"I didn’t mean to kill him. But I also didn’t mean to stop."

The room still hums with the last echoes of his screams, walls painted with a shade of red too deep to be anything but satisfying. My hands twitch—muscle memory begging for another round, another crack of bone, another breath stolen between my fingers.

I tilt my head, watching his body twitch, fascinated by how the human body fights even when there’s no fight left.

How pathetic.

A chuckle bubbles up my throat. "Oops, you're still alive."

I kneel down grabbing his throat tightly he started coughing almost instantly, my lips curved into a sinister smile.

"You've too much energy huh?"

I chuckled

"But You have to die." My grip on his throat tightening.

"P-please" I smirked

This pathetic piece of shit still thinks that I'll have mercy on him.

"To late."

Bang

Blood started pooling out of his head and he collapsed on the floor.

Lifeless.

I only smirked, now I'll use his death to gain sympathy and to win the election.

I step back, wiping my hands on the front of my dress, smearing warmth against silk. My heart is still pounding—no, not from fear. Excitement. Like a child who’s just finished a painting, giddy and breathless, marveling at their own creation.

A deep exhale. I close my eyes, relishing the silence. Peace. Finally, peace.

Then.......

I lay on the bloodied floor my whole body covered in his blood.

I couldn't stop smiling, God the way I love the smell of blood.

Wait what's that sound?

Sirens? Police? But how?

If they think they can catch me they're highly mistaken.

I got up the smile never leaving my face.

Took the gun I shot him with and hit my head with the back of it.

And then well I fell on the floor unconscious..........

I can still hear them rushing inside before darkness engulfed me.

"Nayantaraaaaaa." The last thing I heard before my consciousness slipped away.

----

(4 hours later)

City hospital New Delhi

I woke up to the sounds of machines beeping rythmicaly in the background.......

W-wait

Where am I?

I blinked my eyes few times to adjust my vision. Hospital? Why am I here?

God why my head's hurting like it's gonna explode?

I held my head with my right hand only to find it bandaged.

How did I get hurt and why I can't remember anything?

I tried sitting up just then I noticed him sleeping he was sitting on the chair besides the bed and was sleeping putting his forehead on my left hand.

Why is he here?

I tried to move.

He must've sensed it he woke up instantly and cupped my face.

"Nayan? You're awake how do you feel?"

"F-Fine,but my head hurts." I replied clutching my head with both of my hands.

"Is it bad."

I nodded. "It feels like my head's gonna explode."

I said with tears in my eyes.

"Shh, रोतें नहीं" He said wiping my tears.

[don't cry]

"Wait I'll call the doctor." He was about to leave I held his wrist stopping him as he looked at me with a questioning look, I shook my head, I don't know but my voice failed me.

But my sign was enough for him to know that I don't want him to leave he sat down again tugging my hair behind my ear.

With one hand he held my left hand with the other he cupped my face and asked softly.

"Who attacked you? How you got injured, did you see the faces of the criminals? Can you recognize them?"

Wait......attack? Criminals? What is he talking about?

A sharp pain shot through my head I clutched my head with my hands my eyes shut tightly.

"Ahhh!" A pained scream tore from my throat.

My one hand clutched his shirt tightly while the other one still clutching my head my eyes were still tightly shut.

"I-I can't remember anything, my head hurts so bad." Tears streamed down my face.

and then..............

Silence

𝘼𝙐𝙏𝙃𝙊𝙍

Nayantara collapsed into Devansh's arms her breathing was still uneven she was barely concious.

"Nayan??" Devansh patted her cheek softly.

"Don't scare me please." A pained whisper escaped him, tears streaming down his face.

But all he could do is to beg Nayantara to wake up

The doctors rushed inside, they seperated Nayantara from Devansh he was protesting wasn't ready to let go as doctors had to manhandle him and send him out of the ward, so that they can monitor Nayantara's condition without any disturbance.

Devansh was standing outside watching her through the glass wall his eyes swollen teary, never leaving her face.

His Nayantara the strong independent women who can make anyone tremble with just a look, is now laying on the hospital bed, hurt, fragile.

And here he can't do anything to ease her pain.

Just then he felt a hand on his shoulder he wiped his tears abruptly before turning around it was his colleague and bestfriend Ritwik.

"Look I know it's hard for you to see her like that." Ritwik said patting his shoulder.

"But, you have to tell her."

Devansh's vision blurred with tears.

"I-I can't." His words barely above a whisper.

"But—" Ritwik started but devansh cut him off shaking his head.

"No, Ritwik you're not understanding she's hurt she can't even remember anything."

Devansh took a deep breath and continued, "I just asked her about the attack and look now she's unconscious, she's not in her right mind and I can't stress her out."

"But what about the media?" Ritwik asked

"I'll handle them."

Ritwik left

Devansh turned back his eyes locking on Nayantara's unconscious form.

He went near the glass wall put one of his hands on it leaning in and keeping his forehead there his eyes closed as he whispered.

"Come back to your Dev Nayan, p-please." His voice breaking slightly at the end.

The doctors came out of her ward in an instant Devansh was in front of them.

"H-How's she doctor?" He asked.

"Well for now she's stable but I think she had lost some of her memories because of the injury on her head but I can't say surely, first we have to perform some tests on her after that I can tell you the exact reason for her reacting this way." The doctor said and patted his shoulder.

"Can I go inside now?" He asked.

"Yes you can, but don't give her stress it's not good for her and also don't ask her anything about that attack." The doctor warned him.

"I'll take care of it doctor."

The doctor left and Devansh went inside Nayantara's ward.

Slowly,not to disturb her rest he went and sat on the chair besides her bed taking her cold hand into his warm one and kissed her knuckles.

"I'm so sorry, for not being able to reach you on time." He whispered against her knuckles a single stray of tear slide down his cheek dropping on her hand her fingers twitched in his grip but she didn't wake up.

.......

Devansh was sitting there holding her hand in his looking at her as she was still unconscious, she had slipped into coma it's been two days but Devansh never left her side not even for a second.

Just then he heard a knock. He wiped his eyes with both of his palms, Ritwik enters with a file.

He came near Devansh and sat on the chair beside him.

"Devansh I know it's not the right time, but you have to do this not for yourself but for Nayantara. She was attacked one's already and she's going to fight the election, there are higher chances that her rivals will try to attack her again, and we can't let that happen."

"I know Ritwik, but—" He paused and looks at Nayantara his hand never leaving hers. "I know your concern is valid but I really can't even think of leaving her now or ever in this lifetime."

"I know but it's for her safety, we can't take risk the stakes here are really high." Ritwik said putting a firm hand on his shoulder as he continues, "we have the whole hospital secured and all the people here are your trusted one's."

Devansh noded and took a looked at Nayantara "I'll do this for her."

"That's like The Devansh Shekhawat" He said and left.

With a sigh Devansh stood up and kissed her forehead.

"Take care Nayan, I'll come back soon I promise but right now I have to find out who that fucker is who tried hurting you."

"Take care and come back soon I'll be waiting."

With one last glance at Nayantara's unconscious form he left.