10 pm, UB towers, Bangalore.

"I think the police have finally called off the search! Phew!" I sighed in relief.

I looked at Nandini and she gave no reaction whatsoever. In fact, I realized she hadn't said a word in the last twenty minutes. It had been nearly twenty-five minutes since I had been waiting for the police to leave, keeping watch from the balcony of the tenth floor. However, I was so busy talking to Cabir over the phone that I didn't notice her odd behaviour until now.

"Nandini...Helloo...Nandini?" I attempted to bring her out of her trance.

It seemed to have no effect on her. I didn't have time for this!

"Nandini!!"I screamed and shook her by the shoulders. This seemed to do the trick. She snapped out of her daydream and looked at me with sad eyes.

"You're a criminal? A murderer?" she said it so softly it seemed as if she doubted her own words.

I was taken aback by her words. "Where did you hear that?" I snapped.

Suddenly I observed her expression change from sadness to disgust. There was a new found hardness in her eyes as she spat-"On the news!! You killed your own father? What kind of a heartless human being does that?! And then, you kidnap me when I've done nothing to you! Stay away from me! People like you should be rotting in prison!!"

I took a second to fully absorb the weight of her words. I felt disappointed and hurt. She believed that I had killed my own father? She just heard the news and decided that I was guilty, in her mind, without even thinking that there could be two sides to the story! I knew she didn't have a good impression of me, now that I had abducted her, but how could she believe that I was a murderer? Whatever happened before the police arrived, did I just imagine it all? I thought we had a connection...that deep down somewhere she would trust that I wasn't a killer! But I was so wrong! She was just like everyone else!

Manik, control your feelings! Or else you'll never fulfil your mission! I thought to myself.

"Shut up!" I finally screamed at her. "Whether, I am a murderer or not, is none of your concern! Think whatever you want to think! I don't care!" With this I took her by the arm and pulled her into the elevator with me. She started protesting immediately but I was too annoyed and exhausted to care. Finally, when we reached the basement, I dragged her to the relatively secluded place where my car was parked.

Just as I was about to shove her in the car, she screamed and said "Where are you taking me? I'm not going anywhere with a criminal like you!!"

I made her sit in the front seat and replied, irritated,"Mujhe bhi tumhe kidnap karne ka koi shauk nahin hain!!It's just that I need you to extract something from the Singhanias! Otherwise I wouldn't be tolerating you for even a second!"

She seemed utterly confused. My mistake! I ended up saying more than I should have! I immediately started the car and drove out of the building, as soon as I had taken my seat.

"What do you mean you need to extract something from the Singhanias? And why do you need me for that?" she asked.

"Are you or are you not Madhyam Singhania's fiancée?" I asked rather loudly. It was so irritating to drive and be interrogated at the same time. I had to do something to shut her up!

"Yes... but... I'm not..." She said unsure of herself.

"Since you are his fiancée, you must be valuable to the Singhania family! They have something I need! I'm going to use you to get what I need! Only when I've acquired it, will I let you go! Make no mistake, Miss Murthy, you are nothing but a bargaining chip to me! And don't you dare try escaping! Trust me you'll regret it! Get this in your thick head!" I explained harshly revealing as little as I could.

It seemed like she was taking a while to process my words. I felt a twinge of guilt when I saw the blank look on her face, but there was nothing else I could do! She was my only chance at proving my innocence! I had to retrieve the audio recording from the Singhania Mansion at any cost! Breaking into the Singhania Mansion on my own seemed like a fool's errand! This was much easier!

I'm still risking so much! Is committing one crime to acquit yourself of another really worth it? I'm not sure of that! All I know is I need to see Nyonika behind bars...whatever the cost may be!

But this wasn't going to be easy...Cabir was right. My mind flashed back to the conversation I had with Cabir just a few hours ago...

A few hours ago...

7:00pm, Bangalore.

It had been nearly twenty-four hours since I had fled Mumbai and about eight hours since I had arrived in Bangalore. I had chosen to drive to Bangalore because I was fairly familiar with the city. Fab five had played in the city a number of times, so I had visited it a bunch of times before.

I was dead tired, but I was craving a drink badly. I stopped my car in front of a building which had a board that read 'Skyye lounge'. Perfect! I needed to get some fresh air as well! An open air bar was just what I required!

I parked my car in the basement. When I got out, I realized Cabir was calling me.

"Haan Cabir...tell me! Any news? Did the police find any evidence against Nyonika at all? Anything I can use?" I asked in desperation.

"Manik, police ko toh Nyonika ke khilaaf kuch nahin mila...aur milega bhi kaise? They are too busy in finding evidence against you! All the CCTV cameras were also switched off that night. Nyonika really seems to have thought this through." He said.

"Damn!" I shouted.

"Par ek good news hain!" Cabir said excitedly.

"What? " I asked getting extremely impatient.

"When Dhruv and I visited the Malhotra Mansion, to understand the situation better, today morning, something strange happened. The police had already started scanning the house for clues and taking statements, including that witch Nyonika's, last night itself. So it was impossible for us to search for evidence there...but when we were leaving we saw your trusted servant Ram Singh speaking to someone nervously over the phone. Since we found it rather odd, we decided to eavesdrop on his conversation. We heard him say 'Haan saab, maine ek ghante pehle hi package mail kar diya tha...'"

"What? What kind of package?" I asked Cabir in desperation.

"Dhruv and I were equally suspicious, so we immediately interrogated him. Only after we threatened to beat him up, did he reveal the truth. Ram Singh had been paid by the Singhanias to bug your house, Manik! The bug was the reason the Singhanias always seemed to be one step ahead of your Dad, off late!"

The moment I heard this, I was engulfed by anger. The Singhanias were the reason Dad was so stressed about his business in the last couple of weeks. How dare they invade our privacy by bugging our house?

"However, when we asked Ram Singh about the recordings of the previous night, he claimed to have already mailed it to the Singhanias. Manik, do you realize what this means? It means the entire audio recording of the night's events are with the Singhanias. You told me that Nyonika revealed her entire plan before the police arrived, just to taunt you...her entire confession was being recorded and she had no idea about it!" exclaimed Cabir.

I let myself ponder over Cabir's words for a few seconds. I could feel a sense of relief and satisfaction washing over me. Finally, I had some hope!

"Manik, there's one problem. How will you extract the recording from the Singhanias? They are currently living in their vacation home in Goa. That's where Ram Singh sent the package! They'll definitely refuse to hand it over and trying to break into the mansion alone is a suicide mission! Let us come there and help you!" He said in a worried tone.

"Cabir, you will do nothing of this sort! I'm already putting you at risk by speaking to you like this! I'll figure out a way to break into the mansion! After all, jo MMA classes maine do saal pehle liye the, woh ab nahin toh kab kaam aayenge?" I said convincingly.

"Manik, please be careful. In the process of getting the recording, it shouldn't be so that something even worse occurs." said Cabir.

"Cabir, calm down. Nothing will happen. Thanks for this news...now extracting the recording is my problem. I have to go now...Bye!" I hung up before he could object further.

With renewed zest, I took the elevator to the fifth floor and entered the restaurant. I walked over to the bar and ordered a drink. "One whisky, on the rocks." I said to the bartender.

I gulped it down and immediately felt better. When I started scanning the restaurant, out of boredom, my eyes fell on the most adorable sight ever!

A girl was seated alone at a table, clearly stressed out. However, even though she seemed extremely worried, I couldn't help but notice how cute she looked. She had the most beautiful doe eyes adorned with the slightest bit of kohl. Tendrils of her long black hair fell on her face, but she paid no heed to them. She was dressed in a white crop top and a lovely red long skirt-two of my most favourite colours. And her lips...they were the most luscious pair I'd ever laid my eyes on! I couldn't help but imagine what it would be like to feel them on my own...Manik, control yourself! What are you thinking?

I wondered to myself...who is this angel?