Chapter 31
Kavya
Two months. Two whole months have passed since we thought we had a promising lead with that watch, only for it to turn out to be a dead end. We had scoured the store where the four watches were purchased. One was a gift from a man to his sixty-year-old father, another from a wife to her late husband. The last one was bought by a single individual, but the store couldn’t provide any details since the payment was made online using a fake identity , and the watch was collected by a delivery person.
To make matters worse, the technical team still hasn’t been able to enhance the video footage from Nisha’s phone enough to render it useful. And as if things weren’t chaotic enough, Nisha’s phone has now gone missing from my house. We checked the security cameras that Reyansh had set up at my house, and not a single unfamiliar face appeared. The only people in the footage were the ones we trusted. Somehow, the culprit managed to slip in unnoticed and steal the phone. The very thought that he entered my home, took what he wanted, and even left a note behind still sends chills down my spine.
I lean forward, propping my elbows on the desk, clasping my hands together as I rest my chin on them. My gaze is fixed on my laptop screen. We’re so close, yet it feels like we’re miles away from cracking this case. Each clue dangles just out of reach, mocking our efforts. The frustration and fear gnaw at me daily, knowing the answers are there, but we can’t quite grasp them.
A knock on my office door interrupts my thoughts, and I look up to see Suman standing hesitantly in the doorway. Dressed in a formal shirt and pants, it’s clear she must have come in straight from work.
“Hey, Suman, come on in,” I say, surprised to see her. We haven’t spoken since we met at the coffee shop, and she didn’t mention she would be dropping by my office.
“Hey,” she says as she steps into my office, closing the door behind her. “I hope I am not disturbing you during office hours. It’s around one, so I thought you might be on a lunch break,” she adds, shifting from one foot to the other while standing in front of my desk.
“Hey, no worries at all,” I assure her with a friendly smile. “I am actually glad for the interruption. Please, sit. I’ll order us lunch.”
“Maybe later,” she says, pulling the chair and sitting down. She then rests her purse on her lap, her hands nervously fidgeting on the desk. “I was hoping if we could talk.”
I frown at her anxiousness, wondering what’s bothering her and what she has to say, especially since the last time we met, she was pretty tight-lipped.
“Sure,” I say, giving her my full attention.
“Kavya, I… I need to tell you something,” she begins, her voice trembling. “It’s about Nisha’s accident. There’s something I haven’t told anyone, and I feel awful about it.”
My heart skips a beat at her words. Nisha’s accident? So, she knows something. Why didn’t she say anything before? Why the hell keep quiet? Why didn’t she speak up when we met at the coffee shop when she very well knew how crucial this information was for me. Despite the myriad questions swirling inside me, I manage to keep my composure and focus on what she’s about to reveal. I lean forward and gently place my hand over hers on the desk, encouraging her to continue . “What is it, Suman? What do you know?”
“Promise me you’ll keep it to yourself and won’t tell anyone,” she pleads, her eyes searching mine for reassurance.
“I promise your secret is safe with me. I just need to know why my sister suffered and why my parents had to pay the price. I am haunted by these questions, and I need answers.”
“I know,” she says softly, nodding. “That’s why I am here—to help you find those answers.”
“ Do you know who might be responsible ?” I ask, my heart pounding.
Suman nods her head and opens her mouth to speak, but before she can say anything, my office door swings open and Akash strides in, looking preoccupied with a stack of files in his hands.
“Kavya, these marketing plans need to be revised and...” Akash’s voice falters as his eyes land on Suman. He freezes, clearly caught off guard, his expression shifting from surprise to something more guarded . His eyebrows furrow slightly, and for a fleeting moment, a look of apprehension flashes across his face before he masks it with a polite smile.
“Sorry, I didn’t know you had company. I can come back later,” he says, his tone calm, though there’s a subtle hint of unease that doesn’t escape me . It’s something that piques my curiosity, but I know it can wait. First, I need to finish my conversation with Suman.
Just as I am about to reply, I notice Suman’s face go pale. Her hands begin to tremble, and before I can react, she jumps up, almost knocking over the chair in her haste.
“I… I have to go,” she stammers, her voice barely audible.
“ Suman, wait. We need to talk ,” I rise to my feet and move around my desk to stop her, but she shakes her head frantically.
“Sorry, I have nothing to say. It was a mistake. I need to get back to work,” she blabbers, her words rushed and evasive.
“Suman...” I try again, placing my hands on her shoulders, but she shoves them away.
“No,” she whispers and then without another word, she bolts out of the office, leaving both Akash and me staring after her in stunned silence.
What just happened? She wanted to talk, so why did she flee as if she’d seen a ghost? My gut is screaming that something isn’t adding up. Glancing at Akash, I furrow my eyebrows, trying to make sense of the situation when he speaks up.
“That was weird,” he mutters, running his hand through his hair, but I notice the subtle tension in his posture, the unease he’s trying to hide.
Ignoring his statement, I get straight to the point . “Do you know Suman?”
Akash’s expression remains unreadable as he places the stack of files on my desk. “No, can’t say that I do.”
“Why did she bolt the moment you stepped in?” I ask, still trying to process it all.
Akash chuckles lightly as if it’s no big deal. “Maybe I just startled her. Though I’ll admit, it’s not often I see a girl running away from me. I am used to them throwing themselves at me,” he says, trying to make a joke of the situation. Despite his attempt at humour, I can’t shake the feeling that something is off.
“She was about to tell me something important,” I say, watching him closely for any hint of reaction. But he doesn’t flinch, doesn’t even blink.
He merely shrugs. “Well, if she has something to say, I am sure she’ll come back. Now, about these marketing plans, can you work on them and leave them on my desk before you head home? I have an important meeting that will keep me away for the rest of the day. I’ll probably get the file collected later in the night before going home.”
“Okay,” I nod absently, my mind already preoccupied with thoughts about Suman and what she wanted to tell me before she took off.
“Thanks, I need to get going,” he says before walking out, leaving me standing there, more puzzled than ever.
I drop back into my chair and pick up my mobile from the desk. I dial Suman’s number, but it’s switched off. Something is terribly wrong. With a huff, I pick up the documents Akash left and try to focus on them, but my mind keeps wandering back to that door—where Suman ran out like the place was on fire . Her fear was palpable, and the way she reacted to Akash... it couldn’t just be a coincidence . I have to have a word with Suman and get to the bottom of this. Maybe after work, I’ll try giving her a call again or drop by her house.
Reluctantly, I force myself to get back to the pile of files in front of me , flipping through the pages Akash asked me to review. Reyansh’s messages keep popping up every now and then , asking about my day and telling me how much he misses me. His words bring a small smile on my face as I reply, venting about how slow my day is and admitting that I miss him too . However, I hold back on sharing about Suman’s visit. This is something I want to discuss with him in person.
Three hours later, I’ve finally finished reviewing the file . I grab my purse, tuck the file under my arm , and step out of my office, making my way to Akash’s cabin to drop off the file.
I open Akash’s cabin door, knowing he’s not around since he’d mentioned it earlier. Stepping inside, I place the file on his desk and take a sticky note and pen. I quickly scribble a note, saying that I have completed going through the file and highlighted a few things that require his attention. After writing, I place the sticky note on the file.
Just as I am about to turn around and walk out of his office, my eyes fall on his slightly open drawer.
With a huff, I shake my head. This man can be so careless at times. Fortunately, no one else has access to his office when he’s not around except me , but still, that doesn’t excuse his carelessness. He’s in for a lecture from me when I meet him later.
Placing my bag on his desk, I step around his desk to close the open drawer when something shiny catches my eye, peeking out from under a pile of papers . Holding my breath, I push the papers aside and spot the watch. My hands start to shake, and my heartbeat quickens as I pick it up, examining it with a growing sense of dread . My breath catches in my throat—it’s the exact same watch, a mirror image of the one the man wore in the video.
My heart pounds wildly in my chest, sweat beads forming on my forehead as I continue to stare at the watch. No. No. It can’t be Akash. There has to be some mistake. I want to believe that this can’t be true, but my mind refuses to agree with me. It is filled with confusion, disbelief, fear, and suspicion.
I shut my eyes tightly, desperately trying my best to piece everything together. The watch... Suman’s terrified reaction when she saw Akash, her bolting from the office, Akash’s uneasiness ... Akash giving me a job without any experience... the way he always seemed so friendly, almost too familiar ... And now my sister’s missing mobile — he’s one of the people who would drop by home frequently.
But why on earth would Akash harm my sister? I’ve never heard Nisha mention him, and he’s never acted like he knew her. So why would he do this to her… and to me?
My breathing becomes uneven, my throat burns , and before I know it, tears stream down my face. I trusted him. I believed his friendship was genuine, that he truly cared for me. But now, it feels like a betrayal. His friendship wasn’t born out of concern for me; it was merely a tool for his selfish motives to use me as a pawn for his own twisted agenda .
With each passing second, my heart sinks deeper as I realise how stupid I was to believe him. How could I even think for a second that there are good people like him who would help someone in need?
I wipe my face with the back of my hand , refusing to let them dampen my resolve. It’s time to get to the truth , even if it means facing this harsh reality . I grab my purse and place the watch in my bag. I need to get to Reyansh to tell him what I’ve got. Stepping out of Akash’s office, I make my way to my car.
As I get behind the wheel and pull out of the parking lot, my mind is consumed with thoughts. If God forbid, Akash confirms my suspicions and is truly behind all this, then I’ll ensure he pays for it and rots in jail. There will be no escaping for him.