Chapter 36
Sidharth
Taking a sip of my black coffee, I lean forward with my elbows on the dining table, my gaze fixed on Nisha.
She’s out on the balcony, knees pulled up, her last night’s oversized T-shirt slipping off one shoulder.
She’s typing away on her laptop while talking to Shadow, who watches her like she hung the damn moon, his tail lazily thumping against the floor.
Can’t blame him. I’m just as awestruck by my girl.
My fingers begin to tap against my cup. Nisha looks rested, like she actually got some sleep last night. Unlike me. I fucking tossed and turned all night. I thought putting those bastards behind bars would bring me peace, but it clearly didn’t.
Maybe it’s the detective in me, or maybe it’s just the way she’s gotten under my skin.
She’s made me so damn protective that I can’t shut off my cautious mind when it comes to her.
Even last night, I didn’t want to leave.
I wanted to hold her close, feel her breath against mine, and stay right there.
But I knew staying in her room with Sunita Aunty under the same roof would only make her uncomfortable.
So I shoved my need down, kissed her goodnight, and forced myself to walk away.
But when morning came, I couldn’t hold myself back. There was just one thought churning in my head… I needed to see her before I set foot in that station and tore into those bastards.
I didn’t even think twice about ringing her bell at seven in the morning.
Nisha herself opened the door and gave me that knowing smirk, the one that said she knew I’d show up.
Hell, even Aunty gave me that look. But I didn’t bother hiding it.
They’d better get used to it, because I’m done pretending to keep it subtle.
My mind drifts back to when Aunty went into the pooja room for her prayers and Nisha and I sat at the breakfast table.
Her favorite stuffed parathas were right in front of her, but she barely touched them.
I could tell something was off. Before I could ask, she told me she was thinking about switching from online to offline classes, trying to give me every reason she could think of to prove she was ready to give it a shot.
But I wasn’t even close to convinced, and I guess she saw it on my face. Because the next second, she shook her head, grabbed her laptop, and walked straight out to the balcony. And damn, if I didn’t feel like the biggest asshole alive.
Fuck, I know I should be happy for her… support her, even. But the thought of her going back to college doesn’t sit right with me. Not when Karan won’t be there to watch her back. That’s not something I’m ready to come to terms with.
Damn it. Why does it always come down to choosing between her safety and her happiness? Why the hell can’t I give her both? I want to give her the damn world, but some days I’m barely holding it together just to keep the possessive, protective side of me from taking over.
Even now, all I can think about is… what if she goes to college and….
My thoughts are abruptly cut off by Sunita Aunty’s voice.
“She’ll be fine,” she says, sitting beside me like she knows exactly what’s eating me alive. And honestly, it doesn’t surprise me. Knowing Nisha, she’s probably already talked to Aunty about going to college. So I don’t bother questioning Aunty. Instead, I turn to her.
“You don’t know that for sure.”
“No, I don’t. But then again, we never really know anything for certain in life. All we can do is have faith in her strength.” She pauses, her hand resting gently on mine. “Sidharth, she is learning to breathe again, and you must let her.”
My stomach clenches. “I know this is about her joining college. She spoke to you, didn’t she?”
“Yes, she did. And she also told me you caught Deepak and Prakash. That’s what gave her the space to even think about going back out there.”
“I don’t know, Aunty. I’m still not convinced the worst is over. And now, her going back to college, it’s not something I’m ready to stomach. What if someone follows her again? What if she breaks down in the middle of a class? What if—”
“What if none of it happens?” Aunty cuts in, her hands squeezing mine. “What if this is what will make her happy? And what if, without meaning to, we’re the ones holding her back out of love, disguised as fear?”
My jaw tightens, fists clenched around the coffee mug. “I want her happiness, Aunty. God, I always do. But the thought of her out there, unprotected… it kills me.”
She nods slowly. “I know it does. And I’m not asking you to stop caring.
I know you can’t. What I’m asking is harder.
I’m asking you to trust that she can manage just fine without constant protection.
” She gives me a soft smile. “Let me confess something. When she first told me she wanted to go back, I was scared too. My first instinct was to say no. To keep her tucked safely in this house where I can see her. But then I realised that’s not living. ”
I inhale sharply.
“I hear you, Aunty. You’re right. And so is Nisha.
” My gaze drifts back to the balcony to my girl.
“But this fear of losing her… it just gets the better of me sometimes. No one really understands what it’s like, living with those what-ifs clawing at you every damn second.
And no matter how hard you try, you can’t shut them out. ”
“You’re not going to lose her, Sidharth. You’re just scared because you love her that much. But, beta, you have to understand that every step she takes has to be hers. And right now, she needs your trust as much as your love. Maybe even more.”
Her words hit hard, and for a moment, I don’t know how to respond.
She pats my cheek with a knowing smile and gets up. “Think about what I said. Now let me go make lunch before Nisha decides to ‘help’ me. You know how that’ll end. God, that girl in the kitchen is a guaranteed disaster. I honestly don’t know how you’re going to survive after marriage.”
That earns the smallest curve at the corner of my mouth. Almost a smile. Almost.
Aunty chuckles to herself as she heads into the kitchen, humming under her breath.
I turn my eyes back to my girl. Maybe now, after that talk with Aunty, accepting Nisha’s decision doesn’t feel like a fight. It’s not easy, but it feels bearable.
Yes, I need to relax, no matter how hard it is. Because my protectiveness might keep her safe, but for her, it’ll be a gilded cage, one that holds her back her wings instead of letting her fly.
And the last thing I ever want is to be the reason she stops smiling.
???
An hour later, as I drive through the traffic, a faint smirk tugs at my lips.
Sorting things out with my stubborn woman was anything but easy.
It only happened after I promised to ease up and stop hovering.
I even told her that once I’m back from work, I’ll help her look into the colleges she’s considering.
Only then did she give me that soft, hopeful smile, the kind that hit me straight in the gut.
It made one thing painfully clear: the promise I made isn’t one I can afford to break.
Pulling into the parking lot of the police station, I kill the engine and stare at the building in front of me. Something tells me that once I drag the truth out of those two bastards, this last shred of unrest inside me will finally be gone.
With that thought, I step out of the car and slam the door shut, striding through the double doors of the station. The officer at the front desk straightens the second I enter, and Viraj spots me from across the corridor. He gets up and walks towards me.
“Are they in the interrogation room?” I ask, cutting straight to the point.
“Yeah. We were just waiting for you before starting,” Viraj says.
I give a tight nod and head down the hallway. Reaching the door, I push it open and step inside, coming face to face with my prey.
Deepak sits on the left, his arms crossed, his jittery eyes darting around like a damn rat backed into a corner.
The moment he spots me, a twitch of annoyance flashes across his face.
Prakash is on the right, leaning back with that smug look plastered on his face, but when his eyes meet mine, that false confidence starts to crack. Good.
I walk up to them, while Viraj stays by the door, his arms folded.
“Let’s make this simple,” I say, stopping in front of them. “We already know what both of you did. The only thing left to decide is how deep you want to dig your own graves.”
“I told you that I haven’t done anything,” Deepak mutters, shifting in his chair.
Prakash just shrugs with a false calm. “I can say the same.”
Placing my hand on the table, I lean forward, my eyes locked on both of them. “Will you both cut the damn act and tell me how the hell the two of you ended up plotting this together?”
Deepak lets out a harsh laugh and jerks his thumb towards Prakash without even looking at him. “You gotta be kidding me. I don’t even know this guy, and I sure as hell don’t know what plotting you’re talking about.”
“Bullshit,” Prakash snaps, whipping around to face him. “You’re the one who told me to destroy Nisha!”
Deepak slams his palms on the table, his face twisting with anger. “Why the hell would I ask you to do that?”
Prakash fires back. “You wanted revenge because she badmouthed you, and you were terrified she’d expose your affair to your fiancée.
Want me to remind you how we ran into each other that night at the pub?
How we got wasted, and how you wouldn’t shut up about how Nisha got on your damn nerves.
You said you wanted to teach her a lesson.
You asked me to do it and even promised to hook me up with drugs. ”
Deepak shoots up from his chair, his eyes blazing. “That’s a damn lie! I never said any of that, and you know it! I don’t even deal with drugs, let alone promise them to a scum like you. Don’t drag me into your mess to save your own skin!”
“You’re the one who’s trying to pin all this on me,” Prakash shoots back, glaring at Deepak. “I didn’t even know Nisha until you told me to pose as a professor at her college and make her fall for me. And when that girl Suman overheard us talking, you told me to rape her and then kill her.”
Deepak’s face twists with fury and disbelief. “You sick bastard! That’s insane! Whatever this is, it’s all your damn plan. You’re the one who played everyone, and now you’re trying to drag me down with you for God knows what fucking reason!”
I raise an eyebrow, watching them both tear into each other. Good. Let them go on. In their rage, they’re spilling more than they mean to.
Prakash sneers. “Should I add how you handed me the keys to Maya’s place and practically begged me to ‘take care of her’? Said she was getting on your nerves, and you wanted her out of the way, for good.”
Deepak opens his mouth to snap back, but the words die halfway. He freezes mid-breath, blinking as his eyes narrow on Prakash, like he’s trying to place a puzzle piece that suddenly clicks into place.
“Wait… I think I’ve seen you before.”
I snort, folding my arms tighter across my chest. “Finally got your memory back, Ghajini?”
“I’m serious,” Deepak says, turning to me, then jabs a finger at Prakash. “You’re the guy who dropped Maya home that night. Her boyfriend, the one she was having an affair with?”
My eyes widen and my heart slams hard against my ribs. “What? What did you just say?” I ask.
Deepak turns to me, a bitter smile twisting his mouth. “Yeah, this is him. Her man. The one she was sneaking around with behind my back. Two poisonous snakes, perfect for each other.”
“I... I don’t know Maya. You’re the one who asked me to kill her,” Prakash stammers, the words spilling out in panic as the colour drains from his face.
Deepak lets out a chuckle, the smirk on his face deepening. “You’re smart, I’ll give you that. But not smart enough to trap me in your bullshit. That night, outside her house, I took a photo of you two. I can bring my phone and show it right now.”
Deepak shoots me a look that practically screams I told you I wasn’t lying.
Then he turns back to Prakash. “Now I get it. That’s why you wanted to hurt Nisha.
Maya’s the one who put you up to it, didn’t she?
Makes sense, as I’ve spent hours listening to her rant about how much she hates Nisha for ‘insulting’ her.
” He spins back to me. “She’s probably plotting something even now, knowing you guys are with us here. ”
The air gets sucked out of my lungs. I stare at Prakash, his face going deadly white, like every drop of blood just drained out of him.
Damn it. Nisha did say she’d seen Maya with some guy.
Said she was sure Maya was cheating on Deepak.
How the hell did we miss that? Why the hell did we fall for Maya’s crocodile tears and her carefully built act?
Viraj steps up beside me. “We’ve got to act fast. This changes everything.”
I don’t reply to him. I can’t. My body goes rigid, my breath caught in my chest like a vise.
Then, without wasting another second, I spin on my heels and storm out of the room.
By the time I reach my car, I’m barely aware of what I’m doing. My hands tremble as I jam the key into the ignition, twisting it so hard I nearly snap it. The tyres screech as I pull onto the road, tearing through traffic like a man possessed.
I need to get to Nisha.
My pulse spikes, anger and panic crashing into my chest.
Damn. I knew something was off. I fucking should’ve trusted my gut. I never should’ve let my guard down. Not even for a single, goddamn second.