The tension in the air was palpable. Naina stood before Rajveer, the photographs clenched tightly in her hands. The weight of the moment hung heavily between them. Rajveer had always been a mentor, a leader, someone she looked up to. But now, the truth she was facing seemed to shatter everything she thought she knew.

“Rajveer sir… I need answers,” Naina said, her voice steady but her hands shaking slightly as she held up the photographs. “Why are you in these pictures with Lala Gehlot? What’s really going on?”

Rajveer’s eyes flickered, and for the first time since Naina had known him, there was a hint of vulnerability in his gaze. He stood motionless for a moment, as though weighing whether to tell her the truth—or to keep her in the dark. The silence felt heavy, almost suffocating.

Finally, Rajveer sighed and walked over to his desk, placing his hands on it as if to steady himself. “Naina…” he began, his voice low and controlled. “What you’re holding isn’t the full story. I know this must look shocking, but believe me, there’s more to it than what meets the eye.”

Naina stepped forward, her eyes not leaving his. “Then tell me the whole story, sir. I need to understand. Naveen’s name was ruined because of Lala, and now… now you’re in it too. How could you let this happen?”

Rajveer’s face hardened for a moment, then softened again as he met her gaze. “I didn’t have a choice. None of us did. The truth about Lala Gehlot is much darker than you think, and it goes far deeper than just your brother or me.”

Naina’s heart raced. “What are you saying? What do you mean?”

Rajveer paused, taking a deep breath. “There’s a conspiracy at the very core of KMA. Lala Gehlot is not just a criminal—he’s a part of a much larger operation that spans across military ranks and even the highest levels of government. Your brother, Naveen, got caught in the middle of it. And I…” He trailed off, clearly struggling with his words.

Naina’s mind was spinning. She had known that there were people working behind the scenes to bring down her brother, but she never imagined that it could be this vast, this dangerous. She clenched her fists, her determination rising. “So, you were working with Lala to stop him? Or were you involved in this all along?”

Rajveer turned to face her fully, his eyes full of regret and sorrow. “I wasn’t working with Lala, Naina. I was undercover. I had to earn his trust to gather information about his operations. I couldn’t tell anyone, not even Naveen or you. If I had, the whole operation would have been compromised, and countless lives would have been lost. I’ve been walking a fine line between loyalty to my country and uncovering the truth. But the deeper I got, the more dangerous it became.”

Naina’s thoughts were a whirlwind of emotions. She had trusted Rajveer. He had always been the one who stood strong, guiding her through every difficult moment. But now, the truth was far from what she had imagined. “And Naveen? What about my brother?”

Rajveer’s face tightened at the mention of Naveen’s name. “Your brother was a pawn in this game, Naina. A pawn in Lala’s bigger plan. But your brother is stronger than you realize. He knew something was off, and he tried to expose Lala, but he was framed and silenced before he could do anything.” Rajveer’s voice dropped to a whisper. “I tried to stop it, but I failed him. I failed both of you.”

Naina’s heart ached, the pain of Naveen’s betrayal and Rajveer’s hidden truth colliding within her. She felt as though the ground beneath her was slipping away. “So, you’ve been lying to me all along?” Her voice cracked, but she held back the tears that threatened to spill.

Rajveer shook his head slowly, his gaze softening as he stepped closer to her. “I never lied, Naina. I just couldn’t tell you everything. But I swear, I would never hurt you or your brother. Everything I’ve done has been to protect both of you and everyone else at KMA.”

Naina looked into his eyes, searching for the truth in his words, but the pain in her chest made it hard to trust. “I don’t know if I can believe you anymore, Rajveer sir.”

Rajveer’s face fell, the burden of the secrets he had carried weighing heavily on him. “I understand. I’ve lost your trust, and I can’t blame you for that. But I’ll do anything to make this right, Naina. I won’t let Lala get away with this. I’ll help you clear Naveen’s name, no matter the cost.”

For a long moment, Naina stood still, her mind racing. She didn’t know if she could forgive him—not yet. But one thing was clear: this fight wasn’t over. There was more to uncover, and she needed to make sure that both her brother’s name and Rajveer’s sacrifice were not in vain.

---

The next day, the tension at KMA was palpable. Major Bhargav had been moving in the shadows, keeping a close watch on Naina and the other cadets. His involvement with Lala Gehlot was no longer a secret, but the extent of it was still a mystery. Naina knew that if they were going to expose Lala, they had to confront Bhargav first.

That afternoon, Naina gathered her friends—Yudi, Aalekh, Amar, and Pooja—to devise a plan. They couldn’t do this alone, and they knew they needed to be strategic.

“We’ve found something that connects Bhargav to Lala, and now we need to gather more evidence,” Naina explained, her voice calm yet determined. “We need to get inside his office and find the proof that links him directly to Lala. If we can expose him, we can take down the whole operation.”

“It’s risky,” Yudi said, his voice cautious. “But we’ve come this far. We can’t back down now.”

Naina nodded. “Exactly. We don’t have much time. Once we have the evidence, we’ll take it straight to Brigadier Chandok.”

---

The plan was set into motion. That night, under the cover of darkness, Naina and her friends snuck into Major Bhargav’s office. Every step felt like they were walking on a tightrope, but Naina’s resolve kept her moving forward.

As they searched through Bhargav’s desk, Naina’s fingers brushed against a folder marked with a red stamp—“Top Secret”. She opened it quickly, her heart racing as she scanned the contents. There it was: documents detailing Lala Gehlot’s operations, and at the top, Bhargav’s name was listed as one of the key figures in the conspiracy. The proof they needed was right there.

“We have it,” Naina whispered, her voice filled with relief.

As they made their way out of the office, they were met with the sharp sound of a door opening. Major Bhargav stood in the doorway, a cold smile on his lips.

“Did you really think you could get away with this?” he sneered.

In that moment, Naina realized the battle was far from over. The truth had been uncovered, but the real fight was just beginning.