Shehnaaz walked in the office and noticed everyone was staring at her. Her instinct told her, something was wrong. She thought to push away the thought and moved towards Sidharth's cabin.

As she entered his cabin, she saw Sidharth, Ahaan and Rhea all sitting together with dull faces. Their faces fell duller as Shehnaaz entered.

"Hey Guys," said Shehnaaz but, didn't receive any reply from them.

"Shehnaaz comes here and sit," said Ahaan.

"What's happening, guys? Is everything alright?" said Shehnaaz as her eyes searched for Sidharth's eyes to looks into but, Sidharth didn't look up he continued looking away from her.

"We need to talk," said Rhea.

"Yes please tell me what's wrong," said Shehnaaz looking at Rhea with puppy eyes that were really concerned.

"Someone has once again revealed confidential information about our company and this time once again it's from your IP address "sighed Rhea.

"Guys, trust me I haven't done anything," said Shehnaaz as she pleaded them to believe her.

"Of course we know that Shehnaaz, everyone knows you aren't guilty but,..." Sidharth couldn't complete his sentence as Shehnaaz interrupted.

"But, what Sidharth? Tell me the entire thing" said Shehnaaz.

"Shehnaaz we all know you aren't guilty but, we need to prove that to the board of directors. Even if Sidharth is the CEO of the company he does not hold the power to overrule the decision made by the board of directors and by the majority votes they have decided that you will be suspended from the office till you are proved innocent " said Rhea as she was extremely sorry about the entire situation.

" Why is my loyalty always questioned? Haven't I done enough for the company for them to store faith in me and the concern and loyalty that I hold towards the company ?" she ranted in anger.

"Shehnaaz relax! We will find a way out of it," said Sidharth as he placed his hands on her

shoulder.

FLASHBACK :

Sidharth just kept his cell phone down as he spoke to Shehnaaz. His brain kept thinking why would Kaira do something like that. This is not something that he had expected her to do.

Putting that aside, he thought what would she be up to? Suddenly, Ahaan barges in his cabin.

"Sidharth you need to hear this," said Ahaan.

"Sidharth, our company's confidential details have been revealed and once again it's from Shehnaaz's IP address. The board of directors have sent a petition to suspend her until she is proved innocent or else she will be fired " said Ahaan all at one breathe.

"Ahaan, you know she could never do something like this. We need to prove that she is not at fault. She is being targeted " said Sidharth as he was furious.

"Sidharth, you never know. She has been in the company only for the past 3 months. We can't trust her. What if she has? It can't be coincident, it's the second time that she has been under our suspect list " said Ahaan as he was truly concerned.

"You can't be serious Ahaan! Shehnaaz can never do something like that. I trust her " said Sidharth as he defended her.

"If you have so much trust on her then I'm sure she has something in her only then it's possible for you to trust her so much. Brother, you love her and you need to tell her as soon as we sort this out" said Ahaan with a smile.

Sidharth smiled back at him.

SIDHARTH POV :

Trust. It is the building foundation of any relationship. If there is no trust in a relationship no matter how much love exists, it would not last long. I'd say rather you cannot love someone truly if do not trust them.

There were a lot of things floating in my mind right now. A series of thoughts to be honest. A hell lot of questions, feelings to be precise. I knew I loved her and it would be unfair to her if I didn't let her know how much I did.

But, before I let her know that, I need to prove her innocent. I need to protect her.

It was 7:00 p.m and the office hours were over. Sidharth, as usual, went to drop Shehnaaz back home.

The entire car ride, Shehnaaz didn't speak a word. Sidharth wished and tried to speak to her but, in return, he received only one-word answers and a few head nods.

Shehnaaz was not in a mindset to have a conversation with him. She was disturbed. She did not wish to trouble him anymore with her stress since he already was extremely worried. So she chooses to keep her eyes shut and rest her head on the back seat and pretend to sleep. Her silence troubled Sidharth but, he knew she had to be given her space and time. She had been accused of doing something, she wouldn't have even dreamt of doing.

They reached her building. While pretending to sleep Shehnaaz had actually slept. She had a severe headache and her thought was choking since she had cried and stressed a lot. Sidharth stopped the car as they reached her building.

He saw towards her. She was sleeping and looked like a little baby. He couldn't believe how could anyone think of troubling someone so pure and lovable. He slightly patted her shoulder.

"Shehnaaz, wake up we have reached," he said.

Shehnaaz didn't even move. She was still sleeping.

"Shehnaaz," he said once furthermore but, received no answer from her.

Once again he said " Shehnaaz " but, this time a little louder and she woke up with a jerk and a petrified face.

"It's me, it's me," said Sidharth as he realised she had got scarred.

"I'm so sorry, I randomly just fell asleep," said Shehnaaz as she rubbed her eyes.

"That's alright," said Sidharth.

Shehnaaz barely smiled at him.

"Don't worry Shehnaaz, everything is going to be fine. I'm there by your side no matter what" said Sidharth.

"Sidharth I'm scared," she said and now she could not hold back her feelings anymore. Tears began to drop down her eyes. She started weeping.

Sidharth felt helpless. He wanted to comfort her. His instincts just made him hug her tight. Shehnaaz cried her heart out as she had been holding her feelings since, a long time.

"It's alright, it's alright, it's alright " he kept on saying as he hugged her even tighter and rubbed her back.

Shehnaaz felt at home when he hugged her. She felt relief. The hug gave her an assurance that amidst all the things happening around her. She has this one person besides her. Someone she could trust with no bounds. Right there, at that moment she knew she loved him. He was "the perfect one " for her. She knew she had to tell him but after they together solve all the problem that has come their way right now.

Shehnaaz parted away from the hug.

"I'm sorry, I just had a breakdown in front of you," she said.

"That's absolutely fine Shehnaaz. Everyone has it at some point" he said with a huge smile.

" I'll leave now. Bye " said Shehnaaz as she opened the car door.

"I'll drop you till your apartment " insisted Sidharth and Shehnaaz agreed as to whom was she lie? She loved it when he was around her.

They went inside her building together.

"Why isn't the security guard sitting here," said Sidharth curiously as the security guard was always sitting inside her wing, every time he came.

"He might have gone to get something," said Shehnaaz, not paying much heed to the Security guard's absence.

They went up in the lift to her floor. They stood outside her apartment as she searched for her house keys in her taut bag.

Suddenly, the lights went off. Sidharth heard a loud shout.

"Shehnaaz, Shehnaaz" he shouted as he tried to reach out to her, to hold her but, he failed. After 3 minutes, the lights went on and when he looked around Shehnaaz was no longer there, he saw only her taut bag and phone which had fallen down.

"Hello, is someone here. Why have you brought me here? Who are you " Shehnaaz shouted as she found herself tied to a chair with a rope making it impossible for her to stride?

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Hey Guys, How have you'll be?

I know it's been a while since I last updated. three days I guess? Yes. that's because I wanted to write the ending and the climax part of the story in a much better way.

I hope you guys like this chapter. I would like to request you'll not be silent readers and put up your views in the comment section. Please vote and comment. although a lot of you'll are very sweet and comment all the time 🥰

Your comments make me the happiest and make me want to write more and more.

I hope you'll enjoy reading this chapter as I have taken your feedback and worked on it.

Lots of love ❤️