The ballroom of The Imperial Grand Hotel glittered like a scene straight out of a Bollywood awards night.
Crystal chandeliers hung from the ceiling, golden lights reflected against marble floors, and Delhi’s richest families moved around in designer outfits while waiters carried trays of expensive drinks.
Dr. Aanya Mehra wanted to leave.Immediately.
She adjusted the sleeves of her simple navy-blue kurti for the fifth time and checked her phone.Three missed calls from the hospital. One message from a junior doctor.
Emergency case came. Call when free.
Aanya sighed.😔
Beside her, Tara Kapoor stuffed an entire mini pastry into her mouth dramatically.
“Why do rich people make food so tiny?” Tara complained. “I ate six of these and somehow I’m still hungry.”🤤
Aanya stared at her.
“You came here for free food?”
“I came here for networking,” Tara corrected proudly. “The free food is a bonus.”
Tara worked as a celebrity stylist and somehow knew half the people in Delhi’s elite circles. She had forced Aanya to attend tonight’s charity gala after threatening to stop speaking to her for a week.
Honestly, the silence would’ve been peaceful.
“Relax,” Tara continued while fixing her glossy hair. “Maybe tonight you’ll accidentally fall in love with a billionaire.”
Aanya deadpanned.😑
“The only thing I’m falling in love with is sleep.”
A loud applause suddenly echoed across the ballroom.
People immediately turned toward the stage.
Tara gasped dramatically.
“Oh my God.”😱
A tall man walked toward the podium wearing a perfectly tailored black suit.
Aarav Khanna - CEO of Khanna Global.India’s youngest billionaire.The man practically carried an aura around him — calm, intimidating, powerful.
Women openly stared. Men looked nervous around him.Meanwhile Aarav looked completely uninterested in everyone.
“That,” Tara whispered emotionally, “is the face of generational wealth.”
Aanya rolled her eyes.“He looks tired.”
Tara blinked slowly.“You looked at *that man* and decided he looks tired?”
“He does.” And he really did. Even from far away, Aarav’s face looked exhausted beneath the sharp perfection. His jaw remained tight, his shoulders stiff, like he hadn’t relaxed in years.He reached the podium and adjusted the microphone.
“Good evening, everyone.”His deep voice instantly silenced the room.
Aanya hated how attractive that voice sounded.
“As many of you know,” Aarav continued smoothly, “the Khanna Foundation’s new healthcare initiative aims to—”He suddenly stopped.
The room frowned in confusion.Aarav’s hand gripped the podium tightly.His breathing changed.Aanya immediately straightened.
Something was wrong. Very wrong.
A glass slipped from Aarav’s hand and shattered across the stage.
Gasps spread across the ballroom.For one second, Aarav looked disoriented.Then he collapsed.
Chaos exploded instantly.People screamed.Someone shouted for security.A woman nearly fainted herself.
Tara grabbed Aanya’s arm.“Aanya—”But Aanya was already moving. Doctor mode activated instantly.
She pushed through the crowd quickly.“Move aside!”Security guards surrounded Aarav nervously while guests panicked around them.Aanya dropped beside him on the floor.
“Give him space,” she ordered sharply.Nobody argued.She checked his pulse.
Weak.Irregular.His breathing was unstable.
“Call an ambulance NOW!”One manager stammered nervously, “Y-yes, ma’am.”
Aanya loosened Aarav’s collar slightly and checked his responsiveness.“Aarav? Can you hear me?”His eyelids moved faintly.Dark eyes met hers for half a second.Even barely conscious, his gaze felt intense.Then his eyes closed again.
The ballroom suddenly felt unbearably loud.“Sir!” someone panicked.“Why isn’t he waking up?”“Somebody do something!”
Aanya turned coldly toward the crowd.“If you want to help,” she snapped, “stop screaming.”
Instant silence.
Tara watched from nearby trying not to look terrified.
Aanya focused completely on Aarav. His heartbeat felt dangerously irregular beneath her fingers.
Stress, Overexhaustion, Maybe worse.
The ambulance sirens finally echoed outside the hotel. Thank God. Paramedics rushed inside.
“What happened?”“Possible cardiac episode,” Aanya replied quickly. “Pulse irregular. He collapsed suddenly during speech.”The paramedic nodded immediately.
“Are you a doctor?”
“Yes. Cardiac surgeon.”
They carefully lifted Aarav onto the stretcher.
For a brief moment, Aarav’s hand weakly grabbed Aanya’s wrist.
She froze.
His eyes opened slightly again.Confused.Exhausted.Vulnerable.
And then he whispered something so quietly she almost missed it.“Don’t let them… cancel tomorrow’s meeting.”
Aanya stared at him in disbelief.This man was half-conscious and still thinking about work.
Unbelievable, Absolutely unbelievable.
The ambulance doors shut.And without realizing it, Dr. Aanya Mehra’s life changed completely that night.
.
.
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Before you continue reading…Tell me honestly —Who do you think will fall first?Aarav or Aanya? 👀
And most importantly…Which Khanna brother would absolutely ruin your life but you’d still say thank you? 😭
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