I stood frozen, like a statue carved out of disbelief, watching Ganga Maa-sa walk away. The faint clink of the small bottle she tossed onto the box echoed louder than thunder in my ears. At that moment, it felt as though the ground had vanished beneath my feet. My mind refused to accept the truth unraveling before me,how could it be her? Hriday’s own stepmother, the one I had trusted, the one who had worn kindness like a second skin.

I pressed myself against the cold pillar, holding my breath as Ganga Maa-sa moved away from the storeroom. My palm clamped tightly over my mouth, afraid even the faintest sound might betray me. Only when her footsteps faded did I dare to exhale, a shaky sigh of relief escaping me. Then, heart pounding, I darted toward the box where she had thrown the small bottle. Kneeling down, my fingers trembled as I reached for it,one glance, and a chill shot through me. It was the same bottle I had kept in my room to show Hriday,the vial of poison. My breath caught in my throat. She had poisoned Dadi-sa.