[Annika - A, Shivaay -S]
At the hotel
S: This is your room, we've managed to get your luggage back from police custody.
Annika hugged him, she was too emotional and exhausted. The last 24 hours had been hell for her. Shivaay kissed her temple and hugged her back and they stayed like that, in each other's embrace, for some time. When she finally let him go, she had tears in her eyes
A: Thank you so much Shivaay. I would still be locked up if not for you, I don't know how I'll ever repay you
S: You can repay me by getting into the shower, freshening up, and eating something. I'll be back in a few minutes. Go change and no more tears okay, I don't like to see you cry.
Shivaay updated his brothers and Chanda about the bail and they ordered something to eat.
Sanket joined them soon in Annika's room.
Sanket: There have been cases of people smuggling drugs in the city so the cops have been checking suspicious people at the airports. But Miss Annika was not a person of interest until they received an anonymous tip. My suggestion to you would be to put in a request for forensic analysis of the package so we can show if Annika's prints are on it or not.
MrKothari: We have already filed for forensic analysis, for prints on the package as well as to confirm if it is actually cocaine or not.
Sanket: Great. You also need footage from the airport, both Delhi and Mumbai to find if anyone tampered with her luggage
S: I have a question
Sanket: Yes Mr. Oberoi
S: Why are you helping us? We don't know each other, we didn't contact you. And from what I have found about you, you only handle high-profile cases. What's in it for you? Are you doing this for money?
Sanket: No Mr. Oberoi. I don't have any ulterior motive and I'm not in it for the money. As you already know I handle high-profile cases, so money is not a motivating factor for me, I have plenty. Miss Annika is a rising entrepreneur, I have heard about her business and I don't think she's guilty. As a lawyer, I feel it's my duty to ensure that no one is wrongfully convicted. And I know you would have eventually come up with everything that I have suggested. But I have certain contacts here that might help her.
A: Sanket, please don't mind. Shivaay was not trying to offend you, we're all just curious.
Sanket: Oh no no, I absolutely understand.
Neil: So, how do we get the footage?
Sanket: I have already called my contact to get footage from Delhi airport.
S: I'll try to get the footage from Mumbai airport
Sanket exchanged his contact details with Shivaay and Annika and left.
S: You should get some rest Annika, it has been a tough night for you. Mr Kothari, let's see about that footage.
Shivaay left her room with the lawyer. Annika and Neil settled on the bed
Neil: How are you feeling now?
A: I feel angry and sad and frustrated. Why is this happening to me? Why do I have such a 2 rupees kismat (fate)?
Neil: Honey, I wish I had any answers for you
A: I wish I hadn't come here, things were so good, I was happy. Now everything is ruined, my image, my reputation, my peace of mind.
Neil: You've got a lot of bad press because of this.
A: I know, I saw those reporters. Mr. Kothari has asked me to refrain from saying anything to the press or using social media right now.
Neil: Thank god Chanda informed Shivaay, or who knows how much longer you would have spent in jail.
A: He has done a lot for me and never asked for anything in return
Neil: Tell him how you feel Annika, he dropped everything and came here to help you, he has faith in you. I'm sure he has feelings for you
A: I will, as soon as this is over
The next morning Sanket came to meet them
Sanket: I have got the airport footage, let's see if we can find any clue
All of them sat down and skimmed through the footage.
A: Pause here
They saw a man tampering with Annika's bag while she waited at the baggage claim center. Her bag was still on the conveyor when a man opened the zipper and slid something inside.
S: That's it, that's the man who planted the drugs
MrKothari: I'll submit this video to the court once we get the forensic report. This should be sufficient to close this case.
A: Thank you so much Sanket
Sanket: It's not a problem, I'm glad we found some evidence to prove your innocence.
A few hours later they received the forensic reports as well. The package of drugs had only one set of fingerprints and it didn't match with Annika. Mr Kothari got a private hearing with the judge and submitted all the evidence. The police were ordered to find the real culprit in the next 24 hours.
Sanket: I know a private investigator who can help look for that man, I'll get in touch with him
MrKothari: Hopefully you'll be free of all charges in the next 24 hours Annika
A: Hopefully
S: We can't just wait for the police to find that guy. I think we should also look for him
Neil: Yes I agree, Annika and I know the city well enough, we can try to trace the guy through street cameras
Sanket: Okay then, let's try.
They followed the guy through the airport footage and found him leaving in a taxi. The police had already apprehended the cab driver and questioned him. He gave them the culprit's drop location.
Shivaay and the gang also reached the culprit's last known location. It was a slum area. They asked people around showing them a photograph of the man. The police were also searching the slum.
Neil asked a boy walking by, he said he had never seen the guy but the moment Neil moved ahead, he started running through a narrow alley.
A: Neil, follow that boy
Annika and Neil ran behind the boy. Shivaay and Sanket ran through another route trying to catch him at the other end of the alley. The boy ran like his life depended on it. He managed to outrun Neil and Annika but fate had something else planned for him.
A couple of officers were asking around in the area he just entered. They managed to stop him. One of the officers slapped him hard and got him to speak. He took all of them to an old warehouse.
The police entered the warehouse first which caused panic among the men sitting in there. The rest of them waited outside. Sanket saw the culprit trying to escape from a back door. He started running behind him. Shivaay followed suit. Sanket threw a stone he found on the ground at the man and he fell. Both of them caught the culprit and Shivaay slapped him hard
S: Why did you frame Annika? (Another slap) Who sent you?
Inspector: Enough Mr Oberoi, we'll take him now.
The police arrested him.
After a lot of interrogation, he finally confessed that he was asked to place the package in a similar-looking bag. He mixed up the bags. It was never supposed to be kept in Annika's bag.
Annika was finally declared innocent by the court and they announced this to the media right away.
A few hours later Annika knocked on Shivaay's door. He seemed different.
A: Shivaay, I don't know how to thank you. You saved my life
S: You don't need to thank me, Annika
A: Umm Shivaay, are you alright? Is something bothering you?
S: No, no, nothing. Why don't we take my jet and get back to Mumbai tonight?
A: Sounds good to me, I'll inform the others.
Later that night they reached Mumbai. Shivaay didn't talk to anyone throughout the flight. When Annika said goodbye at the airport, he just nodded
A(in her mind): Something is wrong with him
Hey guys I hope you like this chapter
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