Chapter 2: The Accidental Consequences
The sting of Riya's slap lingered on Mihael's cheek as he found himself unceremoniously escorted to a guest room in the Khanna mansion. Confusion and disbelief mingled with the throbbing pain, but Mihael's thoughts were primarily occupied with the bizarre turn of events that had led to this moment.
"You can't just lock me in here!" Mihael protested, his voice echoing off the plush walls of the room as Riya firmly closed the door behind him.
"It's called consequences," Riya retorted sharply, her eyes flashing with determination. "You kissed me by accident, and now you'll face the music."
Mihael rubbed his cheek gingerly, still trying to process the whirlwind of emotions. "But it really was an accident! I didn't mean to—"
Riya raised an eyebrow incredulously. "Accident or not, you still kissed me. And now you'll learn not to be so careless."
With that final declaration, Riya turned on her heel and marched away, leaving Mihael to contemplate his fate within the confines of the guest room. As the hours stretched into a quiet evening, hunger gnawed at Mihael's stomach, and worry crept into his mind. His attempts to use his phone were futile—no signal in the luxurious confines of the mansion left him cut off from his family and increasingly anxious.
Meanwhile, in the Khanna household, dinner was a lively affair with Minister Khanna presiding over the table, flanked by his three imposing sons—Arjun, Vikram, and Rajat. Riya, usually a spirited participant in family discussions, found herself distracted by thoughts of the unwitting guest locked away in a room upstairs.
"Riya, are you alright?" Arjun, the eldest brother, inquired, noticing her distant expression.
Riya hesitated, torn between her sense of justice and a nagging worry. "I... I just remembered something. I'll be right back."
Leaving her startled family behind, Riya hurried upstairs, her mind racing with conflicting emotions. As she approached the guest room door, guilt began to gnaw at her resolve. She hadn't intended for things to escalate this far, but her stubborn pride refused to admit fault.
Opening the door with a determined sigh, Riya was met with a sight that instantly sobered her playful intentions. Mihael lay unconscious on the floor, his face pale and his breathing shallow. Panic surged through Riya as she knelt beside him, shaking his shoulder gently.
"Mihael! Wake up!" Riya urged, her voice tinged with fear.
Mihael groaned faintly, his eyelids fluttering open. The relief that flooded Riya's heart was short-lived as guilt crashed over her in waves. Hastily, she dialed her eldest brother Arjun's number, her voice trembling as she explained the situation in hurried whispers.
Within moments, Arjun arrived at the scene, his expression a mixture of concern and restrained anger. "Riya, what have you done?" he chided softly, his hands checking Mihael's pulse with practiced efficiency.
"He... he kissed me accidentally, and I... I locked him in here," Riya admitted, her voice barely above a whisper.
Arjun sighed heavily, his gaze softening slightly as he looked at his unconscious guest. "Riya, this isn't how we handle misunderstandings. We need to get him to a hospital."
Regret weighed heavily on Riya's shoulders as she watched her brother and Mihael's form being gently lifted onto a stretcher. Guilt gnawed at her heart as Arjun reassured her that everything would be alright, and they rushed Mihael to the nearest hospital.
In the quiet of the hospital waiting room, Riya sat with her head in her hands, replaying the events of the evening with a mix of disbelief and regret. The minutes stretched into hours as she prayed for Mihael's swift recovery, her mind filled with thoughts of how she could make amends for her impulsive actions.
As dawn broke over the city, Mihael stirred awake in a hospital bed, his senses slowly returning amidst the beeping of machines and the muted sounds of early morning traffic. His first sight was Riya sitting beside him, her eyes red-rimmed and her expression a mix of relief and apprehension.
"You're awake," Riya murmured softly, her voice tinged with guilt.
Mihael managed a weak smile, despite the throbbing ache in his head. "Guess I survived your punishment."
Riya winced, her hands twisting nervously in her lap. "I'm so sorry, Mihael. I didn't mean for any of this to happen."