Anika kept trying to steer the conversation back to her alibi, but she wouldn't stop beating around the bush, constantly bringing up things off-topic. Her evasiveness was frustrating everyone.

“Guys! What are you all doing here?” Rajeev’s voice cut through the tension.

“Don’t repeat, Rajeev,” Sayani snapped, her patience wearing thin.

“Trust me! I saw him—” Gauri insisted, her eyes wide with fear.

“Rajeev! We wanted to know about that ruin,” Anika interrupted, trying to regain control of the conversation.

“Yeah, right…” Rajeev’s tone dripped with sarcasm.

“I wonder who made you a private investigator,” Sayani said, glaring at Rajeev.

“It is pretty obvious, the author of the story,” Rajeev replied, his frustration spilling over.

“What?” Sayani was confused by his cryptic response.

“Look, Sayani, I believe that the Almighty has written our life path and we just act accordingly. That’s why—”

“Okay, guys! Stop sharing this philosophy and let’s move ahead,” Anika said, exasperated.

Gauri was visibly terrified. Sayani, noticing her distress, rubbed her elbows to console her. Rajeev, having already scouted the area, led the way towards the ruin. Anika walked beside them, lost in her thoughts. After a few steps, the ruin came into view. The structure loomed ominously in the distance, its dilapidated walls barely standing against the backdrop of the night.

As they approached, Gauri hesitated. She didn’t want to go inside, but staying alone outside wasn’t an option either. They entered cautiously, their footsteps echoing through the stone corridors. Small creatures had made the ruins their home, and the wind howled through the broken windows, making the grasses outside whisper like unseen conspirators.

“Argh! That’s a bad smell,” Sayani said, wrinkling her nose in disgust.

Rajeev ignored her, focused on the task at hand. “Search for a clue, anything that might help us progress in this case,” he ordered, his voice steady.

With their mobile phone flashes, they scoured the ruin. The atmosphere was oppressive, the darkness seemed to swallow their lights. It felt like they would return empty-handed, but Rajeev’s determination never wavered. He meticulously combed through every corner.

By now, the ladies were exhausted. It was almost three in the morning. Despite it not being winter, the environment was cold and dismal, covered with mist and fog. Everything looked hazy. Visibility was poor, but Rajeev continued his search undeterred.

“Rajeev!” Anika called out, but instead of a response, they heard dogs barking in the distance. The ruin fell silent, an eerie calm settling over them. Sayani suggested they take a quick nap to regain their strength. They settled down, the cold stone floor uncomfortable beneath them. The silence was oppressive, and sleep came reluctantly.

The rising sun cast a rosy hue across the morning sky. Golden fingers of sunlight began to pierce the mist. Anika rubbed her bleary eyes and woke up Gauri and Sayani. The first rays of light brought little warmth, but it was enough to rouse them from their restless sleep. Anika started searching for Rajeev throughout the ruin.

“Rajeeevvvvvv!” Anika’s scream shattered the morning calm.

Gauri and Sayani rushed towards her voice. They were shocked to find Rajeev lying on the dirty floor, his half-covered legs hidden beneath a pile of dead leaves. They shook him, tried to wake him, but it was in vain.

“Oh no! He’s unconscious,” Sayani exclaimed, panic rising in her voice.

“Hmm! What next, guys?” Anika asked, her eyes wide with worry.

Anika, Sayani, and Gauri dragged Rajeev back to the mansion, struggling with his weight and their own fatigue. Once there, Anika ordered a servant to call the doctor immediately. The doctor arrived quickly, examined Rajeev, and then left the room to speak with them.

Sayani noticed a servant wiping something reddish off the floor. She approached and stopped him.

“What happened, Sayani?” Gauri asked, noticing her concern.

“Blood!” Sayani pointed to the stain.

“That means… Rajeev…” Gauri’s voice trailed off, horrified.

“Oh no!”

The doctor returned, his face grave. “We need to get him to the hospital. He’s lost a lot of blood from his back.”

Anika quickly arranged for an ambulance. Sayani, deeply disturbed, accompanied Rajeev to the hospital along with the doctor. The atmosphere was tense, the gravity of the situation sinking in.

Later, Gauri was also asked to go to the hospital to support Sayani, who was mentally shaken. Anika returned to the ruin, driven by a suspicion that the blood was not related to their dragging Rajeev back.

Alone at the ruin, Anika meticulously searched the area. Her efforts were rewarded when she found a knife with blood on it, along with a piece of cloth. This discovery sent a chill down her spine. She quickly returned to the mansion, where Gauri soon called to update her on Rajeev’s condition.

“He’s stable, but the doctors want to keep him under observation until he’s fully recovered,” Gauri informed her.

Anika sat quietly, staring at a picture of her husband. The room was filled with a tense silence, broken only by the ticking of a clock. She was deep in thought when Gauri and Sayani returned from the hospital.

“Is he okay?” Anika asked, her voice soft.

“Yes, much better,” Gauri replied, her face showing relief.

“By the way, why did you send bodyguards to the hospital?” Sayani asked, her curiosity piqued.

“It’s for Rajeev’s security. I just want to make sure he’s safe and sound,” Anika explained.

“Thank you so much for your concern,” Sayani said, her voice sincere.

“Leave this concern aside and listen to me,” Anika said, her tone serious.

“Hmmm! What happened? Even on the phone, you seemed tense,” Sayani noted.

“Anything serious, Anika?” Gauri asked, concern creeping into her voice.

“I will tell you, but first let that person come,” Anika replied cryptically.

“Who?”

Before they could get an answer, a reporter managed to sneak past the security and barged inside. He fired off questions about Rajeev’s accident. Anika quickly called for security to escort the reporters out.

“Was this the ‘person’ we were waiting for?” Sayani asked, bewildered.

“I wonder how they got in with such strong security,” Gauri mused.

“Who is that person?” Gauri asked again.

“Look there!” Anika pointed.

“Omkara!” Gauri exclaimed, her voice filled with emotion.

Gauri ran towards Omkara and hugged him tightly, tears streaming down her face.

“Surprise!” Omkara said, smiling warmly.

“Thank you so much, Anika,” Omkara hugged her. “Thank you for believing in me.”

“Okay, guys, I found something suspicious in that ruin,” Anika said, drawing their attention.

“What is it?” Sayani asked, her curiosity piqued.

“What’s happening?” Omkara asked, clueless about the situation. “Will you guys please explain?”

“And it’s related to Rajeev’s accident,” Anika ignored Omkara’s question, her focus unwavering.

Anika led them to the living room and spread out a map of the ruin on the table. “Look here,” she said, pointing to a marked spot. “This is where I found the knife and the piece of cloth. Whoever attacked Rajeev must have dropped it while escaping.”

“That means someone else was there last night,” Sayani realized, her face growing pale.

“Exactly. And I think this person knew we would be there,” Anika said, her voice steady.

“But why would someone want to hurt Rajeev?” Gauri asked, confusion and fear mingling in her eyes.

“I don’t know yet, but we need to find out,” Anika replied, her determination clear.

Omkara listened intently, trying to piece together the fragments of the story. “So, someone attacked Rajeev in the ruin and left him for dead?”

“Yes, and they might come back to finish what they started,” Anika said, her voice dropping to a whisper.

The room fell silent as everyone absorbed the gravity of the situation. The mystery was far from over, and the danger was closer than ever. The ruin had become a focal point in their investigation, a place where secrets were buried and dangers lurked in the shadows.

“We need to be careful,” Anika warned. “Whoever did this is still out there, and they won’t stop until they get what they want.”

“What do we do now?” Sayani asked, her voice shaking.

“We go back to the ruin,” Anika said firmly. “We need to find more clues and figure out who’s behind this.”

“But it’s dangerous,” Gauri protested.

“I know, but it’s the only way,” Anika replied. “We have to uncover the truth, no matter the cost.”

The group prepared to return to the ruin, their resolve strengthened by the events of the night. They knew the path ahead was fraught with peril, but they were determined to see it through the ruin.

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