As we neared the house, Rehaan glanced over at me and asked, "Are you expecting anyone?"

"Yes, my family is on their way. They should be here any minute," I replied with a smile, feeling a mix of excitement and nerves.

Just then, Rehaan looked ahead and said, "I think they’re here," pointing towards a group of people getting out of a car.

I turned in the direction he pointed. "Mom!" I exclaimed, my voice full of emotion. Everyone turned to look at me, and without thinking, I ran toward them. One by one, I hugged each of them tightly, feeling a surge of relief and joy in their presence.

Rehaan stood nearby, looking a bit unsure of what to do in the middle of this family reunion. I noticed and quickly turned to him with a grin. "Guys, this is Rehaan," I said, gesturing toward him. "Rehaan, meet my family. This is my mom, Rukmini, and my dad, Krishna," I introduced, pausing to let them exchange smiles and nods. "These are my aunt and uncle, Leher and Andrew," I continued. "And these two," I added, pulling Manasa and Anusha forward with a playful nudge, "are my friends and cousins."

Rehaan gave them a warm smile, shaking hands with everyone, though he still seemed a little out of place amidst the family chatter.

"We've heard a lot about you," my mom said, her voice soft and welcoming. Rehaan nodded politely, responding, "It's a pleasure to meet all of you."

After the pleasantries, Rehaan excused himself, probably sensing we needed some family time. "I’ll leave you all to catch up," he said with a friendly nod. "It was nice meeting you."

"Thanks for everything, Rehaan," I called after him as he walked away. He waved and disappeared down the path.

Once he was gone, we all headed inside together, the warmth of my family filling the space as we settled in for what felt like the first moment of peace in a long time.

I showed them their rooms and asked them to freshen up and come down for dinner. I went to the kitchen and began preparing the dinner l. Soon, Rukmini Mom and Leher Aunt came down to help. Together, we set the table, and soon after, everyone else joined us. We shared a lovely meal, chatting and catching up on each other’s lives. The conversation flowed easily, filled with laughter and stories from the journey. When dinner was over, everyone headed to bed, worn out from the long day.

In the middle of the night, I woke up feeling parched. I reached for the water bottle by my bed, only to find it empty. I sighed and quietly made my way downstairs to the kitchen, careful not to disturb anyone. The house was quiet, except for the soft creaking of the floor beneath my feet. I opened the fridge and took a bottle of water, drinking deeply. Just as I turned to head back upstairs, I heard faint voices coming from another room.

Curious, I followed the sound. As I approached the living room, I found Dad pacing back and forth, speaking on his phone in hushed tones. Uncle Andrew was sitting at the table, intensely focused on his laptop, his fingers moving quickly across the keyboard. Neither of them noticed me at first, but as soon as Dad looked up and saw me, he abruptly ended his call.

"Is everything okay?" I asked, my voice cutting through the silence.

Dad hesitated for a second before answering, "Everything's fine. It’s just... we can't sleep. You know, being in a new place and all."

I crossed my arms and gave him a look, clearly not convinced. "Dad, what's really going on? Will you tell me, or do I have to figure it out on my own?"

Dad sighed deeply, rubbing his temples as if weighing how much to tell me. He glanced over at Andrew, who gave him a nod, and then he spoke.

"We recently accepted a prestigious deal," he began, his tone serious. "Everything was going smoothly, right on schedule. But a few days ago, we ran into an unexpected problem. We can’t continue the project until we resolve it, and the deadline isn’t far off. That’s what Andrew and I have been discussing—trying to find a solution before it’s too late."

I noticed the tension in his voice, the way his words were clipped with frustration. Dad never liked sharing work stress with me, but I could tell this was something big.

"So, what’s the problem?" I asked, stepping closer.

"It’s technical," Dad explained, glancing at Andrew. "Some critical system wasn’t integrated properly, and we didn’t catch it until now. The whole project hinges on this fix. We found a workaround tonight, but it’s going to take some time, and we’re running out of that."

Andrew spoke up from his seat, his eyes not leaving the screen. "If we don’t fix this soon, the whole deal could fall apart."

I could feel the weight of the situation. They had both worked tirelessly for months on this project, and now they were staring at a potential disaster.

"Dad, Uncle Andrew—you’re both leaving for Finland on the first flight tomorrow," I said firmly. I wasn’t giving them a choice.

Dad looked at me, surprised by my tone. "You're coming with us, right?" he asked, his voice softening a little.

I shook my head. "No. I want to stay here for a few more days. But you two need to go."

Dad frowned, clearly not happy with the idea. "Then we’re not leaving you behind," he insisted.

I sighed, sensing where this was headed. "Dad, listen to me. You’ve worked so hard on this deal. You need to be there to make sure everything goes smoothly. I’ll be fine here for a few days. You can’t afford to let this slip away now."

He hesitated, looking torn between his role as a father and his responsibility to the company. "But I don’t want to leave you here alone," he muttered, the concern evident in his voice.

Uncle Andrew glanced up from his laptop. "We can’t afford to wait, Krishna. We need to be there."

Dad ran a hand through his hair, clearly conflicted, but in the end, he knew I was right. "Fine," he said reluctantly. "But promise me you’ll come back to Finland soon."

"I promise," I replied.

With that, the tension in the room eased slightly, though I could still see the worry etched on Dad’s face.

Thank God, I managed to secure tickets for the earliest flight. It wasn’t easy—I practically had to beg Mom and Aunt Leher to leave along with Dad and Uncle Andrew. They were reluctant, of course, not wanting to leave us behind. But the situation with the project was urgent, and I knew it was the right thing to do.

I drove them to the airport, and even as we stood at the departure gate, Dad still wasn’t happy about leaving us in India. His expression was serious as he looked at me. "Make sure you return to Finland as soon as possible," he said sternly. "Or I’ll come back here myself and drag you home if I have to."

I smiled, trying to lighten the mood, but I knew he wasn’t joking. He had a protective streak, especially when it came to his family, and leaving us behind was clearly weighing on him.

Uncle Andrew, who had been quietly checking his phone, walked over to me. He placed a gentle hand on my shoulder and leaned in. "Remember," he said softly, "your family is waiting for you back at home. Come soon, okay?" Then, in a rare moment of affection, he kissed my forehead.

I felt a lump in my throat as I nodded, touched by the gesture. It wasn’t often that Uncle Andrew showed such emotion, and it reminded me how deeply they all cared.

Anusha, Manasa, and I waved as they walked toward the gate, exchanging farewells. Watching them leave, I felt a mix of emotions—relief that they were heading back to handle the situation, but also a sense of loneliness now that they were left. The airport felt emptier as their figures disappeared from view.

As I picked up the phone without checking the caller ID, I answered, "Hello?"

"You did the right thing by sending your family back," came a voice from the other end, cold and steady. "But at the same time, you made a mistake by not going with them."

I glanced at the screen, and the caller ID displayed the name "Well Wisher." My heart skipped a beat. The voice was familiar, but unsettling.

"I warned you not to come to India, but you didn’t listen," the voice continued, each word laced with warning.

My grip tightened on the phone. "Who are you?" I demanded, trying to keep my voice steady despite the rising tension.

The voice on the other end let out a low chuckle. "Your well-wisher," he said smoothly. "Isn't that what you saved my number as?"

A chill ran down my spine. How could he possibly know that? My mind raced, thoughts spinning in all directions. Without wasting a moment, I quickly pressed the record button on my phone, determined to capture every word of this cryptic conversation.

"Why are you doing this?" I asked, doing my best to mask the unease creeping into my voice, though I could feel the tremor slipping through.

There was a pause on the other end. Then his voice came through again, low and deliberate. "I warned you for your own good. Staying in India is dangerous for you. Do you really think everything happening around you is just coincidence?"

The line went silent, and the stillness stretched for what felt like an eternity. My heart pounded in my chest, each beat louder than the last, as I anxiously awaited his next words. But none came. Only silence hung in the air, thick with dread.

I took a deep breath, feeling the weight of the moment pressing down on me.

Summoning every ounce of courage I had, I blurted out, "What the hell are you talking about?"

After a moment , he responded with a calm, almost mocking tone. "You really don’t know, do you?" he said, a hint of amusement creeping into his voice. "Or maybe you just refuse to acknowledge the truth?"

I clenched my fists, trying to keep my composure. "Stop playing games with me. Just tell me what you mean!" I demanded, my voice trembling despite my best efforts to sound assertive.

He let out a slow, deliberate breath, as if savoring the moment. "Very well, Diya. But be careful what you wish for. The truth can be more dangerous than you realize."

His words hung in the air, and I felt a chill run down my spine.