The tension between the group and Hamza had been simmering for days, but Sneha and Aarav had had enough.
"We need to confront him," Sneha said firmly, arms crossed as she leaned against a tree outside the cafeteria. "This has gone too far. If he doesn't have real proof, then he's the reason Shumaila is being treated like this."
Aarav nodded, pushing his hands into his pockets. "Yeah. I've been watching him, and trust me, he's not unaffected by this. But he's still acting like he's in the right. We press him hard enough, he'll slip."
They exchanged a glance before heading off to find Hamza.
Hamza had seen the way people treated Shumaila. The whispering, the mocking comments, the way students refused to interact with her.
And he should have felt bad.
But he didn't.
She deserved this.
Didn't she?
Every time doubt tried to creep in, he reminded himself of her voice in that recording. I didn't think Karan would actually pull it off, but hey, at least now we know who's the better strategist, right?
She had done this to herself.
Then why did it feel like something wasn't sitting right?
His thoughts were interrupted when Sneha and Aarav found him near the CS department.
"We need to talk," Sneha said, voice firm as she stepped in front of him.
Hamza sighed. "I'm not in the mood for another lecture."
"Too bad," Aarav shot back. "We need answers."
Hamza crossed his arms. "Answers to what?"
Sneha's eyes narrowed. "Do you even see what's happening? The entire college is treating Shumaila like trash. They mock her, isolate her, and refuse to work with her. And you think you're not responsible for that?"
Hamza's jaw tightened. "I didn't tell people to do that."
"But you gave them a reason to!" Aarav snapped. "You called her out publicly, accused her in front of everyone. What did you think was going to happen?"
Hamza exhaled sharply. "She deserves it."
Sneha scoffed. "For what? Do you know she did it? Or are you just assuming?"
Hamza's eyes darkened. "I have proof."
Both Sneha and Aarav froze.
"What proof?" Aarav asked slowly.
Hamza didn't respond immediately. His fingers curled into fists. "Just drop it."
"Not happening," Sneha shot back. "You ruined her reputation. You owe us an explanation."
Hamza's frustration boiled over. "I have proof, okay?! I'm not just throwing accusations around!"
Aarav stepped closer. "Then show us."
Hamza hesitated before letting out a sharp breath. "Fine. I'll send it to you later."
Without another word, he walked off, leaving Sneha and Aarav exchanging worried glances.
A New Business Competition
Meanwhile, an announcement was made across campus—an upcoming Inter-College Business Strategy Competition for business majors. It was a major event, one that attracted participants from multiple universities.
Siddarth and Sneha barely showed interest.
"I'm not in the mood for competitions right now," Sneha admitted. "Too much drama already."
"Same here," Siddarth agreed, stretching. "Not worth the effort."
But Shumaila? She was preparing.
Despite the whispers, the judgment, and the cold treatment, she worked tirelessly, reviewing notes and refining strategies.
It was the one thing keeping her grounded.
And she refused to let anyone take it from her.
That evening, Aarav sat in his dorm when his phone buzzed.
A message from Hamza.
A single audio file attached.
Aarav stared at it before tapping play. Shumaila's voice filled the room.
Honestly, it wasn't that hard to get my hands on Hamza's project. He acts all smart, but in the end, he's just like the rest. Too easy to manipulate.
His stomach dropped.
Without wasting another second, he grabbed his phone and rushed outside.
Sneha was sitting with the group at a park bench near the dorms when Aarav sprinted toward them. His eyes scanned the group before landing on Sneha.
"We need to talk," he said breathlessly. "Now."
The sudden urgency in his tone made everyone glance at him in confusion.
Akansha raised an eyebrow. "Everything okay?"
Rudra frowned. "Yeah, what's with the rush?"
But Aarav didn't answer them. Instead, he nodded toward Sneha, silently urging her to follow him. Sneha, sensing the seriousness of his expression, stood up without hesitation.
"Let's go," she said, walking away with Aarav.
Komal and Siddarth exchanged looks as they watched the two disappear. "Those two have been spending a lot of time together lately," Komal noted.
Siddarth smirked. "I was just about to say that. Something's definitely up."
Akansha, who had been quietly observing, shifted slightly but said nothing.
Rudra, on the other hand, leaned back against the bench, his gaze following Sneha and Aarav's retreating figures. He remained silent, but a thoughtful expression flickered across his face, as if he wasn't entirely sure how he felt about it.
Whatever was going on… it wasn't something small.