The next morning, Raha's mother moved quickly through the house — straightening, cleaning, preparing for the day ahead.
Raha was still asleep.
A knock at the door.
Her mother wiped her hands and opened it.
Mr. Lee stood alone on the doorstep, his face carrying the particular exhaustion of someone who had stopped sleeping months ago.
"You again?" her mother said quietly, her voice careful.
"I need to speak with Raha."
"I told you — give us a little time. She'll tell you everything."
"Time." His voice cracked on the word. "How much more time? I lost my daughter."
His eyes filled. He didn't try to hide it.
Her mother looked down.
"Where is Raha?"
"She's sleeping."
A long pause. Then — "Alright. I'll come back tomorrow. But tomorrow — no more excuses. No more reasons. I want the truth."
Her mother said nothing.
Mr. Lee turned and left.
She closed the door and pressed her back against it, sliding down until she was sitting on the floor, head in her hands.
What have we gotten ourselves into? What do I do now?
Raha appeared from her room, took one look at her mother, and ran to her side — eyes wide, hands moving frantically.
What happened?
Her mother hesitated. Then — "Mr. Lee came."
Raha went still.
"He's coming back tomorrow. He said he won't leave without the truth this time."
Raha reached for the diary beside her. She wrote slowly, deliberately —
I'll tell them everything. I can't take this anymore.
Her mother stared at the words.
"If you do — they'll come after you too. Why didn't you go to the police before? They'll ask that. There will be a case against you."
Raha sat quietly, offering no answer.
She looked at the clock. Then, without signing anything at all, she stood and walked back to her room.
"Raha—" her mother called.
"Raha!"
Raha didn't look back.
Mr. Lee walked down the street, lost in thought.
No more time. Tomorrow it ends.
The sound of an engine broke through his thoughts — too loud, too fast—
A car screeched to a stop directly in front of him, close enough that he stumbled backward, heart hammering.
The doors opened.
Bella. Grace. Rabina.
Mr. Lee stared at them.
Then the grief turned to rage, slow and absolute.
Grace looked him up and down. "Oh — so close. Just missed."
Mr. Lee said nothing. His hands were shaking — not with fear.
"Watch where you're walking, old man," Bella said lightly. "Can't have accidents now, can we?"
Rabina stepped forward and cut her off with a thin smile.
"Actually — I think he wants to be involved in one of our accidents. Just like with his daughter. Maybe he's hoping we'll get blamed again."
She tilted her head.
"Isn't that right... Sir?"
Something broke open in Mr. Lee's chest.
"Shut up," he said, his voice barely above a whisper.
"Shut UP."
They blinked.
"Your little performance won't last much longer. The truth is coming out. Tomorrow—" He straightened. "Tomorrow, Raha tells me everything. And she tells the police."
The smiles vanished.
Three faces went very still.
Mr. Lee looked at each of them in turn.
"Scared?"
He walked away without waiting for an answer.
Behind him, the three of them stood in silence.
"What did he just say?" Rabina said slowly.
"Tomorrow," Bella repeated, the word landing in her chest like a stone.
"That girl," Grace said, her voice rising. "We should never have left her alone. That was our first mistake—"
Bella grabbed Grace's arm, her grip tight. "The video. Where is it?"
Grace's expression shifted into something cold and satisfied. "Safe. Don't worry."
"Don't worry?" Rabina's voice was sharp now. "If Raha talks — if she actually goes to the police — no one will be able to help us. Not even Mr. Walker."
She exhaled slowly.
"Raha has to be stopped."
"Rohan won't let anything happen to her," Grace said.
Bella's eyes went cold.
"Then it has to happen before he finds out."
Shawn lay on his bed, staring at the ceiling.
Will she go to school today? She wasn't there yesterday.
I need to talk to her. There's too much left unsaid.
He glanced at the clock. Sat up.
I'll take the road past her house. If she's going, I'll take her. If she's not — I'll talk to her there and come back.
He started getting ready.
Rohan sat by his window, watching the street below.
Should I go today? Will she go?
I'll pick her up. We can talk on the way.
Subin — why does he worry about her so much? What is Raha hiding from me?
Will she even come with me?
He watched the street a little longer.
We'll see.
Raha came out of her room, dressed and ready.
Her mother turned. "You're going to school?"
Raha kept her head down.
"I'm asking you something—"
Raha picked up the diary.
Yes. I'm going.
"But why? In the middle of all this—"
How long am I supposed to stay like this?
Her mother read the words and fell silent.
After a long moment — "Alright. I'll walk with you. I'll go to work, you go to school."
Raha's face softened. She nodded — yes.
They stepped out of the house together. Raha reached for her mother's hand and held it tight.
Shawn's car was already there, waiting at the curb.
"Hey — Raha!"
Raha looked up and smiled — wide and genuine.
Shawn looked at her mother. "Aunty, you're well?"
"I'm fine, dear."
"Raha — come on, let's go together."
Raha shook her head.
"Why not? Come on—"
She shook her head again, more firmly this time, and gestured — I'm going with her.
Shawn gave up arguing. "Fine. But come quickly. We have things to talk about."
He drove away.
Her mother nudged her. "Go with him! I'm fine—"
Raha gripped her hand tighter. No. No.
Her mother laughed softly. "My hand is going to fall off—"
They hadn't walked far from the house.
The sound came first — an engine, somewhere too close, moving too fast—
No time to think.
No time to move.
The car hit them both.
Raha and her mother were thrown to the ground, the pavement rushing up hard and fast, blood spreading across the road beneath them in the sudden terrible silence that follows impact.