Chapter 27
Kavya
I’m not even sure if there’s a level above dread, but whatever it is, that’s exactly what I’m feeling right now. Sitting on Reyansh’s couch with my feet bouncing up and down, I anxiously listen to Officer Viraj and Reyansh talk quietly a few feet away. The room feels heavy with tension, as if the walls are closing in on me.
It’s been four hours since we arrived at Reyansh’s house with Officer Viraj, who showed up at the same time. Reyansh had called him on the way, saying we might have something that would need his expert eyes. Since then, the three of us have spent hours combing through my sister’s phone, going through countless messages, calls, and photos, hoping to uncover something that explains why this person is so desperate to get their hands on it . But we found nothing out of the ordinary. Noticing the exhaustion on my face, Reyansh asked Officer Viraj to give me a few moments to rest while they talked.
“Kavya,” Officer Viraj says, coming to sit down across from me , while Reyansh settles beside me, wrapping his arm around my shoulders. His warmth is comforting, but I can feel the unease radiating off him too.
“Can you handle a bit of honesty?” Officer Viraj asks as Reyansh’s grip on me tightens. A voice inside me screams that whatever he’s about to say will pull the ground out from under my feet.
“You don’t have to do this now; it can wait until morning,” Reyansh whispers in my ear. I glance over at him and see a pained expression on his face, as if he doesn’t want me to go through this. But I know I can’t keep running away from this, no matter how terrifying it feels.
I swallow and shake my head, tearing my gaze away from Reyansh to look at Officer Viraj. “No, I want to get this over with now.”
“We found a video on your sister’s phone ,” Officer Viraj says, his voice carefully measured. “ It’s not clear, so we’re not sure if it’s her. We need your help to identify it.” He holds out my sister’s phone to me.
My heart clenches. S uddenly, the air feels too thick to breathe, and my fists curl tight, nails pressing into my palms. I stare at the phone as if it might be a ticking time bomb. I’m too scared to even touch it.
“Kavya…” Reyansh urges softly, and with trembling hands, I take the phone from Officer Viraj’s hand.
A chill runs down my spine, and my stomach churns as I play the video. The footage is grainy and shaky as if it had been recorded in a hurry in a dimly lit room. A man’s face briefly appears on the screen, his features partially obscured by the poor quality of the video. But what really tightens the knot in my stomach is when a woman, whose face I can’t clearly see, appears on the screen. She is on the floor, her hair dishevelled, joining her hands, pleading, begging to be left alone, while the man, with his back to the screen, slowly makes his way towards her. Then, all the air is pulled out of my lungs when I see the man force himself on her. Reyansh notices my reaction and pulls the phone out of my trembling hands and turns it off. Even though the video is now turned off, it doesn’t help. I struggle to breathe as the grainy images keep replaying in my mind. Fear clutches me tightly, making it even harder to find my calm, suffocating under the weight of what I just witnessed.
“Breath for me, sweetheart,” Reyansh says gently as he cups my face, urging me to meet his gaze.
“Could that be your sister?” Officer Viraj asks, his voice sombre.
Reyansh’s hands drop from my cheek, allowing me to turn to Officer Viraj, but he doesn’t let go of me completely. He pulls me closer, his arm wrapping protectively around my shoulders. His other hand catches mine, placing it over his heart, giving it a gentle squeeze as if to say, I’m right here.
As I look at Officer Viraj, I’m at a loss for words. The woman in the video seems familiar, yet the poor quality makes it impossible for me to be sure. Her face shifts in and out of focus, and I find myself thinking hard to pick out any defining features. Could it be Nisha?
“I... I... don’t know,” I whisper, feeling the warmth of tears as they slip silently down my cheeks.
“Does the man look familiar to you?” Officer Viraj shoots his next question.
At first, I nod, a flicker of familiarity tugging at my memory. But then, uncertainty creeps in, and I shake my head . “I’m not sure. He looks familiar; maybe I’ve seen him before, but the image is too blurry for me to confirm.”
“You don’t have to strain yourself. It will come back to you,” Reyansh murmurs, gently rubbing my arm, trying to soothe the tension building inside me. I nod weakly and attempt to take a deep breath, but honestly, I’m far from okay.
Officer Viraj seems to pick up on my distress and gives me a reassuring nod . “We’ll get the video enhanced, and perhaps once we have a clear image, we can find some answers.”
My heart begins to pound at the thought that the girl in the video might be my sister. Panic rises in my throat.
“ But what if… what if it’s my sister ?” I ask, my voice trembling, a fresh set of tears spilling from between my lashes. My heart breaks for my sister, of the possibility that she might’ve gone through something so horrific if it’s really her in the video.
“Sweetheart,” Reyansh whispers, cradling the back of my head and holding me tighter.
“We can’t say for sure yet,” Officer Viraj says, looking at me with concern. “But we will find out.”
I nod, unable to utter a word. But even if I could speak, I don’t know what to say. Reyansh’s arms remain tightly wrapped around me, and I bury my face into his chest, closing my eyes tightly as I struggle to hold back a complete breakdown, though the tears continue to flow.
“Officer, I believe we’ve covered enough ground for now. Kavya needs some time to rest and gather herself,” Reyansh says firmly, leaving no room for further questions.
“Of course, we can continue this later.” Officer Viraj gives a sympathetic nod . “Kavya, take care,” he adds, prompting me to lift my head from Reyansh’s chest and look at him as he stands.
“Thank you,” I say quietly, meeting the Officer’s gaze.
“Officer, if you don’t mind, I’d like to have a word with you. But could you give me a few minutes to get Kavya settled in the room?” Reyansh says. I start to shake my head to tell him it’s not necessary, but the look in his eyes tells me this is not up for debate.
Feeling drained and lacking the strength to fight, I give in and rise to my feet, with Reyansh’s steady hand supporting me. With a gentle touch, his hand rests in the middle of my back as he guides me up the stairs to his room.
As we enter his room, I sit down on the edge of his bed, feeling the weight of the day pressing down on me . Reyansh kneels in front of me, his eyes full of concern as he cups my cheek softly . “Will you be okay here while I have a word with Officer Viraj?” he asks.
My heart races, and for a moment, I want to tell him not to leave me, that I need him right here, next to me . However, I also understand how important it is for him to go out there and do what needs to be done. So, I manage a small, shaky smile. “I... I... I will be fine here,” I stammer, hoping to keep my fear from creeping into my voice.
“Why don’t you go and freshen up? It might help you relax. There are fresh towels in the bathroom. Change into something comfortable and maybe try to get some sleep,” he suggests in a gentle, almost comforting voice as if he’s trying to take away some of my worries.
“I didn’t bring my clothes,” I admit softly.
“You can borrow something from my wardrobe,” Reyansh offers, his thumb gently rubbing against my cheek.
“ I can’t wear your clothes ,” I whisper with a hint of hesitation in my voice.
He leans forward, bringing his face to mine, “Yes, you can.”
I bite my lips, still uncertain. “ Maybe I should just go home .”
“You’re not going home in this state,” Reyansh asserts, his tone firm and resolute.
“Reyansh…” I begin, but before I can argue, he places a finger over my lips , silencing me.
“Kavya, stop overthinking . I just want you to relax and get some sleep. Today has been overwhelming for you, and I can’t leave you alone. I want you here with me.”
“Okay,” I say, and his face softens. Deep down, I know I should insist on going home, but the way he’s making me feel safe and cared for is something I need right now. For once, I want to be selfish and prioritise what I want in my life rather than always do what’s right or makes sense. And if that means staying with him here, then so be it.
“If it makes you more comfortable, I’ll take the couch,” he says softly, gesturing towards the couch in the corner, but I shake my head.
“You don’t have to; I trust you enough to share the same bed.”
“Your trust means the world to me.” He touches his lips to my forehead in a soft kiss that feels like a whisper, then he pulls back. “I will be back soon, sweetheart,” he rises to his feet and steps out of the room, closing the door softly behind him.
I pull my feet up to my chest and wrap my arms around my knees, resting my chin on them as I continue to sit on his bed, staring at the closed door. My mind races as I try to wrap my head around everything that has happened. All of it is incredibly complicated, and I have a feeling that I’m just scratching the surface of what could be even worse. The image of the struggling woman keeps flashing in my mind, and my chest feels heavier with each passing second . I rock back and forth, praying fervently that it’s not my sister.
Minutes seem to stretch on forever , and Reyansh still hasn’t returned. I close my eyes to rest, but my mind refuses to quiet down. Instead, I find myself constantly replaying scenarios in my head, trying to piece together clues that might lead to the truth.
With a sigh of frustration , I open my eyes , realising that sitting here and letting my thoughts spin out of control isn’t helping . I know I won’t find any answers in this moment, and I’m only adding to my stress and anxiety. I’d rather heed Reyansh’s suggestion of freshening up.
Summoning all my willpower, I rise to my feet and make my way to the bathroom, hoping that the cool splash of water will bring some relief and clear my mind .