When I first found out, I was furious. I hated that he made that decision without keeping me in the loop. But Sidharth, being his usual stubborn, protective self, didn’t pay any attention to my protests. He simply said he’d rather have me be mad at him than live with the regret of not keeping me safe.
Those words alone made it clear that I never stood a chance of winning that battle. So, I made peace with it. Besides, somewhere deep down, a small part of me liked that side of him—bossy, protective, and completely unwilling to take chances when it came to me. Not that I’d ever admit that to him. He’d be insufferably smug after that.
Smiling at the thought, I step into the house and head straight to my room. I’d gone to the temple with Aunty, but she wanted to stay a little longer, so I came back ahead of her.
I push open my bedroom door and freeze. A sharp gasp escapes my lips as my eyes take in the chaos. Everything is wrecked. Glass shards glitter across the floor. My lamp lies in pieces. The dresser drawers are yanked open, wood splintered and twisted. The curtains are slashed, the fabric hanging loose. Every photo frame has been ripped off the walls, shattered and discarded.
My heart skips a beat, then pounds against my ribs as my eyes land on the message painted in red across the wall.
I’m so touched you came to meet me in jail. As a token of appreciation, let me share a little secret. I didn’t kill Suman for the reason you think. She died because she found out my secret. She was about to tell you, and I couldn’t let that happen. That’s why she had to pay the price.
I stumble back, my hand clutching the doorframe to keep from collapsing. The words blur for a second as my vision swims. My stomach twists violently, and a cold sweat breaks out across my skin.
Prakash killed Suman because she knew something and was going to warn me.
My chest tightens as panic claws its way up my throat. I try to piece together what dirt Suman could’ve found on Prakash, but I just can’t. The harder I try, the harder it gets to breathe.
Unable to take it any longer, I whirl around and race through the house, my vision blurred by tears I refuse to let fall. I don’t stop until I reach the front door. Fumbling with the handle, I yank it open and stumble onto the lawn, taking a few unsteady steps before collapsing onto the swing, my legs no longer able to hold me up.
Within moments, Karan rushes over and drops to his knees in front of me, his face taut with concern.
“What happened?” he asks urgently, his eyes searching mine. “What’s wrong?”
“My… my room… the message…” I gasp, struggling to catch my breath as I meet his eyes. My hand trembles as I point back towards the house, my voice failing me. I can’t even bring myself to say that someone broke in, destroyed everything, and left that horrifying message.
“I’m calling Sidharth sir,” he says instantly, not needing me to explain any further. My fear, my shaking voice, the broken pieces of my sentence, and the fear in my eyes are enough to put him on alert and tell him everything he needs to know.
Without wasting a second, he pulls out his phone and dials, his eyes never leaving me as he speaks. I can barely process anything through the blur, but I catch fragments of his voice. “There’s an emergency, sir.” He pauses. “Nisha ma’am… I don’t think she’s in a state to talk.” Another beat of silence. Then he says, “Okay, sir.”
When the call ends, he tells me, “Sidharth sir is on his way.”
Still unable to speak, I simply nod and lower my gaze to my hands, nervously fidgeting in my lap as I try to focus on my breathing. Inhale. Exhale. Inhale. Exhale. Gradually, the tightness in my chest begins to ease, and my breath steadies. After what feels like forever, I lift my head and meet Karan’s eyes.
“Are you okay, ma’am?” he asks gently, and the sound of his voice makes tears well up in my eyes, blurring my vision before I can even blink them away.
“Someone was in my house,” I whisper, my voice barely holding together. “They… they destroyed my room. Left a message.”
Karan’s expression hardens instantly, his jaw tightening as his body goes rigid. He glances over my shoulder towards the house, his eyes calculating, like he’s torn between rushing inside to check and staying right here with me.
I don’t even know how many minutes pass with Karan by my side, refusing to leave me alone, until the sharp screech of tyres pulls my attention. My head lifts, and my gaze locks with Sidharth’s as he steps out of the car.
He doesn’t move at first. Instead, he just stands there, taking a few deep breaths, like he’s relieved to see me sitting here, unharmed. His tall frame is utterly still, and his dark eyes are locked on mine.
Then, in a few long strides, Sidharth is in front of me. Karan rises and steps back, giving him space. Sidharth drops to his knees as his hands gently cradles my face.
“Are you okay?” he asks, his eyes searching mine, his voice tight with worry.
I nod slowly. He rises to his feet and sits beside me, guiding my head to rest against his chest. His arms wrap around me, one hand moving soothingly through my hair, calming me.
“He broke into my house,” I whisper against his chest, my fingers clutching his shirt like a lifeline.
His arms tighten around me. “I swear to you, Nisha, they won’t get away with it.”
A fresh wave of tears burns behind my eyes, but this time, for a different reason. His words bring the comfort and peace I desperately need in this moment.
“I’ve informed Viraj. He’ll be here any minute,” Karan interjects, then adds, “We need to go inside and take a look.”
At Karan’s words, Sidharth’s arms loosen around me as he leans back and gives a single nod. Then his eyes find mine again. Panic rises in my chest at the thought of him leaving, the fearwrapping tight around my ribs. Without thinking, my hands shoot out, clutching the front of his shirt in a desperate grip.
