In the Depth of the Heart - Chapter 40: Chapter 40
You are reading In the Depth of the Heart, Chapter 40: Chapter 40. Read more chapters of In the Depth of the Heart.
Hospital Grounds – A Scorching Day
Zuhra continued her routine at Osmania General Hospital. Dressed in her white coat, gloves, and ID badge, she moved from patient to patient with outward calm. But inside, since the moment her eyes met Kamal’s in the ward the day before, her heart hadn’t stopped trembling.
She buried herself in work, pretending to be composed — yet every step she took carried the weight of old love and new confusion.
Lunch Break – Garden Conversations
During lunch, she sat with Rushna and Amla in a small hospital courtyard. Rushna had brought snacks, Amla some cold water and mango juice. Zuhra didn’t eat. She just stirred the food quietly.
Amla grinned and blurted out:
> “Guess what? Binya got admitted to London! Voice of Tomorrow accepted her at the University of London.”
Rushna gasped. “Wait — wasn’t Zuhra the original winner of that contest?”
Zuhra smiled faintly, holding back a flood inside her chest.
Amla nodded casually:
> “Yeah, but her dad refused to let her go. So they offered it to the next in line. Binya’s living her dream now. She's thrilled.”
Zuhra blinked fast, eyes stinging. She stood up without a word.
> “Zuhra! Where are you going?” Rushna called after her.
> “Back inside. I... I just don’t feel okay,” Zuhra whispered.
As she walked away, Amla turned to Rushna in confusion. Rushna scowled.
> “Why would you say that in front of her? Don’t you think she feels it every single day?”
Edge of the Hospital – A Love Still Burning
Zuhra leaned against a wall, tears finally breaking free. It wasn’t Kamal that hurt the most — it was a life that refused to listen to her voice. Dreams discarded. Choices erased.
Nearby, Kamal had been sitting on a quiet bench. He spotted her, stood up, and slowly approached.
> “Zuhra,” he called softly.
She turned, eyes red, voice gone.
He moved closer, gently.
> “I know you're hurting. I know you're living in pieces. But I couldn’t stay away without saying — you still live in my heart.”
Zuhra looked up at him, her tears running freely now. She leaned into his shoulder — only for a moment. He wrapped an arm around her back, tenderly.
> “When you stopped talking to me, I lost everything. But never you — never your place in my soul.”
She opened her mouth to speak — but noticed nurses walking past. And then... the cold memory returned: John and Usman.
She pulled back suddenly.
> “Kamal, we can't do this. If they see us… if they realize…”
She turned and rushed away, her heart pounding like a trapped bird. Kamal stood frozen, watching her disappear — love in his chest, pain in his silence.
Operating Room – Weakness Exposed
In the emergency surgery room, Zuhra stood beside Dr. Jajvi. A critical patient lay on the table. As the incision opened and the blood flowed, her stomach turned. Her skin paled.
She rushed out and vomited near the corridor wall.
Dr. Jajvi followed, angry:
> “Zuhra! This is medicine. You face it — or you leave it!”
Wiping her mouth, Zuhra couldn’t reply. Her body was weak. Her spirit, weaker. But her heart... it still held the heaviest burden — not of flesh, but of broken music and unchosen dreams.
Evening Exit – Two Hearts in Conflict
As she stepped outside that evening, she noticed Kamal by a tree, watching. He approached.
> “Zuhra, please. Just let me in. Tell me what I did wrong. Tell me what’s really inside you.”
She paused, but didn’t look at him.
He stepped closer:
> “If you say you've moved on, I’ll walk away. But if there’s still a single beat in your heart for me — say it.”
She stood still for a moment. Then whispered:
> “I love you, Kamal. But I can’t stay. If they see us… if my father finds out… if…”
Just then, a black car pulled up. John stepped out, opened the door.
> “Zuhra. Get in.”
Zuhra turned. Kamal’s eyes welled up. He said nothing. She slipped into the car.
Kamal stood motionless as the vehicle turned the corner and vanished.
His heart broke.
But not his love.
That… still lived on.
Zuhra continued her routine at Osmania General Hospital. Dressed in her white coat, gloves, and ID badge, she moved from patient to patient with outward calm. But inside, since the moment her eyes met Kamal’s in the ward the day before, her heart hadn’t stopped trembling.
She buried herself in work, pretending to be composed — yet every step she took carried the weight of old love and new confusion.
Lunch Break – Garden Conversations
During lunch, she sat with Rushna and Amla in a small hospital courtyard. Rushna had brought snacks, Amla some cold water and mango juice. Zuhra didn’t eat. She just stirred the food quietly.
Amla grinned and blurted out:
> “Guess what? Binya got admitted to London! Voice of Tomorrow accepted her at the University of London.”
Rushna gasped. “Wait — wasn’t Zuhra the original winner of that contest?”
Zuhra smiled faintly, holding back a flood inside her chest.
Amla nodded casually:
> “Yeah, but her dad refused to let her go. So they offered it to the next in line. Binya’s living her dream now. She's thrilled.”
Zuhra blinked fast, eyes stinging. She stood up without a word.
> “Zuhra! Where are you going?” Rushna called after her.
> “Back inside. I... I just don’t feel okay,” Zuhra whispered.
As she walked away, Amla turned to Rushna in confusion. Rushna scowled.
> “Why would you say that in front of her? Don’t you think she feels it every single day?”
Edge of the Hospital – A Love Still Burning
Zuhra leaned against a wall, tears finally breaking free. It wasn’t Kamal that hurt the most — it was a life that refused to listen to her voice. Dreams discarded. Choices erased.
Nearby, Kamal had been sitting on a quiet bench. He spotted her, stood up, and slowly approached.
> “Zuhra,” he called softly.
She turned, eyes red, voice gone.
He moved closer, gently.
> “I know you're hurting. I know you're living in pieces. But I couldn’t stay away without saying — you still live in my heart.”
Zuhra looked up at him, her tears running freely now. She leaned into his shoulder — only for a moment. He wrapped an arm around her back, tenderly.
> “When you stopped talking to me, I lost everything. But never you — never your place in my soul.”
She opened her mouth to speak — but noticed nurses walking past. And then... the cold memory returned: John and Usman.
She pulled back suddenly.
> “Kamal, we can't do this. If they see us… if they realize…”
She turned and rushed away, her heart pounding like a trapped bird. Kamal stood frozen, watching her disappear — love in his chest, pain in his silence.
Operating Room – Weakness Exposed
In the emergency surgery room, Zuhra stood beside Dr. Jajvi. A critical patient lay on the table. As the incision opened and the blood flowed, her stomach turned. Her skin paled.
She rushed out and vomited near the corridor wall.
Dr. Jajvi followed, angry:
> “Zuhra! This is medicine. You face it — or you leave it!”
Wiping her mouth, Zuhra couldn’t reply. Her body was weak. Her spirit, weaker. But her heart... it still held the heaviest burden — not of flesh, but of broken music and unchosen dreams.
Evening Exit – Two Hearts in Conflict
As she stepped outside that evening, she noticed Kamal by a tree, watching. He approached.
> “Zuhra, please. Just let me in. Tell me what I did wrong. Tell me what’s really inside you.”
She paused, but didn’t look at him.
He stepped closer:
> “If you say you've moved on, I’ll walk away. But if there’s still a single beat in your heart for me — say it.”
She stood still for a moment. Then whispered:
> “I love you, Kamal. But I can’t stay. If they see us… if my father finds out… if…”
Just then, a black car pulled up. John stepped out, opened the door.
> “Zuhra. Get in.”
Zuhra turned. Kamal’s eyes welled up. He said nothing. She slipped into the car.
Kamal stood motionless as the vehicle turned the corner and vanished.
His heart broke.
But not his love.
That… still lived on.
End of In the Depth of the Heart Chapter 40. Continue reading Chapter 41 or return to In the Depth of the Heart book page.