The silence inside the ruins was deafening, pierced only by the heavy breathing of the three of them. The letter held in hand no longer felt like a piece of paper; it felt like a death warrant. Ishaan, Vikas, and Aarya stood before the empty altar from where their $60,000 and their peace of mind had vanished forever. Opposite them, tied to a pillar, the eyes of Atharv and Lucky glared at them.
Ishaan (frantically): "What has happened? Everything is over! That face was fake, that name was fake... we've been robbed, Vikas! We are completely ruined."
Aarya pulled a knife from her pocket and slammed it hard onto the ground. Her anger was erupting like a volcano. Vikas grabbed Ishaan's shoulders and shook him. "Get a hold of yourself, Ishaan! Crying won't bring the money back, nor will it solve this problem. We have to make a decision right this moment."
A fierce argument broke out among the three. Aarya believed they should eliminate the witnesses, but the humanity inside Vikas hadn't completely died yet. And Ishaan? Ishaan was simply numb with fear.
Vikas: "No, Aarya, we won't shed more blood. We came here to perform a sacrifice because we thought he was a real sorcerer, but now we know he was just a conman. If we kill them, we'll sink deeper into the trap laid by that fraud."
Aarya: "Then what should we do? Let them go? The moment we release them, they'll head straight to the police station!"
After a long debate, they made a cowardly and strange decision. They decided they would neither kill them nor release them yet. They chose to leave both of them tied up in those ruins in that very condition. They thought they would go home, hide for a few days, observe the situation, and decide the next move once things cooled down.
The three left the ruins with heavy hearts. While getting into the car, Ishaan looked back at the ruins one last time. He felt as if the ruins would swallow him whole. The car sped through the forest paths toward the city. The next few days were nothing short of hell for them. They remained imprisoned in their homes. Every moment, they felt as if someone was standing at their door with the police. The wives of Ishaan, Vikas, and Aarya kept asking where the $60,000 went, but they had no answers.
A seed of suspicion had taken root in Ivan's mind, refusing to let him rest. The thought of Amardeep kept haunting him, and most of all, he was terrified of his own reflection. He saw his face in the mirror, but it felt like the shadow belonged to someone else. For a moment, Ivan even began to doubt himself—had another soul entered his body? Was this face his own, or had the deceased Amardeep taken control of his physical form? Driven by this fear, he devised a plan he shared with no one.
Very discreetly, Ivan ordered some tiny spy 'mini-cameras' from the internet. These cameras were so small they could be hidden in a shirt button or the tip of a pen. He simply wanted to see what his body did while he was asleep or alone. He wanted to keep this entirely hidden from his mother, Myra, as he didn't want her to worry unnecessarily or think he was going mad.
He cleverly fitted these cameras in specific parts of the house. He placed the first camera above the ceiling fan in his room, from where the entire bed was clearly visible. He hid the second camera among the leaves of a vase kept near the dining table. He also installed a camera in a small hole near the bathroom mirror. Ivan linked the control of these cameras to his smartwatch and a secret folder, the password to which only he knew.
Despite all this, Ivan's mind remained restless. He felt that if he stayed home, he would overthink and get more troubled. Just then, his girlfriend Zoya called. Hearing Zoya's voice brought Ivan some peace. It was a holiday; the sun was bright, and a cool breeze was blowing. Ivan took his bike and reached Zoya's house. Zoya was wearing a beautiful yellow suit that day, in which she looked very lovely.
They both went far away from the city's hustle and bustle to the edge of an old, serene lake. There was greenery all around, and the lake water shimmered like silver. Sitting on a large rock, Ivan took Zoya's hand in his. Zoya looked into Ivan's eyes with a smile and said, "Ivan, remember when we first met? You were just as quiet back then, but I loved your simplicity. Even today, when you look at me like this, it feels as if time has stopped. There is a strange depth in your eyes that draws me in, but today, they seem a bit lost."
Gently stroking Zoya's fingertips, Ivan said, "Zoya, when I am with you, I find all the happiness in the world. Your company gives me the peace I haven't found anywhere else. Sometimes I fear these moments might slip away. These velvet palms and your smile are the world I want to protect at all costs. You aren't just my choice; you've become a part of my soul."
Blushing, Zoya rested her head on Ivan's shoulder. Amidst the sound of the lake waves, she whispered, "Ivan, I had a beautiful dream last night. We are in a small wooden house, nestled among high, quiet mountains. There is mist everywhere, and we are just sitting on the balcony holding hands. We are just talking and drinking hot ginger tea. In that house, there are no shadows and no fear. Wouldn't it be wonderful if we could always stay like this? Where there is only our love and the glow of the setting sun."
Smiling, Ivan cupped Zoya's face in his palms and, getting lost in her eyes, said, "Why not? I will give you every happiness in the world. You are the strength that keeps me standing here today. I promise to turn that dream of yours into reality. No matter how difficult the path, I will never leave you alone. My every day will begin with your heartbeat and end with your smile."
Laughing, Zoya touched Ivan's cheeks and said affectionately, "Just keep smiling like this. My happiness lies in yours. When you are sad, even the breeze feels heavy to me. I want there to be no secrets between us, just this boundless love." Ivan kissed Zoya's forehead with great simplicity and affection. There was a sweetness in the air as if the universe were listening to their soulful conversation.
They sat there for hours, weaving dreams of the future. They ate roasted corn together and talked about the golden memories of tomorrow. At that moment, there were no cameras or terrifying shadows in Ivan's mind. He felt that Zoya's pure love was the solution to all his troubles.
In the evening, as the sun began to set and the sky turned vermilion, Ivan dropped Zoya home and returned to his own house. Upon entering, he again felt the same silence that seemed to haunt him. His mother, Myra, was cooking in the kitchen. Ivan went straight to his room and locked the door from inside. His heart was pounding as if something ominous was about to happen. With trembling hands, he opened his laptop and began watching the footage from the mini-cameras.