Chapter 3: A Fateful Reunion

The moment I heard her name from the hospital receptionist, my mind spiraled into chaos. Isha Kapoor. The girl who had once been my best friend. The girl who had unknowingly taught me the meaning of confidence. The girl I had loved in silence.

For a moment, I sat frozen, gripping my phone so tightly my knuckles turned white. Was it really her? Could fate truly be this cruel yet kind at the same time? I had spent years burying my past, convincing myself that my childhood feelings were just that—childish. And yet, here she was, resurfacing like a forgotten melody, tugging at my heartstrings once more.

I couldn't wait until evening. My mind refused to stay still, and my heart felt as if it would burst from anticipation. Without wasting another second, I grabbed my coat and rushed to the hospital. The hours dragged on painfully slow, each second stretching into eternity. Then, finally, she arrived.

She walked through the hospital doors, accompanied by her mother. My breath hitched.

She was still the Isha I had known—but at the same time, she wasn’t.

Time had sculpted her into a breathtaking woman. Her long, flowing hair cascaded over her shoulders, and her eyes—those same mesmerizing eyes that once held warmth and laughter—now carried something else. Something distant. Something broken.

And then, she walked past me.

She didn’t recognize me.

A lump formed in my throat. Had I truly been so insignificant in her life that she had forgotten me completely? Or was it something more?

Before I could say a word, her mother approached me, her eyes filled with desperation and sorrow. "Dr. Aarav," she began, her voice trembling. "Isha has a rare neurological disorder. She hallucinates constantly, living in a world that exists only in her mind. Her condition is getting worse. She’s losing touch with reality."

I felt the air leave my lungs.

Hallucinations. A world of illusions.

The Isha I had known—the vibrant, confident girl who had once encouraged me—was now trapped inside her own mind. And to make matters worse, she had lost the one person who should have stood by her side.

Her mother hesitated before continuing, "She was engaged… but her fiancé broke it off after learning about her illness. He said he couldn't handle it. That she was too much for him to bear."

A wave of anger surged through me. How could anyone leave her? How could he turn his back on such a perfect woman just because she was unwell?

I forced myself to take a deep breath, pushing aside my emotions. This wasn’t about me. It was about Isha.

Her mother wiped her tears and looked at me with hope. "We've seen every doctor we could, but nothing has helped. You're our last hope. Please, Dr. Aarav… will you take her case? Will you help her?"

Had it been anyone else, I might have hesitated. I might have weighed my options, thought about the challenges, and even considered refusing. But this was her.

If this was fate’s way of bringing her back into my life, I would not turn my back on it.

"Yes," I said without hesitation. "But on one condition."

Her mother looked at me anxiously. "What is it?"

"I will not take any payment," I said firmly. "And no one will interfere in her treatment."

There was silence as she considered my words. Then, after what felt like an eternity, she nodded. "If that is what it takes to save my daughter, then I agree."

At that moment, I knew my life was about to change forever. I had spent years convincing myself that I didn't need love, that I was content with my career, that the emptiness in my heart was simply a side effect of success. But now, with Isha standing before me, lost in a world of illusions, I realized the truth.

She had always been the missing piece in my life.

And now, I would do everything in my power to bring her back to reality.

Even if it meant risking my own heart in the process.

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