47. The puzzle

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"Ishaan

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"Ishaan." The name reached my senses in a faint whisper, soft yet piercing, like a catalyst to my numbness and a balm to my wounds. I blinked rapidly, my lashes fluttering in desperate search of the source, scanning every shadowed corner and fleeting moment. But there was nothing. No one.

Even the passing surroundings seemed to mock my restless state, their indifference cutting deeper than silence. I closed my eyes, exhaling a heavy sigh as the memories surged forward, unbidden, for what felt like the thousandth time.

This is my reality.
Trapped.

Trapped in her memories.
Trapped in the unbearable ache of losing her.

She’s not here. And hell, I don’t even know where she is.

Lakshay somehow managed to pull us out of the crash—it wasn’t as bad as it could’ve been. Without wasting a second, we jumped into another car. Now, he’s in the driver’s seat, rambling on about my recklessness, throwing words at me like they’ll somehow fix this.

He convinced that saving both of us is his priority—before we can even think about saving Ahana.

Talking about her, I think now I have an idea where she could be but, I just hope whatever I'm thinking comes true or else I'm on the edge of losing my sanity. I want her. I need her. Any fucking how!!

We’re heading back to the accident site, desperate for even the smallest clue. My maa always said that the answers to our troubles often lie right before us—but we’re so consumed by our miseries that we fail to see them.

The remnants of that tragic incident still linger, scattered across the streets like fragments of a puzzle. Each time you look deeper, they whisper of a mystery far greater than it seems. Every time one thread ties itself together, another unravels, leaving us caught in an endless cycle of questions.

"If they wanted, they could have taken her from somewhere without CCTV coverage," Lakshay muttered, his voice heavy with thought. "They did this deliberately—they wanted us trapped in this mess."

I stayed silent, my jaw tightening as I gave his theory a moment's consideration.

"How far is the next CCTV?" I asked the officer, my eyes scanning the scene for answers that refused to surface.

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