The room was drenched in darkness, only a single bulb above flickering slightly. The air felt heavy with silence, suffocating almost. On one side of the long table sat two men—shadows hiding their true faces. On the other, stood Shravani, Shourya, and Atharv, their expressions tense but guarded.

A few long, unbearable minutes passed with no one speaking. Only the sound of the ticking clock echoed in the background.

Finally, the first man leaned forward, his voice calm but laced with underlying menace.

“How did this happen? How did they get exposed? There was no consignment under their name, no loophole… and yet, everything is falling apart. You were the one leading them—how did this slip happen?”

No response.