As soon as that sharp stone struck the middle of the boy's head, a terrifying sound echoed. Without a word, the boy collapsed straight to the ground. The stone had embedded itself deep into his skull. Ishan's anger vanished in an instant, replaced by a trembling fear.
Ishan stood there frozen, paralyzed by indecision. Just then, Vikas and Arya rushed toward the boy. Arya leaned down, checking his breath and then his pulse. Her face turned pale with dread. In a grave voice, she told Ishan, "Ishan, he's dead! You've killed him; his heart has stopped beating."
Hearing Arya's words, Ishan was devastated. Vikas immediately scanned both sides of the road to see if anyone was coming. There was nothing but silence. Looking Ishan directly in the eyes, Vikas said, "Ishan, pull yourself together! Look, no one has come this way yet, and no one has seen us. If we leave now, no one will ever know."
Arya agreed, saying, "Vikas is right. If someone sees us with this body, our entire lives will be ruined. We didn't know this boy, and he didn't know us. It's best to slip away quietly."
Vikas added, "Yes, running is the right move, but first, let's hide the body in that old hut." Vikas and Arya then lifted the boy's body and placed it inside the nearby hut. Ishan watched everything in silence, feeling as though he were trapped in a nightmare.
After fleeing the scene, the three of them got into Ishan's car and drove straight to Vikas's house. Ishan was so terrified that he didn't go home that night and stayed with Vikas instead. Arya, also deeply shaken, took Ishan's car and went to her own house. They believed this secret was buried forever—but today, that same boy appears in the form of Ishan's son, Ivan.
When Ivan discovered that his father had killed that boy (Amardeep), he felt terrible. He was torn about what to do. Should he tell everyone the truth? Should he send his own father to jail? He was lost in these thoughts.
On the other hand, Ishan's mental state was deteriorating. While driving, he was haunted by the thought of whether he should kill his own son. He feared that Ivan might kill him first. Meanwhile, another question plagued Ivan: where did the body disappear from the hut that night? And who was that boy planning to fight? The complete truth was still hidden. Ivan decided he needed to find these answers before doing anything else.
A while later, Ishan reached home. The next morning, as he was leaving his room, he heard the sound of someone crying. He stopped and listened intently. It sounded like Ivan. Trembling with fear, he slowly approached Ivan's room. The sobbing grew louder as he got closer.
Just as Ishan was about to enter the room in a panic, Ivan stepped out quietly, and the crying suddenly stopped. Ivan was leaving for tuition. Ishan stopped him and asked, "Son, were you crying?" Ivan replied with surprise, "No, why would I be crying early in the morning?" Ivan stared at his father for a moment and then left.
Ishan was left puzzled, wondering, "Is Ivan trying to scare me? Is he just pretending to be innocent?" Meanwhile, as Ivan left the house, he thought that his father was so consumed by fear that he had started hallucinating.
After tuition, Ivan followed his usual routine. After coming from school and having lunch, he headed to Vikas's house to retrieve his smartwatch. On the way, he called Vikas's daughter, Tara. When she picked up, Ivan asked, "How are you, Tara? Who else is at home?" Tara replied, "I'm fine. Mom and dad aren't home right now; I'm alone watching a movie."
Ivan noticed the car parked outside and no one around. He sneakily approached the car, opened the door, and pulled out his smartwatch, which was taped under the seat, tucking it into his pocket. Then, he rang the doorbell. Tara was surprised to see him. She took him inside and offered him tea.
After returning home, Ivan had many questions about Amardeep. He could have asked Twinkle at school, but he didn't want to take his friendship with her any further. He felt it was better to find out on his own. So, he went to Twinkle's village with a friend from his own village.
Upon arriving, they stopped at a small shop. The shopkeeper stared at Ivan intently, as if he couldn't believe his eyes. Noticing the gaze, Ivan struck up a conversation: "Uncle, I heard a boy lived in this village ten years ago who looked exactly like me. I think his name was Amardeep?"
The shopkeeper took a deep breath and said, "Yes, son, you're right. You look exactly like him."
Curiously, Ivan asked, "I heard he suddenly disappeared. Do you know how it happened?"
The shopkeeper replied, "Son, ten years ago, Amardeep..."