Chapter 2 Clash Of Wills

Reyaansh walked into the hospital as if he was carrying the weight of the world, his steps deliberate, each one measured with cold precision. The sterile air, the buzzing fluorescent lights, and the distant hum of machines were all too familiar, and yet today, they felt suffocating. His mind was a tangled mess of past regrets and the pressing demands of the day ahead. The pediatric ward. The meeting with the administration. He could almost feel the weight of their expectations already.

As he made his way to the nurses’ station, his gaze fell on her. Avni. Standing there, perfect in her clinical composure, as always. But Reyaansh couldn’t help but notice the subtle tension in her posture, the way her eyes never quite met his, as though she was trying to hide something.

"Dr. Avni," he said, his voice cold, though there was an undercurrent of something sharper. His eyes narrowed as he took in the sight of her. She was always so damn efficient, so damn composed. She made him feel as though he was drowning in a sea of her perfection.

"Dr. Malhotra," Avni replied, her voice as crisp and professional as ever, but there was something in her eyes—something challenging. She always had that look, like she was daring him to push her buttons.

He didn’t have the patience for it today. "I hope you’ve reviewed the pediatric cases. I don’t want any mistakes." His words were blunt, almost cutting.

Avni didn’t flinch. Instead, she met his gaze directly. “I’ve reviewed them. But you might want to check the lab results before jumping to conclusions, Dr. Malhotra. Your track record for rushing decisions isn’t exactly stellar.”

Reyaansh’s jaw tightened. She was always like this—testing him, challenging his authority. There was no room for such insolence, not when lives were on the line.

“I don’t need a reminder of my record, Dr. Avni,” he replied, his voice dropping lower, the edge of anger creeping into it. “I expect you to do your job without unnecessary commentary.”

Avni didn’t back down. “And I expect you to stop undermining every decision I make. I’ve earned my position, just like you.”

The words hung between them, thick with tension. Reyaansh took a step closer, his presence looming over her. There was a palpable intensity in the air, an undeniable clash of wills. He didn’t care about the competition, but she seemed to make it personal, as though every time they crossed paths, the stakes got higher.

“Don’t mistake your position for power, Dr. Avni,” he murmured, his voice low, dangerously calm. “You’re still a second-year resident. You still have a lot to learn.”

Avni’s eyes darkened, and for the first time, she didn’t try to mask the anger simmering beneath her calm facade. “And you’re still a man running from his past, Dr. Malhotra. You’re not as untouchable as you think.”

The words stung. Reyaansh’s grip tightened around the chart in his hand, his pulse quickening. There it was again—the challenge, the unspoken accusation. Avni was always trying to get under his skin, always pushing him to confront the parts of himself he preferred to ignore. She didn’t know it, but she was getting dangerously close to the edge.

“Keep pushing me, and you’ll regret it,” he said, his tone shifting, colder now. “I don’t tolerate insubordination.”

Avni didn’t flinch, but her lips curled into a knowing smirk. “We’ll see, Dr. Malhotra. We’ll see how long you can keep pretending that nothing touches you.”

Reyaansh turned away, his fists clenched at his sides. He hated her, and yet, there was something about her—something in the way she looked at him—that made him question everything. But he couldn’t afford distractions. Not now. Not ever.

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