Page 62 of Shattered

“Hello,”I say, my voice tight.

“We’ve got a lead,” Sidharth’s voice crackles through the line. “The person in the video is wearing a limited-edition Rolex watch. It’s pretty exclusive, and we’veidentified only four people in India who own that particular watch.”

My mind races as I process the information “I’m sending you the image of the watch. If you know anything about it, let me know,” Sidharth’s voice continues over the phone.

“Got it,”I reply before hanging up. A moment later, the image of a gold Rolex watch pops up on the screen.

I look at Kavya, who’s also staring intently at the screen.

“Do you remember anyone wearing this watch?” I ask her, and she lifts her head to meet my eyes.

“No,” she replies dejectedly, shaking her head. Tears begin to well in her eyes, and I can see how hard she’s trying to think, to recall something, anything that might help. But there’s nothing.

I put the phone away and slip it into my pocket before wrapping my arms around her and kissing her forehead. “Don’t worry, we’ll find out. We’re getting there, sweetheart.”

It’s so damn difficult having to share updates that constantly reopen her wounds. I wish I could manage everything independently, but I understand how important it is to keep her informed. I close my eyes and send a silent prayer to God, wishing for this torment to end soon so that I can see her radiant face smiling again, free from all this trauma, instead ofwitnessing her pain every time we receive news that isn’t what she hoped for.

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 fakeidentity, 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 upat 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 milesaway 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’saroundone, 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 swirlinginside me, I manage to keep my composure and focus on what she’s about to reveal. I lean forward andgently 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 ashis eyes land onSuman.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.

---