💟 𝟎𝟓: 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐀𝐠𝐫𝐞𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭

KIARA

I was on my way to the airport with my friends, feeling a surge of relief. Finally, I was heading back. It felt like the right move for everyone involved. I was returning to where I truly belonged, focusing on my career, which was at its peak.

As I gazed out the cab window, the essence of India slipped away with each passing block. The vibrant streets, the bustling sounds- soon, they'd be nothing but memories. This was my last look. I wouldn't be coming back. I couldn't.

"Can you believe we snagged those tickets at the last minute?" Zoya remarked, a hint of disbelief in her voice.

"Lucky break," Pari agreed, her eyes glued to her phone. "But we've got a mountain of messages waiting for us- two thousand sixty-five, to be exact. It's going to be a marathon."

She put her phone away and glanced at us with a determined look. "And once we land in New York, we'll be diving straight into packing orders. We're going to hit the ground running."

I nodded, trying to push aside the finality of the moment. It was time to move forward, and I needed to be ready.

"You know," Zoya said thoughtfully, "I think it's time we start hiring staff. We won't be able to manage all this on our own for much longer."

I nodded, a mix of surprise and satisfaction washing over me. I had never imagined my jewelry designs would gain such global admiration.

"Absolutely," I agreed. "It's a huge workload, and we definitely need some extra hands."

Pari chimed in, her eyes still on her phone. "We're barely keeping up as it is. Bringing in some help would make a big difference."

As we discussed our strategies for handling the growing workload, the cab pulled up to the airport. We grabbed our luggage, paid the driver, and headed inside.

The usual airport noise surrounded us - people chattering, suitcase wheels clattering, and the constant drone of announcements. After completing all the formalities, we moved through the terminal. The familiar hum of airport announcements filled the air.

"ATTENTION PASSENGERS: FLIGHT 378 TO NEW YORK IS NOW BOARDING AT GATE 12. PLEASE PROCEED TO THE GATE FOR BOARDING"

I exchanged glances with Zoya and Pari, we shared a smile as we headed toward our Boarding Gate. We reached Gate 12 and joined the line. A friendly air hostess with a warm smile greeted us.

"Good evening, ma'am," she said with a polite smile. "May I please see your boarding passes?" She quickly scanned each pass with a quick beep. "Thank you, ma'am, your flight is on time, and you should proceed through the jet bridge to the aircraft. Have a pleasant journey."

"Thank You"

Upon entering the aircraft, another air hostess greeted us at the door.

"Good evening, ma'am. Welcome aboard," she said. "May I assist you with finding your seats?"

"Yes, ma'am, we're in 18A, 18B, and 18C," I responded.

"Certainly, ma'am," she replied, leading us down the aisle. "Your seats are to the right. If you need any assistance with your luggage, please let me know."

I stored my bag in the overhead bin, and Zoya and Pari did the same. Once settled into our seats, I glanced out the window. I took a sharp breath, feeling my heart race a little. Soon the aircraft doors closed and an announcement came over the aircraft's intercom:

"LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, WE'RE EXPERIENCING A SLIGHT DELAY. PLEASE REMAIN SEATED WHILE WE ADDRESS A SECURITY MATTER. THANK YOU FOR YOUR PATIENCE."

I exhaled deeply, buckling my seatbelt and leaning back in my seat. "Here we go. Back to New York. It's finally happening." I glanced out the window one last time, feeling a mix of excitement and relief. "Time to focus on the future, Vinnie. There's no turning back now." I reminded myself.

As we waited for takeoff, the plane's engines roared to life, but then, with a jolt, the noise stopped abruptly. A hush fell over the cabin, followed by a crackling announcement from the intercom:

"Ladies and gentlemen, we apologize for the inconvenience, but due to a technical issue, this flight will experience a delay. Our maintenance team is currently working to resolve the problem. We will update you as soon as we have more information. Thank you for your patience."

The mood in the cabin shifted, and a collective sigh of disappointment filled the air. I exchanged uneasy glances with Zoya and Pari, our excitement now tempered by uncertainty. Suddenly, my heart pounded, a familiar unease settling in.

"No, everything is fine. Nothing could go wrong. It can't be. Please, not now," I thought, closing my eyes and gripping the armrests tightly.

"Kiara? What happened?" Pari's voice pulled me back to the present. I opened my eyes to see her concerned face.

"I-I don't know," I stammered, my heart racing and breath coming in shallow gasps.

Pari placed her hand over mine, giving it a reassuring squeeze. "It's okay. We're here," she said softly, trying to calm my nerves.

Zoya, Pari, and I exchanged worried glances, the air in the cabin thick with unease. The officer moved down the aisle, his gaze scanning the rows before settling near us. The gravity of his presence and the constables' stern demeanor made it clear that something significant was unfolding.

"Kiara Bakshi?" the officer called out. I nodded, my throat dry.

"Yes, that's me."

"I'm Inspector Sharma, and these are Constables Seema, Meera, and Asha," he introduced in a low voice, gesturing to the lady constables standing beside him. "We need you to come with us immediately. There's an urgent matter that requires your attention."

My eyes widened in shock. "But why? What's going on?"

Inspector Sharma leaned in slightly, ensuring our conversation remained private. "We have a warrant for your detention, but we need to handle this discreetly. Please gather your belongings and follow us."

"But why? What did I do? You have to tell me the reason." I asked.

"She's not going anywhere with you," Zoya said firmly, stepping between me and the inspector. "If I'm not mistaken, in India, a woman cannot be detained after 6:00 pm, and it's already 7:30."

Pari chimed in, "She's not even an Indian citizen. You can't just take her."

The captain approached, his gaze troubled. "Is everything alright, Officer?"

"Yes, but we need Ms. Bakshi to disembark with us quietly," Inspector Sharma replied in a controlled, low tone. "We'll handle this with minimal disruption."

Panic surged within me. "But I have to be in New York-"

Constable Seema placed a calming hand on my arm. "Please cooperate, Ms. Bakshi. We'll explain everything once we're off the plane."

"If she's going, we are too," Zoya insisted, her voice unwavering.

"What about our luggage?" Pari asked, her voice rising. "We have valuable things in there."

The officer addressed Zoya and Pari with a calm but firm voice. "We'll notify airport security to ensure your luggage is properly secured and handled. You'll be able to retrieve it once we've resolved this situation."

My heart pounded, my throat tight as I unbuckled my seatbelt. The eyes of the other passengers felt like a spotlight as we stood and gathered our belongings, trying to keep my composure.

As the officers guided us out of the plane, my mind raced. What could it be? Why do they have a warrant for me? Away from the eyes of curious passengers, Inspector Sharma spoke again.

"Ms. Bakshi, we need you to stay available for questioning," Inspector Sharma said, his tone firm yet controlled. "We'll be holding onto your passport temporarily.

"My passport? But why?" I asked, my patience wearing thin. Inspector Sharma's expression remained impassive.

"It's a standard procedure to ensure that you remain available for the investigation." I reluctantly handed over my passport, feeling a surge of vulnerability. What did I do? Could this be related to Rey? Had he planned this?

Inspector Sharma's voice interrupted my spiraling thoughts. "We've arranged a room at the airport for you to wait until morning. Please report to the station at 10 a.m. tomorrow." He turned and walked away with the constables, leaving me standing there, my hands gripping my cabin bag tightly.

The weight of the situation settled heavily on my shoulders as I watched the officers walk away. My heart still raced, and my mind was a whirlwind of confusion and fear. Zoya and Pari stood close, their worried faces reflecting my own apprehension.

Pari's voice broke the silence. "We need to figure out our next steps. We can't stay here forever."

Zoya nodded. "First, we should find out more about what's going on. Maybe we can get a lawyer involved."

I looked up, meeting their eyes with a mixture of gratitude and anxiety. "I just want to understand why this is happening. I need answers."

Pari nodded. "We'll get through this, Kiara. Just stay calm."

***

The next morning as we drove to the police station, I prepared myself to confront Hridyansh because I had this deep instinctively feeling that it was all planned and Rey was behind it. No matter what this is about, I wouldn't let my past destroy my future. After I clear my name, I am indeed heading back to New York.

"Do you think this has anything to do with Hridyansh?" Pari asked.

"It might. It's too much of a coincidence. But right now, I need to focus on what's happening here," I replied, getting out of the cab.

Zoya walked to my side, her usual carefree smile on her face. "Whatever the reason, we are prepared."

"We are?" Pari questioned, raising her eyebrows. Zoya's smile widened. "I have a friend who's a lawyer. When I told him everything, he couldn't resist helping."

"Friend? What friend?" I asked, feeling a glimmer of hope.

Before Zoya could answer, a voice came from behind us. "Hi." The moment I heard it, I froze. It was familiar... too familiar. I spun around in an instant.

Zoya began, "Guys, meet-"

"Arjun..." I interrupted, rushing toward him and hugging him tightly. "Oh my God! I never thought I would see you again," I said, my voice almost shaky, my hands tightening around him.

"Me neither," he replied, hugging me back just as tightly.

"Aww... you two are getting me all emotional," Pari's voice broke through, making us laugh. With teary eyes and a smile, I pulled back.

"How are you?" Arjun asked, meeting my eyes."How do I look?" I asked playfully.

"Gorgeous as always," he said, cupping my face. I couldn't stop smiling.

"Aww... Now I'm really going to cry," Pari said, fanning her face. "You two are like a couple straight out of a romance novel."

"People in college used to say the same thing," I said, turning around and noticing Zoya's stunned expression. "But we were just best friends," I added with a warm smile.

"Zoya, how do you know Arjun?" I asked.

"Guys, I think we should head inside now," Arjun suggested. "We can talk over coffee at my place."

"Okay," I replied, still smiling like a small girl as we made our way up the stairs. However, my smile faded when we bumped into Rey. Our eyes locked, and I felt the heat of his anger in his clenched jaw and fists. Rey was accompanied by a man and a lawyer in formal attire. They glanced at us with a mix of curiosity and tension before Rey stormed inside. I took a deep breath.

"Don't let him get to you," Arjun said, squeezing my hand.

I nodded, and we walked inside. Hridyansh was seated in a chair, talking with another man and the Inspector. As soon as they noticed us, their conversation halted, and all eyes turned toward us.

"Let me handle this," I said, as we approached the table. "Good morning, Inspector Sharma. I'm here as requested."

The other man, who had been silent until now, cleared his throat.

"I'm Arjun," he said, extending his hand. "I'm here to assist with legal matters."

As Arjun introduced himself, Inspector Sharma gestured toward the empty chairs around the table. "Please, have a seat."

I sat down, Zoya, Pari, and Arjun close by. Inspector Sharma took his place at the head of the table, while the lawyer beside him organized some documents.

"Let's get straight to the point," Inspector Sharma said. "Ms. Bakshi, you're here because of an allegation related to a land transaction involving your father's property."

A knot tightened in my stomach. "What about the land?"

The lawyer slid a document toward me. "This is a copy of the preliminary agreement between your father, Mr. Gautam Bakshi, and Mr. Shergill. It indicates that Mr. Bakshi agreed to sell a piece of land to Mr. Shergill for a total amount of 4.5 crores. However, the sale deed was never finalized because Mr. Bakshi passed away before it could be signed."

The lawyer leaned forward, his eyes fixed on me. "The agreement was in place, but without the final deed, the sale wasn't complete. We believe you were attempting to leave the country without resolving this transaction."

Arjun grabbed the document from the table and scanned it. "We'll need to review these documents carefully before we proceed further," he said, his tone firm.

I turned to Rey's lawyer. "What do you want me to do? How does your client want to finalize things? Does he need the money back, or does he still want to buy the land?"

Hridyansh cut in sharply, "I want you to repay my 2.5 crores."

I met his gaze steadily. "Fair enough. I will pay the money back."

Rey's eyes widened in surprise, clearly caught off guard. His hand clenched over the armrest of his chair. "I just need some time," I continued. "The money has to transfer from my bank account in New York."

Arjun nodded in agreement, and the tension in the room seemed to heighten as everyone awaited the next move.

I took a deep breath and stepped forward, facing the Inspector. "Inspector, now that I'm here, can I have my passport back?" My voice trembled slightly, but I held his gaze.

The Inspector nodded, reaching into a drawer. "Yes, you can," he said, retrieving my passport. Just as he was about to hand it over, Rey snatched it from his grasp.

"What are you doing? That's mine!" I exclaimed, my frustration boiling over.

Rey's eyes locked onto mine with a steely determination. "Yes, but until you repay my money, it will be safe with me," he said coldly, clutching the passport tightly.

Before I could react, he spun on his heel and marched away, leaving me frozen in shock and anger.

Arjun stepped in front of me, his expression calm but resolute. "We'll sort this out, Vaanya. He can't legally hold onto your passport like that."

"I need to start the process for the money transfer immediately," I said, breaking the silence. "I just want this over with."

Pari spoke up, her voice soft but determined. "We'll get through this, Kiara. We're with you all the way."

I nodded.

"It always feels like there's more with Hridyansh. I just hope this resolves things once and for all, and I fly back to New York as soon as possible."

⇜ ♥ ⇝

Thank you for reading this chapter of my book! Your support means so much. If you enjoyed it, please take a moment to vote, comment, and share with friends who might love the story. Your feedback and shares help me keep the story going and reach more readers. Stay tuned for the next chapter—things are just getting started! Happy reading! ❤️🙏