CHECKMATE : Game Of Shadows

15. who's kashi murthy?

Yuvika sat in her cabin, her uneasy expressions giving away her inner turmoil. It had been three days since Ritika’s demise, and the office felt heavy with an unshakable tension. Varun, seated across from her, kept glancing her way. Her behavior had been different—distant, almost withdrawn.

"Yuvika," Varun started gently, but she didn’t respond.

He reached out, placing a reassuring hand on her shoulder, just as the cabin door burst open. Samarth stood there, panting heavily, his face pale with urgency.

"Bhuvan is back in the office," he blurted out, leaving both Yuvika and Varun wide-eyed with shock.

Without a word, the three of them hurried to the conference room. The atmosphere in the hall was electric with tension as they arrived to see Bhuvan standing before ADGP Kulbhushan Kumar. His appearance startled everyone—he looked like a shadow of his former self. His oversized, casual clothes hung loosely on him, and his pale face bore the weight of sleepless nights.

As Bhuvan’s gaze met Yuvika’s, a faint, almost imperceptible smile crossed his face. To everyone’s surprise, he walked toward her and gently held her hands.

"To be honest, I don’t even know where to start," he began, his voice barely above a whisper. "But you’re a determined officer, Yuvika. You’ll track Cipher down… and you’ll avenge Ritika."

His words sent a ripple of shock through the room. Yuvika pulled her hands back, her eyes wide.

"What? You resigned?!" she asked, her voice trembling with disbelief.

Bhuvan smiled bitterly, his eyes glistening with unshed tears. "When I’ve lost the reason I lived for, what’s the point of this job?" His voice broke as he chuckled bitterly. "I joined the force because of her. Serving the country was her dream, not mine. I just wanted to be with her."

Chhavi, standing nearby, clutched her hands tightly. She had always been Ritika’s closest friend, and hearing Bhuvan’s words made the loss feel even heavier.

Before anyone could respond, the conference room doors opened again. All eyes turned toward the two newcomers—a tall man wearing glasses and a composed young woman beside him. Yuvika and Varun recognized them instantly.

"You!" Yuvika exclaimed, pointing at the man. "You’re the one who gave Ritika that file and gun!"

The man stepped forward, his gaze steady. "I’m Dr. Aksh Mittal, Ritika’s fiancé," he announced, causing a wave of shock to ripple through the room.

Bhuvan’s face darkened, and before anyone could stop him, he lunged at Aksh, grabbing his collar. "Don’t you dare joke about her like that!" he growled.

Varun quickly intervened, prying Bhuvan off Aksh before the situation escalated. Aksh adjusted his collar, unfazed.

"It’s not a joke," Aksh said calmly. "But you should know, she never loved me. She loved someone else."

Bhuvan froze, his breath catching. His fists clenched as he glared at Aksh. "What are you trying to say?" he demanded.

Aksh met his gaze evenly. "She loved someone who was always by her side. Someone she pretended not to care about. Someone named Bhuvan Mathur."

The room fell silent. Bhuvan staggered back, his face a mix of disbelief and anguish.

"I don’t believe you," he muttered, shaking his head. "You’re lying."

Aksh pulled out his phone, his expression softening. "I thought you’d say that," he said as he tapped the screen. "That’s why she left this for you."