𝕲𝖚𝖎𝖉𝖎𝖓𝖌 𝕷𝖎𝖌𝖍𝖙 *Complete*

Ch. 07 ⭐

The morning after their night out, Rajveer followed his usual routine and embarked on his hour-long jog. Upon returning home, he took a refreshing shower and proceeded to toss his dirty laundry into the laundry basket. However, to his surprise, his beloved green polo t-shirt was nowhere to be found. He distinctly recalled wearing it the previous morning and tossing it into the basket before their outing. "That's odd. Where could it have disappeared to?" he pondered, scanning his room in search of the elusive garment.

Just as he was contemplating the mystery, Rajveer's phone suddenly began to ring, prompting a furrowed brow as he glanced at the caller ID. Since the untimely demise of Naveen and his family, Rajveer had acquired the Ahluwalia house and enlisted the services of a housekeeper to maintain it. He had given explicit instructions for the housekeeper to preserve everything as it was, only performing a weekly cleaning. Over the past three years, he had been unable to muster the courage to enter the house himself.

"Hello?" Rajveer answered, his curiosity piqued.

"Captain sir, this is Surita, your housekeeper," spoke the woman on the other end.

"Yes, Surita ji. I have your number saved. Is everything alright?" Rajveer inquired.

"Sir, actually... Sir, my mother fell gravely ill, so I had to urgently return to my village for a month. I just arrived back in Almora yesterday. When I went to clean your house, I noticed something truly peculiar," she informed him with a sense of urgency.

"What do you mean by 'peculiar'?" Rajveer pressed, intrigued by the housekeeper's revelation.

"Sir, several personal items are missing from the house. I distinctly remember locking it, but now Naveen sir's personal diary shelf is completely empty, along with some of his clothes, files, and other belongings. In Mr. and Mrs. Ahluwalia's bedroom, madam's jewelry, sarees, family albums, files, and some of sir's clothing items and personal diary are also gone. But the most baffling part is that all the photo frames that adorned the house have vanished," Surita urgently reported.

Rajveer was taken aback by the revelation and immediately issued instructions, his voice filled with concern. "WHAT?! I'm on my way there right now. Please wait for me." With a sense of urgency, he hung up the phone and swiftly dressed himself. His mind was racing, trying to fathom who could have committed such an act. While he considered the possibility that those who had trapped Naveen might be searching for something, the missing items Surita mentioned seemed more like personal belongings. The idea of someone stealing family albums left him utterly perplexed.

As he hurriedly left the academy premises and embarked on the journey towards Almora, countless questions swirled in Rajveer's mind. The situation seemed incomprehensible to him. After a four-hour drive, he finally reached the Ahluwalia house. Surita, anticipating his arrival, stood outside, her eyes filled with worry.

"Thank you for coming, sir. I'm truly sorry. You entrusted me with this responsibility, and I feel like I have let you down... but my mother..." Surita's voice trailed off as tears welled up in her eyes.

"Don't worry, Surita ji. It's alright. Let's first assess what's missing, and if necessary, we'll file a police report," Rajveer reassured her, offering a comforting smile before making his way towards the house.

Nestled in a serene neighborhood, embraced by verdant greenery, the house stood as a modest single-story dwelling. It featured three bedrooms, two bathrooms, a dining room, a living room, a kitchen, a terrace, and a small front yard. Designed to cater to the needs and desires of a middle-class family, the house was a testament to Naveen's parents' aspirations. His father worked as a supervisor in a private hospital, while his mother held a junior executive position in a government firm. They had constructed their dream home when their daughter Naina turned seven years old, pouring their hearts into its creation.