Dedicated to MeghanaUppalapati 💜
Thank you for being one of my first supporters ^-^

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"If we want to find the culprit, we will have to dig from the beginning." Priya suggests. 

"What do you mean?" 

"We have to start from where it began. That night is now the only thing we have. Let's make a list of things that happened that day." She explains. 

Vikram can feel a shiver going down his spine. He never really wanted to think about it again. It was his deepest secret, he wanted to keep it that way. But here he is. Now he doesn't have any other way than to recall that incident. Everything is still vivid in his eyes. It always feels suffocating whenever he thinks about it. Even right now, he feels drowsy. It doesn't help the matter that he hardly had any food in his system let alone sleep. 

"But how can it help? It was just us 4 that day and I trust each of you with my life." Vikram whispers, afraid of the fact that anyone might hear them even though they are in the comfort of his study. 

"I'm not saying it's any of us. But what if someone was present there without our Knowledge? I mean there had to be someone else. Otherwise how will someone else know about it?" 

Vikram nods his head in understanding though he doesn't like the idea. 

"Let's discuss who was present there before the incident happened. We can't leave anything or anyone out."

"In that case, we need to include those too who were present here after the incident. If they were here when it happened, they must have dropped by later to remove any trace after themselves. That's why we didn't know anything about them till now." Vikram adds to her suggestion. 

They take 2 days to come up with a list of people who are under their radar of suspicion. Luckily for them, the blackmailer hasn't contacted them after that disturbing call. But they can't stay in peace knowing that man can strike anytime. However, they are currently in Vikram's study to discuss it once again. 

"Here's the list." Vikram places it on his desk so that Priya can have a full view of it. 

Priya takes the list and starts to go through it. She nods her head in agreement as she sees the names written there. 

"That's our black list. We will start from here. I'm sure it will lead us to someone. Don't worry too much, Vikram." 

Vikram nods his head despite the fact that he knows it's not gonna be that easy. However, it's not in him to give up even before he tries to fight back. He has a feeling that even if they are successful in tracking the blackmailer down, he won't feel at peace because the guilt won't let him. 

Ever since that incident took place, he never shared his feelings with anyone. He always tries his best to keep it to himself. It seems impossible to keep it to himself now. He will break down soon if he doesn't share his burden. 

"I can't handle it anymore, Priya. The guilt is eating me up." 

"I know, Vikram. I'm as guilty as you, trust me. But you need to keep that in mind that you had no other choice. We had no other choice." 

Vikram doesn't say anything in reply. It doesn't work. His purpose was to feel relieved after sharing what's been bothering him but it doesn't work. Not at all. If only he was the only one being affected by it. He's not. Everyone whom he loves will be affected by it if this leaks and that's what scares him the most. 

"We will keep our past away from affecting our present and future, Vikram. Have faith in me." Priya places her hand on Vikram's to give it a little squish. 

A sign of assurance. Vikram knows. But does he feel assured? Absolutely not. 

To make him feel even worse than before, his phone vibrates. His heart leaps with worry anytime he gets a call from anyone. He has been on edge as of late. Consequently, he freezes in his spot. He doesn't have the strength to pick up the call. 

Priya is tensed about the whole situation but she knows it's worse for Vikram. So, she takes it up to herself to check the caller id instead of him. 

"It's not from a private number." She announces. 

Vikram finally breathes properly upon hearing her. 

"It's not saved in your phone though. Pick it up. Maybe it's something important." Priya urges. 

 Vikram agrees with her. But before he can receive the call, his phone stops ringing. He is about to go back to converse with Priya when his phone vibrates again. But this time It's the notification of a text. It's a video actually. Someone sent it to his WhatsApp account. Vikram clicks on the video. By now, Priya has left her seat and takes a stand behind Vikram's chair to see what's there. Both of their hearts beat at an abnormal speed in anticipation of what will come up. Though, they know it won't be anything good if it's from the blackmailer. 

They look horrified as soon as the video starts to play. They share a look. A look that indicates that they are fucked up. 

The video shows a dead body covered in crimson blood. A dead body of a woman lying on the floor of Vikram's living room.

It is as if his brain went haywire. It now feels impossible for him to breathe even. He really hoped Priya's words would come true. He really thought that man was bluffing. How could someone videotape it? Everything is going over his head. 

"P-Priya." Vikram whispers in utter terror. 

This video rendered her speechless as well. All while she thought she could handle whoever it was but now she has doubt arousing in her head. If that person was capable enough to videotape it in Vikram's personal residence, he would be capable of anything. She shouldn't have taken him so lightly. 

They don't even get enough time to get over the shock because Vikram's phone starts to go off once again. It's the same unsaved number that called him before.

Despite his brain telling him not to pick it up, he had to answer the phone with a trembling hand. He needs to know what more that man has up his sleeve. 

"H-Hello?" He sounds shaken up. 

"How was the trailer? It will be a super duper hit, won't it?" 

"Stop it. Fucking stop it." But the man just laughs at him. 

"You should have stopped yourself from committing that crime, Mr.Arora. It's not me who did the wrong thing, is it? Just give me whatever I want and I will stop bothering you." 

Vikram doesn't find any words to say. What can he say? 

"You know what, Mr.Arora. I'm gonna give you two weeks at best. Gather all you have. I will have you know how to transfer them to me. Till then I will leave you alone. Have fun while it lasts, Mr.Arora." 

"I'm fucking doomed." He yells before smashing his phone onto the floor. 

"It's all over." He yells once again, breaking the trophy he finds near his hand. 

"Hold yourself together, Vikram. You can't fall weak like this." Priya says in a weak voice. 

"What am I supposed to do now?" Vikram says, holding her arms. 

"He…. He didn't call from a private number! We can trace it now." Priya says, her voice sounding hopeful. 

Vikram sighs at that. It doesn't convince him of anything. 

"Whoever he is, he is a smart son of a bitch. He must have done it purposely so that we waste our time trying to find that number." Vikram reasons. 

"But what if he wanted us to think the way you are thinking now? We can't leave anything out, Vikram. This number is our only chance. There is still hope. We have 2 weeks. Let's start with this number." 

Vikram tries to calm his racing heart. She is right. He needs to keep himself together and think it through. She does make sense. He needs to think from every angle and work with anything he finds. What if this very number leads him to the culprit? 

"Fine. We are doing it." 

*******

"Can you believe what that brat did this time, Karan?" Sanjay rants to his best friend, sipping on tea as the rush hour of the restaurant is over and they have time in hand to chat. 

Karan Mehta is his only friend who proved to be useful when he really needed help. Around 8 years ago, Sanjay was totally jobless. It was even hard to feed themselves meals one time a day. At that time Karan came into his life like a savior. Karan had recently opened his restaurant at that time and needed some chef for it. Sanjay didn't have a culinary degree, he wasn't highly educated either. But he impressed Karan with his cooking when he tried for the job. Honestly, Sanjay didn't know he would get the job. Over a period of time, they have become best friends with each other. They hit it off rather quickly. 

"It's Kai we are talking about. We can always expect something unexpected from him." Comes an amusing answer from the said best friend. 

Sanjay just rolls his eyes but he knows Karan isn't totally wrong. That boy is totally unpredictable when it comes to creating trouble for himself. 

"So, what did the Prince charming do now?" Karan asks, being curious. Kairav is a very interesting kid to say the least. 

"He didn't run after the fucking theif who stole his phone! I mean can you believe it?" Karan just laughs at that rather loudly. 

"Guess why he didn't run?" 

"Because he was too lazy to run, of course. I swear that boy is too much." Karan says through a fit of laughter. 

"There you go."

Sanjay is done with his laziness. How can someone be like that? He isn't just lazy, careless as well. 

"Well, we can expect something like this from him. It's not the weirdest thing he has done."

"Don't laugh, you lil shit. I can't believe he can be so careless. What if someone uses his phone for any illegal stuff and he gets framed for it?!" Sanjay voices his concern. 

"Don't start overthinking now. People get their phones stolen all the time. We can always lodge a complaint if you are that paranoid." Sanjay nods his head at that, the idea doesn't sound that bad. 

"I swear his laziness will lead him to the wrong way someday. I'm worried about him." 

"I already told you to let him work at my place as a part timer. But you never listen." Karan reminds him. 

"You pamper him like a baby. If he says he can't work because his little hands are tired, you will just let him sit idly and pay him." 

Well, Karan can't deny the accusation. He has always treated Kairav like his baby brother. He can hardly say no to the boy. His puppy eyes look is one of his weaknesses.

Yes, Karan is another reason why Kairav is so pampered and lazy. 

"As if you didn't baby him all the time." Karan argues.

"And that's the mistake of my parenting. I should have been strict on him." 

Karan stops laughing seeing Sanjay genuinely concerned. Kairav is lazy for sure but he isn't totally hopeless. However, he needs to console his best friend before he starts to overthink like always. 

"Why don't you let him work at the Arora Corporation? I saw an internship circular in the management department this morning. Our Kai is also graduating from that department." Karan lays an idea in front of Sanjay. 

"He hasn't graduated yet. He is still in 2nd year." 

"Let me grab the newspaper." Sanjay nods his head. 

Soon Karan returns with the newspaper and opens the job section. 

"See, they are even giving chances to the high school graduates. Isn't it great? I say they are doing a great job for those people who couldn't continue their studies." 

"That's great indeed but can he handle internship and study at the same time?" 

"It will be a part time thing I think. You can at least try." 

"Alright. I will think about it." 

"Is he still alive though? I mean he can apply only if he is alive. I don't think they will hire dead people. " Karan says after a while, confusing Sanjay. 

"What are you on?" 

"I mean he didn't even make an effort to catch the thief. You must have beaten him to a pulp by now." Karan laughs. 

"I will for sure once I get him. He is hiding somewhere. I got to know it from Tani." 

"Now only God can save him." Karan prayed for Kairav's safety. 

*****

"Why is life always so hard like my little friend whenever I watch porn!?" Kairav thinks to himself.

He didn't feel anything when someone snatched his phone to be honest. It was an old piece of junk. He needed a new phone anyway. However, he is feeling fear right now. He wants to dig a hole and bury himself there. It's better than confronting his older brother. 

"So, how did you lose your phone, your Highness?" Sanjay asks, crossing his hands above his chest. 

Kairav bites his lips in nervousness. He still doesn't know his best friend has told his brother everything.

"A-Actually bhaiya, it got stolen." He replies in a small voice. 

"How?" Sanjay asks, looking unimpressed as always.

"When I was leaving through the main entrance of college, someone snatched my phone and ran away! I tried to run after him but he was so fast!" Kairav adds a lie afterwards so that he doesn't get beaten up by his brother.

"Oh really? But a little bird told me quite the opposite. Did you really run after the thief?" 

Finally Kairav understands what his best friend did. He never felt betrayed like this. Just a few days ago he fed that monster a ton of ice-cream. For what? Backbiting him like that! 

"I swear, bhaiya. I'm telling the truth. That little birdy of yours has lost her mind. She is poisoning your ears. I swear, she is exactly like the villain of any Indian tv serial. Just add a big "bindi" on her forehead and start the dhum tana nana and there you have it! The biggest vamp to ever breathe the air of the earth." Sanjay smacks his head hard. 

"Tell me the truth." He warns, his patience running thin as the time passes by. 

"Fine. I was too tired. Also what's the use? I couldn't catch him anyway. So why should I waste my breath for nothing?" Kairav admits at last. 

Kairav's eyes are ready to leave their sockets as he watches his big brother taking off his slippers. He knows what is going to go down.

Kairav sprints away from his angry brother. 

"Why are you running now, you lazy shit? Aren't you tired now?" Sanjay yells as he runs after the brat with a slipper in his hand. 

A/N: I can't tell if you guys are liking this story much as I'm not getting any responses. But I like it so I will keep updating it and hopefully finish it someday ^-^