Curse of heart

Once broken...

Dia stood frozen for a moment, watching Ajay disappear down the corridor, his back stiff with unspoken anger. The cold distance between them now felt insurmountable, the silence more painful than any words he could've thrown at her. They had once been close—trusted each other implicitly. Now, after the accusations and evidence, it was as though a wall had sprung up between them, solid and unbreakable. She wanted to run after him, to explain herself, but the guilt choked her. How could she even begin to make him believe her again?

Her body felt heavy, weighed down by the stares that followed her every step. The corridor seemed endless, the whispers around her like daggers. Some eyes burned with contempt, others with curiosity, but what hurt most were the looks of disappointment—of betrayal. Each glance seemed to ask the same question: How could you?

The common area of Block C loomed ahead, and as Dia entered, conversations fell silent. The room stilled, all eyes shifting toward her. She spotted Tanvi and Ria at a table across the room, sitting close together, their heads bent in low conversation. They had been her closest friends—her confidants. The ones who had stood by her through thick and thin. Now, as Tanvi's gaze briefly met hers, it was like looking at a stranger.

Tanvi's face hardened almost instantly, her mouth set in a tight line. She leaned in toward Ria, whispering something that Dia couldn't hear but could imagine. The hurt and anger radiated off Tanvi like a tangible force. She had always been the protector, the one who fought fiercely for her friends, and Dia knew she felt like she had been deceived. Tanvi's reaction was the most cutting.

Ria, on the other hand, looked conflicted. When Dia's eyes found hers, Ria hesitated, her expression softening into something that almost resembled sympathy. Almost. There was still doubt, lingering just beneath the surface. For a split second, Dia thought Ria might reach out, might offer her some silent understanding. But then Tanvi whispered something again, and Ria's expression shifted back, colder now, distant. Whatever bond had been there was gone.

Dia's heart sank further. She wanted to walk over, to explain everything, to tell them the truth. But she knew, deep down, that no explanation would be enough—not now. The damage had already been done. The looks they gave her—hurt, anger, confusion—cut deeper than any words ever could.

She turned away, the lump in her throat threatening to choke her as she headed for the exit. The weight of their stares burned into her back, the silence almost suffocating. She was no longer one of them. She was something else now—something unrecognizable to the people who once knew her best.

Just as she reached the door, she heard the sound of footsteps behind her. She turned to see Officer Jayesh approaching, his expression unreadable as always. His presence was like a cold wind, steady and unwavering, his eyes sharp as he stopped a few feet from her.

"Dia," he said, his voice calm but firm, betraying nothing of what he might think. She straightened, bracing herself for whatever news he was about to deliver.

"There's a meeting in Avir Sir's office in ten minutes. We're finalizing the plans. You'll need to be there," he said simply, his eyes assessing her.

She nodded, her mouth dry. The operation to bring down Aaryan was moving forward, and she was at the center of it. She had to be ready.

Jayesh gave a curt nod and turned away, leaving her standing alone once again. She stared at the closed door for a moment, her mind a whirlwind of emotions. The mission was closing in on Aaryan, and she was part of the team meant to end his reign. But the isolation she felt now, the coldness from the people she had once trusted with her life—it gnawed at her. Even if she succeeded in this, even if Aaryan fell, she had already lost so much.