Jaydev entered the operating theater with trembling legs. His breath came in uneven bursts, chest rising and falling with the weight of anxiety. Step by step, he moved closer to the bed where Rajveer ji lay—surrounded by beeping monitors and the sterile hum of machines.

Rajveer ji’s skin was ghostly pale, his once strong face drained of all vitality. His eyes were closed, his chest rising in a fragile, uneven rhythm that made Jaydev’s heart ache with dread.