03-05-2026, 02:54 PM
Chapter 97 - Pieces Falling
Suresh sat across from Manohar in the lawyer’s office, the laptop open between them. He had copied everything he could from Gowtham’s phone — the photos, the videos, and screenshots of the chats between Gowtham and Sneha.
“I have the full copies now,” Suresh said, voice low. “Photos, videos, everything. Is this enough?”
He was about to turn the screen toward the lawyer, but Manohar raised a hand to stop him.
“We are not filing anything yet. It’s too early. First, you should show this to your wife and try to convince her for mutual consent. That’s the cleanest and fastest way.”
Suresh frowned. “And if she doesn’t agree?”
“Then it becomes contested. She may even claim it was with your consent — especially if she has any proof of that. I will fight it, but I need you to prepare for both scenarios. How did you get all this?”
“I took copies from Gowtham’s phone,” Suresh admitted.
Manohar nodded slowly. “Good. Keep everything organized. But be careful. If this goes contested, it will get ugly — child custody, public hearings, character assassination. Try mutual first. Show her the evidence privately. Fear of exposure often makes people agree.”
“But let’s do one thing,” the lawyer continued. “Prepare for both. I need you to arrange the photos, screenshots, timestamps — the full timeline of events. Organize them to prove this was a pattern, not a one-time thing.”
Suresh nodded.
Manohar added, “It may be a burden, but you have to keep the photos separate in folders, date-wise. One question — did you copy the full album from Gowtham’s phone or just their photos together?”
“Full,” Suresh replied.
“Then it’s good. Sometimes there may be clues in random photos we might overlook — condoms, purchase receipts, anything. Additional proof we never thought would matter. Take your time. Carefully analyse each and every photo from his gallery. Proofs may be hidden in the most unexpected places.”
Suresh assured him he would work on it.
He left the lawyer’s office with a heavy mind. The meeting hadn’t given him the quick solution he had hoped for.
Instead, he was given a task to carefully analyse Gowtham’s entire gallery.
At the office, Vinodhini was waiting for him with a file in her hand.
“Aditya is holding the annual business meet next week,” she informed him. “It’s also the company’s 45th anniversary function. He usually invites all his staff and their families to participate. He will personally visit everyone and interact with their families during the function.
We are on the team to collect personal details and prepare special gifts for families.”
Suresh was surprised. “We need to bring family?”
“Yes,” Vinodhini said firmly. “It’s non-negotiable. He likes seeing the full picture.”
Suresh started collecting personal details of every staff member — children’s names, colleges, ages. Vinodhini handled details about the women in the house — whether they were housewives or employed. A few more staff were working on matching gifts to their needs.
In the middle of work, Vinodhini excused herself. “I need to visit my husband, Rakesh. He just came from Chennai. Can you take care of this Excel sheet? Just convert it to PDF and send it to the Shaam team.”
The names “Rakesh” and “Chennai” struck Suresh like a bolt. He remembered the old messages on Gowtham’s phone — the saved contact as “Anish” but clearly Rakesh in the photos. He did not even properly enquire about it.. For a moment he thought what if Vinodhini’s husband is Rakesh?
He wanted to make sure about it, so he stopped vinodhini from moving and asked.
“Is your husband an IT person from Chennai?” Suresh asked, trying to sound casual.
Yes why? Vinodhini asked
He lied smoothly, “I know a friend who works in a company I lost touch with.
Maybe your husband could be my friend.”
“No,” I mean i dont think so he could be your friend..
He asked why?
she replied, showing him a photo on her phone.
It was a mid-40s man, smiling confidently.
Suresh’s hope faded. It wasn’t the same person he had suspected. Not the face that matched like once Gowtham showed him.
Vinodhini laughed. “Don’t you see how illogical that is? My husband is mid-40s, you’re in your mid-30s.
Looks like you forgot your senses.”
After teasing him, she decided to help. “Where did he work?”
“A startup firm in Chennai… something like Setoper Solutions.”
Vinodhini’s expression changed slightly. “I think I’ve come across that name somewhere. I’ll figure it out and let you know.”
In the evening, just before leaving for home, Suresh received a text from Vinodhini:
That company you mentioned was partnered with one of our funded companies.
I’ll get full details about your friend tomorrow.
Suresh stared at the message, a new layer of doubt creeping in.
But before he could think further, Aditya arrived and distracted him completely.
Suresh sat across from Manohar in the lawyer’s office, the laptop open between them. He had copied everything he could from Gowtham’s phone — the photos, the videos, and screenshots of the chats between Gowtham and Sneha.
“I have the full copies now,” Suresh said, voice low. “Photos, videos, everything. Is this enough?”
He was about to turn the screen toward the lawyer, but Manohar raised a hand to stop him.
“We are not filing anything yet. It’s too early. First, you should show this to your wife and try to convince her for mutual consent. That’s the cleanest and fastest way.”
Suresh frowned. “And if she doesn’t agree?”
“Then it becomes contested. She may even claim it was with your consent — especially if she has any proof of that. I will fight it, but I need you to prepare for both scenarios. How did you get all this?”
“I took copies from Gowtham’s phone,” Suresh admitted.
Manohar nodded slowly. “Good. Keep everything organized. But be careful. If this goes contested, it will get ugly — child custody, public hearings, character assassination. Try mutual first. Show her the evidence privately. Fear of exposure often makes people agree.”
“But let’s do one thing,” the lawyer continued. “Prepare for both. I need you to arrange the photos, screenshots, timestamps — the full timeline of events. Organize them to prove this was a pattern, not a one-time thing.”
Suresh nodded.
Manohar added, “It may be a burden, but you have to keep the photos separate in folders, date-wise. One question — did you copy the full album from Gowtham’s phone or just their photos together?”
“Full,” Suresh replied.
“Then it’s good. Sometimes there may be clues in random photos we might overlook — condoms, purchase receipts, anything. Additional proof we never thought would matter. Take your time. Carefully analyse each and every photo from his gallery. Proofs may be hidden in the most unexpected places.”
Suresh assured him he would work on it.
He left the lawyer’s office with a heavy mind. The meeting hadn’t given him the quick solution he had hoped for.
Instead, he was given a task to carefully analyse Gowtham’s entire gallery.
At the office, Vinodhini was waiting for him with a file in her hand.
“Aditya is holding the annual business meet next week,” she informed him. “It’s also the company’s 45th anniversary function. He usually invites all his staff and their families to participate. He will personally visit everyone and interact with their families during the function.
We are on the team to collect personal details and prepare special gifts for families.”
Suresh was surprised. “We need to bring family?”
“Yes,” Vinodhini said firmly. “It’s non-negotiable. He likes seeing the full picture.”
Suresh started collecting personal details of every staff member — children’s names, colleges, ages. Vinodhini handled details about the women in the house — whether they were housewives or employed. A few more staff were working on matching gifts to their needs.
In the middle of work, Vinodhini excused herself. “I need to visit my husband, Rakesh. He just came from Chennai. Can you take care of this Excel sheet? Just convert it to PDF and send it to the Shaam team.”
The names “Rakesh” and “Chennai” struck Suresh like a bolt. He remembered the old messages on Gowtham’s phone — the saved contact as “Anish” but clearly Rakesh in the photos. He did not even properly enquire about it.. For a moment he thought what if Vinodhini’s husband is Rakesh?
He wanted to make sure about it, so he stopped vinodhini from moving and asked.
“Is your husband an IT person from Chennai?” Suresh asked, trying to sound casual.
Yes why? Vinodhini asked
He lied smoothly, “I know a friend who works in a company I lost touch with.
Maybe your husband could be my friend.”
“No,” I mean i dont think so he could be your friend..
He asked why?
she replied, showing him a photo on her phone.
It was a mid-40s man, smiling confidently.
Suresh’s hope faded. It wasn’t the same person he had suspected. Not the face that matched like once Gowtham showed him.
Vinodhini laughed. “Don’t you see how illogical that is? My husband is mid-40s, you’re in your mid-30s.
Looks like you forgot your senses.”
After teasing him, she decided to help. “Where did he work?”
“A startup firm in Chennai… something like Setoper Solutions.”
Vinodhini’s expression changed slightly. “I think I’ve come across that name somewhere. I’ll figure it out and let you know.”
In the evening, just before leaving for home, Suresh received a text from Vinodhini:
That company you mentioned was partnered with one of our funded companies.
I’ll get full details about your friend tomorrow.
Suresh stared at the message, a new layer of doubt creeping in.
But before he could think further, Aditya arrived and distracted him completely.
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