As Vidya noticed the old lady standing nearby, she was struck by the expression on her face—one of silent guilt. Despite the heaviness in the woman's eyes, Vidya, driven by curiosity, asked softly, "Are you alright?"
The old lady responded calmly, "Yes, I am. But I came here because I always knew this moment would arrive—when even a bandit like Lalan would be forced to run for his life. I'm here now, at last, to help you."
Vidya felt a quiet wave of relief wash over her.
"I know where you're trying to go," the old woman continued. "Please, follow me."
Without hesitation, Vidya followed her.
Meanwhile, Lalan Raj's hand was dripping with blood from the deep cut left by the knife. Yet his face betrayed no pain—only a twisted, evil grin. Instead of crying out, he simply smiled. Then, in a sudden and swift motion, he snatched the knife and struck with his other hand into the neck of the rude guest.
The man collapsed to his knees, choking and coughing up saliva. The hall fell into dead silence. Every eye was fixed on the scene in stunned horror. Lalan tossed the knife aside without a glance, then pulled out a cigarette from the pocket of his breast. Lighting it, he took a long drag. After the first inhale, he turned his face toward the fallen guest and pressed the burning tip of the cigarette into the man's eyes.
The guest screamed, tears of pain pouring down as he writhed. But no one moved. Despite their guns, not a single goon or guest dared to twitch. Fear held them all in place.
Then Lalan spoke, his voice sharp and commanding.
"If anyone wants an explanation, come to me—I'm standing right here. But don't you dare question my decision. Badal Tomar isn't here anymore. I'm handling his work now, and you all will follow my orders. Got it?"
Everyone—goons and guests alike—nodded in silence.
Then Lalan looked behind him toward the stage and realized something: all the women were gone. Vidya was missing too.
He muttered under his breath, "I don't care about the rest… but that woman—I need to catch her before something happens."
He rose to his feet and ordered, "Carry him. All of you, leave through the back. Take every single truck and van. I don't want to leave behind a single trace of evidence for the police."
One of the goons asked, "Boss, what about you?"
Lalan's voice deepened. "I have unfinished business. Now get going, you bastards."
Without wasting a second, the goons rushed to grab the weapons and load the injured man. They scattered out through the back exit.
And now, with only his rage and resolve, Lalan stepped forward—searching for Vidya.
Meanwhile, Vidya and the old maid were walking silently through a dim, narrow corridor shrouded in darkness. The path ahead was barely visible, lit only by faint traces of light filtering through the cracks in the old building's walls. The old lady led the way with firm, deliberate steps, while Vidya followed behind, her thoughts clouded with unease.
Why is she so eager to help me? Vidya wondered, her mind racing. I know she once helped my sister too, but instead of saving herself, why is she risking everything for an outsider like me?
Unable to contain her growing curiosity, Vidya finally asked, "Where are we going?"
The old lady's voice was steady but low. "To the room where it all began. The place where Lalan killed your elder sister."
Vidya stopped in her tracks and grabbed the old lady's hand tightly. "You've said that before," she replied, her voice tense. "But I still don't believe you. I think my sister is alive."
The old lady turned to face her. Her eyes, aged and tired, searched Vidya's. "Is that so?" she said quietly. "Then tell me—where is she, huh? Where is she?"
She paused, her voice taking on a sharper edge. "If she's still somewhere in this vast building, then we must find her quickly. But answer me this—why haven't we found a single trace of her? Not even a scent?"
The old lady then placed her hands gently on Vidya's shoulders, her voice softening, yet laced with sorrow. "Listen, beta… I just want you to believe what I've told you. That's why I'm taking you to the room where this nightmare began."
Vidya stood still. Her heart ached with a quiet sadness. She didn't want to accept that her sister might truly be gone. But what tormented her most was the thought of the unborn child her sister had been carrying. Was the baby lost too? The question echoed endlessly in her mind, unanswered.
Yet, despite the turmoil inside her, Vidya silently resumed her steps, following the old maid down the shadowy hallway—perhaps for the last time.
On the other hand, Lalan Raj stormed through the hallways, banging open every door in a frenzy as he searched for Vidya. His footsteps echoed like thunder through the vast corridors until he reached the kitchen, where two maids stood frozen in fear. Lalan halted, his sharp eyes scanning the space. "Where is the old maid?" he demanded.
One of the maids stammered, "Sh-she left about an hour ago…"
Lalan's eyes narrowed. "An hour ago?" he muttered, a realization dawning upon him. So, she had been helping that woman. Gritting his teeth, he hissed to the maids, "Get out of here." The women fled without a word.
---
Meanwhile, Vidya and the old lady reached a door—Lalan Raj's private room. The old woman paused, swallowed hard, and said in a low voice, "This is it. Let's go in."
They opened the door slowly. Inside, everything looked normal—too normal. A bed neatly made, a table pushed against the wall, a chair, and a stack of books. Nothing out of place, nothing suspicious. The eerie calm only deepened the tension in the air.
Vidya looked around cautiously. "Let's search. Maybe we'll find something useful," she said.
The old lady sighed. "I'm sorry. I really thought there would be something here... some proof. But there's nothing."
"It's alright," Vidya replied quietly. "Let's not give up yet. We'll search first, then decide."
They began combing through the room—opening drawers, flipping through books, checking beneath the bed. Minutes passed. Dust clung to their fingers, but nothing turned up.
"He's clever," the old woman muttered. "He's hidden everything. No proof, nothing."
A part of Vidya felt a strange relief. If there was no proof, maybe her sister was still alive. Maybe the old woman had been mistaken. She clung to that hope—until her eyes caught something near the bottom leg of the wooden table.
A broken hole.
Curious, she crouched and leaned in, peering through the jagged opening. Something was inside—small, square, and aged. She reached in carefully and pulled it out.
It was a passport-sized photograph.
As soon as she saw it, her breath caught. Her eyes widened with shock, filling with tears. Her hands trembled as she stared at the image.
The old lady noticed. "What is it? What happened?" she asked, concerned.
Vidya silently held the photograph out to her.
It was a picture of Lalan Raj… standing beside Vidya's elder sister.
As Vidya held up the photograph to show the old maid, a sudden presence froze the air. Lalan Raj appeared at the doorway, his eyes burning with rage. "How did you—?" he muttered, before lunging forward. In one swift, violent motion, he shoved Vidya to the ground and snatched the photograph from her hand. She staggered, nearly collapsing, but the old lady caught her just in time.
Lalan's voice dropped to a low, threatening growl. "You've done a terrible thing. I'll kill you. How dare you touch this?"
Vidya's own fury exploded as she stood up, undeterred. "The woman in that photo is my elder sister! You think I'll ever forgive you for killing her?"
Lalan stared at her, stunned. "You're… her sister? Bu—" Before he could finish, the old maid stepped between them, her frail form trembling with both sorrow and anger.
"Have you no shame?" she shouted. "You killed an innocent woman. I saw her fall down those stairs. I saw her die… with her unborn child. You're not a man—you're a monster!"
Then came a revelation that shattered everything Vidya believed.
"When will you stop trying to shame me, Mother?" Lalan spat.
Vidya froze. Her mind reeled. Mother?
The old lady's voice cracked under the weight of years of buried pain. "Don't call me that. Even if I am your mother, you make me witness horrors every single day—what your men do to those helpless women."
"I told you," Lalan snapped. "You didn't have to stay here. I said I'd send you money every month. You could've lived peacefully. But you chose this—you stayed just to scold me!"
"I stayed," the old lady replied, voice trembling, "because I thought maybe I could stop you. Maybe I could change you… but I was wrong. I've failed."
The room was thick with silence, heavy with years of pain and betrayal. But Vidya's voice rose through the storm, sharp and cold with fury.
"I don't care about your regrets," she hissed. "I'm here for answers. Why did you kill my sister?"
In a single motion, she pulled a pistol from the inside of her long boot and aimed it directly at Lalan's chest. Her hands didn't tremble.
"Tell me," she commanded, "or I swear—I'll kill you."
But then… Lalan spoke words that shattered Vidya's world forever.