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**Chapter 5: Unraveling Threads**
The next few days were a whirlwind of activity and anxiety for Yashika. Each morning, she woke up with a renewed sense of purpose, only to be confronted by the overwhelming uncertainty of what lay ahead. The more she uncovered, the more she realized how little she knew about the forces at play within the Sherawat Group. But she couldn’t afford to stop now.
Yashika had learned to navigate the company’s labyrinthine corridors with a practiced ease, keeping her head down while listening carefully to the whispers that swirled around her. She knew that secrets were currency in this place, and everyone seemed to be hiding something.
Her mind was still fixated on Vikram Rathore. The conversation she had overheard in his office had confirmed her suspicions that he was deeply entangled in the conspiracy surrounding her father’s death. But she needed more information—something concrete that would connect all the dots.
One morning, Yashika received an unexpected message from an unknown number. The text was short, but it sent a chill down her spine:
**Meet me at the café across the street from Sherawat Group. 1 PM. Come alone.**
There was no signature, no indication of who had sent it. But Yashika had a feeling this was the break she’d been waiting for. She glanced at the clock—it was already 12:30. She didn’t have much time to think this through.
As she slipped out of the office, Yashika’s heart raced. The message could be a trap, a way to lure her into a vulnerable position. But it could also be an opportunity to gain valuable information. She couldn’t afford to ignore it.
The café was a small, unassuming place, with a handful of tables scattered inside and out. Yashika walked in, scanning the room for any familiar faces. Her gaze landed on a man sitting in the far corner, partially obscured by the shadows. He was in his mid-thirties, with a lean build and an air of quiet confidence.
He looked up as she approached, his expression unreadable. “Yashika Kapoor?” he asked, though it was clear he already knew the answer.
Yashika nodded, taking the seat across from him. “Who are you?”
The man leaned forward, lowering his voice. “My name is Arun Malhotra. I was a friend of your father’s. We worked together at the Sherawat Group.”
Yashika’s breath caught in her throat. She had never heard her father mention an Arun Malhotra before. “Why did you contact me?”
Arun glanced around the café, as if checking for anyone who might be watching. “Your father was a good man, but he got involved in something he didn’t fully understand. Something that cost him his life.”
Yashika leaned in closer, her pulse quickening. “You’re talking about Operation Aegis, aren’t you? What do you know about it?”
Arun hesitated, then nodded. “Operation Aegis was a covert project initiated by the upper echelons of the Sherawat Group. It involved large-scale financial transactions, offshore accounts, and illegal dealings that had the potential to bring down the entire company if exposed.”
Yashika’s heart pounded in her chest. This was exactly what she had feared. “And my father? How was he involved?”
“He was tasked with managing some of the accounts, probably without fully understanding the extent of the operation. But he must have discovered something, something that made him a liability. Vikram Rathore—” Arun paused, his expression darkening. “Vikram had a personal stake in Operation Aegis. He saw it as his ticket to reclaiming what he believed was rightfully his. When your father started asking too many questions, Vikram made sure he was silenced.”
Yashika’s blood ran cold. The confirmation she had dreaded was now staring her in the face. “Are you saying Vikram Rathore had my father killed?”
Arun nodded grimly. “Yes, but he didn’t act alone. There are others in the company who are just as complicit, people who stand to lose everything if the truth comes out.”
Yashika’s mind was racing, trying to process everything she was hearing. “Why are you telling me this? Why now?”
“Because I owe it to your father,” Arun replied, his voice tinged with regret. “I was part of the operation too, but I didn’t realize how far it had gone until it was too late. I’ve been living with the guilt ever since. When I heard you were looking into his death, I knew I had to help.”
Yashika swallowed hard, the weight of his words pressing down on her. “What do I do now? How can I bring them to justice?”
Arun glanced around the café once more before pulling a small, USB drive from his pocket and sliding it across the table to her. “This contains everything you need—documents, financial records, emails. But be careful. Once you have this, you’ll be in more danger than ever.”
Yashika took the drive, her hands trembling slightly. “Thank you,” she whispered, feeling a mix of gratitude and fear.
Arun gave her a sad smile. “Be smart, Yashika. Don’t trust anyone—especially not Adrith Singh Shehrawat. He’s more involved in this than you realize.”
With that, Arun stood and walked out of the café, leaving Yashika alone with her thoughts and the USB drive that now felt like a ticking time bomb in her hand.
* * *
Back in her apartment, Yashika plugged the USB drive into her laptop, her heart pounding as she opened the files. The screen filled with documents, spreadsheets, and emails, each one more incriminating than the last. It was all there—evidence of the illegal transactions, the offshore accounts, and the cover-ups that had been orchestrated at the highest levels of the Sherawat Group.
As she sifted through the files, one email caught her eye. It was from Vikram Rathore, addressed to Adrith Singh Shehrawat. The subject line was simple: **"Aegis Update"**.
Yashika clicked on it, her eyes scanning the contents. The email detailed the progress of Operation Aegis, with Vikram expressing concerns about a “leak” within the company—someone who had been asking too many questions. The email ended with a chilling line: **“Take care of it, or I will.”**
Yashika’s blood ran cold. The implications were clear. Adrith had known about the operation all along, and he had been complicit in covering it up. But had he been involved in her father’s death as well? Or was Vikram the one pulling the strings?
The room seemed to close in around her as Yashika realized the enormity of the situation. She was holding the key to bringing down some of the most powerful men in Rajasthan, but she was also putting herself in their crosshairs.
Yashika knew she couldn’t do this alone. She needed help, but who could she trust? Arun’s warning echoed in her mind: **Don’t trust anyone—especially not Adrith Singh Shehrawat.**
But what if Adrith was the only one who could help her expose Vikram? What if there was more to him than she had been led to believe?
Yashika closed her laptop, the weight of the decision pressing down on her. She was standing at a crossroads, with no clear path forward. One wrong move could cost her everything—but doing nothing was no longer an option.
Taking a deep breath, Yashika made her decision. She would confront Adrith, but she would do so on her terms. She needed to find out where he truly stood, and if he was willing to help her take down Vikram Rathore—or if he was just another enemy in disguise.
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YOU ARE READING
VEIL OF VENGEANCE
Short Story"Veil of Vengeance" is a gripping dark romance set against the backdrop of the ruthless underworld. Yashika Kapoor, a young woman shattered by her father's mysterious death, finds herself entangled in a web of power and deceit. As she joins forces w...
