Gasps tore through the family, punctuated by whispers and the clatter of dropped silverware.
The unimaginable cruelty inflicted upon the child twisted the festive atmosphere into a suffocating shroud of horror.
Present day —
Maya sat at the edge of the hall, her black eyes absorbing every detail.
Not a flicker of emotion passed across her face, absorbing the pain of the past without acknowledging it.
Faha's knuckles whitened as he gripped the edge of a nearby table .
Fahis's voice trembled as he spoke through clenched teeth,
"She… she survived that?
She… how—"
"How???? "
Mahi slowly lowered herself into a nearby chair, her fingers trembled slightly.
"How could anyone look at a child and treat her like that?"
Everyone remembered the livestream from the previous day.
Maya's reflexes, her inability to relax.
The way she reacted when someone approached unexpectedly.
The way she treated a severe fever as though it were insignificant.
Suddenly— None of it seemed strange anymore.
Fahan struggled to find the right words,
"When most people see something painful...you can tell."
A pause.
"They React, Cry, Get Angry. They Show Something."
Faha looked from the dark projector screen to Maya, then back again.
"She… she is pretty calm even after seeing this. "
—
Rahi staggered back a step.
"Turn it off! Stop it!"
The words tore from him, there was no trace of his usual calm.
Only panic, "Monsters...Pure monsters."
His hands rose to his head instinctively.
Fingers tangling in his hair as though he were trying to ground himself, trying to hold onto something solid while the world tilted beneath his feet.
His breathing became uneven, he was no longer seeing the hall around him.
All of it seemed to fade into the background.
His chest rose and fell rapidly.
His vision blurred.
The sounds from the recording echoed through the room, but to him they seemed much closer.
His voice cracked almost pleading,
"Please...Turn it off."
The entire hall froze.
Nobody had ever seen him like this.
Rahi—the man who never seemed afraid.
The man who remained calm when everyone else panicked was visibly falling apart.
His breathing changed—
as though air had suddenly become something he had to fight for.
Those echoes—
Those sounds from the video slipped past reason, past logic, past the walls he had spent years building.
His vision blurred. The bright lights of the chandelier fractured into sharp, scattered pieces.
"Rahi, look at me."
Mahi's chair scraped loudly against the marble floor as she stood.
Fahim's expression immediately darkened,
"Everyone give him space."
Several relatives instinctively stepped back,
"What happened to him?"
"Why is he reacting like this?"
One of the older relatives whispered,
"Should we call an ambulance?"
"He can't breathe properly."
Voices around him faded as though the world was pulling away, leaving him somewhere else entirely.
Then—
memory returned as fragments.
"Stop…" Rahi whispered but it wasn't clear who he was speaking to.
Cold floors, a locked room that never seemed to end.
13A.
He flinched, "I— I can't…"
The smell came next.
Something sharp, metallic . It wrapped around his chest,stealing breath after breath,
"They don't stop…"
He was back there—
where time didn't move normally, days stretched into something endless.
His shoulders curled inward instinctively as if bracing for something that wasn't there anymore—
"They said it was necessary… They said we'd get used to it…"
Farhan whispered, "Used to what…?"
Rahi's fingers clawed slightly at his own sleeve grounding himself or trying to.
His knees struck the marble with a dull, hollow sound, too soft for the violence of what was happening inside him.
The memory didn't come alone, It brought the feeling with it—
helplessness, being watched.
Never being allowed to just… be human.
A broken whisper slipped out barely audible,
"I didn't run fast enough....
No they're here…They don't stop…" .
He whispered,
"Even when it's quiet… they don't stop.
They never let us go… not really…"
The hall don't breathe.
What had begun as whispers and curiosity had turned into something else entirely—
Something that settled into the bones of everyone present.
All eyes were on Rahi.
He was no longer just a stranger who had stumbled in.
Rahi's hands shook uncontrollably, his grip slipping from his hair as if his own strength had abandoned him,
"They're here…They don't stop…"
Mahi's hand flew to her mouth,
"What is happening to him?"
Fahis stepped forward slightly,
"He's not seeing us, he's reliving something."
Farhan whispered under his breath,
"He's trapped… somewhere in his head."
Rahi's eyes darted wildly,
"No… no… don't close it… Don't lock it again please—"
_
In one measured motion, Maya rose.
Almost unnaturally calm, Unhurried.
The polished marble reflected the light of the chandeliers as she crossed the room.
The projector sat at the front of the hall.
She stopped beside it, her gloved hand reached forward.
The small black memory chip clicked softly as she removed it from the device.
The sound seemed impossibly loud in the silence.
For a moment, she simply looked at it.
The tiny object resting between her fingers.
So small yet capable of bringing an entire hall to silence.
Then she turned and walked toward Rahi.
Rahi looked unlike himself, completely unlike himself, his shoulders were drawn inward.
His eyes avoided the projector.
Avoided everything.
He looked smaller somehow in a way that made people uncomfortable.
Because everyone present knew who he was.
RAHI.
The legendary hacker.
The founder of Echo of Pearl.
The man whose name alone made powerful people nervous.
The man who could face governments, corporations and threats without blinking.
And now— He looked frightened.
Several relatives stared openly unable to process the contrast.
"...Is that really Rahi?" someone whispered.
"I've never seen him like this."
"Neither have I."
Fahan looked between Maya and Rahi.
Still struggling to comprehend what he was seeing.
"Yesterday he was threatening to revoke Maya's authority over herself."
A few people actually laughed despite the atmosphere.
"Now look at him."
"I've never seen Rahi afraid."
"This is breaking my heart."
"The entire room is watching him like they don't recognize him."
"Why does this feel worse than the video?"
"Because legends aren't supposed to look vulnerable."
Maya finally stopped in front of Rahi.
She dropped to one knee beside him.
He didn't look up, he simply sat there.
Trying to regain control, trying to steady his breathing.
Trying to convince his body that the danger was gone.
"Hey, Subject 13A."
No response.
"Subject 13A."
Still nothing.
"Subject 13A."
Rahi finally looked up but his eyes were unfocused.
As though he were seeing something that no one else in the hall could see.
His fingers clawed weakly at the fabric near Maya's shoulder —
just… holding.
His breath came in broken fragments, sharp and uneven as if the air itself had turned against him.
"I didn't know—"
He choked , "I didn't know they—did that to you.
If I had known, I wouldn't have left you.
I wouldn't have run—
I am sorry. "
The words tangled together and fell apart before they could fully form.
—
"Maya…?"
Mahi's voice trembled from across the hall, "What is he saying ?"
No answer.
Rahi's breathing worsened.
His hands began to shake harder, fingers curling inward like they no longer belonged to him.
His shoulders jerked with every breath as though his body was trying and failing—
to keep up with something far beyond control.
"I—can't—"
He gasped,"I can't—breathe—"
Fahim stepped forward quickly, pushing past a cluster of stunned crowd.
"He's having a panic response.
Give him space—everyone, move back!"
He dropped to one knee beside him, reaching out cautiously.
"Listen to me, slow your breathing—
inhale through your nose—"
Rahi's body reacted before thought could catch up.
The moment his hand brushed too close—he flinched violently.
"Don't—!"
He snapped, "Don't touch me—!"
The reaction was immediate.
Instinctive.
Almost terrified.
Maya raised a hand without looking away from Rahi.
The gesture alone stopped Fahim from moving any closer.
Something in her expression told him not to interfere.
—
Faha noticed first.
He leaned slightly closer to Fahish, his voice lowered, "This scene looks familiar…"
Fahis's lips curved faintly— into something more thoughtful,
"First her, Now him."
Fahan's voice lower now, "Not coincidence."
Faha glanced at him ,
"You're thinking the same thing?"
"This kind of reaction doesn't come from nothing."
Fahis nodded slowly,
"No one trembles like that on purpose…"
—
Rahi is falling apart, broken inhales that never seemed to reach his lungs.
his voice cracked on a single word,
" ROSE OF DEATH …"
The name detonated like a bomb.
Like something dropped into deep, black water— never to return.
No one knew what it meant.
But the way she froze— told everyone it was not a word meant to be spoken here.
Silence spread through the hall.
"Enough. Subject 13A. "
She said quietly , almost mechanical,
"Stabilize."
No response.
" INHALE.
Focus, You've done this before many times."
But, it couldn't calm him down.
And then —
Her hand moved deliberately, pulling the pin free, It's edge gleamed sharp in the chandelier's light.
She raised it to his throat, close enough that a single breath would draw blood.
Screams Rose.
Fahad shoved through the crowd ,
"Maya! Stop!
What are you doing?
You will hurt him. "
"Maya!"
Fahim's voice sharpened, "What are you doing—?"
"Stop her—!" someone shouted.
But Maya's voice carved through the chaos like a blade:
"Subject 13A , Don't bother me now.
Control your emotions—or you die here.
I will show you no mercy, though."
The hall fell silent, even the chandeliers seemed to shiver.
The man, Rahi didn't move.
He noded once —
but the tremor don't leave him. His chest rising too fast, like he was drowning in air.
His hands shook at his sides, fingers curling and uncurling without control.
Maya watched.
Her eyes did not soften, If anything—
they grew colder,
"You're still out of control and unobedient, like past. You didn't change a bit. "
He calm himself down a bit.
"Did you forget?"
Her voice dropped lower,
"What happens… when a unobedient child lost his control?"
Rahi's breath hitched.
A flicker of something—
fear, something buried passed through his eyes.He shook his head quickly,
"No… No..... No . I know.
I know very well —"
Maya moved faster than his words.
Her hand shot up to grip his neck, firm enough to stop him mid-sentence.
The room gasped.
"Then act like you remember. "
He obeyed, his eyes did not lift to hers.
They remained lowered, fixed somewhere near the marble floor as if even looking at her was something he had not earned.
"I thought you were dead. "
He whispered,
"They told me you burned.
They told me you never made it out.
I wanted to believe them.
Because if you were alive, then I... I would live in regret. I would have to live with what I did."
A chill seems to pass through the gathering..
" So..so I believed them. I am sorry. "
Maya's eyes did not soften.
Nobody speaks for several seconds.
Faha is the first to break.His usual carefree expression is gone,
"...What exactly did he mean by that?"
No one answers.
Because no one knows Or perhaps they are afraid they know enough already.
Farhan slowly lowers his gaze.
"Whatever happened..."
He swallows.
"It destroyed both of them."
"That sounded like someone carrying something for years."
Faha exhales slowly,
"I thought the video was the shocking part."
He laughs once. A hollow sound.
"I was wrong."
Farhan finally breaks the silence,
"How bad does the truth have to be..."
His voice trails off.
"...for a person to choose a lie instead?"
No one answers.
Because no one has an answer.
She drew the pin back and slid it into her hair once more. Her expression revealed nothing.
"The past is better left in the past."
Her gaze drifted away.
"What is the point of suffering over it now?"
The room watched in stunned silence.
"You're here, not there. So, Stop bothering me. "
" Ok. I am sorry. "
Rahi's breathing gradually steadied.
The trembling in his hands faded.
His shoulders slowly relaxed.
The panic that had consumed him moments ago retreated behind the walls he had spent years building.
By the time he finally looked up—
The legendary calm had returned.
The hall remained silent.
Nobody moved.
Because what they had just witnessed felt impossible.
This was RAHI MIRZA.
The man who stared down powerful enemies without hesitation.
The man who could dismantle entire systems while drinking coffee.
The man whose name alone made dangerous people nervous.
And yet— they had just watched him fall apart.
Fahan was the first to break the silence,
"...I think my brain stopped working."
Several people immediately nodded,
"Mine too."
"I need explanations."
"I need many explanations."
Faha rubbed both hands over his face ,
"Hold on."
He pointed at Rahi, "No."
Then pointed again, "That was YOU?"
Rahi closed his eyes, "Unfortunately."
"Unfortunately?!" Faha nearly choked.
"Do you understand how terrifying you normally are?"
Rahi looked genuinely confused,
"I don't try to be."
"That's somehow worse."
Fahish leaned back in his chair,
"You called her ' Rose of Death ' once."
The room instantly became silent again.
Rahi froze, "...You heard that?"
"I hear many things, " Fahish replied.
He looked between Maya and Rahi.
"What kind of nickname is that?"
"Not a nickname.
Not by accident, not even by mistake
pronounce that name."
Rahi replied immediately.
A chill moved through the room.
Fahan swallowed.
The seriousness in Rahi's voice was impossible to ignore.
"...Why?"
Rahi didn't answer immediately,
"Because some names should remain buried."
Mahi looked toward Rahi carefully,
"I've never seen you panic before."
Rahi stared at the floor for a moment ,
"Most people haven't."
Meanwhile, Maya had already returned to her sketchbook.
Scratch..... Scratch.....Scratch.
The familiar sound filled the hall.
Several relatives stared.
Then stared harder,
"...How is she drawing right now?"
"Good question."
"Shouldn't today be emotionally overwhelming?"
Maya didn't even look up.
Fahan pointed dramatically, "See?"
"See what?"
"That's the scary one."
Maya finally raised her eyes.
"...."
Fahan immediately lowered his hand,
"I apologize."
Farhan stared,
"Why is she always drawing during the most dramatic moments?"
" Because she is crazy. "
Murmurs arose, soft and fragmented:
" Ohhh God. "
"How can anyone endure so much suffering?"
" That's Impossible…"
"We're too late to find her. "
"This is connected," Faha said quickly.
"The video, him, Maya—this is all the same thing."
Fahad snapped back,
"Obviously it is! But what thing?
What are we missing?"
Fahim's voice cut in,
"We're not missing it."
He looked directly at Maya.
"We're just seeing it too late."
"You're referring to the video. "
Fahim nodded once, "Yes."
Fahim leaned slightly forward now.
"Rahi…Whatever happened back then didn't just affect her."
He nodded toward Rahi, "It affected you too."
The voices in the hall kept circling.
Maya closed her sketchbook.
The pencil was placed down beside it.
Slowly, She gets up from her seat and walked toward the nearest exit.
Fahim noticed first, "Maya?"
She didn't respond.
Fahan blinked, "Where is she going?"
Mahi turned slightly, "Maya, wait—"
Maya stepped out.
The doors closed softly behind her.
Fahan exhaled slowly, "...She left."
Fahim rubbed his temple,
"Honestly… I don't blame her."
Rahi finally spoke, "She doesn't like noise."
Mahi looked at him,
"You mean the conversation?"
Rahi shook his head slightly,
"Everything that sounds like digging."
Every family member, understood that Maya's past was not easy. She had to endure a lot of hardship.
Fahan exhaled slowly,
"We thought she was just… distant. Quiet."
He let out a bitter breath. "This isn't quiet. This is—"
He stopped.
Because there were no words big enough.
Each sigh, each rustle of silk or whisper of velvet, a prelude to the revelation that was about to shatter the meticulously curated calm.
The chandeliers burned steadily above but no warmth came from them.
Light fell across tense faces, rigid shoulders, unmoving hands.
No one touched their drinks anymore, no one pretended.
Faces that were usually relaxed at gatherings now held tension like a held blade.
Fahad broke first, his voice was low,
"This ends tonight."
Fahan turned sharply,
"Ends?
You think this ends with answers?"
"It starts with them," Fahad snapped.
"We've been blind long enough."
Fahim adjusted his glasses slightly,
"We weren't blind, we were… kept blind."
"We need to know the past of Maya."
Another added, almost mocking,
"Numbers instead of names?
'Subject'?
What is this—some kind of experiment?"
A ripple moved through the group.
Naya's voice trembled, but she didn't stay silent, "She's family."
"Is she?" Ohi shot back.
Mahim finally spoke,
"We will not raise our voices like this."
Fahad turned to him immediately,
"Then give us something else, Baba.
Because right now, all we have is silence—and that silence is worse than anything she could say."
A pause.
"What happened to her?"
Fahan ran a hand through his hair,
"We saw the video, we saw Rahi.
We heard what he said."
His voice tightened,
"You don't get like that from nothing."
Fahim nodded slightly,
"That level of response… that's conditioning. Long-term trauma."
He looked toward the doorway Maya had disappeared through earlier,
"Whatever she went through—it wasn't short. It wasn't simple."
One of the aunts whispered ,
"Why didn't she tell us?"
Fahad answered before anyone else could,
"Because she doesn't trust us."
Anik, who had remained silent until now. finally spoke,
"She doesn't trust anyone."
All eyes turned to him.
"And yet—she stays. She eats at the same table."
A faint pause.
"That means something."
Fahan narrowed his eyes, "Say it clearly."
Anik's gaze didn't waver,
"It means at lest she's not afraid of us ."
Mahim's expression hardened slightly, "Enough speculation."
But even he couldn't fully stop it now.
Because the room had already crossed that line— from curiosity…into need.
Fahad's voice came more dangerous,
"No. At this point, it's not curiosity anymore."
Fahan nodded slowly,
"And she won't give it willingly.
She won't tell the truth."
Farhan looked down at his hands,
"Then maybe we shouldn't take it."
Fahad replied,
"We already did the moment we watched that video."
Nahi spoke more quietly now,
"If she won't speak…"
Ohi finished it,"…we make her."
Mahi shook her head immediately,
"No. Absolutely not."
But her voice trembled.
Because even she— wanted to know.
The family settled back into the sofas one by one, as if the weight of the earlier conversation had slowly pressed them down into place.
Silk creased softly under shifting bodies.
Crystal glasses were turned in slow, distracted circles.
But no one was truly relaxed anymore.
Rahi had already left.
Long before the discussion even reached its second breath, he had followed Maya's absence like a shadow that refused to announce itself.
Ohi broke the silence first,
"We have to do something."
A few heads turned.
Fahim leaned back slightly, fingers interlaced
"I've developed something recently."
Fahan tilted his head, "Developed… what exactly?"
Fahim answered without hesitation,
"A compound.
Something I've been calling 'Truth Serum '."
A brief silence followed.
Mahim's eyes narrowed slightly,
"And what does it do?"
Fahim adjusted his glasses,
"It does exactly what the name suggests."
A faint pause.
"It suppresses conscious filtering. Weakens resistance and increases verbal disclosure of deeply buried memories."
He glanced across the room.
"Not hypnosis, not coercion in the traditional sense."
Fahan gave a low whistle,
"That sounds… dangerously efficient.
You're telling me you made a drug that makes people unable to lie?"
"In controlled dosage, yes."
A faint, uneasy laugh escaped Faha,
"That's… actually insane."
He smirked faintly,
"So basically, you're saying it forces honesty."
"Functionally."
Fahim replied, "yes.
It reduces the brain's ability to maintain controlled narrative construction."
Fahan frowned, "Controlled what?"
Fahim clarified without irritation,
"Every person filters memory before speaking. Even when they think they're being honest."
He tapped lightly on the table.
"There is always selection. Emotional shielding. This removes that layer of control."
Fahim continued.
"It works on three primary mechanisms.
ONE—
Cognitive inhibition weakens. The subject struggles to suppress thoughts they normally keep unspoken.
TWO—
Emotional recall becomes dominant. The strongest associated memories surface first, regardless of intent.
THREE—
Associative linkage increases. One memory triggers connected fragments rapidly, creating uncontrolled continuity of recall."
Mahim's voice was firm, "And side effects?"
Fahim answered immediately,
"Memory fragmentation under stress. Emotional flooding.
Temporary dissociation in extreme cases."
Fahad folded his arms.
His expression had already shifted into planning.
"Then the question isn't what it is.
It's how we use it."
Fahis spoke quietly from the side, eyes half-lowered in thought,
"Her observation ability is too sharp."
A pause.
"If she suspects even a fraction of manipulation… she'll shut everything down before it starts."
Mahim nodded slowly,
"That level of awareness doesn't allow mistakes."
Fahan exhaled,
"So direct approach is impossible."
Fahad's gaze sharpened,
"Then we don't go direct."
Ohi leaned forward slightly,
"What are you suggesting?"
Fahad answered without looking away,
"We use proximity."
A pause.
"Something she won't question."
Fahim's eyes narrowed slightly, already following the logic, "Medical context."
"Exactly."
Faha tapped the armrest lightly,
"Like medication."
Farhan finally spoke, "And who delivers it?"
The room hesitated.
"RAHI."
A few reactions shifted instantly.
Ohi frowned, "Why him?"
Nahi answered before anyone else could,
"Because he's already close to her."
A pause.
"And she doesn't treat him like a threat."
Ohi looked unconvinced, "He won't agree."
"He doesn't need to be told everything."
A beat.
"He just needs to be told enough."
Fahan let out a slow breath,
"So you're saying… we guide him without him realizing the full picture."
Nahi nodded slightly, "Not deception. Selective truth."
"And if she notices the shift?"
Silence.
Fahad answered quietly, "Then we already failed."
Nahi leaned forward slightly,
"He'll just bring her medicine. Fever treatment. Water. Normal."
A pause.
"And if the serum is already mixed in—he won't question it."
Ohi narrowed his eyes,
"That depends on timing."
He tapped the armrest lightly,
"We only need one opportunity. One moment where she doesn't overthink."
"Rahi is already close to her. Closer than the rest of us. He's the least likely to be suspected."
Fahad looked around the room,
"And if she finds out?"
Before anyone else could answer—
Farhan turned toward him.
A look of pure annoyance crossing his face.
"Do you ever say anything optimistic?"
Several people glanced between them.
Farhan threw his hands into the air,
"Honestly, bhai, every time you speak, it's either a disaster scenario or a warning."
Fahad raised an eyebrow,
"I prefer preparation."
"You prefer assuming the worst."
"I prefer surviving the worst."
Farhan groaned,
"See? This is exactly what I'm talking about."
A few relatives failed to suppress their laughter.
Fahan leaned back against the sofa,
"He does have a point."
Farhan immediately pointed at him,
"Don't encourage him."
"I'm not."
"You are."
Fahan shrugged, "A little."
Farhan rubbed his forehead,
"This family is impossible."
"Genetics," Fahan replied immediately.
A cushion flew across the room.
Fahan barely avoided it.
Rahi walks into the living room just as another round of whispering begins.
Everyone immediately goes quiet.
Which, somehow, looks even more suspicious.
Rahi stops in the doorway, "...What?"
Nobody answers.
Rahi narrows his eyes,
"Why does it look like you're planning a coup?"
Fahan coughs, "No reason."
"That answer makes it worse."
Farhan quickly looks away.
Rahi folds his arms,
"Did the world end while I was upstairs?"
Silence.
"Is a meteor coming?"
No response.
"Is civilization collapsing?"
Still nothing.
Rahi sighs dramatically,
"Because judging by your faces, I assume we're approximately three minutes away from extinction."
Farhan immediately points at him.
"When?"
"What?"
"When does civilization collapse?"
Rahi blinks,
"See? This is exactly what I mean."
Several people fail to hide their laughter.
"You all look like you're attending a funeral."
Fahad crosses his arms, "Some of us are thinking."
Rahi looks unimpressed, "Dangerous activity."
Fahan laughs.
Farhan nearly falls off the sofa.
Meanwhile Fahim ignores all of them,
"How is Maya?"
The question immediately shifts the atmosphere.
Rahi's expression becomes more serious,
"I think the fever is coming back."
Fahim sits upright instantly, "What?"
"Not as bad as before."
"That's not the point."
Fahim stands immediately.
Within seconds he's already moving toward a cabinet.
Opening drawers.
Checking supplies, collecting medicine.
The entire family watches.
Fahan glances at Farhan,
"There goes Doctor Mode again."
"He's already gone."
"Completely."
A few moments later Fahim returns with medicine and a glass of water.
He practically shoves them toward Rahi,
"Take this upstairs."
Rahi raises an eyebrow,
"You're giving me orders now?"
"Yes."
"...Fair enough."
Fahim points toward the staircase,
"And make sure she actually takes it."
Rahi immediately nods, "Good point."
Fahim stares, "No, seriously."
"I know."
"No. You don't understand."
He points dramatically,
"Maya's judgment regarding her own health is terrible."
Several people nod immediately.
"Agreed."
"Absolutely."
"Unquestionably."
Farhan raises a hand,
"Can we officially classify her as a danger to herself?"
"Seconded."
"Approved."
The motion somehow receives unanimous support.
Rahi laughs, "You aren't wrong."
Fahim rubs his forehead,
"She could have a fever of one hundred and four degrees and still say she's fine."
Fahan shakes his head,
"I still can't believe that happened."
Farhan leans back,
"The fever was probably confused."
Everyone looks at him.
"What?"
"The fever expected her to rest."
Even Rahi lets out a small laugh,
"Honestly, the fever deserves an apology."
"Yes."
"Good luck with that."
Rahi takes the medicine.
Takes the water, starts walking toward the stairs.
Then pauses.
"Oh."
Everyone looks up.
"What now?"
Rahi points toward Fahim,
"If she refuses, you're explaining it."
Fahim immediately shakes his head,
"No."
"You made the medicine."
"You are closer to her."
"Exactly."
"Then you do it."
The argument begins immediately.
Meanwhile the rest of the family watches.
Entirely entertained.
Rahi disappears up the staircase, carrying the medicine and water.
The moment he is out of sight—
the living room grows quiet for exactly three seconds.
Then Ohi leans back into the sofa.
A slow smile appears on his face,
"Well."
Several people look toward him.
"The target practically walked into the net by himself."
Farhan immediately starts laughing,
"Don't say it like we're planning a heist."
"It sounds exactly like a heist."
"It feels like one."
Fahan points toward the staircase,
"Meanwhile, the only person completely unaware of whatever nonsense is happening down here is Rahi."
"That's normal."
Fahim suddenly speaks,
"You know what's strange?"
Everyone turns toward him.
"What?"
Fahim looks genuinely thoughtful,
"For the first time in my life...I'm slightly relieved that someone is sick."
The room falls silent.
Fahan blinks,
"What kind of doctor says that?"
Fahim adjusts his glasses,
"You know...This may be the first time in my life that someone's illness has accidentally created a research opportunity."
"See."
Fahan immediately joins in,
"That's called being excited about experiments at a family gathering."
Fahim points accusingly at everyone,
"I spend years studying medicine."
Nobody responds.
"I dedicate my life to science."
Still nothing.
"I contribute to society."
Farhan raises a hand,
"And yet somehow you're discussing research opportunities while your sister has a fever."
More laughter.
"Did you give the medicine? " Faha asked.
"Yes."
"When did you do it?"
Fahim adjusted his glasses.
"When I handed him the water."
Ohi blinked, "...You already mixed it?"
"Obviously."
"You are really a genius. "
"It is good to use the opportunity honestly. "
"That's concerningly efficient."
"Thanks ."
"That wasn't a compliment."
"I chose to accept it as one."
Fahad turned,
"How long will the medicine take to work? "
" Within 5 minutes. "
Ohi leans back against the sofa, A slow smile appears on her face.
"The opportunity practically walked upstairs by itself."
Farhan grins,
"You're thinking the same thing I am."
"Probably."
Fahan looks between them suspiciously.
"Why do both of you suddenly look like villains?"
"Because we're related to you."
Fahim drops his head into one hand,
"I live among lunatics."
"You're related to us."
"Unfortunately."
Fahim rubs his forehead.
"Can all of you stop treating me like a comic-book villain?"
"Too late."
A chill crept through the room.
The medicine was already gone upstairs in Rahi's hands.
He believed he was carrying nothing more than fever medicine.
He had joked, promised to make sure Maya took it.
He didn't know.
Not one person had told him.
The silence in the living room grew heavier.
Even those who had agreed with the plan avoided looking at one another.
For the first time, the cost of what they had done began to settle over them.
Farhan broke the silence, "...We're using him."
Fahim looked toward the staircase,
"It was the only opportunity."
Mahim's expression remained unreadable,
"...I hope you're right."
Above them, footsteps echoed faintly.
Rahi was already walking toward Maya's room.
Completely unaware...
that the person he trusted to prepare the medicine had turned him into an unwilling participant.
He paused outside Maya's bedroom door.
For a brief moment, he simply stood there.
The corridor was quiet, the silence broken only by the distant murmur of voices drifting up from the hall below.
He knocked lightly,"May I come in?"
No answer.
After a few seconds, he pushed the door open.
The room was dimly lit.
Moonlight spilled through the curtains, washing the floor in pale silver.
Maya sat by the window, a sketchbook resting on her lap.
The soft scratch of her pencil was the only sound.
She didn't look up.