John had been working with the police force for 1 week now. Though it wasn’t his first choice, he had grown into the role, facing new challenges every day. But nothing could have prepared him for the disturbing case of Stella, a young girl who had gone missing under mysterious circumstances. The investigation had hit a dead end until her parents submitted a box of items from Stella's room, hoping it might offer some clues.

That day, John stood silently by the door of the forensic lab as his colleagues examined the contents of the box. His heart sank as they pulled out what appeared to be Stella’s old Barbie doll. The doll was shattered—its plastic limbs broken into pieces, the face scarred and mutilated with deep scratches. The front of the doll’s hair had been yanked out, and its eyes were missing, leaving hollow, empty sockets.

The room was tense as the forensic experts carefully placed the damaged doll on the examination table. Everyone in the room was disturbed by the sight, but no one said a word. The air felt thick with dread as they worked. John couldn’t help but feel that this doll was not just a child's toy—it was a message, a brutal one. As he watched from the doorway, his mind raced with questions. Who could do something so violent to a child’s possession? And what did it mean?

After the long day at work, John returned home, hoping to escape the dark thoughts that had been swirling in his mind. His married sister Priya and her family lived with them, and it was a busy household. Priya’s daughter, Bhuvi, was a bright sixteen-year-old with a mischievous streak. She had always been close to John, often turning to him for help or advice, especially when it came to school. That evening, as John sat down, exhausted from the day, Bhuvi approached him with a worried look on her face.

"Uncle, I need your help," she said, nervously twirling a strand of her hair.

John raised an eyebrow, sensing she was about to ask for something serious. "What is it, Bhuvi?"

"I… I failed two subjects," she admitted, her voice barely above a whisper. "I really need to talk to my teacher, but I don’t want Mom to find out. She’ll kill me! Could you pretend to be my dad and come to the school with me to talk to my teacher?"

John looked at her, trying not to smile. "You want me to pretend to be your dad?"

Bhuvi nodded quickly. "Please, Uncle John. Mom’s already been so stressed because of work. She’s sick, too, and I don’t want her to worry about this. I just need to fix things before she finds out."

John sighed, thinking about how overworked Priya had been lately. Bhuvi’s mother was a teacher at the same school, and she had a reputation for being strict. John wasn’t sure about lying, but he couldn’t deny Bhuvi's desperation.

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"Alright, Bhuvi," John finally agreed. "I’ll come with you tomorrow. But this is the last time I’m bailing you out."

The next day, John accompanied Bhuvi to school, posing as her father. As they walked down the familiar halls, John couldn’t help but feel uneasy about the deception. Bhuvi led him to her teacher’s room, where they were greeted by a sharp-looking woman with glasses. Her nameplate read *Trisha.*

"Good morning, Trisha said, addressing John. "I’m glad you could come. We need to discuss Bhuvi’s performance."

John nodded politely, pretending to be her father. Trisha didn’t waste any time getting into the issue.

"Bhuvi has not been focusing on her studies," she said, flipping through her grade book. "She’s failed in two subjects, and on top of that, she’s been distracted during class. This is very unlike her. I’ve seen her potential, but lately, it’s been going downhill."

John shot a glance at Bhuvi, who stood beside him with her head down. Trisha continued, her tone growing firmer, if this continues, she’ll have a hard time catching up. I think she’s been spending too much time playing games and not enough time studying."

John struggled to keep his expression serious as Trisha scolded Bhuvi, knowing the young girl was in deep trouble. He was about to offer a response, hoping to diffuse the situation, when suddenly, the door to the staff room opened.

To John’s shock, Priya—Bhuvi’s mother—walked in. She had come to work despite being unwell, having taken some medicine to push through the day. Her eyes fell on John and Bhuvi standing in front of Trisha, and confusion immediately flashed across her face.

"John? What are you doing here?" Priya asked, her voice both surprised and suspicious.

Bhuvi’s face turned pale, and John froze, caught in the act. He quickly tried to think of a way out of the mess.

"I… I’m here to talk to Bhuvi’s teacher," John stammered, trying to maintain his role. But Priya wasn’t buying it.

"Why didn’t Bhuvi tell me about this?" Priya turned to her daughter, her voice firm and demanding answers. "And why are you pretending John is your father?"

Bhuvi, on the verge of tears, finally blurted out the truth. "Mom, I failed two subjects, and I didn’t want to disappoint you. I thought if Uncle John came with me, you wouldn’t find out. I didn’t mean for it to get this far."

Priya looked at her daughter, her frustration melting into concern. She took a deep breath and said, "Bhuvi, you can’t hide things like this. I know I’ve been busy, but you should’ve come to me. We could’ve worked through it together."

Bhuvi wiped her eyes, ashamed of her actions. John, feeling a little guilty himself, stepped in. "Priya, she’s just scared. I’m sorry for going along with it. I didn’t want her to get into more trouble."

Priya sighed, looking at both John and Bhuvi. "I appreciate you trying to help, John, but Bhuvi needs to learn responsibility. We’ll talk about this at home."

As they left the school, John couldn’t help but reflect on how messy life could get. Between the haunting case of Stella’s disappearance and the everyday struggles of family, it seemed like his world was full of complications. But he knew one thing for sure—no matter how difficult things got, family would always come first.

As for Stella's case, the broken doll still haunted his mind, leaving behind an unsettling feeling that things were far from over......Then....