Manik and Sonakshi's equation had changed gradually yet suddenly. All it had taken them was one five minute conversation to change their approach towards each other. Making first calls, initiating a conversation was no longer a big deal between the two. Their friendship had bloomed somewhere between midday tea and late night coffee. Amidst their sass filled conversations, Manik's flirty remarks and Sonakshi's savage come backs, they had begun to enjoy each other's company. They found themselves sharing the tiniest details of their day with each other.

One morning, Sonakshi's sleep was disturbed by her phone ringing, she got up, rubbing her eyes and picked up her cell phone from the side table. She scrunched her eyes and looked at the contact name...'Manik'...She answered his call, and spoke sleepily, "Hello Manik...aaj tumhari morning itni jaldi hogi?" Manik spoke, his voice cracking, "So...Sona..." Sonakshi could feel the dejection in his voice, and asked, "Manik is everything alright?" "No...Papa, he..he hasn't returned home since last night...we thought he would return late, and since he had forgotten his phone at home...we couldn't contact him... But...he hasn't returned yet.." "Manik chill, he must be at his clinic na baba, call the landline." Sonakshi suggested. Manik replied..."We tried Sonakshi, they said he left the clinic at 12 last night..." Sonakshi was worried now..."Did you inform the police? File a missing complaint?" "No not yet...I was just too confused to do anything..." "Ok, Manik calm down-" "Sonakshi I'm pretty much calm, almost unbothered, it's just that my mom is too worried, and hence I want to know about my dad." Manik said, cutting her off. Sonakshi was confused at his ignorant approach towards his father's disappearance, anyways it wasn't time for question and answers then, so she just said, "Ok whatever, meet me at the police station... I'll come with you." Manik replied with an 'Ok' and left after pacifying his mom.

***

At the police station

Manik and Sonakshi reached the police station as decided, and approached the inspector in charge. To Sonakshi's surprise, Manik spoke in a rather calm tone, "Sir, my father, Dr. Ashok Malhotra is missing from last night." The inspector didn't look surprised, or even concerned, instead he smirked and said "Expected!" Manik looked on, confused, "What do you mean sir?" He asked in a stern voice, while Sonakshi stood there as a silent spectator to the conversation, trying to understand what was happening. "Mr.Manik Malhotra, for the past few weeks we've been getting reports and complaints against your father, we managed to gather enough evidence, and we were going to raid your house today...anyway looks like Mr.Ashok got the news, and he fleed away." The inspector responded. Manik was now angry, agitated, perplexed, he almost shouted at the inspector, "What do you mean sir? What kind of reports?" "Your dad, Mr.Malhotra, is accused of fraud and embezzlement." Both Sonakshi and Manik stood stunned at this revelation, this was something unexpected, "Sir, I'm sure there's a misunderstanding, I've worked with Mr.Ashok he is true to his work ethics and-" Sonakshi tried defending Ashok, but the inspector cut her off. "Look ma'am, we've enough proof, his disappearance being the most helpful evidence. I can't file a missing complaint, infact I would suggest you to turn him in if you ever get in contact with him. You may leave now." Manik's face had turned red- with anger or embarrassment- he didn't know, he pointed his finger at the inspector and was about to lash at him, but Sonakshi pulled him back. "Manik, relax ,come, let's go."

They came out of the police station and Manik hurriedly sat in his car, followed by a perturbed Sonakshi. "Sonakshi, I'm alright, I need to handle mom, I'll drop you home no need to accompany me." Manik instructed, in a demanding tone. Sonakshi placed her hand on his shoulder and asked softly, "Are you sure Manik?" "I'm damn sure Sonakshi!!" He bawled at her. Sonakshi then chose to keep quiet, 'Mr.Obhodro is back, mai chup hi rehti hu!' she whispered under her breath, as Manik started the car.

It had been ten minutes into the ride, and all of it had been silent. Suddenly, Sonakshi's phone lit up as it notified her "- Sonakshi shook her head in disbelief as she was about to dismiss the notification, but Manik asked her, "What is it? Articles have started flowing in already?!" He still sounded disturbed. "Yes, but don't bother." Sonakshi answered. "No, read, I want to know what nonsense my father has left behind! READ!" He ordered. Sonakshi quickly skimmed through the article and said, "Manik...it says here that your dad had taken money for construction of a new hospital, that is near the city's most famous river. He bribed the land owner, but he left the construction mid way and it's incomplete. It's the land owner and the investors who have accused him..." Manik didn't shift his gaze from the road, he hit the steering wheel and commented, "This man can't do ONE thing properly!" Sonakshi was surprised, his behaviour towards his father and his father's work was confusing her...she made a mental note to ask him about it later. She then continued, "It also says that there were no surveillance cameras on his new clinic's property..." "What kind of billionaire doesn't have CCTV cameras on his property?" Manik replied. Then it struck him..."Did they search the abandoned construction site of the hospital?" Sonakshi nodded her head in a no. Manik took a sharp u-turn and told her, "Great, then it must be still there, I'll take care of my mom later, we are going to the construction site... No questions! Just do as I say!" With each sentence Manik had spoken in the past 30-45 minutes, a new question was popping up in Sonakshi's mind. Till now she had only managed to know the 'waste-time-with-me at a party' Manik, who then turned into a friend for her... And she felt like she was getting to know him... But after his reaction to all that had happened since morning, she realised that there was more to Manik... She was yet to know Manik as the son of Ashok Malhotra...

***