Aaron checked the message he had received from Naomi and got to know that Aarvi continued with her plan against Sean Harmon but he didn’t care to respond to the text message.

Checking the time, he decided to pick Aarvi and wrapped his work. He had just reached the parking, he received a call. He answered it to hear, [President Rivas, Ms.Evans is speeding on the road. She isn’t looking fine.]

“Isn’t ‘fine’?”

[Ms. Evans is rubbing her right hand repeatedly even while driving. She is driving towards the Waterfront villa.] Her security men in the shadow reported him.

Aaron realized she wasn’t fine yet and correctly guessed the person behind it as Sean. He pulled his driver out and drove his car as fast as he could.

He called her therapist and told him about the Friday activities and today’s reaction. The therapist wasn’t sure as he hadn’t spoken to Aarvi hence he said his analysis as she might be fine with the people she trusts but he warned him to be careful and not to overstep the boundaries.

Aaron could literally count his heartbeat speeding towards the villa and reached fifteen minutes after her and ran upstairs to her room. “Aarvi!”

Hearing Laze purring in the bathroom, he rushed inside to see her stand under the showerhead in the walk-in shower and rubbing her hand with a sponge. All the water faucets were turned on in the bathroom with liquid soap spilled all over.

Laze stopped purring seeing Aaron and stood away from the water before going out.

Aarvi hated the touch, just like a person with OCD. Some patients with OCD washed their hands for an entire day and Aarvi’s condition was similar; a single touch and she would wash her hand continuously until it was all mangled.

Aaron had thought after such a long time, she was fine but No! He pulled the glass door and tried to hold her, “Aarvi, come out.”

Aarvi panicked again and cornered herself, “Don’t touch me. Don’t touch me…” She was scared she might start feeling the same if he touches her anywhere.

Aaron wasn’t sure if she would feel the same or not but taking her out of the cold shower was also important. “Okay okay, come out, please.”

She sobbed saying, “No. It- It feels dirty, it’s burning, it’s pricking. It isn’t going.”

Aaron felt his heart-tug uncontrollably seeing her state. When she was feeling pricking on her hand, he felt somebody was stabbing his heart repeatedly. He couldn’t even imagine what she went through when she was missing.

He took a step inside to take her out but Aarvi cried kneeling both legs down covering her hands and face from him, “Leave, leave… leave me alone.”

Aaron didn’t want to leave her alone, he ignored water from showerhead and wanted to carry her out but as soon as his hands touched her, she pushed him cornering herself to the glass wall.

“Don’t touch m…”

‘Thud’ Aaron fell back due to the slippery floor from liquid soap.

Knowing he was there to help her and she hurt him, Aarvi went to him and rubbed his back head, “Is it hurting too much?”

Aaron saw her tears continuously rolling on her cheeks and sniffling yet worried about him. He really wished nothing should have happened to her physically or psychologically. He can cure physical wounds but psychologically? It could stay with her life long.

He pulled her to sit down straightening his back. He gently handled without irking her. “Your irritation wasn’t so serious. What happened so suddenly?”

Aarvi sniffled and wiped her cheeks with her wet sleeves. She didn’t want to be like that either so she just briefed what she was feeling as she sobbed. “I shook Dax’s hand and I didn’t feel anything and I thought everything was fine. I even hugged him. Then I met Sean Harmon, when he held my wrist on my dress sleeves I started feeling the irritation but I controlled rubbing it off. When he cupped my fist in his palms, I wanted to burn my hand. I had thought I was getting fine but it is worsening.”

Aarvi didn’t react when Aaron wiped her tears so he understood the current situation to some extent.

He patiently explained, “You are only immune to people who you trust, Like me, Shawn and Dax. Since you were sure that you were fine completely, Sean Harmon’s sudden intrusion broke your panic and scared you that you are back to zero from your progress of treatment.” Aaron pointed to her hand he was holding, “See, I am holding your hand and you are completely fine. So when you meet anybody next time, if you are mentally prepared, you wouldn’t be so irritated and can control yourself.”

Aarvi sniffled and wobbled her head in understanding.

Aaron subconsciously smiled seeing her side nod. Little Aarvi’s head gesture to ‘Yes’ ‘Ok’ was actually wobbling her head side to side instead of up and down but the current Aarvi Evans nods for yes. So it reminded her of the Aarvi who loved to spend time with him.

“Why are you smiling?” Aarvi asked, rubbing her face.

Aaron shook his head faintly and said, “Come here.”

Aarvi closed a little without understanding and Aaron pulled her to embrace. He internally breathed a sigh seeing her fine and spoke without letting her speak, “Next time, please turn on the hot shower. It is very cold here.”

Aaron was surprised after a few seconds seeing her not break free but heard, “Your shirt is wet.”

He really wanted to ask, ‘Would you have left me to hug you if it wasn’t wet?’ He didn’t ask.

Since her dress material was pretty thick and good quality, it didn’t look awkward but his white shirt was sticking to his craved body. Irresistible to eyes but Aarvi didn’t even care to look.

He left her but cupped her face. His voice was gentle as ever, “Next time if anything serious, you have to call me first, alright?”

Aarvi wasn’t sure if she would call him but she still wobbled her head in affirmation.

He carried her out of the walk-in shower and seated her on the counter. He filled her bathtub with hot water and added essential oils like lavender and chamomile to avoid her cold.

Aarvi who was sitting on the counter saw him quickly arrange everything and subconsciously asked, “Were you looking after your sister the same way?”

After asking she realized she is envious of his sister due to him. She lowered her head clutching her wet dress hem, ‘He is my doctor. What is going on with me?’ She closed her eyes and settled her thoughts hearing him speak.

“She was a princess. She had everyone to dote on her…”

Aarvi went down from her place thinking she shouldn’t depend on him for anything. She cut in, “I will…”

Her heels slipped on the wet floor and she fell back. Aaron was near hence held her quickly and Aarvi instinctively held his shoulder.

He was calm looking at her pink face, swelling eyes, red nose, and continued speaking holding her in his arms, “… but she became haughty and she thought she could have everything she wanted and fell in love with the one who loved somebody else. She drank too much after hearing rejection and drove the car that ended her life.”

Aarvi asked laying in his arms, looking up at him, “Is that why you told me not to touch alcohol?”

Aaron stood straight helping her to stand as he responded, “I know you don’t take anything for granted like her. Anyway, alcohol isn’t good for your heart recovery.”

‘Your sister’s heart.’ Aarvi thought to herself looking at him.