The Hidden Knife

CHAPTER 11: ETHEREAL

'Vikram I found this in your room,' my fiancé says. Her name is Rhea, and she is holding up a piece of paper with a phone number scribbled on it. I can feel a knot forming in my stomach as I try to come up with an explanation. "Rhea, I can explain." I stammer, my mind racing with excuses and half-truths. But deep down, I know that there is no way to justify what she has found. I try not to ruin my mood in the morning. I stumble upon words. I do not know what to say.

'It's Anand's phone number. The Anand who was our business partner' I say. She nods. I told her the truth. I do not know how she took it. Rhea's expression remains unreadable as she processes my words. Her silence is deafening, and I feel the weight of guilt pressing down on me. I can see the hurt in her eyes, and I know that trust has been broken. I brace myself for her response, unsure of what the consequences of my actions will be. As she finally speaks, her voice is calm, and she says, 'I know about it. I just needed to check on you'.

I let out a sigh. How did she know about Anand's number? Was Anand somehow contacting her? I do not know. I might ask her, but it wouldn't be a good option. Instead , I decide to focus on rebuilding the trust that has been damaged between us. I apologize profusely, explaining the situation with Anand and how it was a moment of weakness. She listens quietly, her expression softening slightly. I promise to be more transparent in the future, and she nods in understanding. We both know that it will take time to repair the damage done, but I am willing to do whatever it takes to make things right. I am grateful for her forgiveness and determined to prove that I am worthy of her trust once again.

She walks out of my office. I have been becoming careless. Too careless. I slept very late yesterday. I was overwhelmed by the search. I was too tired. I decided to take a cold shower. Cold showers are the thing I prefer. It helps my mind to develop clarity. Focus. That's what I need. I need a cold shower. On this cold morning, Right now. Right now.

I am in my room. Looking in my mirror. I am becoming thin. I am neglecting my body. I need to take better care of myself, both physically and mentally. I need to start prioritizing my health and well-being. As I step into the cold shower, I feel the icy water wake me up and invigorate my senses. I take a deep breath and make a promise to myself to never let things spiral out of control again. I am determined to make things right and regain the trust of those I have let down. Mr. Brenett. He has some sort of information he is upset with.

I close my eyes. I can feel the cold water flowing throughout my body. I let more and more water fill up in the bathtub. Until. Until. I'm floating on the surface of the water. My body is submerged under water. My mind is active. I can feel my senses gain consciousness. I'm breathing. Cold and ethereal air. Inhale. Exhale. I let my hands loose. I let my whole body loosen until it is submerged in the icy water. My face is floating. I'm breathing. I think about the possibilities. Multiple possibilities. Where might Anand have gone? That's crazy. The water sucks in through my hair.

Anand. Disappeared. It's strange, isn't it? I entered my office and found some of my files messed up. Someone's blood. Identified as Anand. Too crazy. He won't take my wealth in a legal way. There's no legal way available in this world. If you want to survive, you need to do it on your own. That's what I'm doing. I think about Rhea. Mr. Brenett's daughter. Why me? I'm not interested in her in any way. I just respect her because she's Mr. Brenett's daughter. And that's all. But she's madly in love with me. I saw the jealousy in her eyes when she held up the number. I try to keep my distance from Rhea, knowing that her feelings for me are one-sided. But now that Anand's blood has been found in my office, I can't help but wonder if Rhea had something to do with it. Maybe she's trying to eliminate any competition for my attention. I need to be careful and watch my back around her. This whole situation is getting more complicated by the day.

My throat is becoming a bit sore. I might be catching some sort of cold. I get up. My whole body has been wet. I quickly dry myself up before I let the cold air engulf me. I need to focus on solving this mystery before it's too late. Rhea's behavior has become increasingly suspicious, and I can't afford to let my guard down around her. As I wrap myself in a warm blanket, I can't shake the feeling of unease that has settled in the pit of my stomach. I need to stay vigilant and unravel the truth before it's too late.

'Is anyone there?' I can hear Rhea calling. I hide behind the wardrobe. I'm in my vest and pants, and I don't want such a noble person like me to be seen in this particular way. My hair has been messed up. I can hear footsteps. Those high heels are making some kind of noise on the floor. It's been too cold. I realize I cannot withstand the cold. I quickly put on my shirt, and while I am buttoning one of those upper buttons, Rhea walks in. She needs to at least ask for my permission. That is so unpleasant. Especially for me. She is wearing a black dress and high heels. Her hair is falling on her forehead. Her smell is so satisfying. I am completely lost in thought.

'Hey?' she asks, scratching her chin. I say nothing. Instead, I put on my black blazer. I sit on my bed. I am tying my shoelaces. She is watching me from behind. I am done with it. Tying my shoelaces.

'Ah! So you're going to be avoiding me?' She says it with a smirk. I reach for the door. But she blocks my passage.

'You are a psychopath'.

'I prefer creative'.

She smiles and unblocks my way. I make my way through the corridor. She comes next to me.

She takes my hand into her own. We walk together. The soldiers bow as we walk.

The definition of power is right here.