"I didn't even do anything," Nandini whispered.
"Exactly," Jessica said under her breath. "That's why."
The lights shimmered over the sprawling lawn of the sea-facing resort in Goa. Music played softly in the background, the clinking of champagne glasses blending with hushed whispers. The ocean breeze kissed her bare shoulders, but it didn't calm the storm brewing inside.
Nandini took another bite of the grapes on her plate, her fingers trembling slightly as she typed.
> Please come… jaldi a jao. I don't feel right.
> – Sent to: Ruhan
She stared at the message, hoping it would be enough. But ten minutes later, nothing. No reply. The silence gnawed at her. She typed again.
> Please aa jao. I really need you here.
> – Sent to: Ruhan
Her eyes flicked across the glittering crowd, only to land on the one person she wanted to avoid.
Julia.
Standing beside Neel, her boyfriend—Nandini's former best friend—wearing that smug look, wrapped in the confidence of wealth, designer couture, and venom. The same girl who, barely an hour ago, had turned Nandini's world upside down.
"Hey… what are you doing?" a voice snapped her out of her thoughts. It was Isha.
Isha—now a pilot—had once been her junior. A kind face in the crowd. But even her concern couldn't cut through the thick wall of humiliation.
"I'm not going back there," Nandini muttered.
"You can't hide forever," Isha said gently. "Besides, you didn't do anything wrong."
"Did I?" Nandini said softly. "Because it feels like I'm already guilty."
---
FLASHBACK: One Hour Earlier
The party had only just begun to glow, bathed in the gold and ivory lights reflecting off chandeliers and champagne. Laughter echoed. That's when Julia raised her voice.
"I can't find my ring!" Julia shrieked, holding her left hand up. "My engagement ring… it's gone!"
The crowd turned.
Neel rushed to her side. "What? You're sure?"
"Yes!" Julia's eyes scanned the gathering. "It was right here. I showed it to Ayesha just fifteen minutes ago."
Then her eyes landed on Nandini.
And something twisted.
"You," she said, pointing. "You were standing near me earlier. You bumped into me near the pool. You took it, didn't you?"
Nandini froze. "What are you talking about?"
"It's a 50-crore diamond ring, made by my father's company—custom design. You think I wouldn't notice if it disappeared?"
"Julia, stop," Siya said, rushing between them. "You're crossing a line."
"Siya," Julia snapped, "don't defend her. Just because she's your friend doesn't mean she can walk away with something so valuable."
"I didn't take anything!" Nandini said, her voice shaking.
"You're the only outsider here," said Antonio D'Costa with a sharp tongue. "Let's just have her checked. Right now. In front of everyone."
Whispers started swirling.
"She probably hid it somewhere."
"She did seem off lately."
"Even her dress doesn't match the crowd…"
"She hasn't changed at all."
Nandini's heart was racing. It wasn't just the insult—it was the silence of the girls standing around. No one spoke up. Not one.
Except Siya. Only Siya.
"She didn't do it," Siya said firmly. "I trust her."
"That's sweet," said Khushboo, folding her arms. "But trust doesn't mean innocence."
Jessica smirked. "Sometimes, people do shocking things when money's involved."
The humiliation was unbearable.
Nandini's eyes welled up. But she wouldn't cry. Not here. Not in front of these people.
---
Present
"I can't breathe here," Nandini said to Isha, moving away. "They all think I'm a thief."
"They don't matter," Isha said, but even her voice held hesitation.
And then—just when the noise and accusations began to bubble up again—she saw someone entering the lawn.
Not in a designer tux. Not in flashy shoes.
Ruhan.
He wore a simple black shirt, sleeves rolled to the forearm, faded jeans, and walking shoes that probably cost less than Julia's nail polish.
He walked in as if he belonged.
The crowd fell silent.
"Who's he?" whispered someone.
"Looks like a driver," someone else chuckled.
But then the unexpected happened.
Antonio D'Costa's expression changed.
Tony adjusted his collar nervously.
Abhishek cleared his throat and stepped forward with an awkward smile.
Neel… Neel looked stunned.
"Ruhan Bhai…" Antonio said, his tone shifting from arrogance to submission. "We didn't know you were coming."
Even Julia's smile faltered.
"Ruhan?" she said. "This is the Ruhan you always talk about?"
She burst into laughter. "He looks like someone who took a wrong turn from the streets."
Nandini's eyes widened. "Julia—stop—"
But Ruhan raised his hand. Calmly.
He walked toward Julia, looked her in the eye, and said quietly, "You think your ring is worth something? You think what you wear defines your value?"
He didn't wait for an answer.
Instead, he turned to Nandini.
"You okay?" he asked, his voice gentle.
She nodded, blinking back the tears.
"What's happening here?" he asked the group.
"Apparently," Neel said, "Julia lost her ring. And—"
Before he could finish, Julia interrupted again. "And she's the only one who could've taken it."
That's when Ruhan did something no one expected.
He turned to Neel. "You believe this?"
Neel hesitated.
"I…" he looked at Julia, then at Nandini, then Ruhan.
And then—*slap.*
The sound echoed across the lawn.
Neel had slapped Julia. Hard.
Gasps erupted.
"You humiliated a girl in front of everyone. Over a ring that was never even hers to begin with."
"What are you talking about?" Julia shrieked, holding her cheek.
"I never gave you the ring," Neel said coldly. "I kept it in my pocket that day… I was still thinking."
He pulled it out now. A velvet box.
The ring.
"You lied," he said.
Julia's face went pale.
And with that, the tides shifted.
---
To Be Continued…