"I hope you have thought several times about this trade keeping my daughter's persuasion aside." Abhiraj's deep voice cut through the silence, making Ritu snap her head toward him immediately. When she thought things couldn't get further serious, her father made it look like the easiest transition.

She scowled but chose to remain silent as Jai calmly replied, "Mr. Roy, I have indeed considered this several times. And I must inform you that I would never have agreed to attend today's meeting unless it was your daughter's adamant persuasion." Jai stole a quick glance at her before his eyes shifted and focused solely on her father.

The air sizzled with thick tension as soon as Jai spoke. Ritu fidgeted with the tassels of her skirt. Although she was desperately trying to appear calm, anyone could tell how nervous she was feeling inside. Her father's imposing presence had always unnerved her, but tonight it was amplified tenfold. She felt like a child again, awaiting judgment for her reckless behavior.

Jai, on the other hand, sat with a quiet confidence, his posture relaxed but alert. His calm demeanor only made her more anxious. He wasn't one to bow under pressure, but she could see the way his jaw tightened when Abhimanyu finally spoke up, his voice steady and passive. "I've heard you've been looking after the orphans well. Admirable work under such... challenging circumstances."

It was definitely not a compliment. Especially when it was coming from Abhimanyu, he definitely had done a background study before commenting something on the subject. It might as well be a provocation. She wouldn't know.

Jai shifted his gaze on Abhimanyu and inclined his head slightly. "I do what I must. The children's well-being comes first. They have no support other than me."

Ritu's gaze darted between the two men, her stomach twisting in knots. She knew Jai's pride wouldn't allow him to take the conversation lightly, and she very well knew her brother. His words were carefully calculated, if not bordering on cold-heartedness, a skill he had mastered craftily in the art of trading and business deals.

"Of course," Abhimanyu replied, leaning back in his seat. "And we are meeting here today for an unusual collaboration."

Jai's eyes flicked to Ritu for a fleeting moment before returning to Abhimanyu. "I wouldn't name it a collaboration," he said, his tone measured, "it's your sister's, perhaps her first, venture in philanthropic interest."

Ritu inwardly winced. This was not going well. No no no. No. She should intervene. Her eyes darted toward her father, who had been silent for a while. His lips set in a thin line. She stared ahead and saw Vijay scowling, looking at Jai with his undivided attention.

Abhimanyu said, "Yes. I am aware of that as well. The meeting I called for today is to set some ground rules. Papa," he turned his eyes toward Abhiraj, "if you give permission, I'll continue. Otherwise, over to you."

Abhiraj raised his hand at his son. "I'll take from here, Manyu." He looked straight into the eyes of Jai and spoke in his deep, almost intimidating voice, "Do you know why we collaborate in business?"

Jai gazed down for a split moment to heave a sigh before his eyes found their way back to Abhiraj. They were clear and held no fear in them. "Sir, I might not be a grand businessman like you, but I am, too, a businessman. So, I'm perfectly confident of my knowledge of collaboration." Jai leaned in slightly, his voice steady. "Collaboration in business isn't just about merging resources; it's about synergy. Two heads are better than one. Mostly, collaborations happen when you find the right partner whose strengths complement your weaknesses. If you want to build something solid for a long time, you cannot do it alone. Collaboration is about pooling knowledge, networks, and strategies to create something bigger than what you could achieve by yourself." He paused momentarily before adding, "But as far as my opinions are concerned, trust is the foundation of any alliance. Without it, collaboration means nothing."

Ritu could sense the shift in the air. Her eyes fell on Vijay as she saw Vijay's countenance change from scowling to impressed. She quickly moved her gaze to her father as she saw the subtle twitch in his lips. Her inside has started to swell for some unknown reason.

But it faltered in its expansion as soon as Abhiraj responded with, "Trust is always earned, young man. It cannot be given or stolen."

Jai's expression didn't falter. "I understand that, sir. But trust, once broken, can never be revived."

Ritu wanted to scream. Why were they all speaking in riddles? This wasn't supposed to be a battle of egos—it was about the children, about finding common ground. Her hands curled into fists on her lap, and she bit her lip to keep from blurting out something impulsive.

"I see where you're coming from." Abhiraj nodded. Then he exchanged a meaningful glance at Vijay before proceeding with his usual deep and firm voice, "Look, Jai. You know I am a businessman. I don't do anything without receiving any benefit from it. So naturally, when I heard from Manyu the whole sensitive issue, it gave me an opportunity to look into this matter from a different angle."

Ritu brows furrowed in confusion. Now what the hell was he talking about?

"I agreed to go forward with this meeting, considering it the first step for our collaboration." Abhiraj paused.

Ritu's breathing paused as well. Jai, on the other hand, questioned calmly, "Could you please elaborate?"

Abhiraj leaned back, resting on the back of the seat. "Sure. The collaboration I'm interested in is, of course, a secret collaboration. As we are talking here, the real culprit of your grandfather's death is roaming freely. You're suspecting my son. But there's no evidence against him."

"Except the call recordings." Jai's jaws ticked as he said that.

"Yes. Those. But they are still not enough to prove he's the culprit. You trust it or not, truth cannot be changed."

Jai now shifted in his seat. Ritu could sense he was getting apprehensive now. But when he opened his mouth, it was the same modulated voice that came out, "Can you please come to the point?"

Abhiraj crossed his legs, one over the other, and linked the fingers of his hands. "My point is simple. Since my daughter wants to help the children, I'll make arrangements for them as soon as possible. But... in return, you'll have to collect the evidence to support my son."

"Why should I?" Jai was quick to question. "There are police doing their job."

"And they aren't doing it properly." This wasn't said by any of the three men present there. Ritu's head turned 120 degrees, and she noticed Jeet entering the villa with a briefcase.

Jeet's eyes made contact with her, and he flashed his amiable smile at her, which she half-heartedly reciprocated. He came and sat beside Abhiraj while putting the briefcase on the table in front of them.

"Can we have a tea break or something?" Jeet asked with a lively voice.

Abhiraj nodded and called, "Ram! Bring us tea and snacks."

Jai stole a glance with her before asking, "I'm not aware of your identity, but I'm perceiving you're closely related to this family. But what made you throw such random and serious blame to the police system, and why should I believe in you?"

Jeet chuckled. "Well, young man. I'm able to blame this system because I'm a part of it." He pulled out his wallet, and from inside it, his ID card came out. He showed it to Jai and said, "CBI." After a dramatic brief pause, he returned the card and wallet to their original places and added, "And you'll believe me because there's a larger conspiracy going on behind your grandpa's orphanage, and I have a lead."

Jai's eyebrows creased. So was Ritu's. Weren't they discussing the kids? Where was this all going?

Jeet studied everyone's faces before gently placing the bomb in the middle of the room. "Your grandpa was getting blackmailed before he died."

"What?" Everyone gasped in unison except Abhiraj and Abhimanyu.

"Yes." Jeet exchanged a meaningful glance with Vijay, who was now sitting straight, frowning. Jeet added, "He received two offers to sell the orphanage building prior to the auction. But things changed when Manyu got his hands on the plot in the auction."

"What?" Jai stared at Jeet. flabbergasted. "I... I never knew that. He...he never mentioned about such... offers."

"Were you close?"

"Yes, of course." Jai firmly responded. "He loved me so much. Not because I was the only child of his deceased daughter and his son-in-law, but because of the genuine connection we had."

Jeet nodded sagely, then turned his focus on Abhimanyu. "Manyu, what exactly were his last words to you before he died? Do you remember?"

Abhimanyu nodded once, then answered in his flat voice. "My grandson must not know about this."

Jai narrowed his eyes at Abhimanyu while his jaws ticked.

Jeet continued, "Exactly. He knew something might happen to him. So, he...secured the orphanage in a way."

Jay chuckled drily. "Secured the orphanage? Are you listening to what you're saying?"

Jeet answered decisively, "I know this sounds impossible, but your grandpa saw the future before anyone else. And..."

"And he relied on you," added Abhimanyu.

Jai's frown deepened. "This is... I am not understanding. So, you mean, Grandpa knew he was going to get killed?"

Jeet nodded. "But he made one mistake. Involving Manyu in it. And we are all suffering the repercussions."

Jai looked down. His brows curled together in deep scowl, hands fidgeting with each other. He took a few moments to process the information, then he looked up and focused his undivided attention on Abhiraj. "So, you want me to find out about this blackmailer in exchange for a residence for the kids?"

Abhiraj didn't hesitate for once as he nodded unyieldingly.

Jai thought for a moment, then his tone shifted from doubt to suspicion. "Is this some kind of ploy?"

"Do you really think we'll be engaging in some weird ploy like this? We're all so old to engage in some cruel games," Jeet answered with a huff.

At that moment, Ram came with the snacks and tea and placed them on the table. He offered the tea cup to everyone, while both Ritu and Abhimanyu refused. Then he went back. Ritu picked a cookie from the plate and stared at Jai. Jai took a sip from the cup. His brows were still pressed together.

Ritu's mind raced as the words between Jai and her father swirled around her. Moreover, Jai's composed demeanor only made her feel more unsteady. Was he really that calm, or was he just hiding his anxiety like she was? She couldn't shake the feeling that she was caught in a game she didn't even understand.

The way her father spoke, with such cold authority, the way Jeet uncle dropped the bombshell of the threats Jai's grandfather had received... Everything felt like a game. A game of power, manipulation, and control. But what about the children? What about the promise she made to help them? Couldn't these men see the real issue, the one that mattered? It was the children! The ones who had no voice, no power to play the games with them.

Her father's eyes were on her now, and for a brief second, she thought she saw something flicker. Something like concern. But Ritu couldn't trust it. She had to step up. If not now, she'd regret it later. And she wouldn't be able to bear that.

So she did.

"Can I have a word with Jai? In private?"

~~~

Author's note: Are we getting what this is all about soon? What do you think? Do you have any idea so far? Although it'll be difficult to identify the killer right now. But still, I'd love your opinions on this matter. This story must end in 2024! So, keep on voting and keep me motivated! Thank you so much for sticking with me and this story so far.