PAINFUL PLEASURE [COMPLETED]

46. The Last Branch

AVNEET'S POV

Three empty apartments. That's what I got, and even as I drove to the last one, I contemplated if it was worth the struggle. My eyes were bloodshot red. I was running a race against time, and I saw slim chances of winning.

Siddharth had lost hope already. I could not let his worst fears come true. My eyes welled again, and I pulled out a tissue to wipe them. They were swollen now.

My ass was sore from driving around the nation for two and a half days. My shoulders had gone numb. Yet, I pushed myself. I had to do this. For Siddharth. For my husband.

The sun was setting again. This last apartment was in a rather shabby area, and the smell of garbage heaps was an obstacle I crossed with a pinched nose.

Turns out it wasn't an apartment. It was the address of a rather dilapidated house. I couldn't believe that someone lived here two days ago either.

My shoulders sagged. This was my last hope. My last branch to find the evidence to prove Siddharth's innocence. With shaky legs, I moved to go back to my car when I heard a noise coming from inside.

My head shot in the direction of the door, and through the window nearby, I saw movement. With disciplined steps, I walked up to the window so as not to alert the person of my presence.

I peeped inside, and a man came into view. I recognised him from the club. My adrenaline level spiked up. I had a lead. I finally had a lead, and this just might be my breakthrough.

He was packing his stuff, which included women's clothing and a lot of kids' toys. He was a family man. I could make use of the information. He went to the kitchen to gather more stuff, and I made use of the opportunity to slip inside.

Discreetly, I padded along the wall and made myself shrink inside it before peeking around the corner. The kitchen had no windows. A shitty piece of architecture, but one that would be the most useful for me right now.

No windows meant that nobody would see us if I managed to effectively gag him. He turned to pull down a few containers from the opposite wall. I picked up a knife from the countertop—not my finest moment but I was desperate—and trained it on his neck from behind.

"Don't move or shout," I ordered.

"Who are you?" I asked in a shaky voice.

He was already trembling.

"The wife of the man whose life you ruined."

His eyes widened, and I came in front of him, knife still on his neck.

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"You have a wife, kids, and a family. Why would you risk their future for some dollars? How could you be foolish enough to go against a billionaire?"

I dug the knife deeper, and a trail of blood went down his neck.

"You think those who fled the country escaped? No. They have a permanent target behind their backs, and I am going to make their lives miserable."

"Please let me go," he said, folding his hands and begging.

"Where is the unedited footage?"

"What?"

"Playing dumb with me will bring you closer to your doom. I'll ask this only one more time. Then I'll make a call, and your family will be as thoroughly ruined as you destroyed mine. WHERE. IS. THE. UNEDITED. FOOTAGE?"

He fell to his knees and grabbed my legs. "I'll tell you. I'll tell you. Please don't harm my family."

"See how it feels?"