Episode 5:WHO IS PREETY?

Inside the cavernous Singapore warehouse, a heavy silence fell between the two men. Dheeraj looked at Rohan’s loaded gun, his voice remarkably calm but heavy with an old, exhausting sorrow.

"What I am about to tell you might be a lot to process," Dheeraj began slowly, looking directly into Rohan's eyes. "But Preety doesn't exist."

Rohan’s hand shook slightly, absolute shock washing over his face. "What?"

Dheeraj let out a deeply worried sigh, the pain of the past weighing down his shoulders. "After our marriage, Navya got pregnant. She cherished that unborn child so much," he said, a faint, bittersweet smile appearing through his tears. "We did a scan, and the baby was announced to be a girl. We were overjoyed. We prepared the baby's room completely, bought clothes, and gave her a name." Dheeraj pulled a crumpled tissue paper from his pocket and wiped the tears streaming down his face.

Back in Shimla, the atmosphere inside the grand mansion was beginning to soften. Shivaniya had brought another tray of lunch up to the guest room, determined to help Navya eat.

Navya looked up from the bed, her voice quiet. "So... you're not Rohan's girlfriend?"

Shivaniya shook her head, offering a warm, reassuring nod. "We are just friends. I mean, he's not even my type, you know," Shivaniya said, flashing a playful smile that instantly made Navya feel more at ease.

A tiny, curious smile appeared on Navya's face. "So... who is your type?"

Shivaniya’s eyes lit up with mischief. "Let me show you something. Come on." Intrigued, Navya got out of bed, and the two women left the room together.

Meanwhile, at the local precinct, Officer Saif was deep into his investigation. He stood outside the gates of the elementary school Navya had described, questioning the campus security guards.

"Yes, sir," the lead guard told Saif, nodding firmly. "This woman usually comes here. She stands around, talks to herself, waves at nobody in particular, and then just drives off."

Saif’s brow furrowed in deep confusion. "What is that supposed to mean?"

The guard shook his head half-pityingly. "I think the girl she keeps claiming about is just an imaginary friend of hers."

Behind them, a couple of lower-ranking officers chuckled at the bizarre detail, but Saif didn't laugh. He looked on, deeply worried about what this meant for the case.

Back in Singapore, Rohan’s mind was racing, trying to piece together the fragments of the story. He lowered his weapon slightly, staring at Dheeraj. "What happened to the unborn girl child?"

"She was never born," Dheeraj revealed, the words cutting through the air. Rohan froze in absolute shock. Dheeraj swallowed hard before continuing. "Due to the miscarriage, Navya's mind broke. She started genuinely believing that Preety was alive and growing up. At first, I thought it was just temporary trauma... but then she started accusing everyone around her of hiding the child. She even got a little girl's passport photo and kept it in her purse, claiming that specific girl is Preety."

Rohan felt a cold sweat break out on his neck. "Who is the girl in her purse then?"

Dheeraj looked up, his eyes swimming in tears. "It's an AI photo she created herself."

The revelation hit Rohan like a physical blow. Shock paralyzed him. His head spun, growing dizzy as the echoes of Navya's desperate cries and agonizing tears replayed in his mind. Needing to ground himself, he reached out and gave Dheeraj a tight, emotional shake before turning around and rushing out of the warehouse into the open air.

Back at the mansion, Shivaniya had led Navya down to the courtyard, where her collection of specialized weapons was kept. She proudly showed Navya a beautifully crafted, polished sword. Navya smiled softly, looking at the gleaming metal.

"The sword is your type?" Navya guessed, amused.

Shivaniya laughed loudly, shaking her head. "Not the sword, silly! A man who is a master of the sword. Someone more powerful than me. But you see Rohan? I always beat him in a sword fight."

As they spoke, Navya’s smile suddenly faded, and fresh tears began to shed down her cheeks. Shivaniya immediately noticed and stepped closer, her expression softening with genuine empathy.

"Pretty, my girl... she loves swords too," Navya whispered, her voice choking up as she gripped the memory tightly.

Shivaniya reached out, gently wiping a tear from Navya's cheek. "Don't cry, Navya. We will find her... and then I'll teach her how to fight myself."

Hearing those supportive words, Navya looked up, a massive, hopeful smile breaking through her tears, completely unaware of the heartbreaking truth Rohan had just uncovered across the ocean.

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