Samaira Lakshmi Deshpande is caught between two worlds, two masks. Amidst the hunt for her missing twin and the pressure to fit her family's mold of the perfect daughter facade, she's trapped in a life she despises.
Everything shifts when a strange...
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
Mumbai, India October
Samaira's POV
"For fuck sake, get out of my room," I grumbled, feeling the weight of frustration as I tidy up the hotel room assigned to Zia and me. "Nope," Karthik replies casually, reclining on the bed and casually tossing a grape into his mouth.
It's been more than ten days since Aryan's unexpected visit, and we're still sitting on the decision without informing our parents. My Bua has become increasingly persistent, bombarding me with calls, and attempting to manipulate me into agreeing to marry Aryan. I've resorted to putting her on the block list, while the rest of my family displays a surprising patience. Adi advises me to start moving on with my life, and though I nod in agreement, I'm yet to take any concrete steps. Nithya hasn't been pressuring me to make a hasty decision, and my father, surprisingly quiet, hasn't broached the topic at all.
Which is highly suspicious.
Seven days have passed since I arrived in Mumbai with Zia, Jay, and Karthik. Our mission involves snooping for information, primarily regarding Abhishek, who is getting released tomorrow. Intel is that he will arrive in Mumbai tomorrow evening to make a deal. Raj sir wants to know his movements once out of jail, so we've been discreetly stalking his men to gather intel who are also looking around for any danger for Abhishek.
Jay is tireless in his pursuit of details, Zia remains focused on technology-related aspects, and Karthik... well, he enjoys mocking me and he is more into physical stuff, no sitting around and waiting for the right time, For him everything is the right time and we shouldn't let the chance go. Back home, I've lied to my family, telling them I'm attending a conference with the students as their guardian. Adi, initially hesitant, eventually relented, thanks to some persuasive words from his wife.
Aryan and I have been texting each other. In the initial three days, I fabricated busyness as an excuse to avoid him. Because I know he will charm me and I made sure we didn't have a date that soon.
The next seven days, though, I genuinely found myself immersed in our whispered operation. The guilt for avoiding him lessens as we stick to casual text exchanges, steering clear of in-depth conversations. Aryan seems content with our superficial discussions, making an effort to keep things simple.
Karthik, seemingly oblivious to the intricacies of my personal life, remains stretched out on the bed, indifferent to my cleaning efforts. "I can't believe you're still here," I mutter, tossing more clothes into my suitcase and zipping it up.
"What can I say? Your bed is comfier than mine," Karthik stretches on the bed, letting out a satisfied yawn and making himself at home.
Despite our mutual dislike, there's an unspoken understanding when it comes to the illegal activities we're involved in, like luring Abhishek's men into a room and extracting information by unconventional means. It's been a surprisingly effective partnership, but that doesn't mean we're suddenly best friends.
