The morning after the chase felt heavy, like the air before a monsoon storm. Ranveer sat in his Anatomy lecture, but the professor's voice was nothing more than a dull hum in the background. His eyes were fixed on the textbook, yet his mind was replaying the glare of those SUV headlights.
Who was it? His father's reaction suggested he knew something, but the aggression of the driver felt different. It felt personal.
As the lecture ended, Ranveer gathered his things. He needed a plan. He couldn't just wait for the next disaster to strike. He walked toward the college library, the one place where he could think in peace. But as he turned the corner near the locker rooms, he saw a figure leaning against the wall, tossing a coin.
Ranveer stopped. The air in his lungs suddenly felt thin.
"Long time no see, Rank One," the boy said, catching the coin with a sharp clack.
It was Aryan.
Aryan had been the "Third Pillar" of Bhagat Singh Academy. While Ranveer and Sweety were busy fighting for the top spot, Aryan was the one who always came third—the one who was forgotten, the one who lived in their shadows for twelve years. He had moved away in the final months of Grade 12, but here he was, standing in Ranveer's new college, wearing an expensive leather jacket and a smirk that didn't reach his eyes.
"Aryan? What are you doing here?" Ranveer asked, his voice guarded.
"I'm a transfer student. My dad has...
connections," Aryan said, pushing off the wall. He walked toward Ranveer, his eyes scanning him with a cold intensity. "I heard about the fire last year. Heroic stuff, Ranveer. Saving the girl, winning the crown. It's like a movie."
Ranveer narrowed his eyes. "If you're here to talk about old times, I'm busy."
"Oh, I'm not here for nostalgia," Aryan whispered, leaning in. "I'm here to tell you that some people don't like seeing you and Sweety together. Your fathers? They're old school. They talk. And my dad... well, he listens. You should be careful, Ranveer. The road at night can be very dangerous for a scooty."
The blood drained from Ranveer's face. The SUV. The aggressive driving. The way they were found at the cliffside. It wasn't just his father—it was Aryan's father, working as an "informant" to keep the two families "pure" and focused on their careers. Aryan wasn't just a classmate; he was a spy.
The Desperate Counter-Move
Ranveer didn't give Aryan the satisfaction of a reaction. He pushed past him, his heart thundering. He realized now that he wasn't just fighting a distance; he was fighting a network.
He locked himself in a study carrel and opened his laptop. He had heard about a prestigious "Inter-College Medical Research Program." It was a grueling three-month internship that took place at the City General Hospital—the very hospital where Sweety's college sent its students for practicals.
It was a long shot. The program only accepted the top 5% of students from across the state. If he got in, he would be in the same building as Sweety for eight hours a day. His parents couldn't object to a
"prestigious internship," and Aryan couldn't follow him into a secure surgical ward.
But he had to get in. And he had to do it without his father finding out until the last minute.
For the next week, Ranveer became a ghost.
He stopped going to cafes with Rohan; he stopped scrolling through social media. He spent every waking hour in the library, his desk buried under piles of research papers and advanced pathology books. His eyes were bloodshot, his coffee intake was lethal, but he had a fire in his soul. Every time his eyelids grew heavy, he remembered the scent of jasmine in Sweety's hair and the taste of the salt on her lips.
'I will get to you, Sweety,' he vowed. 'No matter how many spies they set on us.'
Sweety's Silent Struggle
Across the city, Sweety was living her own nightmare. Her father had become a silent shadow. He didn't yell anymore, which was worse. He simply watched. He waited for her at the gate every day. He checked her journals.
But he didn't know about the new phone.
Every night, under the safety of her blanket, Sweety would turn on the device Ranveer had gifted her. The glow of the screen was her only light in the dark. She saw his message about the "Ghost from the past" and her heart sank. She knew exactly who he meant. Aryan had sent her a request on social media just two days ago.
She typed back with trembling fingers: "I saw Aryan too. He's here, Ranveer. He's telling our parents everything. I'm scared, but I'm not giving up. I'm studying for the General Hospital rotation. If I make the list, I'll be there in three weeks. Please tell me you're coming too."
She didn't send it immediately. she stared at the words. She realized that for the first time in her life, she wasn't studying to be the best.
She was studying to be with him. The "War of the Red Ink" had evolved into a "War for Love."
The Results of the Risk
Two weeks later, the list for the Research Program was posted on the central university portal.
Ranveer stood in the computer lab, his breath hitching as the page loaded with agonizing slowness. His eyes scanned the names in alphabetical order.
P... Q... R...
Ranveer Malhotra.
He let out a silent scream of triumph. He had made it. He looked further down the list, his heart stopping as he reached the 'S' section.
Sweety Vardhan.
They were both in. For three months, they would be under the same roof.
The Confrontation at Home
That evening, Ranveer sat at the dinner table. His father was reading the newspaper, the air thick with the usual tension.
"Papa," Ranveer said, his voice calm and professional. "I've been selected for the Inter-College Research Internship at City General. It's the highest honor for a first-year student. I start Monday."
His father lowered the paper. There was a flicker of pride in his eyes—a pride he tried to hide behind his stern demeanor. "City General? That's quite far. You'll have to take the train every day."
"I don't mind the travel, Papa. It's for my career," Ranveer said, looking his father straight in the eye.
His father nodded slowly. "Good. Focus on the medicine. Stay away from distractions. I've heard Aryan's father say that the city is full of bad influences these days."
Ranveer felt a surge of cold fury at the mention of Aryan's father, but he kept his face a mask of stone. "I only care about my future, Papa. Trust me."
As he walked to his room, Ranveer felt a sense of grim victory. He had used the very thing his father worshipped—academic success—to build a bridge to the girl he was forbidden to see.
The Hospital Hallways
Monday morning arrived. The City General Hospital was a labyrinth of white corridors, the smell of antiseptic, and the constant rush of gurneys. Ranveer stood in the lobby, wearing his white lab coat, his stethoscope around his neck. He looked like the doctor he was destined to be.
He checked his watch. The orientation was in five minutes in the main auditorium.
He walked through the crowded lobby, his eyes searching. And then, he saw her.
Sweety was standing near the elevators, talking to a group of interns. She looked professional, her hair tied in her signature neat ponytail, her lab coat crisp and clean.
But when she turned and caught sight of him, her professional mask shattered.
Her eyes filled with a sudden, overwhelming light. She didn't run to him—they were in public, and the "Ghost" could be anywhere—but she tilted her head and gave him a small, secret smile.
Ranveer felt a rush of adrenaline. They were back in the same arena. But this time, they weren't fighting for a rank. They were fighting for a life together.
As they walked into the auditorium, Ranveer felt a hand on his shoulder. He turned around, expecting Rohan or a professor.
Instead, he saw Aryan. He was wearing a lab coat too.
"Surprise," Aryan whispered, his smirk wider than ever. "Did you really think I'd let the 'Top Two' have all the fun without me? This internship is going to be... unforgettable."
Ranveer's grip on his notebook tightened. The war hadn't moved to the hospital—it had just become much more dangerous.
💝Author's Note:💝
> The Stakes are Rising! 🏥🔥
> Ranveer and Sweety are finally under one roof, but so is their greatest enemy! Will Aryan ruin their secret meetings, or will the hospital's chaos give them the cover they need? If you want to see Ranveer protect Sweety in the wards, Add to Library and drop those Power Stones now! Next chapter: The Midnight Shift! 💎📚