Instantly, the world around her ground to a halt.
The bustling noise of the police station faded into absolute, ringing silence.
All she could see was his face—and the incredibly warm, gentle, protective smile he was giving her.
That single, fatherly expression hit Piya like a physical blow, violently dragging her mind back into the darkest corners of her past.
Flashes of her deeply toxic childhood rushed into her head—the screaming, the neglect, the cold absence of a father’s love.
Seeing that kind of unconditional protection radiating from a man she didn’t even know triggered an agonizing ache in her chest.
Her eyes widened in sheer shock, and she froze completely in her tracks.
“Smack.”
Misha playfully hit Piya on the shoulder, shattering the painful trance.
“See? What did I tell you!” Misha laughed brightly, pulling Piya into a side hug.
“I told you I would free you from this rotten cell! And look, you are totally free now! Did you see the look on that lady gorilla’s face when she had to apologize to you?”
Piya forced a fragile smile, her heart still hammering painfully against her ribs.
“Yes, Misha… I am freed now,” she murmured, her voice laced with a heavy, lingering sadness she couldn’t completely hide.
“Oh, please, Misha!” Kabir chimed in, crossing his arms with a confident smirk.
“Let’s be honest here. I was the one who actually told Piya the truth first. I was the one who promised her I would get her out of that cell!” He laughed, completely missing the dark storm raging behind Piya’s eyes.
Mr. Singhaniya stepped forward, his presence instantly commanding the room with quiet grace.
“My child,” he said softly, his perceptive eyes studying Piya’s pale face.
“I think Piya is far too exhausted for your bickering.”
“Oh, no, wait!” Misha suddenly gasped, realizing her mistake.
She grabbed Piya’s hand excitedly.
“Piya, meet my dad! The very famous business tycoon, Mr. Ariv Singhaniya!”
Piya swallowed hard, pushing down the painful lump in her throat.
She folded her hands nervously.
“Hello… sir. Thank you for everything.”
Mr. Singhaniya nodded warmly.
“It is my pleasure, Piya.”
“Alright, the nightmare is officially over!” Misha announced, her energy bouncing back to its usual fiery levels.
“To celebrate, we are going out! We are going to a party to chill out and forget this entire disaster. What’s your opinion, Dad? You have to join us too!”
Mr. Singhaniya smiled and opened his mouth to agree, but before he could speak, a sharp ringtone cut through the air.
He pulled his sleek phone from his pocket, his expression shifting back to a serious, corporate mask as he read the caller ID.
“Oh, sorry, my children,” he sighed, offering them an apologetic look.
“I cannot join you today. I have a very important meeting to attend right now. Enjoy yourselves, and take care.”
With a final nod, he turned and strode out of the precinct, leaving the three friends standing together in the hallway.
“Okay, whatever,” Misha said, brushing off her father’s sudden departure with a wave of her hand.
She turned all her excited energy back to her friend.
“Tell me, Piya, where do you want to go first?”
Piya kept her eyes fixed on the floor, a heavy, suffocating sadness still tightly gripping her chest.
“Nowhere.”
Misha blinked, her smile dropping in absolute shock.
“What?”
“Yes, Misha,” Piya murmured, wrapping her arms protectively around herself.
“Actually, I am just so tired. I don’t want to talk to anyone, and I really don’t want to go out right now. Please… just give me some alone time.”
Before Misha could protest, the warden walked over to them.
Her usually strict and harsh demeanor had completely softened into maternal concern.
“Piya, my child,” the warden said gently.
“Are you heading back to the hostel? If yes, I am going the exact same way. We can go together if you want.”
Piya nodded, deeply grateful for a quiet escape from the overwhelming day.
“Yes, ma’am. I am going to the hostel.”
“Okay then, let’s go,” the warden said with a reassuring smile.
As Piya turned to walk away, Misha took a step forward, reaching out her hand.
“But Piya—!”
Kabir instantly caught Misha’s arm, holding her back with a firm but gentle grip.
“Wait, Misha,” Kabir said softly, his dark eyes watching Piya’s retreating figure.
“Please, let her be alone. She is completely exhausted because of everything she just went through. Let her process it. The party can happen next time. Please.” New chapters come out on g.com first.
Misha let out a heavy, frustrated sigh, her shoulders dropping in defeat as she watched Piya leave the police station with the warden.
“Okay… fine.”
The drive back was unusually quiet.
Misha kept her eyes glued to the road, the adrenaline of the day finally wearing off and leaving behind a heavy, lingering exhaustion.
She dropped Kabir off at his house first, exchanging a silent, understanding nod with him before pulling away to head to the massive Singhaniya estate.
Meanwhile, Piya and the warden walked through the quiet, echoing halls of the college hostel.
As they reached the corridor leading to Piya’s room, the warden suddenly stopped in her tracks.
“Piya… stop,” the warden called out softly.
Piya turned around, her tired eyes meeting the older woman’s gaze.
“Yes, ma’am?”
“Actually, today…” The warden’s voice suddenly cracked.
She took a trembling breath, her usually strict, intimidating face crumbling with overwhelming guilt.
“I want to say… I am so sorry, my child.”
Piya’s eyes widened in surprise.
“No, ma’am, please. You don’t need to say sorry—”
“No, my child, I do,” the warden interrupted, tears welling up in her eyes and spilling over her cheeks.
“It’s because of me. I was the one who told the police that the bag belonged to you. That is how all your problems started today. I put you in that nightmare…”
Seeing the strict warden break down in front of her, Piya’s own sadness momentarily faded into deep empathy.
She instantly stepped forward, raising her hands to gently wipe the tears from the warden’s cheeks.
“No, ma’am, please don’t cry,” Piya said softly, her voice full of genuine forgiveness.
“You were just telling the truth about the bag. It was just a misunderstanding, and someone else set that trap, not you. Please, ma’am… don’t blame yourself.”
The warden took a deep breath, slowly controlling her emotions as she looked at Piya with a newfound, profound respect.
“You have a very pure heart, Piya,” the warden said, offering a small, watery smile.
“But today, I also saw one more thing clearly. Your friends… Misha and Kabir. They tried every single possibility to free you. I watched them fight the police, fight the rules, and involve lawyers just to protect you. I bet they were literally terrified of losing you.”
She reached out and gently patted Piya’s head.
“They are literally your best friends, Piya. You are very lucky to have them.”
Hearing those words, a tiny, warm spark of hope finally broke through the dark clouds of Piya’s traumatic memories.
For the first time in her life, people had actually fought for her.