LOVE, LIFE, SECRETS: Answers lie within – CHAPTER 81

CHAPTER 81: The beginning of the end

Ranbir: Yes Bhai, both Anika and Prachi are missing, something is wrong.

Shivaay looked at him shocked…. Arjun began narrating about his visit to their office…. Their absence there…. Prachi’s phone being switched off…. And the receptionist of their office informing him that Anika had left a message for him before going out….

Shivaay: What message, what message did Anika leave for you?

Arjun showed him the paper…. Shivaay took the paper from him and read the contents of the paper….

“Bhai, we have got a lead regarding Mr. Kapoor’s death. Prachi and I are going to meet the person responsible for all this, will let you know once we are back – Your Annie”

Shivaay looked at the paper and then at Arjun and Ranbir….

Arjun: It’s been hours since they have gone to meet the person, and have not returned. Something is definitely not right.

Shivaay: Don’t worry Arjun, we’ll find them.

Shivaay assured Arjun…. Till Shivaay Singh Oberoi is alive, nothing can happen to his Anika….

Ranbir: Arjun Bhai, do you have any idea who is the person whom they could have gone to meet?

Arjun: No Ranbir, and yeh Annie bhi naa, she should have written the person’s name or the place where they have gone, but know she mentioned things we are unaware of.

Shivaay: Still, think once again Arjun, think properly maybe they may have mentioned it earlier but you did not pay attention then.

Arjun got into thinking…. He could not remember having any conversation with Anika or Prachi about this new clue…. Something struck his mind…. Mr. Kapoor’s death…. They were all investigating Tia’s death and finding proofs against Shaantanu…. What happened suddenly that Anika and Prachi were looking into Mr. Kapoor’s death…. And where did they find a clue about his death…. Till now they all were working on finding clues leading to Tia’s killer…. What brought this new dimension to the investigation….

Arjun: Mr. Kapoor’s killer….

Shivaay and Ranbir looked at him confused.

Shivaay: What do you mean?

Arjun: We all were investigating Tia’s death, what made them look into Mr. Kapoor’s death?

Hearing Arjun even Shivaay got into thinking…. Ranbir was confused…. He was so unaware of what was happening….

Ranbir: What are you both talking about, I am unable to understand, isn’t the investigation for Tia’s death already over now?

Arjun looked at Shivaay…. Shivaay quickly narrated everything to Ranbir who was shocked hearing the other half of the truth….

College reunion…. Tia and Shaantanu’s meeting…. Tia doubting Shaantanu’s behavior…. Illegal activities of the Malhotras…. Tia finding clues about Adhvik and Shaantanu being involved in human trafficking…. Tia collecting the pieces of evidence against them and blackmailing them…. Tia meeting Dushyant…. Her alliance with Shivaay…. Adhvik and Shaantanu finding of Tia and the pieces of evidence against them…. Adhvik and Shaantanu threatening Tia to stop blackmailing them and give them the proofs…. Pankhuri warning Tia to stay away from the Malhotras…. Shaantanu warning Tia to stop her plan of exposing Shivaay otherwise he would kill her…. Pankhuri and Shaantanu meeting Tia a day before the wedding and then Tia’s death…. Arjun’s plan of making Pankhuri take the blame for Tia’s death…. Their search missions and finding the pieces of evidence from Kapoor mansion….

Ranbir: So much was happening around here and I had no clue, even Prachi did not tell me anything.

Arjun: Ranbir, I understand your situation but this is not the time to think about all this. Right now we have to find them, I feel something is really not right.

Shivaay: I think we should inform Ranveer, their team will help us, and the more the people search, the sooner we can get the clues.

Ranbir and Arjun nodded at him and the trio left for the police station….

*****

Ranveer was talking to Pankhuri to know more about the Malhotras when a constable came and informed him about Shivaay’s arrival…. He was surprised to know that Shivaay had come along with Ranbir and Arjun…. Pankhuri was also surprised hearing this….

Ranveer: I’ll talk to you later Pankhuri.

Pankhuri nodded while Ranveer walked out of the interrogation room….

Pankhuri: I hope everything is fine, Arjun is here with Shivaay and Ranbir. God, please I hope everything is fine.

She prayed to God for everything to remain alright…. Little did she know things were going to change drastically….

*****

Ranveer entered his cabin and heard Shivaay telling Abir about Anika and Prachi’s disappearance….

Ranveer: Anika and Prachi are missing, since when?

Arjun explained everything to Ranveer….

Ranveer: Don’t worry, we’ll find them.

Shivaay: But how Anika’s phone is with Arjun and Prachi’s phone is switched off, we cannot even track their last location.

Abir: Well we still have a chance, we can track Prachi’s phone’s location, we can check where was the phone last active.

Mishti: I’ll get it, I’ll ask Sharma to trace Prachi’s number.

Ranveer nodded while Abir did not bother to react…. His different behavior did not go unnoticed by Mishti but she decided to think about it later…. Right now her duty was her priority…. She quickly walked out of the cabin….

Ranveer was lost in his thoughts….

Abir: What are you thinking Veer, do you doubt someone?

Ranveer: I am thinking if it could be the Malhotras, they have every reason to harm Anika and Prachi.

Arjun, Shivaay, and Ranbir exchanged looks hearing Ranveer’s words….

Arjun: Malhotras? Why do you think they can do this?

Abir: Arjun, we already know everything, Pankhuri has already told us everything.

All got into thinking…. Malhotras…. They were the only people who could have any enmity with Anika and Prachi…. Had the Malhotras found about the pieces of evidence…. Had they kidnapped Anika and Prachi to acquire those proofs….

Shivaay: But even if it the Malhotras, why did Anika mention Mr. Kapoor’s death, she would have said Tia’s death or her killer.

Abir: You have a point, but what if Malhotras are also related to Mr. Kapoor’s death?

Ranveer: Maybe or maybe not, Anika and Prachi had found something that leads them to think about Mr. Kapoor’s death and that is why they went to meet the person.

Arjun: But what connection can Shaantanu and Adhvik have with Mr. Kapoor’s death, they were also kids when Mr. Kapoor died in the car accident.

All of them were lost in thoughts thinking about the possible connections between Tia and Mr. Kapoor’s death and how it could be linked to the Malhotras….

As they were thinking Mishti came back and all looked at her….

Arjun: Did you find the location, where was Prachi’s phone last active?

Mishti: We did find the last location….

Ranveer: Where was it Mishti?

Mishti: Oberoi Industries Main Branch, Prachi’s phone was last active there and then after some time it got switched off.

All of them were shocked…. Different things revolving in their minds….

Abir: Oberoi office, why would Anika and Prachi go there, when they were supposed to go and meet someone responsible for Mr. Kapoor’s death?

Shivaay: Well, it could be possible, Oberois did have a connection with Mr. Kapoor’s death and we all are aware of it.

All looked at Shivaay and got into thinking…. He was right…. From the time Tia had died and the investigation had started Mrs. Kapoor was adamant about Oberois being responsible for everything…. Were the two deaths related to each other…. Whatever Mrs. Kapoor had been saying all along, was it right then….

*****

“Anika, Anika open your eyes please Anika”

“Shivaay”

Anika tried hard to open her eyes but she could not…. Her eyes felt heavy and it felt like she had to use all her strength to open her eyelids….

“Anika, you can do it, please try”

Shivaay’s voice was revolving in her mind…. He was asking her to open her eyes…. She had to do it…. She had to do it for Shivaay…. Her Shivaay was asking her to do it….
She again tried opening her eyes…. She used all her might and opened her eyes…. Everything around felt so bright that she shut her eyes again…. After some moments she again opened her eyes and tried to adjust to the brightness…. After some moments she felt better, her eyes were still weak and she could not understand where she was…. She looked around and saw Prachi lying unconscious beside her…. Anika could feel her head was hurting and she could feel pain in her entire body…. Prachi’s hands were tied to the chair’s armrest…. Anika was shocked looking at Prachi’s condition…. Anika tried to get up when she realized that even she was tied to her chair…. She remembered the incidents that had occurred in the morning….

Anika: Tej uncle, Shakti uncle….

It was their deed after all and why would they not do it…. Their secret was out and they had to make sure that no one found about it….

Anika was thinking when she saw that Prachi was also gaining consciousness…. Prachi opened her eyes…. Even she could feel the pain in her body…. Prachi looked around and saw Anika…. She saw Anika’s condition and realized even she was in the same state….

Prachi: Anika, tu thik toh hai naa (Anika, are you okay)

Anika: Prachi, main thik hu, tu bata, jyada dard toh nahi ho raha naa (Prachi, I am fine, you tell me, is it hurting you a lot)

Prachi: Nahi, waise kabhi socha nahi tha dono best friends aise saath mein kidnap bhi honge, chal ek aur adventure jud gaya hamari kahaani mein (No, by the way I never thought that we best friends will even get kidnapped together, we got one more adventure added to our story)

Hearing Prachi and seeing her smile, even Anika smiled…. No matter whatever the situation would be, true friends can make you smile always…. Seeing Anika smile, Prachi felt better…. They had to fight a problem but before that they had to be each other’s strength….

Anika: Prachi, how are we going to escape from here?

Prachi: I don’t know, but before anything else we have to free ourselves.

Anika: You are right, let us see if we can find something.

Prachi nodded and they looked around the place to find something that could help them get rid of the ropes….

*****

“What if someone finds out that those girls had come to Oberoi office, we can get into trouble then”

Shakti asked Tej unsure of what they had done…. They had to keep Anika and Prachi away from their path, but their disappearance would soon come to notice and then Arjun would not leave any stone unturned…. It was about his sisters after all….

“Uncle, you take too much stress, don’t think so much, nothing will happen”

Tej and Shakti turned around hearing him and looked at Shaantanu who was standing looking outside the window…. He turned towards them….

Tej: Even if they find that Anika and Prachi were in Oberoi office, the doubt won’t sustain for long.

Shaantanu: What do you mean uncle?

Tej: When the game had started, I had well thought about everything. In the middle some moves did not go right, but the end, the end will only be as I have planned.

Shakti: What are you both planning on doing?

Shaantanu: Something that will end all our problems for once and all.

Tej and Shaantanu gave a smirk while Shakti was confused seeing his behavior…. Shakti only hoped that whatever they did kept them safe and nothing spoiled their plans….

*****

The game that had started years ago was now moving towards the finish line and none of the players were sure who was going to win and who would lose….

Would the winners actually win or will the losers even lose….

No one was sure of anything now….

They all were making their moves but the ultimate victory was undecided….

It was now upon fate, whom would luck favor and who would succeed, only time would tell….

*****

Hello everyone, I hope you all doing well.
Here is the next chapter of the story, do share your views on the same.

Will Arjun and the others find any clue at Oberoi Office? What have Tej and Shaantanu planned, will it harm Anika and Prachi more? What will happen when Omkara, Rudra, Gauri, and the others will find about Anika and Prachi’s absence? Will they all be able to find the culprits before it is too late?

Keep reading and smiling!!!
Take care and stay safe!!!