Deval's sleek black car glided to a stop in front of his private apartment, a secluded and secure residence nestled away from prying eyes. This was Deval's sanctuary, a place he retreated to when the weight of the world bore down too heavily on his shoulders. The apartment was his escape, his refuge, and he guarded it fiercely, allowing no one, not even his closest family, to breach its walls.
Levi knew about the apartment. He had known for years, though he'd never dared to ask Deval about it. It was an unspoken rule between them, a line Levi knew better than to cross. But tonight, as he sat with Daksh and Neena in his car, hidden in the shadows, that rule felt increasingly hard to follow.
The trio had followed Deval from the airport, keeping a safe distance as he drove through the city, finally arriving at this secluded spot. They watched in silence as Deval stepped out of his car and hurried inside, the woman and child nowhere in sight. The minutes ticked by, stretching into an hour as they waited with bated breath, each of them lost in their own thoughts.
When Deval finally emerged, the sight that greeted them left them in stunned silence. He looked slightly disheveled, his shirt clinging to his body with a sheen of sweat. But what caught their attention, what made their hearts skip a beat, was the lipstick mark clearly visible on his cheek—a bold, unmistakable red against his otherwise composed appearance.
Daksh was the first to speak, his voice a mix of disbelief and incredulity. "Levi... did you see that? The lipstick... What the hell is going on?"
Levi's mouth went dry as he watched his brother glance at his reflection in the car's side mirror. Deval paused, noticing the mark. With a quick, almost nonchalant swipe, he wiped it away before getting into his car and driving off. But the damage was done; the sight had seared itself into Levi's mind.
"I don't know, Daksh," Levi murmured, his voice hollow with shock. "But... it looks like you might be right. Maybe Deval does have a wife and kid... and he's been hiding them from everyone."
Daksh nodded slowly, the gears in his mind turning as he tried to piece together the puzzle. "Why would he keep something like that a secret? And that woman... the boy... they were definitely with him. What else could it mean?"
Levi felt a cold dread settle in the pit of his stomach. He had always trusted Deval, respected his boundaries, and never questioned his decisions. But now, everything felt uncertain. The image of the lipstick mark flashed in his mind again, a stark reminder that he might not know his brother as well as he thought.
Neena, who had been silent until now, seemed to retreat into herself. Her expression was a mix of sadness and confusion, her usually sharp eyes now clouded with emotion. She had her own suspicions, her own fears, but she didn't dare voice them. Not yet. Not when she herself was trying to understand why she felt so affected by this revelation.
Finally, she spoke, her voice subdued and distant. "I think… you should drop me back. I need some time to think."
Levi glanced at her, noticing the strain in her voice, but he couldn't bring himself to probe deeper. The night had been overwhelming for all of them, and if Neena needed space, he would respect that. "Alright, Neena," he replied softly. "We'll take you home."
Daksh, too, noticed Neena's sudden shift in mood, but he kept his thoughts to himself, deciding that pressing her now would do more harm than good. They drove in silence, the tension thick in the air, each of them lost in their own spiraling thoughts.
When they finally arrived at Neena's home, she exited the car without a word, giving them a small, forced smile before disappearing inside. As Levi and Daksh drove away, neither spoke, both of them haunted by the image of Deval's secretive behavior and the mysterious woman with the child. The night had raised more questions than answers, and neither of them knew what to make of it.
As they parted ways later that night, Levi couldn't shake the feeling that something monumental had shifted, not just between him and his brother, but among all of them. And as much as he tried to push it away, the gnawing fear that they were on the brink of discovering something that could change their lives forever lingered, heavy and oppressive.
Neena, alone in her room, sat on the edge of her bed, her mind racing. She couldn't pinpoint why she felt so affected by the night's events, but she knew one thing for certain—whatever was happening, it was far from over, and the truth, when it finally emerged, would leave none of them unscathed.