I was exhausted and lost. I didn't have the energy to talk to anyone. The Inspector is an intelligent person. I’m sure he should be able to figure out everything from reading that.

I started thinking again about everything I remembered when I read my diary. And felt like I was reliving the last year again.

Jacob's Memory of the past year

I was really upset the day Priya left for Trivandrum. I had no idea how I was going to handle the coming year without her at my side. The consolation was that this was only for a year, and she would be with me forever after this gap.

Every day both of us tried to finish our work early to talk to each other on the phone. We spent hours on the phone talking with each other, even after being dead tired due to all the work.

We had so much to talk about, but even then, it never felt enough.

After a month, I could no longer control myself, and I decided to give Priya a surprise visit. I took 3 days off from work and went to Trivandrum. She was on top of the world when she saw me at her hospital. She also took two days off and took me over all the city. We went to various tourist attractions, restaurants and saw a movie together.

It felt great just to be with her.

But I had to go back after 3 days, and she was really sad to see me go. I kept telling her that we would be together soon.

I got back, and we resumed back to our schedule of regular long calls.

Everything was going well, and that was when the trouble started.

Priya told me about this guy Rahul at her hospital who was pestering her. And apparently, he was the Director’s son. She did not want to raise a complaint, as she was not sure how that would go.

I told her to ignore him and say that she is not interested, and eventually, he would go away.

Unfortunately, he didn't, and one day, Priya lost control and shouted at him in front of all the hospital staff. It was really embarrassing for him.

When she told me, I was worried. I was scared whether he would come after Priya to settle the score with her for embarrassing him. I was also worried whether his Dad, the Director, would get involved in this. It is very easy for a Director to make the life of a junior doctor miserable. So I could easily imagine how difficult he could make the life of a temporary doctor if he wished for it.

But surprisingly, nothing happened. Priya told me that Rahul eventually apologized to her and said he would not cause trouble for her any further. And there was no interference from the Director either.

Everything seemed to return to normal, or at least that's what I thought.

It was all ok for the next 2 months. But then, over the next few weeks, the amount of time I spent talking to Priya started to decrease steadily. When I asked her about it, she kept telling me it was nothing and it's all due to her heavy workload.

But gradually, the time decreased so much that I started to get worried.

I decided to give Priya a surprise visit. I took a similar 3 days off and went to meet her at Trivandrum. But the reception I received this time was much different than last time.

She wasn't as thrilled as the previous time. She kept saying that she was at the peak of her work and how I should have told her that I was coming to have planned better.

Over the next 3 days, I got very little time with her. When I had to leave, she came to send me off and seemed sad. But the difference between the first time and how she sent me off this time was very clear. I kept telling myself that it must be because of all the work stress she must be under.

I returned to Mysore and got back to work. I thought the issue with Priya would get better. But unfortunately, it only got much worse. It even reached a point we didn't speak with each other for a whole week. Even though there was only one and a half month left for her to return, I still missed her really badly. So I planned one more trip to Trivandrum.

I had reached Trivandrum and was about to enter her college in the evening when I saw her go out. I decided to go and talk to her when I noticed she wasn't alone. There was a boy with her.

I couldn't understand what was happening. I just went behind them to see where they were headed. They went for dinner first and then for a movie after that.

I could not make out what was happening. I tried calling her. And I could clearly see her ignoring my calls.

After they went back, I also returned to the hotel. I kept telling myself that this must have been a one-off event, and she must have wanted to burn off some stress.

The second day I didn't go inside the hospital but waited outside all day. Around evening I saw Priya come out with the same guy, and they roamed around a bit, had dinner and went back to the hostel.

It became evident to me that this was a regular occurrence.

I was losing my touch on reality. This all seemed like a bad dream, and I refused to accept it.

On the third day, they came out of the hospital at noon and went for lunch. Before heading back, I saw the guy hugging Priya, and I lost all self-control.

I went over and shouted at both of them. I don't even remember what I said.

Priya seemed apologetic and a bit angry at the same time. She started asking me why I was getting angry. And that she had come out to have lunch with a friend and whether she needed my permission for each time she went with anyone.

I was losing all self-control. I told her what I had seen over the last two days and how I know this was not the first time.

What happened next was completely opposite to what I had expected to happen.

Priya got really angry at me. She asked me who I was to stalk her. She said she didn't feel safe knowing this, and she was going to file a police complaint against me.

I was completely lost. I couldn't even recognize the girl in front of me. What did she even mean by that?

She immediately took her friend, who she called Rahul and went away.

I just didn't know how to react. The next day I went back to Mysore. I was still in a dream-like state even when after I reached back

Two days later, Priya finally called me. She apologized, saying that she might have overreacted. She said that even though she went to the police station to file a complaint, Rahul convinced her not to go about it.

I couldn't help but ask if this was the same guy who was pestering her earlier.

She said yes. Apparently, Rahul had stayed away from her after she had shouted at him. But she had come to know that it had really affected him and all his colleagues were making a lot of fun of him. Feeling that she might have overreacted, she messaged him an apology, and they had started chatting and ended becoming good friends.

I didn't fully think that was where it ended. But I didn't want to strain our relationship any further, so I kept my mouth shut.

I asked her where we stood and if there was any issue between us. She said she was still very troubled because I had stalked her, and she needed few days to clear her head.

I agreed, thinking this might help.

But when I didn't hear anything from here for another 2 weeks, I became worried. I tried calling her. But she didn't answer. I send her lots of text messages and voice messages. But I didn't get any reply.

I was planning to go once more to Trivandrum when I finally got a call from her.

She said she wanted to break up with me. She said she didn't want to be with someone who didn't fully trust her. She also added that she is in love with Rahul and wanted to marry him.

I was completely losing my thought process. What was happening? How did we get here? I refused to accept it.

I told her how much I loved her and that I would do anything to be with her.

She said we shouldn't be selfish, and we needed to think about everyone else as well. She added that she knew her father was unhappy with the inter-religion relationship we have.

She told me that she has already told her Dad that she had good news for him. She was looking forward to telling him that she had broken up with me and was planning to marry a guy of the same religion. She was planning to say to him when she got back to Mysore after her internship, which was ending in another 2 weeks.

I kept listening to everything she said. I didn't know what to say. I still felt like I was in a bad dream and was waiting for someone to wake me up from this nightmare.

I didn't know when she stopped speaking or when she ended the call.

I refused to accept everything she said. I believed everything would return to how it was once she came back to Mysore. I wanted to show her the engagement ring I had got for her such a long time ago. I believed seeing the ring and myself would definitely change her mind.

I somehow made it through the next two weeks, and finally, the day came when she would arrive.

I decided to wait outside her house. I had put on the best dress I had and got the engagement ring. I even brought some food as I was ready to wait in the car all night long if her train got delayed.

I just wanted to meet and talk with her as soon as she arrived.

She finally reached home around 9 pm.

I was trying to get my confidence up and was about to enter when I saw her leave her place in her car.

I wanted to speak to her as soon as possible. So I followed her. Soon I saw her pick up Rahul from somewhere along the road.

What was he doing here? He was supposed to be in Trivandrum.

I was already starting to feel my plans falling apart. But I still continued following them. I then realized that they were going to lover’s peak. But it was close to midnight. What could they possibly do there now?

I saw them park near the entrance and walk towards the peak. And that’s when the harsh truth hit me.

I always remembered how Priya said she wished to be proposed on the top of the lover’s peak at midnight.

I couldn't control myself. I was going crazy. I couldn't understand why this was happening.

I didn't realize when I had climbed to the peak and how I had a knife in my hand. I remember I had got that to cut the fruits I had brought along with me in the car.

When I reached the peak, I saw them close to the edge near the railing. Rahul was already on one knee, and I knew he was about to propose.

I lost myself entirely then. It was like watching someone else in action. I rushed over and stabbed Rahul in the stomach. I saw a lot of blood and him going down.

I turned around to see Priya. I could no longer see in her the girl of my dreams. She was looking at me in horror, anger and disgust. Seeing her expressions pushed me over the edge completely, and I stabbed her in the heart.

Only then did I realize what I had done.

I threw away the knife, knelt down near the bleeding Priya and started crying. I didn't even know whether she was alive.

Suddenly I felt a sharp pain in my back.

It was Rahul. Apparently, my earlier stab at him had not been lethal. He had somehow gotten the knife I had thrown down and attacked me with it.

I could see the raw hatred he had for me in his eyes. I guess he must have loved Priya a lot, and I must look like a monster to him.

He tried to stab me again, and out of reflex, I pushed him back, and we both lost our balance.

I fell down and hit my head on the corner of the concrete slab seat.

While I was losing consciousness, I saw Rahul, who had also lost his balance, fall over the railing and over the edge of the cliff.

Present

My thoughts came back to the Present. I could see the Inspector was almost done with reading my diary. Even though it didn't have everything that happened, being the intelligent guy he is, I'm sure he should be able to figure out the rest.

I also better understand my dream now. My subconscious was trying to tell me what had happened. But I guess my mind was not ready to accept the truth. The doctor was right. It had a lot of truth in it, just not the part I had thought, though.

I also couldn’t stop wondering about Mary. She must have known everything or at least part of what happened. That’s why she must have hidden my diary. It’s not like I couldn’t understand her. Love makes us do crazy things. But even then, I don’t think I’ll be able to forgive her for hiding the truth from me. But I guess it doesn’t matter much anyways now.

And finally, Priya. Even after everything that happened, I still loved her. She stuck to her belief like always. She always said she would do what she felt was right, even if it might hurt others. I guess I never expected to be on the other side of it.

Even then, I really hated myself for what I had done. Knowingly or unknowingly, I had committed a crime that could not be forgiven. My mind returned to my original thoughts, the promise I had made to myself.

Justice needs to be done, and it needs to be delivered by my hands.

Inspector Michael's POV

I finished reading the diary. I could more or less figure out what must have happened. I turned to look towards Jacob.

"I can guess part of what might have happened after reading this. But what happened to Rahul?”

"We got into a shuffle, and he lost his balance and fell over the railings.”

No wonder we could never find him.

“Jacob. After reading the diary, I understand it was not something that you had planned, and it was an accident.

There was no response from him.

"But you must realize that I'll have to take you in. Right? I will definitely try my best to make sure you get all the considerations you can.”

I was almost about to give up, expecting him to answer when he finally spoke.

"I agree. Justice needs to be served.”

I suddenly realized Jacob was slowly but steadily moving closer to the railings. And I started to get some bad premonitions. I had to try my best here.

"Jacob. I’m sure everyone will realize this was a crime of passion. The judge would give that consideration.”

I was not sure if he was listening to me anymore. He was next to the railing now.

But suddenly he spoke to me

"Inspector, do you know why this place is called the lover's peak?”

"I have heard the story”.

The bad feeling was suddenly increasing a lot.

"Did you also know this place has another name as well? Do you know what that is?”

I tried to lie.

“I don’t think I do.”

I was trying my best not to remember the peak was also known as the suicide peak.

“I think you do, Inspector. And I think both the names are apt for this location. I feel like there is poetic justice to it as well. Please tell everyone what happened was never intentional. And please say sorry to Priya’s parents and Mary for me.”

I decided to act and lunged to grab him. But he was quick, and I was too late.

He jumped off the railings and over the edge. I couldn’t do anything except to see him fall below.

I kept thinking about what he said in his final moments.

Guess once the truth comes out, both the names of this place will be staying forever.

I felt bad about the entire situation. I prayed for Jacob, Priya and Rahul. I wished there was something I could have done. But knowing everything now, I couldn’t think of anything.

I called for police backup to help me with the scene.

This was going to be another long night.

END