Chapter 211 - No way...

"Akash, Adam… Check if any of their family members had been receiving money from somewhere… It must be for the money. And I want each and every sentence is this drive vetted. I want you guys to re-check everything my dad found. I want to make sure they are true." Shreya continued.

"Why, Shreya?" Zack asked. After all, Adithya was not a sloppy person. He wouldn't have put anything here that he had not confirmed several times with absolute certainty.

"Just making sure that I am not missing anything…" Shreya shrugged away the question. But the main reason was to check whether there were any hidden clues in there.

But more than that… her father had been absolutely paranoid back then… So, he must have had a hidden key in this. Or at the very least, Adithya should have flooded the drive with both good and bad intel to mask it. That was something she would have done. But not finding anything like that is bothering her.

The only possible explanation for that was that he must not have had time to do it… if that was the case, then this pen drive was something he hid just before he went to rescue her mother.

She then turned to Pritham and reminded him of his task once again, "You need to follow the money. Ask help from our banks if you need help. I will make the arrangements."

After all, with access to the bank's servers, his job would be made easier.

After taking over Sri corp., Shreya had made it a point to venture into every possible field there was… including banking. But she did not bother opening a new bank but instead took over existing banks. She took over one that was spread throughout the country and then bought smaller banks and consolidated. So, she controls about one-quarter of the banking system in the country which for all practical purposes means that she had absolute control over the fate of the country's economy.

Shreya deligated some more things before winding up the meeting.

"Hey, Naren's birthday banquet is next week. You want to attend?" Zeenath asked suddenly changing the topic.

Shreya blinked for a second and thought about it. She also remembered what Zee told about helping Dharsh and recruiting him. Even though she hated this kind of event, she still decided to go.

She wanted to turn Dharsh into her side… it will make things very convenient for her. But more than that… she felt she had reached the point where she wanted to confront her enemies face to face. Especially Naren… because she knew he was the one who should have planned for the whole thing that finally led to her parents passing.

As regretful as it was, Shreya actually knew how devious his mind is… so she knew as surely as she knew her hand that Naren had planned her parents' murder and she wanted to look him in the eye and see how he would face her… especially now when they know that Shreya was the one behind everything and that she already knew what they had done to her parents. They might not know it surely�� but they would be suspecting at least. Even if they think that she has no power to take them down, they should still know that she knows about their deeds.

"I will go. Srinivas will go with me…" Shreya agreed simply.

"NO way…"

"NO way…"

Both Akash and Adam protested in a chorus.

Shreya's eyes brows raised as she looked at them and asked, "Why?"

"It's too dangerous. We don't even know what they know! Isn't it like going into the lion's den and poking at its nose?" Akash voiced his concerns.

"Like I said… I will be taking Srinivas with me. With him, nobody will be able to hurt me, right?" She asked looking at Srinivas.

"Absolutely…" Srinivas confirmed.

"And, I am going to go through the front doors… not sneaking around. So, don't worry. They won't be able to do anything. I am just going there to pretend to be 'paper tiger' so that they will leave me alone till I am ready for them." Shreya said shrugging her shoulders.

When she is done with them, they will not even know what hit them… that's for sure.

"You will have to dress up for it though!" Zeenath said with a smirk.

"Don't… don't remind me. If not for the benefits of your idea… I wouldn't even bother… now all of you can get back to work… Only Pritham needs to stay behind." Shreya said dismissing the meeting.

Everyone dispersed after giving Shreya a hug and a kiss while Srinivas waited at the door very diligently.

Zeenath gave him a look as she walked out. She was the last one to walk out.

"What are you still doing here?" Zee asked.

"Oh, we are still talking then? Weren't you trying to stay far away from me and even asked Shreya to transfer me because you did not like seeing me?" Srinivas teased instead of answering her question.

Zee puffed her cheeks frustrated. Already, she was on edge.

She did not know how addictive his presence had been in her life. He had been her detail for only a few months… but somehow he was able to seep himself into her life to the point where it has almost become integral for her functioning.

She hadn't seen him for only one full day and she had already almost called him at least 10 times… when she can't find her keys or when she wanted someone to give her a ride home at night or when she wanted to get rid of a guy in the club- the first person she looked for was Srinivas.

She stomped away without another word. Srinivas's lips twitched but he did not stop her… he did not even call out for her.

Zeenath stomped up to the elevator but then came back frustrated. She did not like running away. And even when she herself knew she was doing exactly that… she had too much pride to admit it to Srinivas.

"You… Don't gloat. Wipe that smile off of your lips before I disfigure them for you!" She seethed angrily. Her frustration and restlessness throughout the day came back to her at that time with a vengeance and she shoved all that into Srinivas at that moment. Anyways, he was the root cause of her pain.

But her warning did not wane Srinivas amus.e.m.e.nt one bit. But he did ask, "Why did you come back? Need something? You have something to say?"

"You did not answer my question!" Zee asked looking at Srinivas defiantly.

Srinivas chuckled but then answered her question patiently, "I am waiting for Shreya. I have strict orders to take her to her apartment once she is done with her work here…"

Zeenath vaguely nodded and went away while her emotions took a turn from gloomy to worse.

She did not like herself at that moment. More than that, she did not like that way she was feeling at that moment.

This same situation… she had seen it and lived it countless times in the past months. Srinivas waiting for her patiently at the doors. No matter how long it took, he would just stay out and wait so very patiently.

It used to frustrate her to no end. She even found the sight of his distasteful at times.

If he had complained or even gotten angry at her at least once… she would not have been so frustrated with the situation. But that never happened. He never once complained which drove her crazy. She felt like she owed him something… she did not like owing anybody anything in her life… so she did not like that feeling very much.

But seeing him do the same for someone else… something churned in her stomach uncomfortably.

But she still pretended to be fine and went inside that elevator.

Just as her elevator doors were going to close, she stole a glance at Srinivas. But he was already looking at her and their eyes met… his eyes made her so much more uncomfortable.

It seemed as if he could see right through her emotions. As if with just looking at her eyes, he was able to read her mind or something.

She quickly averted her eyes away and pushed the buttons to the ground floor impatiently closing the doors to the elevator.

Srinivas just smiled slightly but did not comment.

He might look quiet and lazy but he was as sly as it can get. And he knows it. He is not innocent. But he enjoyed teasing her…

Zeenath was as closed off as it can get. She rarely showed any real emotions on the surface. The only time her true self ever peaks out is when she would get angry… just like now. Even though he knew it was petty, he still prefers her like this than her cold closed-off self.