Avani Khurana stepped out of her car and onto the Gupta family's driveway.
The grandeur of their mansion loomed before her.

A mix of emotions swirled within. Sympathy for the family. Determination to uncover the truth. Rajiv have always been a good friend to her.

As she entered, Rajiv's wife, Priya, greeted her. "Avani, thank you for taking our case." Avani's compassion surfaced." Priya don't thank me, Rajiv was a good friend of mine. I'll ensure justice is served." Rajiv's younger brother, Rakesh, joined them.

Rakesh Gupta, younger brother of Rajiv Gupta. A business man who was in his mid thirties. He was the right hand of Rajiv Gupta. "Please find the one who did this," he urged.

Avani nodded. " Ofcourse Mister Rakesh I'll leave no stone unturned." Rakesh nods. As they discussed the case, Avani sensed unease and she doesn't know why?. Something wasn't right.

"Priya I heard you remember something from that night. Can you tell me what you remember?

"Yes..I... remember..."she began, her voice trembling."That night... I saw someone arguing with Rajiv." Avani's ears perked up."Who?"

Priya hesitated. "I couldn't see their face... but their voice... it sounded familiar." "Try to remember Priya." Priya closed her eyes. "It was a deep voice... commanding."

Siddharth's voice flashed in my mind. I pushed the thought aside. "Did you hear anything specific?" Priya's eyes snapped open. "They mentioned 'the deal'... and 'betrayal'." She nods. "Okay Priya..are you sure that you didn't saw that person's face?." Yes...I..I didn't." "Okay then."

She turns her head towards Rakesh Gupta. "Do you remember anything suspicious from that night Mister Rakesh? Any suspicious person or things or anything.? If you do please tell me." Rajesh looks at her then shakes his head as no. "I was not there that night. I was in Delhi for the business dealings."

"Huh but it was your brother's birthday party that night yet you were not present there." Rakesh nods. "Yes I was not... also Rajiv bhai was the one who me send to Delhi." Priya interpreted them "yes Avani, Rajiv was the one who send Rakesh to Delhi."

After the meeting, Avani decided to dig deeper. Research reavaled so many things. Complex web of transactions. Shady business dealings.
Avani's suspicions grew.

Suddenly her phone buzzed. "Hlo maa". "Hlo Avani beta" a loud joyful voice greeted from the other side. "How are you my laddoo.? Meri pyari gudiya" She rolled her eyes. "Maa drop the act and tell me what you need."

"Ok then I will get straight to the point. I want you to attend a charity gala in evening. I heard most of the rich families in the Mumbai is attending this charity gala. Maybe you can find a good looking and rich son-in-law for me."

"Your father got the invitation but he said he will not attend it nor he will let me go there or else I could have found you a suitable good looking and rich husband for you. I will send you the details and address." Her mother Nalini Vikram Khurana, said in a overexcited tone from the other side. She frowned.

"Maa am busy, am working on new case. I can't attend the charity gala."I won't take no as a answer Avani, and you know that very well. You will attend the charity gala at evening and that's final. I will send you the address and details." Her mother said in a disapproving tone and cuts the call. She sighes while rubbing her temple.

---✧---

That evening, she attends the charity gala while carrying a expressionless face. She stood at the corner of the hall avoiding everyone presented there. The event was crowded with business man and woman, politicians, celebrities talking and laughing about god's know what things.

"Enjoying the evening?" She got startled by the sudden voice.
Siddharth Singhania stood near her with a cocky smirk on his face. His dark blue suit hugging his body showing his well toned body explaining that he's work out twice a day or maybe more. Their eyes locked.

Oh god she hates the ways he looks at her. His piercing dark brown eyes always sends a unknown feeling through her veins. Those piercing dark brown eyes always pulls her towards him when they meets hers.

"Avani Khurana?," Siddharth voice pulls her back from her thoughts. "Enjoying the evening?" Avani's composure returned. "Siddharth Singhania. I wasn't expecting to see you here."

He looks at her with a playful smirk. "Mumbai's a small world." Yeah, yeah Mumbai is a small world. Note the sarcasm please. Their conversation flowed. Avani probed Siddharth about his business. He sidestepped her questions. Avani sensed deception.

As they parted ways, Avani couldn't shake off the feeling. Siddharth Singhania, something in that man is pulling her towards him. That piercing dark brown eyes giving her a unknown feeling through her veins. She hates it.

Avani's determination grew as she delved deeper into Rohan's case. Grief-stricken, desperate for justice, Rohan's family counted on her. Avani's research revealed a complex web of transactions. Shady business dealings. Siddharth Singhania's name repeatedly surfaced. Avani's suspicions intensified.

---✧---

Next day, she decided to visit Rajiv's office, searching for clues. She stood infornt of "Gupta Enterprises" while looking at the building infornt of her with a expressionless face.

She steps inside the building her heels clicking on the white polished marble floor. Her eyes stops infornt of the large photo frame of Rajiv with a flower garlands on it. "I will find your murder Rajvi". She made a mental note in her mind.

Her thoughts were broken by a sudden voice. "Avani." She turns around to see Rakesh Gupta beside her. "Avani you here.? Need any help.?" Rakesh asked with emotional less tone.

She looks at him. Rakesh always gives her a uneasy feeling. First when she met him when she visited priya in Gupta mansion then now. Something wasn't right about him.

She smiles."Good morning, Mister Rakesh Gupta. I am here for Rajiv's case. Maybe I can find some clues here." Rakesh looks at her for a moment then nods. She mumbled a small thanks before walking towards the elevator.

The elevator dings indicating that she reached the floor of Rajiv's office. She walks out of the elevator the place was slient without any staffs. She walks towards Rajiv's office and slide the door open.

She scans the room. Everything was clean and tidy. She enters the room and walks towards the office table. She saw a small photo frame of Rajiv and Priya together on the desk.

The door was silde open, she turns her head towards the door and saw Rajiv's assistant Sitara. " Good morning Avani, Sir Rakesh send me here to help you." She frowned. "Rakesh.?"

Sitara nods. "Yeah, I know every place where Rajvi sir's important files are kept. If you need any help to find anything I can help you Avani also I know every important dealings of Rajiv sir maybe that will help you too."

She began to go through the files that are kept in the drawer of the desk. Avani's research revealed a complex web of transactions. Shady business dealings. Siddharth Singhania's name repeatedly surfaced.

Avani's suspicions intensified. Every each files have Siddharth Singhania's signature on it. Most of the illegal dealing have Siddharth Singhania's signature only. But shouldn't this files be with Siddharth Singhania then why is this here.

She looks at Sitara who seems nervous. Avani raised her eyebrows.
"Did Rajiv mention any conflicts with Siddharth?" Avani asked. Sitara looks at her for moment then nods hesitated. "They had disagreements. But nothing severe." Avani sensed omission.

" About what ? Tell me everything, Sitara." " It's... it's Rajiv discovered irregularities in Siddharth's dealings.
He planned to expose him." She said in a hesitated tone. Avani's eyes widened. Avani's mind raced with connections. Siddharth's name echoing through the files.

Siddharth having irregularities in dealings. Rajiv planning to expose them. Did Siddharth murder Rajiv to hide this all? To save himself from getting exposed?. I need to find more evidences to stable my doubts.

She looks back to Sitara. "I'll uncover the truth, no matter what". "Be careful, Avani. Siddharth is powerful. " Am not afraid of him. I will bring justice for Rajiv. His death won't go unpunished" Avani said in a determined tone.

Avani's search for clues led her to Rajiv's storage room in his office cabin. She opens the door by key given by Sitara. Her eyes scans the room. Dust-covered boxes stacked haphazardly. She sifted through files, her eyes scanning for anomalies.

A hidden compartment revealed itself. Rajiv's private files. Documents detailed Siddharth's shady dealings.
Money laundering. Embezzlement.
Avani's doubts grew. Was Siddharth capable of murder? Or was this all a co-incidence ?

A certain blue coloured file caught her eye. It was kept separately from the other files and it was not old and dusty like other files kept in the room. She takes the file and opens it.

It was the same file which she saw at Rajiv's study. File of Rajiv donating his all properties and money to orphanages. "Huh isn't it the same file. But how did this happened.? I should take this file with me maybe I can find any evidence from this."

Avani's fingers moved with precision, photographing each document. Incriminating evidence mounted against Siddharth money laundering.
embezzlement, tax evasion and everything.

She also takes the file with her. She spent most of her day in her office studying and connect the evidences with eachother.

She enters her apartment exhausted. She throws herself to her bed not even caring about taking a shower. She closes her eyes a deep sigh left her mouth.

Suddenly her phone buzzed showing her older brother Aryan's name. "Hlo bhaiya." "Avani, how are you my little monkey?" She whines "Bhaiya, I have told you so many times don't call me that.!".

Aryan laughs "okay, okay." Am fine bhaiya. How about you.? How's Sona di?" We are fine Avani. Aryan tell her to visit us sometimes. It's been awhile I saw her." A feminine voice was heard from the other side.

She laughs."ok Sona di, I will visit you guys soon okay. But now am busy with a case." Hah I heard you got a new case. How's it going.?". "Yes, I am their family lawyer. The case...it's complicated."

"Don't stress yourself too much Avani, I know you will find the justice for victim and his family. One more thing I almost forgot it..maa wants you to come home. It's papa's and maa's wedding anniversary two days after. They are expecting you there. I know Avani it's difficult for you to forget everything forgive everything but for our papa please..it's all past now."

"Bhaiya...I...you know..it's.." she sighes for my papa, yes for my papa. "Okay bhaiya I will come." Ok Avani see u there then bye." Bye bhaiya." She ends the call and lays on her bed while looking at the ceiling without blinking.

Her brother's words rang inside her head. "It's all past." For others it just past but her it's the reason for her nightmare, nightmares that still tears her apart, past that hunts her down, pulls her back to that pain, sorrows she carried, still carrying. Reason for her sleepless nights, she have to take sleeping pills to get a little bit of sleep.

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Hi dear Homosapiens, How's the chapter? I know it's getting boring, but please trust me it's will get better I'm trying my best to improve it. Tell me ur thoughts.<3!

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