𝕀𝕟𝕟𝕠𝕔𝕖𝕟𝕥 ℍ𝕒𝕥𝕖𝕣𝕤

C H A P T E R. 36

The truth
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Aryan's brows furrowed in frustration as he flipped through the investigation papers once again. They stubbornly implicated his father, Manoj Kumar, as the man behind the bribery scandal. A deep sense of disbelief washed over Aryan.

His father, a man he remembered as the embodiment of dedication and integrity, couldn't possibly have accepted a bribe from a subpar materials company. This was the same company that sought a crooked deal for their construction project—a project that was once his father's dream.

Aryan and Rachel knew how much Manoj wanted this project to happen, this hospital near the slum area. Hence, he must have precisely taken care and attention to everything to ensure perfection. Therefore, both of them were strong that Manoj would not have gone to that material supplier.

There was something unsettlingly suspicious about it all. Aryan couldn't let this revelation stand unquestioned. He turned to the internet for answers, astonished to discover that this tarnished materials company was, surprisingly, a successful supplier for numerous construction projects today.

As he delved deeper into the matter, an intriguing piece of information caught Aryan's attention.He then grasped his mobile and dialled to his mother. Rachel picked it up after a few rings.

Hello Aryan?

Ma, appa oru material company kitterndhu dhane bribe vangunaru'nu accuse pannanga?

Rachel drew in a sharp breath, the memory still haunted. How the Raichand's accused her husband of that treachery and demanded that she pay that huge lump of compensation. If it wasn't for John on that day, as a single mother, she could imagine all the places she would have ended up at for money.

Ama.

Appo andha company owner oda family photo'la John'ku yenna vela?

Rachel frowned at Aryan's request.

Yenna solrae?

Na oru photo anupiruken, adha pathutu nee yaar pakkamnu mudhivu paniko.

Once Aryan hung up the call, Rachel opened the picture he had sent. It was an old photograph, randomly found. But in it was a young John, who looked almost unrecognizable but he was for Rachel and Aryan, who's been seeing him as Manoj's best friend for years.Her eyes widened at the information,

Yenna achu?

Rachel jolted around in shock upon hearing John's voice. She hid her phone behind her on impulse.

Yen phone'ah maraikirae?

Onnu illaye.

John furrowed his eyebrows at Rachel. He then extended his hand.

Kudhu.

Rachel shook her head, and John's glare intensified, and without any other option, she did. John looked down at the screen. At first, he was frowning, but slowly, his face changed into a smirk. John simply extended back the mobile to a scared Rachel and said,

Un paiyan kitta na good luck sonnen'nu solliru-

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Agni's sense of unease loomed over her like a dark cloud in the aftermath of the unsettling events from the previous night. The nagging feeling that something was amiss had intensified to the point where she couldn't resist the urge to revisit her vault and meticulously inspect its contents, ensuring that everything remained in its proper place.

As the evening wore on, Aryan couldn't help but perceive Agni's palpable distraction as he entered her cabin. Her distant demeanour and the hesitation in her responses, even to his affectionate gestures, didn't go unnoticed. Concern crept into his thoughts as he watched her, sensing the sudden change in her behaviour.

Enna achu Agni?

he gently inquired, his voice laced with worry.

Onnum illaye

Appo yen oru madhiri irukae?

Agni, however, merely mustered a smile and shook her head. 

Konjam tired'ah iruku, avlodhan

she replied, attempting to deflect her inner turmoil.

While her internal turmoil grew, so did her guilt over harbouring these baseless suspicions about Aryan. Aryan, too, sensed that something was amiss, but he refrained from pressing further, allowing them to continue their evening in front of the television.

Later, as they prepared for bed, Agni noticed that Aryan had taken extra care in arranging the bed. He had placed pillows strategically, considering her habit of rolling to the edge. He had even ensured her water bottle was filled. His thoughtfulness weighed heavily on her doubts – how could someone who showed such care be involved in any wrongdoing?

Agni climbed into bed beside Aryan and, rather than resting on her own pillow, she nestled her head in his lap, her back to him. Aryan was taken aback by her unexpected position but responded with a loving smile.

Enna madam pudhusa iruku?

he asked. Agni chuckled softly before she hesitantly asked Aryan,

Inniki na ipdhiye thoongikava? Illena ennala thoonga mudhiyadhu

She felt the need to fall asleep so that these thoughts would stop gnawing at her so that they'll disappear into her dreams by the time she woke up. She needed Aryan's warmth to distract her from them.

Aryan leaned down to plant a tender kiss on her cheek. He placed a pillow on his back and comfortably settled before gently patting her. As he continued to watch over her, Agni drifted off to sleep. 

However, in the middle of the night, Agni was awakened by a ringing phone, not hers but Aryan's. She quickly put on her glasses and checked the caller ID, only to discover that it was Rachel.

Agni closed her eyes briefly, then swiftly left the bed. She was drawn into her vault, where she meticulously examined every document and shelf, finding solace in confirming that everything remained in its proper place. This meticulous process took time, but it was necessary to ease her mind. Everything was fine and in place. Even the investigation files of the incident, especially the investigation files of that incident that Aryan showed so much interest in.

Satisfied, she returned to bed and settled back into Aryan's lap, finding comfort in his presence as she drifted back to sleep. With Agni's breathing gradually evening out, Aryan finally opened his eyes. He released a deep breath, his chest tightening momentarily before he expelled a sigh of profound relief.

Thirututhanam panradhu yevlo kashthama iruku

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I hope this isn't too bad, thank you for reading.