CHAPTER 21: NO MATTER WHAT

CHAPTER 21: NO MATTER WHAT

Arjun's POV

She had run away. And I had no idea where Pia had gone.

The moment I realized she was missing, panic took over. I called for the guards, checked the security cameras, and traced her steps to the front gate. She had managed to slip out while everyone was distracted. My mind was spiraling—what if she got hurt again? What if the traffic or noise triggered something in her? What if...

My phone buzzed frantically. Unknown number.

"Hello?"

"Is this Mr. Arjun Mehra?" the voice asked.

"Yes, who is this?"

"Sir, this is CityCare Hospital. A woman named Pia Mehra has been admitted. She fainted on the road due to stress and head trauma. Her ID was found in her bag."

My breath caught in my throat. My hands trembled. "I'm on my way."

I drove like a maniac, with every red light bringing back that memory of the first accident, the one that changed our lives. My fingers clenched the steering wheel so tightly I thought it might snap.

The moment I reached the hospital, I rushed through the emergency entrance. "Pia Mehra! Where is she?"

A nurse guided me to the ICU where she lay, unconscious. The sight of her pale face, the oxygen mask on her nose, and the faint beeping of the monitors broke something inside me. Again. The same way it had years ago when she lost our first child. And here we were, back in this place, reliving that pain, that helplessness.

I sat beside her, held her hand in mine. Her skin felt cold. I brought her fingers to my lips. "Why do you keep doing this to yourself, Pia? Why do you run, when all I want is to protect you?"

My parents arrived not long after. Ma walked in first, worry etched across her face. Dad followed, his brows furrowed, immediately heading to the monitor to check her vitals.

"She's stable for now," Dad said. "But the hit on her head has caused swelling again. We need to run more tests. Rhea, prepare a full scan. And... bring her old reports."

I stood up. "Is it... is it happening again?"

Mom looked at Dad, then at me. "It's too soon to say. But we'll know more after the scan."

While they worked, I stepped outside, the cold hospital corridor suddenly suffocating. I leaned against the wall and closed my eyes, replaying the moment Pia ran out. I should have been more careful. I should've seen the signs.

She had stopped speaking to everyone after the pregnancy revelation. She followed instructions, took medicines, and moved like a ghost through our house. I thought time would heal her doubts. I thought my love would reassure her.

But she had been slipping away.

That morning before she ran, she was quieter than usual. Her eyes were red from crying the night before. I had given her breakfast, kissed her forehead, and told her I'd be back soon. She nodded, didn't say a word.

God, why didn't I stay?

Hours passed. Tests were done. I sat by her side the entire time, only leaving when they wheeled her for scans. When she returned, Ma joined me in the room.

"She's still not awake," I said, brushing a strand of hair from Pia's forehead.

"She's exhausted," Ma said softly. "Not just physically, Arjun. Emotionally, mentally. This was too much for her."

I looked at my mother. "I thought she was healing."

"She was... in her own way. But Arjun, you know her condition. We all do. It's fragile. And stress is her biggest enemy."

"Do you think she'll remember everything now? Or will it... reset again?"

Ma sighed. "We'll have to wait and watch."

Dad joined us later that evening. His face was tight with emotion. He looked more like a father than a doctor at that moment.

"I've reviewed the scans," he said. "There's swelling near the frontal lobe again, though not as severe as before. The impact must've triggered suppressed memories. If we're lucky, the brain will reorganize and retain everything. But..."

"But she could forget again," I finished for him.

He nodded slowly.

I couldn't take it. I left the room and went to the hospital's chapel. I sat on the bench and covered my face with my hands. Silent tears fell. I had kept her safe for so long. I followed every instruction, every medicine, every precaution. But still, she was hurt again.

All she had done was try to find the truth.

And all I had done was try to protect her from it.

That night, around 3 AM, I was still sitting beside her when her fingers twitched.

"Pia?" I whispered, sitting up straighter.

Her eyelids fluttered. Her lips parted slightly.

"Pia, it's me. It's Arjun."

She blinked a few times, looking around. Then her eyes found mine. Her voice was hoarse, just a whisper.

"Arjun?"

"Yes, I'm here. You're in the hospital. You fainted. But you're okay now."

She stared at me for a long time. "Why... why was I on the road?"

I swallowed hard. "You ran away. You were confused. Stressed. Everything became too much."

Her brows furrowed. She winced. "My head... it hurts."

"I know," I said softly, holding her hand again. "You hit it when you fell. But you'll be okay. I promise."

"Where's the baby?" she suddenly asked.

I froze. "The baby is fine. Doctors checked. Everything is okay."

She nodded slowly, then closed her eyes again. A tear escaped the corner.

I gently kissed her knuckles. I wanted to tell her everything. That we'd been through this once before. That she had lost memories more than once. That this baby was a miracle. That I was so, so scared.

But I didn't say a word.

I just leaned down, kissed her lips softly, and whispered, "I love you, Pia. No matter what."

She didn't respond. But I stayed there, watching her chest rise and fall, letting my heartbeat sync with hers.