29-06-2026, 12:16 AM
Chapter 77: Night of Doubts & Morning of Decisions
The night felt heavier than any they had shared before.
Nikitha lay awake in the darkness, staring at the ceiling. Jay’s steady breathing beside her should have been comforting, but tonight it only amplified her inner storm. The image of the letter, the matching handwriting, the way Jay had looked at her before walking away — it all replayed endlessly in her mind.
She turned toward him, her voice barely a whisper.
“Jay… why did you lie? I know it wasn’t you. The world can lie… but I know it wasn’t you.”
Jay stirred, eyes opening slowly. For a moment, he looked at her with deep exhaustion.
“It was me,” he said quietly. “Don’t you see me? I’m a cruel head… but it was me.”
Nikitha’s eyes filled with tears. She sat up suddenly and began slapping his chest — not hard, but repeatedly, as if trying to shake the truth out of him.
“I don’t believe you!” she whispered fiercely, tears streaming down her face. “I know you, Jay. You wouldn’t do this to me.”
She kept slapping him, her hands growing tired, her voice breaking. “Tell me the truth… please…”
Suddenly, the world jerked.
Nikitha woke up with a gasp, heart pounding. It had been a dream. She was still lying beside Jay, who was sleeping peacefully, unaware of the storm inside her.
She stared at him in the dim moonlight. The dream had felt so real — the pain, the denial, the desperate need to believe in him.
Her mind wandered back through the day. Tharun’s sacrifice. His willingness to take the blame to protect her name. His steady support even when everything was falling apart. Meanwhile, Jay… had apparently chosen to hurt her.
Why?
She wanted answers. She wanted to understand what had driven him to this. But deep down, she feared the answer. She was yet to tell him about the loan closure. She had planned to do it after the business trip. Now she wasn’t sure if she even wanted to.
Moving away might be best… instead of staying and hurting him more.
She doesn't have a heart to see him turn complete villain and destroy himself.
She picked up her phone and texted Tharun.
Nikitha: I will join the business meeting.
Tharun replied almost immediately.
Tharun: Sure, darling. But why are you texting at 1 AM?
Nikitha: Couldn’t sleep. Will you marry me if I ever love you?
Tharun sent a laughing emoji.
Nikitha: We need to speak with Mithra. Speak with her soon.
Tharun: Sure.
She kept the phone aside, her heart heavy. The night passed in restless thoughts.
Morning – The HR Meeting
The next morning, HR had called all four of them — Jay, Nikitha, Tharun, and Sharmi — into the conference room.
He explained the importance of the upcoming trip.
“This is a big opportunity. We need your best. I want to know your consent before finalizing everything.”
Nikitha surprised everyone by speaking first.
“It’s a big opportunity. We will prove ourselves if all of us join. But if I have to speak for myself… I’m in.”
Tharun followed immediately. “I’m in.”
Sharmi nodded. “We are in. Me and Jay.”
Jay looked stunned that Sharmi had spoken for him.
Sharmi gave him a subtle eye signal — say yes.
Jay hesitated, then spoke.
“No, sir. I don’t feel like it.”
Sharmi immediately interrupted. “Excuse me, sir. I’ll have a word with Jay.”
HR, Tharun, and Nikitha looked surprised as Sharmi dragged Jay outside the room.
Outside the Room
Jay got irritated the moment they were alone.
“What are you doing, Sharmi? You are going overboard. Do you think you are something to me that you can speak for me?”
Sharmi folded her hands and looked at him seriously.
“No… but why are you withdrawing yourself from such an opportunity?”
Jay’s voice was low and pained. “Don’t you know I committed a mistake?”
Sharmi looked straight into his eyes.
“You didn’t. And I know the real person”
Jay was stunned. “What? How do you know? Who was behind it?”
His ferocious nature surfaced again. Sharmi took a small step back but held her ground.
“I know it wasn’t you.
No wise man would use his own hand writing to get caught.
The real person is someone who wanted to destory three of you!
Handwriting in yours, information about Tharun and Nikitha.
I have nt see the real persons face.. But im damn sure that i could prove it… but only if you agree to join us.”
Jay was shocked. He wanted to know the truth desperately.
Do you think you can crack this and find real person.
Sharmi softened her tone. “Trust me. We will find it together.”
Jay looked into her eyes for a long moment. Something in her sincerity reached him.
A few minutes later, he exhaled deeply.
“I’m in. Let me prove my skills…
He was followed by bright Sharmi.
Who announced all set sir, book us premium cabin for four of us she joked.
The night felt heavier than any they had shared before.
Nikitha lay awake in the darkness, staring at the ceiling. Jay’s steady breathing beside her should have been comforting, but tonight it only amplified her inner storm. The image of the letter, the matching handwriting, the way Jay had looked at her before walking away — it all replayed endlessly in her mind.
She turned toward him, her voice barely a whisper.
“Jay… why did you lie? I know it wasn’t you. The world can lie… but I know it wasn’t you.”
Jay stirred, eyes opening slowly. For a moment, he looked at her with deep exhaustion.
“It was me,” he said quietly. “Don’t you see me? I’m a cruel head… but it was me.”
Nikitha’s eyes filled with tears. She sat up suddenly and began slapping his chest — not hard, but repeatedly, as if trying to shake the truth out of him.
“I don’t believe you!” she whispered fiercely, tears streaming down her face. “I know you, Jay. You wouldn’t do this to me.”
She kept slapping him, her hands growing tired, her voice breaking. “Tell me the truth… please…”
Suddenly, the world jerked.
Nikitha woke up with a gasp, heart pounding. It had been a dream. She was still lying beside Jay, who was sleeping peacefully, unaware of the storm inside her.
She stared at him in the dim moonlight. The dream had felt so real — the pain, the denial, the desperate need to believe in him.
Her mind wandered back through the day. Tharun’s sacrifice. His willingness to take the blame to protect her name. His steady support even when everything was falling apart. Meanwhile, Jay… had apparently chosen to hurt her.
Why?
She wanted answers. She wanted to understand what had driven him to this. But deep down, she feared the answer. She was yet to tell him about the loan closure. She had planned to do it after the business trip. Now she wasn’t sure if she even wanted to.
Moving away might be best… instead of staying and hurting him more.
She doesn't have a heart to see him turn complete villain and destroy himself.
She picked up her phone and texted Tharun.
Nikitha: I will join the business meeting.
Tharun replied almost immediately.
Tharun: Sure, darling. But why are you texting at 1 AM?
Nikitha: Couldn’t sleep. Will you marry me if I ever love you?
Tharun sent a laughing emoji.
Nikitha: We need to speak with Mithra. Speak with her soon.
Tharun: Sure.
She kept the phone aside, her heart heavy. The night passed in restless thoughts.
Morning – The HR Meeting
The next morning, HR had called all four of them — Jay, Nikitha, Tharun, and Sharmi — into the conference room.
He explained the importance of the upcoming trip.
“This is a big opportunity. We need your best. I want to know your consent before finalizing everything.”
Nikitha surprised everyone by speaking first.
“It’s a big opportunity. We will prove ourselves if all of us join. But if I have to speak for myself… I’m in.”
Tharun followed immediately. “I’m in.”
Sharmi nodded. “We are in. Me and Jay.”
Jay looked stunned that Sharmi had spoken for him.
Sharmi gave him a subtle eye signal — say yes.
Jay hesitated, then spoke.
“No, sir. I don’t feel like it.”
Sharmi immediately interrupted. “Excuse me, sir. I’ll have a word with Jay.”
HR, Tharun, and Nikitha looked surprised as Sharmi dragged Jay outside the room.
Outside the Room
Jay got irritated the moment they were alone.
“What are you doing, Sharmi? You are going overboard. Do you think you are something to me that you can speak for me?”
Sharmi folded her hands and looked at him seriously.
“No… but why are you withdrawing yourself from such an opportunity?”
Jay’s voice was low and pained. “Don’t you know I committed a mistake?”
Sharmi looked straight into his eyes.
“You didn’t. And I know the real person”
Jay was stunned. “What? How do you know? Who was behind it?”
His ferocious nature surfaced again. Sharmi took a small step back but held her ground.
“I know it wasn’t you.
No wise man would use his own hand writing to get caught.
The real person is someone who wanted to destory three of you!
Handwriting in yours, information about Tharun and Nikitha.
I have nt see the real persons face.. But im damn sure that i could prove it… but only if you agree to join us.”
Jay was shocked. He wanted to know the truth desperately.
Do you think you can crack this and find real person.
Sharmi softened her tone. “Trust me. We will find it together.”
Jay looked into her eyes for a long moment. Something in her sincerity reached him.
A few minutes later, he exhaled deeply.
“I’m in. Let me prove my skills…
He was followed by bright Sharmi.
Who announced all set sir, book us premium cabin for four of us she joked.
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