Wings Of Destiny

CHAPTER 21

Rishi had been busy the entire day, engrossed in securing a crucial business deal that his rival, Harsh Oberoi, was trying to steal. The abrupt ending of Kanika's call earlier had left him uneasy, but his father insisted he focus on the work at hand. After hours of intense negotiations, they finally secured the contract. When Rishi glanced at the clock, it was already 2 AM.

He tried calling Kanika, but her phone was unreachable. Determined to surprise her, he bought some flowers and chocolates from the hotel's 24-hour store and headed to her house. Climbing up to her balcony with the help of the water pipeline, he found the door unlocked and all the lights off. He saw someone sleeping on the bed and gently tried to wake her up.

Suddenly, the lights flicked on, and he realized it was Aditi sleeping there. "Oh, sorry! I thought this was Kanika's room," he stammered.

Aditi sat up, confused. "It is Kanika's room. What are you doing here? And where is Di?"

Rishi, equally puzzled, replied, "I came to meet her. Wasn't she with you?"

Aditi's eyes widened. "What do you mean she isn't with you? I thought she was with you. She left for work at Dad's office in the morning and didn't return. I covered for her, thinking she was with you."

Panic set in for Rishi. If Kanika hadn't returned home and wasn't with him, something was wrong. He quickly called Kabir to help him find her and set out with Aditi and Chirag. They tried calling her multiple times, but her phone was either busy or unreachable.

They decided to visit her father's office. The lights were still on in her room, so they went in, only to find the room in complete disarray. Papers were scattered everywhere, broken glass littered the floor, and furniture was overturned. It looked like a storm had passed through.

The sight of the room sent a chill down Rishi's spine. He could almost feel Kanika's anguish and desperation. The once orderly space was now a chaotic mess, reflecting the turmoil she must have felt. He knew they had to find her, and fast.

As they searched through the chaotic mess in Kanika's office, Aditi's eyes fell on the scattered photographs. She picked them up, her hands trembling as she flipped through the images. Her face paled, and tears welled up in her eyes. The photos showed Rishi with another woman, and the implications were devastating.

Unable to contain her emotions, Aditi stormed over to Rishi. "Rishi, what is this?" she demanded, her voice shaking with anger and hurt.

Rishi looked at the photos, his heart sinking. "Aditi, I can explain—"

But before he could finish, Aditi slapped him hard across the face. "I can't believe you could do something like this!" she cried, throwing the pictures at him. "How could you betray Kanika like this? She trusted you, we all did!"

Rishi stood there, stunned and speechless, as the weight of the situation crashed down on him. He knew he had to find Kanika and explain everything, but first, he had to convince Aditi of his innocence. The pain in her eyes mirrored the turmoil in his heart, and he realized just how much damage had been done.

As they continued to search Kanika's office, they found several clues that helped piece together what might have happened

Kanika's Phone: Aditi found Kanika's phone under a pile of papers. It had several missed calls and messages from Rishi, Kabir, and other family members. The last call she made was to an unknown number, which matched the number on the back of the photographs