Part 1

Chapter 1 :

Six months ago, Saurabh pulled me away from the whisky bar and dragged me to the freezing balcony, trying to stop me from drinking too much. As I fumbled with my phone, staring at Zara’s WhatsApp profile picture, he tried to comfort me, knowing I was still hung up on her despite our breakup three years ago.

Chapter 2 :

Over seven years ago, during the Clash of the Titans debate finals at Rendezvous Fest, Zara Lone captivated the audience with her sharp arguments and striking presence, winning the competition. I cheered her on loudly, and our first real conversation began when she thanked me afterward, leading to a memorable exchange over food and phone numbers.

Chapter 3 :

Chandan Arora, the self-proclaimed "king of JEE chemistry," berated me for not recruiting new students and failing to meet his marketing expectations. Frustrated, I confided in Saurabh about blowing two interviews and the disdain I felt towards my dead-end job at Chandan Classes, despite our IIT backgrounds.

Chapter 4 :

Seven years ago, Zara took me to a protest at Jantar Mantar for our first date, talking about the situation in Kashmir. As we navigated the complexities of the issue and our budding relationship, I fell for her completely. Now, on her birthday, I'm drunk and reminiscing about our past, feeling a mix of regret and hope as I prepare to sneak into her hostel to wish her.

Chapter 5 :

Keshav and Saurabh, drunk and breaking curfew, sneak into Zara's room at IIT Delhi to wish her a happy birthday. They discover Zara lifeless, prompting them to panic and decide to call the police, realizing the gravity of the situation as they await their arrival.

Chapter 6 :

As the police arrived, Inspector Rana examined Zara Lone's body and quickly determined it was a murder, not a suicide. Despite Keshav's insistence on his innocence and his explanation of events, the inspector remained skeptical, particularly after discovering the deceased's fiancée, Raghu, was in Hyderabad and had been attacked days before.

Chapter 7 :

Overwhelmed by the media frenzy, Keshav Rajpurohit is thrust into the spotlight as the primary suspect in the murder of Zara Lone, his ex-girlfriend. Despite the intense scrutiny and pressure, Inspector Rana reveals that the real breakthrough in the case involves a fight Zara had with a hostel watchman, Laxman Reddy, a month prior, suggesting he might be the actual culprit.

Chapter 8 :

As Keshav's parents arrive at the police station, his father harshly criticizes him for being implicated in Zara's murder, while the inspector informs Keshav and Saurabh that they are free to go under strict conditions, including daily reporting and no media interaction. The inspector reveals they have enough evidence to arrest the watchman, hinting that further details will be revealed in the news.

Chapter 9 :

At Zara's funeral, Keshav recounts the details of her death to Raghu, who is visibly distressed. Despite the police arresting the watchman Laxman Reddy for her murder, Keshav remains unsettled and doubts the certainty of the case, sensing something is amiss as he struggles with his own grief and confusion.

Chapter 10 :

Rana, now more relaxed, confided that while he suspected Laxman wasn’t the killer, public pressure and his promotion prospects meant he couldn't release him yet. He hinted that he needed our help to navigate the IIT campus, and we agreed to assist, despite his earlier insistence that we stay away.

Chapter 11 :

I announced a mock test in mathematics, enduring the students' groans, before stepping out to meet Raghu, who wanted to discuss Zara's death. At Social in Hauz Khas, Raghu revealed his concerns about the watchman being framed and shared distressing details about Zara’s final days, including threats from her PhD guide and issues with her stepbrother Sikander. Afterward, feeling the weight of Zara’s memories, I drowned my sorrows in whiskey.

Chapter 12 :

Four years ago, Zara and I drove from Delhi to Alwar to meet my parents. She was curious about the local milk cake and intrigued by the grand Alwar Fort, but the real challenge was introducing her to my family. Despite her efforts to be herself, the encounter was strained, especially when my father’s disapproval of her Kashmiri Muslim background became evident, escalating tensions over our future together.

Chapter 13 :

Zara's dad, Safdar, insisted that if I wanted to marry Zara, I had to convert to Islam, which I couldn’t do because of my parents. Despite my attempts to salvage our relationship, Zara and I broke up due to my refusal to make the necessary sacrifices. Now, haunted by regret and overwhelmed, I drowned my sorrows in whiskey, only to be confronted by my friend Saurabh, who urged me to move on and focus on my work.

Chapter 14 :

I visited Prof. Saxena's home, presenting myself as an alumnus and showing my ID. His wife, Mrs. Saxena reluctantly allowed me and my friend Saurabh inside to discuss Zara Lone's murder.

Chapter 15 :

Over tea with Mrs. Saxena, we uncovered that her husband had been secretly visiting Zara, which implicated him in her murder. Despite her fury and initial denial, the evidence and the professor’s limp suggest he couldn't have committed the crime. We now need more solid evidence to move forward.

Chapter 16 :

Prof. Saxena expressed his suspicions about Zara's family, suggesting they might be linked to extremist groups due to their connections with Sikander, a member of Tehreek-e-Jihad. Zara's father, Safdar, denied any such connections and explained his daughter’s involvement with Sikander was more about personal bonds than radical beliefs. He expressed frustration over the media’s portrayal and the potential for Zara to be branded a terrorist. Despite the ongoing investigation, Safdar showed vulnerability, pleading for understanding and expressing his hatred for extremists who, he believed, were responsible for his daughter's death.

Chapter 17 :

During lunch in the staffroom, Saurabh and I had a strained conversation about investigating Zara's death, with him reluctant to get involved due to the danger. Despite his fears, we decided to meet Sikander, Zara's stepbrother, but the encounter turned tense when Sikander pulled out a revolver, causing us to leave the situation abruptly.

Chapter 18 :

A week after the pakora fiasco, while watching TV, Saurabh confronted me about searching for terrorist organizations on Twitter. He warned me to abandon the case or face the consequences, leading to a tense exchange about priorities, with Saurabh eventually deciding to stay involved in the investigation despite the risks.

Chapter 19 :

Rana identified the white powder as cocaine and pressed for its source, but we claimed it came from a student. Despite his skepticism, Rana left for a family commitment. We planned a trip to Srinagar, where Chandan reluctantly approved our leave after a veiled threat about his affair with Sheela.

Part 2

SRINAGAR

Chapter 20 :

Upon arriving in Srinagar, Saurabh and I found our prepaid SIM cards useless due to local regulations, so we relied on the houseboat's Wi-Fi and Nizam's spare phone. After a few days of fruitless searching, a cable operator finally gave us the address of Farzana Lone, Zara's mother, who welcomed us cautiously into her modest home.

Chapter 21 :

Sikander, deeply involved with the extremist Tehreek-e-Jihad, used Zara as an unwitting drug mule for the group. When Zara discovered the truth and threatened to go to the police, Sikander, fearing exposure and driven by his extremist beliefs, killed her to protect himself and his organization.

Chapter 22 :

Saurabh and I, dejected after Sikander’s death, decide to search for new clues about Zara's case. Despite the setback, we plan to visit local jewelers to investigate the origins of the expensive earrings we found, hoping it might lead us to a breakthrough.

Chapter 23 :

At Akhoon Jewellers, the owner identified the earrings as a product from a local shop, not theirs. After visiting multiple jewelers, Showkat Jewellers confirmed they made the earrings. The buyer was a tall, fit man, possibly an Army officer. Saurabh and I identified him as Captain Faiz Khan, Zara’s school senior. We'll reach out to Safdar's uncle for Faiz’s contact details.

Chapter 24 :

We arrived at the Baramulla Army Camp, where Captain Faiz, friendly yet somewhat guarded, gave us a tour. Afterward, over dinner, Saurabh and I speculated that Faiz might have had a romantic involvement with Zara, which could be linked to her death. We resolved to gather evidence by possibly breaking into Faiz's empty Delhi apartment.

Chapter 25 :

Chandan's rage was explosive as he spat out his anger, accusing us of abandoning our duties. We managed to avoid being fired but faced a pay cut, and with Chandan's personal troubles adding to his frustration, we were granted a few more days off. Dressed as army officers, Saurabh and I covertly explored Faiz's apartment, uncovering a stash of gold biscuits and evidence linking him to Zara, revealing a dark secret about their relationship.

Chapter 26 :

Keshav met Chandan at the entrance of Chandan Classes, explaining their lateness and missing half the class. Later, Saurabh and Keshav discussed handing over evidence to Rana and confronting Captain Faiz, the real killer, at Safdar's prayer meet, where they plan to catch him in the act.

Chapter 27 :

Safdar’s voice trembled with emotion as he addressed the room: “We are here to find peace—peace to accept what happened and to trust in God’s will.” As he spoke, I glanced around, relieved to see Faiz finally arriving, just in time for Raghu's emotional tribute. The evening took a dramatic turn when I revealed that Faiz was the killer, and Faiz's sudden strength restrained Raghu as he tried to flee.

Chapter 28 :

Raghu, admitting his guilt, described in chilling detail how he murdered Zara while she slept, using his bare hands to strangle her. He coldly recounted the meticulous planning and execution of the crime, reflecting on his twisted satisfaction and the ease with which he manipulated the situation to frame someone else.

Chapter 29 :

Saurabh and Safdar were shocked as they realized Raghu’s meticulous plan: he flew from Hyderabad to Delhi, murdered Zara, and returned to the hospital before morning. The details of his flight and phone records confirmed his alibi manipulation, revealing the precision of his deceit.

Chapter 30 :

Unable to sleep after a conversation with Raghu, I retraced his steps by taking the same flight and visiting the hospital in Hyderabad. I confirmed with a nurse that Raghu had left his room at 7:29 a.m. after having his birthday message to Zara sent by her. This confirmed the precision of his alibi.

Chapter 31 :

Raghu clapped, mocking everyone’s disbelief, and revealed his meticulous plan. When Faiz angrily demanded why Raghu killed Zara, Raghu’s smirk revealed his cold reasoning: “Because what she did had killed me.”

Chapter 32 :

Raghu lay awake, troubled by Zara's secret messages with Faiz and her casual dismissals of his concerns about their potential pregnancy. Despite feeling betrayed and questioning his own worth, he forced a smile at their engagement, silently wrestling with the fear that he might end up raising Faiz’s child while clinging to a future he felt was slipping away.

Chapter 33 :

Raghu coldly justified his actions, claiming he had no other choice but to eliminate Zara to save himself. Faiz, broken, revealed Zara’s true intentions and their shared mission to thwart a terror plot, while Raghu’s greed and betrayal came to light. Amidst the media frenzy and Inspector Rana’s triumph, I mourned Zara’s loss, realizing that her last messages were tainted by Raghu’s deceit.

Chapter 34 :

Three months later, Saurabh and I launched our new agency, "Z Detectives," as a tribute to Zara, the catalyst for our new path. Amidst setting up our small office and securing a side job at a cybersecurity firm, Saurabh's Tinder match led us to an exciting evening in Hauz Khas Village.