--------------------

Hello, my lovelies!

How's life? Hope you're doing great! <3

So yeah, it's been a while. *awkward chuckle*

I hope you enjoy your Dusshara festival as well as the holidays and the book!

Happy holidays!

--------------------

Author's POV

There it was, "Chitrakala. A place where you can let your mind be at peace." a sentence his brain refused to process. "The CEO of this establishment, Nidhima Ahuja, personally works with disabled children helping them grow."

"No way..." Abhimaan whispered to himself. "This has to be a joke..." Ekansh said lowly. "Wish it was mate, wish it was..." Ashwin shook his head, his tongue poking out of his cheek.

"What are you trying to imply?" Ekansh asked Ashwin, throwing the papers on the desk and leaning back, "Nidhima could be behind this whole thing... seeing you get into a relationship? You being happy with some other girl?" He prompted.

Abhimaan shook his head in disbelief, "I need to inform Akshita about this..." With that, Ekansh got up and left the room, leaving Abhimaan and Ashwin alone.

"You're a genius you know..." Abhimaan commented.

"I try my best,"

"Stop being so modest... I could have never connected those dots."

"And that is why I am your private detective Mr. Malhotra..." he smiled cheekily and left.

--------------------

Akshita's POV

"How about you try to think about all the happy memories you shared with him... Perhaps something from his routine? The park he went on walks to? A hobby you shared? Fishing? Golfing?" I asked as he stared at the floor, his eyes moist.

"He'd always wake up before the sun rose and used to watch the sunrise... I guess that's something I could work on..." he said, smiling at me, and I returned one.

"See? Great progress." I reply with a smile.

He nodded and looked over at the clock, "Guess that's it for today's session..." he sighed getting up, "I guess it is, hope you have a great day." I greet him as he leaves.

I smile to myself and take my phone out.

"Bye," I read Ekansh's message, my smile widening, "Call me asap... Got some updates..." My smile dropped as I quickly rang his number.

"Hey!" I answer, "Hello, I've got some updates on the case..." He replied.

"Yeah, you texted me about that."

"So..." he sighed heavily, "Ashwin thinks that Nidhima, my ex-fiance is behind all this..." he said as my eyebrows raised to my hairline, "And as crazy as that sounds I might actually think it to be true."

"How?" was the only word I could form, "Well... Turns out Prashant was a murderer who murdered Kusum Thakur, the mother of Nishta Thakur..."

"What? Prashant was a murderer?" I asked, disbelief clear in my voice.

"I couldn't believe it until I saw the papers. Ashwin speculates that she murdered him because he killed a lady with the initials K and her daughter's initials were N."

He stopped for a while and continued "Prashant had a very good lawyer who saved him but the thing is... Nidhima's mother, Komal was also killed by a burglar who got away with it because he had pretty good lawyers... So... Ashwin is implying that she killed him as a... sort of a message for me..."

"A message?" I asked, as my brain registered all the information. 

"The message that, you know, she's behind all this... She- She's trying to sprinkle some salt on my wound... I guess." The line went silent.

"I feel she isn't the one behind this..." he said as my brain racked for possibilities.

"You know what? I'll go home, write this down, and try to come up with something... But I don't have enough information about... About Nidhima... How about... We meet up and discuss this?" I prompted.

The line went silent. "If you're comfortable with it..." I quickly stated. "Sure... I'm off after an hour or so... You can choose the place."

"Ohk... Sure, I'll send you the address later..."

"Hm... See you soon..."

"Bye-bye." 

His ex? I sighed deeply. Something about this doesn't seem right. 

I walked out of my office and to the receptionist, "Tejaswini, cancel all the meetings after this. I have some important work. It cannot wait." I inform somewhat sternly but she nods her head firmly.

--------------------

Ekansh's POV

I am not sure if it is the best thing to tell Akshita about this. I had a feeling deep down in my heart that Nidhima was not the one behind this. 

"You wanted nothing but my money. All this, everything- was just- just fake?" my voice crumbled as I looked into her eyes. The light that came from the window glistened on my face as she sat in the dark corner, looking up at the window. 

"I loved you... Somewhere twisted in those lies I did love-" she spoke, her voice void of any emotions. Her eyes didn't have the sparkle they used to which almost made me believe her. 

"Don't say you loved me. Don't lie anymore. You'll save some days in hell." I said and left. 

She was just where she belonged. Behind the bars, void of any happiness.

A knock on the door brought my attention back, "Come in." 

Vikas came in with some files in his hand. "Sir, these are the files regarding the collaboration project of our company with the Oberios..." he informed me as I opened the files and flipped through them.

"According to them, the Oberio team will come over to Bhopal and work with our designers. I have prepared a list of teams who have excelled in group projects. They are very cooperative and considerate. It would be efficient if you confirm with one of these groups. The earlier they start working the better." 

"Hmm..." I said, picking up the files of the teams. "Ask Abhimaan, he knows the gossip in the office, I am sure he'll have something or the other to say about these employees..." I asked while Vikas tried to control his smile. "Yes sir," he nodded. 

"About gossip..." I sighed "Make sure no one in the office knows about me and Akshita." 

"Yes sir," he nodded, "Especially that bitchy lady in the R & D department..." my eyebrows raise in disgust, "Of course sir," Vikas chuckled at my expression.

"That's it and ask the D4S6 team to present the new design in an hour. I have some work related to... you know what..." He nods. 

He turned around, gathering the files of the teams and leaving the contract files on my desk.

He walked out, closing the door. "Nidhima..." I whispered thinking about why should could possibly do this. 

"Chitrakala?" and suddenly I remembered, 

"You know, one day I will start my own business and it will be the best in its field." she blabbered sleeping on the picnic carpet as I chuckled at her, "Oh really?" I teased packing all the utensils back into the bag. "Yeah... It will be revolutionary and... and life-changing for the people involved in it," she said with a glisten in her eye.

'Life changing?'

My mind went back to the papers Ashwin presented. 'A place where you can let your mind be at peace.'  

"You really did take my advice seriously didn't you Nidhima?" I asked myself, as the possibility invaded. 

The possibility that this could actually be her. 

The possibility that she might have been the one. 

The possibility that she might do worse.

~ 1,178 words 

--------------------

Hello! Soo? How was the chapter?

I hope you enjoyed it and just a note about the flashback scenes to clear the setting of the scenes.

The first flashback is when she was in jail after they divorced (engagement - divorce) and the second scene is them before they got divorced in a picnic setting.

Also, I tried to kinda have some metaphor going on with the jail scene. Let me know if you got it.

Sorry for the short chapter.

Hope you have a great day/night!
Don't forget to Vote and add this book to your reading lists so you don't miss any updates! <3

Until next time
Lots of love <33333
----------------

~1,315 words