Page 25 of Born in Ruin

“She might just be the key to pulling this off.”

Ishaan said nothing. Time would tell where this went and exactly what Mayukhi achieved.

“We should show her the photograph we found.”

“You trust her now?”

“If she could fake that performance she put on in there,” Virat said, pointing to the living room. “Then she deserves an Oscar.”

“Maybe she’ll get one.” Ishaan wasn’t ready to give ground as yet. Wounded pride, stung ego, or hurting heart…it didn’t matter. For now, he needed to stay planted exactly where he was.

“We have nothing beyond that photograph.” Ishaan’s fingers worried the cigarette until it was in fragments in his pocket. “We’ve searched Dhrithi’s house multiple times and found nothing. We’ve found no further evidence of anything they might have been involved in. For now all we have is an orgy in masks. We have nothing.”

“I am well fucking aware we have nothing!”

Virat’s gritted comment was slightly louder than his normal tone and had the couple inside glancing over. A second later, Amay was sliding the door open and stepping outside. Dhrithi stayed at the dinner table though she kept casting worried looks in their direction.

“What’s going on?” Amay asked calmly.

Ishaan shrugged, wary eyes on Virat. “This time, it’s not me. It’s him.”

Virat shoved his hands in his hair, defeat lining his every move. “We have nothing,” he said again.

“We’ll get what we need, Vir,” Amay said quietly. “A little more patience is all we need. And with Mayukhi helping us, we’ve got a way in. We have a plan.”

“Our plan depends on one of their friends helping us. That’s where we are.” Virat shook his head in disbelief. “Fucking hell. How did it come to this?”

“We will make this happen.” Amay’s calm was a direct contrast to Virat’s rising ire.

“Vir’s right,” Ishaan said abruptly. “We may be fucked. We should just give up now.”

Virat’s head swung towards Ishaan like a creepy ghost in a horror movie. “He’s agreeing with me,” he told Amay.

“He is.” Amay fought a smile.

“That means I’m wrong.” Virat shoved away from the railing.

“I resent that!” Ishaan protested.

“Shut up Ish.” Virat smiled, a small smile but a smile nonetheless.

“And he’s back,” Amay drawled with a smile. “Shall we get dinner now?”

“Did you eat my corn chips?” Ishaan asked as he shouldered Amay aside.

“No,” Amay answered, throwing a hand over Virat’s shoulder and dragging him along. “But I did eat your tomatoes.”

Ishaan pointed a finger at him, flakes of cigarette paper drifting off the tip and to the floor. “You’re a dead man.”

“Can you kill him after dinner?” Dhrithi called out. “I’m starving.”

“Honestly Goody, you do know you can do far better than him right?” Ishaan took the seat beside Virat.

“Are you volunteering?” she asked, smiling as she handed him the bowl of butter chicken.

“My heart was always yours. Say the word and we can run away together.”

“Will you bring your school topper trophy with you?”

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