Chapter 3: The Due Diligence of a Heart

Wed, 24 Jun 2026 06:52:24 +0000

The silence of the penthouse, usually a comfortable mantle of control, now felt like a vacuum. It pressed against Chandni's eardrums as she stepped inside, the ghost of the gala's noise—specifically, the Malhotra family's laughter—still echoing in the hollows of her mind. She didn't call for lights. The ambient glow from the city below painted the sterile interiors in shades of charcoal and deep blue. She stood in the centre of the vast living space, the emerald lehenga suddenly a ridiculous, heavy weight. With sharp, impatient movements, she unfastened the intricate clasp, letting the expensive fabric pool at her feet like a slain emerald serpent. She stood in her silk slip, a pale, slender figure in the gloom, feeling more exposed than if she were naked.