Before the men could react, Ayan created a distraction by knocking over a stack of old crates. In the chaos, he rushed to Tithi, cutting her ropes. "Run!" he hissed. They scrambled through the forest, the smugglers close behind, their flashlights cutting through the dark like searchlights.
Just as they reached the main road, police sirens wailed in the distance. The smugglers, trapped between the woods and the law, were soon apprehended.
Exhausted but safe, Tithi looked at Ayan. "You risked everything for someone you just met," she whispered.
"It wasn't just for you," Ayan smiled, "it was for the story."
The mystery of the blue envelope was over, but for Ayan and Tithi, a new journey was just beginning.