Page 63 of Shattered

Just as I am about to reply, I notice Suman’s face go pale. Her hands begin to tremble, and before I can react, she jumps up, almost knocking over the chair in her haste.

“I… I have to go,” she stammers, her voice barely audible.

“Suman, wait. We need to talk,” I rise to my feet and move around my desk to stop her, but she shakes her head frantically.

“Sorry, I have nothing to say. It was a mistake. I need to get back to work,” she blabbers, her words rushed and evasive.

“Suman...” I try again, placing my hands on her shoulders, but she shoves them away.

“No,” she whispers and then without another word, she bolts out of the office, leaving both Akash and me staring after her in stunned silence.

What just happened? She wanted to talk, so why did she flee as if she’d seen a ghost? My gut is screaming that something isn’t adding up. Glancing at Akash, I furrow my eyebrows, trying to make sense of the situation when he speaks up.

“That was weird,” he mutters, running his hand through his hair,but I notice the subtle tension in his posture, the unease he’s trying to hide.

Ignoring his statement,I get straight to the point. “Do you know Suman?”

Akash’s expression remains unreadable as heplaces the stack of fileson my desk. “No, can’t say that I do.”

“Why did she bolt the moment you stepped in?” I ask, still trying to process it all.

Akash chuckles lightly as if it’s no big deal. “Maybe I just startled her.Though I’ll admit, it’s not often I see a girl running away from me.I am used to them throwing themselves at me,” he says, trying to make a joke of the situation. Despite his attempt at humour, I can’t shake the feeling that something is off.

“She was about to tell me something important,” I say,watching him closely for any hint of reaction. But he doesn’t flinch, doesn’t even blink.

He merely shrugs. “Well, if she has something to say, I am sure she’ll come back. Now, about these marketing plans, canyou work on them and leave them on my desk before you head home? I have an important meeting that will keep me away for the rest of the day. I’ll probably get the file collected later in the night before going home.”

“Okay,” I nod absently, my mind already preoccupied with thoughts about Suman and what she wanted to tell me before she took off.

“Thanks, I need to get going,” he saysbefore walking out, leaving me standing there, more puzzled than ever.

I drop back into my chair and pick up my mobile from the desk. I dial Suman’s number, but it’s switched off. Something is terribly wrong. With a huff, I pick up the documents Akash left and try to focus on them,but my mind keeps wandering back to that door—where Suman ran out like the place was on fire. Her fear was palpable,and the way she reacted to Akash... it couldn’t just be a coincidence. I have to have a word with Suman and get to the bottom of this. Maybe after work, I’ll try giving her a call again or drop by her house.

Reluctantly, I force myselfto get back to the pile of files in front of me, flipping through the pages Akash asked me to review.Reyansh’s messages keep popping up every now and then, asking about my day and telling me how much he misses me. His words bring a small smile on my faceas I reply, venting about how slow my day is and admitting that I miss him too. However, I hold back on sharing about Suman’s visit. This is something I want to discuss with him in person.

Three hours later,I’ve finally finished reviewing the file. I grab my purse,tuck the file under my arm, and step out of my office, making my way to Akash’s cabin to drop off the file.

I open Akash’s cabin door, knowing he’s not around since he’d mentioned it earlier. Stepping inside, I place the file on his desk and take a sticky note and pen. I quickly scribble a note, saying that I have completed going through the file andhighlighted a few things that require his attention. After writing, I place the sticky note on the file.

Just as I am about to turn around and walk out of his office, my eyes fall on his slightly open drawer.

With a huff, I shake my head. This man can be so careless at times. Fortunately,no one else has access to his office when he’s not around except me, but still, that doesn’t excuse his carelessness. He’s in for a lecture from me when I meet him later.

Placing my bag on his desk, I step around his desk to close the open drawerwhen something shiny catches my eye, peeking out from under a pile of papers. Holding my breath, I push the papers aside and spot the watch. My hands start to shake, and my heartbeat quickens as I pick it up, examining itwith a growing sense of dread. My breath catches in my throat—it’s the exact same watch, a mirror image of the one the man wore in the video.

My heart pounds wildly in my chest, sweat beads forming on my forehead asI continue to stare at the watch. No. No. It can’t be Akash. There has to be some mistake. I want to believe that this can’t be true, but my mind refuses to agree with me. It is filled with confusion, disbelief, fear, and suspicion.

I shut my eyes tightly, desperately trying my best to pieceeverythingtogether. The watch...Suman’s terrified reaction when she saw Akash, her bolting from the office, Akash’s uneasiness... Akash giving me a job without any experience...the way he always seemed so friendly, almost too familiar... And now my sister’s missing mobile—he’s one of the people who would drop by home frequently.

But why on earth would Akash harm my sister?I’ve never heard Nisha mention him, and he’s never acted like he knew her.So why would he do this to her… and to me?

My breathing becomes uneven, my throat burns, and before I know it, tearsstream down my face. I trusted him. I believed his friendship was genuine, that he truly cared for me. But now, it feels like a betrayal. His friendship wasn’t born out of concern for me; it was merely a tool for his selfish motives to use me as a pawn for his own twisted agenda.

With each passing second, my heart sinks deeper as I realise how stupid I was to believe him. How could I even think for a second that there are good people like him who would help someone in need?

I wipe my face with the back of my hand,refusing to let them dampen my resolve.It’s time toget to the truth, even if it means facing this harsh reality. I grab my purse and place the watch in my bag. I need to get to Reyansh to tell him what I’ve got. Stepping out of Akash’s office, I make my way to my car.

As I get behind the wheel and pull out of the parking lot, my mind is consumed with thoughts. If God forbid, Akash confirms my suspicions and is truly behind all this, then I’ll ensure he pays for it and rots in jail. There will be no escaping for him.

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