Chapter 52: Chapter 49

The Desai mansion had an air of quiet mystery, a strange silence that seemed to deepen in certain corners. For Siya, that mystery was centered around the old wardrobe in Mrs. Desai's room. Ever since the encounter a few days ago, her thoughts had been consumed by the locked wardrobe and the horror on her mother-in-law's face when she’d tried to open it.

She sat on her bed, her mind racing. “There’s something in there,” she murmured to herself, pacing. “Something Mr. Desai didn’t want anyone to find.”

Urmi walked in just then, balancing a tray of tea and snacks. “Why are you talking to yourself like that, muffin? You look like a detective on a mission.”

Siya hesitated for a moment but decided to confide in her sister-in-law. “Di, do you remember that locked wardrobe in Ma’s room?”

Urmi’s eyes widened slightly. “You mean the one Ma told you not to touch?, leave it alone. If Dad didn’t want anyone near it, there must be a reason.”

“I can’t,” Siya said firmly. “There’s something important in there, Di. I feel it. I need to know what it is.”

Urmi sighed, setting the tray down. “And what exactly do you want me to do?”

“Help me distract Ma,” Siya said with a pleading look.

Urmi shook her head. “No way, are you out of your mind? I’m not getting involved in this. If Ma finds out, she’ll kill me first, and then you.”

“Please, Di,” Siya begged. “I can’t do this without you. I promise we won't get caught, please.”

Urmi hesitated, biting her lip. “Fine.”

Siya smiled in relief. “Thank you, Di. Trust me, this is important.”

Later that day, Urmi managed to keep Mrs. Desai occupied in the kitchen with a discussion about festival preparations. Siya, meanwhile, slipped into her mother-in-law’s room, her heart pounding.

She approached the wardrobe, running her fingers over its intricate carvings. “Where could the key be?” she whispered, scanning the room.

She checked drawers, jewelry boxes, even under the mattress, but there was no sign of a key. Frustration built as she tried to think of another place it could be hidden.

“Come on,” she muttered, leaning against the wardrobe in defeat.

As she did, she felt it shift slightly. Her breath caught. “What was that?”

She pushed against the side of the wardrobe, and it moved again, this time revealing a narrow gap behind it. Her heart raced as she realized the wardrobe wasn’t just a piece of furniture—it was a hidden door.

Siya stepped back, taking a deep breath. “Alright, here goes nothing.”

It took all her strength to push the wardrobe further, the hinges creaking as it revealed a hidden space behind it. The room was dimly lit, with stacks of papers and files neatly arranged on shelves. Dust hung heavy in the air, and Siya coughed as she stepped inside.

“What is this place?” she whispered, running her fingers over the files.

Most of them seemed to be business-related—letters, contracts, company records. She flipped through them quickly, searching for anything that stood out.

Then, her eyes fell on a file labeled ‘Kusum Orphanage.’

“Kusum Orphanage?” she said aloud, pulling the file out. It was thick, filled with documents, photographs, and handwritten notes.

Her curiosity peaked as she opened it, scanning the contents. There were financial statements detailing donations, photographs of children, and letters from the orphanage’s management. But something about the file felt off—there were also legal documents, custody papers, and records of large sums of money being transferred to anonymous accounts.

“What on earth is this?” Siya murmured, flipping through the pages.

A photograph slipped out and fluttered to the ground. Siya picked it up, her blood running cold. It was an old black-and-white picture of a woman holding a baby. The woman looked vaguely familiar, and her expression was filled with sorrow.

“Siya!” Urmi’s voice startled Siya, and she quickly shoved the file back into the shelf.

“What are you doing here?” Urmi whispered urgently, stepping into the hidden space.

“I found this,” Siya said, gesturing to the room. “Look at all these files. And this one—it’s about an orphanage.”

“Muffin, we need to leave before Mom comes back,” Urmi said, panic evident in her voice. “This is bad. Really bad.”

“I need more time,” Siya insisted. “There’s something in here that Mr. Desai wanted to hide. I’m sure of it.”

Urmi grabbed her arm. “Siya, please. If Ma or Dad finds out, we’ll be in serious trouble. Let’s go.”

Reluctantly, Siya followed Urmi out of the hidden room, carefully sliding the wardrobe back into place.

As they exited Mrs. Desai’s room, Siya couldn’t shake the feeling that she’d just uncovered the edge of a much larger secret. And she was determined to find out the truth—no matter the cost.