The Secret

Chapter Two: The Woman Who Arrived
The following morning, Arun came downstairs later than usual.
His mother was in the kitchen preparing breakfast. His father was already dressed for work, sitting at the dining table and reading a newspaper.
Neither of them mentioned the previous night's argument.
Arun found that even more irritating than another argument would have been.
He sat down and poured himself a glass of water.
"Is Nisha coming today?" he asked.
His father lowered the newspaper.
"Yes. She should arrive around ten."
"And what are you going to tell her?"
"The truth about the property dispute."
"All of it?"
Madhavan looked at him.
"As much as we can establish from the documents."
Arun shook his head.
"That isn't what I asked."
His mother placed a plate of breakfast in front of him.
"Please eat something first."
He looked at her.
"Amma, I am not a child. You cannot avoid every difficult conversation by giving me food."
Devika looked hurt, and Arun immediately regretted the words.
"I'm sorry," he said. "But I need answers."
His father folded the newspaper.
"You will meet Nisha today. You can ask her questions yourself. But I want you to understand something. If this scandal becomes public, it will affect everyone in this house."
"Then perhaps everyone should know what actually happened."
Madhavan stood up.
"We will discuss this later."
He left the dining room.
Arun watched him go.
For the next hour, he tried to concentrate on his phone, but his thoughts kept returning to the same questions. Who had sent the messages? Why had the sender warned him about his father? And what had really happened to Nandita?
At ten fifteen, a car stopped outside the house.
Arun heard his mother calling from the entrance.
"Nisha has arrived!"
He put his phone away and walked downstairs.
A young woman stood in the entrance hall with a small suitcase beside her. She wore a simple cream kurta and dark trousers. Her hair was tied back, and she held a folder close to her chest.
She looked nervous, but she did not seem afraid.
Madhavan greeted her politely.
"Nisha. Welcome to our home."
"Thank you, Uncle."
Her eyes moved around the hall.
"I haven't been here since I was very young."
Devika came forward and welcomed her warmly.
"We are glad you came. Please, come inside."
Then Nisha noticed Arun.
For a moment, they looked at each other in silence.
"This is my son, Arun," Madhavan said.
Nisha gave a small smile.
"Hello."
"Hello."
She studied him for another second.
"You look a little like your grandfather."
Arun did not know what to say.
"People tell me that sometimes."
Nisha placed her folder on the table.
"I brought some documents about my mother. I think we should look at them before we discuss anything else."
Madhavan's expression changed slightly.
"Of course. We can speak in the study."
As they walked toward the room, Nisha fell into step beside Arun.
"I hope you don't mind me asking," she said quietly. "But does your father always look that worried?"
Arun almost smiled.
"Only when he knows something he doesn't want to explain."
Nisha looked at him carefully.
"Then perhaps we have more in common than I expected."
She entered the study before he could reply.
Arun remained in the doorway for a moment.
For the first time since the previous night, he felt that someone else might understand his position.
He did not yet know whether Nisha could be trusted.
But he was beginning to suspect that the truth about his family would be much more complicated than his father had admitted.