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The whole situation was worrisome. Vikram was pacing the length of his office back and forth with his stomach in knots. He was torn between his duty towards his employees and his love for his friend. If he lets his employees know about the footage, it will put Anupama in a jeopardy and if he doesn't then it will be unfair to his employees and his company. He knew only one person could help him with this and it was time to tell him. He picked up his phone to call him when he heard a knock on the door.

Vikram :- Come in

It was Ishika.

Vikram:- Ishika what are you still doing here?

Ishika:- Sir I stayed because I thought you might need something.

Vikram:- It's alright....you can go home....It's Sunday...you don't need to be in office.

Ishika:- Sir...

Vikram:- Yes

Ishika:- Ms Joshi seems to be a pretty decent woman and I know she didn't do it but if you keep hiding this from your employees and they come to know through someone else...then it might affect your credit in the company.

Vikram sighed.

Vikram:- I understand your concern Ishika....but you don't have to worry about it. The only thing you need to make sure is that they don't hear it from you...Got it?

Ishika:- Sure sir....I should take your leave now...

Vikram nodded and Ishika turned and walked out of his office.

Vikram went back to his desk and called Anuj but his phone was not reachable. He called again but still no answer.

Vikram (to himself):- It's 7 in the morning there so there is no chance he would be in office. I should probably call GK.

He called GK and he picked up.

Over the call...

Vikram:- Hello...

GK:- Haan Bunty....how are you maan?

Vikram:- I am good GK....aap kaise hai?

GK:- Mai to humesha ki tarah awesome....

Vikram:- GK wo Anuj ka phone lag nhi rha...wo ghar pe hai kya?

GK:- Nhi Maan....wo to subah subah Seattle ke liye nikal gaya...kisi meeting ke liye...

Vikram:- Meeting on a Sunday?

GK:- Pata nhi Maan...subah se pareshan tha Anupama ko lekar....bol rha tha kuch theek nhi lag rha...

Vikram took a gulp.

Vikram:- GK jaise hi wo wapas aaye....please use bolna mujhe turant call kare....it's very urgent...

GK:- Kya hua beta...kuch problem hai kya?

Vikram:- Haan GK...kuch business related tha...

He didn't want to bother GK.

GK:- Okay...jaise hi wo aata hai mai bolta hoo...

Vikram:- Thank you GK...

Saying this he cut the call.

Vikram was anxious as he couldn't reach Anuj and didn't know how to handle this situation.

Vikram (to himself):- Isse pehle ki iske bare me kisiko kuch bhi pata chale....mujhe real culprit ko dhundhana padega...yhi ek raasta hai Anu ko is situation se nikalne ka.....

He opened his computer to look at the footage again and sighed.

Baa, Kavya, Vanraj, Toshu and Bapuji were having breakfast on the dining table.

Baa:- Vanraj....Pakhi bata rhi thi ki Anupama ji teri hi company me naukari kar rhi hai....

Kavya:- Haan Baa....aur to aur use to nye project ka marketing head bana ke rakkha hai....

Kavya said annoyed.

Baa:- Mera bechara beta....yeh Anupama ne ghar chod diya lekin humara peecha nhi choda...

Bapuji was listening to all this silently.

Toshu:- Mummy bhi na chup chap dance academy nhi chala paa rhi thi....aab unhe is umar me college jaake bhi hme embarass karna tha...

Vanraj:- Use mera jeena jo haram karna tha....yeh aurat mera peecha chodne ka naam hi nhi leti....

Bapuji:- Wo nhi leti....ya tu uska peecha chodne ka naam nhi leta....sab kuch to cheen liya tune usse....aab kya naukri bhi cheenega...

Bapuji interrupted as he wasn't able to tolerate Vanraj's and Baa's taunts.

Baa:- Aapko to sirf apni Beti hi dikhayi deti hai....kabhi aapne apne bete ke bare me socha hai ki uspe kya guzarti hogi roz use apne samne kaam karta hua dekh....

Bapuji was irked and therefore he set his plate aside, folded his hands in apology for wasting food and walked away.

Baa:- Are kha jaa rhe hai...nasta to kar lijeye...

But Bapuji didn't listen and walked away.

Vanraj:- Jane dijeye Baa...Bapuji ka gussa thanda hoga to kha lenge...

Baa nodded.

Kavya:- V....abhi tak to office me wo baat fail jaani chaiye thi...

Kavya whispered to Vanraj under her breath.

Vanraj:- Shayad Vikram ko pata nhi chala ho abhi tak....

Kavya:- But ho sakta hai khi wo us Anupama ko protect nhi kar rha ho...

Vanraj:- Ho sakta hai...

They were talking to each other in a low voice.

Baa:- Yeh tum dono kya baatein kar rhe ho...

Vanraj:- Kuch nhi baa bas office ka kuch discuss kar rhe the...mai abhi bas ek call karke aata hoo...

Saying this he stood up and went to call someone.

A few moments later he came back and sat on the chair to continue with his breakfast.

Kavya tapped on his hand and raised her eyebrows in question.

He closed his eyes and gestured her to relax.

Anupama was looking through her cupboard trying to find the perfect outfit for the first day at her job.

Anu(to herself):- Mere pass itne sare kapde to hai....fir kuch samjh kyu nhi aa rha kya pehnu....pant suit pehnu ya kurti...kuch samjh kyu nhi aa rha..

Saying this she scratched her head still pondering over what to wear when Devika knocked at the door.

Devika:- Anu...

Anu:- Haan khol rhi hoo...

She opened the door of her room.

Devika:- Anu tu abhi tak ready nhi hui....office ke liye late ho jayega...

Anu:- Yrr Devu kuch samjh hi nhi aa rha kya pehnu...

Devika:- Anu...tera job ka pehla din hai...office ka nhi ki tu itna soch rhi...

Anu:- Haan but fir bhi...

Devika:- Chal mai help karti hoo...

Saying this she barged in and looked at the clothes lying on her bed.

Anu:- Yeh maine kuch sort out kiye hai...but samjh nhi aa rha kaun sa select karu...

Devika:- Anu kapde khareedne nhi...pehenne hai...

Saying this Devika chuckled.

Devika:- Anu tu yeh pehan le...accha lagega...

She picked up a blue kurti and handed it to her.

Anu:- Nhi mujhe wo printed wala better lag rha...

She pointed towards a long printed kurti.

Devika:- Accha to fir whi pehan le na....

Anu:- Umm....

Devika:- Anu...late ho jayegi...jaldi decide kar...

Anu:- Haan mai whi pehan leti hoo...waise bhi late ho rha...

She said looking at the time on the clock.

Devika:- Chal tu jaldi ready ho jaa sath me chalte hai....maine apni car servicing ke liye di hai to tujhe mere ko drop karna padega...

Anu:- Devu mujhe time lagega...mujhe office se pehle mandir bhi jaana hai....aur tera office bilkul opposite side hai....ek kaam kar tu car leke jaa...aaj mai auto se chali jaungi...

Devika:- Are mai cab le lungi na...tu chill kar...

Anu:- Nhi nhi aaj wo tu office se late bhi aane wali hai to tu car leke jaa....raat me pata nhi cab mile na mile...

Devika:- Pakka?

Anu:- Haan pakka....tu aaj car leke jaa...

Devika:- Okay fir mai nikalti hoo....mujhe late ho rha...

Anu:- Bye...

Devika:- Bye....all the best...

Saying this Devika left.

Anu(to herself):- Chal Anu tu bhi jaldi ready ho jaa nhi to aaj pehle din hi late ho jayegi....

She picked up her clothes and went into the washroom to change.

After a few moment, she came out of the washroom applied a little make up and packed her bag for the office.

She took a final look into the mirror and left for office.

Vikram hadn't left the office since yesterday. He was laying on his couch still wondering who could have leaked their bids. He had tried everything to find out the culprit but still there was not a single sign of him.

He double checked his system to find if anyone ever accessed that folder with his passcode in the past few days. He recalled if he left the file somewhere outside his office where anyone could take a peek at it but he never did. He knew his research team was the one to bring up the allegations of fraud against the company but for all he knew it could be anyone of them who leaked the bid. So he called his guy to keep an eye over every member of the research team who decides the bids but still didn't find a single clue.

He was stressed and tired as he couldn't find a single way out and Anuj was still unreachable.

He stood up from the couch to strech his legs when he heard a knock on his door.

Vikram:- Come in...

Ishika was surprised to see him in office this early in the morning that too in the same clothes from yesterday.

Vikram:- Yes Ishika...

Ishika:- Sir you didn't go home...

Vikram:- No....I had to find out about the whole bid thing....so was trying to look up everything related to it...

Ishika:- Any clue yet?

Vikram :- Not a single...

He sighed.

Vikram:- Can you please call...

He was interrupted.

Both of their phones pinged at the same time. It was a message from an unknown number.

They looked at it and the colour of their face was washed away.

Vikram:- WHATT THE HELL?

Vikram yelled in anger while Ishika was still looking at the video.

It was a video of Anupama searching Vikram's office for a file and then finally taking a glance at the tender file.

Ishika:- Sir I swear I didn't tell anyone....

She said in a panicky voice.

Vikram:- I know Ishika you didn't but someone did and I need to find out who...

He said in a vexation.

Vikram:- Ishika....I am going down to the security department while you call Anupama and ask her to not to come to the office today....

Saying this he walked towards the door and as soon as he opened it....his research team was standing in front of him....

Vikram:- What are you guys doing here?

Employee 1:- Sir can we come in?

He asked politely.

Vikram:- Yeah sure...

He tried to calm down and asked them to come in while he gestured Ishika to go and call Anupama.

Ishika left to call Anupama and Vikram walked to his desk and took a seat.

Vikram:- Yes...you had to say something?

He asked the research team.

One of the members opened a video on their mobile and kept it on the desk in front of Vikram.

Vikram looked down at the video and found it to be the same he received a few minutes ago.

Vikram:- I have received the same video on my phone and had a look at it.

Employee 3:- Sir if you did have a look at it, then we don't have to tell you that what needs to be done.

Vikram knew what they were talking about.

Vikram:- Guys let's have some patience....we received the video from an unknown number...it could be anyone trying to bring down our company's reputation...

Employee 2:- Sir are you saying if we take a look at the security footage, we wouldn't find Ms Joshi looking at the tender file?

Vikram:- No but....

He was interrupted.

Employee 4:- Sir as far as we know only security department has this footage so it means it is someone from our office who has send this and I don't think anyone from our office would send this with the intention of diminishing our reputation....if that was the case they would have leaked into the media.

Vikram was in silence as he didn't know what to say.

Vikram(in thoughts):- They are right...it has to be someone from the office....but who would want to implicate Anu and why?....Perhaps someone is trying to cover up their own doings by implicating her....I need to find out...

Vikram was lost in these thoughts when one of his employees spoke.

Employee 3:- Sir...

This brought Vikram back to the present.

Vikram:- Yes....

He came out of his reverie.

Employee 1:- Sir we don't know who send us the video but it says enough about how our bid was leaked. We have worked night and day for this project researching each and every aspect of it and we lost because someone leaked it to the other company.

Employee:- Sir we don't know why you trust Ms Joshi so much but to us it is clear she is the one who leaked the bid and we want her gone.

Vikram was in a quandary. Doing right by his employees meant doing wrong by Anupama. So he tried to find a middle ground.

Vikram:- I understand everything you said and every bit of hardwork you put into the project but you and Ms Joshi both work for our company. I have the same obligations towards her as towards you. If I completely deny the security footage, that would be unfair to you guys and if I fire Ms Joshi over just a security footage without proper investigation, that would be unfair to her. You have always trusted me with every decision. This time all I am asking of you is to have a little bit of patience and faith in me.

Saying this he looked at them for an answer and they nodded in a agreement.

Vikram:- So can you please give me two days to make a decision?

Employee 3:- Sir we have always believed in you and we all trust you to make the right decision.

They nodded in assurance.

Vikram:- Thank you....

They all turned and walked out of his office.

As soon as they left, Ishika entered.

Vikram:- Ishika, did you call Anupama and told her to not to come to office?

Ishika:- Sir I tried but she isn't answering her phone.

Vikram:- Keep calling her.

He sighed and picked up his phone to call Devika when Ishika interrupted....

Ishika:- Sir there is one more thing..

Vikram:- Yes

Ishika:- The board of directors have called for a meeting this noon to discuss the leaked bid.

Vikram:- SHITT !!

Vikram sighed in exasperation.

Vikram:- When is the meeting?

Ishika:- 12 noon.

Vikram:- Okay...you go and do your work and keep calling Anupama and if she enters the office, inform me ASAP.

Ishika:- Okay sir...

Saying this Ishika left.

Vikram looked for Devika's number on his phone and called her.

She picked up the call.

On the call...

Vikram :- Devika....Anu tere saath hai?

Devika:- Nhi aaj mai office ke liye jaldi nikal gayi thi....so...

Vikram:- Okay...

Devika:- Wo pahuchti hi hogi office...raaste me hogi...

Vikram:- Haan mai dekhta hoo..

Devika:- Kya hua Bunty...tu itna pareshan kyu hai...?

She asked worried.

Vikram:- Devu....bahut badi gadbad ho gayi hai...yrr...

Devika:- Kaisi gadbad?

Vikram told her everything.

Devika :- WHATT ?

Devika yelled in shock.

Devika:- Bunty aur tu mujhe yeh aab bata rha hai?

Vikram:- Yrr mujhe laga chota sa matter hai solve ho jayega....maine socha tha Anu se baat karunga puchunga ki usne wo file kyu dekhi thi...sab clear ho jayega....aur wo footage sirf maine aur Ishika ne dekha tha to mujhe laga kuch bhi karne se pehle mai real culprit ko dhundu aur fir batau....but pata nhi itna bada mess kaise ho gaya...

Devika:- Anu ko pata hai ?

Vikram:- Nhi...isiliye uska call try kar rha hoo tabse utha nhi rhi wo....tu karke dekh please and agar wo call uthaye to please ask her to not come to the office....I don't want ki koi bhi use kisi baat ke liye sunaye....

Devika:- Mai dekhti hoo...

Saying this she cut the call.

Anupama stood before Kanhaji's idol praying with her hands in unison before a new beginning in her life.

Anu:- Hee kanhaji...aapko to abhi tak meri prarthana ki aadat ho gayi hogi...aaj bhi bas whi sab mangana hai...baa Bapuji ki health theek rhe...mere bacche jaha bhi rhe bas khush rhe..bas aaj ek choti si cheez apne liye mangana chahti hoo......aaj tak aapne meri bahut parikhsha li hai....aaj bahut dino baad aisa lag rha ki finally sab theek hoga... please aab kuch gadbad mat hone dijeyega....dhyan rakhjo....

She took the prasad from the priest and brought it to her head before eating it as a sign of prayer.

She came out of the temple and took out her phone from her bag which was constantly buzzing throughout her prayer to have a look at it.

She saw 5 missed calls from Ishika, 3 from Vikram and Devika.

Anu(to herself):- Yeh Vikram aur Ishika ke itne saare calls kyu pade hai...khi office me koi emergency to nhi....

She looked at her watch and she was late by an hour.

Anu(to herself):- Anu tu aaj kitni late ho gayi hai...jaldi pahuch office....Devika ko baad me call kar lena...

She soon found an auto and left for office.