THE DARK TRUTH OF HIDDEN MINDS

Unforeseen Reactions

Maya's gaze lingered on him without betraying any emotion, her mind racing as she tried to recall where she had seen him before. There was a nagging sense of familiarity, a flicker of recognition that danced at the edges of her memory, yet the details remained elusive.

With a resigned shrug, Maya dismissed the elusive memory from her mind.
"Never mind," she thought, pushing aside the fleeting sense of familiarity.

Atharv rose from his chair, extending a hand towards a newcomer.
"Hi Avyukt Rao ," he greeted warmly before retaking his seat.
With a pointed look towards Maya, he introduced, "Meet Avyukt Rao. He's the boss of the boys you got involved with."

Glancing back at Atharv, Maya discreetly covered her mouth with one hand, ensuring Avyukt couldn't see her lips moving. With a silent gesture, she mouthed the words,
"I saw him somewhere,"
directing her message to Atharv without making a sound.

Atharv furrowed his brow in concentration, trying to make sense of Maya's silent message. With one eyebrow raised and a slight tilt of his head, his expression bordered on comical as he struggled to understand her meaning. A small chuckle from Maya, who couldn't help but find amusement in this.

Avyukt approached Maya and gracefully took a seat beside her, his movements fluid and confident. As he settled into the chair, he leaned back slightly, crossing one leg over the other in a relaxed way.

Maya cleared her throat, her gaze steady as she addressed him with a hint of mockery in her tone.
"I didn't know people these days also hire goons for their work,"
she remarked, her words dripping with sarcasm.

"They're not goons, they're my employees," Avyukt retorted calmly after hearing Maya's baseless statement. "Maybe you mocked them first," he added with a slight raise of his eyebrow. "Can't really say whose fault it was."

her gaze locked onto Avyukt's. "If your employees are truly so dear to you, why don't you stay here in place of them?"

Oh, you know I'm not a fan of mosquitoes." He joked, a playful glint in his eye.
"Plus, I'm not as free as someone who just goes around making trouble for themselves and for others." His tone was light, but the underlying message was clear: he was not one to be easily swayed by Maya's provocations.

Maya's sigh was heavy with resignation as she replied, "Ohhh, yaaa, yaaa, I can see how much of a workaholic you are. No need to show off."

"But who knows, maybe a little break wouldn't hurt. Especially if it's spent in good company."
He offered Maya a small grin, leaning his upper body towards maya and he whispered,
"But I would love to leave that work for one night, you know," Avyukt added, his voice softening slightly as he spoke. "If you invite me to stay at your place, rather than suggesting I stay at the police station." His words were accompanied by a slight smirk.

"Wow, you're really a jerk," she spat, her tone dripping with disdain as she rolled her eyes . "You know how to piss people off."

Avyukt chuckled, "Well, I suppose I do have a talent for stirring things up. But hey, at least I do it with style," he said with a wink, straightening his suit.

As Atharv observed the back-and-forth between them, their banter resembling arguing like kids across the table, he leaned back in his chair and stretched his neck, a silent signal of his growing impatience.

he cleared his throat with a deliberate cough to get their attention. "Maya, Avyukt," Atharv's voice carried a firm tone,

"If you're done with your bickering, let's wrap this up quickly. Just sign these documents."
Maya and Avyukt exchanged glances, recognizing the seriousness in Atharv's expression.
"Sure, officer," Maya responded, reaching for the documents.
Avyukt nodded in agreement, adding, "Let's get this over with." Atharv nodded in approval as they both quickly signed the papers.
"Constable, please release Avyukt's underling immediately," Atharv instructed, his tone leaving no room for argument.

As Avyukt's underlings were released from jail, they emerged with a slight bow and anxious expressions, their eyes darting towards him. Without a word, they headed straight for Avyukt's waiting car outside the station.

He rose from his chair, extending his hand towards Atharv with a courteous smile. "Thank you for your cooperation, Mr. Atharv," he said, his voice laced with sincerity.

"I hope this situation never arises again, and we won't have to cross paths in such circumstances."Atharv clasped Avyukt's hand firmly, meeting his gaze with a nod of understanding. "Likewise, Avyukt," he replied evenly. "Let's hope for smoother dealings in the future."

As Avyukt prepared to leave, he cast a cold glance in Maya's direction, his icy stare lingering for a moment longer before he turned away.

After Avyukt's departure, Maya gripped the side of her chair, pushing herself up with a heavy sigh. "Well, it seems it's all resolved now."

"I suppose it's time for me to take my leave as well, officer." With a nod of acknowledgment, she straightened her posture, preparing to exit the room.

As Maya approached the exit gate of the police station, her gaze fell upon Avyukt standing a short distance away. Before she could fully comprehend the scene unfolding before her, she noticed Aryan's furious demeanor as he shouted at his underlings nearby, his face contorted with anger.

Suddenly, Avyukt's hand lashed out, delivering a tight slap to one of his underlings' faces.

His slap made his underling lose balance. He reached out and touched the ground with one hand, ending up on one knee. He looked surprised and in pain, trying to get back up.

The sound of slap sent a shockwave through Maya's senses. She froze in place, stunned by the unexpected turn of events.

After the slap, Avyukt exhaled heavily, leaning against the door of his car for support. He retrieved a packet of cigarettes from his pocket and began to fumble with a lighter, his gaze shifting in Maya's direction.

Caught off guard by Avyukt's sudden glance in her direction, Maya quickly hid behind the wall near the police station's exit. Her heart raced with fear as she stayed in the shadow, hoping Avyukt wouldn't see her.

She thought about Avyukt's unexpected reaction,she couldn't help but feel puzzled.

He had appeared calm and composed during their interactions at the police station, indicating that the case didn't seem to bother him much. This led her to speculate whether there was something else that had angered him, something beyond just the current case.

Perhaps there was a deeper issue between Avyukt and his underlings, something that had been simmering beneath the surface for a while.

To be continue.....
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