In Sunshine or In Shadow ✔ [Completed]

Chapter 20.1 - Jenna

Two things happened that week that never ever happened. Riddhima called in sick one day…and Vansh didn't come in at all.

Normally it was entirely believable that two coworkers just happened to not come in, everyone took a personal day…just not Vansh and Riddhima. The rest of the team knew something was up. Maybe Riddhima was sick, maybe they could have bought Vansh's explanation of "if Riddhima isn't coming in, there's not reason to"…until the next morning.

Riddhima came rushing in right on time. Not early. She was always early, what could have happened to make her come later than normal? And why was Vansh late?

"You were sick yesterday?" Kabir asked as she walked in.

Riddhima stopped in her tracks, blushed a little and flipped her hair back. "Uhh yeah, it was just a virus. I'm all better now." Riddhima grinned now, "A lot better." Angre and Sara exchanged looks, since when did Riddhima smile like that? She cleared her throat, "So uhhh, work. I have to get back to that."

"Vansh is late," Kabir stated, still studying her.

Riddhima looked up. "Is he? Weird." She smiled nervously now. "Well uhh I'm sure he'll be here in a few minutes."

She didn't wait around to listen to any more questions but hurried along to her office, grinning once more. Kabir and the rest of the team watched her leave as if her retreating figure would answer the questions that were on the tips of their tongues.

Kabir finally stepped back towards the rest of the team. "Well they might not have been sleeping together before…but they are now."

He took his seat at his desk as if he hadn't just made a major pronouncement about the personal lives of their coworkers. All the others could do was stare at him and then at their boss's closed door, waiting for the other member of this equation to make an appearance.

Vansh finally did come in and one look at the smile on his face erased any doubt whatsoever.

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It had been a very light day but nobody had been bored. Vansh and Riddhima were all smiles that day, especially as they'd headed out for lunch together. Normally that wasn't unusual, they often shared meals. It was just those damn smiles.

The rest of the team spent the entire day trying to decipher if what they think happened between their boss and their consultant really did happen. Every sly look and simple smile was dissected and analyzed with only one logical conclusion. But there was no way to be absolutely certain without a confession.

None of them had the guts to try and get one out of Riddhima; she was their boss and the best shot out of any of them. Lucky for them Vansh didn't have a gun; unfortunately he was going to be a nut that would be impossible to crack unless he wanted to. All they could hope was maybe he wouldn't mind sharing a little.

They all met again at the bar, looking over the case file to hopefully find someway to narrow down the list of suspects that they had. But they were close to hitting a brick wall until they could find a way to look at these people individually, but that was hard to do without catching Riddhima's attention.

"Maybe we can eliminate anyone on this list that wasn't a cop," Sara offered.

"Can't do that," Vansh pointed out, "we don't know how many of them have military experience or just have a hobby learning how to take down people twice their size."

"So basically we have no way to cut this down."

"Not without talking to them and not without Riddhima finding out."