Chapter 4: The Test

Reyaansh had never been a man who backed down from a challenge. Yet, as the day wore on and his mind lingered on Dr. Avni's words, he couldn't ignore the gnawing discomfort in his chest. Her critique, cold yet precise, had stung. She hadn't just pointed out a flaw—she'd made him confront his weaknesses in front of the entire team. It wasn’t the first time someone had questioned his methods, but it was the first time it had felt... personal.

He paused outside the pediatric ward, his hand resting on the doorframe. Inside, Avni was talking to a nurse, her posture commanding as usual. Despite the constant tension between them, Reyaansh couldn't help but be impressed. There was something about her, something that made people trust her. Even in moments when she wasn't trying, her presence filled the room, and she had the ability to make decisions with surgical precision.

But that was precisely what infuriated him. She made him feel like his perfectionism wasn’t enough. His pride and control had always been his strongest traits, and here she was, chipping away at them.

After a deep breath, he pushed the door open, stepping into the ward. Avni glanced up at him, her expression neutral but her eyes sharp, as if she were already measuring his every move.

"Dr. Malhotra," she acknowledged, her voice as composed as ever. “I was just reviewing the progress on the pediatric cases.”

Reyaansh didn’t waste any time. “I’ve noticed a few discrepancies in the reports,” he said, his voice calm but firm. “I need to go over them with you.”

Avni raised an eyebrow, clearly not expecting the confrontation, but she didn’t back down. “Is there a problem?” she asked, her tone cool.

He didn’t respond immediately. Instead, he walked over to the desk, flipping through the reports in silence. He knew Avni had spotted the same issue he had—the irregularities in one of the treatment plans—but he wasn’t about to give her the satisfaction of knowing she’d been right.

“I see that the case study you mentioned during rounds is incomplete,” Reyaansh said, his eyes scanning the pages. “You missed several key details that could affect the patient’s care.”

Avni’s eyes narrowed slightly, but she didn’t flinch. “I reviewed it thoroughly,” she said. “Maybe you overlooked the nuances in the patient’s symptoms.”

Reyaansh’s gaze snapped up to hers, a flicker of challenge in his eyes. “I don’t overlook things, Dr. Avni. Maybe you should double-check your analysis.”

There was a brief silence before she replied, her voice colder than before. “I’ll review it again, Dr. Malhotra. But just because you’ve been practicing longer doesn’t mean you know everything.”

Reyaansh’s jaw tightened, but he bit back his retort. He wasn’t going to let her bait him. Not yet. “Fine. But if we’re going to work together, we need to be on the same page.”

Her gaze softened for just a moment, the walls she’d built around herself momentarily slipping. But it was brief. A flicker of understanding, quickly replaced by the steel resolve he had come to expect from her.

“I’ll make the adjustments,” she said, her tone diplomatic but firm. “But don’t think for a second that I won’t continue to challenge you when I think you’re wrong.”

Reyaansh nodded, a faint smirk tugging at the corner of his lips. “I wouldn’t expect anything less.”

As he walked away, the realization settled in: this wasn’t just a battle of wills. This was something deeper, more complex. Avni wasn’t just trying to prove him wrong—she was trying to prove herself. And, if he was being honest with himself, she was doing a damn good job of it.

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