21-03-2026, 07:37 PM
Chapter 24 : The Folders & The Footage
Jeeva slipped inside Suriya’s flat — door already ajar, the faint smell of cigarette smoke and protein shake lingering in the air. The place was quiet except for the low hum of the ceiling fan and the distant chatter of kids playing somewhere outside.
The laptop sat open on the table — screen still glowing, no password lock.
Jeeva was lucky, suriya had cross checked his accounts as soon as he woke up. as a reason the laptop was still put on .
Jeeva moved fast.
He pulled the small pen drive from his pocket and plugged it in. The folders appeared on desktop: “Kids,” “Gym,” “Work,” “A,” “A Target.”
His heart pounded.
He selected both protected folders — “A” and “A Target” — right-clicked, copied. The progress bar crawled — 2 GB, 4 GB, 6 GB. His eyes darted to the door every few seconds. If Suriya came back now…
The copy finished. 8.7 GB.
He ejected the drive, pocketed it, closed the laptop lid exactly as he found it.
He just left his door and came out.
Suriya stepped from the roof top.
They both froze — Jeeva halfway near the door, Suriya blocking his path now.
Suriya’s eyes narrowed instantly — suspicion sharpening into something dangerous.
“What are you doing near my door?”
Jeeva forced a casual shrug, voice steady despite the adrenaline.
“Why would I need your bullshit house? is that place worth it?”
Suriya stepped closer, shoulders rolling, muscles flexing under his T-shirt.
Before he could reply, a sharp clatter echoed from Anandhi’s flat, vessel dropping, coffee splashing on the floor.
Jeeva didn’t wait. He pushed past Suriya,shoulder checking him, and rushed across the corridor.
He burst into Anandhi’s flat.
She was frozen on the sofa, phone in one hand, coffee tumbler shattered at her feet, brown liquid pooling on the tiles. Her face was pale, eyes wide, lips trembling.
Jeeva knelt beside her — voice low, urgent.
“What happened?”
She didn’t speak — just turned the phone toward him.
WhatsApp chat open.
A message from the old lady’s daughter (the cop).
A photo attached — a handwritten note in Rahul’s familiar scrawl.
Anandhi,
I’m sorry. I’ve fallen in love with someone else. The debt, the distance, the grind — it broke me. I can’t come back. I’m leaving the country to start over. Don’t search for me. I’ve left cash for you and the kids — enough to settle everything and live comfortably. Be happy. Find someone who can give you what I couldn’t.
Rahul
Below it — a photo of a bag full of cash, timestamped yesterday.
Anandhi’s voice cracked.
“Can you take me to the lady’s house? I need to speak with her.”
Jeeva nodded — numb.
“Yes.”
He hailed an auto. The ride was silent — Anandhi staring out the window, phone clutched tight, tears drying on her cheeks.
Jeeva sat beside her — mind racing.
The note was the one he had prepared a day back.. .
Madhavan must have acted fast — planted it, made it look official.
He dropped her at the villa — she said she’d spend the full day there.
The lady’s daughter would take her to the station later for formalities.
Jeeva feels this will be the safest method, so he wont be exposed to cops.
Jeeva took the kids to college — Riya clinging to his hand, Rohan chattering about a new toy. He kissed their foreheads at the gate — throat tight.
Then he traveled alone to town — to the accessories company Madhavan had recommended. A small, discreet data recovery shop tucked behind a mobile store.
The technician — a thin man with thick glasses — plugged in the pen drive.
“Old encryption,” he said after a few minutes. “Easy crack. 15 minutes.”
Jeeva paid extra for speed.
He waited outside — pacing — cock twitching every time he thought of what might be inside.
The technician emerged.
“Done. All files unlocked. Do you want to see now?”
Jeeva shook his head.
“I’ll see it personally.”
He paid, took the drive, and left.
Back home, he knows Anandhi still at the villa, kids at college — the flat was empty.
As he climbed the step he saw Suriya was there its just 3.20 PM, he came back early ? or he didnt go to his GYM?
Suriya signaled him like come here... but he dismissed.
He locked the door. He was curious to know whats inside the folder.
Sat on the sofa.
Inserted the drive.
Clicked “A”.
Jeeva slipped inside Suriya’s flat — door already ajar, the faint smell of cigarette smoke and protein shake lingering in the air. The place was quiet except for the low hum of the ceiling fan and the distant chatter of kids playing somewhere outside.
The laptop sat open on the table — screen still glowing, no password lock.
Jeeva was lucky, suriya had cross checked his accounts as soon as he woke up. as a reason the laptop was still put on .
Jeeva moved fast.
He pulled the small pen drive from his pocket and plugged it in. The folders appeared on desktop: “Kids,” “Gym,” “Work,” “A,” “A Target.”
His heart pounded.
He selected both protected folders — “A” and “A Target” — right-clicked, copied. The progress bar crawled — 2 GB, 4 GB, 6 GB. His eyes darted to the door every few seconds. If Suriya came back now…
The copy finished. 8.7 GB.
He ejected the drive, pocketed it, closed the laptop lid exactly as he found it.
He just left his door and came out.
Suriya stepped from the roof top.
They both froze — Jeeva halfway near the door, Suriya blocking his path now.
Suriya’s eyes narrowed instantly — suspicion sharpening into something dangerous.
“What are you doing near my door?”
Jeeva forced a casual shrug, voice steady despite the adrenaline.
“Why would I need your bullshit house? is that place worth it?”
Suriya stepped closer, shoulders rolling, muscles flexing under his T-shirt.
Before he could reply, a sharp clatter echoed from Anandhi’s flat, vessel dropping, coffee splashing on the floor.
Jeeva didn’t wait. He pushed past Suriya,shoulder checking him, and rushed across the corridor.
He burst into Anandhi’s flat.
She was frozen on the sofa, phone in one hand, coffee tumbler shattered at her feet, brown liquid pooling on the tiles. Her face was pale, eyes wide, lips trembling.
Jeeva knelt beside her — voice low, urgent.
“What happened?”
She didn’t speak — just turned the phone toward him.
WhatsApp chat open.
A message from the old lady’s daughter (the cop).
A photo attached — a handwritten note in Rahul’s familiar scrawl.
Anandhi,
I’m sorry. I’ve fallen in love with someone else. The debt, the distance, the grind — it broke me. I can’t come back. I’m leaving the country to start over. Don’t search for me. I’ve left cash for you and the kids — enough to settle everything and live comfortably. Be happy. Find someone who can give you what I couldn’t.
Rahul
Below it — a photo of a bag full of cash, timestamped yesterday.
Anandhi’s voice cracked.
“Can you take me to the lady’s house? I need to speak with her.”
Jeeva nodded — numb.
“Yes.”
He hailed an auto. The ride was silent — Anandhi staring out the window, phone clutched tight, tears drying on her cheeks.
Jeeva sat beside her — mind racing.
The note was the one he had prepared a day back.. .
Madhavan must have acted fast — planted it, made it look official.
He dropped her at the villa — she said she’d spend the full day there.
The lady’s daughter would take her to the station later for formalities.
Jeeva feels this will be the safest method, so he wont be exposed to cops.
Jeeva took the kids to college — Riya clinging to his hand, Rohan chattering about a new toy. He kissed their foreheads at the gate — throat tight.
Then he traveled alone to town — to the accessories company Madhavan had recommended. A small, discreet data recovery shop tucked behind a mobile store.
The technician — a thin man with thick glasses — plugged in the pen drive.
“Old encryption,” he said after a few minutes. “Easy crack. 15 minutes.”
Jeeva paid extra for speed.
He waited outside — pacing — cock twitching every time he thought of what might be inside.
The technician emerged.
“Done. All files unlocked. Do you want to see now?”
Jeeva shook his head.
“I’ll see it personally.”
He paid, took the drive, and left.
Back home, he knows Anandhi still at the villa, kids at college — the flat was empty.
As he climbed the step he saw Suriya was there its just 3.20 PM, he came back early ? or he didnt go to his GYM?
Suriya signaled him like come here... but he dismissed.
He locked the door. He was curious to know whats inside the folder.
Sat on the sofa.
Inserted the drive.
Clicked “A”.
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