The shark and the saint

23. Contract Khatam

"Aap ki company kaise claim kar sakti hai ke aapka security system best hai, jabh ke aap ki khud ki beti aap ke ghar se kidnap ho gayi ho?"

"Enough! I don't know where you're getting your sources, but my daughter is fine. Agar na hoti, toh main aag laga deta. Meri beti ko kui haath nahi laga sakta. There is no story here," Rishabh put on his glasses and pushed past the journalists to get to his car.

No fine would have mattered to him as he raced to get home. They could say whatever they wanted to about him, but they couldn't mess with his daughter. Mehra was already home to speak with him. He left the car running in the driveway and stormed inside, leaving the outside staff to put it away.

"What the hell is going on, Mehra?" Rishabh yelled.

"Kuch pata nahi sir, but we're trying to figure it out. I've put people on this," Mehra tried.

"Prerna?!" Rishabh screamed in the house calling for her.

Ms. Briganza stepped forward. "Ma'am baby ko park le kar gayi hain," she told him.

"Call them back," Rishabh ordered. "Mujhe woh dono abhi issi waqt ghar pe chahiye!"

"Ji, sir," Ms. Briganza nodded and went to call Prerna's cell.

"The rest of you: I want all of Ms. Sharma's things packed."

"Sir," Mehra tried to step in.

"She's outlived her contract," Rishabh finished his earlier statement and pulled out his phone before turning to Mehra. "Aap ne to kiya nahi hoga jo main ne aap se kaha tha."

Mehra pursed his lips. He hadn't. Rishabh had called his lawyer, and was now asking him to bring Prerna's severance package home.

"Agar mujhe dobara kehna pade, toh aap sabh unke saath jaa sakte hain," Rishabh threatened the staff when they were hesitant to move.

The people started running to get to work and Rishabh turned on the tv to see if there was anything. Of course news channels were covering this incident. What he didn't expect to see were pictures of his little girl sitting in a corner with her finger on her lips. He wanted to kill whoever was behind the camera.

"Yeh kahan se aayi hain, Mehra?"

"Hum ne IT department ko assign kiya hai, aur cyber security walon ko bhi involve kiya hai. Jald pata lag jaye ga," Mehra replied.

Rishabh was fuming in the living room for a full twenty minutes before the girls came home.

"We're home!" Kukki announced and Rishabh snapped out of his mind and ran to her.

"Khushi!" He cried her birth name and ran to get her in his arms.

"Papa you're so tight!" Kukki laughed as he hugged her tightly.

Rishabh moved himself back so he could look at her, his hand checking her for injuries.

"Aap thik ho na?" Rishabh asked worriedly.

"Yes, papa! I'm fine," Kukki kissed his cheek to comfort him. "Pari mere saath thi!"

At her mention, Rishabh finally payed attention to Prerna. Behind her, his lawyer also came in. Rishabh put Kukki down and kneeled next to her. He smiled and caressed her face.

"Kukki. Aap Ms. B ke saath room mein jao. Maine Prerna aunty se kuch baat karni hai."

Kukki smiled and took Ms. Briganza's hand and went to her room. Prerna watched her leave and smiled at her and then turned to the others with confusion.

"Kuch, hua hai kya?" She asked aloud.

Rishabh whipped around to answer her. He was in full mood to yell at her, to scold her for being irresponsible. But then she was in front of his eyes and he saw her state and he dialed back his anger. He pinched his nose and invited his lawyer in, taking the large envelope from him.