Page 47 of Shattered

She shakes her head. “I went through her classmates’ names, but nothing clicked. However, I’m planning to meet Suman, Nisha’s best friend, tomorrow. I think she might be helpful,” she says thoughtfully.

“Good idea,” I agree. “I have one more thing to ask.”

She furrows her brows. “What?”

“Deepak.”

“Ireallyhate that you read my messages,” she groans.

Ignoring her annoyance, Ipush forward. “Why did you meet that jerk?”

She sighs, looking resigned. “His name was on my sister’s call log, and I wanted to confirm that he had nothing to do with the accident.”

“You don’t think he’s involved?”

“No,” she mumbles. “He might have made bad decisions in his life, but I don’t think he would stoop so low. Deepak and I were in a relationship for a long time. He—”

“Are you trying to make me jealous?”I interrupt as soon as I hear her name linked with that jerk.

“No,” she grins. “I was just stating a fact.”

“I don’t care about your fucking facts,” I say firmly. I’m done discussing that jerk.

Before she can say anything,I close the distance between us and press my lips to hers.She kisses me back, and I can’t help but smile. Her lips are soft and sweet, and I could spend an eternity kissing her. This woman has me completely under her spell—a spell I never want to break free from.

Chapter 23

Kavya

The moment I step into Java Coffee Shop, the comforting aroma of freshly brewed coffee fills the air, instantly calming my jittery nerves. I’m not even sure if Suman knows anything, but I’m clinging to the hope that this meeting will shed some light on things and help meunderstand what really happened. Nisha didn’t have many friends; Suman was her one and only best friend.They were practically inseparable, always dropping each other home and sharing secrets.Maybe, just maybe, Nisha told Suman thingsshe didn’t feel comfortable sharing with me.

Luckily, when I messaged Suman last evening, she readily agreed to meet me despite it being a Wednesday. Suman works for a finance company as a financial consultant, so finding time to meet during the week isn’t easy; yet she didn’t hesitate or make excuses, which I truly appreciate. That kind of support means the world to me right now. Reyansh offered to come with me, but when I explained that I would be more comfortable having this conversation alone, he understood and respected my decision.

My eyes scan the cafe, and I spot Suman waving from across the room. I return her smile, my heart pounds in my chest as Imake my way to her, praying frantically that she holds the key to my sister’s accident.

“Hey, thanks for coming,”I say as I slide into the booth and set my bag down. Taking a moment, I can’t help but notice the familiar brown hue of her hair cascading down her shoulders, beautifully complementing her sun-kissed complexion. She is dressed in her usual blue jeans and red checkered shirt, bringing back memories of the days when she used to wear a similar style that matched my sister’s. I recall how I used to playfully tease them about dressing alike, like twins. And they would always counter back, playfully asserting that they were practically sisters rather than mere friends. But ever since Nisha came home after the accident, I haven’t had the chance to meet Suman. She didn’t even drop by once, but I fully understand that life gets in the way and keeps us busy.

“Of course,” Suman replies with a reassuring smile,pulling me from my memories. “How is Nisha?” she asks, her voice filled with concern.

“She’s stable, but... still unconscious. The doctors say it’s a waiting game now,” I reply,trying to muster a smile, though it comes out more strained than I’d hoped.Her expression turns even more worried.

“God, that’s awful. I still can’t believe this happened,” she says. Her black eyes meet mine and they fill with sadness as her voice lowers to a whisper, “How are you holding up?”

“I... I guess I’m okay,” I manage to say, my voice quivering.

She leans in slightly,placing her hands over mine on the tableand pressing them lightly. “Nisha will be fine soon.”

My throat tightens as I struggle to hold back tears,but I know I need to keep it together for this conversationwithout breaking down emotionally. I lean in closer, my voice a bit shaky. “Suman, I need to ask you something about Nisha.”

She nods her head in understanding. “I could tell from your call that something’s been weighing on your mind. What’s going on?” she asks carefully.

“Did Nishaever talk to you aboutsomething or someone troubling her?”

Her brows knit together, and her lips form a worried frown. “What do you mean?”

Before I can reply, the waitress interrupts us to take our order. Wanting to get back to the conversation, I quickly grab the menu and scan it.

“I’ll have a chocolate frappe,” I say, closing the menu and looking up at the waitress.

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