Police sirens echoed across the docks.
Blue and red lights flashed through the broken warehouse windows.
The man's smile slowly disappeared.
Ved remained calm.
"You really thought I'd walk into a trap without backup?" he said quietly.
Within seconds, armed officers rushed inside the warehouse.
"Drop your weapons!"
The snipers above tried to move, but more officers surrounded the upper floor.
The man laughed softly again, though this time it sounded forced.
"Impressive, Ved."
Ved stepped forward.
"It's over."
Handcuffs clicked around the man's wrists.
As officers took him away, he looked back once more.
His eyes shifted between Ved and Kashvi.
"You two really are dangerous together," he said with a smirk.
Then he was gone.
The warehouse slowly emptied as police secured the area.
Finally, silence returned.
Only Ved and Kashvi remained standing in the middle of the huge space.
For a moment neither of them spoke.
Five years of anger.
Secrets.
Betrayal.
Everything stood between them.
Kashvi finally broke the silence.
"You called the police before coming here."
Ved nodded.
"I learned my lesson after getting shot once."
Kashvi looked down for a moment.
Then quietly said—
"I never meant to kill you."
Ved studied her face.
"I know."
Her eyes lifted toward him in surprise.
"You… know?"
Ved exhaled slowly.
"That night… the shooter hesitated."
Kashvi didn't speak.
"And the second bullet," Ved continued, "was aimed at my shoulder… not my heart."
Silence filled the warehouse again.
Ved's voice softened.
"You wanted me gone… but not dead."
Kashvi's calm mask cracked slightly.
"You don't understand."
"Then explain."
For the first time in years—
Kashvi looked vulnerable.
"I thought you were destroying everything my father built," she admitted quietly.
Ved shook his head.
"I was trying to save it."
Another misunderstanding.
Another five years wasted.
Kashvi gave a small, tired laugh.
"We're terrible at communicating."
Ved almost smiled.
"Apparently."
They stood there for a moment.
Then Ved said softly—
"There's still one truth left."
Kashvi knew what he meant.
Kriday.
Her expression instantly became guarded again.
Ved stepped closer.
"He deserves to know."
"He's ten."
"And he's smarter than both of us."
Kashvi looked away.
"He's happy right now."
Ved didn't push further.
Instead he said something simpler.
"We'll figure it out."
Kashvi looked at him again.
"Together?"
Ved nodded once.
"Yes."
For the first time in a long time—
The war between them had finally ended.
But the biggest moment of their lives was still waiting at home.
A ten-year-old boy.
Holding a chess knight.
Who had no idea—
The king and queen had finally stopped fighting. ♟️