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B A C K S T A B B E D
P A R T 01.

older one heals
but the newer ones remain

Om looked at the file in his hands. He and Rudra shared a look before turning to the client sitting at the other end of the table.

Jhanvi wasn't present in the meeting as she was accompanying their father for his regular checkups. And Shakti too was attending a meeting with board of directors. They had been putting pressure on them because of the steady downfall in the profits and now it was below the axis. They are losing everything. And it caused the legal authorities to get concerned, and if they aren't careful they might lose the legal authorisation of the company.

"I agree with all this, Mr. Omkara Singh Oberoi. But what have you presented here is the map of what will be the use of the investment made by our company. What is in for us?" Mr. Ahuja said his voice thoughtful. Om sighed and he shared a look with his brother. They had been trying to negotiate for an hour now but the client had been making it extra difficult for them to communicate, the client, their father's old friend and now their business supervisor.

Om and Rudra explained that once the plan falls out as nicely as they could, the profits could be shared. "Profits." He started, his gaze changing from curiosity to the one of mockery "Profits are something I least expect from this company." He said with a sneer. "Such a pity it is, to see the company which had so much potential going down in the dirt." He said.

"Mr. Ahuja, with due respect I would suggest that you mind your words" Om warned.

"Or what?" Mr. Ahuja turned to him his gaze mocking. "Do you think you are in position that you can make such demands?" He asked as he stood up. Behind him his staff too.

"With the respect that I have for you and for your friendship with our father, Mr. Ahuja. I am asking, then what is it that has attracted you here." Rudra asked. Seeing that Om was losing his patience he took over.

"I see you haven't read the terms and conditions." He said. "As carefully as I had intended."

"I agree to help you with the funds, but in return you must promise me twenty percent shares of the industry."

Rudra's jaw tensed, his throat gone dry. Twenty percent? It was a big decision, not scratch that, it was a huge decision. If they gave the shares to Mr. Ahuja then he and Om both will be left with twenty five percent each. The shareholders already hold the rest thirty percent. They can easily pressurise them not that they aren't already doing it as if.

He looked at Om in conflict who was staring at the paper in front of him. He frowned when he noticed Ahuja's expression showing pure glee and he turned to his brother.

He watched in horror and disbelief when Om raised his pen to sign the documents promising the downfall of their company.

<>

"Shivaay sir, at least inform Priyanka ma'am." Khanna pleaded. Shivaay wasn't hearing anything. He raced behind him as they made their way upstairs. Towards the terrace which was a modified helipad, one of a kind.

He was trying to stop Shivaay, the health scare that he had back at his home a couple of days ago had them alerted but like always Shivaay had decided to join the office as if nothing had happened. And now this. Priyanka was in a meeting and he couldn't just barge into the conference hall to inform her.

"Shivaay sir—" and Shivaay pulled him inside the chopper before he could say another word. He clamped his mouth shut at the glare that Shivaay sent his way. It clearly said, shut-the-fuck-up-and-follow-my-lead. And for the first time he saw, in days he might add that he has spent in the company of his boss, he saw the old Shivaay resurfacing.

Shivaay furiously typed at his phone despite his shaking fingers. And the chopper took off.

The shares are going to crash.

The data is breached.

The second firewall has crashed. Forty two minutes ago.

Fifty lakhs. Seven months ago.

Twenty lakhs. Thirteen months ago.

Seventy lakhs. Two months ago.

And his eyes snapped open. Whoever it was, they were counting their last days of seeing the morning sun.

<>

Shivaay reached Bangalore. The dark skies were illuminated by the reflection of the artificial city lights decorated the ground below. The chopper landed on the terrace of the building. He went down to his cabin Khanna following behind.

He was surprised to find it full of people and his eyes narrowed. Again his orders were disrespected. But right now he had serious matters to deal with.

"Good to see you here Shivaay."

Shivaay was surprised to find Neeraj here. He thought he would be in Mumbai. Why is he here? Did he contact Arjun or something. Or he just might have traced me.

"Sir—" he heard a panicked voice call out his name.

Shivaay looked around. It was Arjun.

He looked disheveled and very stressed. He showed him the laptop. The screen displayed the security analytics and it was buzzing with constant warning orders.

The third firewall was breached.

54 minutes ago.

Two more and they would be to the roads.

"Whoever it was, couldn't go through the third firewall." Neeraj Mehra concluded as he pocketed the chip he was holding. Shivaay took the laptop from his hands examining the data himself. His CA standing right behind him with a nervous look on his face.

"We've spoken with the bank authorities—" he said. Shivaay nodded. "They will contact us at the earliest." That was a relief.

"People are working on security." They should have done it already. The question is how they manage to breeze past the two. Unless they have proper authority how is it possible in any way?

"The walls are back up. There were no attacks on the remaining two firewalls." Arjun filled in the information.

Shivaay felt the tension leaving his shoulders. Everything was okay. For now. But for how long?

Neeraj Mehra was looking around the office. Busy observing people. He had come here to start his investigation to find something to lead but he was faced with something entirely different. And thankfully he had access to Shivaay's location. Khanna had messaged him about the sudden departure.

He looked at Shivaay and gestured for him to follow him outside.

"Do you suspect anyone?" He asked Shivaay. He was deep in thought. Shivaay shook his head.

The authority lied only on his hands. Not even Priyanka's. No one else's. Well, unless it was a case of emergency, the Authorization was handed over to either Priyanka or Arjun. If they all are not available then, Mr. Raichand or Aditya. But the problem was that it can't happen unless Shivaay had sanctioned the permission himself.

He looked at Neeraj and shook his head. He can't suspect any. They all were trusted people. Trusted—

"Board members?" Shivaay shook his head.

Neeraj Mehra was confused, "If they breached till the third firewall, he could have easily done the rest. He could have easily withdrawn the whole data from the company systems" He pointed out.

Shivaay nodded conflicted. "Yes, but nothing happened. Transactions are stopped for now. Bank is looking into the matter." Neeraj continued.

"Do you think it was to distract you?"

Shivaay couldn't think of anything. Why would anyone want to distract him. He frowned and suddenly he remembered the transaction. With no head or tail.

"From what?" It was Khanna. Shivaay turned to look at him, he was holding a glass of water for him. He took it with a grateful look on his face.

"Your accounts were tampered. Fire wall was breached. But everything's intact. Seems suspicious, don't you think?" He asked. Shivaay was deep in thought. Very suspicious indeed.

"Shivaay!" Arjun joined them. He looked relieved. "The legal authorities will be here soon, the situation will be under the control." But it didn't diffuse the tension from his shoulders. His hands unconsciously reached into his pockets and  popped a pill in his mouth when he felt the suffocating feeling in his chest increase.

Something dreadful was heading his way.

<>

Priyanka paced around the living room. Aradhya followed her movements with worried eyes.

"Where is he? Neither his phone is reachable nor Khanna is answering his! Where did he go!?"

Aradhya sighed. It has been three hours since Priyanka returned. She was informed that Shivaay wasn't in the office, she thought he might have left early and again there was no sign of him. She waited for about an hour but neither did he pick up the calls nor did the man who always stayed by his side, Khanna.

"Aradhya." She heard the faint voice of Priyanka call. She immediately launched forward to stop her from collapsing on the ground.

"Priyanka!? What happened?" She asked in panic.

"The security firewalls in the office have been breached." She spoke in a faint whisper. "We could lose our company." She added that it was when Aradhya grasped the gravity of the situation.

"Bhaiya must be in Bangalore." She informed and Aradhya agreed. He must have left as soon as he got the news. But her main concern was that how will he manage there without his medicines and for how long?

<>

Shivaay was listening to the reports that were being narrated by Mr. Raichand.

"I'm sorry to interrupt you, Mr. Raichand. But can I borrow Shivaay for a moment?" Arjun cut through their conversation. Shivaay glanced at him sternly, he certainly did not like being interrupted in this way. Like the way he had been now.

But he had to do it, Arjun had noticed Shivaay's hands curling around his own blazer to brace himself.

Priyanka had warned him not to stress him out more than necessary. But he has to inform someone, not someone it had to be the chairman to whom all this must be reported.

"You should rest. The situation is under control. It is almost morning now, Shivaay." He turned to look at the clock. Certainly it was, Seven minutes past four.

"Go and rest. I will handle everything from here." He looked around the room. The employees concerned were called back in the office at the late of the night. They all looked exhausted beyond the point.

He sighed when Shivaay shook his head and turned back to type something on his phone.

Shivaay turned around and walked around the table when his knees buckled and he stumbled in his step. Arjun immediately backed him up. "See! This is what I am talking about. Just go and rest. I will call you in the afternoon to give you the rest of the reports." But Shivaay just snatched his hand and walked away pretending like nothing happened.

Shivaay frowned looking at the files scattered on his table.

No one has access except him.

Emergency cases.

Priyanka. No reason to doubt her.

Arjun. His eyes turned to him. That man had stayed up the whole night handling all the things so that only the least bit of stress reached him.Too loyal and responsible in his work. He will not do something like this.

Mr. Raichand. He was a man of morals and his word. Again no.

Aditya. Shivaay stopped in his tracks. There was no reason for him to do so—

The board members. Not possible for them.

Shivaay frowned. Then who could it be? He knew whoever was behind this, was successful. They had already done what they wanted. It's just that he hasn't caught up to it. And that frustrated him beyond the ends.

He needs to do something.