Chapter 2

The next few days were a blur of funeral preparations and family drama. Priya tried
to keep to herself as much as possible, but she couldn't escape the tension that
hung in the air.

On the day of the funeral, she found herself standing at the back of the room,
watching as Mr. Gupta's body was lowered into the ground. She couldn't help but
feel a sense of finality wash over her. This was it - there would be no more
chances to get to know her father or build a relationship with him.

As the mourners began to file out of the cemetery, Priya felt a hand on her
shoulder. She turned to see Rohit standing beside her.

"Are you okay?" he asked, his voice gentle.

Priya shook her head, tears welling up in her eyes. "No, I'm not okay," she said,
her voice trembling. "I never got to know him, Rohit. I never got to tell him how
much I wanted to be a part of his life."

Rohit wrapped an arm around her shoulders, pulling her close. "I know, Priya. And
I'm sorry. But you can still honor his memory in your own way."

Priya nodded, feeling a sense of comfort in Rohit's embrace. She knew that he was
right, but it didn't make the pain any less real.

As they made their way back to the family estate, Priya couldn't help but notice
the tense atmosphere. Meera seemed to be barking orders at everyone, while Sanjay
and Radha glared at her from across the room.

Priya felt a sense of unease wash over her. She didn't know what the future held,
but she knew that it wouldn't be easy.

Later that night, as she lay in bed, Priya couldn't shake the feeling that
something wasn't right. She tossed and turned, trying to push the thoughts from her
mind, but they kept creeping back in.

Finally, unable to sleep, she got out of bed and made her way to the living room.
She needed to clear her head.

As she sat on the couch, staring out into the darkness, she heard a noise from
upstairs. At first, she thought it was just the wind, but then she heard it again -
a soft creaking sound.

Priya felt her heart rate increase as she realized that someone was moving around
upstairs. She knew that it was probably just one of the family members, but the
tension in the air made her feel uneasy.

As she crept up the staircase, she heard the sound again - this time, it was more
distinct. It sounded like someone was moving furniture around.

Priya felt a sense of dread wash over her as she approached the door to her
father's bedroom. She hesitated for a moment before pushing it open.

What she saw inside made her blood run cold.

There, in the middle of the room, stood Sanjay, holding a small wooden box. He
looked up as she entered, his eyes wide with surprise.
"What are you doing?" Priya demanded, her voice shaking.

Sanjay hesitated for a moment before answering. "I was just looking for something,"
he said, his voice tense.

Priya didn't believe him for a second. She knew that something wasn't right.

"Sanjay, please. I need to know what's going on. What were you looking for in
here?" she asked, desperation creeping into her voice.

Sanjay looked at her, his expression unreadable. "It's nothing, Priya. Just leave
it alone."

But Priya couldn't leave it alone. She knew that something was happening within the
family, and she needed to find out what it was.

As Sanjay walked towards her, his eyes darting around the room as if searching for
an escape. Priya stepped back, fear gripping her heart.

"Sanjay, I need to know. What's in the box?" she asked, her voice trembling.

Sanjay hesitated for a moment before holding out the box towards her. "Fine. Take a
look," he said, his voice laced with anger.

Priya tentatively took the box from him, her fingers shaking as she opened it.
Inside, she found a small pile of documents - bank statements, property deeds, and
other legal documents.

As she looked through them, her heart sank. She saw that Sanjay's name was on most
of the documents, and there were large sums of money being transferred between
accounts.

"What is all of this, Sanjay? What have you been doing?" Priya asked, her voice
barely above a whisper.

Sanjay looked away, his face darkening. "It's nothing that concerns you, Priya.
Just mind your own business," he said, his tone cold.

Priya felt a sense of anger welling up inside her. She knew that she couldn't let
this go.

"I'm sorry, Sanjay, but I can't do that. This is our family's business, and I won't
stand by and watch you tear it apart," she said, her voice firm.

Sanjay's face twisted in rage as he advanced towards her. Priya stumbled back, fear
gripping her heart.

"Stay out of this, Priya. This doesn't concern you," he spat, his eyes flashing.

Priya felt a sense of panic rising within her. She knew that she needed to get out
of there before things got any worse.

Without another word, she turned and ran from the room, her heart racing. As she
made her way back to her own room, she couldn't help but feel a sense of dread wash
over her. She knew that something had to be done - but she didn't know what.

As she lay in bed that night, she couldn't shake the feeling that she was in
danger. She didn't know what Sanjay was capable of, but she knew that she couldn't
trust him.
With a heavy heart, she drifted off to sleep, knowing that the next few days were
going to be even more difficult than the last.