In a quiet hospital room, where the sound of a heart rate monitor sounded like a monotonous melody, Ananya – a young nurse in the intensive care unit of a large private hospital in Mumbai – never thought that one moment of impulse would change her life. A seemingly meaningless kiss on the lips of a man who had been motionless for two years dragged her into a cycle of unexpected destiny…
Ananya was 26, her daily routine consisted of checking machines, changing bandages, cleaning patients, and above all, caring for one special person – Mr. Raghav Malhotra, a real estate billionaire who often appeared in Indian newspapers but was now just a body lying motionless in a hospital bed. He had been in a road accident and remained in a vegetative state for over two years.
For most employees, Mr. Malhotra was a “long-term care case” – a body sustained by nutrition and a ventilator. But for some inexplicable reason, whenever Ananya cared for him, she felt a strange sympathy. Sometimes, the noon sunlight would pass through the glass window, illuminating the man’s face, further emphasizing his once-handsome features, making her think: “If he were still conscious, he would be a very charming man.”
That night, Ananya was on night duty. Only a dim yellow light was in the hallway. She entered the room, sat beside the bed, and quietly replaced the IV. Suddenly, a strange thought popped into her head: “He will never wake up… One kiss… What’s the harm…”
Ananya’s heart pounded fast. She was afraid and laughed at herself. But perhaps due to a few reasons — maybe because of the months of care, the loneliness of the job, or because the image of the man was deeply etched in her mind — she leaned over and gently pressed her lips against his.
It was only for a moment.
Just as Ananya was about to pull back, something terrifying happened: the hand that seemed to be motionless suddenly trembled. Then… A slight grip took hold of her shoulder.
Ananya froze.
The man whom the whole hospital thought was unconscious suddenly opened his eyes. His deep pupils looked straight at her.
“Who… Are you?” – a hoarse voice echoed, faint but so clear that Ananya trembled.
That night, in the empty room, Ananya understood: her life would never be peaceful again.
Mr. Malhotra’s awakening was a major shock to the entire hospital. The Board of Directors immediately formed a medical committee; doctors were both happy and worried. After two years, the patient suddenly opened his eyes and spoke – a rare occurrence that was almost a miracle. But for Ananya – who witnessed that moment – the emotions were both joy and terror.
She dared not give details… That the moment he woke up was when she kissed him. In the report, Ananya only wrote this: “Patient shows signs of self-awareness, hand shaking, and eye opening. Unexpected improvement in consciousness, special monitoring advised.”
Every time Anna entered the room, her heart beat irregularly. Although Mr. Malhotra was still weak and his voice was unclear, his eyes were unusually bright. He didn’t remember everything, he just vaguely felt that he had been lying down for a long time. Every time Ananya fed or bathed him with a hose, he watched her carefully, pretending to be busy to hide their confusion.
A few days later, there was a commotion throughout the department. News of Mr. Malhotra’s recovery of consciousness spread rapidly. Journalists, relatives, and colleagues flocked to him; everyone thought it was a miracle. Ananya’s heart was heavy with fear that the secret of the “waking kiss” might be revealed.
One afternoon, after checking the IV, Ananya was about to turn away when Mr. Malhotra’s hand reached out to her wrist. He looked at her calmly and said weakly:
“You… You were the first thing I saw when I opened my eyes. I remember… A strange feeling. Like… Being called back from a distant place.”
Anna was scared and pulled her hand away, trying hard to remain calm:
“I am just the nurse on duty. Your awakening is thanks to your health and the doctor.”
He didn’t speak further, but his eyes understood.
A week later, his health gradually improved: he learned to sit up, and speak clearly. The Malhotra family was overjoyed, especially the eldest son – Rohan Malhotra. When his father was in a coma, he was in charge of most of the work, and now he faced the “return of his father.”
Rohan was a young businessman, sharp but cold. He only nodded slightly when he met Anna for the first time:
“Thank you for taking care of my father. From now on, the family will hire a private senior nurse. You don’t have to work hard anymore.”
This sentence made Ananya feel strangely disappointed. She had become accustomed to being by Mr. Malhotra’s bedside every day and taking care of every little thing. Now that the patient had recovered, that attachment was gone.
That night, as Ananya was preparing to hand over the shift, Mr. Malhotra suddenly called her name. His voice was faint but firm:
“Ananya, I still want you to take care of me. No one else. If necessary, I will talk to my family.”
In those moments, Anna didn’t know whether to be happy or worried. It was hard enough to hide that kiss; Now that she was with him, she feared his exposure, feared their scrutinizing look. But deep down, there was also a faint warmth – a connection she didn’t dare to accept.
Since Mr. Malhotra woke up, Ananya’s life has changed drastically. She was no longer a well-known nurse, but suddenly she was a “specialist” in their eyes. Despite the children’s opposition, he insisted on monitoring her health.
The Malhotra family does not trust outsiders, especially when immense wealth is involved in a secret dispute between siblings. For them, Ananya was just an ordinary nurse, “not on the same level.” Seeing that Mr. Malhotra trusted and related to Ananya more than anyone, his eyes of suspicion grew even larger.
Rohan made his attitude clear. One afternoon, when Ananya came out of the room, he stopped her in the hallway:
“Ananya, honestly, my father just woke up, he is out of his mind. If you want to take advantage of them, I will not let them go.”
Ananya was stunned, only bowed her head:
“I’m just doing my job, don’t get me wrong.”
But Rohan’s suspicions did not diminish; He watched her more closely.
Meanwhile, Mr. Malhotra needed Ananya more and more. He often asked her to sit down and talk, telling her about his childhood, his journey from a poor boy in Uttar Pradesh to a billionaire based in Mumbai. Sometimes he looked straight into her eyes, jokingly:
“Maybe you’re the one who called me back to this world.”
Every time he heard this, Ananya’s heart pounded, but she tried to stay calm on the surface. She couldn’t admit that… She literally kissed him in that pathetic moment. If that secret was revealed, everything would be even more suspicious.
In the following days, the tension in the Malhotra family worsened. Some relatives whispered: “This nurse is not a simple woman. Some rogues even spread rumors in the hospital that Ananya was “manipulating billionaires to get involved.”
Ananya was in a dilemma. She wanted to leave to avoid trouble, but every time she saw Mr. Malhotra holding her tightly, she couldn’t turn away. The moment he woke up, she realized that her heart was no longer as indifferent as before. Despite the realm of “nurse-patient,” a quiet attachment silently grew.
One night on duty, Mr. Malhotra leaned against the bed and looked out the window at the sparkling Mumbai, and said softly:
“Ananya… I don’t know what will happen next. But believe me… I won’t let anyone hurt you.”
In those moments, Ananya sighed. She knew that the road ahead would not be easy: on one hand was responsibility and professional respect, and on the other hand was an unclear feeling for a man she could not reach. The simple story of a little nurse turns from here into a challenging path: love with doubt, loyalty versus benefits, and a secret yet to be revealed – the kiss that started it all.