VEIL OF VENGEANCE

CHAPTER-10

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**Chapter 10: The Ties That Bind**

Yashika sat in the study of the Shehrawat mansion, her eyes scanning the pages of her father’s old journal. The leather-bound book was worn and frayed, a testament to the years of thoughts and secrets it held. Her father had always been meticulous, keeping detailed records of everything he considered important. She never imagined that these records might one day be the key to solving his murder.

Adrith had handed her the journal earlier that morning, insisting that it might hold clues they had overlooked. He had found it in her father’s office at the Sherawat Group after a careful search. Now, with her heart pounding and her mind racing, Yashika was determined to find the answers hidden within its pages.

Each entry was written in her father’s neat handwriting, documenting meetings, conversations, and thoughts about his work. As she read, Yashika began to see a pattern—her father had grown increasingly worried in the months leading up to his death. He mentioned strange transactions, people who seemed trustworthy but weren’t, and most alarmingly, a growing suspicion that someone was watching him.

One entry stood out:

*"February 18: Something isn’t right. I’ve noticed the same car parked outside the house for the past three nights. I don’t want to alarm Yashika or her mother, but I can’t shake the feeling that I’m being followed. If anything happens to me, I pray Yashika stays safe. There are too many secrets, too many lies... I need to find out who is behind this before it’s too late."*

Yashika’s hands trembled as she read the words. Her father had known he was in danger, but he hadn’t told her. Had he been trying to protect her? Or had he thought he could handle it on his own?

The door to the study creaked open, and Yashika looked up to see Adrith entering. His expression was unreadable, but his presence was reassuring in the otherwise oppressive silence of the room.

“Did you find anything?” he asked, his voice low and steady.

Yashika nodded, handing him the journal. “He knew something was wrong. He wrote about being followed, about feeling like he was being watched.”

Adrith took the journal and quickly scanned the entry. His jaw tightened as he read, a flicker of something dangerous passing through his eyes. “It confirms what we suspected. Your father was getting too close to something—something Vikram didn’t want him to uncover.”

Yashika swallowed hard, the reality of their situation settling in like a weight on her chest. “What do we do now?”

Adrith closed the journal and handed it back to her. “We need to find out what your father was investigating. If we can figure that out, we might be able to piece together why Vikram wanted him dead.”

Yashika nodded, determination hardening her resolve. “I’ll keep looking through the journal, see if there’s anything else that stands out.”

Adrith placed a hand on her shoulder, his touch firm yet comforting. “We’ll get to the bottom of this, Yashika. But you need to be careful. The closer we get to the truth, the more dangerous it becomes.”

Yashika met his gaze, her eyes reflecting the same resolve she saw in his. “I’m not afraid, Adrith. I need to know the truth, no matter what it costs.”

He gave her a small nod, his respect for her growing with each passing moment. “I know. And I’ll be with you every step of the way.”

With that, Adrith left the study, leaving Yashika alone with her thoughts. She took a deep breath and returned her focus to the journal, flipping through the remaining pages in search of more clues.

As the hours passed, Yashika’s mind raced with possibilities. Each entry added another piece to the puzzle, but the picture was still incomplete. There were references to meetings with men she didn’t recognize, vague mentions of deals and contracts that seemed out of place. But nothing concrete—nothing that tied it all together.

Frustrated, Yashika leaned back in her chair, staring at the ceiling as if the answers might suddenly appear above her. She was so close, yet the truth remained just out of reach.

A soft knock on the door broke her concentration, and Yashika looked up to see Adrika peeking into the room. Her sister-in-law’s usually cheerful expression was clouded with concern.

“Yashika, you’ve been in here for hours. You should take a break,” Adrika suggested gently as she stepped into the study.

Yashika shook her head, the tension in her body refusing to let her relax. “I can’t stop now. I feel like I’m on the verge of finding something important.”

Adrika approached her and placed a comforting hand on her arm. “I understand, but you need to take care of yourself too. None of this will matter if you’re too exhausted to see the truth when it’s right in front of you.”

Yashika sighed, knowing that Adrika was right. The constant pressure was wearing her down, and she needed to keep a clear head if she was going to get through this.

“Maybe you’re right,” Yashika conceded, rubbing her temples. “I just... I feel like I’m missing something, something important.”

Adrika smiled softly. “You’re doing everything you can, Yashika. Don’t forget that. Your father would be proud of how strong you’ve been.”

The words brought a lump to Yashika’s throat, and she blinked back the tears that threatened to fall. “Thank you, Adrika. I needed to hear that.”

Adrika nodded and gave her arm a reassuring squeeze. “Come on, let’s get you something to eat. You’ll feel better after a good meal.”

Yashika reluctantly agreed and allowed Adrika to lead her out of the study. As they walked down the hall, Yashika couldn’t help but glance back at the journal on the desk, its pages still open to the last entry.

The answers were there, she was sure of it. But as Adrith had warned, the closer they got to the truth, the more dangerous their world became. And Yashika knew that before long, they would have to face that danger head-on.

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