Curse of heart

Darkness

The cell was cold and unwelcoming, a small, dimly lit space that seemed to shrink with each passing day. The grey concrete walls closed in around Dia, trapping her not just physically, but emotionally, in a prison of her own making. She sat on the edge of the narrow cot, knees drawn up to her chest, staring blankly at the dull metal door. The silence in the room was deafening, punctuated only by the occasional clink of chains or the distant footsteps of guards passing through the hallway.

No one visited her. Not a single friend, not a single colleague. She had been cast out—suspended from the academy as the inquiry into her involvement with the robbery began. The uniform she had once worn with pride had been stripped from her, leaving her in plain clothes that felt like a mockery of her once-promising career. Everything she had built was crumbling around her, and there was nothing she could do to stop it.

Dia's mind churned with thoughts she couldn't quiet. The guilt, the shame, the anger at herself for the choices she had made. Every time she closed her eyes, she saw Avir's face—his eyes filled with betrayal, his voice echoing with accusations she couldn't escape. His visits were the worst part. He came every day, relentless in his pursuit to break her down.

The door creaked open, and there he was—Avir, standing in the doorway, his face hard and unreadable. He stepped inside the cell, his presence suffocating the small space. Dia's heart pounded as she braced herself for what was to come. This was routine now, a daily battle where Avir pushed and prodded, trying to unearth her confession, her guilt.

"Still not talking?" Avir's voice was cold, sharp, as if every word was a weapon designed to cut deep. He stood in front of her, arms crossed, his gaze like steel. "Do you even realize what you've done? How many lives you've destroyed?"

Dia swallowed hard, her throat dry and tight. She didn't answer, couldn't answer. She was trapped in her own silence, the guilt coiling around her like a noose. She lowered her gaze, unable to meet Avir's eyes, the weight of his accusations too much to bear.

"You're suspended," he said, his voice softer now but still full of contempt. "Your career is over. Everything you worked for—it's gone. And for what? For Aaryan? For a man who used you?"

His words hit her like a physical blow. She clenched her fists, her nails digging into her palms, but still, she said nothing. How could she explain it all? The fear, the manipulation, the guilt that consumed her? It was impossible to put into words.

Avir stepped closer, his shadow falling over her. "Every day, I'll be here," he continued, his voice low but insistent. "I'll keep coming until you confess. Until you finally admit what you've done to Aisha, to me, to yourself."

Dia flinched at the mention of Aisha. Avir's sister, still lying in a hospital bed because of her. The image haunted her—the sound of Avir's voice, thick with grief and rage, as he blamed her for Aisha's condition. It was the one thing she couldn't forgive herself for, no matter how hard she tried to justify her actions.

"I trusted you, Dia," Avir said, his voice breaking slightly. "I thought you were different. I thought you cared about the academy, about justice. But you betrayed me. You betrayed everything."

The silence that followed was suffocating. Dia's chest tightened as she struggled to breathe, her whole body trembling under the weight of Avir's words. She had destroyed everything—her career, her reputation, her friendships. And now, even her own sense of self was crumbling.

When Avir finally turned to leave, the sound of the door closing behind him felt like a finality. The silence that followed was even more oppressive than before. Dia curled up on the cot, burying her face in her hands as the tears finally broke free. She had lost everything. Her whole world had shattered, and she was left alone to pick up the pieces.