Meanwhile, Maya had already returned to her sketchbook.
Scratch..... Scratch.....Scratch.
Scratch..... Scratch.....Scratch.
The familiar sound filled the hall.
Several relatives stared.
Then stared harder, "H...How is she drawing right now?"
"Good question."
"Shouldn't today be emotionally overwhelming?"
Maya didn't even look up.
Fahan pointed dramatically, "See?"
"See what?"
"That's the scary one."
Maya finally raised her eyes.
"...."
Fahan immediately lowered his hand, "I apologize."
Farhan stared, "Why is she always drawing during the most dramatic moments?"
" Because she is crazy. "
Murmurs arose, soft and fragmented:
" Ohhh God. "
"How can anyone endure so much suffering?"
" That's Impossible…"
"We're too late to find her. "
"This is connected," Faha said quickly.
"The video, him, Maya—this is all the same thing."
Fahad snapped back,
"Obviously it is! But what thing?
What are we missing?"
Fahim's voice cut in,
"We're not missing it."
He looked directly at Maya.
"We're just seeing it too late."
"You're referring to the video. "
Fahim nodded once, "Yes."
Fahim leaned slightly forward now. "Rahi…Whatever happened back then didn't just affect her."
He nodded toward Rahi, "It affected you too."
The voices in the hall kept circling.
Maya closed her sketchbook. The pencil was placed down beside it.
Slowly, She gets up from her seat and walked toward the nearest exit.
Fahim noticed first, "Maya?"
She didn't respond.
Fahan blinked, "Where is she going?"
Mahi turned slightly, "Maya, wait—"
Maya stepped out. The doors closed softly behind her.
Fahan exhaled slowly, "...She left."
Fahim rubbed his temple, "Honestly… I don't blame her."
Rahi finally spoke, "She doesn't like noise."
Mahi looked at him, "You mean the conversation?"
Rahi shook his head slightly, "Everything that sounds like digging."
Every family member, understood that Maya's past was not easy. She had to endure a lot of hardship.
Fahan exhaled slowly,
"We thought she was just… distant. Quiet."
He let out a bitter breath. "This isn't quiet. This is—"
He stopped.
Because there were no words big enough.
Each sigh, each rustle of silk or whisper of velvet, a prelude to the revelation that was about to shatter the meticulously curated calm.
The chandeliers burned steadily above but no warmth came from them.
Light fell across tense faces, rigid shoulders, unmoving hands.
No one touched their drinks anymore, no one pretended.
Faces that were usually relaxed at gatherings now held tension like a held blade.
Fahad broke first, his voice was low, "This ends tonight."
Fahan turned sharply, "Ends?
You think this ends with answers?"
"It starts with them," Fahad snapped.
"We've been blind long enough."
Fahim adjusted his glasses slightly,
"We weren't blind, we were… kept blind."
"We need to know the past of Maya."
Another added, almost mocking, "Numbers instead of names?
'Subject'?
What is this—some kind of experiment?"
A ripple moved through the group.
Naya's voice trembled, but she didn't stay silent, "She's family."
"Is she?" Ohi shot back.
Mahim finally spoke, "We will not raise our voices like this."
Fahad turned to him immediately, "Then give us something else, Baba.
Because right now, all we have is silence—and that silence is worse than anything she could say."
A pause.
"What happened to her?"
Fahan ran a hand through his hair,
"We saw the video, we saw Rahi. We heard what he said."
His voice tightened, "You don't get like that from nothing."
Fahim nodded slightly, "That level of response… that's conditioning. Long-term trauma."
He looked toward the doorway Maya had disappeared through earlier,
"Whatever she went through—it wasn't short. It wasn't simple."
One of the aunts whispered , "Why didn't she tell us?"
Fahad answered before anyone else could, "Because she doesn't trust us."
Anik, who had remained silent until now. finally spoke, "She doesn't trust anyone."
All eyes turned to him.
"And yet—she stays. She eats at the same table."
A faint pause.
"That means something."
Fahan narrowed his eyes, "Say it clearly."
Anik's gaze didn't waver, "It means at lest she's not afraid of us ."
Mahim's expression hardened slightly, "Enough speculation."
But even he couldn't fully stop it now.
Because the room had already crossed that line— from curiosity…into need.
Fahad's voice came more dangerous, "No. At this point, it's not curiosity anymore."
Fahan nodded slowly, "And she won't give it willingly. She won't tell the truth."
Farhan looked down at his hands, "Then maybe we shouldn't take it."
Fahad replied, "We already did the moment we watched that video."
Nahi spoke more quietly now, "If she won't speak…"
Ohi finished it,"…we make her."
Mahi shook her head immediately, "No. Absolutely not."
But her voice trembled.
Because even she— wanted to know.
The family settled back into the sofas one by one, as if the weight of the earlier conversation had slowly pressed them down into place.
Silk creased softly under shifting bodies.
Crystal glasses were turned in slow, distracted circles.
But no one was truly relaxed anymore.
Rahi had already left.
Long before the discussion even reached its second breath, he had followed Maya's absence like a shadow that refused to announce itself.
Ohi broke the silence first, "We have to do something."
A few heads turned.
Fahim leaned back slightly, fingers interlaced "I've developed something recently."
Fahan tilted his head, "Developed… what exactly?"
Fahim answered without hesitation, "A compound. Something I've been calling 'Truth Serum '."
A brief silence followed.
Mahim's eyes narrowed slightly, "And what does it do?"
Fahim adjusted his glasses, "It does exactly what the name suggests."
A faint pause.
"It suppresses conscious filtering. Weakens resistance and increases verbal disclosure of deeply buried memories."
He glanced across the room.
"Not hypnosis, not coercion in the traditional sense."
Fahan gave a low whistle, "That sounds… dangerously efficient.
You're telling me you made a drug that makes people unable to lie?"
"In controlled dosage, yes."
A faint, uneasy laugh escaped Faha, "That's… actually insane."
He smirked faintly, "So basically, you're saying it forces honesty."
"Functionally."
Fahim replied, "yes. It reduces the brain's ability to maintain controlled narrative construction."
Fahan frowned, "Controlled what?"
Fahim clarified without irritation, "Every person filters memory before speaking. Even when they think they're being honest."
He tapped lightly on the table.
"There is always selection. Emotional shielding. This removes that layer of control."
Fahim continued. "It works on three primary mechanisms.
ONE—
Cognitive inhibition weakens. The subject struggles to suppress thoughts they normally keep unspoken.
TWO—
Emotional recall becomes dominant. The strongest associated memories surface first, regardless of intent.
THREE—
Associative linkage increases. One memory triggers connected fragments rapidly, creating uncontrolled continuity of recall."
Mahim's voice was firm, "And side effects?"
Fahim answered immediately, "Memory fragmentation under stress. Emotional flooding.
Temporary dissociation in extreme cases."
Fahad folded his arms.
His expression had already shifted into planning.
"Then the question isn't what it is. It's how we use it."
Fahis spoke quietly from the side, eyes half-lowered in thought,
"Her observation ability is too sharp."
A pause.
"If she suspects even a fraction of manipulation… she'll shut everything down before it starts."
Mahim nodded slowly, "That level of awareness doesn't allow mistakes."
Fahan exhaled, "So direct approach is impossible."
Fahad's gaze sharpened, "Then we don't go direct."
Ohi leaned forward slightly, "What are you suggesting?"
Fahad answered without looking away, "We use proximity."
A pause.
"Something she won't question."
Fahim's eyes narrowed slightly, already following the logic, "Medical context."
"Exactly."
Faha tapped the armrest lightly, "Like medication."
Farhan finally spoke, "And who delivers it?"
The room hesitated.
"RAHI."
A few reactions shifted instantly.
Ohi frowned, "Why him?"
Nahi answered before anyone else could, "Because he's already close to her."
A pause.
"And she doesn't treat him like a threat."
Ohi looked unconvinced, "He won't agree."
"He doesn't need to be told everything."
A beat.
"He just needs to be told enough."
Fahan let out a slow breath, "So you're saying… we guide him without him realizing the full picture."
Nahi nodded slightly, "Not deception. Selective truth."
"And if she notices the shift?"
Silence.
Fahad answered quietly, "Then we already failed."
Nahi leaned forward slightly, "He'll just bring her medicine. Fever treatment. Water. Normal."
A pause.
"And if the serum is already mixed in—he won't question it."
Ohi narrowed his eyes, "That depends on timing."
He tapped the armrest lightly, "We only need one opportunity. One moment where she doesn't overthink."
"Rahi is already close to her. Closer than the rest of us. He's the least likely to be suspected."
Fahad looked around the room, "And if she finds out?"
Before anyone else could answer—
Farhan turned toward him. A look of pure annoyance crossing his face.
"Do you ever say anything optimistic?"
Several people glanced between them.
Farhan threw his hands into the air, "Honestly, bhai, every time you speak, it's either a disaster scenario or a warning."
Fahad raised an eyebrow, "I prefer preparation."
"You prefer assuming the worst."
"I prefer surviving the worst."
Farhan groaned, "See? This is exactly what I'm talking about."
A few relatives failed to suppress their laughter.
Fahan leaned back against the sofa, "He does have a point."
Farhan immediately pointed at him, "Don't encourage him."
"I'm not."
"You are."
Fahan shrugged, "A little."
Farhan rubbed his forehead, "This family is impossible."
"Genetics," Fahan replied immediately.
A cushion flew across the room. Fahan barely avoided it.
Rahi walks into the living room just as another round of whispering begins.
Everyone immediately goes quiet.
Which, somehow, looks even more suspicious.
Rahi stops in the doorway, "...What?"
Nobody answers.
Rahi narrows his eyes, "Why does it look like you're planning a coup?"
Fahan coughs, "No reason."
"That answer makes it worse."
Farhan quickly looks away.
Rahi folds his arms, "Did the world end while I was upstairs?"
Silence.
"Is a meteor coming?"
No response.
"Is civilization collapsing?"
Still nothing.
Rahi sighs dramatically,
"Because judging by your faces, I assume we're approximately three minutes away from extinction."
Farhan immediately points at him.
"When?"
"What?"
"When does civilization collapse?"
Rahi blinks,
"See? This is exactly what I mean."
Several people fail to hide their laughter.
"You all look like you're attending a funeral."
Fahad crosses his arms, "Some of us are thinking."
Rahi looks unimpressed, "Dangerous activity."
Fahan laughs.
Farhan nearly falls off the sofa.
Meanwhile Fahim ignores all of them, "How is Maya?"
The question immediately shifts the atmosphere.
Rahi's expression becomes more serious, "I think the fever is coming back."
Fahim sits upright instantly, "What?"
"Not as bad as before."
"That's not the point."
Fahim stands immediately.
Within seconds he's already moving toward a cabinet.
Opening drawers.
Checking supplies, collecting medicine.
The entire family watches.
Fahan glances at Farhan, "There goes Doctor Mode again."
"He's already gone."
"Completely."
A few moments later Fahim returns with medicine and a glass of water.
He practically shoves them toward Rahi, "Take this upstairs."
Rahi raises an eyebrow, "You're giving me orders now?"
"Yes."
"...Fair enough."
Fahim points toward the staircase, "And make sure she actually takes it."
Rahi immediately nods, "Good point."
Fahim stares, "No, seriously."
"I know."
"No. You don't understand."
He points dramatically, "Maya's judgment regarding her own health is terrible."
Several people nod immediately.
"Agreed."
"Absolutely."
"Unquestionably."
Farhan raises a hand,
"Can we officially classify her as a danger to herself?"
"Seconded."
"Approved."
The motion somehow receives unanimous support.
Rahi laughs, "You aren't wrong."
Fahim rubs his forehead,
"She could have a fever of one hundred and four degrees and still say she's fine."
Fahan shakes his head, "I still can't believe that happened."
Farhan leans back, "The fever was probably confused."
Everyone looks at him.
"What?"
"The fever expected her to rest."
Even Rahi lets out a small laugh,
"Honestly, the fever deserves an apology."
"Yes."
"Good luck with that."
Rahi takes the medicine. Takes the water, starts walking toward the stairs.
Then pauses.
"Oh."
Everyone looks up.
"What now?"
Rahi points toward Fahim, "If she refuses, you're explaining it."
Fahim immediately shakes his head, "No."
"You made the medicine."
"You are closer to her."
"Exactly."
"Then you do it."
The argument begins immediately.
Meanwhile the rest of the family watches.
Entirely entertained.
Rahi disappears up the staircase, carrying the medicine and water.
The moment he is out of sight—
the living room grows quiet for exactly three seconds.
Then Ohi leans back into the sofa. A slow smile appears on his face, "Well."
Several people look toward him.
"The target practically walked into the net by himself."
Farhan immediately starts laughing, "Don't say it like we're planning a heist."
"It sounds exactly like a heist."
"It feels like one."
Fahan points toward the staircase,
"Meanwhile, the only person completely unaware of whatever nonsense is happening down here is Rahi."
"That's normal."
Fahim suddenly speaks, "You know what's strange?"
Everyone turns toward him.
"What?"
Fahim looks genuinely thoughtful, "For the first time in my life...I'm slightly relieved that someone is sick."
The room falls silent.
Fahan blinks, "What kind of doctor says that?"
Fahim adjusts his glasses,
"You know...This may be the first time in my life that someone's illness has accidentally created a research opportunity."
"See."
Fahan immediately joins in,
"That's called being excited about experiments at a family gathering."
Fahim points accusingly at everyone, "I spend years studying medicine."
Nobody responds.
"I dedicate my life to science."
Still nothing.
"I contribute to society."
Farhan raises a hand,
"And yet somehow you're discussing research opportunities while your sister has a fever."
More laughter.
"Did you give the medicine? " Faha asked.
"Yes."
"When did you do it?"
Fahim adjusted his glasses. "When I handed him the water."
Ohi blinked, "...You already mixed it?"
"Obviously."
"You are really a genius. "
"It is good to use the opportunity honestly. "
"That's concerningly efficient."
"Thanks ."
"That wasn't a compliment."
"I chose to accept it as one."
Fahad turned, "How long will the medicine take to work? "
" Within 5 minutes. "
Ohi leans back against the sofa, A slow smile appears on her face.
"The opportunity practically walked upstairs by itself."
Farhan grins, "You're thinking the same thing I am."
"Probably."
Fahan looks between them suspiciously.
"Why do both of you suddenly look like villains?"
"Because we're related to you."
Fahim drops his head into one hand, "I live among lunatics."
"You're related to us."
"Unfortunately."
Fahim rubs his forehead. "Can all of you stop treating me like a comic-book villain?"
"Too late."
A chill crept through the room.
The medicine was already gone upstairs in Rahi's hands.
He believed he was carrying nothing more than fever medicine.
He had joked, promised to make sure Maya took it.
He didn't know.
Not one person had told him.
The silence in the living room grew heavier.
Even those who had agreed with the plan avoided looking at one another.
For the first time, the cost of what they had done began to settle over them.
Farhan broke the silence, "...We're using him."
Fahim looked toward the staircase, "It was the only opportunity."
Mahim's expression remained unreadable, "...I hope you're right."
Above them, footsteps echoed faintly.
Rahi was already walking toward Maya's room.
Completely unaware...
that the person he trusted to prepare the medicine had turned him into an unwilling participant.
He paused outside Maya's bedroom door. For a brief moment, he simply stood there.
The corridor was quiet, the silence broken only by the distant murmur of voices drifting up from the hall below.
He knocked lightly,"May I come in?"
No answer.
After a few seconds, he pushed the door open.
The room was dimly lit.
Moonlight spilled through the curtains, washing the floor in pale silver.
Maya sat by the window, a sketchbook resting on her lap.
The soft scratch of her pencil was the only sound.
She didn't look up.
Rahi stepped inside and closed the door behind him,His eyes lingered on her for a moment.
She looked composed—as if nothing from earlier had happened.
Yet somehow, that calm made him worry even more.
He walked over slowly,"You still have a fever."
Silence.
He held out the glass of water and the medicine Fahim had given him,
"Fahim insisted."
Only then did Maya lift her gaze.
Her black eyes rested on the medicine for a second.
Then on Rahi.
Without asking a single question...Without suspicion...She reached out.
The tablets disappeared into her palm.
She placed them in her mouth, accepted the glass, and swallowed them with a few quiet sips.
The room fell silent again.
Rahi released a breath he hadn't realized he was holding ,"Good."
A faint smile appeared on his face.
"I thought I'd have to argue with you."
Maya simply returned the empty glass.
"..."
He accepted it with a small chuckle.
"Still as talkative as ever."
There was no reply.
He didn't seem to mind.
He set the glass on the nearby table.
Then glanced toward the closed sketchbook.
"You haven't eaten yet, have you?"
Maya gave a small shake of her head.
"I thought so."
He folded his arms,
"Come downstairs in a little while and eat something."
"...Okay."
"Good."
He turned toward the door before stopping for a moment,"If the fever gets worse..."
He looked back at her.
"...tell someone this time."
Maya lowered her eyes again, her fingers resting lightly on the edge of the sketchbook.
He understood that was the closest thing to an answer he was going to get.
"Rest for a bit."
He quietly opened the door and stepped back into the hallway.
The door clicked shut behind him.
Inside the room, the moonlight rested across her face as silence settled around her.
A few minutes later—
The sound of footsteps drifted down the staircase.
Every conversation stopped, every head turned.
Maya walked into the living room.
A faint trace of fever still lingered in her features, but otherwise she looked exactly the same as always.
Her black eyes moved across the room.
Taking in every face.
Everyone was staring at her.
Silence.
She blinked once, "What happened?"
Fahan nearly choked.
Several people exchanged looks.
Mahim looked at Fahim.
He stared back, "...That shouldn't be possible."
Faha slowly leaned toward Fahim and whispered into his ear,
"Did the serum not work?"
He adjusted his glasses, his expression had become unusually thoughtful,
"It worked."
"What?"
"It definitely worked."
"Then why is she acting normal?"
Fahim glanced toward Maya,
"Because it didn't break through everything."
A pause.
"The serum weakens psychological barriers."
Fahan immediately joined the whispering.
"And?"
"And Maya apparently has more barriers than any human being I've ever studied."
The room fell silent again.
Farhan stared,
"How many barriers are we talking about?"
"I have absolutely no idea."
Meanwhile—
Maya continued staring at them,
"...Are you all having a secret meeting?"
"No."
Everyone answered at once.
She looked unconvinced.
Farhan covered his face, "We are terrible at this."
"Exceptionally terrible."
"Historically terrible."
Fahim lowered his voice even further,
"The serum weakened some layers."
"But?"
"But it didn't reach the deepest structures."
Faha blinked, "Structures?"
"You call them secrets. I call them defensive architecture."
Fahan groaned, "You really are a scientist."
"Thank you."
"That wasn't praise."
Fahim ignored him,
"If I had to guess...The First Layer Collapsed, The Second Layer Weakened,The Third Layer Resisted."
Farhan slowly raised a hand,
"Why does that sound like we're discussing a fortress?"
"Because I think, we are."
The silence settled over the room .
Not with fear—but with frustration.
The truth had been within reach...
and yet somehow, it had slipped through their fingers.
Faha rubbed both hands over his face,
"So...What do we do now?"
He remained silent for several long seconds, his eyes fixed on Maya.
" Truth Serum... Failed. There is one option left."
Mahim frowned, "What option?"
Fahim adjusted his glasses,
"Memory Extractor."
Silence.
Fahan was the first to react, "...You're serious?"
"I am."
"You mean...Actually view her memories?"
"Yes."
Mahi slowly shook her head.
"Fahim...That's not just asking someone a question."
Farhan looked toward Maya.
She stood quietly by the doorway, unaware that the conversation had turned toward the deepest part of her life.
"Wouldn't that be.....a violation?"
Mahim slowly exhaled,
"If we do this...there is no undoing it."
"We've already crossed that line....we became part of this."
Farhan lowered his eyes,"...He's right."
Faha rubbed the back of his neck,
"I don't like it....But I can't pretend I don't want answers anymore."
"If we stop now...we'll spend the rest of our lives wondering what really happened."
Naya clasped her hands together,
"We're already involved,there is no stepping back now."
One by one...Heads began to nod around the room.
Mahim looked toward Fahim, "...Very well."
Fahim inclined his head,
"If the remaining barriers are weakened,
the Memory Extractor should eventually reach the buried memories."
Fahan stared,
"You're talking about her mind like it's a military bunker."
"That is currently the most accurate comparison."