FORBIDDEN FLAMES : A Romantic Thriller

Trust in Turmoil

SHREYA'S POV

As I stood there silently after Rohan left, I couldn't shake off the feeling of suspicion hovering over everyone around me. Each person seemed like a potential suspect, but unravelling the identity of the person aiding the culprit remained a puzzle. Suddenly, it dawned on me that Shubham had the evidence box in his hands. I approached him, observing him as he conversed with someone on the phone. When he noticed me, he abruptly ended the call and turned to face me.

"Shreya," he said.

"Who were you talking to?" I asked, trying to keep my tone casual.

Shubham glanced at me, a hint of unease flickering across his features. "Nothing important," he replied quickly. "Just some random call."

I nodded calmly not wanting to raise any kind of suspicion I said Shubham, Can you and Swathi head back to the office.

He glanced at me curiously and asked, "Why?"

There's a lot of paperwork to go through. You and Swathi handle that. I'll take care of things here and give me all the evidence we have collected here."

"Why? we're going to the office, anyway why don't we take the evidence with us so we can start the process?" Shubham suggested.

"No, Shubham," I replied firmly. "There's a lot of paperwork to go through. You and Swathi handle that. I'll take care of things here."

He studied me with suspicion, sensing my tension. "Why do you look so worried?" he inquired.

I forced a smile and reassured him, "It's nothing. Everything's fine."

Shubham said but what does he want to check now? He asked me.

"I'm not sure," I lied, trying to maintain my composure. "He was asking about it."

Reluctantly, he nodded in understanding and handed over the evidence box to me and left. As he walked away, a wave of relief washed over me, but the nagging feeling of unease remained.

As soon as Swathi and Shubham left, my eyes caught sight of Vihaan and Neil engaged in conversation with two other officers, Pavan and Mahesh. I knew I couldn't approach them directly with my suspicions in front of others.

Quickly, I pulled out my phone and composed a message to Vihaan and Neil, urgency evident in my words: "I need to talk to you both personally. It's important. Can we meet somewhere discreet?" With a swift tap, I sent off the message, then leaned against a nearby pillar, waiting anxiously for their response.

As Neil glanced at his phone and then nodded subtly at me, I acknowledged his signal with a slight nod of my own. He whispered something into Vihaan's ear, prompting Vihaan to retrieve his phone and start typing a message.

My phone beeped with Vihaan's message, and I quickly checked it. It read, "Where should we meet?" Understanding the need for discretion, I responded, "Anywhere other than the office. Our meeting should remain confidential." Vihaan swiftly replied with an address where we could meet.

I typed back, "Okay," and then left the area, making my way to the designated meeting place.

I arrived at the location Vihaan had messaged -a remote area on the outskirts, an old building standing silently against the backdrop of the landscape. It was the ideal spot for our discussion, secluded and far from prying eyes, ensuring our conversation remained confidential. As I waited patiently for Vihaan and Neil to arrive, time seemed to stretch on, and I realized that I might end up being late getting home.