"You're making a big mistake," the man said with a smirk.
I looked straight into his eyes.
"No... you're the one making a mistake, Mister."
He laughed.
"Oh, my pretty lady, don't make your family lose anyone else. Hand over the pendrive."
I folded my arms.
"Oh, that pendrive? I checked it. It only has baby songs."
His smile disappeared.
"Who are you trying to fool? We know what's inside. Our partner made sure the information reached you before he disappeared."
I clenched my fists.
"Even if you keep threatening me, I'll never tell you where it is."
"Then tell me your last wish."
Before another word could be spoken, chaos erupted outside.
The lights flickered.
The men looked toward the entrance in surprise.
I turned.
"Sarthak..."
He walked in calmly with his security team behind him.
One of the men looked at him in disbelief.
"Mr. Sarthak... you're her..."
"Husband," Sarthak answered without taking his eyes off me.
He gave a silent signal to his assistant. Within moments, the intruders were restrained and escorted away.
I stared at him.
"Sarthak... you came."
He stepped closer.
"If you want to take revenge for your brother's death, don't forget... they made me an orphan too."
"What? You want me to take revenge for your parents?"
"I want you to stay away from this."
"No."
"Sammy..." His voice became softer. "I love you. I couldn't let anything happen to you... especially because of our daughter."
Tears gathered in my eyes.
"Sarthak... I love you too, but you don't know what happened to our family after my brother's death."
He lowered his head.
"He died trying to save my parents, and I've lived with that guilt ever since. Please... don't put yourself in danger. I can't lose you too. The only family I have left is our daughter... and the woman I love."
I couldn't answer.
Instead, I asked quietly,
"Then... how did those people know you?"
Just then his assistant approached.
"Sir, everything is done."
Sarthak nodded.
"Good."
Then he looked back at me.
"Come with me."
"Where?"
"Now let me show you what the real plan looks like."
He led me outside while his assistant helped my mother and Myra into another car.
An hour later we reached a private mansion.
He took me inside, past several security doors, and into an elevator.
"The fifth floor?" I asked.
"You've never been here before."
"I didn't even know this place existed."
"You weren't supposed to."
The elevator doors opened.
He unlocked a large steel door.
The moment I stepped inside, I froze.
Files.
Evidence.
Photographs.
Maps.
Names connected by red strings covered every wall.
Several photographs had red crosses drawn over them.
I slowly turned toward him.
"What does this mean?"
My voice trembled.
"You... did all this?"
He nodded.
"I investigated them. I questioned them. When I had the truth, I made sure they could never hurt anyone again."
I stared at him in disbelief.
"Sarthak... what have you become in five months?"
He frowned.
"Five months?"
"Yes."
His assistant smiled sadly.
"Ms. Shukla... it hasn't been five months."
I looked at him.
"What?"
"It's been thirteen years since Sir started this investigation. During those years, he built an entire underground network that nobody knows about."
"Huh... what?"
"Yes, Miss. Thirteen years. He sacrificed almost everything while searching for the truth."
I slowly looked back at Sarthak.
"You never told me."
He sighed.
"Samira... I thought I had helped you move on after your brother's death."
He smiled sadly.
"But I couldn't."
"Your love for him was too pure."
"You could never forget him."
I looked around the room.
"It looks like..."
"I never truly knew you."
"What do you mean?" he asked.
"We couldn't know each other."
He smiled gently.
"Samira, we're married."
"There are many couples who continue learning about each other even after marriage."
I looked away.
"But... we were siblings."
He stepped closer, gently kissed my forehead and whispered,
"We were never."
"Don't ever say that again."
I looked into his eyes.
"Is this true?"
He nodded.
"What are you really angry about?"
"You didn't tell me."
He gave a small smile.
"And you? You never told me about your investigation either."
"Did I get angry?"
I sighed.
"Yes."
"Because I care about you, Samira."
Tears rolled down my cheeks.
"You never did."
"You couldn't protect Manya."
Pain filled his eyes.
"It happened because she chose to keep searching."
I shook my head.
"Sarthak... she was everything to me."
"My sister."
"My crime partner."
"My best friend."
"My therapist."
"She helped me recover."
"She made my insomnia better."
"When I kept dreaming about my brother running away from me, she was the one who stayed beside me."
"She made me who I am today."
"And now... she's gone."
My voice cracked.
"She left me."
"She left me all alone."
Sarthak slowly wrapped his arms around me.
"But, Samira... she loved you."
I buried my face against his chest.
We stood there silently, holding each other as tears fell.
For the first time since losing Manya, neither of us tried to be strong.
We simply grieved together.