When Anvitha heard the name Chaitanya uttered in his sleep, she felt as though her breath had stopped. For a moment, she even questioned why she was still alive.
Because the name he called out was... Aadhira... Aadhira...
Even in his sleep, he was calling out her sister's name. Hearing that, tears began to well up in her eyes without her realizing it.
As those warm tears fell onto Chaitanya's hands, his fingers began to move slightly. Realizing this, she quickly wiped away her tears and, as though she no longer had the strength to remain there, turned to the old man and said, "Grandpa... shall we go now?"
He silently nodded and led her out of the room. Once they returned to the old room, Anvitha asked, "When will Chaitanya open his eyes?"
"Most likely by evening," he replied. "After that, we have to give him food and then administer another dose of the sedative... Otherwise, he won't sleep at night."
"What? Another dose of sedative?" she asked in shock. "You can't keep giving a patient sedatives like this. Do you even know that?"
He looked at her and said with a gentle smile, "Are you a doctor? You should consult a proper physician before administering such medication," she said with slight anger.
He laughed and replied, "I am a doctor, dear—just like you. Our whole family is full of doctors, did you know that? Me, my wife, my son, my daughter-in-law, and even my grandson—all doctors. And now you too, right?" he chuckled. "Besides, I mix some therapeutic medication with the sedative. So there's nothing to worry about."
She smiled calmly and said, "Alright, Grandpa. I'll leave now... I'll come back tomorrow to see Chaitanya," and stood up to leave.
Just then, an alarm sound came from his phone as a red light blinked. Alarmed, he looked at Anvitha and said, "Chaitanya's awake, dear... He's calling me. I had set this alarm just for him."
"I don't understand... He usually doesn't wake up at this time. What's happening?" he said anxiously as he grabbed the keys and rushed out.
After a moment's pause, he turned back and said, "Come with me, dear," and motioned for her to follow him back to the room.
Anvitha, also alarmed, ran behind him. The moment he opened the room door, he was stunned. Because lying on the bed with bloodshot eyes, Chaitanya was staring directly at him in anger.
As the old man stepped inside, Chaitanya grabbed a nearby glass tumbler and hurled it at him. Shocked, the old man stopped in his tracks.
"What happened, Chaitanya? Why are you behaving like this?" he asked, confused.
"How many times do I have to tell you? Don't bring anyone into my room while I'm asleep. Who came into my room just now?" Chaitanya roared in rage.
Hearing his voice, Anvitha trembled. "How did he know?" she thought in panic and continued to stare at him.
"No one came in, Chaitanya," said the old man.
"Don't lie, Grandpa. I know someone was here. Look... there are tears on my hands. Whose tears are these? I need to know. Is there really someone in this world who would cry for me?" he asked sarcastically.
"No one came in, Chaitanya... Just a doctor, to give you an injection," the old man replied.
"You know me well, Grandpa. I hate being lied to. The doctors you hire are just doing their jobs for money. None of them would cry for me. So the one who came here can't be a doctor. Please... just tell me the truth."
Realizing that there was no point lying any further, the old man slowly walked toward Chaitanya and gestured silently with his eyes for Anvitha to follow him.
She hid behind him as she walked in, staying close so her face wouldn't be seen. She couldn't even turn her neck fully.
The old man stood near Chaitanya's head, and Anvitha remained hidden behind him.
"Grandpa, both of you come to my feet. If you stand at my head, how can I see who you are?" Chaitanya said angrily.
"There's no need to get angry about that. Wait," said the old man, gently holding Anvitha's hand and leading her to Chaitanya's feet.
Even then, she kept hiding her face. The old man was stout, so her slim figure remained completely hidden behind him.
Chaitanya, annoyed, said in a harsh tone, "Grandpa, move aside. I want to see who it is."
With no choice, the old man moved aside, and Anvitha, who had been hiding fearfully, turned to face Chaitanya again. His eyes pierced right through her like arrows.
The moment he saw her, Chaitanya was stunned... "Aadhira? Aadhira? Is it you?" he asked, unable to bear the shock.
"You've come back? Why did you leave me? Why did you go?" he asked, stretching out his long arms toward her.
The moment he called her Aadhira, Anvitha was shaken with disgust. Oh no... he thinks I'm my sister. How can I tell him that I'm not Aadhira, but Anvitha? But Grandpa told me not to tell him...
Can I even act like Aadhira? she thought, tormented by the situation. But as he reached out to her, she instinctively stepped forward and held his hands.