Dare Trilogy | Book 3 Editing | ✓

2.Conclusion | A Cruel Game + Flaws & Imperfections

Posted on July 01st, 2017 | Edited on December 7th, 2018

| . . . C O N C L U S I O N 2. 1 : A - C R U E L - G A M E . . . |

Close to midnight, there was a knock on our door. Before I could sit up, Lavanya was already making her way to the door. I followed, wondering who it could be at such a time. Anjali was standing there, passing a sleeping Aarav over to Lavanya, "Can you look after him? I have to go somewhere."

Lavanya stopped her, "Whoa, di. Wait. Where? It's the middle of the night!"

"I have to go." She frantically answered. Lavanya looked at me for help. She couldn't go after her when Aarav was sleeping in her arms. Nodding, I followed her while Lavanya went to leave Aarav in the bed.

I ran up to Anjali, "What's wrong?"

She looked completely shaken up and pale. Even though she was shaking her head, refusing to tell, I knew something was the matter. I saw a piece of paper in her hand, and tugged it out of her hold.

I'm coming for you & him. -S.

"Di, what's this?" I asked, confused. It somewhere reminded me of the very first note Vivek had sent me. It had been similar.

I'm coming for you. -V.

S.

My eyes snapped up to Anjali who was staring to walk away, scared to even ask the question. "This S... is that... Sh-Shyam?"

Hearing the name, she froze in her path, and I knew I had hit the chord. Arnav had said he knew Shyam through Vivek and Lavanya, but that didn't explain why it meant something to di. She turned sharply, demanding, "How do you know him?"

Lavanya jogged up to where we were in the hallway, "Di, what is going on?"

"Khushi, how do you know him?" Anjali questioned again, her voice raised and sharp. She had never caused me to flinch, but in this moment, I was afraid to answer her. Her eyes were cold and calculative. She seemed to be far from the person I had come to know in the last couple of months.

"Know who?" Lavanya interjected, reaching for the note. She inhaled sharply, but I couldn't move my gaze from Anjali's. She was holding me captive, and I wasn't understanding anything. "Arnav needs to know." She grabbed Anjali's hand, pulling her in the opposite direction towards Arnav's room.

I followed, wanting to know what the heck was going on here.

"What's going on?" Arnav asked, rubbing his eyes at seeing all three of us at his door. Lavanya pushed past him, pulling Anjali inside as well. Then, she forwarded her hand to pass over the note.

Arnav asked, "What's this?" But that was before he had read. After reading, he seemed to be in sync.

Anjali pulled her hand out of Lavanya and questioned me again, "How do you know Shyam?"

Arnav tried to get her attention, "Di..."

She held up her hand to stop him, "Answer me, Khushi!"

I jumped slightly at the rise in her voice and answered instantly, "Vivek. He... he sent me a similar note."

"He what?" Arnav echoed, his attention turning from his sister to me instead. "When?"

"Shortly after I joined AR Designs." I answered without hesitating. I had wanted to tell him of the notes since the night we went on an official date. I hadn't imagined I'd say it in front of Lavanya and Anjali as well, but it didn't matter anymore. The more pressing issue was why Shyam was sending these notes to Anjali. I knew why Vivek sent them to me, but what did Shyam have to do with them?