Kiara had been staying at her sister Meera’s flat for three nights already. Meera was away on a long work trip, and the place felt quiet without her. Kiara liked the quiet. She wore simple clothes—soft cotton shorts and a loose t-shirt—and spent her evenings reading or watching something light on the television. The flat was on the third floor of an older building in the city, the kind with solid doors and thick walls. She never expected anyone to come late.

It was past midnight when the key turned in the lock. Kiara sat up on the sofa, heart jumping. The door opened and Raghav stepped in first. His face was flushed from drinking. Behind him came Siddhant and Arnav, both taller, both smelling of the same cheap whiskey. They closed the door and Raghav turned the lock with a sharp click.