Beneath the Surface

Chapter 13: Breaking Points

In the cold light of the police station, Raju sat in the holding room, his hands clasped tightly together. The sterile room seemed to close in on him, every ticking second heavy with accusations he couldn't outrun. A thin sheen of sweat lined his brow, though he willed himself to stay calm.

Akilesh entered the room, carrying a small file. He closed the door behind him and set the file down, leaning forward on the table, his expression unreadable. He didn't speak for a long moment, his gaze piercing, examining every flicker of Raju's face.

Finally, Akilesh spoke, his tone calculated but heavy. "You know, Raju, people rarely change. And when they do, their past still finds a way to linger." He paused, watching as Raju stiffened. "I'm struggling here. You seem like a family man, a man who's rebuilt himself. But then, I look at these... patterns... in the recent murders, and all I see is a shadow of your past."

Raju swallowed, the dryness in his throat worsening. "People do change, Akilesh. I'm not that person anymore."

Akilesh tilted his head, a slight frown forming. "And yet... the evidence is oddly familiar, don't you think? Tell me, Raju, if you had been hiding all these years, what would it take to draw you back in?"

Raju's eyes widened slightly, and he leaned forward, his voice barely above a whisper. "Nothing. I left that behind, and I won't go back. I'd never risk my family like this."

A flicker of uncertainty crossed Akilesh's face. He flipped open the file and shuffled through the photos, sliding two of them across the table. The images, raw and bloody, mirrored the wounds of Raju's past.

"Then why does this look exactly like your work?"

Raju's heart pounded, memories he'd buried forcing their way to the surface. He felt his voice shake as he forced out, "Whoever did this wants you to think it's me. It's... it's a setup."

Akilesh's gaze softened, just a bit, as if he was processing Raju's words. He closed the file, crossing his arms as he studied Raju once more. "If I find even a hint that you're hiding something... if I see a single slip-"

"You won't," Raju said firmly, meeting Akilesh's gaze with everything he had left. "Because I didn't do this."

After a heavy silence, Akilesh nodded, though his expression remained skeptical. "Fine. For now, you're free to go."

Raju stood slowly, every bone feeling as though it had been weighed down. As Akilesh led him to the station exit, Raju cast a glance back, knowing this was far from over.

---

At home, the tension felt nearly unbearable. Raju stepped through the front door, his shoulders slumping as he caught sight of Nandhini waiting in the living room. Her expression was one of exhaustion and wariness, her eyes red from tears she hadn't let herself shed fully.

Without meeting his gaze, she asked softly, "Did they... did they let you go?"

"Yes," he replied, his voice rough. "They didn't find anything."

She let out a shaky breath but didn't look relieved. Instead, her voice wavered. "How much of what they're saying... how much of it is true?"

Raju's stomach twisted as he looked down, forcing himself to be honest. "It was true, once. I was that person. But that was... years ago, Nandhini. I built this life so I wouldn't ever have to look back."

She finally met his gaze, a painful sadness reflecting in her eyes. "You never told me, Raju. You hid this whole part of yourself from us. What else don't I know?"

"Nandhini..." He reached out, but she took a step back, and his hand fell to his side. "I only wanted to protect you and the kids. That part of my life... it was buried. I thought it would stay that way."

"But look where we are now." Her voice cracked, but she steadied herself, blinking back tears. "Do you have any idea what Aryan and Avanthika are feeling right now? They've heard the rumors. They're confused, terrified..."

A shiver ran down Raju's spine, guilt flooding through him. "I know, Nandhini. I hate that they've been dragged into this, that you're suffering because of me. If there was any way to change it..."

She took a deep, trembling breath. "Do you really think you can protect us now? Because all I see is the life we've built crumbling around us."

The silence settled heavily between them, and for a long moment, neither spoke. Then, she broke the silence with a voice so small it was almost a whisper. "Maybe... maybe we shouldn't be together anymore, Raju."

His eyes widened, panic gripping him. "Nandhini, no... please. You're my family. You're my world. I can't lose you."

She shook her head, her voice barely holding together. "Raju, I don't even know if I know you. I look at you, and I wonder if I've been living with a stranger."

Desperation clawed at him as he stepped closer. "I'm still me. I'm still the man you married. I may have been broken once, but I rebuilt myself for you, for the kids. You're everything to me."

Her gaze softened just slightly, but the pain lingered. "Then maybe it's time to let us go, for our own sake. Because I can't keep wondering what's lurking in your past, or if it'll catch up to us again."

Raju felt his heart shatter as he nodded slowly, forcing himself to accept her words. "If... if that's what you need. I won't argue. I just want you to be happy. I want the kids to feel safe."

He looked away, blinking back the tears that stung his eyes. The life he'd dreamed of, the one he'd fought for, was slipping through his fingers. But he knew what he had to do. If there was someone out there intent on tearing his life apart, he wouldn't stand by and let it happen.

As he turned to leave, a newfound resolve settled within him. If the real killer was out there, trying to ruin everything he had built, Raju would find him. He would stop him-no matter the cost.