KILLED HER

Aarav stopped in front of her, his face completely expressionless. For a moment he just looked down at her, as if waiting for her to stop resisting.

She shook her head again, her eyes filled with fear.

“Please… don’t do this… I didn’t do anything…”

His grip tightened around the bowl.

Then, without another word, he grabbed her by the chin and forced her face upward.

Iraya struggled weakly, her hands trying to push him away, but she was too exhausted to fight.

“No—!”

Her protest was cut off as Aarav forced the bowl to her lips.

The bitter liquid poured into her mouth before she could turn her head away. Some of it spilled down her neck, but most of it went down her throat as she choked and coughed, trying to stop.

When the bowl was empty, Aarav let go.

Iraya collapsed against the wall, gasping for air.

For a moment, nothing happened.

Then suddenly—

Her breathing became uneven.

She clutched her chest, her fingers digging into her torn clothes as if something inside her was tightening.

“Ah—…!”

A sharp, broken sound escaped her lips.

It felt as if her breath was being stolen from her lungs… as if her insides were slowly twisting, squeezing tighter and tighter.

She tried to inhale, but the air wouldn’t come.

Her vision blurred.

Her body trembled as she looked up at Aarav, panic filling her eyes.

“B… brother…” she choked out, her voice barely a whisper.

“H… help… me…”

Aarav didn’t move.

He didn’t even look at her.

Rayaan turned away first, his face cold.

Krishiv muttered quietly, “Let’s go. It’s done.”

Zoya watched Iraya for a few seconds longer, her expression calm, almost satisfied.

Then she turned around without a word.

One by one, they walked toward the stairs.

Their footsteps echoed as they left the basement, the door closing behind them with a heavy sound.

Iraya was left alone.

Her body slid slowly to the floor, her fingers still clutching at her chest as her breathing grew weaker… and weaker.

The darkness around her seemed to close in.

Her lips moved one last time, but no sound came out.

Tears slipped from the corners of her eyes as her body finally stopped trembling.

And in the cold, silent basement—

Iraya took her final breath, her eyes left open in pain, as the darkness swallowed her completely.

Her eyes snapped open.

A sharp breath tore through her lungs as she sat up suddenly, clutching her chest.

Air.

She could breathe.

Iraya gasped, her body trembling as if she had just escaped something suffocating. Her heart pounded wildly, her fingers gripping the bedsheet beneath her.

…Bedsheet?

She froze.

Slowly, her eyes moved around.

There were no damp walls.

No darkness.

No smell of mold or rust.

Instead—

Soft sunlight filtered through the curtains. The room was clean, quiet, and familiar. A neatly arranged table stood by the window, and the faint scent of fresh flowers lingered in the air.

Iraya’s breath hitched.

“This…?”

Her voice came out barely above a whisper.

She looked down at herself. Her clothes were clean. No dirt. No torn fabric. No bruises.

Her hands trembled.

“Where… am I…?”

Her gaze darted around again, confusion and fear mixing in her eyes.

Then suddenly—

Realization struck.

Her eyes widened.

“…My room?”

She pushed the blanket away and hurried out of the bed, almost stumbling as her legs struggled to adjust.