The Truth

The next day, Anushka found herself standing outside the Bendilani family home, her stomach in knots. She'd been invited for lunch, and while she was grateful for the distraction, the weight of Mark's absence hung heavy in the air. She took a deep breath, smoothing her dress before ringing the doorbell.

Monica opened the door, her usual calm demeanor softened by a warm smile. "Anushka, come in. We're so glad you could join us."

Anushka forced a smile, stepping inside. The house was alive with the sounds of laughter and chatter, but there was an undercurrent of tension that no one could ignore. Mark's absence was palpable, a silent void that everyone was trying to fill with forced cheerfulness.

The dining table was set beautifully, with plates of food laid out and the family gathered around. Dad sat at the head of the table, his presence commanding as always. Monica was to his right, her eyes scanning the room with quiet observation. Emily and Jacqueline as always were engaged in a lighthearted debate about something work-related, while Jerry was sneakily playing a game on his phone. And then there was me, sitting quietly but soaking in every detail.

Anushka took her seat after greeting everyone, her heart racing as Dad turned to her with a kind smile. "So, Anushka, nice meeting you finally. but I'm just eager, how did you come to know Mark?"

Anushka hesitated, her mind flashing back to the first time she'd met Mark—cold and distant, but with a spark of something deeper that had drawn her in. "I… I applied for the trainee program at Cyber Genesis," she said, her voice steady despite her nerves. "Mark was my supervisor. He saw something in me and decided to employ me fully."

Dad nodded, his expression thoughtful. "Mark has always had a good eye for talent. I'm glad he brought you into the company."

The conversation flowed easily after that, with Emily and Jacqueline teasing Anushka about her "special relationship" with Mark. But everyone was careful not to dwell on his absence too much, the unspoken worry hanging over the table like a dark cloud.

Just as the meal was winding down, the doorbell rang again. Emily stood to answer it, and a moment later, Amos walked in. His eyes immediately landed on Monica, and for a moment, he froze, his expression a mix of admiration and nervousness. But he quickly composed himself, turning to Dad with a respectful nod.

"Mr. Bendilani," Amos said, his voice steady. "I hope I'm not intruding."

Dad waved a hand, his tone welcoming. "Not at all, Amos. Join us. We were just finishing up lunch."

Amos hesitated, his eyes flicking to Monica again before he shook his head. "Thank you, but I'm fine. I just… I came as soon as I heard about Mark."

The room fell silent, the weight of his words sinking in. Anushka's heart skipped a beat, her eyes locking onto Amos as he continued.

"I… I need to tell you something," Amos said, his voice low but firm. He glanced at me and hesitated for a moment before taking a deep breath. "Mark came to me a week ago. He asked me for a gun."

The room erupted into gasps and murmurs, the tension skyrocketing. Anushka's hands trembled, her mind racing as she tried to process what Amos was saying. But before she could speak, Amos continued.

"I didn't want to give it to him, but he was desperate. He said he needed it for protection, that he was going to confront someone dangerous. I tried to talk him out of it, but he wouldn't listen. I… I didn't think he'd actually go through with it."

Anushka felt the room spin around her, her chest tightening as the truth sank in. "No," she whispered, her voice trembling. "No, no, no…"

Tears streamed down her face as she shook her head, her sobs breaking the silence. Everyone turned to her, their expressions a mix of shock and concern. Jacqueline reached out, placing a hand on her shoulder, but Anushka barely noticed.

"He promised," she choked out, her voice breaking. "He promised he wouldn't do anything stupid. We were supposed to do it together. We were supposed to be careful."

The room was silent now, everyone staring at her as she struggled to speak through her tears. Finally, she took a deep breath, wiping her face with shaky hands.

"Mark… Mark couldn't let it go," she said, her voice barely above a whisper. "He couldn't accept that his mom's death was an accident. He thought… he thought she was killed. And he was right."

The room erupted into gasps, but Anushka pressed on, her voice growing stronger. "We hacked into Dr. Otim's phone. We heard him confess. He said… he said he killed her. That it wasn't part of the plan, but he did it anyway."

The silence that followed was deafening. Dad's face was pale, his hands clenched into fists on the table. Monica's eyes were wide with shock, her usual composure shattered. Jacqueline and I were crying now, our sobs joining Anushka's. Even Emily and Jerry, who had been trying to stay strong, had tears in their eyes.

Dad was the first to speak, his voice low and trembling with anger. "Why didn't you tell us? Why did you keep this from us?"

Anushka shook her head, her tears falling faster. "Mark made me promise. He said it was too dangerous, that we couldn't trust anyone. He didn't want to put anyone else in danger."

Jacqueline reached out, pulling Anushka into a hug as she sobbed. "It's not your fault," she whispered, her voice breaking. "You were just trying to help him."

Monica was silent, her eyes distant as she processed everything. But when she finally spoke, her voice was steady. "We need to find him. Whatever it takes, we need to bring him home."

Dad nodded, his expression grim. "Agreed. But we need to be smart about this. If Mark was right, if Otim is involved, then we're dealing with something much bigger than we realized."

Emily wiped her tears, her voice firm despite the emotion in her eyes. "We'll figure this out. Together."

Anushka looked up, her heart swelling with gratitude and guilt. "I'm so sorry," she whispered. "I should've told you. I should've stopped him."

Jerry shook his head, his tone gentle. "You couldn't have stopped him, Anushka. Mark's stubborn. When he sets his mind to something, there's no changing it."

The rest of the meal was abandoned as the family gathered in the living room, their minds racing with plans and possibilities. Anushka sat quietly, her hands trembling as she clutched her phone, willing it to ring. But it didn't.

As the hours passed, the weight of the situation settled over the room. Mark was out there somewhere, in danger, and they had no idea how to find him. But one thing was clear: they weren't going to give up. Not until he was home.