The Twisted Knots

23.

"Tara, think about this again. Maybe it's not the best idea," she advised, her voice filled with genuine worry.

I sighed, grappling with the conflicting emotions within me. "I need to know the truth, Riya. What if Kabir is telling the truth? I jumped into the situation too quickly," I admitted, the weight of my hasty judgment now apparent.

The image of Kabir and another girl kissing replayed in my mind, clouding my thoughts and stirring a torrent of emotions. Uncertainty loomed, and the need to unravel the truth became an undeniable force, pushing me to reconsider the choices I had made in the heat of the moment.

As Riya and I waited at the cafe for Kabir, my fingers anxiously checked the message on my phone, confirming the meeting location.

Kabir: Tara can you meet me at mcayyy cafe. I have proof for my innocence. Pleaseeee!

The buzz of anticipation hung in the air as Riya casually sipped her cold coffee.

My gaze involuntarily shifted towards the entrance, and there, walking in together, were Kabir and Shristi. Riya, following my gaze, raised an eyebrow and asked, "Why is she here? Are they both dating?" Her eyes widened with curiosity.

I scoffed at what seemed like a seemingly absurd question. "No, Riya. They're not dating," I replied dismissively, but a lingering doubt whispered, "Or are they?"

As Kabir and Shristi approached, making their way to our table, I found myself pondering why it should matter to me whether they were dating or not. After all, I was happily engaged to Yash, and my focus should be on our impending life together.

They settled into the seats opposite Riya and me, and any lingering questions about their relationship were momentarily set aside.

"Kabir, where's the proof?" I questioned, a tinge of frustration in my voice. "If you called us here just to waste my time, you're going to pay for that."

Kabir met my gaze, a solemn expression on his face. "Tara, I wouldn't bring you here without a reason. I do have proof," he replied, his words carrying a weight of sincerity.

Riya, sensing the tension, demanded impatiently, "Kabir, what is it? Spit it out." But before Kabir could say anything, a waiter approached our table, diverting the focus momentarily.

The waiter, glancing at Kabir and Shristi, inquired about their preferences. Kabir, with an air of indifference, replied with a curt "nothing," while Shristi, in her sweet voice, requested a blueberry smoothie. The waiter nodded, replying, "Coming right up," before swiftly retreating.

As the distraction dissipated, Kabir turned his attention towards me and questioned Riya, "Who sent you my pic, Riya?" Riya looked perplexed until Kabir clarified, "The one kissing another girl." Recognition dawned on Riya, and she admitted, "Shristi sent it to me. She said she saw you in the club."

Interrupting the conversation, Kabir interjected, "Now that is where you're wrong. I wasn't in that club or any club that day."

Riya fired back, skepticism evident in her voice, "How will you prove that, Kabir?" His gaze shifted towards me as he began to explain, "Someone sent that photo to Shristi and instructed her to send it to Riya. They even paid her a handsome amount to do that."

The revelation about Shristi's involvement left me stunned. Riya's reaction mirrored my disbelief as she nearly shouted at Shristi, demanding an explanation.

I voiced my doubts, "What if you made all this up, Kabir? I can't trust you." In response, Kabir insisted, "I have proof, Tara," nodding toward Shristi.

Shristi retrieved her phone from her purse, coinciding with the arrival of her blueberry smoothie. The waiter placed the order on the table and departed. Shristi opened her phone and handed it to me and I started scrolled through the messages from an unknown number.

Unknown number: *image of kabir and some other girl.*

Unknown number: I want you to send this image to your classmate Riya.

Shristi: Riya from microbiology? Why would i do that and what would i get from doing that?

Unknown number: I'll send you 10,000 rupees for that. 5000 now and later after you sent me the screenshot of Riya reading the message.

Shristi: Consider it done sir! 🫡

Shristi: *screenshot of riya and her text messages*

As the truth unfolded before me, a heavy realization settled in. Kabir had been telling the truth all along, and my skepticism had clouded my judgment. I placed the phone on the table, and Riya, sensing the gravity of the situation, grabbed it and began reading the messages.

Regret weighed on me, and all I could do was offer a heartfelt apology to Kabir. "I'm sorry, Kabir. I shouldn't have jumped to conclusions without listening to your side of the story."

Kabir, however, suggested an unsettling possibility, "Maybe it was Yash. How could he start loving you in a few months after our breakup? You fell into his trap, Tara."

I vehemently denied Kabir's accusations, asserting, "It's not Yash, Kabir. Our marriage is a marriage of convenience. Our families planned this, not us. We found out about the whole marriage thing just a week before our engagement. Kabir liked me, but he never made the first move."

Kabir, in a moment of desperation, suggested, "It's not too late. We should just elope." I chuckled slightly and responded, "It's too late, Kabir. I like Yash. He's a nice guy."

Kabir's face fell, a mix of hurt and resignation. The truth, while painful, needed to be acknowledged. I took out my phone, turning to Riya, and asked, "Riya, can you please tell me the number? I want to save it on my phone for later use." The desire to unearth who might benefit from our break-up lingered, and I was determined to uncover this person.

Riya said, "9876—"

I type in, 9876—

No, I might have heard it wrong. " Can you say it again? I heard it wrong." I urged Riya.

Riya began reciting the number again, and as I typed it, a sinking feeling crept over me. I couldn't believe it. How could this be possible? I took the phone from Riya's hands and started comparing both numbers. The shock was evident on my face.

Riya, noticing my expression, glanced at my phone screen. A gasp escaped her mouth as she saw the saved contact. I too was in disbelief. Why would he, of all people, do that? My phone flashed the name-

Rajveer.