The days following Mr. Kapoor's surgery were a whirlwind of activity. Priya buried herself in her duties, doing her best to avoid the fluttery feelings that had started surfacing whenever Dr. Arjun Mehra was around. She wasn't the kind to get distracted by someone like him - charming, brilliant, and far too used to getting his way.

Meanwhile, Arjun found himself lingering in the nurses' station more often than necessary, coming up with increasingly flimsy excuses to interact with Priya.

"Sharma," he called one afternoon, leaning against the counter with his signature smirk.

Priya didn't look up from the chart she was reviewing. "Unless you're here to apologize for existing, I'm busy."

"Ouch," Arjun said, clutching his chest in mock offense. "You really know how to hurt a guy."

Priya finally glanced at him, raising an eyebrow. "What do you want, Dr. Mehra?"

"I need your opinion," he said, holding up a file.

"You want *my* opinion?" Priya asked skeptically.

"Yes," Arjun said, feigning exasperation. "You're competent, observant, and annoyingly good at pointing out what everyone else misses."

Despite herself, Priya felt a small smile tug at her lips. "Fine. Let me see."

As they reviewed the file together, their banter gave way to a surprisingly comfortable rhythm. Arjun valued Priya's insights, and Priya found herself grudgingly impressed by his genuine dedication to his patients.

"Okay," she said finally, handing the file back. "That's actually a solid plan. You might be a decent doctor after all."

"High praise coming from you," Arjun quipped, but his grin was softer this time.

Their moment was interrupted by the arrival of Dr. Rohan Kapoor, who immediately sensed the charged atmosphere.

"Am I interrupting something?" Rohan asked innocently, his eyes flicking between them.

"Not at all," Priya said quickly, stepping away. "I have patients to check on."

As she walked off, Rohan turned to Arjun with a knowing look. "You've got it bad, my friend."

Arjun sighed, running a hand through his hair. "She's... different, Rohan. She doesn't care about my reputation, my awards, or anything else people usually fawn over. She just... sees me."

"Sounds like someone's finally met their match," Rohan said with a grin.

---

That evening, Priya was heading home after a long shift when she found Arjun waiting by the entrance.

"Stalking me now?" she asked, her tone half-teasing.

"Hardly," he replied, holding up a paper bag. "I figured you probably haven't eaten, so I brought dinner."

Priya blinked in surprise. "You... brought me food?"

"Don't look so shocked," Arjun said, handing her the bag. "I'm capable of basic human decency."

Priya opened the bag to find her favorite samosas and a bottle of chilled lemonade. "How did you - "

"Rohan told me," Arjun admitted.

She shook her head, torn between amusement and irritation. "You're unbelievable."

"I get that a lot," he said with a wink.

Despite her better judgment, Priya sat with him on a nearby bench to eat. Their conversation was easy and unguarded, and for the first time, Priya saw a side of Arjun that wasn't defined by arrogance or charm.

"You're not what I expected," she admitted after a while.

"Neither are you," he replied, his gaze steady. "That's why I can't seem to stay away from you."

Priya's heart skipped a beat, but she quickly masked her reaction. "You're just saying that because I'm the only one who doesn't fall at your feet."

"Maybe," Arjun said with a smile. "Or maybe it's because you challenge me in a way no one else does."

Priya shook her head, laughing softly. "You're impossible."

"And yet, here you are," he countered, his eyes sparkling.

For a moment, they simply looked at each other, the world around them fading into the background. Priya felt her walls beginning to crack, and it terrified her.

"I should go," she said abruptly, standing up.

Arjun stood too, his expression earnest. "Priya, I know I can be... a lot. But I mean it when I say I respect you. And I like you. A lot."

Priya hesitated, her heart warring with her head. Finally, she gave him a small, tentative smile. "You're not as terrible as I thought, Dr. Mehra. But if you want to win me over, you'll have to do better than samosas."

Arjun grinned. "Challenge accepted."

---

As Priya walked away, her heart felt lighter than it had in years. And for the first time, Arjun realized that winning someone's heart might just be the most challenging - and rewarding - surgery of his life.

..end****

................ This is last chapter of this story ........

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