T H E   S I L E N T   W A T E R S
T I M E   H E A L S   N O T   T H E   S C A R S,
B U T   T H E   W O U N D S

B A C K S T A B B E D
PART 02.

the older ones healed
while the newer one remains

Shivaay raised himself off the chair with a groan. The world spun in front of his eyes before he regained his focus. It was hazy for a split of seconds before the scenario turned the contrast right back up. He sighed, he must have known without proper rests he was very prone to these dizzy spells.

Khanna and Neeraj were standing outside the office discussing something, which I don't know about. I frowned when I looked at Arjun's text.

Arjun S, 9:46 am
Shivaay, I have gone home
for a few hours, Jagriti isn't
feeling well. Once she is okay
i will rejoin soon.

Shivaay frowned, he quickly typed out the reply that he didn't need to come now when everything is getting settled. He got another text from him soon, to make him rest. He rolled his eyes. He was absolutely fine.

He was in a strong need for coffee and he hadn't drank it in a long while. A cup wouldn't hurt right? He messaged Khanna to bring him a cup of coffee.

Khanna arrived soon with a mug in his hand. Shivaay frowned when he felt that it was cold, but to his surprise it wasn't filled with coffee but juice. He looked up at him with a glare.

"Sorry sir, Aradhya ma'am had strictly asked you to stay away from caffeine." Khanna said apologetically. Shivaay sighed.  His thoughts were interrupted by the knock on the door. He raised his head to see Mr. Raichand standing at the door. Shivaay arched an eyebrow when Raichand placed the laptop in front of him.

"The culprit got away with their motive." And Shivaay froze. What did he mean?

"Sir, they didn't need to access the fifth firewall at all." Mr. Raichand spoke and that made me look at the server analytics.

"They only needed to cross the third one so they could get the access to the official records. And I am afraid to say that the data has been tampered with." Shivaay's hands clenched. Mr. Raichand worriedly looked at him. He was a man in his early fifties with great experience in the business industry. He was an able aid for him when it came to advice.

"Do not panic sir. We have the original data stored. I am sorry, I did it without your permission but I had increased the backup pace quite early. Instead of weeks we did it after every third day, so even if our systems crash we don't have anything falling out on the major." And that made Shivaay sighed in relief.

He looked at the man gratefully, "Worry not sir, we have it under control. In three hours at the most we will have the original data back up and then we can compare to see what exactly has been done." Shivaay nodded he looked at the computer screen again, all he could see was the numerical figures which didn't make sense. At all.

<>

Annika frowned when she was informed that Shivaay wasn't in the office. She needed someone to look at the budget so she could get it sanctioned.

"Let me do it." She heard a familiar voice speak. She turned around only to be greeted with the familiar face of someone who was an old friend of hers, Priyanka. She was staring at her with cold eyes, there was no recognition in them and her voice held the aura of professionalism.

Annika watched as she went through the file before she sighed at the end of the papers. "You will have it sanctioned." She spoke and she was about to turn around when Annika spoke up.

"How are you, Priyanka?"

Priyanka turned around at that but didn't say anything for a moment.

"Alive." Was what she settled for in the end. "That's all you need to know. Though I am not exactly sure about that even. I suggest we keep these fake formalities to the bare minimum shouldn't we? And let's just focus on what we are here for. And that is to work." Priyanka spoke coldly.

Annika was now frowning. She has changed, in many ways.

This Priyanka, she was guarded by many walls of the aura of professionalism that she carried. She was careful with her words and her gaze was now always calculating.

What exactly happened in all these years? And how is it that Priyanka is staying with Shivaay? Ranveer? What about him? She never saw him once around her.

Just then Priyanka's phone rang, and Annika was facing her back once again. She could only hear a few snaps of the conversation.

"His medicines aren't with you?" She heard Priyanka cursing and her eyes widened in surprise. He? Is she talking about Shivaay? What medicines? And before she could hear further Priyanka continued her walk towards her cabin.

Annika looked at the blue file in her hand and sighed. Let's get back to work Annika.

<>

"Here is the retrieved data, sir. And we have managed to track the IP addresses of the systems involved, they all trace back to Bandra." Shivaay froze in his seat.

And he knew only one name came up when he thought about that.

Aditya Sharma.

He looked through the data and his suspicions were confirmed.

The same very number.

The same sums of money.

The same dates.

And the same receivers.

He had been played. But this time he isn't the one going to forgive this very easily. If he had been wronged, they are going to pay each and every penny back. By hook or crook. He didn't really care.

But he needed to confirm his suspicions about Aditya. He can't place such serious allegations over him without any evidence in his hands.

But what he couldn't believe was that he repeated the same mistake over and over. He trusted people again and he was shown the mirror once again. But not this time, he had learnt the lesson well and this was for eternity.

He got from his chair and the ugly feeling in his chest was increasing. Something was eating from inside, that something terrible is about to happen. Either to him or someone who he is close to. He turned to Khanna and gestured for him to arrange the chopper, they will be leaving for Mumbai this very second as the things here are well handled. His presence is much more needed there.

<>

Aditya looked at the e-mail that has been addressed to him in disbelief.

Mr. Sharma,
Your involvement have been noticed within the recent security breach our company went through, until further investigation you are terminated from your post. The steps are taken under the orders of our respected chairman, Mr. Shivaay Singh Oberoi.
You payments, gratuities and equities have been stalled. You are not allowed to leave the city under legal orders, your phone calls and messages will be investigated. You must drop your phone and other devices that are under your use in the reception. Furthermore, your transactions will also be monitored. We are sorry for the inconvenience but the steps had to be taken.

Respectfully,
Team VOID.

His hands clammed up with sweat. He felt the blood draining from his body as he gasped out for breath. He must do something or else he is going to get caught. And he feared the outcome if that happened. Because if this Shivaay was anything like his previous version he knows there's no saving once he is pointed.

And he knew there was only one that he could be saved from all this.

His daughter.

Shivaay couldn't possibly do anything to the father of his beloved niece, can he?

He called out his wife and asked her to come with their daughter.

<>

Rudra just stared at his brother in disbelief as he signed those papers promising the man twenty percent of their shares.

Mr. Ahuja smirked. Om passed the papers to Rudra, his expression emotionless. "We need the deal." Was all he could say. What he was supposed to do? Om had just signed the company towards its end.

Mr. Ahuja took the signed papers and left satisfied with the outcomes of the meetings.

"I hope you know what you're doing. You have just signed the remaining shares to Mr. Ahuja. Do you know what that means? You and me both are left with a total of fifty percent shares and the others have the other fifty. We've just lost the company. Omkara Singh Oberoi. I hope you know the weight of your actions."

"If we hadn't signed the deal we would have gone bankrupt." Om tried to back up his own arguments.

"That will happen either way. It's time we accept the truth. Even if we did get the deal we are just delaying the inevitable. It is bound to happen sooner or later." Rudra spoke, earlier he had been one in the denial but he had learnt to accept the truth as it is.

Om looked at him in anger. "So are you saying we just give up?" He asked his voice raised.

"What else do we have in our hands?" Rudra asked challenging him.

"Don't forget we're Oberois. And the Oberois never back—"

"We were the Oberois." Rudra cut him off. "Not anymore." He was getting sick of the word. Oberois. The name left a sickening feeling on his tongue. He had grown to hate that name. That name was the reason for all their miseries.

"We lost the status since Bhaiya was thrown out of the house." Rudra said. Om laughed at that. "Really Rudra? Now?" He asked as he laughed at the incredulity of the situation. Rudra couldn't take it anymore.

"Yes now! Nothing has been in order since he left. I repeat nothing! Have you ever looked at anyone in the house. Dadi never leaves her room. Mom and dad are drowned in guilt and stress. Chote papa never stays at home anymore. Choti maa has gone silent to everything. Gauri bhabhi doesn't talk to anyone not even you Om. And leave all that. Have you ever looked at me these past years?"

"I lost everything that day. You of all people knew how much he meant to me. He was my everything. He was my father. Mother. My first teacher. My first friend. Best friend. My brother. He always came first to me. He was my leaning pillar. He was my support. Strength. Most importantly he was my home. My solace. My safe place!" Rudra cried out. His voice was bitter.

"I feel like I didn't lose my one brother, it feels like I have lost both. But I don't blame you. Because it was bound to happen anyway." Om looked at him frowning at his brother's words.

"ShivOmRu. Shiv ke bina Om nahi. Om ke bina Ru nahi."

"He brought you your first sketchbook when you got an A in your art class. He helped you steady your hands when yours trembled holding the brush. He was there you were lost in the darkness, standing as the lone source of light. He was there to hold you, pick up your pieces when you fell. He was your inspiration when you were just starting your career as an artist. He was the first purchaser of your art. He was your biggest support, no one in the family stood by you when you proposed to pursue your passion as your career. He did. He fought against your father who had bailed on you when you were in coma. He did everything in his might to ensure you are alive to see the daylight once again." Rudra said.

Om's hand loosened his hold. As he looked at the ground. Rudra was holding back his tears. Their world is on the verge of collapse and the only person who could save them was being blamed on. Is shunned out by his own family.

That night when he saw his brother. He had been rethinking his past actions. His brother's cold demeanor scared him. He was not himself. Not even his past reflection. That was someone new as a mask.

"How easily did you say that, huh?" Rudra was brought out of his thoughts when Om uttered those words. He was glaring at him.

"It's all easy to blame someone Rudra. You think I don't know that? That I can't see our family falling apart? Do you think I'm not hurting?" He said.

"Should I remind you it was not me alone who refused to acknowledge him as our brother it was you too. You didn't seem to have any problems at that time. You can't blame someone else for your sins." Om said as he glared at his younger brother.

Rudra knew that. He didn't need to be told. He knew what his last actions had led to and he was guilty. But he can't do anything now can he?

"You are as responsible for us breaking apart as I am. Do not forget that."