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AUTHOR'S POV

The hospital corridors were quieter at this hour, save for the occasional beeping of machines and the soft murmurs of night-shift nurses. Veer hadn't planned on being here this late, but an important meeting nearby had wrapped up early, and somehow, his car had found its way to the hospital parking lot. He wouldn't admit that he was here to check on her—not even to himself.

But the moment he stepped inside, his sharp gaze landed on her.

Naina sat at the nurses' station, her head lowered over a stack of patient files. Her hair was slightly messy, strands falling loose from the bun she had tied hours ago. A faint crease formed between her brows, and her pen dangled from her fingers as if she had dozed off mid-sentence.

Veer's jaw tightened.

She looked exhausted.

His hands instinctively curled into fists as an unfamiliar frustration stirred in his chest. How could she be so careless about herself? Did she even realize how pale she looked?

He took slow, deliberate steps toward her. The closer he got, the more details he noticed—her delicate features softened by sleep, the way she shivered slightly in the cold air, and the faint dark circles beneath her eyes.

A sigh escaped his lips before he even realized it.

This woman...

She was impossible.

His fingers twitched, torn between walking away and doing something he never would for anyone else. Logic told him to leave, to not get involved. But something stronger—something dangerous—kept him rooted to the spot.

With a controlled breath, he slipped off his coat.

The fabric was warm from his body heat, expensive, tailored—completely out of place on her. And yet, he carefully draped it over her shoulders, making sure it covered her properly.

Naina stirred slightly but didn't wake.

For a fleeting moment, Veer allowed himself to look at her—really look at her.

There was something about her in this vulnerable state that made his chest tighten, something about the way she trusted the world enough to fall asleep like this, unguarded.

Something about the way she made his carefully built walls feel like glass.

His expression hardened.

This was nothing.

Just a moment of irrational concern.

Shoving his hands into his pockets, he turned on his heels and walked away, disappearing into the shadows of the dimly lit corridor.

Morning came too soon.

Naina blinked against the harsh fluorescent lights, stretching slightly as she sat up. The files in front of her were neatly stacked now—had she done that in her sleep? She didn't remember.

But the second she moved, something heavy slipped from her shoulders.

Her fingers caught the thick, luxurious fabric before it could fall to the floor.

Her brows furrowed in confusion as she lifted it up.

A coat?

Not just any coat—a black, finely stitched, obviously expensive one.

Her heart skipped a beat.

It smelled faintly of musk and spice, a scent frustratingly familiar.

Veer.

The realization sent a wave of warmth through her, followed by a rush of disbelief.

No. No way.

There had to be another explanation. Maybe a kind nurse had seen her sleeping and covered her up. Maybe she was imagining things because her brain was still foggy from exhaustion.

But deep down, she knew.

And that knowledge sent her world tilting slightly off balance.

Why would he do this?

This was the same man who looked at her like she was an irritation he had to tolerate. The same man who had ignored her for days after that overheard conversation. The same man who—

"Naina?"

A familiar, playful voice pulled her out of her thoughts.

Naina turned to see Priya, her best friend and fellow doctor, standing with a knowing smirk, arms crossed over her chest.

Priya's eyes immediately dropped to the coat clutched in Naina's hands, and her smirk widened. "Well, well... what do we have here?"

Naina's heart skipped a beat. "It's... nothing."

Priya raised an eyebrow. "Oh really? Because that 'nothing' looks like an expensive, men's coat." She leaned in, pretending to inspect it closely. "And if I'm not mistaken... it smells expensive too. Very... powerful CEO vibes."

Naina's grip on the coat tightened. "Priya, stop it."

Priya gasped dramatically. "Wait a minute! Don't tell me—" Her eyes sparkled mischievously. "Is this Veer Malhotra's coat?"

"Shhh!" Naina panicked, looking around to make sure no one had overheard. "It's not what you think."

"Oh? So you're telling me the cold, ruthless, emotionally constipated Mr. Malhotra suddenly decided to lend you his coat out of pure generosity?"

Naina opened her mouth to argue but found herself speechless. Because... what was she supposed to say?

Priya grinned. "Interesting... Very interesting."

"Priya," Naina groaned. "I don't even know how I got it."

"Uh-huh. Sure. Maybe it magically flew onto your shoulders while you were sleeping?" Priya teased, wiggling her brows.

"I was exhausted last night, and when I woke up, it was just... there."

Priya's teasing expression softened just a little. "Wait, so you're saying he saw you sleeping... and instead of waking you up or just walking away, he covered you with his own coat?"

Naina blinked, lips parting slightly. When Priya put it like that, it sounded even more...

Personal.

Intimate in a way Veer Malhotra should never be.

Priya let out a low whistle. "Damn. The mighty Veer Malhotra, who supposedly doesn't care about anyone, just proved himself a liar."

Naina bit her lip, trying to ignore the strange warmth spreading in her chest.

Priya nudged her. "So? Are you gonna return it?"

"I— I should, right?"

Priya smirked. "Should you? Or do you want to keep it?"

Naina's face turned red. "Priya!"

"Hey, I'm just saying! If a man like him did something like this... maybe he's not as heartless as he pretends to be."

Naina looked down at the coat in her hands, running her fingers over the soft fabric.

For once, she didn't have a response.

Because Priya's words had planted a thought in her mind—one she wasn't ready to face.

That maybe... just maybe...

Veer Malhotra wasn't as unaffected as he wanted her to believe.

Before she could give any response to priya, a familiar presence filled the air.

Veer.

As if summoned by her thoughts, he walked past them, his usual unreadable expression in place. He didn't even spare her a glance, completely unaffected by the storm raging inside her.

For a second, Naina hesitated.

Then, acting purely on instinct, she took a step forward.

"Mr. Malhotra."

Priya's eyebrows shot up in surprise, but she stayed silent, watching.

Veer halted.

Slowly, he turned his head toward her, his dark eyes as sharp as ever. "Dr. Sharma."

The way he said it—cool, composed, distant—made something inside her twist.

She held up the coat, gripping it tighter than necessary. "You forgot this."

Veer's gaze flickered to the coat, then back to her face.

A beat of silence.

Then—

"I don't forget things, Dr. Sharma," he said smoothly.

Naina blinked. Priya's mouth almost dropped open.

What?

She felt Priya nudge her in stunned disbelief, but she was too focused on Veer's impassive expression to react.

"...What?" she said blankly.

Veer took a slow step forward. Not too close, but enough for her pulse to spike.

His voice lowered, steady and deliberate. "If it was left with you, it means I intended for you to have it."

Naina sucked in a breath.

Priya actually gasped.

Veer Malhotra had just admitted—in his own roundabout way—that he had given her his coat.

Her grip tightened. "Why?"

Another pause.

Then, with a slight tilt of his head, Veer's lips curved into the faintest hint of something—something that wasn't quite a smirk, but wasn't indifferent either.

"You looked cold," he said simply.

Naina's heart stopped.

Her mind scrambled for a response, but before she could find one, Veer gave a slight nod, then turned away, walking off like he hadn't just shattered her understanding of him.

Priya grabbed Naina's arm the moment he was out of earshot. "WHAT. WAS. THAT?"

Naina didn't answer. She couldn't.

Because for all the times Veer Malhotra had confused her, frustrated her, and challenged her—this time, he had completely undone her.

And the worst part?

He knew it.

Before Naina could process what had just happened, Veer turned away, his long strides carrying him effortlessly toward the entrance.

But the moment he reached it—he froze.

Because leaning against the glass doors, arms crossed, a knowing grin plastered on his face—stood Aditya.

Veer's jaw clenched. He knew that look.

Before Aditya could even open his mouth, Veer moved.

With lightning speed, he closed the distance between them, clamped a firm hand over Aditya's mouth, and dragged him toward the parking lot.

"Mmmph—! Veer! What the—?!" Aditya struggled, trying to pry Veer's hand away.

"Shut up." Veer's voice was dangerously low as he maneuvered them between two parked cars, away from prying eyes.

Aditya finally broke free when Veer released him near their car. He staggered back, catching his breath—before bursting into laughter.

"Oh my God," he wheezed, hands on his knees. "Did I just witness what I think I did?"

Veer folded his arms, face impassive. "You saw nothing."

Aditya straightened, grinning like a devil. "Nothing? So, I didn't just see you willingly hand over your coat to a certain Dr. Sharma?"

Veer didn't react.

Aditya's smirk widened. "And I definitely didn't see you look at her like she was the only damn person in the room?"

Veer glared.

Aditya raised his hands in mock surrender. "Hey, no judgment. I mean, you went from 'I don't care' to 'here, take my coat, let me make sure you don't freeze to death.' That's some next-level denial, my friend."

"Are you done?" Veer's voice was ice.

Aditya grinned harder. "Oh, absolutely not."

Veer exhaled sharply, running a hand down his face. This idiot.

"Look," Aditya continued, leaning against the car. "You can lie to yourself all you want. But don't lie to me. That wasn't just concern."

Veer didn't respond.

Because the truth was—he didn't have a response.

And Aditya saw it.

His smirk turned genuine. "Dude, you're in trouble."

Veer clenched his jaw, refusing to acknowledge the weight of those words.

Without another word, he unlocked the car and slid into the driver's seat.

Aditya chuckled, getting in beside him.

As Veer started the engine, gripping the wheel tighter than necessary, Aditya leaned back with a satisfied sigh.

"Oh man," he muttered, shaking his head. "This is gonna be fun."

Naina on the other side

Naina sighed as she parked her car in the driveway, resting her forehead against the steering wheel for a brief moment. What a day. It had been long—too long—but somehow, it didn't feel exhausting in the usual way. There was something about today that lingered in her mind, something she hadn't yet been able to shake off.

She exhaled deeply before stepping out, locking the car, and making her way to the front door. The warm glow from the living room seeped through the windows, welcoming her. She smiled softly—home. No matter how tiring the day had been, this place always felt like a hug.

As soon as she stepped inside, her mother appeared from the kitchen, wiping her hands on her dupatta. "Aagayi meri beti?" (My daughter is home?)

Naina chuckled, dropping her handbag onto the couch. "Haan, Maa. Bohot thak gayi hoon." (Yes, Mom. I'm really tired.)

"Thak gayi? Arre, tu toh sherni hai meri!" (Tired? You're my lioness!) Her mother teased, patting her cheek before walking back toward the kitchen. "Main kuch garam doodh laati hoon, tu tab tak fresh ho ja." (I'll bring some warm milk; freshen up meanwhile.)

Before Naina could protest, a blur of movement crashed into her from the side.

"Didi!!"

Her younger brother, wrapped his arms around her waist, almost making her lose balance.

"Arre, Aryan! Sambhal ke!" (Careful!) she laughed, ruffling his already messy hair.

"Didi, kal se tujhse baat nahi ki thi, tu kitni busy rehti hai yaar!" (You didn't talk to me since yesterday! You're always so busy!) he complained, pouting up at her.

Naina's heart softened. Her little brother was growing up too fast. Even though there were only a few years between them, sometimes she felt like he was still the little boy who clung to her whenever he was scared.

She pulled him into a tight hug. "Sorry, baba! Aaj baith ke baat karenge, pakka." (I promise, today we'll sit and talk.)

Their father, folded his newspaper and looked up from the couch. "Aree, Naina beta, tu baith toh sahi pehle. Hospital ka din kaisa tha?" (Naina, sit first. How was your day at the hospital?)

Naina hesitated for a second. How was her day?

Her mind instantly flashed back to the moment she woke up in the hospital, Veer's coat draped over her.
The warmth, the scent, the silent gesture that she couldn't quite understand.

Why did he do that?

She blinked, pushing the thought aside, and sat down next to her father. "Acha tha, Papa. Aaj kaafi cases handle kiye." (It was good, Papa. Handled a lot of cases today.)

Aryan, still leaning against her, nudged her side. "Aur tu kuch aur bata na, koi hospital gossip?" (And tell us something else! Any hospital gossip?)

Naina rolled her eyes. "Arre, tum log mujhe doctor ki jagah journalist bana doge!" (You all will turn me into a journalist instead of a doctor!)

Her mother returned with a glass of warm milk and placed it in front of her. "Lo, pehle ye lo, phir baatein kar lena." (Here, have this first, then continue talking.)

Naina sighed but took a sip, letting the warmth soothe her. Home. No matter how confusing or chaotic the outside world was, this place would always be her safe haven.

After the dinner she greeted good night to her family and moved to her room

Naina lay on her bed, staring at the ceiling, tangled in her own thoughts.

"Why did he do that?"

Her fingers absently curled into the bedsheet as her mind replayed the scene—Veer's coat over her, his scent lingering around her like an unspoken secret.

Why does he act so indifferent when he's clearly not?

One moment, he was cold, distant, unreadable. The next, he was silently taking care of her in ways that left her utterly confused.

And yet...

She sighed, turning to her side, restlessness creeping in.

The way he walked away from her today... it was almost as if he was running from something.

But why?

Naina didn't have the answers.

She closed her eyes, her grip on the sheets tightening.

Whatever this was... it was far from over.

~~^~^~~

Thank you for Reading...!

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How do you feel about Naina's reaction to the coat?

 Do you think she's starting to notice Veer's concern more deeply?

Aditya caught Veer in the act! What do you think he'll do next?

 Will he tease Veer more, or will he push him to confront his emotions?

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