Risha's POV
That line shooked me "I would be betrayed by the ones I trust " .
For the first time a single line made my chest feel heavy .
I clenched my fists.
And directly asked the question that muttered in my head all time .
It seemed like --something about the truth was so close to me but this time my heart took the lead over my mind .
"Then why call me here?"
Ira didn't answer immediately.
She just looked at me--calm, unreadable--like she was waiting for me to catch up.
"Because you're asking the wrong questions," she said.
I frowned.
"Then what's the right one?"
A faint smile touched her lips.
"Not what happened to Lavanya…"
She stepped closer.
"But who let it happen."
My breath hitched.
The wind moved slightly around us, but the air between us felt heavy--like it was pressing down on my chest once again.
"Stop speaking in riddles,"
I said, sharper this time.
"If you know something, say it."
Ira tilted her head, studying me.
"You're impatient," she murmured.
"Just like her."
My eyes narrowed.
"Don't compare me to her."
"Why?"
she asked softly.
"Because you don't want to end up like her?"
Silence.
I didn't answer.
Because a part of me already knew--
that was exactly what I was afraid of.
Ira took another step forward, closing the distance just enough to make it uncomfortable.
"You think Lavanya was weak?" she said.
"She wasn't."
Her voice dropped.
"She just trusted the wrong people."
My heart pounded.
"Who?" I asked.
This time--my voice wasn't steady.
Ira's gaze didn't leave mine.
"That depends," she said slowly,
"on how much you're ready to lose."
My fingers tightened at my sides.
"I'm not here to play games."
"Everything here is a game, Risha."
A pause.
Then--
"And you're already a part of it."
For a moment, neither of us spoke.
Then Ira reached into her pocket and pulled out something small.
A folded paper.
An old one .
Not like the one I had just found.
My eyes narrowed.
"What is that?"
Ira didn't reply immediately.
Instead, she held it between her fingers--
but didn't hand it to me.
"Lavanya had something like this," she said quietly.
My breath stilled.
"Something like this?" I repeated.
"Not the same," she corrected.
"Hers was different."
A pause.
"Worse."
My grip tightened at my sides.
"Then what is this?"
Ira's gaze met mine again.
Sharp.
Measuring.
"A chance," she said.
Silence fell between us.
The wind moved slightly, brushing past us--
but neither of us moved.
"She didn't understand it in time,"
Ira added.
My heart skipped.
"Understand what?"
But she ignored the question.
Instead, she stepped closer and finally held the paper out to me.
"If you take this," she said slowly,
"you don't get to pretend you don't see
what's happening anymore."
My hand hovered in the air.
Just inches away.
This wasn't just a piece of paper.
It felt like a line.
One step forward--
and everything would change.
I looked up at her.
"Why me?"
For a second--
something unreadable passed through her eyes.
"Because you're already involved," she said.
"Whether you realise it or not."
My jaw tightened.
"And if I don't take it?"
I said in a confined tone.
A faint smile appeared on her lips.
"Then you'll end up exactly where she did."
My breath hitched--
but before I could react--
she added,
"Not because someone wants you there…"
Her voice dropped.
"But because you chose not to see."
Silence.
Heavy.
I didn't think anymore.
I reached forward--
and took the paper.
For a brief second, our fingers brushed.
And then--
she let go.
I unfolded it slowly.
My eyes scanned the words.
Don't Trust Them
R--knows
Check The Files.
My heartbeat turned uneven.
"What does this mean?" I whispered.
But when I looked up--
Ira had already stepped back.
"That," she said calmly,
"is something you'll have to figure out on your own."
"Ira...
I added .
"And Risha…"
She stopped me before I could continue.
Her eyes locked onto mine one last time.
"Be careful who you start looking at differently."
A pause.
"You might not like what you find."
And with that--
she turned and walked away.