Raghav turned the handle and gave a slight push. The wooden door opened with a creek. He clapped his hands to clean the dust. All the while, his eyes scoured the door for the handprints. More than a couple of them were visible as a tell-tale sign of human entry not too long ago.

"I hope it's not true," Ayaan said as he entered the house. "No, I know this is just a false alarm."

"Are you consoling yourself with that?" Raghav followed Ayaan and switched on a tube light in the living room. It flickered thrice before lighting up their path. Not many lights were in working condition at Aashayein. A dim bulb he had fitted near the kitchen and a few spotlights along the hallway were sources of light often used.

He observed Ayaan as they moved through the dirty floor, careful not to disturb any evidence, searching for Aakriti. She was an essential figure in Ayaan's life. He also knew Chhaya could leave no false alarm. If it were, then the trap would be for Raghav, not Aakriti nor Ayaan. That was one of the two reasons he brought Ayaan with him, as his security to haggle with Chhaya. The other reason was to allow Ayaan to see what Chhaya was capable of. The kid had grown up to be a man people targeted. Today, he should know that without Aakriti, he is on his own to fight Chhaya.

The silence of the house disturbed with a loud footfall in the guest room at the back of the house. "What the hell!" A shout vibrated the still air. The duo followed the noise to find Dhruv.

They also found Aakriti, lying lifelessly against the door. Her left wrist was cut. A pool of blood collected by her side. The dupatta of her suit was soaked in the pool. Raghav checked the pulse and breath. "It's confirmed." He announced to the brothers.

Dhruv Agnihotri sobbed at the news. The sight had terrified him. Raghav had learnt that a stubborn kid was more dangerous than an adult. A kid like Dhruv, a spoilt prince, could kick his limbs carelessly and topple the sand castles where he housed his canons. Raghav will have to watch him in the future days to ensure the trauma doesn't bring his mother's genes afore.

Ayaan stood with his signature blank expression that conveyed neither regret nor remorse. A hand on his brother's shoulder, he stared at Aakriti. The only give away was the lump in his throat he was trying to swallow. His phone screen lit up taking his attention. He briefly glanced at the screen, pocketed the phone in his blazer, dragged his palm over his face almost erasing the invisible expression. He pulled up Dhruv in a hug. "Dhruv, I need you tonight. Please don't ask any questions. Just do as I say. Go home. I will text you what to do."

Raghav was glad that Ayaan chose to divert his attention to the matters at hand rather than sink in the loss.

Dhruv stared at Aakriti a moment more. "D, Ayaan is right. You shouldn't be here. We will explain to you later. Just leave for now. And, no one should know you were here tonight, not even Chhaya." Raghav added.

Dhruv glanced at Ayaan who nodded his approval. He took off through the window he entered not wanting to see the rest of the place.

---

"So, what do we make out of this? Did mom kill her? What was she, or even Auntie, doing here anyway?" Ayaan paced the floor as he questioned. He was nervous and anxious. He didn't like the feeling one bit. He took out his harmonica and brushed his thumb over the initials.

Vipul Gupta was right. The harmonica helped him calm down in the worst scenario to keep his head in the game. Until today, it was a game of finding the truth of Vipul Gupta's death. However, Ayaan didn't expect to witness more deaths making the game too dangerous to dabble.

Raghav made a phone call alerting the police about the death at Aashayein. He sat on his haunches before Aakriti. He observed her closely, occasionally glancing at the surrounding objects. "This is not Chhaya's work." He announced.

Ayaan stopped and turned back. Chhaya's work? Did she kill for a hobby that he knows her tools and techniques? "How can you be so sure? The place is in a total mess hinting at a real quarrel along the way."

Raghav clicked his tongue. "What do you want to hear, Ayaan? That Chhaya killed Aakriti, in self-defence? If that's your thought process, I will ask you to leave right now." Ayaan crossed his arms and balanced his weight on both feet. "I have covered Chhaya in many such cases. Note the plural. She is an example of women empowered by wrong motives."

"I don't take your word for anything against my mom. Nonetheless, she raised me. Tell me what you are deducing about..." Ayaan glanced at Aakriti as he fell at a loss for words.

"Aakriti committed suicide. She came here for some reason. Chhaya too was here. They probably fought, that's the mess we saw in the living room and the hallway. There are scratches and markings of struggle on Aakriti's arms, neck and face. Chhaya might have tried to strangle her. But she broke free. It ended here, in this room. Next, the mirror broke, a piece of it intentionally cut into Aakriti's left wrist. The depth of the cut reasonably matches the injury on her right palm. One more reason: Chhaya can't hold sharp objects. She has injury phobia."

"How can a person with an injury phobia kill?" Ayaan asked.

"There are plenty of ways to kill a person. The injury phobia is mainly triggered by blood, injections or, as the name suggests, injury. For Chhaya, it's an open injury that triggers her phobia. Aakriti knew this. So it was always either Aakriti or me who tended to both of you when you came home wounded. Aakriti must have cut herself to scare Chhaya but planned it poorly endangering her life in the process. Chhaya did sound breathless and was stuttering when she called me." Raghav concluded.

---

Ayaan parked his car in the basement garage at Mahanidhi. After their short discussion, the police and the medical team arrived. Later, Raghav had dropped him at Deepshika's apartment and went back to complete the formalties.

Taking the stairs into the kitchen, Ayaan slowed his gait hearing raised voices.

"How dare you!" Ankush growled.

"Believe me, Ankush. I didn't do anything." Chhaya cried but Ankush slapped her.

Ayaan hid within the kitchen area as he heard the conversation. The staff was not around, probably dismissed by his parents beforehand. They didn't need to see the picture he was witnessing.

"Ankush, listen to me at least." Chhaya pleaded at Ankush's feet as he sat down on the sofa.

"What's left to listen? You killed my sister. I wasn't with her when she didn't know how to cope with our parents' death. When Layana died, she supported us because I am the only family she was left with. Because of you and Layana, Aakriti lost her happiness. And today, because of you, she lost her life."

"I am telling you: I didn't kill her. How can I kill your sister knowing how much she means to you?"

He grabbed her arm forcing her to look up at him. "You are closer to your goal. An increased share is enough motive for you."

A share of what? Ayaan wondered.

"No! No! She fought with me unnecessarily and then... and then..." Chhaya huffed unable to speak the words.

Ayaan debated interfering between the couple but what he heard next shook him to the core.

"Chhaya Luthra, you killed your family; your parents and your sister. Aakriti was but an obstacle in your path you have removed today."

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