Air Beneath My Wings(On Hold)

Reaps

Khushi heard Arnav curse out loud from the other conference room. Worried, she got up immediately. Payal came to her, and they slowly made their way to the adjacent room.

"What is the meaning of this?" ASR thundered at Alex.

Khushi saw Aman running up the stairs.

"I couldn't-"

"No. N. O. Two letters, Alex. One syllable."

"ASR, I-"

"What's going on here?" Aman asked, trying to break through Arnav's anger.

"Did you know Raizada Industries sent someone into the audience?" ASR turned to him.

"Of course not. How did we find this?"

"Alex told me. Alex, care to explain?"

Khushi was panicking. Mahendra Raizada knew? How, before they had even put their plan into motion?

"Alex, tell us dammit!" Aman was confused.

"It was late last night. I received a call from a source. He wanted to know if we could squeeze in another man."

"And who is this man?"

"Akshay Malhotra."

Everyone was confused, except Akash. "Akshay? That's who Papa's sending?"

"You know him?" Alex asked.

"Know him? I went to college with that man."

"Is this the Malhotra who followed you home every weekend?" Arnav asked.

"Yes, Bhai. The same Akshay who married Sheetal."

"ASR, please hear me out." Alex begged.

"Alex, shut up! Do you know what you have done?" Aman threatened her.

"Mathur, I know what I have done. My source didn't request Raizada Industries. He requested Akshay Malhotra."

"And you thought, let's have a family reunion, did you?" Aman was ready to spar for Arnav.

"No. I did my due diligence. Mr Malhotra resigned from Raizada Industries three months ago. Two months ago, he moved to London. And a month ago, he got in at Indigo." Alex completed.

"Ashley!" Khushi closed her eyes.

Arnav turned to her, eyes wide. "Does she have photos?"

"I... I don't know."

"Khushi, relax. He's a possible mole, not one entirely. He's coming with his whole team." Alex said.

But Khushi and Arnav knew better. It wasn't Ashley who needed answers. If she did, she knew where Khushi lived.

"Indigo, you said Ashley is coming." Payal turned to Khushi.

"Along with Niel, Baxter and Akshay." Alex completed. "This could be simple, Khushi."

"Or very, very, very complicated." Khushi looked at her husband.

*****

Payal found Akash in their office post lunch. He was clearly unable to focus on work.

"Akash?"

"Yes?"

"I was thinking... we started getting calls from Maji around three months ago, yes?"

Akash sighed, wishing the pit growing in his stomach would just swallow him.

"What if-"

"I can't. I can't get into this right now."