Raha's mother sat beside her on the floor, pulling her close.
"Shh. Stop. It's okay."
She picked up the notepad from the table.
Should I tell them the truth?
Her mother read it. Then, carefully — "Is Rohan guilty?"
Raha wrote — He's guilty because he did nothing. If he had helped, Meena would still be alive.
"Then who is truly responsible?"
Raha's pen moved without hesitation.
Bella Watson — Rohan's cousin. Rabina Manoban — Rohan's ex. Grace Ray.
Her mother stared at the names.
"Bella?" she whispered. "Bella Watson?"
Raha nodded slowly.
Her mother sat back, the notepad in her hands, reading the names again and again as if they might change.
Somewhere in Paris, Subin sat by his phone.
Waiting.
Why isn't she calling? She always calls.
He checked his screen. Checked the clock. Checked his screen again.
Finally, he gave up waiting and called her himself.
It rang.
And rang.
And rang.
No answer.
He called again. Same result.
A cold feeling settled in his chest.
Something's wrong. Did something happen? Did Rabina — did they do something again?
He pressed his palm against his forehead and tried to think.
Then — Shawn.
He grabbed his phone.
"Hello?"
"Where are you?" Subin said immediately.
"Home. Why? What happened?"
"Do you know where Raha is?"
A pause. "Again? She's missing again?"
"No — I mean, I've been calling her for hours and she won't pick up."
"I don't know where she is," Shawn said carefully. "She didn't come to school today either."
"What? Why not?"
"That I can't tell you. But — yesterday, Rohan called her out. Told her to meet him at Sky City Mall at seven."
Subin went very still.
"He what?"
"Said it right in front of the whole school," Shawn said, lowering his voice. "Announced it like it was nothing. 'Tonight. Seven o'clock. Sky City Mall.' That's all I know."
The heat that rose through Subin had nowhere to go.
"Did she go?"
"I don't know. But I was on a call with her until nine — so she must not have gone at seven."
Subin's jaw tightened.
Why didn't she tell me Rohan had called her out? Why did she hide it?
He ended the call without another word.
Shawn sat with the phone in his hand for a moment.
Wait. Subin was on a call with her until nine? That long?
Is there something between them?
I need to ask her.
Subin called Rohan.
"Rohan."
"What's wrong?"
"Where is Raha?"
A beat of silence. Then — "How would I know? Isn't she home?"
"She's not picking up my calls. And I know you have something to do with it."
Rohan's voice went flat. "I have something to do with it? Raha not answering your calls is her choice. Who are you to say she has to pick up?"
Something ignited in Subin's chest.
"Listen to me very carefully," he said, his voice dangerously quiet now. "I'm asking you nicely. Answer nicely. Or—"
"Or what?" Rohan cut in, his own voice rising now. "What are you going to do? Raha's life is her own. What happens between her and me is none of your business."
"Between her and you—"
"She didn't go to meet you at the mall because she chose not to. Don't make it about me."
"So she DID go—"
Subin's phone buzzed.
He looked at the screen.
Raha. Video call.
He stared at it for one second. Then he cut Rohan off mid-sentence and answered.
Raha's face appeared on screen.
She looked tired. Heavy. Like someone who had been carrying too much for too long.
"I've been calling you for hours," Subin said, the sharpness in his voice softening the moment he saw her face. "Where were you?"
Raha didn't sign. Didn't write. Just sat there, eyes distant, expression somewhere far away.
"Did something happen?"
Still nothing.
Her eyes glistened.
Subin's chest ached.
Then he remembered what Shawn had said — and the ache shifted into something else.
"Why didn't you tell me?" he asked quietly. "That Rohan called you out last night. Why didn't you say anything?"
Raha's expression flickered with surprise.
How does he know?
"It's a good thing you didn't go," Subin added.
Raha reached for her notepad — she needed to tell him. She had gone. She needed him to know—
"It's late," Subin said suddenly, his voice closing off. "You should sleep. We'll talk another time."
Bye.
The call ended.
Raha sat completely still, notepad in hand, the words she'd been about to write still unwritten.
She stared at the blank screen.
In Paris, Subin sat on the edge of his bed, turning one question over and over.
Why didn't she tell me?
His grandfather appeared in the doorway, reading his face the way only someone who had raised him could.
"What's wrong, master? Why the long face?"
"I want to go back to India," Subin said quietly.
His grandfather blinked. "What? Why?"
Subin didn't answer.
His grandfather crossed the room and sat beside him, studying him carefully.
"Was it wrong of me to come to Paris?" Subin said, his voice cracking slightly at the edges. "When Meena died — I left. I came here. Was that right?"
His grandfather placed a hand on his shoulder.
"Be honest with me," his grandfather said gently. "Is this only about Meena?"
Subin looked at him.
His grandfather smiled — small, knowing, warm. "I may be a president. But I'm also a secret detective."
Subin laughed despite himself. A real laugh, short and surprised.
"A few days would be fine," his grandfather said slowly. "But your parents—"
"Which parents?" Subin's voice went quiet. "The ones who've never once come to check on me? I was in India — they were in Paris. Now I'm in Paris — they're in France somewhere." He shook his head. "You raised me. You've always been the one. You're my guardian. Not them."
His grandfather looked down.
The room went silent.
After a long moment, his grandfather lifted his head and said — "Alright. A few days."
Subin's face broke into a full smile. "Thank you!"
He threw his arms around him.
His grandfather laughed softly and patted his back. "Alright, alright — enough."
They talked a little longer, and then his grandfather slipped quietly out of the room.
Subin fell back onto his bed, staring at the ceiling.
Should I tell Raha I'm coming?
He thought about it for exactly three seconds.
No.
I'll surprise her.
The look on her face when she sees me— he grinned at the ceiling. I can't wait.
He sat up straighter, the grin fading into something more serious.
There's work to do too.
Rohan. Rabina. Bella. Grace.
I'm coming.