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Anvika's POV

The operation theatre smelled like blood and antiseptic. The sound of the heart monitor—a steady, rhythmic beep—echoed in my ears as I worked the scalpel with practiced precision. Every movement was meticulous, each second heavy with the weight of the life lying on the table.

Just a little more.

Twelve hours. Twelve grueling hours had passed since I first picked up the scalpel. I could feel the exhaustion in my bones, my shoulders aching from standing so long. Sweat clung to my skin beneath the scrubs, but I couldn’t let my hands falter. Not now.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, the heart monitor’s rhythm stabilized. The patient was alive. Relief spread through my chest like a flood, forcing out the weight of fear. I stepped back, my hands trembling slightly as I lowered the tools. The team looked at me—equally drained, yet triumphant.

“Good work, everyone,” I whispered, forcing a smile through my exhaustion.

As soon as I walked out of the OT, the air felt heavier—warmer. My limbs dragged like lead as I changed into clean clothes. My white coat felt heavier than usual.

“Are you done?”

Kriti’s voice jolted me out of my thoughts as she barged into my cabin, her arms crossed and brows pinched in false annoyance.

“Yes. I just need to check on the others. Then I’ll leave, I promise.” I smiled faintly, trying to reassure her.

“You better,” she huffed. “I swear, Anvika, you’ll drop dead one day in this hospital. Yesterday you didn’t go home either. Don’t think I didn’t notice.”

“Alright, ma’am,” I teased, managing a small laugh. “I’ll go straight home. Happy now?”

But even as I said it, I knew the routine wouldn’t change. A doctor’s job never ended, and tonight was no different.

It was late evening by the time I finally left the hospital. The cold wind hit my face the moment I stepped outside, stinging my skin and sending a shiver down my spine. I pulled my coat tighter and took a deep breath, my breath fogging in the air.

The parking lot was almost empty, the streetlights flickering ominously above me. Shadows pooled under the cars, the kind that made my steps quicken just a little.

I muttered to myself as I reached my car, “Hot chocolate. Bed. That’s it. You deserve it, Anvika.”

I pressed the key to unlock the door, my fingers trembling slightly from fatigue. But before I could pull the handle—

Something clamped over my mouth.

The world spun violently. I couldn’t scream. I couldn’t fight. Strong arms shoved me backward, and my body crashed onto cold leather. The door slammed shut, muffling any noise I tried to make. My head hit the side of the car, pain exploding behind my eyes.

What’s happening?

Panic roared through me like a hurricane. My wrists burned as they were tied together, ropes biting into my skin. My chest heaved as I struggled to breathe.

I blinked through tears, trying to focus on the silhouettes in the front seat—men, dark and faceless.

“Let me go!” My scream came out muffled, the tape over my mouth silencing me.

The car jerked forward. The tires screeched against the pavement as we sped out of the parking lot. I thrashed against my restraints, the ropes digging deeper into my skin. The windows were tinted, blocking the outside world from view.

Who are they? Why me?

Minutes felt like hours before the car finally came to a stop.

The door flung open, and freezing air hit my face as hands grabbed me again. I whimpered as I was yanked out, my shoes scraping against the gravel.

The first thing I saw was the fire.

Flames danced in the oil lamps that lined the steps of what looked like an ancient temple. The structure loomed in front of me, old and forgotten. Its silence was suffocating, the kind that made my heartbeat echo loudly in my ears.

Where am I?

My captors pulled the tape from my mouth, and I gasped for air, my lungs burning. Before I could scream for help, I saw him.

A man stood at the temple’s entrance.

Dressed in a black three-piece suit, he looked as though he belonged to the darkness itself. The flames flickered in his eyes—sharp, cruel, and predatory. His lips curved into a slow, dangerous smile as he stepped forward, each movement precise, deliberate.

I couldn’t look away.

“Welcome, Anvika.”

His voice was calm, too calm, and it sent a chill down my spine. My body froze. How did he know my name?

The man—whoever he was—stopped just inches away. His presence was suffocating, his height towering over me like a shadow I couldn’t escape. His hand lifted, and before I could recoil, his fingers brushed against my face. He tucked a stray strand of hair behind my ear, his touch deceptively gentle.

“Let me go,” I whispered, my voice hoarse and trembling.

His smile widened, but it didn’t reach his eyes. “You’re not going anywhere, doctor.”

I tried to take a step back, but he grabbed my wrist—firm, unyielding. My breath caught in my throat.

“Start the ceremony,” he ordered, his voice low and icy.

I glanced around, my gaze landing on an old priest being dragged forward. The man’s hands shook as he opened his book, his eyes darting nervously between us.

“P-please, this isn’t right,” the priest stammered. “She… she doesn’t want this—”

The gunshot rang out before I could process what was happening.

I screamed as the priest collapsed to the ground, blood pooling beneath him as he clutched his shoulder.

“Stop!” I choked out, tears stinging my eyes.

The man—Rivansh, they called him—sighed, his expression cold and bored as he lowered the gun. “I hate people who waste my time.”

He turned to me then, his dark gaze pinning me in place. One of his men handed him a sleek velvet box and a crisp stack of papers.

Rivansh thrust them into my trembling hands.

“Sign the marriage certificate. Wear the ring.” His voice dropped to a lethal whisper. “Or face the consequences.”

I stared at him, my vision blurring through tears. “You’re insane…”

His fingers gripped my chin, forcing me to look up at him. His face was close—too close—and his eyes burned with something far more dangerous than anger.

“You’ll find, soon,” he murmured, his tone laced with menace, “I never take no for an answer.”

My body trembled violently. I glanced at the ring, the papers, the blood on the temple floor.

It felt like I have no choice.