Page 35 of Shattered

He chuckles softly, “Trust me, the feeling is mutual.”

I can’t help but smile broadly, and that sets the tone for the rest of the night. As the hours pass, we chat endlessly, our hearts opening up and words flowing freely between us. Not before long, I can feel my eyes growing heavy, and I let out a sleepy yawn.

“I think I should let you get some sleep,” he says.

“Sorry, it was a long day. But honestly, I enjoyed the dinner. It was perfect—just what I needed.”

“No need to apologise, I understand. And I’ll happily take credit for the dinner. Get some rest, and we’ll talk more tomorrow.”

A smile curves my lips. “Good night.”

“Good night, sweetheart,” he replies softly as I end the call.

Wrapping the blanket snugly around me, I drift off to sleep. His face, his voice, his smile, his touch—all blend together in the best dream ever.

???

I rush through my morning routine and am running a comb through my hair when I hear my phone beep with a new message. I hastily set the comb down on the dresser and grab my phone. My heart skips a beat when I find a message from Officer Viraj. I cross my fingers, hoping for some positive news, and swipe the screen to read his message.

Office Viraj:I ran a background check on Deepak, and everything came back clean. I don’t believe he had a hand in your parents’ accident. Still, I’m keeping my eyes and ears open.

A wave of relief washes over me as I quickly type back.

Me:Thank you, Officer. Please keep me updated on any progress.

I hit send and then notice the green tick indicating he read the message, followed by the little bubbles that tell me he’s typing.

Office Viraj:I will keep you updated, and as I promised, you will soon have all your answers.

Relief floods through me, knowing he will keep his word as I quickly thank him before ending the chat. I’m about to put my phone back on the dresser and resume getting dressed for the day when it vibrates again. This time, my brows furrow in confusion as the message is from an unknown number. At first, I try to ignore it, assuming it’s an advertisement, but something compels me to swipe over and read the message.

Unknown:You’ve made a big mistake involving the cop and re-opening the case. You better pull back before you regret it.

My heart races as I stare at the message, my hands trembling as I try to type.

Me:Who is this?

Unknown:Someone you shouldn’t be messing with.

Despite the cold sweat breaking out on my forehead, I continue to type.

Me:Why are you doing all this? What did my family ever do to you?

Unknown:Those are questions for another day. For now, stay out of my business. All you’re doing is pissing me off, and trust me, making me angry is not wise. Your sister made that mistake once, and she’s still suffering because of it.

My sister. He’s after my sister. Fear grips me, making every blink feel like an eternity as I struggle to type. Before I can force myself to type anything, his reply hits my mobile again.

Unknown:Meet me tonight at Club Dtown at ten. I have matters to discuss. Also, don’t try to outsmart me by informing Officer Viraj, because if you do, your poor sister, who’s barely breathing as it is, will stop that too. I’ve tried taking her life once, and I wouldn’t mind doing it again. And trust me, this time, I’ll ensure she doesn’t survive. Don’t test my patience.

That’s all it takes for me to type without thinking, terror seizing my heart.

Me:I won’t inform Officer Viraj. I promise. Please, don’t do anything to my sister.

Unknown:Begging! I like it. I won’t harm her until you do as I say. Meet me alone tonight, and I’ll instruct you on how to tell Officer Viraj that you want to drop the case. And please, dress appropriately. It’s a club, not a family dinner—you need to blend in with the crowd, so choose something hot and sexy.

Disregarding his suggestion about my attire, I type.

Me:I’ll be there alone.

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