Chapter- 19

Mahir's breath stalled the moment he stepped into the room. The scene before him fogged his eyes with unshed tears. Radha lay on the bed, attached the machines that hummed and blinked in cold rhythm. A bandage wrapped around her head, another on her arm and leg.

Even the steady beeping of the monitor, even the faint rise and fall of her shallow breaths did nothing to calm the storm tearing inside him. If anything, it made the fear feel louder, merciless, and suffocating, reminding him that Radha was alive, that his sister was safe, yet hanging somewhere between staying and slipping away.

Mahir's feet almost faltered. For a second, his grip tightened on the doorknob, which he still held on to, to ground himself, to hold himself up as if his knees would give away any moment. But the next second, he forced himself to step forward. Each step he took towards the bed felt like wading through mud, through every nightmare he had never allowed himself to imagine.

He reached her bedside and slowly extended his hand. His fingers trembled as he clasped Radha's cold hand gently, careful to touch not to touch the IV or hurt his child.

"Radha!" Mahir called out softly. His voice shook ever so slightly as he sat on the nearby stool, refusing to leave Radha's hand. "Yeh kya kar liya baccha? Yeh kya halat bana li aapni? (What have you done to yourself, baccha?)"

Never in his wildest dreams had he thought he would see Radha like this. A lump rose in his throat, thick and burning, impossible to swallow. Carefully, he leaned forward, pressing their joined hands to his forehead. His eyes stung, but he stayed still, refusing to shed a single tear.

"Bhaiya se itni naraz hai ki mujhe aise pareshan kar rahi hai? Ab mujhe chhod ke jaana chahti hai? (Are you so upset with your brother that you're troubling me like this? Now you want to leave me.)" He whispered his pain, and the only response was the machines echoing through the room.

Mahir looked at her with his teary eyes. What Arjun had informed to the doctor earlier... Suicide! Every fiber of his being shook at the mention of the word, a reality, the truth that was sinking in his heart like poison. His sister was so done fighting that she simply wanted to give up; she didn't even trust him that he would fight for her, that he wouldn't leave her like her parents did, like others did. She didn't trust him enough, and that hurt the most; shattering his heart piece by piece.

Reaching out, Mahir caressed her head tenderly, "Please get up, baacha." He said quietly, "Tu jaanti hai na mein aur tere bhai tere bina nahi rahe sakte. Humare liye hi uth jaa, Radha. Bss ek baar apne Bhaiya ki baat maan le, and I promise mein tujhe shikayat ka mauka kabhi bhi nahi dunga. (You know, right? Your brothers and I can't live without you. Get up for us, Radha… just this once, listen to your Bhaiya. I promise I'll never give you a reason to complain again.)"

He pleaded holding her hands is his, "I promise I will set everything right. Teri har problem ka solution hoga mere paas. Mein tujhe kabhi chhod ke nahi jaunga. Uth jaa, please Radha, tu jo bolegi mein vo karunga, baacha... Tu toh meri har baat sunti hai na... please bss ek aakhri baar apne Bhaiya ki baat maan le.... (I'll have a solution for every problem of yours. I will never ever leave you. Please wake up, Radha… I’ll do whatever you say, baccha. You always listen to me, don't you? Please… just this one last time, listen to your Bhaiya….)"

Mahir didn't even realize when his pleas turned into begging, imploring his sister to wake up and free him from the twisted pain gnawing at his soul. Radha was his sister, but more than that, she was his child in every sense. It didn't matter that Payal had nurtured her or that Raghav was her father; blood bonds aren't always real; a truth Mahir had witnessed with his own eyes.

Radha had always held a special place in his heart. While Mahir adored his brothers, his love for Radha was boundless. He knew how to be firm with his stubborn, thick-skinned brothers, but with Radha, he simply gave up. The "Polar Bear" and "Thor-Hand" his brothers teased him about, or even his sternest voice, were tools crafted solely for Arjun and Abhi. When it came to Radha, Mahir didn't know how to use them.

To outsiders, like his parents or even Radha’s own, his softness appeared to stem from pity. But only Mahir and his brothers knew it was pure love that guided his reactions. A single memory engraved in his soul, one that made him surrender to Radha like soft cotton candy every time.

Two-year-old Radha sat in the living room surrounded by toys, while sixteen-year-old Mahir sat before her, trying to capture his little princess's attention. But the little one ignored him, as busy as a bee.

"Chachi, when will she start speaking?" Mahir asked Payal.

Payal smiled sadly at her daughter. "Soon, beta... even I am waiting for that day," she whispered the last part to herself.

Her heart yearned to hear her daughter's words, to see her become the "yapper" every child her age usually is. But two years had passed, and Radha hadn't uttered a sound. Her husband barely looked at their daughter; as she was the girl child he had never wanted.

In fact, no one in the house was happy except for the brothers. Everyone had expected Raghav's first child to be a boy, someone to carry the legacy and the family name. Payal had accepted the reality of her situation, and at her husband's demand, she had begun to maintain a distance from her own two-year-old baby.

Even knowing how wrong it was, she couldn't bring herself to go against her in-laws or her husband. She had nowhere to go if they chose to throw her and Radha out. Her own parents, blinded by societal "ethics," would never take her back. So, eventually, she did exactly what she was told.

Neither did she have her own income like Sakshi, nor did she hold a job to cover her expenses, as it was against the Dhanrajgir family rules. The women of the house weren't allowed to be breadwinners. That was the cause of countless fights between Sakshi and her in-laws. The saving grace was that Ronit always supported his wife, even if it meant defying his parents, unlike Raghav, who only wanted his wife to obey foolish traditions.

Consequently, Mahir ended up taking care of Radha half the time. He was sixteen; a hot-headed teen, yet he was always polite around her. He kept his voice firm and sharp only when shielding Radha or taking a stand for her, as no one else in the house liked the attention Mahir and his brothers showered on the baby.

The reason Arjun, just a few years younger, and even the toddler Abhi listened to Mahir was the deep respect they had for their elder brother, who taught them right from wrong without fail. If not for Mahir, Payal was certain Arjun and Abhi would have become just like the rest of the family. She was grateful they weren't on that track and admired the bond the siblings shared.

Payal glanced at Radha. The baby wasn't receiving the typical affection a newborn gets from a mother or father, which was causing delays in her milestones. While most babies succeed in speaking and walking by fourteen months, it was taking Radha nearly double that time.

Mahir picked up a toy and shook it in front of the little one. "Radha, idhar dekh (Radha, look here)," he said in a baby voice.

Radha looked at him with her doe-like eyes and blinked.

"Bhaiya bol na, please? (Say Bhaiya, please...)" Mahir pleaded softly. He yearned to hear that word from her, just as he heard it from Abhi and Arjun.

Radha moved forward, crawling on her chubby hands to snatch her favorite toy from him. She was far more interested in playing than in doing what he wanted.

Mahir held the toy higher, just out of her reach. "No, first call me Bhaiya and I will give you this. I have taught you, baccha. Say Bhai...ya."

Little Radha gave him an indignant look.

"Aise mat dekh mujhe, bada bhai hoon main tera. Mujhe aankhen dikha rahi hai? So not fair! (Don't look at me like that; I am your elder brother. You're giving me attitude? So not fair!) Come on, call me Bhaiya and I will give you a chocolate." Desperate, he switched his approach to bribery, a tactic that usually worked wonders with his brothers.

Radha's lower lip quivered as she noticed Mahir moving the toy away again.

However, fearing the waterworks, Mahir quickly handed the toy back to her.

"Accha thik hai, rona mat abhi. (Okay fine, don't start crying now.) Call me whenever you want to," He  added immediately, feeling defeated as he leaned back against the couch.

He had been trying to teach Radha everything a baby needs to learn, but her refusal to give in left him discouraged. A few days ago, he had scoured the internet, reading article after article to check when babies typically start walking, talking, and eating.

The simpler way would have been to ask Sakshi or Payal directly, but the disinterest they showed toward Radha made him distance himself from them, and slowly from the rest of the family, except for his little brothers. He only hoped he would be lucky enough to hear "Bhaiya" from Radha soon.

The sadness on Mahir's face seemed to tug at the toddler’s heart. Slowly, she crawled forward again and settled comfortably in her brother's lap. Her tiny hands cradled his face, capturing his attention instantly.

"Bh— Bh..." Radha stammered with difficulty.

Mahir's eyes widened in surprise. He encouraged her gently, "Bhai...ya!"

"Bha..."

"Ya."

"BHAIYA!" Radha chirped, the word finally coming out in one go.

Arjun, who had just entered the room with Abhi in his arms, squealed in joy at his sister's first word. Even Payal’s eyes widened in shock. Where a mother had failed, a brother had succeeded. The reality was both bitter and sweet for her.

"Bhaiya!" Radha shrieked, growing annoyed now because Mahir sat as still as a stone, unmoving.

Mahir snapped out of his daze and pulled the baby closer to his chest, tucking her into his warmth. When his brothers called him that, Mahir felt a steady sense of responsibility; but when Radha said it, making it her very first word; it filled his heart with something so tender it brought tears to his eyes.

Mahir looked at Radha; now so pale and distressed, even in her unconscious state. This was the girl who was now ready to give up on herself, her life, her brothers, and even him. He had once vowed never to let her break. He had failed to fulfill the promise he made to himself, a truth that was agonizing to face, yet was the undeniable reality of the moment.

The sun hung low in the sky, spilling pale golden light through the windows. Late afternoon had arrived, yet nothing about the day felt like it was progressing. Time seemed to be suspended, frozen somewhere between yesterday's fear and today's unanswered prayers of three brothers.

Mahir and Arjun had taken turns sitting beside Radha throughout the night and day, while one of them stayed close to Abhi, who refused to go home until Radha opened her eyes.

The three brothers shared the same suffocating emotions: a fear that choked their breath, a guilt that burned under Arjun's skin, and a fragile, trembling hope that their little sister would wake up soon, putting an end to their suffering.

Mahir stepped out of the room, feeling defeated once again as Radha remained in the same condition. He looked at his brothers sitting on the bench; Arjun was sitting still with Abhi resting his head on his shoulder, both staring at the blank walls. Taking a deep breath, he composed himself and moved toward them.

The brothers rose to their feet the moment they saw Mahir. "Did she wake up?" Abhi asked, his voice agitated.

Mahir shook his head and looked at Arjun and Abhi simultaneously. "You both go home, change, have some breakfast, and come back."

Arjun shook his head immediately. "You haven't eaten anything since last night. You go with Abhi; I will wait here."

"I am fine. Tum dono jao aur..." (You two go and...)

"No, Bhaiya," Abhi cut him off. "You need to take care of yourself, Bhaiya. When Radha wakes up, she'll feel so bad seeing what you're doing to yourself. You didn't eat anything all day yesterday. First, you have to eat something. Maine aur Bhaiyu ne raat mein aapki baat maani na, ab aap please hamari baat suniye. (Bhaiyu and I listened to you last night, right? Now please, listen to us.)"

Arjun nodded. "Please Bhaiya, kuch toh kha lijiye. Nahi toh aapki tabiyat kharab ho jaayegi. (Please Bhaiya, eat something. Otherwise, you'll fall sick.)"

"I said I'm fine." Mahir's voice turned stern. "Do what I said…"

"Aur humne bhi aapse kuch kaha hai, Bhaiya. (And we also asked something of you, Bhaiya,)" Arjun interjected firmly. "Agar aapko hamari parwah karne ka haq hai, toh humein bhi aapki chinta karne ka haq hai. Jo aap kar rahe hain, you will end up falling sick right beside Radha. Kyun aap... (If you have the right to worry about us, then we have the right to worry about you too. With what you're doing, you will end up falling sick beside Radha. Why are you...)" He stopped abruptly as he saw his parents approaching, and his eyes hardened.

Mahir noticed the change in his expression and turned, only to sigh tiredly. He had enough on his plate and was least interested in dealing with his mother.

"Why didn't any of you inform us about Radhika?" Ronit demanded as he approached his sons, his voice breaking the heavy silence.

"How did you even find out about Radha?" Arjun snapped back before he could stop himself, his tone sharp and defensive, eyes glinting with restrained rage. "You didn't even know until now, right? So how did you suddenly remember you have a daughter in the house to care about?" The words sliced through the air.

"That doesn't matter," Ronit cut in sharply. He had discovered the truth through the guards and whispers around the mansion, details his sons had refused to tell him. The realization that they had vanished from home, and that Mahir had returned from Singapore after canceling a meeting without a word, had worsened his panic until he finally got the news.

"I had to hear from outsiders that Radhika had an accident and was in the hospital." His voice rose, every word laced with disbelief. "Do you have any idea what that felt like? That none of my own children thought about telling me something so serious was happening in the family?"

"The situation Radha is in right now… is it because of something I don't know?" Mahir asked, stepping forward. His tone was calm, but his heart pounded in his chest. Doubt gnawed at him; he desperately hoped his parents had nothing to do with Radha's condition.

Ronit looked at him, startled, suddenly unable to meet his son's eyes as the previous day’s incident flashed through his mind like a grim reminder.

Before he could speak, Sakshi scoffed and crossed her arms. "That girl is a coward," she snapped, her voice cold and unyielding. "She ran away because she couldn't handle a little scolding for her own deeds. First, she cheated on her exams, and when we tried to correct her mistakes, she walked out of the house. Now, here she is in the hospital, pretending to be some helpless victim. Whatever happened to her, she brought it upon herself."

The room went still. The brothers stared at her in disbelief, their eyes widening at every word.

"What did you say to her?" Arjun demanded, his voice rising, sharp and cutting through the silence.

Sakshi's eyes flashed with annoyance. "The truth," she hissed. "She cheated, and we found out. I only told her how wrong it was, how shameful it is to lie and deceive. Even after all that, the girl refused to admit her mistakes and talked back. So, what did she got in return? The results are right in front of your eyes."

Arjun took a step forward, his fury barely contained, but Mahir gripped his wrist, stopping him. Arjun froze, feeling the silent command in his brother's hold.

Mahir didn't even look at him; his gaze was locked firmly on his father. "Before leaving, we made a deal, Dad," His voice was firm. "Did you forget that legally, I'm Radha's guardian now? Or did you simply forget to mention it to Mom?"

Sakshi blinked, startled. "What nonsense are you talking about?" she demanded, glaring between her husband and son.

Ronit's expression faltered for the first time in his life before his son. "I…" he started, but the words withered on his tongue. He had nothing to defend himself with.

Mahir shook his head, disappointed. "You forgot your deal, Dad." He took a step back, his eyes hardening, as did his tone. "So now, I'll forget mine. Once Radha is fine… I'll do exactly what I said I would."

Ronit went pale. For the first time, real fear crossed his face. He reached forward, clutching Mahir's arm desperately. "No, Mahir… you can't do that."

Mahir didn't flinch at the plea. His eyes were cold, unreadable, and filled with a restrained rage Ronit had never seen before.

Ronit's grip tightened as panic surged within him. He couldn't let this happen. He couldn't lose Mahir, his eldest son, the one who held the family and the business together. Arjun had no interest in the company, and Abhi was too young and too idealistic. They both looked up to Mahir and followed his lead.

If Mahir left with Radha, the other two would follow without hesitation. Ronit knew his sons well enough to see the future unfolding in front of him: a home stripped of legacy, slipping through his fingers. He could control Abhi through the courts, as the boy was still a minor, but the boy would only grow to hate him, unlike Arjun, who listened only to Mahir and no one else. In a way, he would lose all his sons, his only support in his old age, and he couldn't afford that.

For the first time in his life, Ronit Dhanrajgir realized that the empire he had built and the control he prided himself on were now at the mercy of his son, the very son who was ready to walk away from him.

"We will talk about this at home," Ronit said, trying to sound firm, but his tone betrayed him; it trembled with uncertainty. His eyes met Mahir's, and what he saw there made his voice falter even more.

The quiet resolve on his son's face was unshakable. "We can talk about this once Radha is fine," he added, his voice softening into something resembling a request.

Sakshi immediately opened her mouth, ready to argue, but Ronit turned to her sharply. His eyes, usually calm and filled with love for her, flashed with a rare warning that made her freeze. It was only the second time she had seen him like that. She fell silent, confusion and disbelief crossing her features. Her husband, who had always stood by her, was suddenly acting completely out of character.

The doctor stepped out of the ICU, capturing their attention. With a clipboard clutched in her hand, her expression was grim as her eyes swept over the brothers.

"As I mentioned yesterday," she began quietly, "we need her to wake up soon."

All three brothers straightened, every muscle in their bodies going tense.

"There's no visible change in her condition," the doctor continued, glancing down at her notes before looking up again. "Except for a slight decrease in her neurological fluctuations. Even though her body is reacting to the medication slowly, it's not a positive sign until she opens her eyes. It's already been over fourteen hours since she lost consciousness. If she doesn't wake up within the next few hours, the risk of her slipping into a coma will increase significantly. And if that happens… there won't be much I can do."

Her voice softened as she looked at them. "It's like her mind has… given up. Physically, she's trying to stabilize, but mentally, it feels as if she doesn't want to wake up. It's as if something inside her is holding her back."

Arjun's throat tightened. Abhi's fingers clenched into fists as the three brothers stood rigid, letting the doctor's words sink in, words they desperately didn't want to hear.

As the doctor walked away down the corridor, Mahir stood still for a long moment, collecting the fragments of composure left within him. His jaw tightened. When he finally turned, the exhaustion in his expression was masked by a layer of quiet determination.

He looked at his parents, his tone low but unwavering. "If we need anything, we'll inform you. For now, I think you both should head back home."

Sakshi opened her mouth to protest again, but Ronit caught her hand. He could see that this was neither the time nor the place to argue with Mahir. Without saying much, he nodded. "Alright. Call us if anything is needed."

He took Sakshi's hand and guided her toward the elevator. She tried to resist, but Ronit's grip tightened, not harshly, but firmly enough to signal that there was no space for her theatrics here.

Ronit knew Mahir's silence was dangerous; it was too calm, too restrained. "Angry" didn’t even begin to describe it. What burned behind those quiet eyes was beyond rage; it was disappointment laced with grief. And Ronit realized that was far harder to deal with than fury.

Mahir had always had a knack for putting his siblings’ emotions first. He kept his own feelings on a tight leash, a place where no one was allowed to enter, not even his parents.

Even though there was a time when Mahir had let Ronit in, things took a drastic turn after Radha's birth. Ronit had eventually made peace with his son's choices, letting him be the elder brother he wanted to be for Radha and the boys.

But in doing so, as Ronit stepped back feeling betrayed by his son's choices, he forgot that Mahir was also a human who needed someone to hold onto. It was Ronit's failure as a father, and he couldn't even undo the damage now; the bridge to mend their bond was broken so badly that it seemed beyond repair.

He wasn't sure how to fix what was already shattered, so he considered resorting to something he never had before: a father's pleading. Perhaps that could make his sons listen when authority no longer could. But as he walked away, he wasn't sure even that would work on Mahir anymore.

Once their parents disappeared from sight, the air seemed to grow still again. The hum of the hospital lights filled the silence.

Mahir turned toward his brothers, his tone clipped but calm. "I'll be back within a few hours. Stay here. If anything is needed, if the doctor calls or if there's even a small change, you let me know immediately."

Arjun frowned, worry flickering in his eyes. "Bhaiya, where are you...?"

"I will be back soon." With that, Mahir turned on his heel and walked down the corridor. His footsteps echoed softly against the cold floor, fading into the distance.

Arjun and Abhi exchanged a glance heavy with unspoken fear. They didn't know where their brother was going, but they had seen the determined glint in his eyes and could only hope that everything would be fine soon.

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