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The world outside could burn — Veeresh Deewan wouldn’t care.

For him, everything began and ended with the woman lying unconscious in that hospital bed.

Days had blurred into nights. The underworld king who once terrified nations now lived inside a cold, sterile room, his chair permanently fixed beside Poornima’s bed. He hadn’t shaved, hadn’t eaten properly, and refused to leave even when his men begged.

The rhythmic beep of the monitor was the only sound that kept him sane.

The door opened, and the doctor stepped in cautiously. He was used to seeing fear in Veeresh’s eyes — but today, he saw something else: pure desperation.

> “Doctor,” Veeresh said, his voice deep and steady, but beneath it lay exhaustion.

“Tell me the truth. What’s her condition now?”

The doctor sighed, pulling the chart closer.

> “We managed to remove both remaining bullets successfully, Mr. Deewan. She’s stable for now… but she’s still not out of danger. The head injury caused swelling in her brain. We can’t say when she’ll regain consciousness — or if she will.”

The silence that followed was suffocating.

Veeresh clenched his fists, his knuckles white.

> “She will,” he said quietly, the certainty in his tone sending a chill down the doctor’s spine.

“She’s stubborn. She’ll fight it. She always does.”

The doctor nodded respectfully and left, understanding that no words could comfort a man like Veeresh.

Veeresh stood and walked to Poornima’s side.

Her face was pale, her lips dry, but she looked peaceful — like she was only sleeping. He gently brushed her hair away from her bandage and sat down again, lowering his head close to hers.

> “Ruby,” he whispered. “You hear that? They said you’re still in danger. That means you’re fighting. That’s my girl.”

He exhaled shakily, his thumb tracing small circles over her wrist.

> “You told me once that you’ll never leave halfway… that forever means forever. So keep that promise, Ruby. Wake up. I don’t care how long it takes.”

His voice softened, breaking with emotion.

> “I’ll deal with Simon later. I’ll destroy him when the time comes. But right now, my only war is with fate — to make you open your eyes again.”

He leaned forward, pressing a kiss to her hand, whispering against her skin —

> “Come back to me, Ruby. Please…”

And for the first time since the bullets were fired, Veeresh closed his eyes and prayed — not as a don, not as a ruler — but as a man who had finally found something worth losing everything for.