The Buried Truth

ake on the sofa, her body stiff, her mind restless. She had fallen asleep there, not wanting to share a bed with Mahati, whose

ut incident. She could go to the university, bury herself in work, pr

vy knock shook the door. Th

ing her robe tigh

ce called, clipped an

omach

ir uniforms sharp, their faces unreadable. Behind them

asked, her

pping open a small notepad. "You're wanted for quest

it her lik

la... she-she killed herself. I tol

one flat. "You can explain at the stati

from the hallway. "What the

sed against his chest. She felt a surge of panic. "He's not well," she said qui

er stepped forward and gestured f

r wrists. The cold steel bit into her skin, and shame flooded throu

lumped against the wall, his face twisting in pain. "This...

icers didn'

e an eternity, each step echoing in her

sinfectant. A single bulb flickered above the steel table where she sat. She c

is tie loosened but his demeanor intense. Besi

ged with suspicion. "We've received conflicting accounts

u. It was just the two of us. We drank, we talked. She was... she

ward. "Are you sure it w

ning to spill out. If she mentioned him, her career was finished. A law

though her voice cracked

ks. He didn't press, not yet. Instead, he flipped a folder open and slid

her face away. "Why ar

" the detective said quietly. "Someone pushed her there, whethe

he wanted to scream. It was his affair, his manip

gging into her spine, the murmurs of other detainees filli

ppeared at the ba

d, her l

been b

ly replaced by dread. Bailed. Someone ha

's younger brother, tall and sharp-suited, his prese

aid simply, holdin

ying to read his expres

flat. "At least for now. But don't think for a se

a moment too long before

ould feel the weight of judgment pressing on her from every direction. When they reached

id you ki

t jeal

ahati cover

ad down, her hair falling like a curtain around her

over his lap, his breathing shallow. His eyes met her

his house," he muttered, h

? You dare speak of shame after

said nothing. The silence w

morning, her phone buzzed with an officia

her. The once-respected Professor Nandi Mah

ted herself for it, but his name lingered like a spark in her chest. When her phone l

you

rembled as sh

t I wi

o longer cracks. They were fractures, spreading wide a