32

Khushi

"Your choice then. Break me tonight, and tomorrow every social media platform will run the news about you two being the serial killers," I said, smirking in satisfaction as I saw the blood drain from Anjali's and Ridvansh's faces.

"What do you mean?" Anjali asked me.

Although her voice was steady, I could see the fear in her eyes.

Maybe it was fear in her eyes that boosted my strength. Nevertheless, I walked to Anjali and stood in front of her.

Leaning toward her, I whispered in her ear. "I know your secret, Anjali. I know everything."

"You are bluffing," she said to me, pushing me away, and I fell on the floor.

"You can push me, Anjali. But how will you stop me from destroying you and your friend?" I looked at Anjali and Ridvansh alternately, noticing them exchanging worried glances.

"Tell us, then. What do you know?" Ridvansh crouched on the floor in front of me.

Shifting to sit comfortably on the floor, I looked back at Ridvansh. I could feel my heart hammering against my chest as adrenaline pumped through me.

Fear licked my insides because I knew what these two monsters were capable of doing. One wrong step from me, and I might end up like all those girls.

But no matter how terrified I was, I knew I could not show them even an ounce of my vulnerability. If they even got a sniff of it, they might see right through my brave façade.

So, I started speaking, fisting my hands subtly to curb my nervousness. "I know about the girls you killed. I know where you buried them. Does the Moon House ring any bell to you?"

I saw Ridvansh's eyes widen as soon as he heard the name. "H..howw...how?" He stuttered, and I felt a sense of jubilation listening to the quiver in his voice.

"Hmm, you were right. It is nice to hear people stutter in your fear," I said, standing from the floor and straightening my clothes.

"You know, Khushi, first, I used to think you were a coward who could not retaliate against Arnav when he shredded every bit of your dignity.

"When you returned to Rathore Mansion with your whimsical fantasy of supposedly punishing Arnav and me for what we did to you, I thought you were an idiot to think you would succeed.

"But now, I have understood you are just plain stupid. I am not sure if you are bluffing by telling us about you having the evidence. But let's say it is true. You indeed have the evidence. Why did you return then? Why did you not air it and have us arrested? You could have gotten your revenge on me.

"Instead, you are here. Alone in this room with us. If you have the evidence, you already know what we are capable of. Yet, here you are, threatening us when you know how badly it could end for you." Anjali glared at me, and I gulped, looking at her eyes because I could notice a hint of madness flashing through them.

Looking at her, I wondered if that was why she killed all those girls. Is she mentally deranged to have gone on a killing spree without caring about the consequences?

That is also what I want to figure out. I know what she and Ridvansh did, but I do not know why they did it.

Why did they kill those girls? And why only girls?

'Well, not only girls because I know she—' My thought was interrupted as Anjali clicked her fingers in front of my face.

"What happened, Khushi? Too scared to even talk?" Anjali smirked.

"Oh, no. Not at all. Because you see, I am not that stupid. Do you really think I would return to this mansion without planning a backup for my safety against you?" I said, and Anjali narrowed her eyes at me.

"What backup plan?" She asked as I had expected her to.

"I have left a copy of evidence with someone I trust. If I do not contact that person every morning at our designated time, they will publish that evidence to every social media platform," I told Anjali, careful not to mention the news channel media because I cannot leak any information about Nisha, no matter how small.

I know Priya is on their side, and if Anjali somehow got a hint about my accomplice being a reporter, she might ask Priya and find out about Nisha.

Although I am pretty sure Priya does not remember my friends, as she was never interested in my life and friends, I still could not take any chances.

With my many terrible experiences with these people, I have finally learned I must be careful around them. One wrong move from me, and both Nisha and I will be finished. Not to mention they might even find out about Maa and Papa's location and hurt them too.

"This means you have a phone, right? Once we get that phone, we can easily find who you were contacting." Ridvansh walked to Anjali as he said that.

Both of them were now staring at me as if trying to intimidate me, but I was also determined not to back down anymore.

After everything that has happened to me. After everything I had to suffer. I cannot let anything come in my way of avenging myself anymore. Not even my fear as it tried to raise its ugly head within me against the courage that was slowly but steadily building inside me.

"Have at it, then. I am here, and you two are here too. You are welcome to search for the phone.

"But let me tell you one thing. Even if you find the phone, you won't be able to do anything because I have deleted all the call records and messages from that phone.

"So, you will have to go to the authorities to get my call records. As it is already too late tonight, you will have to wait until tomorrow to go to the place. It might take a few hours to get the records. After that, you will have to take some time again to find the address of that person.

"Until you do all those things, all your crimes would already be all over social media. Therefore, instead of you finding that person, the police will be the first ones to find you. After that, it is prison time for you both. You two will pay for all your crimes," I said, feeling powerful as they exchanged worried glances again.

Anjali turned to look at me after a couple of seconds and narrowed her eyes at me. "If you already have the evidence, why didn't you already get us arrested? Why return and place yourself at risk?"

Her question made me speechless. I cannot tell her why I came back. I have been careful until now not to reveal I know everything about her crimes, including the first crime she ever committed.

After all, she has hinted about it in that video. That is the problem. She has only hinted at it, not properly confessed. That is why I am not sure if what I am thinking is correct. But I desperately hope I am because my whole plan depends on that one crucial incident.

'If only she had admitted it all. It would have been so easy for me,' I thought but shook my head. 'After all, when has life been easy for me?'

"Tell me, Khushi. Why did you come back? Why?" Anjali was now walking toward me, and this time I stepped back.

Because along with anger in her eyes, I could again see the madness I had seen flashing through her eyes earlier.

With her lips curling to form a snarl, her eyes unfocused but seemingly looking through me, Anjali exuded the waves of danger, making my fear rise with each passing second.

'Think, Khushi, think. Anything. Anything,' I kept wondering what to tell Anjali as I kept moving back.

Soon, my back collided with the wall, and I was trapped between the wall and Anjali, who was now so close to me that I could feel her breath on my face.

Suddenly, she yanked my hair, making me shriek. "You have no idea who you are messing with, Khushi," she began but paused for a second. "Or maybe you do. Because evidently, you have the evidence to prove my crimes. Otherwise, how would you have known about the Moon House?"

She then clutched my jaw roughly with the other hand and continued speaking. "Stop with your childish games and tell me why you came back last night even after getting the evidence against me. Why didn't you get me arrested right away?

"I have other ways to make you speak, and I give you my word that you would not like those ways. After all, you had seen Anusha in the basement, hadn't you? You had seen how she was. Her naked body trembling in fear as she curled herself to save what was left of her shredded dignity. Do you want your condition to be that too? Tell me," Anjali left my jaw but pulled my hair harder, making me tear up.

"You will regret it," I said through the pain, but I was shocked when Anjali suddenly started laughing.

Her manic laughter reverberated through the room, and I was truly scared by its sound. I felt every hair in my body rise due to her chilling laugh.

"You think I am scared about it? Oh, Khushi, how naïve you are!!

"I admit I am slightly anxious because I do not like when things do not go my way. You having the evidence does put everything I have planned for you tonight at risk, but that does not mean I will stop everything and bow down in front of you.

"Anger me more, and I won't care about the consequences while I break you piece by piece tonight. Yes, I might have to go to jail if that evidence gets viral tomorrow. But I have my stupid brother. 'The Arnav Singh Rathore,' as he calls himself.

"Don't you remember what he did to you when he thought you were the one due to who almost killed me?

"Think what he will do when he finds you were the one who sent me to prison. Not only will he pull all his contacts and use his money to get me out, but he will also make your life hell again.

"I will also provoke him to do so. A tear here, a request there, and he will do everything he can to punish you. I might go to prison for a few days, but your whole life will turn into hell." Anjali finished speaking and moved back a bit, giving me some space.

I caressed my scalp hissing as I felt the sting from her yanking my hair earlier. "Ok, Anjali. I will tell you why I returned."

I cannot let her know the truth. Because I already knew everything she so elaborately told me just a few seconds back.

I know Anjali's backup is Arnav. She is still depending on Arnav to save her. So, if I tell her I know something that can shatter her relationship with Arnav, she might kill me now, not caring about the evidence.

I know I need to tread carefully. And if Anjali believed me now, I would be one step closer to destroying these monsters.

"I came back because I want to take revenge on Arnav, Anjali. I have evidence against you, but you are not the one who destroyed me.

"Yes, you had planned a few things that hurt me, but it was Arnav who truly destroyed me. He kept on breaking me even when I screamed I was innocent. He has left such scars in my body and soul that would never heal, no matter how much I try. That is why I now want to break Arnav.

"I only kept the evidence against you with me because I want your help, Anjali. I know you, too, despise Arnav. Please help me, and together we can destroy him.

"I will avenge myself, and you will be the sole owner of all the Rathore assets. After all, you are smarter than Arnav. You should be the one having power over all the properties, not him." I hoped Anjali would believe in my half-truth and fake flattery.

I stayed still, trying my best to look sincere as Anjali kept peering at me. I noticed she was about to say something, but Ridvansh interrupted her.

"I think we should do it, Anjali," he said, and Anjali turned to look at her.

"But, Ridvansh—" she started when he interrupted again.

"Think about it, Anjali. We can do so much more if you become the sole owner of everything. We will have all the money and power. After all, this had been your aim too when—" he was saying, but Anjali cut him off.

"Don't spill the beans, Ridvansh. We have company," Anjali warned him, and Ridvansh nodded.

Both then turned to look at me.

"Once we destroy, Arnav, you will give me all the evidence you have against us. I will torture you until you take your last breath if you dare to even think about betraying me. I will hurt you to the extent that you will beg for death rather than live another second. Got it?" Anjali asked, her voice firm and severe.

I felt myself go weak with relief as I heard that. Anjali had finally taken one step inside my trap.

No matter how much jubilant I felt on the inside, I kept a stoic face on the outside and nodded at her, making sure to react minimally to avoid making her suspicious.

"Thank you, Anjali," I said to her.

Thank you for walking into my trap. Thank you for finally giving me the opportunity I had been waiting for to destroy you and your brother.