The next morning, Tara woke up to find Vishal sleeping beside her. She didn't utter a single word and quietly got out of bed. But the moment she stood up, her head spun violently, forcing her to sit back down on the mattress with a thud. The sudden sound made Vishal stir awake. He groaned, clearly annoyed.
Tara steadied her breathing, trying to compose herself, and stood again, determined to reach the bathroom. But before she could even touch the doorknob, her vision went black. Her body gave out, and she collapsed to the floor with a dull thump.
"Tara! Hey, Tara, open your eyes!" Vishal's voice was laced with urgency as he rushed to her side. But Tara remained unresponsive. Panicking, he lifted her in his arms and laid her gently on the bed.
"Such a weak bitch... God," he muttered under his breath, frustration dripping from his tone. Without wasting any more time, he called the family doctor. He couldn't afford to take risks—not when his bigger plans were still incomplete.
Within half an hour, the doctor arrived and began examining Tara. By then, she had regained consciousness and blinked in confusion at the sight of the doctor beside her bed.
"What... what happened?" she asked softly, her brows furrowed.
The doctor gave her a reassuring smile. "Everything's fine, Mrs. Khanna. In fact, congratulations."
Tara's confusion deepened. "Congratulations?" she repeated.
"You're pregnant," the doctor finally revealed.
The words hit Tara like a wave. Her breath caught in her throat, and instinctively, her hand moved to her stomach. The doctor excused himself, giving her space to process, and on his way out, quietly informed Vishal of the news.
The moment the words reached his ears, Vishal's expression shifted. Excitement flooded his face, and he wasted no time dialing his father's number.
"Finally, Dad... finally, we're going to be successful," he said into the phone, his voice brimming with triumph.
Laughter echoed between father and son, a chilling sound of victory. Meanwhile, upstairs, Tara sat frozen, tears rolling silently down her cheeks.
"Baby," she whispered to her stomach, her voice trembling, "why did you choose to come now? You know your dad doesn't even talk to your mumma properly. What if he doesn't talk to you either?" Her fingers caressed her belly protectively. "Mumma will love you so much... but mumma is scared."
The door creaked open suddenly. Wiping her tears quickly, Tara looked up as Vishal entered the room.
"Baby, are you okay?" Vishal asked, his voice unexpectedly soft and caring.
The sudden change in his behavior made Tara frown in suspicion. But eventually, she nodded.
"Don't worry. I'll take care of you both," he continued smoothly. "You should rest. Mom will come soon. I'm heading to the office, but call me if you need anything, okay?"
Tara gave a small nod, watching him leave. As the door closed behind him, her chest tightened.
"What's with this sudden change, Vishal? What do you want now?" she whispered to herself. But exhaustion soon overwhelmed her.
She forced herself downstairs, where the maid had prepared sandwiches. She ate quietly, then returned to her room and lay down. Her body was tired, and her mind even more so. She had a night duty at the hospital later, which meant the entire day was free. Curling up on the bed, she slowly drifted into sleep, her hand resting protectively over her stomach.
When Tara woke again, it was already afternoon. Sunlight filtered weakly through the curtains, warming the room. She sat up slowly, her head still heavy but calmer than before.
A soft knock came at the door before it opened. Ma stepped inside, carrying a tray filled with food. The sight itself was unusual—Ma never brought her meals, nor did she speak gently.
"Tara beta," Ma said in an overly sweet tone, setting the tray on the table, "you must be hungry. I made all your favorites... dal, roti, a little sabzi, and kheer. You should eat well now. After all, you're not just eating for yourself anymore."
Tara froze for a second, her eyes lifting to Ma's smiling face. She didn't miss the sudden change—this wasn't affection. It was because she was carrying the Khanna heir.
Still, she forced a polite smile. "Thank you, Ma."
"Arre, no need to thank me," Ma said, almost doting as she adjusted the tray. "From now on, you must take proper care of yourself. No stress, no skipping meals. We'll look after everything. Just rest, okay?"
Her voice was honeyed, but Tara could hear the hidden pride beneath it. All because of this child, she thought bitterly. Not because of me.
She ate quietly under Ma's watchful eyes. Every bite felt like a performance, every smile forced. Once she finished, Ma left with a satisfied expression, promising to send fruits later in the evening.
The moment the door closed, Tara exhaled shakily, her hand pressing against her stomach. "So this is it... suddenly I'm precious because of you," she whispered to her unborn baby. "But Mumma knows better. Mumma knows their love isn't for us—it's for what you represent."
The hours passed slowly. Tara tried to sleep again, but her mind wouldn't stop racing. She thought about the hospital, her patients, her duties—the only place where she still felt like herself.
By 6 p.m., she dressed in her hospital whites, tying her hair neatly into a bun. She grabbed her bag and headed downstairs. The maid handed her a small container of fruits, saying softly, "Ma'am said you should eat this later."
Tara gave a faint nod and left the mansion. The evening air hit her face, cool and liberating. For the first time that day, she felt like she could breathe.
Sliding into her car, she murmured, "At least in the hospital, I'm still Dr. Tara... not just the mother of the Khanna heir."
With that, she drove away toward the one place that gave her strength.
As soon as I reached the hospital, I didn't stop to greet anyone. My steps carried me straight to my cabin. The familiar white walls and the faint smell of antiseptic calmed me a little—it felt safe here, away from the mansion and its suffocating sweetness.
I shut the door behind me and immediately pulled out my phone. My fingers trembled slightly as I dialed Mumma's number. It rang twice before her soft, loving voice filled my ears.
"Taru, beta! Finally, you called. How are you?"
The lump in my throat grew instantly. "Mumma..." I whispered.
"Arre, why do you sound like that? What happened?" she asked quickly.
I inhaled deeply before saying it. "Mumma...... I'm pregnant."
There was a moment of silence, then her joyful gasp. "Oh, my God! Really? Taru, that's such wonderful news!"
Papa's voice chimed in the background, "Put the phone on speaker, let me hear too!"
I did, and then I heard him say warmly, "Princess, congratulations beta. We're so happy for you."
Their happiness washed over me like sunlight, warming a part of me that had felt so cold all day.
"Thank you, Papa... Mumma. I—I'm happy too," I said softly.
But Mumma, always sensitive to my tone, asked gently, "Beta, are you really okay? Tell me honestly. How do you feel?"
I forced myself to smile even though tears threatened. "I'm okay, Mumma. Truly, I'm happy. Don't worry about me."
They both said a few more sweet words, blessings that eased my heart. Then I glanced at the clock. "Mumma, Papa, I have to go. It's time for my rounds. I'll call you later, okay?"
"Okay, beta," Mumma said. "Take care of yourself, and remember we love you."
"I love you both too," I whispered before ending the call.
I wiped the corner of my eyes quickly and picked up my stethoscope. Just as I stepped out of the cabin, I saw Asha waiting for me in the corridor, arms folded and a small smile on her lips.
"Took you long enough," she teased. "I was starting to think you forgot me."
I chuckled softly. "Sorry, I was just making a call."
She gave me a curious look. "Everything alright?"
I hesitated, then decided she deserved to know. "Actually... I'm pregnant."
Her eyes widened, and then she squealed softly, pulling me into a quick hug. "Oh my God, Tara! Really? That means... I'm going to be a masi!"
Her excitement made me laugh despite myself. "Yes, you are."
But then her expression softened, and she searched my face carefully. "Tara... are you okay? I mean, I know this is huge. But how are you feeling?"
Her question touched me deeply. I hadn't realized how much I needed someone to ask that. For once, there was no hidden agenda, no pressure, just genuine care.
"I'm okay, Asha," I admitted quietly. "Honestly, knowing there are still people who care for me... it makes me really happy."
She smiled and squeezed my hand. "Always. You're not alone in this, Tara. Remember that. And I'm you best friend come sister. So, of course I'll be with you always,"
I nodded gratefully, feeling lighter than I had all day.
"Alright then, Doctor Khanna," she said playfully, slipping her stethoscope around her neck, "shall we go save some lives?"
I smiled, tightening my grip on my own stethoscope. "Yes. Let's begin our round."
And together, we walked down the corridor, ready to face the patients waiting for us.
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