"Finally! My part is done. What about you?" Ananya spoke while keeping the coloured pens in the case again.

"Just the last paragraph is left." Sneha said and nibbled on the cookie that the maid brought for them.

They had divided the subtopics equally between them, so that, each one would have almost equal content to write.

"Okay. I'll be back." Ananya said and walked towards the washroom.

Sneha nodded and continued writing on the white sheets.

In a few minutes, she finally completed the paragraph and stood up to stretch her limbs.

"What's taking her so long?" Sneha wondered when Ananya didn't come in yet another minute. So, to pass the time, she looked at the clock and then the painting of Ananya that Viraj had gifted her. To have a closer look, she stood and walked towards the painting, which coincidently was just to the right of one of the windows.

Sneha patiently looked at the painting while appreciating the fine details that Viraj had painted. Unintentionally, her eyes fell outside the window where she saw some men standing in a circle-type formation.

Curiously, she peeked outside and quickly recognized Viraj, Gaurav and some of the guards. There were some more men whom she didn't quite recognize.

They looked to be in some pretty heated discussion. Gaurav was talking to someone before he showed his phone to Viraj. Viraj looked at the phone and then at the guards. His face was tense...and colder than usual.

"What's happening there?" Sneha mumbled.

A few seconds later, her eyes widened when she saw Viraj slowly take out his gun from his waistband while he spoke to the guards. She had absolutely no idea what he was saying though.

She didn't even know he was keeping his gun there all the time that he was driving! The blazer did the perfect job of hiding it, after all.

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Gaurav was informed by one of his close acquaintances in the police, about the leaking of some confidential information, concerning Viraj's illegal businesses. One of the cops, not in uniform, even made a visit for which Viraj, along with his men, came out of the mansion to meet him.

"Who sent the information?" Viraj asked Gaurav while giving a glance to the cop. His men surrounded them in case of any mishappening.

"We don't know that. One of my men just told me that some data is being fed by someone to the Mumbai headquarters. And this time, it has reached the PA of the minister."

"Is the information sensitive?" Viraj asked the cop.

"Yes, sir. We have received photographs of you dealing arms with the Arabian mafia. There are also some copies of agreements regarding those deals. It can lead to your arrest if it gets into the hands of NIA." The cop answered.

"And, you have no idea about the source of those photographs?" Gaurav asked the cop, before Viraj could.

"No, sir. They were mailed to my senior's residence from a fake address. I would have informed you earlier, but everything happened within 12 hours with utmost secrecy." The cop replied.

Gaurav took out his phone and showed Viraj the various copies that he received from his friend. Viraj looked at them carefully. The plan started forming in his mind. He can easily suppress this case with his connections. His father had contacts in the union ministry, so he could exploit those resources. But, what bothered him more was the source who sent this confidential information to the police. He may solve this case right now...but he didn't want a repeat of this again.

"I will give you all just 1 hour to come clean to me. Spread this information to all of my men. Whosoever is the mole in my business, if they want to live...then come to me within this one hour. Or else, I'll kill their entire family if I have to start the hunt." Viraj stated flatly.

Within seconds, one of the men in the circle dropped to the ground, on his knees.

Viraj looked blankly at him. That was indeed fast.

"Boss! I was threatened to do it!" One of Viraj's close guards accepted his crime. He remembered him to be one of the men who accompanied him to UAE.

"Who asked you to betray me?" Viraj asked as he brought his gun from his waistband. The man started shivering again.

"He is one of the senior members of the Crime Branch. I don't know his name. But, I was asked to give the proofs to a shopkeeper on the MG road. It is the only local alcohol shop. They threatened me by saying that they'd arrest my wife, since she accidentally murdered a child. So, I had to..." He tried to explain himself, but Viraj interrupted him. He didn't have the time to listen to this nonsense.

"Gaurav, does my father know about it?" Viraj asked.

"Yes. If my friend had informed me, then he must have informed your father too." Gaurav answered.

Viraj nodded curtly.

"Turn around." Viraj asked the man. However, the man began begging for his life.

"Don't make me repeat it." Viraj warned.

'Is he begging...for his life?' Sneha thought as she looked at the crying man on his feet in front of Viraj.

The man turned around on his knees such that his back faced Viraj.

"Boss, you said you'd let me live. Please..."

"Trust me. I am doing you a favour." Viraj said. He knew his father would give this man an even harsher death than he would. Also, he had to set an example for all the men here to not betray him...ever.

"Please!" The man begged one last time as Viraj pulled the trigger.

"Oh my God!" Sneha whispered when she witnessed Viraj pulling his gun up and shooting the man...in cold blood. He fell to the ground like a sack.

It was a bloody murder!

Sneha could feel her heart race as if it was about to come out. Her hands flung to her mouth to stop herself from screaming.

She quickly retreated and stepped away from the window.

For a while, her brain stopped working. What did she see? Why did he kill him? Who was he? And all the questions revolved in her mind.

'Viraj is a murderer!' She concluded with intangible proof.

However, when she heard the washroom door open, she, in a flash, stood in front of the painting again.

Her heartbeat was still fast but she tried to control it.

'I CAN'T LET HER KNOW IT!' Sneha shouted in her mind as if she won't be able to hear herself if she spoke normally. Her legs were shaking and she just hoped Ananya won't notice her strange behaviour. She could feel sweat ooze out of her palms. She was shit scared.

"I don't know what's wrong with my stomach..." Ananya mumbled and saw Sneha stand in front of her portrait.

"Isn't it beautiful!" Ananya said as she walked in her direction.

However, Sneha was not in the control to answer anything.

Her mind revolved around the dead man and what would happen to her if they got to know that she had witnessed a murder...with her own two eyes...by Viraj. She'd be killed too! Wasn't it how the mafia underworld worked. No witness should remain alive...

"Sneha?" Ananya called again when Sneha didn't say anything.

'Calm down, Sneha. You didn't see anything. No one saw you seeing it. So, just pretend that you didn't see it. You saw nothing...damn it! They'll kill you too if you'd confront them. Just get out of here safely. It's your last day here anyway. Act normal...yes! God!' She prayed in her mind while telling her what to do next.

"Sneha?" Ananya called again as she started coming closer to her.

Sneha immediately turned around and walked in the direction of the project files, so that Ananya won't see out of the window.

"Yes. It's beautiful!" She replied and cursed internally when her voice choked.

"Are you okay?" Ananya asked and followed her.

"Yeah! I was sitting for a long while. So, when I stood up, I felt the world become black for a while. So, I was taking time to come back to normal." She lied.

Ananya gave her a weird look. She didn't believe her, neither did she question her.

Sneha knew she couldn't trust Ananya either. She was his sister, after all. She had seen enough crime dramas to know what she should do in such a situation...Be quiet. Act normal. Get out safely. Go to the Police station. File a complaint. Ask for police protection. Simple!

Sneha repeated the process in her mind. That was what she was going to do.

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"Clean this." Viraj told the remaining guards who at once got into work.

"What should we do about the photos and docs received, sir?" The policeman asked Viraj.

"I'll talk to the commissioner. You may leave." Viraj ordered and started walking back to the mansion.

Gaurav looked in the direction of the mansion and followed Viraj too.

They both had one query in their mind.

"I hope Sneha didn't see anything." Gaurav said cautiously since he knew how Viraj felt for her. Sneha was the only outsider right now on the premises.

"Even if she did, she doesn't have a camera to record the evidence. Her phone is old fashioned." He answered. It was one of the reasons why he easily killed the guard outside and did not create a mess in his house.

"But she still might be an eye witness." Gaurav added.

Viraj took a deep breath.

"She is a smart girl to keep her mouth shut." He answered.

"What if she doesn't." Gaurav asked.

Viraj looked in the direction of Ananya's room's window.

"Then she is asking for death, too." Viraj said and entered the house.

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Sneha almost had a heart attack when she saw Viraj sitting casually in the hall on one of the sofas, playing with the gun. Gaurav was sitting on the other sofa with a tab in his hand. He was busy scrolling on it. Some other men were scattered across the hall.

It was almost her home time and she knew that her father would come any time soon. She was glad that no one confronted her anything regarding the horrible sight that she witnessed, yet.

Her hold tightened on her handbag as she stepped downstairs along with Ananya, while making sure to act normal and maintain her composure.

"Bye." Sneha mumbled to Ananya when they reached the end of the stairs. Her eyes darted in the direction of Viraj who was flatly looking at her.

'Does he know it?' She wondered in fear.

"Bye. I'll bring everything to the college tomorrow." Ananya answered while referring to the model and the files.

"Yeah." Sneha nodded and started walking in the direction of the main door.

"Sneha." Viraj spoke to which Sneha abruptly stopped. Her heart started beating loudly again. She could hear her own heartbeat clearly. Turning around, She looked at him.

'Act normal, Sneha.' She chanted in her mind.

"Let me drop you home." He said and stood casually while tucking the gun in the waistband again.

Sneha visibly gulped as her eyes stayed at the gun.

'He knows it. He knows it! And, he is planning to kill me in an isolated place.' She thought and took a step away from him.

"It...It's o.okay, bhaiya (an endearment for brother). My f.father has already arrived." She lied and immediately hated herself for stuttering.

Viraj's brows raised in surprise when he heard her refer to him as her brother.

"Didn't I ask you to not call me your brother?" He asked sternly.

"Uhh...sorry! I forgot." Sneha replied quickly.

"I should go." She added and gave a look to Gaurav who had a plain face today...unlike usual when he is all jolly.

"I'll see you off till the gate, then." Viraj said and started following her.

"It's okay, Viraj." She immediately denied his offer.

"I didn't ask you." He said to which she shut her mouth. Ananya didn't follow them due to her upset stomach.

As they came out of the main door, Sneha preferred to take the long roundabout road rather than the path where the poor man was shot.

"This is the shorter route, Sneha." Viraj deliberately asked her to walk on the path where the incident had happened. He wanted to know whether she saw anything or not. Although he knew she'd not disclose anything to anyone, he had to at least be aware of her knowledge. And, until now, his doubts only got confirmed.

In order to not invoke any doubt in his mind, Sneha silently walked alongside him on the path that he preferred. Her eyes flickered to the spot where she had seen the poor man fall. There was no trace of blood or anything now. The guards had done their jobs perfectly. After all, it was their job.

Her facial expressions became grim at the memory of that man getting shot. And, he noticed everything.

"It's your last day here, right?" He asked while noticing her demeanour.

"Yes." She silently added, making sure to not look at him. She was scared, for her life and also for her father who was waiting for her at the gate.

"I hope you had a comfortable stay here." He added.

'What is he playing at?' She wondered.

"Yes." She answered nonetheless.

"Good. There's one thing that you should know, though." He said. This time, Sneha looked at him in confusion.

"Whatever you have seen or heard in my house during your stay here, should remain with you. I do not want any rumour flying off in the college campus or anywhere, about my family." He warned.

'Why was he telling me this now? Does he know it?' She wondered again.

"Okay." She agreed.

Her eyes fell on his gun again which was on full display now since he wasn't wearing the blazer.

"Your father is here. Go." He stated and Sneha flew in that direction.

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"What do you think? Did she see you?" Gaurav asked as soon as Viraj entered the hall again.

"I think, yes. She behaved strangely. Don't worry, I warned her... indirectly." Viraj answered.

Gaurav nodded and soon took his leave after finishing his work.

During supper, Viraj asked his question to confirm his suspicion.

"Ananya." He called for her attention.

Ananya looked up from her plate and raised her brows.

"Did Sneha behave strangely today? Tell me honestly." He asked.

"Sneha?"

"Yes."

"Uhh...Not at college...But at home, after we completed our project, she did behave strangely." She answered truthfully.

"Did you ask her the reason?"

"I had gone for the washroom for a while. And, then when I came back to the room, she was standing in front of my painting. It was then that I felt her strange behaviour. I asked her if there was something wrong. She denied but I could see her legs and fingers shivering slightly. Her face was blank too...I don't know why. She said she had a short blackout...I don't know." Ananya elaborated.

Viraj chuckled. He knew that Ananya had hung the painting beside the window which might have given her good access to the lawn.

"Was it 5:45 pm?" He asked.

Ananya thought for a while.

"I think, yes." She answered.

Viraj only smiled.

"Why are you smiling?" She asked curiously.

"Nothing. Eat. Don't tell her anything about this conversation." He ordered. He didn't want Sneha to know that he knew that she had witnessed him in action.

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"Papa!" Sneha breathlessly called for her father when they entered their home.

"Yes, Sneha?" Shankar asked while removing his tie.

"I...I saw...a murder...at Viraj's house." She slowly said while making sure that her mother doesn't hear it.

Shankar froze for a while and then turned to look at her.

"What? Who?" His father asked in a hushed tone.

Sneha gulped before answering.

"Viraj. He killed someone...I don't know who he was."

Shankar took a deep breath.

"Sneha. Beta (child), does he know about it? Does he know that you saw it?" He asked carefully.

Sneha shook her head.

"I don't know. He just warned me about not telling anything about his house to an outsider. We should go to the police station, right?" She said. She herself had no idea whether he knew anything or not.

"No!" Shankar almost shouted.

"You are not going to report anything about it. He has big connections, beta. He will only hurt you if you will go against him. Forget...forget everything you saw there. You are not going to see him anymore anyway. So, just forget that you saw anything. Promise me. Promise that you won't tell this to anyone else. This remains between us." Her father said urgently as if she was about to run to the police station.

"But...papa, he killed someone! It is wrong for us to not report a crime." She suggested.

"You are not going to report to anyone. Do you want all of us to die?" He scolded her, fearing the worst.

Sneha's brows narrowed.

"Why are you scolding me?" She asked.

"Because you are not thinking straight. You don't know his power, but I know it. I work in one of his legit companies, but the truth is known to every employee. I know him better than you do. So, if you want us to live safely, you won't reveal this to anyone. Do you understand?" He asked her strictly.

Sneha hopelessly nodded. Who could she report now when her own father was against it. Plus, she trusted her father's instinct.

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After a very silent dinner, where Sneha and her father almost remained quiet while Priya babbled about something, her parents called her into their room. Sneha slowly walked back into their room, thinking it was time for another warning.

"Yes, mummy?" She asked as she entered.

"Sneha. Your father just got a call from Shashank's father..."

"Shashank?" She asked.

"The IAS officer." Her mother added.

"Oh." Sneha mumbled and sat in front of her mother.

"He told us that Shashank wants to meet you this Sunday. We told him that you are also free that day. You are, right?"

"Yes, mummy." She nodded.

"Good. Do you know where he wants to meet you?" Her mother asked excitedly as if she had just knocked into a gold mine.

"Where?" Sneha asked with a lack of enthusiasm. Her mind was crowded with the recent events.

"Taj hotel!" Her mother said excitedly while Sneha's brows narrowed.

"The Taj hotel?" She confirmed since she knew how expensive that place is.

"Yes! Isn't that amazing!" Her mother chirruped.

"He is just wasting his money." She mumbled.

Her mother however ignored her comment.

"I can already see my daughter's life, changing for the better." Her mother commented to which Sneha only shrugged.

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(Hey all!

What do you think is gonna happen in Taj?

So, my work pressure has exponentially increased from today. Thus, please forgive me if I won't be able to reply to you in time. Also, the updates will be on Fridays only from now, unless I get free time in between again (like I was getting these days). Thank you so much for your love and support!)