Page 94 of Reckless Dare

“My baby, we miss you! Are things going well in college?”

“Yes, Ma. Just been busy studying for the upcoming exams.”

“Take care of your health and eat well sweetheart. Don’t skip meals.” Her mother’s words made her smile.

She usually skipped meals during exams, but now thanks to her tormentor, she was eating quite well.

She smiled. “I’ve been eating well, Ma.”

“Good,” her mother replied. “Papa wanted me to give you a reminder too.”

Ava was hoping to talk to her father and ask him about the Simhas. But with him away, she hoped her mother could shed some light on what happened.

“Ma… I have a question for you about Papa.”

Her mother seemed intrigued. “What is it sweetheart?”

“I was looking through some old pictures of the university and saw some of daddy’s pictures with the Simha family members.”

Ava noticed a slight change in her mother’s expression.

“Why does Papa never talk about his college friends, Ma?”

Her mother didn’t say anything for a moment. There was a hint of sadness and regret on her mother’s face.

“Ava, your papa is not comfortable speaking about what happened in the past. Unfortunately, this isn’t something I like to bring up either. If you were planning to bring it up with him, I’d say don’t. He will be too upset.”

Ava was taken aback.

Although her father was the reserved kind, he never got upset. It was rare that he did and it was only if he lost a patient at the hospital.

What happened that Papa is upset about even after more than two decades?

She badly wanted to know. But she didn’t want to upset her father or mother.

She changed the topic and continued to speak to her mother and sister. But after the call ended, she couldn’t stop wondering about what could have happened that left someone like her father upset.

Will Papa be upset about Abhiram Simha too?

CHAPTER 27

“I’m getting engaged! I think I’m going to faint with excitement.”

Ava smiled at Nitya’s words. It was Friday night and a group of students were in a bus, heading to the Simha University airport from where they would be flying to the city that was nearest to Nitya’s hometown.

Ava was determined to enjoy her friend’s happy occasion. But she felt a small yet persistent hollow feeling inside.

She was going to miss her tormentor.

The thought of not seeing him for the entire weekend made her restless.

Maybe this is a good break. Maybe I can finally decide and tell him that we shouldn’t be seeing each other.

Even as she thought those words, she knew she was lying to herself.

She was addicted to her tormentor.

“Ava, I want you to dance to one of the movie songs. I saw your old videos where you and your sister performed on stage during cultural activities.”

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