It wasn’t a long ride, barely twenty minutes but it felt longer than it should’ve been. The car hummed softly through the narrow lanes, headlights cutting through the dim orange glow of the street lamps. Neither of them said a word. Kaushiki sat quietly, her fingers nervously tracing the edge of the biryani packet on her lap. Nirvan glanced at her once or twice, sensing the heaviness in the air, but didn’t speak.

When the car finally stopped in front of a small house, she immediately turned towards him. “Wait here,” she said quickly.