Serene Hope Hospital. 7:02 PM.
The corridors were quieter than usual, the kind of quiet that made your skin crawl.
Dr. Vashti Dhiman walked with purpose. Her ponytail bounced with every step. Her eyes? War-ready.
She was heading straight to Dr. Maya Kapoor's office.
And this time, she wasn't knocking.
---
Maya looked up as the door burst open. Calm, polished, the kind of woman who always wore perfection like perfume.
Too calm.
"Vashti?" she smiled. "Everything okay?"
"No," Vashti said flatly, shutting the door behind her. "We need to talk."
"Of course. Sit down—"
"No." Arms crossed. Gaze sharp. "Why did I get a message warning me about you?"
Maya's smile faltered. "Message?"
"Don't act dumb," Vashti snapped. "Someone's sending photos of me and Shabd. Threatening our careers. Then your name shows up."
A flicker in Maya's eyes—guilt? Or panic?
"I didn't send anything," Maya said too smoothly. "Maybe someone's trying to turn us against each other."
"Funny," Vashti said, stepping forward. "Because Armaan says you've been digging into us. Reporting things."
Maya's calm cracked. "You believe him?"
"I believe facts. And I want the truth—now."
Silence.
Then Maya sighed, dropping the act like a coat slipping off her shoulders.
"You always got everything, Vashti," she said, voice low. "Top of the class. Fastest promotion. Him."
Vashti's eyes narrowed. "You tried to sabotage me over jealousy?"
"I just wanted a little of what you had," Maya hissed. "He liked you the second you returned. You could've had anyone—why him?"
"Because he's mine," Vashti said fiercely. "And I'll fight for him."
Maya stepped back. "I didn't send the messages. But someone else did. Someone bigger than me."
"Who?"
"I don't know his real name," she whispered. "But he calls himself 'Dr. R.' He said if I helped keep tabs on you, he'd help my career."
Vashti froze.
"Dr. R?"
"He's been inside Serene Hope longer than either of us. And he's watching all of us."
---
Elsewhere in the hospital…
Shabd sat alone in the on-call room. Vashti had just messaged him:
> "Maya admitted she's part of it. But she's scared of a man called Dr. R."
He didn't get time to process it.
His phone rang.
Unknown Number.
He picked up, wary. "Hello?"
A low, distorted voice replied:
"If she keeps digging, you'll both lose more than just your jobs. We're everywhere, Dr. Heer."
Click.
His hands trembled.
Whatever this was—it wasn't just about jealousy anymore.
It was war.
---