The chapter contains content that may be triggering or sensitive to some individuals. Reader discretion is advised.

Memories resurfaced after hearing her make the same offer that she had made three months ago – to be the stranger whom he could open up to. 

“What’s the matter?” she asked upon receiving no verbal response from his side. “Does this still sound pathetic to you?”

“You doubt?” He sat indifferent. He shouldn’t have agreed to come with her in the first place. If he had the slightest idea that this was going to be her last resort, he would have moved earth and heaven not to let himself fall weak.

But, what was the point now? He was already here and running away was now impossible. 

“What is it that is stopping you, Khadoos?” She adjusted herself toward him, pressing her elbow on the backrest. “Do you think that I won’t be able to handle the truth?”

“You don’t understand. It’s not you, Apurva. It’s me….” Admitting half-heartedly, he gripped the armrest. 

“What do you mean?”

“I won’t be able to handle you knowing the truth. Some mistakes are too big to be forgiven and that is why… sometimes… lies are better than the truth.”

“So, you’re accepting that all of this nonsense was a lie?’”

“Do you really need my confirmation? When have I ever been able to hide anything from you anyway? You just… know things, don’t you?”

“If those things are about you… then yes, I do!” She saw no reason to deny. “But it’s not because I’ve some magical powers, Khadoos. It’s because I care…”

I know you do, Apurva. He wished he had the liberty to be as frank as her. “What was Amey Da talking about back in the hospital?” 

“So are you up for it? The break?” She continued, ignoring his question as if she did not hear it. 

He shot her a disapproving look. She wasn’t as effortless in hiding things as she thought of herself to be. 

“Don’t you want me to set you free so that you can marry Netra Tai?” 

His insides clenched. The statement sounded a lot more harsh when coming from her. 

“Don’t you want me not to look for you anymore?” 

Was she finally backing off? Why didn’t it make him relieved? Wasn’t it what he wanted from the very beginning? 

“I’ll do what you want me to do, Khadoos but I can’t do it without closure. Telling me the truth is the only way you can get rid of me so treat me as a stranger and tell me… what exactly happened and remember… I am an entitled and demanding stranger so make sure you don’t skip anything.” 

Consumed by hopelessness and confusion, his mind wrestled with the daunting question – was it truly the only choice that he was left with? 

Was he ready to face the repercussions that would inevitably follow his decision? Was he? His every thought seemed to circle back to the same question, leaving him trapped in a maze of uncertainty. 

Was he? 

“After that night when Netra came to apologize to us… we barely talked. Institute madhe kama-vyatirikta na tine mazyashi na mi tichyashi bolna prayatna kela.” 

She hummed. She knew that. As promised, he had kept her updated about it. She remembered him mentioning that every day. 

“Until one day when…” 

Twenty Days Ago…

Aapan bhetatoy aaj? –  – Apurva 

Shashank shifted his gaze from his laptop to his phone. 

Mi ajunahi institute madhech aahe. He quickly typed a reply and got back to his work. 

Ha? 9.30 wajlet! Tu ajunahi tithe ka aahes? – Apurva

He chuckled at her message, imagining the frown on her face. 

Bas nightoch aahe. Pan aata ghari jaato. Sagle waat baghat astil. Aapan udya bhetu? Mi tula udya college la sodto, hmm? He replied before shutting his laptop screen. 

Nahi, nako! You better rest more. – Apurva

His fiancee was a predictable woman… at least to him, she was. He could tell what she would say in a certain situation and he turned out to be right more often than not. 

Spending time with you = resting… His thumb stilled as he debated if to send it or not. Why does this sound so cringe? Balling his hand in a fist, he hit his forehead but sent it anyway, knowing it would make her grin. 

Ha ha ha! – Apurva

He smiled at her message before pushing the phone into his pocket. Adjusting his bag on his shoulder,  he turned off the light while exiting his cabin. 

He had just stepped out of the institute when a loud scream filled his ears. Immediately rushing forward, his feet froze at some distance from the person in distress.  

“Netra…” he muttered under his breath. His gaze went to the box that was on the ground beside her before it landed on a doll drenched in what looked like blood to him. 

Momentarily taken aback by the nauseating sight, his mind went blank. It wasn’t until he caught a visibly shaking Netra that he hurried toward her. 

“Kay zala?” he asked, his eyes strictly fixed on the doll. 

Wiping the beads of sweat from her forehead, she shook her head while bending down. She hastily shoved the doll inside the box and slammed the lid shut. 

The fear etched across her face was too evident for him to believe in her silent it’s nothing. It sparked a sense of unease within him. Intuitively sensing that something was amiss, he extended his hand forward. “Dakhav ek minute.”

Her hands moved in a desperate attempt to hold the box behind her back – a clear indication of her unwillingness to let him have a look.

“Dakhav!” He repeated himself when she did not budge. He watched her visibly contemplating for a moment or two before she reluctantly pulled her hands in front of her. 

As she passed the box to him, her eyes refused to meet his, remaining fixed on the ground.

His hands held the box for a second while he stared at her trembling hands that she withdrew behind her back again the next second, concealing from view as if hiding the evidence of her distress. 

He opened the box, exposing his eyes to the gruesome sight that churned his stomach.

Torn clothes.
Several cuts.
Drenched in blood. 

The tortured doll.

A chill raced down his spine making him shut the box almost instantly, cutting off the disturbing sight within. Concern was etched across his features as he looked up from the box at her. “Are you being threatened?”