Jhanvi sat in her room, staring blankly at her laptop screen. The files she so desperately needed
were nowhere to be found. Her fingers moved over the keyboard frantically, reopening the same
folders as if by some miracle they would appear. But each time, the result was the
same—empty.
Her heart sank deeper as she reached for the pendrive. With trembling hands, she inserted it
into the port. The seconds it took to load felt like hours. When the screen confirmed her worst
fears, her breath hitched. The pendrive was empty too.
“No… this can’t be happening,
” she whispered, her voice cracking. A sob escaped her lips as
tears streamed down her face.
Across the room, Akash watched her, his expression somber.
he said softly, moving closer.
“Jhanvi, don’t do this to yourself,
”
She looked at him, her eyes red and swollen.
“It’s all gone, Akash,
” she said, her voice
trembling.
“The files, the proof… everything. Tomorrow is the hearing. What am I going to do
now?”
Akash knelt beside her, his voice calm but firm.
something out. Just don’t lose hope.
”
“You’re stronger than this, Jhanvi. We’ll figure
“But how?” she cried, burying her face in her hands.
and I’ve lost it all.
”
“This was our only chance to expose them,
Akash placed a hand on her shoulder, his grip reassuring.
We’ll figure something out tomorrow. Just trust me.
”
“You need to rest. You’re exhausted.
Reluctantly, Jhanvi nodded, though her heart was heavy with dread.
The Courtroom
The next day, Jhanvi sat in the courtroom, her father standing beside her, confident and ready to
present the evidence. He turned to her with an air of authority.
“Jhanvi, the pendrive. Hand it to
”
me.
Jhanvi froze, her mind blank. The room seemed to close in around her as her father’s voice
grew sharper.
“Jhanvi, the pendrive,
” he repeated.
“I…
” Her voice was barely audible.
“I don’t have it.
”
Her father’s face fell, disbelief and frustration mixing in his expression.
“What do you mean you
don’t have it?”
“It’s gone,
” she whispered, her hands trembling.
“Gone? Jhanvi, are you serious?” His voice rose, drawing the attention of those around them.
Jhanvi stood still, unable to speak, her silence answering all his questions. Her father clenched
his jaw, then quickly gathered some of the old research papers Jhanvi had compiled earlier. It
wasn’t enough, but it was something.
Somehow, he managed to secure another hearing, but the disappointment in his eyes was
unmistakable.
The Conversation
That evening, Jhanvi sat across from her father, the silence between them heavier than ever.
Finally, she spoke.
“Papa, I trusted Akash. He had a copy of everything. I thought it was safe.
”
Her father’s expression darkened.
“Akash?” he said, his tone sharp.
about him before. You trust him too much.
”
“Jhanvi, I’ve warned you
“Oh, Papa,
” Jhanvi said, exasperated.
for me.
”
“He’s been my friend for years. He’s always been there
“Being there doesn’t make him trustworthy,
” her father shot back.
Her father shook his head.
“People don’t change that easily. I don’t like him, Jhanvi, and I never
will. Who knows? Maybe he’s the one who erased those files.
”
Jhanvi’s stomach churned.
“You really think Akash would do something like that?”
“I don’t know,
” her father said, his voice softening.
“But I’m asking you to be careful. Not
everyone who smiles at you has your best interests at heart.
”
Tensions at the Office
The next day, Jhanvi was back at work, trying to focus despite the turmoil in her mind. Kunal,
her assistant, worked quietly in the corner. The peace was short-lived as Akash stormed into the
room, his face tense.
“Hey, Jhanvi,
” he said, his tone sharp.
“Hmm,
” she replied curtly, not looking up from her desk.
“What’s wrong?” Akash asked, stepping closer.
“Nothing,
” she said flatly.
“Don’t give me that,
” he snapped.
“Why are you ignoring me?”
Jhanvi finally looked at him, her expression cold.
“I’m not ignoring you, Akash. I’m busy.
”
Akash’s frustration boiled over.
“Talk to me, Jhanvi. What’s going on?”
“I don’t owe you an explanation,
” she retorted, standing up and walking out of the room.
Akash slammed his hand on the desk, his anger palpable. He turned to Kunal, who had been
watching the exchange silently. Their eyes met, and an unspoken tension passed between
them.
The Call
That night, Jhanvi was jolted awake by the sound of her phone ringing. Groggily, she answered
it, her voice heavy with sleep.
“Hello?”
“Jhanvi!” The voice on the other end was frantic.
“What?” she asked, sitting up straight.
The words that followed made her heart drop. She didn’t wait to hear more. Throwing on her
slippers, she grabbed her car keys and bolted out of the house.
When she arrived at the scene, a crowd had already gathered. Pushing her way through, she
stopped dead in her tracks. Her father lay on the ground, motionless, surrounded by shattered
glass and blood.
“Papa!” she screamed, falling to her knees beside him. Tears streamed down her face as she
shook him, her cries echoing in the cold night air.
The last conversation with him replayed in her mind, his warnings ringing loud and clear. But it
was too late. Grief consumed her as she clung to his lifeless body, vowing silently that whoever
had done this would pay