Shadows of Same Face

Chapter Six: Unlikely Allies

The chaos of the engagement party faded into a distant hum for Sneha Kapoor as she stood in the doorway, clutching her favorite stuffed rabbit, Coco. The commotion erupted like a storm, with adults rushing around in panic, trying to tend to her brother Dhruv. While her mother, Anumita, hovered over Dhruv, Abir Rajvansh had quickly taken charge, his calm demeanor a stark contrast to the frantic energy in the room.

Sneha watched as Karan, Abir's younger brother knelt beside her brother, shaking him gently, his face etched with worry. She had always admired Karan—he was like a superhero to her, with his quick wit and adventurous spirit. But today, seeing the concern in his eyes made her heart race with a mix of fear and curiosity.

As the adults continued to fuss, Sneha’s mind whirred. She was only ten, but she had inherited her father’s keen sense of observation. She noticed things that others often overlooked, and today was no different. There was something strange about how Dhruv had fallen, and she couldn’t shake the feeling that it was connected to the strange things she had seen earlier in the day.

Gathering her courage, Sneha stepped closer to Karan. “Is he going to be okay?” she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

Karan looked up, his expression softening as he caught sight of the little girl’s worried face. “I hope so, Sneha. But we need to find out what happened first.” He turned his attention back to Dhruv, shaking him gently again. “Come on, Dhruv bro. Wake up, buddy.”

Sneha bit her lip, knowing that Karan’s instincts were sharp. He had a way of figuring things out, just like her father did when he was investigating. She had heard the adults talking about how Karan loved solving mysteries, and the thought sparked something in her. She didn’t want to just stand by and wait for things to get better. She wanted to help.

“Karan,” she said, her voice rising with determination, “I want to help you investigate.”

He paused, looking at her with a mix of surprise and admiration. “You want to help?” he asked, raising an eyebrow.

“Yes! I know things. I saw what happened earlier.” Her heart raced as she spoke, her excitement overcoming her fear. “Can I?”

Karan chuckled softly, his eyes glimmering with appreciation. “Well, I could use an extra set of eyes. What did you see, Sneha?”

She took a deep breath, stepping closer as the adults began to settle down, some gathering to help Dhruv. “I saw Tarini. She was acting weird during the party. She was looking at Dhruv and Nandini like she was angry or something. And then I saw her spiking Dhruv’s drink!”

Karan’s brow furrowed in thought as he absorbed her words. “Are you sure? That’s a serious accusation,Sneha.”

“Yes! I saw her do it,” Sneha insisted, her voice firm. “And right after that, Dhruv Bhai started acting strange. He was dizzy and then fell down. I think Tarini did something to him!”

The weight of Sneha’s observation sank in. Karan stood up slowly, his mind racing with possibilities. “Okay, if Tarini was involved, we need to find her. Do you know where she went?”

Sneha  nodded, glancing back towards the living room. “I think I saw her go outside earlier when everyone was busy. She looked upset.”

“Let’s go check,” Karan said, his voice steady. He knew that this little girl could be the key to unraveling the mystery. He grabbed Sneha’s hand, and together they quietly slipped away from the commotion.

As they walked out onto the balcony, the cool evening air hit them, refreshing but laced with tension. The garden was bathed in the soft glow of lanterns, and the sounds of laughter and music drifted in from the party inside. But Karan and Sneha were focused, scanning the area for any sign of Tarini.