Bond Beyond Secrets

19

"Hand over the letter to me, Sharan," Mridula asked, her voice steady but with a hint of urgency.

Sharan handed over the letter, and while Mridula focused on the message, both Krishna and Sharan examined the rock that had been thrown through the window, trying to understand its purpose.

"I'm not the one being targeted, Krishna," Mridula murmured, her brow furrowed as she tried to decipher the writing on the paper. "It's someone connected to me."

Instinctively, she brought the paper to her nose, hoping to catch a scent that might offer a clue.

The moment she inhaled, a strong smell hit her, causing her to cough violently.

"Mridula!" Sharan swiftly moved towards her, patting her back, his face etched with concern.

It took a few minutes for her to regain composure, though her head now throbbed painfully.

"My head hurts," she whispered, sinking onto the bed. As Krishna reached for the letter to inspect it, she quickly stopped him.

"Stop! It's Hydrogen Sulfide, Krishna! Don’t smell it. It has that rotten egg smell, and if you inhale it for too long, it can trigger sinus problems and cause severe headaches," she explained. Krishna and Sharan exchanged a glance, both concerned and perplexed.

"Do you have any issues with your professors or classmates?" Sharan asked, trying to piece together the puzzle.

"Why do you ask?" she responded, still rubbing her temples.

"I have a doubt that someone from your college might be behind this," Sharan suggested, his expression serious.

"No, Sharan, it can’t be them. I’ve always had good relationships with my classmates and professors. But… this has to be someone linked to the college I'm working at. We need to find out about that colleague who called me the other day," Mridula said, her voice determined.

"We’ll track her down, Mridula," Krishna assured her.

"Aaradhana wants to meet you, but I told her to stay put for now. But given the situation, it might be safer if she comes here, along with your parents. We can’t take any risks",Mridula nodded,reluctantly. She knew Krishna was right.

"I’ll arrange for them to come first thing in the morning," Krishna said, getting up to leave. "But if you find out anything before then, let me know immediately."

"Thank you for coming, Krishna," Mridula said with a small smile.

"Anytime. You’re like a sister to me, but your sister isn’t my sister," Krishna joked, lightening the mood.

The three of them laughed, the tension easing for a moment.

"You better be careful with my sister, or else…" Sharan teased, grinning at Krishna.

"And here I thought she was my sister! But apparently, she’s Sharan’s sister first," Mridula added, playfully continuing the banter.

"Alright, alright, you two carry on! Don't involve me in your couple fights," Krishna said, shaking his head with a smile as he left the room. As soon as he was gone, the atmosphere shifted again.

"Aaru is my sister first. She’s literally my blood," Mridula said, stepping closer to Sharan, her tone turning mock-serious. "So, who are you to claim her as your sister and talk about her relationships?",she asked making an eye contact with him as if she was searching something in his eyes.

"Well, unfortunately or fortunately, I’m your husband," Sharan replied with a smirk, raising his collar. "And more than that, I’m her brother from another mother. You can ask her yourself. I bet she loves me more than you do",he said and she slowly moved away from him with a smirk on her face.