"Life can't get any better!" Kriya said as she entered cabin. 

It had been a week since the fall out with Swayam. In a way, life went on. The two would see each other as they lived in the same house, and Swayam hadn't went to work. He was working from home, and Kriya was only working part-time since there wasn't much to do in office with Swayam's absence. But, they rarely talked. It was as if they had ran out of everything to say to each other. It shouldn't be as such, since they had everything to talk about, everything to clear misunderstanding on.

She hugged Nicole and even Simmi, much to her despise, before going to Aashi.

"Someone's happy, huh?" Aashi commented when she hugged her.

"So, what do you want me to do today?" Kriya asked her for work. She'd decided it was her birthday. She should be happy today, even if she had to fake it.

"Uh... you can start with reviewing those tapes?" Aashi motioned at Kriya's desk.

"Aye-aye captain." She put her purse aside and started working.

"What's wrong with her?" Simmi asked out loud to everyone. Nicole shrugged, if only she knew. Even she was stunned Kriya had given Simmi a hug.

"What do you want me to do?" Simmi dryly asked Kriya.

"What?" Kriya looked up, blank for a second.

"What do you want me to do?" She repeated the question. Kriya remembered the deal between them.

"Oh, that. Err, nothing. You're free. I've forgotten you ever did something and you forget there ever was a deal." For the second time, she had shocked everyone present in the room. They all knew how excited Kriya was to have Simmi work for her as her own personal slave for a week's time. And now, just like that, she was letting her go?

"I think she's really lost it." Simmi whispered to Aashi.

××××××××××××

Aashi entered Swayam's cabin. "Is Kriya alright?"

"Huh?"

"No, I mean she's just acting too strange. Fancy this, first she hugged Simmi and then she let her off their little deal. You didn't hit her hard on her head, did you?"

"Shut up, Aashi!" He glared at her. She shut her mouth. "She did yell at Vicky this morning. So yes, I'm sure she's fine." Aashi was convinced. She very well knew that there would always be one reason or another for Kriya to yell at Vicky when she was normal.

××××××××××××

Mid-afternoon, Kriya entered Swayam's cabin, just as he was about to walk out, resulting in them crashing. He balanced her back on her feet and pulled her in swiftly. Before she could utter a word, he pinned her to the closed door.

"Swayam?" She spoke, surprised by this action of his.

"You called the lawyer?"

Kriya knew he'd eventually find out. "Yeah, so what? You signed the papers anyway. I just wanted to see how much longer it would take for it to be filed in court."

He stepped back, "Are you really that eager for the divorce? So you can be with Roy?"

Her heart broke, so she tried to not answer, "I really don't get you. Sometimes you want a divorce, and other times you get pissed at me for giving you what you want and hurrying up the process? But anyway, I am not in the mood to talk about all of this today. I just came to show you this."

She moved around him and sat down on his chair, turning the blinds off. Then with the CD she had in her hand, she removed it from it cover and entered it in its place in his laptop.

"Take a look." She ushered him over. He stood leaning in besides her, though all he wanted to do was complete the other conversation. "This is of two days ago."

Just as she was stunned when she first saw it, he was too. She stood up for him to sit on the chair. Both looked at each other after he replayed it slowly, trying to make sense of it.

"Where's Aashi?" Swayam asked when Nicole picked up the call. "Send her in immediately."

"Yes, sir." Nicole found Aashi all the way on the ground floor. Aashi entered his cabin minutes later.

"You called?"

"What happened in our absence?"

"What do you mean?" She asked, unsure.

"Nothing unusual happened?"

She shook her head. "Not that I'm aware of. What's going on?" She looked from Swayam to Kriya and back at Swayam.

Kriya moved when Swayam called her. He replayed it for her to see.

"I'll call-" Aashi took action as soon as she grasped on the situation.

"No, not just yet. Call David first. And the floor's secretary as well. Call them separately and ask for data. Such a breech should have alerted the security instantly." All three of them were still surprised.

"How'd you find it?" Swayam asked Kriya.

"It was in the pile of tapes Aashi told me to check."

"That pile?" She couldn't believe it. "But I myself checked the tapes before putting it on the desk. There was no CD."

"Someone must have kept it there after then."

They all asked the same question. Who?

××××××××××××

"You wanted to meet me Sir?" David knocked his cabin.

"Yes, David. Come in." After David sat in the chair opposite his, Swayam got straight to point.

"How did the security update go?"

"Update? Oh, the one we had last month? Just fine. The system is all better with newest advancement."

"Nothing out of place?"

"Not that I've noticed. You know, sir. The alarm would be triggered at the slightest of motion."

"Yes, yes. I'm aware. Thank you then. And before you go, can I just have the sign-in details after last month's update?"

"Sure, sir. I'll personally bring them to you in about an hour."

"Thank you David."

David nodded to leave but stopped reaching the door. Putting the formalities aside of him as his employee, he spoke freely, "Swayam, is something bothering you? You know you can trust me."

Swayam nodded. "I know David. You've been a good friend to me. I just can't say anything till I'm sure what exactly we have in our hands."

David left with an understanding look. "I understand."

××××××××××××

Aashi walked in with the floor secretary still at the door. "Swayam, Violet Flores, floor secretary." Swayam nodded her in and she stood beside Aashi.

She handed him the file. "The information you asked for, sir."

Swayam took it and began examining it. There was nothing out of the ordinary. This was beginning to puzzle him more ever passing second. There was no entry he was looking for.

"That'll be all for now. Thank you." After Swayam dismissed her, Aashi walked her out of the cabin and walked back in.

"So?"

"I just hope David has something for us to lean on."

Seeing how tensed he was, she tried to say something to coax him. "We'll find out soon. Don't worry."

He tried to believe it but it was hard. There were questions with no answers.

"Would you want to go check yourself?"

He shook his head. "Not just yet." Before she left, he advised, "Tighten the security but don't make it look suspicious." She nodded.

××××××××××××

"Anything?" Kriya asked peeping in his office.

He shook his head. "None of it makes sense."

"If we can even figure out how it got on my desk and who put it, it can give us a lead."

"I checked the today's footage from after Aashi placed it. Nothing. No one came near your desk at all."

"There has to be a way. Are there any blind spots the camera doesn't cover?"

"None."

David knocked on Swayam's door before entering. "Yes David." David looked at Kriya. "That's alright, you can speak freely in front of her."

David paused, registering what he'd said. From what he knew, Swayam remained secretive on this matter. Seeing Swayam trusted the person, he began. "The electronical version and the hand-written data." He handed it to Swayam.

"There is no entry-data of anyone two days ago." Swayam whispered, surprised, checking the digital file in his laptop.

Kriya skimmed through the written register. "Nothing."

"David, is it possible that there could be a breech in the system without the trigger catching it?"

David considered it. "Now that I think about it, it's only possible if someone is using the number-codes they used to use for radio transmitting and send secret codes back in the 60s."

"Is there a way to be certain of it?"

"I can look into it for you, but it'll take time. I haven't dealt with this since a long time."

Swayam nodded. "I understand, but time is something we're short of. So ASAP? Maybe this will help you." Swayam turned the laptop to David and replayed the same scene. Seeing it, David instantly looked at Kriya. Swayam informed, "It's not her. This was two days ago when she wasn't working."

"Why would someone impersonate her then?" David asked.

Kriya replied. "It doesn't make sense. Why would someone want to frame me?" She doubted Sharon was somehow involved, but how could she even manage this while locked up?

"I'll do what I can and let you know." David left.

××××××××××××

Swayam was replaying the scene over and over again. He just could sit tight till he had some answers to go off of. He looked for one clue or another, anything the impersonator might have left off. On the other hand, Kriya tried to focus on the other tapes she started off in the morning but couldn't. At last, she got the CCTV footage and started replaying it.

Finding something, she walked over to Swayam's cabin to find him missing. She called him. He wouldn't pick up. Panicking, she went to find Aashi. Finding her on the fourth floor, she asked without stopping to take a breath. "Where is Swayam?"

Aashi lowered her head. "Please don't make me say it." She told her. Kriya understood he had made her promise to not tell, which only meant he was doing something Kriya would have an objection with. She could only think of one such thing.

"He's as good as a dead man." Kriya muttered under her breath as she ran up the stairs to get her purse and leave.

Aashi called Swayam and he picked up. "She's on her way."

"You told her?!" He blasted.

"Of course not. She figured it out by herself."

"Damn. Okay, thanks."

Swayam looked at the person sitting in front of him. The only person who wanted to ruin their life. Sharon. He gritted through his teeth, asking for the last time. "What have you done?"

Sharon let out a laugh. "Come on love. I'm stuck in prison. I can't do anything!"

"Cut the crap Sharon. I'm not another one of your puppets. There's someone on the outside helping you. Tell me."

"What do you take me for? Where's the fun if I tell you?" She indirectly accepted there was someone. Swayam caught on to that and smirked.

"Thanks a lot for your help. Love." He despicably spat back and left.

He ran into Kriya at the entrance door. She crossed her arms across her chest, fuming. She didn't have to say anything for him to know she was mad at him for taking this step.

"I'll explain. Come for now." He led her off towards his car and had her sit in. "Kriya, when I started thinking who would want to frame you, I could only think of her. You know that too. And I got what I was looking for. There is a mole in our office. We've got something to go with now."

"Couldn't you just tell me once? After the last time we three met, you know she takes you as an enemy too. She won't think twice before hurting you."

"I know how much it would have disturbed you if I told you before. I swear, I was going to tell you after I came back, whether I found something or not."

"If you ever do something like this again..."

He didn't let her finish her threat. "I won't give you the chance to do whatever you would." He cupped her face, promising. She finally believed him and hugged him.

"Chale?" He asked.

"My car?"

"I'll get the driver to pick it up."

××××××××××××

Rey's father intercepted in the parking lot as soon as Rey arrived at work. In a demanding voice, he ordered, "You've coming back home."

Rey mocked a laughter at the man's audacity to order him, "Yeah, right."

He was ready to walk around his father when a hand gripped him by the upper arm, tightly. "I'm serious, Reyansh."

Rey was a bit taken aback, not by the words, but by the tight grip of his father. He was never one to use might when there was a way to use words as a threat. Nevertheless, he peeled his hand off his arm and said with finality, "It's Roy for you, Mr. Singhania, and as for your so called order, I don't think so. Home is where my mom is, not where your mistress lives."

"She's your mother too! Are you forgetting I have married her?"

Rey scoffed, "She is not my mother. She's only ever going to be your mistress for me. Nothing more. Now if you'll excuse me, I'd like to get to work on time."

"Damn it, Reyansh." He swore, "Stop being childish. You have no idea what is going on. You're safe home."

Rey gave his father a quizzical look, "What do you mean?" He wondered if his father had found out of the danger looming over him, or if he was just shooting arrows in the dark. 

"You might think I don't know anything about your life and I could care least about you, but I know more than you think, son." His father expressed, but Rey was skeptical in believing him. 

"You're right. I don't believe you." He informed, and went inside the building, leaving his father in the parking lot. Rey wasn't leaving much of a choice for his father, causing him to make a phone-call and do the only thing he knew of to keep Rey out of harm's way. 

××××××××××××

As they entered the parking lot, they saw police cars. Confused, they hurriedly went in through the main doors. A police officer greeted Swayam. "What's going on officer?" He asked looking around. The employees were around standing wondering the same.

"Ms. Kriya Rai?" He looked at Kriya standing behind Swayam.

"Yes?" She spoke.

"You will have to come with us."

"Excuse me?" Swayam questioned. "I'm the owner of this company. Swayam Shekhawat. What is going on here?"

"Mr. Shekhawat, we have a reason to suspect Ms. Rai's involvement in a kidnapping."

Both were shocked. "What?!" Kriya blurted.

"Ms. Rai, please, co-operate with us."

"I want to see the evidence first." Swayam demanded. "This is bullshit!"

"We have you on camera. The nanny is in the hospital, but as soon as she's conscious, we're sure she will back up the story. Now, you can come in at the station with us and answer questions, or you force us to arrest us."

"This can't be. When was this?" Swayam muttered.

"Last night. Sir, please let us do our job." He started to put hand-cuffs on Kriya when Swayam raised his hand to stop.

"Can I have a word with her? Alone?"

"One of us will have to be present." He replied, denying the request.

Swayam nodded. "I understand." Holding Kriya's hand, he walked over to a conference room. The officer followed them in.

"Sharon. It has to be." Swayam said as soon as the door was closed. He hit his hand on the wall, angrily.

"Swayam!" She held him back. "What exactly had she said?"

He replayed the conversation. "I just asked what she was doing and the name when she indirectly confirmed there was someone on the outside helping her."

"Okay... Don't worry. We'll figure it out. We both know where I was last night."

Swayam nodded. Where else but home? 

"I will get you out. I promise." He cupped her face.

"I know you will. Just think rationally okay?" Swayam nodded and pressed his lips on her forehead showering his love. A tear escaped his eyes. At this moment, he couldn't be mad at her for where there relationship was heading. She needed him and he was going to be there.

"It's all my fault." He said parting.

Kriya shook her head. "No, this had all began even before you met either of us. Don't blame yourself."

The officer tried making sense of their conversation but everything was beyond his understanding. The only part he got was the name Sharon and that has something going on. "An affair with your intern? I wonder what your wife will have to say about it." He commented.

Swayam shot him a death glare when Kriya kept a soothing hand on his arm to stop him before he would say or do something they would both regret. "That, officer, is between him, me, and his wife, isn't it?" She replied politely.

With a nod to Swayam, they came out of the door to see Aashi had by now came down and was standing by the entrance. Kriya hugged her and whispered, "Take care of him for me?"

Aashi nodded. "I would've even if you didn't tell me." She told her.

Kriya turned to the officer. Swayam had his back turned to her. He couldn't watch the sight. She went to him and turned him. She nodded him to lean down. He did and she placed a soft peck on his cheek. "Love you." She barely whispered but he had heard it.

Before he could reply, she turned and left with the officers. Aashi came next to Swayam. "I'll cancel your meetings." She knew he'd go behind her. Swayam gave her a quick hug, thanking her, and left behind the officers, calling the lawyer while driving.

The employees were all questioning and gossiping. Aashi turned, giving them a sharp glance and ordered. "Back to work." They all shuffled. Simmi was the only one glued to her place. She... kissed him? He let her?

××××××××××××

author's note:

Thoughts? However do you think Kriya is involved in this kidnapping, and how Sharon could have made it happen? What of Rey, and what his father seems to know? Look forward to your views!

I just quickly wanted to say thank you to each and every one of you for still reading this book and giving it love, despite your personal choices. I know you must be disappointed, but still, thank you. It does mean a LOT to me.

See you next week! :*