Late afternoon settled over the penthouse, the sunlight stretching across the marble floors like it was in no hurry to leave.

Kiara stood in the kitchen, sleeves rolled neatly, her movements controlled but quieter than usual.Aarav leaned against the counter, arms crossed, watching her for a moment before speaking.

“So why are you cooking?” he asked.

Kiara didn’t look up. “We have a schedule.”

He waited.

“Saturday lunch, I'll cook. Dinner, you do,” she said. “Sunday, we switch.”

“And weekdays?”

“We'll do it ogether.”

“…I'm fine with it,” he said.

The silence that followed wasn’t normal. It carried weight that hadn’t left since morning.

Kiara plated the food and moved to the table. Aarav followed, sitting across from her. Neither of them started eating immediately.

“Give me your phone,” he said.

She unlocked it, slid it across without hesitation. He dialed the number again. Speaker on. The number you are trying to reach is currently switched off.

He ended the call, expression unchanged. “Burner.”

“Obviously.”

Aarav leaned back slightly. “Timing was intentional.”

“Like it's weekend, morning on top of that. When we’re not surrounded by people,” Kiara added.

“And when you’d actually pick up,” he said.

Their eyes met briefly. Same conclusion.

Kiara finally picked up her spoon. “So someone who knows enough to be precise.”

“Or someone guessing well.”

“No,” she said immediately. “That wasn’t guessing.”

Aarav reached for his phone and dialed. It rang twice.

“Finally,” a voice answered. “You remembered I exist.”

Aarav didn’t bother with a greeting. “Neel.”

Kiara leaned back slightly, listening.

“What happened now?” Neel’s tone was casual, almost amused.

“Not me,” Aarav said. “We need a trace.”

“We?” Neel caught that instantly. “Oh this sounds interesting. Should I be concerned or entertained?”

Kiara spoke this time, her voice calm but sharp. “Try useful.”

“…Kiara?” Neel let out a short breath. “Okay, now I’m definitely entertained.”

“Focus,” Aarav said flatly.

“Fine, fine. What’s the number?”

Aarav read it out. Keys clicking on the other end.

“Give me a minute… and don’t rush me,” Neel added. “Unlike you, I like doing things properly.”

Kiara tapped her fingers lightly against the table. Aarav didn’t say anything.

A minute passed.

“Yeah, this is layered,” Neel said. “Not your average prank call.”

Aarav’s gaze sharpened slightly. “Details.”

“Routed through multiple masks. Definitely a burner. But—” he paused.

“But?” Kiara pressed.

“But whoever did this knows what they’re doing. This isn’t random tech usage. It’s deliberate.”

Silence.

“Location?” Aarav asked.

“Working on it. I’ll call you back.”

The line cut. Aarav set his phone down.

Kiara exhaled slowly. “So not careless.”

“Not amateur.”

They let that settle. Then Kiara stood up and walked toward the study. Aarav followed without a word.

The screen lit up, casting a sharper light across the room.

Aarav pulled up a list of names, companies, associations. Kiara stood beside him now, arms folded, gaze fixed.

“Start with motive,” she said.

“Too broad.”

“Then narrow it.”

Aarav filtered it. “People who benefit if this marriage fails.”

It was still too long.

Kiara didn’t react. “Remove the obvious competitors.”

He filtered.

“Remove anyone who gains publicly,” she continued. “They won’t warn. They’ll wait.”

Another filter. The list shrank.

“Now personal connections,” Aarav added.

Names shifted.

Kiara leaned in slightly. “No. Not close ones.”

He glanced at her.

“Close ones don’t hide,” she said. “They confront.”

That left a different category entirely. People who knew enough, but stayed just outside visibility. Nine.

Aarav stared at it for a second.

Kiara didn’t look surprised. “That’s more realistic.”

He leaned back slightly. “Let’s break it.”

She nodded once.

“First,” she said, pointing. “Business rival with personal history.”

Aarav’s jaw tightened slightly. “He wouldn’t warn.”

“Agreed. Remove him.”

Next.

“Former investor.”

“He lost money. Not relevance,” Aarav said. “Not enough motive.”

Gone.

“Media connection?”

“Too risky,” Kiara said. “If this leaks, they lose credibility.”

Removed. The list dropped to six. Silence stretched as they studied it.

Aarav spoke first. “Now people who think they have a claim.”

Kiara’s eyes flickered slightly. “That’s not a small category.”

“Still smaller than before.”

They filtered again. Four names. The room felt quieter and more focused.

Kiara pointed at one. “This one.”

Aarav didn’t respond immediately.

“Too obvious?” she asked.

“Yes.”

“Or too close?”

His gaze shifted to hers. Then he removed it.

Three left.

Before either of them could say anything Aarav’s phone rang. It was Neel.

He picked up immediately. “Yeah.”

“Okay, so good news and bad news,” Neel said.

“Start talking.”

“Call didn’t leave the city.”

Kiara straightened slightly.

“And?” Aarav asked.

“And,” Neel continued, “last active was from a cluster, not a fixed location.”

“What does that mean?” Kiara asked.

“It means,” Neel said, “whoever did this didn’t stay in one place. They moved. Or used a relay.”

A pause.

“Professional,” Aarav said.

“Or paranoid,” Neel added. “Which, honestly, same thing at this level.”

Kiara exchanged a glance with Aarav.

“Anything else?” Aarav asked.

“Yeah,” Neel said, tone shifting slightly. “This wasn’t a one-time setup. The number’s been active before. Not much, but enough.”

Aarav’s expression stilled. “For what?”

“Can’t pull content,” Neel replied. “But pattern-wise? Short calls. Limited usage. Very controlled.”

Kiara leaned against the desk slightly. “So this isn’t impulsive.”

“Nope,” Neel said. “Whoever this is… they’ve been preparing.”

Silence.

“Send me the logs,” Aarav said.

“Already doing it,” Neel replied. Then added, lighter, “Also, next time you call me like this, at least pretend to ask how I’m doing.”

“You’re alive,” Aarav said. “That’s enough.”

Kiara added calmly, “Don’t get used to politeness.”

Neel laughed. “Wow. You two are perfect.”

The call was cut. The room felt different now. Kiara looked back at the screen.

Three names.

She tapped the table lightly. “We’re missing something.”

Aarav didn’t disagree.

“This isn’t just about you,” she said. “Or me.”

“It’s about control,” he replied.

“And access.”

A pause.

Then Kiara said quietly, “They knew I’d pick up.”

Aarav looked at her.

“They knew your routine enough,” he said slowly.

“And you,” she added.

Aarav turned back to the system, pulling up a different set of data.

“Then we expand,” he said.

“Not randomly,” Kiara replied. “Strategically.”

He nodded once.

“People who have had access,” she continued. “Recently.”

Aarav’s fingers moved again. The list grew. Not cleaner it seemed  more complicated. Kiara exhaled slowly, her gaze steady.

“This isn’t going to be quick.”

Aarav glanced at her. “I didn’t expect it to be.”

Silence fell for a few seconds.

“Dinner’s your responsibility,” she said, turning slightly toward the door.

He almost smirked. “You’re still thinking about that?”

“I don’t leave things incomplete.”

He nodded once. “I noticed.”

She paused at the door.

“Next move?” she asked.

Aarav’s gaze shifted back to the screen.

“We don’t react,” he said calmly.

“We observe.”

Kiara held his gaze for a second longer. Then nodded once. Because whatever this was, it wasn’t simple. And it definitely wasn’t over.