Aniket had been tailing Saaniya’s car for nearly ten minutes. Her vehicle was speeding toward the railway crossing, and the warning lights signaling the gate's closure had just turned on. Spotting them, Saaniya pressed down on the accelerator.

  Her car dashed through the crossing just in time, the gate slamming shut behind her. Aniket slammed the brakes hard, his heart pounding as he watched the train approach. Frustrated, he hit the steering wheel and muttered, “Ugh… it had to close now, didn’t it?!”

  By the time the train passed and the gates reopened, she was already gone. With no sign of her car in sight, Aniket’s anger bubbled—but even more than that, worry gnawed at him.

  He drove past the crossing, looking around, but there was no trace of her vehicle anywhere. Three roads stretched ahead, making it nearly impossible to figure out which way she went.

  Aniket pulled out his phone—only 4% battery remaining. It could die any second. Worse yet, he didn’t have his laptop with him today.

  That meant he couldn’t hack into her phone to trace her live location. Doing so on his phone would take time—and with his battery nearly dead, it wasn’t an option. His laptop, optimized for hacking, would have done it instantly. But it wasn’t here.

  He jumped back into his car, intending to rush home and track her from there.

  But what he didn’t know was—Saaniya already knew she was being followed.

  The moment she saw Aniket’s car in her rearview mirror, she had crafted her escape plan. She had deliberately turned toward the railway crossing. And once she’d shaken him off, she powered down her phone—so that he couldn’t trace her.

  Her blank eyes stared ahead at the road as she murmured, “I think I know why you’re spying on me, Aniket… You suspect—or rather, you're convinced—that I’ll hurt your friend through Anamika. That’s why you're trying to uncover my truth.

  But I can’t let that happen. I don’t want to hurt Aditya. Yet, if our past is exposed, it will definitely wound him.

  And I don’t want that. Still, I can’t escape the past… so I have no choice but to run—from you, and from the truth.”

  And Saaniya wasn’t wrong. There was a time when Aniket believed she was just a selfish girl, using Anamika for some hidden agenda against Aditya. But now, something had changed.

  Now, his eyes burned not with suspicion, but with desperation—a need to understand her. Somewhere deep down, he had sensed that Saaniya’s past carried pain—wounds still bleeding beneath the surface. And he feared… that past might still be trying to hurt her.

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  And that's why… he had to uncover her truth, fast.

  Meanwhile

  Ira, who had devoured a burger just a while ago, was happily munching again. Anamika, however, sat quietly, picking at her food.

  Aditya kept sneaking glances at her, trying to read the expression on her face. Something was clearly bothering her. But he didn’t know how to ask.

  With Ruhi gone, there was no one else around to support him either. She had left earlier with the car after receiving a text from her brother saying he was home.

  Aditya didn’t stop her—deep down, he felt Anamika was more comfortable opening up to Ruhi than him.

  The silence at the table grew heavy. Finally, Ira, irritated, broke it.

  “We’re not here to attend a funeral dinner! This silence is killing me. Why are you two so quiet?!”

  Hearing her, Aditya chuckled and glanced at Anamika before scolding Ira gently, “Eat your food silently, will you? Try learning some manners… How long do you plan on acting like a wild cat? Behave like you’re actually part of the human species.”

  Ira rolled her eyes and replied, “Oh really? And if humans stay this silent and keep secrets, I’d rather stay a wild cat!

  By the way, when did you join the human race, big bro? When did you stop being part of the monkey tribe?!”

  Aditya grabbed her neck playfully and shook her head. “You little gremlin! Act your age. These words don’t suit such a cute little kitten.”

  Ira growled. “Oh really?! Would I look better clawing you like a kitten then?” (She raised her nails and threatened him) “Should I scratch you? Hmm? Should I?! Say it!”

  Aditya let go of her with a sigh. “Why can’t you just eat without drama?!”

  But right then, he silently took his words back.

  Because for the first time that evening… a small smile had appeared on Anamika’s lips.

  She was laughing softly—trying to hide it—but Aditya noticed. And that little smile was enough to ease his heart.

  Watching her, he smiled too.

  And on the other side of the table, Ira squinted at them both and whispered to herself, “There’s no saving my love-crazy brother!”

  Meanwhile

  But the road she was driving on now… was oddly empty.

  What unsettled her more, though, was the series of texts she kept getting—from her brother’s number.

  It was strange.

  Her brother Rahul might be extremely protective of her—but he never texts this much.

  If something’s urgent, he always calls directly.

  Texting like this? It felt as strange as the sun rising in the west.

  She tried calling him—but he didn’t answer. Her heart began to race.

  She stopped her car a little distance from home, anxiety gnawing at her. Something felt off… but she couldn’t figure out what.

  Just then, her phone rang.

  The caller ID showed her brother's home landline. Confused, she answered.

  On the other end, her brother told her something that confirmed her worst fear.

  His phone had been stolen.

  He had a new number now.

  Which meant… whoever had been texting her all this time… wasn’t her brother.

  It was someone else—someone who knew her well enough to imitate him.

  Ruhi didn’t tell Rahul anything.

  She didn’t want to drag him into danger. She knew tensions between him and their father were already high after their argument last night—and if Rahul tried to help her now, it might make things worse.

  He is an adult now still he had never gone against their father's punishments. And if he helps her now, he’d surely be punished and he wouldn't utter even a single word against that.

  She didn’t want to be the reason for that pain.

  And she didn’t want to worry Aditya either—not when he was with Anamika. So, she decided to handle the situation herself.

  After the call ended, Ruhi started the car again—this time, heading straight to the police station.