Intertwined Fates -- An IPKKND FanFic

Manorama's Selection

"You're the reason why I'm going to be in jail for the next ten years. Give me one good reason why I shouldn't walk away right now," Sheetal snarled.

"Because you're up for parole in three and I could put in a good word for you."

Sheetal looked at Khushi suspiciously. "What exactly do you want?"

"Details. During your trial, you said you slept with the orphanage director so that he would let you take Aarav but you didn't say how you knew that the director would even agree."

"How do I know that you'll help me when the time comes? What if you get what you want and then never look back."

"You'll have to trust me. It's not like your situation will get worse if you cooperate with me, but there will be the potential for it to get better."

For a moment, Sheetal looked indecisive but then sighed resignedly. "I worked at a bartender at 'Ek Bar Phir.'"

Right away, Khushi knew she'd struck gold. Ek Bar Phir was a restaurant and bar owned by the Amits. She also had CCTV footage evidence that the orphanage director had frequented there often.

"He was always complaining about his job. How he wasn't paid squat, how the children were dirty and annoying and that no one ever wanted to adopt them. Then one day, he got really drunk. I had to help him out of the bar. While we were waiting for a taxi, he blurted out that he'd been paid ten crore to sell some girls from his orphanage.

"I thought about it all night and that's when I got an idea to adopt Arosh and use him to get close to Arnav so I wouldn't have to work in that stupid bar anymore."

"Did he mention anything else? Like who was buying the girls?"

"No. That's all he said." Her nose wrinkled. "When I asked him more, he threw up."

"Did anything else happen before that? Did he meet with anyone shady or was he approached by an unusual person?"

"Oh yeah. The day before, he was invited up to the VIP lounge."

"Who invited him?"

"The VIP lounge manager came and told him. Said it was some loyalty reward for being a frequent customer. "

"Is that normal? For patrons of the bar to be invited up to the VIP lounge?"

"It's the only time I saw it happen."

"Do you know any VIP people that might have been at the lounge that day?"

"I didn't serve at the lounge. They had an exclusive serving staff and a separate entrance for that so none of us who worked at the lower level ever saw who came or went there."

"Alright. Thank you. I may come back to ask you more questions but if not, I'll see you in three years."

"I can't believe I'm saying this but I look forward to seeing you again."

***

"Aleena, have a seat."

The girl glanced confusedly at Payal but nevertheless smiled politely as she sat. "Hello Mrs. Raizada."

"Hello," the woman replied sternly.

"Ms. Aleena, my name is Payal Pansare and I'll be helping Mrs. Raizada with the selection process."

"Uh...selection process?"

Manorama raised an eyebrow. "Did your mother not inform you about the reasoning behind this lunch?"

"She did, yes. But..."

"I don't like that you're playing naive. I'm a very straightforward woman, Aleena and I don't like drama at all."