Chapter 5 – The Anonymous Letter
The first rays of sunlight filtered through the curtains ofKhurana Mansion, but Maan had already been awake for hours.
The old silver key lay on his desk beside the anonymousnote.
"The truth is underground."
He had read those words countless times during the night.
Nothing about them made sense.
If the east wing had been demolished five years ago, whattruth could possibly still remain buried there?
A soft knock interrupted his thoughts.
"Come in."
Adi entered carrying two cups of coffee.
"I had a feeling you didn't sleep."
Maan accepted the cup.
"I didn't."
Adi's eyes fell on the silver key.
"So... this is the mysterious package?"
Maan nodded.
Adi picked up the note and read it carefully.
"No sender?"
"No fingerprints."
"No courier details."
Adi sighed.
"Whoever is doing this knows exactly how to stayinvisible."
Maan looked toward the window.
"They also know everything about my past."
"And Geet's."
The room fell silent.
After a long pause, Adi spoke again.
"Do you think Geet knows about this?"
"I don't know."
"But I'm going to find out."
Meanwhile...
Geet reached Khurana Constructions earlier than usual.
The office floor was still quiet.
Only a few employees had arrived.
She unlocked the design studio and switched on the lights.
The blueprints from yesterday remained spread across thedrafting table.
She carefully unfolded the tracing paper once again.
The hidden map still puzzled her.
Why would someone conceal the layout of Khurana Mansioninside construction drawings?
As she studied the markings, her phone vibrated.
It was an unknown number.
She hesitated before answering.
"Hello?"
Silence.
"Who is this?"
Only the sound of slow breathing.
"Hello?"
The call disconnected.
A strange uneasiness settled over her.
Before she could think further, the office peon entered.
"Good morning, ma'am."
"Good morning."
"This was delivered for you."
He handed her a plain white envelope.
"No one said who it was from."
Her heartbeat quickened.
Another anonymous package.
She carefully opened it.
Inside was a single sheet of paper.
The words were typed in bold black letters.
Leave Delhi before it's too late.
You escaped once.
You won't escape again.
Stay away from Maan Singh Khurana...
...or this time he dies.
The paper slipped from her trembling hands.
The room spun around her.
The words dragged her back five years...
A dark warehouse...
A masked man...
A gun resting on the table...
A voice she had never forgotten.
"If you love him..."
"Leave Delhi."
"If you ever return..."
"Maan Singh Khurana will die."
Geet stumbled backward until she hit the edge of the table.
"No..."
She whispered.
"It can't be..."
The nightmare had returned.
At that very moment...
Maan stepped out of the elevator.
He was on his way to the design studio to question Geetabout the hidden blueprint.
As he approached the glass door, he noticed somethingunusual.
Geet stood completely still.
Her face had lost all color.
The letter lay on the floor.
He entered immediately.
"What happened?"
She quickly bent down to pick up the paper.
"Nothing."
"Geet."
She froze.
It was the first time since her return that he had calledher by her real name without anger.
She looked up.
For a brief second...
She forgot to hide her fear.
Maan noticed instantly.
He gently held out his hand.
"Give me the letter."
"It's nothing important."
"Then let me read it."
"No."
She clutched it tighter.
His voice softened.
"Please."
That single word caught her off guard.
Slowly...
Reluctantly...
She handed him the letter.
As Maan read each line, his expression hardened.
By the time he reached the last sentence, his fists wereclenched so tightly that the paper crumpled.
"Who gave you this?"
"I don't know."
"When?"
"Just now."
"Did anyone see the messenger?"
She shook her head.
"No."
Maan immediately pressed the intercom.
"Security."
"Yes, sir."
"Lock every entrance."
"No one leaves this building until I say so."
"Right away, sir."
Within seconds, security alarms echoed throughout theheadquarters.
Employees looked around in confusion.
All exit doors were automatically sealed.
Geet stared at Maan.
"What are you doing?"
"Finding whoever threatened you."
"They're not threatening me."
"They mentioned my name."
His eyes met hers.
"This is my problem too."
"No."
She stepped back.
"You don't understand."
"Then explain."
"I can't."
"Why?"
She looked away.
"I just can't."
His patience snapped.
"Five years ago..."
He spoke quietly.
"You disappeared without telling me why."
"Now someone threatens both of us."
"And you're still protecting them?"
"I'm protecting you."
The words escaped before she realized it.
Silence.
The entire room seemed to stop breathing.
Maan stared at her.
"What did you say?"
She closed her eyes.
"I..."
"You said you're protecting me."
"I didn't mean..."
"You did."
He took a slow step closer.
"Geet..."
"What happened five years ago?"
Tears filled her eyes.
She wanted to tell him everything.
Every lie.
Every threat.
Every sacrifice.
But the image of the gun...
The promise she had made...
Still haunted her.
She shook her head.
"I can't."
Her voice broke.
"I'm sorry."
Maan looked at her for a long moment.
Then, without another word, he turned and walked out.
The door closed quietly behind him.
Geet sank into the chair, burying her face in her hands.
Outside...
Maan stopped in the corridor.
He leaned against the wall and closed his eyes.
For the first time...
He didn't believe she was lying.
She was terrified.
And whatever frightened her...
Had controlled her life for five years.
An hour later...
The emergency security meeting began.
Every CCTV recording from the morning was displayed on thelarge conference screen.
The security chief replayed the footage.
Employees entered one after another.
Delivery staff.
Housekeeping.
Visitors.
Nothing unusual.
Then Geet spoke.
"Stop."
The footage froze.
She pointed toward a woman wearing a grey housekeepinguniform.
"I've never seen her before."
The security chief zoomed in.
"She isn't one of ours."
The room fell silent.
The woman placed an envelope on the reception desk.
Then...
Instead of leaving through the main entrance...
She walked toward the basement.
The camera lost her.
"There are no cameras in the basement corridor,"the security chief explained.
Maan looked at him sharply.
"Why not?"
"They've been under maintenance for three weeks."
"Three weeks?"
"Yes, sir."
Another coincidence.
Or another carefully planned move.
"Find her."
The security chief nodded.
"We're already trying."
"No."
Maan's voice was cold.
"I don't want excuses."
"I want her."
That evening...
Geet returned to her apartment feeling exhausted.
As she unlocked the door, she noticed something unusual.
The lights were already on.
Her heart pounded.
She distinctly remembered switching them off before leaving.
Slowly, she stepped inside.
Everything appeared normal.
The furniture hadn't been disturbed.
Nothing was missing.
She searched every room.
Empty.
Then she noticed it.
On the dining table...
A fresh white lily.
Beneath it lay another note.
This one was handwritten.
You should have stayed away.
This is your final warning.
A loud clap of thunder echoed outside.
Rain began pouring heavily against the windows.
Geet's hands trembled as she looked around the apartment.
Someone had been inside.
Someone knew where she lived.
And someone wanted her to know...
She was never truly alone.
End of Chapter 5
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