True Side

Chapter 6

I sit at my system trying to concentrate on my work. Then and again I keep observing the CCTV recordings of my dad's cabin. He didn't yet notice that the note is gone. I keep working on my work.

After half an hour I see my dad in his cabin searching his locker and the surroundings. Yes, he realized that the note is missing. I give a smile to myself. I see him call somebody and speak in a tense expression.

He bursts out of his cabin and comes to me. He says "Nitya I am going out to meet a client. I will come back in an hour."
I nod in agreement. After he left I too slip out into the parking lot. His car has already gone out.
I speed up to catch up with him. He rides for about fifteen minutes to a hotel. I park my car far from the hotel.

I see dad going into the cellar. I follow him down there. He walks deep into the cellar of the hotel. A tall and lean man stands there, probably waiting for my dad. I couldn't see his face properly as there is no light in the cellar.
I could hear my father as he talks loudly
"The photo with that note is gone."

I couldn't listen to the other person but I am sure that he is angry with my dad. He is the other man Rishi was telling, but who is he? I feel restless to see his face. The patience I had for these many days to see this man is not equal between the patience I am having now.

They still have a conversation in a very low voice. I see a car coming from behind into the cellar. The lights fall on my dad and the other person.

Siddharth. No, it can't be him. I look again properly. It is Siddharth. I catch my head. I realize that my dad is about to leave. I run before him to my car. I start it and move towards my office. How can Siddharth do this? So it means that my dad and Siddharth knew each other from before itself.

I reach the office. I go into my dad's cabin. I fetch the note from my bag and throw it under the locker and go out.
I sit in my cubicle, panting. Lucky that nobody asked me where I went.

After two minutes my dad comes and enters his cabin. He again starts searching his cabin with the same tensed face. Finally he finds the note under the locker. Relief floods through his face. I smile to myself and shut my phone.

Siddharth Varma, SI Shamshabad and also son of business tycoon Revati Varma. I open the net and check Siddharth's facebook account. He seemed richer than I expected. I didn't concentrate on his riches except for his goodness which is false.

He killed Rishi. But why? Let me piece together.

Rishi is a middle class boy who completed his Mechanical Engineering and is searching for a job. So he is not yet settled.

Siddharth is a rich guy, who completed his police training and is working as an SI. So he is settled.

I remember my dad's words 'He is well settled, a good SI waiting for promotion.'
It means he will get a promotion soon by his mother's influence. My dad doesn't want me to marry Rishi as he is middle class and wants me to marry Siddharth. He knows Siddharth from before and before he thought of telling me about Siddharth I told him about Rishi and was adamant to listen to him. So he agreed to get me married to Rishi.

After that Siddharth and dad planned and killed Rishi in Siddharth's police station's jurisdiction and Siddharth acted as if he was helping us and took advantage of my grief to become closer to me and later Rishi's case got closed.
And now Siddharth is getting married to me as per his and my dad's wish. I need to tell this game played by my dad and Siddharth to Deva. He can only help me what to do next.

I log out of my system and go to my dad's cabin.
"Dad, I am leaving."
He looks up from his work and asks "Why Nitya, why so soon?"
"I feel really tiered after yesterday's engagement and I even promised mom that I would be home to select the sari for the wedding."
"Ok fine then, carry on. I will join you guys for dinner".

l step out of the office and text Deva 'I found who the other man is; I am coming to meet you.'

I reach the parking to find Siddharth standing there near his car. Anger pulses through me but I manage to smile. "Oh Siddharth what a pleasant surprise?"
He too smiles and says "Nitya, I just came for you. Would you join me for lunch?"

I clench my hands in fist to shoot it at his face. I again smile the fake one and say "Oh I am really sorry. I am going to meet my friend. She asked for a party as my marriage is fixed so I am going there. Anytime else."

He shrugs and says "Ok fine. Bye then."
He gets into his car and leaves. I look at him go and I too get into my car and drive towards Deva's house.