Chapter 6: Secrets Between Friends

Riya didn’t say a word after dropping her notebook in the robotics lab. She simply turned and walked out, her footsteps echoing down the corridor.

Later that evening, she sat alone on the school rooftop, knees pulled to her chest, staring at the hazy Dhaka skyline. The city lights flickered uncertainly, as if reflecting her own confusion.

Kian found her there. He hesitated before sitting beside her, the silence stretching between them.

“You saw them,” he said quietly.

Riya nodded, her voice barely above a whisper. “I didn’t expect… I mean, I knew they argued, but…” She trailed off, biting her lip.

Kian looked at her, his expression soft. “You care about him, don’t you?”

Riya’s eyes glistened. “He’s always been… Arman. The one who fixes things, the one who makes me feel safe. And now…” She shook her head. “Now it feels like I don’t matter.”

Kian’s chest tightened. He had rehearsed these words in his mind countless times, but saying them now felt terrifying. “You do matter. More than you realize. To me.”

Riya turned, startled. “Kian…”

He forced a smile, though his voice trembled. “I’ve always cared about you. I just never said it because… well, because Arman was always there. But I can’t keep it inside anymore.”

The rooftop fell silent again, the weight of his confession hanging in the humid night air. Riya looked away, conflicted, her heart torn between loyalty, admiration, and the unexpected tenderness of Kian’s words.

Downstairs, Arman sat alone in the lab, replaying the day’s events. He opened his laptop, determined to push past the awkwardness and focus on the mission. As he scanned the logs, his stomach dropped.

Someone had accessed their shared folder remotely. The intrusion wasn’t from Black Circuit—it was internal.

Arman’s eyes narrowed. “No… it can’t be.”

The data trail was clear: one of them had leaked information.