Bit Broken.

Nothing.

I rushed to the Mansion. Multiple cars. Jeeps. Police. Photographers. I looked around. Then I looked inside. Vijay was standing in the hall. The guards tried to obstruct me, I jostled in. 

"What's happening?" I asked as  I could feel my heart in my throat. Vijay turned around with tears in his eyes. Mr. Malhotra sat in the corner of the sofa, closing his eyes. His specs in his hand which was dangling from the hand rest. Probably he didn't notice me.

"Tara locked her room and..."

"Yeah...she did it before..." I blabbered, "I can climb the tree..." I pulled Vijay sleeves. He wore a  blue denim shirt. "She did it before...I can..."

Vijay held my shoulders and squeezed me, as if calming me down. "You cannot do anything now!" He broke down. "She's gone...."

"What nonsense!" I bellowed. I shrugged off his hands from my body and ran towards her room. Climbing the stairs. Falling, Getting up. Her door was open. There were people inside. Some were talking to each other. Some were taking measurements. They looked at me with astonishment. Constant click and flash from the cameras.

"Madam you cannot get in like that.." A person stopped me.

"I want to see Tara...Why are you here?" I argued. My vision had become hazy with the tears. 

Vijay came following me. "Tanvi let's get..."

"I want to see her!" I shouted. 

I pushed everyone in front of me. I searched the room, but she wasn't there. People still tried to hold me. I pushed them harder. I reached the washroom. There she was....I looked at her while the ground kept revolving under my feet. I just kept screaming her name...Tara. I felt someone holding me as I approached the bathtub. Vijay picked me up and began taking me out of her room, holding my waist. All I remember was listening to the incoherent sounds while I was losing myself. It was really dark after a while. No sound. Nothing. I was left with nothing.

.........................................................................................................................................................

My body was heavy. Tired. I wasn't able to open my eyes. All I felt was someone touching my face, caressing my hair. I thought it was Tara. I wanted to touch her, kiss her even when I was not fully awake. But then I remembered. The room, the bathtub, the bloody water, her naked body, her lifeless eyes. "Tara!" I screamed as I opened my eyes. I wished everything to be  a nightmare. I wished. 

I came to my senses. I was in a bed. Where?...I didn't know. Why?...I didn't know.

"Hey!" Vijay bent towards me. He was sitting on a chair kept beside the bed. "It's me...Vijay."He murmured softly.

"Where am I? Tara...Tara...What! Why?" I didn't know what I was saying. "I need to see her!" I lifted my head and tried getting up.

Vijay kept his palm on my head. 

"Don't" I uttered in an aggressive tone and ducked. He immediately removed his hand. 

"You cannot..." He sighed. "There's nothing left to see..."

"You are after all this...You did it!" I growled as the tears flowed from my eyes.  My throat was sore.  My voice didn't sound like mine. I held his collar. I don't think I had any power in my hands but still he got pulled very easily. "Why did you do it?"

"I didn't do anything..." He sobbed. "Believe me or not...I didn't do anything!"

"Lie...Tara wouldn't take such a step...You told her father everything. Didn't you?" I was getting disgusted seeing that face of his. "How did you stoop so low? Are you happy now?"

"How do I make you believe!" He yelped. "Tara told him everything herself." He sighed.

I loosened my grip. "What!" I softened my tone.

"This belongs to you." He gave me a folded paper. "Tara had it in her hand when Uncle reached..."

"Huh?"

"He wanted me to get it destroyed...I think she wrote this to you. Uncle didn't want your name to get involved in the case..."

"Case!?" My heart was burning with anger and anxiety. Tara was now a case! 

"Suicide..."Vijay wiped his face with his hand. "If the letter got into the hands of the investigation team then..."

"Everyone would know about us..." I completed it.

He nodded. "This would have affected his image in the market."

"How can a father be so cruel?" I growled. I began getting out of the bed. "I need to meet him... That bastard...He killed..." My voice choked. "He killed my love."

"No!" Vijay shouted. "Don't be a fool...He will get you arrested."

"I don't get you..." I was confused.

"You cannot enter the property without his permission. You already trespassed the investigation site once.."

"Then won't I get to give a statement? I love her...she loves me. We were silent. But now  I cannot be silent anymore!"

"Any charge against you will affect  your getting a job in any company...please calm down. Uncle is waiting for a chance to destroy you..." He sighed. "I think you should read the letter first. And Tanvi?" He reached his pockets. "I believe this belongs to you too.." The chain with the locket dangled in front of my face. "The police had it."

I put my palm forward. He kept it there slowly, the long chain forming irregular loops. The cold metal gave me warmth. I closed my palm as tight as I could.