24-05-2026, 09:09 PM
(This post was last modified: 24-05-2026, 09:13 PM by Hornytamilan23. Edited 1 time in total. Edited 1 time in total.)
Chapter 17:The Confrontation: Shruthi and Lokesh
Things took a darker in few hours time.
Shruthi’s heart pounds against her ribs.
She steps out of the guest room, her hair damp, wearing the clothes Divya had lent her. Her eyes lock onto Lokesh, who is standing just outside the door frame, looking slightly dazed and holding an empty glass.
"What were you doing?" Shruthi demands, her voice a sharp, trembling whisper so she doesn't wake the kids.
"Were you just peeking in on me?"
Lokesh, his brain slowed down by the alcohol, blinks in confusion. "What? No, Shruthi, I was just coming to use the washroom next door.
I didn't—"
"I heard the door, Lokesh! Don't lie to me," she snaps, her face flushed with a mix of anger and vulnerability.
The Silent Culprit: Karthik's Mind Game
A few feet away on the living room couch, Karthik lies perfectly still, his eyes closed, feigning a deep, alcohol-induced slumber.
But underneath the facade, his mind is racing. The alcohol has stripped away his usual restraint, replaced by a reckless, mischievous thrill.
Hearing Shruthi blame Lokesh brings a dark, quiet amusement to his chest. He realizes he has accidental immunity.
As long as he plays dead asleep, Lokesh takes the fall. Karthik decides to lean into the chaos; he lets out a heavy, exaggerated snore, subtly shifting his position to make his "sleep" look even more convincing, all while listening intently to every word.
The Interruption: Divya Steps In
Before the argument between Shruthi and Lokesh can escalate into a full-blown shouting match, the door to the master bedroom clicks open.
Divya steps out into the hallway, a look of fierce protectiveness and exhaustion on her face. She had been trying to get her children to sleep, but the sharp whispers caught her attention.
"What is going on out here?" Divya whispers harshly, stepping between Shruthi and Lokesh.
"I told you guys to sleep. Ganesh is going to be back first thing in the morning, and the kids are finally asleep. Why are you two fighting?"
"Divya, he was looking at me in the bathroom," Shruthi says, her voice cracking as she points a finger at Lokesh.
"I swear on my life, Divya, I just walked down the hall!" Lokesh pleads, raising his hands in defense. "I didn't open any doors!"
Divya looks between the two of them, her eyes then darting over to Karthik, who is seemingly dead to the world on the couch.
The atmosphere in the house has completely changed, charged with distrust, and morning is still hours away.
Things took a darker in few hours time.
Shruthi’s heart pounds against her ribs.
She steps out of the guest room, her hair damp, wearing the clothes Divya had lent her. Her eyes lock onto Lokesh, who is standing just outside the door frame, looking slightly dazed and holding an empty glass.
"What were you doing?" Shruthi demands, her voice a sharp, trembling whisper so she doesn't wake the kids.
"Were you just peeking in on me?"
Lokesh, his brain slowed down by the alcohol, blinks in confusion. "What? No, Shruthi, I was just coming to use the washroom next door.
I didn't—"
"I heard the door, Lokesh! Don't lie to me," she snaps, her face flushed with a mix of anger and vulnerability.
The Silent Culprit: Karthik's Mind Game
A few feet away on the living room couch, Karthik lies perfectly still, his eyes closed, feigning a deep, alcohol-induced slumber.
But underneath the facade, his mind is racing. The alcohol has stripped away his usual restraint, replaced by a reckless, mischievous thrill.
Hearing Shruthi blame Lokesh brings a dark, quiet amusement to his chest. He realizes he has accidental immunity.
As long as he plays dead asleep, Lokesh takes the fall. Karthik decides to lean into the chaos; he lets out a heavy, exaggerated snore, subtly shifting his position to make his "sleep" look even more convincing, all while listening intently to every word.
The Interruption: Divya Steps In
Before the argument between Shruthi and Lokesh can escalate into a full-blown shouting match, the door to the master bedroom clicks open.
Divya steps out into the hallway, a look of fierce protectiveness and exhaustion on her face. She had been trying to get her children to sleep, but the sharp whispers caught her attention.
"What is going on out here?" Divya whispers harshly, stepping between Shruthi and Lokesh.
"I told you guys to sleep. Ganesh is going to be back first thing in the morning, and the kids are finally asleep. Why are you two fighting?"
"Divya, he was looking at me in the bathroom," Shruthi says, her voice cracking as she points a finger at Lokesh.
"I swear on my life, Divya, I just walked down the hall!" Lokesh pleads, raising his hands in defense. "I didn't open any doors!"
Divya looks between the two of them, her eyes then darting over to Karthik, who is seemingly dead to the world on the couch.
The atmosphere in the house has completely changed, charged with distrust, and morning is still hours away.
-Pickup, drop, escape.
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