Third person's pov!

A while later, Jeevika took her leave and Parth offered to escort her out of the office.

Just as they turned a corridor, Jeevika collided with someone and her phone fell down.

The man took the phone and exactly at that time, Jeevika's phone rang. The name and picture on the screen made Laksh frown.

'Viraj' was written on the screen.

"Laksh.." Jeevika exclaimed happily and Laksh smiled at Jeevika, remembering them meeting at the jewel store once.

They exchanged pleasantries and Laksh felt torn.

Viraj Parikh has become a thorn in his side ever since that day of pooja. He doesn't have enough connections in the city to find out about the man.

For that he needs an accomplice.

Then only he will be able to find out the truth about him and expose him if he is a fraud.

Jeevika and Parth left and Laksh saw Bhavna coming out of Sid's cabin.

He had seen the press conference on his way to Rey Designs. He had seen how Bhavna stood beside Sid and took effort to protect Nidhi's reputation. And he felt a sense of respect growing in him for her.

Bhavna was Sid's girlfriend and later fiance and when Sid chose another woman over her, she didn't turn herself into a scorned woman out to ruin others. Instead she took it all maturely and stepped aside. And that demands respect.

Maybe, she could help him find out about Viraj Parikh.

He can't go directly to Sid with this doubt. Either he would skin him alive or he would skin Viraj alive. He is okay with the second option but he is not sure which option Sid would choose, so it is always better to be prepared with all the proofs before approaching Sid with his doubts.

"Bhavna?" He called out softly and Bhavna smiled up at him.

"Laksh, how are you? How is the work progressing at your end?" Bhavna asked as she came to give Laksh a shake hand.

"Everything is perfect at work's end." Laksh said.

"Oh cool. Our side, everything is going smoothly. Or was going smoothly until the mayhem created by Tara and Daksha. Now we are short of two employees." Bhavna said with a sigh.

"I don't think Priya and Nidhi would be able to come back for work immediately. Bhadra Bua was saying people had been coming with queries and opinions since the press conference went live. But they can sit at home and work and connect to you through calls and the internet. I will help them set up a skype and zoom account. So that they can remain connected to the team here." Laksh said and Bhavna was relieved.

"That's great. I will arrange for a laptop for them." Bhavna said.

"Uh Bhavna, can we go out for coffee in the evening?" Laksh asked and Bhavna frowned up at him.

"There is an issue. And I need help. I can't ask Nidhi for help, because she is involved in it. I need the help of someone who has enough connections here." Laksh added hurriedly.

"Okay. How about six? And maybe look for somewhere there is enough privacy. Last time I went for coffee with Sid, our topic of discussion flashed across the screens of a gossip channel." Bhavna said in an exasperated tone.

"In that case, it would be better to either meet at your or my apartment. Because this is highly confidential." Laksh said, conveying the importance of the matter to Bhavna.

"My place then. I will get off work by five. Meet me at the apartment half past five. I will send you the location." Bhavna said and they parted ways after making plans for the evening.

*****

Laksh stepped out of his car after parking it in the guest parking slot of Bhavna's apartment block.

He took the paper bag with Starbucks coffee and sandwiches in it and walked towards the elevator.

Bhavna opened the door for him as soon as he pressed the doorbell.

"Oh! You are early. I just got out of the shower and was about to make coffee. Take a seat, I will just be back." Bhavna said.

"I have brought coffee and sandwiches. The thing I have to say is very important and I cannot delay it anymore. It is already very late." Laksh said, taking the coffee cups from the paper bag and passing one to Bhavna.

"You have got me curious now. Tell me what it is." Bhavna asked, as she took a seat across from Laksh.

"It is about Viraj." Laksh said.

"Viraj? As in Viraj Parikh?" Bhavna asked curiously.

"Yes. The same." Laksh said.

"Shoot!"

"The Vyas family has a family friend. His name is Viraj and he is a property dealer." Laksh said and Bhavna frowned in confusion.

"So? There could be a million Virajs across the world and a thousand of them could be property dealers." Bhavna said with a shrug.

"This Viraj wants to marry Nidhi. He asked for her hand in marriage recently." Laksh said and Bhavna laughed.

"Sid will definitely kill him." Bhavna said with a chuckle.

"Now listen carefully to what I have to say.." Laksh said, leaning forwards in his seat.

Laksh then proceeded to say how he felt Viraj looked familiar when he met him in Rey Designs a few days ago. And how he saw Viraj at the temple and how he hurried away from there when he spotted both the Raichands and the Vyas' together at the temple.

"You can't be serious. There is no way the two Virajs could be the same." Bhavna said, refusing to believe it.

"I am not saying they are. I am just sharing my doubts." Laksh said.

"How is that possible? Even if they are the same, what's the big deal?" Bhavna asked in confusion.

"Who exactly is Viraj? Is he Jeevika ji's husband?" Laksh asked, scared out of his wits.

"No. He is Jeevika di's brother-in-law. Viren jiju's cousin. They all are cousins actually." Bhavna said.

"What do you mean? If they are cousins, how the hell did they get married?" Laksh asked, confused.

"They are not first cousins. Their parents are cousins. Something like that.." Bhavna said.

"From what I understood, what Viraj told Bhadra Bua is that he is an orphan, with only an ageing grandmother in his hometown. He doesn't have any relatives here in Mumbai, so he sometimes stays at the Vyas house. Bhadra Bua is very fond of him. I wouldn't have been suspicious if he hadn't escaped from the temple seeing both the Raichands and the Vyas' together. He had gone pale seeing them." Laksh shared his doubts.

"Nidhi would have definitely recognised him when she saw him in Raichand house. He visits at times. After all they are relatives and when he is in Mumbai, he usually stays with the Raichands.." Bhavna said.

"That's the point. Nidhi has never seen him." Laksh said and Bhavna's thoughts sharpened.

No matter how hard she tried, she couldn't remember any instance where both Viraj and Nidhi were present together.

"There is a huge family photograph of Viren jiju's family. It is hung in Jeevika di's bedroom. Nidhi couldn't have missed it." Bhavna said, though not with the initial conviction.

"I asked Nidhi a few days back in a casual way. She has no idea that Viraj is in any way related to the Raichands." Laksh said.

"Damn!"

"I know! I need help. I don't have enough connections here. I want someone who can discreetly find out more information about Viraj. If he has some hidden agenda behind this, I need to know."

"I know the right person for this!"

A/N

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