6 hours ago
Chapter 123 – Dead Ends and Breakthroughs
Almost two hours later, Tharun finally stepped back into his cabin. The moment the door clicked shut, Nikitha didn’t wait. She stood up, her voice trembling with emotion as she poured out everything that had been weighing on her heart.
“Tharun… please don’t hate me,” she said, stepping closer. “I keep thinking about Jay. It’s not that I’m giving him importance — it’s just that something else stands before me. I need to get his life stable. Just a few more days. Once I get Jay’s life going forward, I will cut every relation with him. I will keep myself only for you… Let’s figure out a way that I would get myself to love you. I thought you would understand me about the Jay part, as you always knew what happened from the start. I didn’t know I needed to explain every detail.”
Tharun looked at her for a long moment, his expression unreadable. Then he spoke, his voice calm but edged with quiet pain.
“I declared to myself that I should not speak or accept any apology until I clear my name.”
Nikitha looked visibly disturbed. She opened her mouth, unsure what to say, but Tharun continued.
“I’m determined to find the truth,” he said, “but
Nikkitha looked at him
He continued…
I’m not sure why nothing leads to a concrete answer. It feels like a dead end to the mystery.”
Nikitha asked softly, “What happened?”
Tharun exhaled heavily and sat on the edge of his desk.
“I went to the security team to check for footage. All the CCTV cameras from this floor have been taken away for the new building. So recordings were taken during that time so I couldn’t check who came in at the time we were kissing. I didn’t expect that.”
He paused, rubbing his temple.
“I thought of an alternate method. Even if we couldn’t get the CCTV from this floor, only the two of us were present that day. Given how the culprit mentioned the exact time, I’m very sure it must be an insider job. Maybe someone from another floor who knew the CCTV doesn’t work here came in for something or spied on us and witnessed us.”
“So I checked the other floor CCTV cameras — anyone who got up from their place or was missing during our kiss time would be a potential culprit who could have seen us. I had my people enquire with two teams and asked for their room footages.
I checked myself. None of the people, including Jay, moved from their chairs. But around 5/10 mins later or before.. Two people had moved — one woman from marketing was having a conversation on phone at the pantry, and one guy went out for a smoke. I confirmed both with the footage.”
Tharun’s voice grew frustrated.
“It’s strange. How did none of them move from their places — including Jay — but someone still saw us and wrote that letter? Especially when I clearly remember locking the door. It doesn’t add up.”
He looked at her, his eyes heavy with disappointment.
“I feel terrible not being able to get any leads.”
Nikitha caught his hand gently.
“It’s okay,” she said softly. “Let’s forget it. I trust you.”
Tharun gave a sad smile.
“You know what? When our hands are tied with uncertainties, when we want to prove ourselves, there can’t be anything that feels worse than that.”
He sighed.
“I asked for the attendance file from a staff member. He should be reaching anytime soon.” Maybe I will get some clue there, like the one who pretended to be absent on record but secretly hides here?
Twenty minutes later, there was a knock at the door.
Tharun said, “Yes, come in.”
No one entered.
Another knock came.
Tharun stood up, irritated. “Come in, Baskar. I’ve been telling you to come—”
He opened the door himself.
Tharun said coldly, “Can’t you open it yourself?”
Baskar looked nervous. “Sir, did you forget? This entire floor — we can roam around, but only with thumb impression prints we could open these doors. Only exclusive members and top rankers have access here. Here is the attendance list, sir. He left immediately fearing him”
Tharun took the paper, but something else hit him like lightning.
Thumb imprints.
His mind worked sharper than ever. He remembered using his thumbprint to open the HR door a few hours back to search for clues.
He suddenly laughed — a sharp, triumphant sound.
“Nikitha!” he exclaimed, turning to her. “I guess we got him. How did I miss this?”
Almost two hours later, Tharun finally stepped back into his cabin. The moment the door clicked shut, Nikitha didn’t wait. She stood up, her voice trembling with emotion as she poured out everything that had been weighing on her heart.
“Tharun… please don’t hate me,” she said, stepping closer. “I keep thinking about Jay. It’s not that I’m giving him importance — it’s just that something else stands before me. I need to get his life stable. Just a few more days. Once I get Jay’s life going forward, I will cut every relation with him. I will keep myself only for you… Let’s figure out a way that I would get myself to love you. I thought you would understand me about the Jay part, as you always knew what happened from the start. I didn’t know I needed to explain every detail.”
Tharun looked at her for a long moment, his expression unreadable. Then he spoke, his voice calm but edged with quiet pain.
“I declared to myself that I should not speak or accept any apology until I clear my name.”
Nikitha looked visibly disturbed. She opened her mouth, unsure what to say, but Tharun continued.
“I’m determined to find the truth,” he said, “but
Nikkitha looked at him
He continued…
I’m not sure why nothing leads to a concrete answer. It feels like a dead end to the mystery.”
Nikitha asked softly, “What happened?”
Tharun exhaled heavily and sat on the edge of his desk.
“I went to the security team to check for footage. All the CCTV cameras from this floor have been taken away for the new building. So recordings were taken during that time so I couldn’t check who came in at the time we were kissing. I didn’t expect that.”
He paused, rubbing his temple.
“I thought of an alternate method. Even if we couldn’t get the CCTV from this floor, only the two of us were present that day. Given how the culprit mentioned the exact time, I’m very sure it must be an insider job. Maybe someone from another floor who knew the CCTV doesn’t work here came in for something or spied on us and witnessed us.”
“So I checked the other floor CCTV cameras — anyone who got up from their place or was missing during our kiss time would be a potential culprit who could have seen us. I had my people enquire with two teams and asked for their room footages.
I checked myself. None of the people, including Jay, moved from their chairs. But around 5/10 mins later or before.. Two people had moved — one woman from marketing was having a conversation on phone at the pantry, and one guy went out for a smoke. I confirmed both with the footage.”
Tharun’s voice grew frustrated.
“It’s strange. How did none of them move from their places — including Jay — but someone still saw us and wrote that letter? Especially when I clearly remember locking the door. It doesn’t add up.”
He looked at her, his eyes heavy with disappointment.
“I feel terrible not being able to get any leads.”
Nikitha caught his hand gently.
“It’s okay,” she said softly. “Let’s forget it. I trust you.”
Tharun gave a sad smile.
“You know what? When our hands are tied with uncertainties, when we want to prove ourselves, there can’t be anything that feels worse than that.”
He sighed.
“I asked for the attendance file from a staff member. He should be reaching anytime soon.” Maybe I will get some clue there, like the one who pretended to be absent on record but secretly hides here?
Twenty minutes later, there was a knock at the door.
Tharun said, “Yes, come in.”
No one entered.
Another knock came.
Tharun stood up, irritated. “Come in, Baskar. I’ve been telling you to come—”
He opened the door himself.
Tharun said coldly, “Can’t you open it yourself?”
Baskar looked nervous. “Sir, did you forget? This entire floor — we can roam around, but only with thumb impression prints we could open these doors. Only exclusive members and top rankers have access here. Here is the attendance list, sir. He left immediately fearing him”
Tharun took the paper, but something else hit him like lightning.
Thumb imprints.
His mind worked sharper than ever. He remembered using his thumbprint to open the HR door a few hours back to search for clues.
He suddenly laughed — a sharp, triumphant sound.
“Nikitha!” he exclaimed, turning to her. “I guess we got him. How did I miss this?”
![[+]](https://xossipy.com/themes/sharepoint/collapse_collapsed.png)