Kiara sank onto the couch.
Her thoughts were spinning.
Why would he say that?
Why would he claim her father died here?
Her mother had told her the story countless times.
Kashmir.
The war.
A call from the army.
A promise that he would return.
But he never did.
That was the story she had grown up believing.
So why would Vishwa say something different?
Kiara grabbed her phone again.
There was only one person who could answer this question.
She dialed the number she knew by heart.
The call connected.
"Kiara?" her mother's gentle voice came through the phone. "Is everything alright?"
For a moment Kiara said nothing.
Then she forced herself to speak normally.
"Ma… you know I have some serious work right now."
"I know, Anima," her mother replied softly.
"Sorry to bother you. I just wanted to ask something."
"What is it?"
Kiara hesitated.
Then she asked the question.
"Where did father die?"
There was a pause.
"Kashmir," her mother said immediately.
"You know that. During the war."
Kiara closed her eyes.
"That day… he promised he would return."
Her mother's voice grew softer.
"But he never came back."
Silence filled the line.
Then her mother continued quietly.
"You were still young… but your father always believed one thing."
"That life is a battle."
"He told me that if anything ever happened to him… I should raise you to be strong."
Kiara listened silently.
"I made eight vows that day," her mother continued.
"People usually take seven vows during marriage."
"But I promised one more."
"To raise my daughters to become fighters."
Kiara felt her throat tighten.
"And you kept that promise," she said quietly.
Kiara placed the phone down slowly.
Her mother's words sounded certain.
Too certain.
Kashmir.
That had always been the story.
But Vishwa had said something else.
14th Cross.
Virajman Nagar.
The place where she was living.
Kiara walked toward the window and looked at the quiet street below.
For a moment, a strange thought crossed her mind.
How could a stranger know something about her father…
that even her own family never questioned?
Somewhere in the darkness of the city, Vishwa was watching.
And if what he said was true…
Then Kiara had never really known the man she called father.
Two different stories.
One of them had to be a lie.
WHICH ONE?