After knocking a few times with no response, Angelina's unease grew, and she quickly dialed Aman to update him.
"Yes, there's no sound, and she's not responding," she said, her voice tinged with concern.
"I'm on my way," Aman's voice crackled through the Bluetooth headset, laced with a sense of urgency. A deep unease gripped him as he thought of Ayesha. Not knowing what was happening to her caused a knot of fear to tighten in his chest. He pressed the accelerator harder, pushing the car faster, as the weight of uncertainty pressed down on him.
---
Inside Ayesha's home, she stood on the sofa, her feet barely brushing against it, lost in the music. She wore a soft pink tracksuit, a matching full-sleeve t-shirt, and a blanket draped around her shoulders like a cocoon. Over her ears, large Bluetooth headphones played her favorite song at full volume, the music flooding the room with its intensity.
Her eyes were closed, her body moving instinctively to the rhythm, her steps light and carefree, like a child lost in the purity of a moment. Her lips moved in sync with the song, unconsciously mimicking the lyrics as she danced with an innocence that felt both serene and poignant. It was a sight that seemed at once humorous and heartwarming, a fleeting moment of joy in a world that often felt heavy. Ayesha's smile, a rare expression of pure contentment, painted the room with an almost surreal lightness.
Aman dialed Ayesha's number, the phone ringing in the quiet room. As the music abruptly stopped, Ayesha's eyes slowly opened, her senses sharpening at the sound of the ringtone. She slid off the sofa and reached for the phone, which had been left on the coffee table. Seeing the unfamiliar number, she didn't hesitate and swiftly ended the call. Just as she adjusted the headset back into place, the doorbell rang, breaking the stillness.
She draped the headset around her neck and, feeling a flicker of unease, walked toward the front door. Checking the time, a subtle wave of discomfort washed over her—an unfamiliar feeling she couldn't quite place. She paused, peering through the peephole, her eyes narrowing slightly as she saw a slender, strikingly beautiful woman standing outside. A moment of hesitation passed before Ayesha took a deep breath, steadying herself. She opened the door halfway and, with a controlled yet cautious voice, asked, "Who are you?"
Angelina stood frozen for a moment, taken aback by the coolness in Ayesha's response. She had expected a different reaction, perhaps a warmth that never came. The silence between them was thick with unspoken questions.
"Hi, I'm Angelina," she finally said, offering a polite smile and introducing herself. But Ayesha's expression remained unchanged, her eyes studying Angelina with an unreadable intensity. There was a quiet, unspoken question in Ayesha's gaze—What do you want?
"Um... I was looking for Aman," Angelina said, her voice slightly adjusting as she gathered herself, trying to sound casual.
"Aman?" Ayesha asked, her tone curious but guarded.
"Yes, Aman... Do you know him?" Angelina asked, a sense of relief flooding her as she allowed herself to be vulnerable in her question.
"Yes..." Ayesha replied, her gaze flickering with something unreadable.
"Do you know where he lives?" Angelina's voice softened with hope, the tension of the moment still hanging in the air.
Ayesha pointed in the direction of Aman's house. "There..."
Angelina turned, her face shifting into an expression of gratitude, the smile she wore more for herself than for Ayesha. "Oh, thank you."
Ayesha's brow furrowed slightly, a quiet doubt beginning to form in her mind. "How do you know him?"
Angelina's response came without hesitation, but with the weight of sincerity, as though the words themselves were an armor. "I... I'm his girlfriend." The statement felt right, a perfect blend of truth and artifice to protect her own intentions.
As she spoke, a car pulled into view, and in an instant, Aman's vehicle was parked in front of Ayesha's house. Seeing the two women standing together, his expression flickered with surprise, his eyes narrowing as he stepped out of the car and moved toward them with purpose. The air between them felt charged with unanswered questions, the silence stretching longer than either of them had anticipated.
"So... this is your..." Ayesha began, her words faltering as something stirred deep within Aman's chest. His thoughts raced, piecing together the pieces of the puzzle. It dawned on him that Ayesha had already figured out Angelina's true role as his assistant, but it wasn't just that. Her sharp eyes had seen through the surface, noticing the details he hadn't meant to reveal. And when his gaze fell on the gun discreetly tucked behind Angelina, everything clicked into place.
"No... it's not what you think," Aman said, his voice more urgent than he intended, the words tumbling out before he could stop them.
"So, she's not your girlfriend then?" Ayesha's tone sharpened, a mix of challenge and skepticism rising in her voice. "That's what she said."
"Girlfriend…" Aman repeated the word, his voice thick with confusion as his eyes narrowed on Angelina. The way her smile bloomed so suddenly, bright and unrestrained, caught him completely off guard. She stepped closer, calling his name with such warmth, "Aman," and before he could react, she wrapped her arms around him in a tight embrace.
"Aman, I missed you so much," she whispered, her voice soft but carrying an edge of urgency. The warmth of her breath against his ear sent an unexpected shiver down his spine. "Play along with me," she murmured, a hint of something unspoken in her tone.
For a moment, Aman froze. His mind struggled to catch up with what was happening, the weight of her words heavy in the space between them. "I missed you too…" he replied with a strained smile, the words leaving his mouth before he could even consider them. He had no choice but to go along with her. He couldn't risk revealing his true identity to Ayesha, not yet. His heart clenched, a quiet hesitation gnawing at him as he spoke, but he couldn't afford to show it.
Meanwhile, Ayesha stood still, her arms crossed tightly against her chest. Her gaze was fixed on them, sharp and unwavering. Her expression was unreadable, but there was something in her eyes—a quiet intensity—as though she were trying to decipher the invisible thread between them. She observed, her mind working to piece together the puzzle in front of her. What was really happening here? What was being hidden beneath the surface?
"Can you leave now?" Ayesha's voice sliced through the air, her tone edged with frustration and a subtle sting of impatience.
"Yes, we're leaving," Aman responded quickly, his voice soft but carrying a tension that was palpable. He didn't meet Ayesha's gaze for long, his eyes fleetingly touching hers before quickly looking away. There was no apology in his words, no attempt at explanation—just a quiet acknowledgment of the unsaid things hanging between them.
"Good night, Ayesha…" Angelina's voice was light, almost too light, as she turned to walk away. There was something in the softness of her farewell that seemed to hold a deeper meaning, as though she too understood the delicate balance of their unspoken connection. Aman nodded, his face betraying a mix of guilt and confusion, but he didn't speak. There was nothing left to say.
They stepped outside, and Ayesha stood in the doorway for a moment, her gaze following them as they disappeared into the night. Once the door closed behind them, the silence felt suffocating, pressing in around her. She exhaled slowly, as if trying to expel the tension that had built up in her chest. The events of the last few moments churned in her mind, leaving her with more questions than answers.
Aman stepped inside and shut the door behind him, his chest rising and falling with a deep, controlled breath. He immediately pushed Angelina aside, his mind racing as the weight of the situation hit him. "Girlfriend... where did that come from, Angelina?" His voice was low, edged with confusion and frustration.
Angelina's gaze remained calm, her voice unwavering as she replied, "I was confused. And it's not so bad. She believed us." Her words were deliberate, almost detached, as if she were assessing the situation from a distance, emotionally removed.
Aman nodded slowly, digesting her words. "She believed us... That's good," he murmured, his voice tinged with a reluctant sense of relief. In the grand scheme of the mission, Ayesha's belief in their story was crucial. She was a piece of the puzzle Rahul Shiva had left behind. Gaining her trust was more important than anything else.
---
The following morning, Aman's voice was measured, sharp, as he spoke into the phone. "John, I need her out of the house for at least an hour." Each word came out deliberately, the weight of his intent clear in the steady rhythm of his speech. There was no room for hesitation, no space for errors. Time was a luxury he couldn't afford. Every second was accounted for, every movement calculated.
He watched from a distance as Ayesha, unaware of his plan, left her house. His eyes narrowed, tracking her every step with an almost clinical detachment. When he was certain she had gone, the tension in his body eased just enough for him to act.
He approached the door, the spare key cold against his fingers as he unlocked it with a steady hand. The subtle click of the tumblers echoed in the silence, a quiet affirmation that he had crossed a line.
Stepping inside, Aman's movements were fluid, practiced—each one deliberate, as if he had walked this path a thousand times before. Every step carried him deeper into the stillness, into a space that demanded his full concentration. His mind sharpened, each thought cutting through the noise with laser precision. The weight of his mission pressed down on him, but his resolve remained unshaken.
He had limited time—every second was precious, and he knew it. Whatever he was here to find, he had to uncover it before she returned.His focus narrowed, each breath steady as he pushed forward, the urgency in his chest rising with every passing moment. The clock was ticking, and there was no turning back now.