Upon entering his office, Keshav did a thorough search to ensure no one was waiting to attack him. He moved cautiously around the room, scanning every corner with his sharp eyes. The silence in the room was deafening, but Keshav's instincts were on high alert. He knew that danger could lurk in even the most unexpected places.

Finally, after satisfying himself that the room was secure, Keshav turned to face Avanti. She looked frail and scared, her eyes wide with fear. Keshav could see the tension in her muscles as if she was ready to bolt at any moment.

He handed her a glass of water, his expression sympathetic. "Drink this," he said softly. "You need to calm down."

Avanti took a few deep breaths and drank the water. She then looked up at Keshav, her eyes pleading for answers.

"How did you know I was there?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

Keshav sighed. "I was following you, and for that, I am sorry. It was clear from our first meeting that you were hiding something. And... the person who employed me to find you was killed this morning."

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Avanti's eyes widened in shock, and she gasped softly. Her hands began to tremble, and she clutched at her chest as if trying to hold herself together.

"Killed?" she whispered. "Who would do such a thing?"

"That's what I am trying to find out," Keshav replied, pulling out the small piece of paper. "But before she died, the veiled woman gave me a package with your name on it."

Avanti's hand shook as she took the paper from Keshav's hand. She stared at the single word written on it, her expression unreadable.

"You know this woman?" Keshav asked gently.

Avanti shook her head slightly as if to say no, but Keshav could see the fear in her eyes. He knew that she was hiding something, something important.

"Avanti," Keshav said, his voice firm. "You need to trust me. Tell me everything you know. I will protect you, I promise."

Avanti's eyes filled with tears, and she looked up at Keshav, her expression vulnerable. "Promise on your life, the ones you love, that you will help me," she said.

Keshav nodded solemnly. "I promise," he said, his eyes meeting hers. "I will do everything in my power to keep you safe."

Without protection, she knew she would also die.