food and walked back up to the ICU corridor.

​As she approached the turn, she saw Riya sitting alone on the bench, staring blankly at the floor. Riya was whispering to herself, fiercely wiping away a stray tear before it could fall.

​"I run to Papa for every single little thing..." Riya murmured to the empty hallway, her jaw tightening.

"How will I manage everything now? No... no, I will manage it. Mamma and Sunny need me right now. I cannot afford to break down like this."

​Isha quietly sat down beside her, opening the container. She tore a small piece of the roti, dipped it into the chole curry, and held it up to Riya.

​Riya shook her head weakly, turning her face away.

"No, yaar. I don't feel like eating."

​Isha didn't lower her hand. She gently nudged Riya's shoulder, signaling her with a soft, pleading look that said 'please, for my sake.'

​Relenting, Riya slowly opened her mouth, letting Isha feed her the bite of food. As she chewed silently, a profound thought echoed in Riya's mind. She realized that life isn't always about grand, loud gestures; people weave themselves into the very fabric of your importance through these silent, simple acts of unconditional care.

​Meanwhile, across the city, the atmosphere was entirely different. Inside the sprawling, ultra-luxurious Rathore Mansion, the air was thick with power and privilege.

​Pralay Rathore was inside his private, state-of-the-art gymnasium. Sweating profusely, he was casually lifting a pair of heavy dumbbells, a single AirPod tucked into his left ear as upbeat music pulsed through it.

​The glass doors of the gym slid open, and his personal secretary walked in hurriedly, his face tense with anxiety.

"Sir... Ritik saab ko police le gayi hai." (Sir... the police have taken Ritik sir.)

​Pralay didn't stop his reps. He didn't even blink. He merely tilted his head slightly, a cold, arrogant smirk playing on his lips.

​"Won't they know whose brother he is?" Pralay asked, his voice dripping with absolute disdain.

"Go tell them he is Pralay Rathore's brother. Just throw some money at them so sab rafa-dafa ho jaye. (So everything gets settled.) Make sure Ritik faces absolutely no issues inside the jail. He is a guest there for just one single day anyway with a smirk."

​Without waiting for his secretary's reply, Pralay turned back to the mirror and continued lifting his weights, completely unbothered by the law or the life his brother had nearly destroyed.

​The next morning, the bright sunlight pierced through the large glass windows of the hospital. Yash had arrived early, standing silently beside the two girls. Isha was gently handing a glass of water to Riya when the heavy double doors of the ICU swung open.

​The senior consultant walked out, his expression incredibly grave. The three of them instantly stood up, sensing the heavy shift in the air.

​"Doctor, how is my father?" Riya asked, her voice tight.

​The doctor sighed heavily, delivering a massive shocker.

"I am sorry, but because of the severe internal head injuries, the patient has slipped into a coma. At this stage, it is highly complicated, and we cannot predict exactly when he will regain consciousness."

​The words hit Riya like a physical blow. The last remnant of her strength evaporated, her world completely shattering around her. Her knees buckled, and she collapsed heavily onto the hard hospital floor, letting out a sharp, agonized cry as the reality of her father's state completely broke her.

​Yash and Isha instantly knelt down, holding her securely from both sides. Isha wrapped her arms tightly around the broken Riya, holding her close as Riya cried out all her pain.

​But within a few minutes, something shifted inside Riya. The tears stopped. She firmly wiped her face, her expressions turning rock-solid as she stood up on her own two feet. Her eyes fell upon the long prescription sheet of critical medicines in her hand.

​"Let me bring the medicines," Riya said, her voice completely devoid of emotion as she turned to walk toward the pharmacy.

​Yash immediately stepped into her path, his hand gently but firmly closing around hers to take the paper.

"Let me help you with it, Riya. Stay here."

​Riya instantly pulled her hand back, her grip on the paper tightening.

"No. I can do it myself. There is absolutely no need."

​It was Riya's silent way of declaring her independence to the world. She knew her father wouldn't be there to protect them for sometime until he is out of coma and she desperately needed to become the strongest pillar for her family. She was actively hardening her heart, preparing herself for the brutal battle she was about to fight.

​Yash looked at the fierce, defensive wall she was building around herself. He didn't argue, nor did he let her push him away. He simply stepped closer, his voice dropping into a soft, intensely protective tone.

​"I know you can do it, Riya," Yash whispered softly.

"But let me take care of it today."

​Without waiting anymore, he gently took the prescription sheet from her fingers and walked down the corridor toward the pharmacy. Riya stood frozen in the middle of the hallway, watching his retreating back.

Slowly, Isha walked up from behind, wrapping her fingers gently around Riya's hand, offering her silent, unwavering strength for the long road ahead.

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