(Vena’s POV) Snap.
The bulb shattered.
Darkness swallowed the warehouse.
A scream pierced the silence.
For one terrifying moment…
I couldn’t tell if it was mine.
Or someone else’s.
Cold water splashed across my face.
My eyes flew open.
I gasped for air.
Every muscle in my body screamed in pain.
For a few seconds…
Everything around me was blurred.
Then…
My vision slowly cleared.
The warehouse.
The same damp walls.
The same smell of rust and blood.
But everything had changed.
I wasn’t standing anymore.
I was tied to a heavy iron chair.
Thick ropes bound my wrists behind my back, cutting into my skin.
My ankles were secured so tightly that even the slightest movement sent sharp pain through my legs.
I struggled instinctively.
The ropes didn’t move.
Instead…
They dug even deeper into my flesh.
A quiet chuckle echoed through the room.
“So…” “You’re finally awake.” I lifted my head.
Nikhil stood a few steps away.
His hands rested casually inside his pockets.
There wasn’t a single bruise on his face anymore.
No blood.
No weakness.
Nothing.
The broken man I had rushed to save…
Had completely disappeared.
Only the man behind the mask remained.
I stared at him.
My voice trembled.
“…Why?” He smiled.
The same warm smile that had once made me feel safe.
Now…
It only filled me with fear.
“That’s the first question you ask?” “I expected something more dramatic.” I clenched my fists against the ropes.
“Why did you betray me?” The smile on his face didn’t fade.
Instead…
It widened.
“Betrayal?” He slowly walked toward me.
His footsteps echoed through the silent warehouse.
“No, Vena.” “I never betrayed you.” “You can’t betray someone…” “…if you were never on their side.” Those words struck harder than any weapon.
Every memory we had shared…
Every promise.
Every laugh.
Every moment I thought was real.
They all began to crumble.
The warehouse door opened once again.
Tanmay walked inside carrying two cups of coffee.
He casually handed one to Nikhil.
“She’s awake?” Nikhil accepted it.
“Finally.” Tanmay looked at me and laughed.
“I have to admit…” “You made things surprisingly easy.” He leaned against the table.
“You trusted people far too easily.” I glared at him.
“So…” “None of it was real?” He shrugged.
“I did what I was paid to do.” “Nothing more.” A painful silence filled the room.
I remembered every conversation.
Every joke.
Every time Tanmay had defended me.
Every time he had called me his friend.
All of it…
An act.
I lowered my head.
“…Was there ever a single moment…” “…when you treated me as a friend?” Tanmay looked away for a second.
Then sighed.
“No.” The answer was short.
Simple.
And somehow…
It hurt the most.
Nikhil placed his coffee on the table.
“You know…” “I almost admire you.” I looked up.
“You never stopped believing in people.” “Even when they didn’t deserve it.” He slowly crouched until our eyes met.
“But do you know your biggest mistake?” I remained silent.
He smiled.
“You believed you were ordinary.” My brows furrowed.
“…What?” He stood up again.
“You spent your whole life asking the wrong questions.” “‘Why was I abandoned?'” “‘Why did my parents disappear?'” “‘Why does nothing about my past make sense?'” He looked directly into my eyes.
“You never once asked…” “…who wanted you to stay ignorant.” A chill ran down my spine.
“What are you talking about?” Nikhil didn’t answer immediately.
Instead…
He reached into his coat.
Slowly…
He removed an old photograph.
The edges were torn.
The colors had almost faded away.
He held it just close enough for me to see.
A man.
A woman.
And between them…
A little girl.
My breathing stopped.
The little girl…
Looked exactly like me.
Nikhil’s voice was calm.
“Recognize them?” Tears welled in my eyes.
“…No.” “I’ve never seen this picture before.” He folded the photograph carefully and slipped it back into his pocket.
“Exactly.” The warehouse fell silent.
Then Nikhil spoke again.
“Because someone made sure…” “…you never would.” His gaze never left mine.
“And that’s where your real story begins.” The warehouse fell silent.
The words echoed in my mind again and again.
I stared at Nikhil.
“…Who were they?” He didn’t answer.
Instead, he turned away and slowly walked toward the broken window.
Moonlight spilled across the floor, casting a long shadow behind him.
After a few moments, he spoke.
“Tell me, Vena…” “Did you ever find it strange?” “You grew up in that house for nearly twenty years…” “…yet there wasn’t a single photograph of your childhood before you were adopted.” My heart skipped a beat.
He was right.
I had asked about it once when I was little.
They had smiled and said, “The old albums were destroyed in a fire.” Back then…
I believed them.
Now…
I wasn’t so sure.
Nikhil looked back at me.
“They didn’t rescue you.” “They hid you.” I shook my head repeatedly.
“No…” “They cared for me.” “They raised me.” “They celebrated my birthdays.” “They stayed with me when I was sick.” “You’re lying!” For the first time…
Nikhil’s smile disappeared.
“I’m not saying they never cared.” “I’m saying…” “…that wasn’t the reason they brought you into their home.” His words felt heavier than the ropes around my body.
The warehouse door creaked open.
Tanmay walked in, lazily spinning a pistol around his finger.
“So…” “Have you told her yet?” Nikhil shook his head.
“Not everything.” Tanmay laughed.
“She deserves to know at least this much.” He stopped in front of me.
“You know why you were so easy to deceive?” I remained silent.
“Because you always looked for the good in people.” He smiled mockingly.
“Unfortunately…” “…people like us knew exactly how to use that.” I lowered my eyes.
Every memory flashed before me.
The conversations.
The laughter.
The trust.
None of it had been real.
Nikhil reached into his coat once more.
This time…
He took out a small silver pendant.
It was old.
The surface was scratched, as if it had been carried for many years.
He held it where I could see it.
The moment my eyes landed on it…
A sharp pain shot through my head.
Fragments of memories flickered.
A woman smiling…
Warm hands lifting me into the air…
The same pendant resting against her neck…
Then— Everything vanished.
I gasped.
“What…” “What was that?” Nikhil quietly slipped the pendant back into his pocket.
“So…” “You do remember something.” He walked closer until only a few steps separated us.
“There are people in this world…” “…who would destroy entire families…” “…just to find someone like you.” I frowned.
“What do you mean?” He smiled faintly.
“You’ll understand one day.” “But not today.” He looked at his watch.
“We’ve talked long enough.” Then he turned toward Tanmay.
“It’s time.” Tanmay’s playful expression disappeared.
He slowly raised the pistol.
The cold barrel touched my forehead.
My breathing became uneven.
So…
This was how it ended.
Not with answers.
Not with justice.
Just…
A single bullet.
Nikhil looked at me one last time.
“I’ll admit one thing.” “For a while…” “I almost believed you could change fate.” He gave a quiet laugh.
“But fate always wins.” He stepped back.
Tanmay rested his finger on the trigger.
“Goodbye, Vena.” Just then— The warehouse lights flickered.
Once.
Twice.
Then— Everything went dark.
A freezing wind rushed through the room.
Tanmay immediately pulled the gun away.
“What the hell?!” The warehouse became completely silent.
Then…
A sound echoed through the darkness.
Step…
Step…
Step…
Someone…
Was walking toward them.
Nikhil’s expression changed for the first time.
His calm confidence vanished.
“Who’s there?” No answer.
Only the slow, steady footsteps.
Closer…
Closer…
Closer…
A pale beam of moonlight slipped through the broken window.
For an instant…
A figure emerged from the darkness.
A long black coat.
Black gloves.
A featureless black mask.
Only a pair of piercing eyes could be seen.
The masked man stopped a few feet away.
The entire warehouse fell silent.
Even Nikhil…
Didn’t move.