Anant Chowhan Chapter 1 The indoor pool was still cloaked in shadow when Suvam Dey stepped inside the cavernous space, his footsteps echoing against the high glass walls. The air smelled sharply of chlorine and faint mildew, a familiar scent that both comforted and stung. It was just past 4:30 AM, the hour he cherished most—before the noise, before the competition, before the world crept into the stillness. He dropped his duffel near the bleachers, removed his hoodie, and looked at the water—calm, mirrorlike, awaiting only him. Suvam dove in without hesitation, slicing through the silence. Each stroke was metronomic,…