The Tycoon's Odyssey

After the launch of the app's premium version, Evan flew straight to Bombay and headed to the scheduled spot.

He was called by the Police for investigation.

Evan's visit to the Police Station had begun as a routine check-in but quickly escalated into a grueling interrogation.

It was about the disappearance of Henna and Migol.

Despite knowing that Evan was a victim, the officers bombarded him with questions about the disappearance of his adopted parents, Henna and Migol. Their questioning was relentless, focusing on inconsistencies in Evan's statements and implying that he might have had a motive behind the case.

"Where were you when Henna and Migol went missing?" one officer demanded, leaning forward with a piercing gaze.

"I already told you, I was at work," Evan responded, trying to keep his frustration in check.

"Isn't it peculiar that you were the last person seen with them at court? Could you elaborate on your relationship with them?" another officer pressed, flipping through the notes.

Hearing this, Evan wanted to punch that bastard but controlled his aggro.

You know everything, yet you are asking me?

Despite his explanations, the officers seemed to be more interested in finding faults in his story than pursuing the actual investigation, making Evan feel cornered and with each passing moment his patience was wearing thin.

Just when it seemed like the interrogation would continue indefinitely, the door swung open, and a lawyer arranged by Abhijeet stepped in, exuding calm confidence. The lawyer's presence brought a noticeable shift in the atmosphere.

With a few authoritative words, he managed to extract Evan from the room, ensuring that no more questions would be hurled at him for the time being.

After being released, Evan thanked the lawyer with a weary nod. However, his relief was short-lived, since he soon met with a private detective outside the station. The detective, a middle-aged man with a weathered face, looked just as worn out as Evan felt.

"Did you not find anything?" Evan's voice was tinged with frustration as he spoke, his brows furrowing deeply.

The detective shook his head, a look of disappointment etched on his face. "No, I didn't. The police have sealed the room, so I can't locate anything. I tried using connections and money to access the footage, and I managed to identify six suspicious individuals."

Evan's eyes widened. "Suspicious?"

The detective nodded, his expression serious. "Yes. It's clear that they weren't ordinary people. They had broad physiques, almost like secret guards, and radiated a fierce aura. They scrutinized everything with an intense focus."

Evan absorbed the information, trying to piece together the puzzle. "Did they leave any traces behind? Any clue which we can use to identify who they might be?"

The detective shook his head again, his frustration mirroring Evan's. "No direct clues, unfortunately. But their presence alone indicates that something significant is going on. We need to dig deeper and find out who these people are and what they were looking for."

"Still, I don't understand one thing, how did they take the two away without anyone even noticing it?" Evan muttered, rubbing his chin.

"That's what I was also wondering…I asked many staff, but none noticed any of them. So, unless there were people in the hotel with them, this wasn't possible. And I don't know if the Police are acting suspiciously since they aren't investigating the hotel properly…"

Although the man didn't say it aloud, Evan understood the meaning lingering in his words.

There was a big fish at play who seemed to be pressuring the police to bury this thing by making Evan the perpetrator. Evan had already got the hint when the policemen were accusing him.

Even if it didn't prove anything, they were trying to pressure him to accept that it was him behind this.

'I think it's better if the police stop looking into it and let me carry out investigations secretly.'

Shaking the detective's hand and transferring a handsome amount, Evan left out for his arranged dat… cough.. meeting.

_____

In a Cafe…

Evan walked into Cafe Larue, where Suri Barrett was meeting with her team. He couldn't ignore the odd feeling he had.

After asking the receptionist, he headed straight to book a private one.

'I can't believe that I can meet such a huge celebrity so easily.' he thought.

The encounter was inevitable after the courtroom drama, but facing Suri still felt surreal.

As he entered the room, Suri looked up from her espresso, her expression of a mix of surprise and guarded curiosity.

"Mr Evan," she greeted softly, her voice carrying a hint of hesitation.

"Miss Suri," Evan replied, his tone polite but tinged with the weight of recent events.

"Let's drop the formality, it feels odd when addressed in such a rigid tone."

"Umm!" Evan nodded awkwardly.

After a moment's pause, Suri composed herself, offering a tentative smile. "It's good to see you," she said sincerely, though her mind raced with unspoken remorse.

Evan nodded, trying to maintain his smile, "Thanks for making some for this meeting."

Despite growing and finally being able to witness Darpan's screen, Evan still couldn't peer into Suri's screen.

'Just how strong is her charisma?' he couldn't help but wonder.

"No, this is what I owe you," Suri waved her hand dismissively.

Evan then looked around before asking, "Didn't your agent come with you?"

"She had some urgent work, Evan. I hope you don't mind," Suri muttered with a sparkling smile.

"Of course not," Evan shook his head, observing her. Little did he know that Suri's manager had protested about this meeting. In fact, she wanted to take the lead but Suri begged her to let her meet him alone and even threatened to quit if she insisted.

It wasn't wrong to say that she was fascinated by this guy.

Such a handsome and fine gentleman. It won't be bad if they get to know each other.

As for everything else, she wanted to leave it to fate.

Breaking the tension, Suri gestured towards the empty chair across her. "Please, have a seat. Can I offer you something to drink?"

"Tea or coffee?" she asked Evan with a smile before calling someone to take the order.

"No, thank you," Evan replied, taking the seat opposite to her. "Actually, I came here to talk about something business-related."

Suri raised an eyebrow, curious yet apprehensive. "Business?"

"Yes," Evan continued, his voice steady. "I am representing Brew Heaven, and we're looking to shoot a new commercial. We think that you'd be perfect for it."

Suri's initial surprise gave way to a thoughtful expression. She hadn't expected a business proposition from Evan, especially given the circumstances.

"A commercial?" she echoed, mentally recalibrating her expectations.

Evan nodded, his gaze unwavering. "Yes. I know this might seem unexpected, but I believe you could bring something unique to our brand."

"Also!" Evan then took out a black box and placed it on the table.

"These are our special tea leaves. Miss Suri, please try them. Of course, before that, I implore you to test it to be assured that it's not harmful. Once everything is done, try them and I will guarantee you that this will be something that you might have never tasted before."

Evan spoke confidently and sat down, folding his legs.

Suri considered his words, the guilt of their past interactions weighing heavily on her mind. She glanced at Evan, noticing how he had changed since their last encounter. His once-worn demeanour seemed to have been lifted, replaced by a quiet strength and a certain grace that caught her off guard.

She found herself admiring his newfound confidence and self-assuredness.

As Suri listened to Evan while he outlined the concept for the commercial, her internal monologue wrestled with conflicting emotions.

Guilt gnawed at her heart as she reflected on how she had misjudged him, failing to see the depth of his struggles. Yet, there was also a sense of admiration for the strength he had shown.

"He's handsome," Suri thought to herself, noticing Evan's composed demeanour and refined appearance. She couldn't deny the transformation she had witnessed, it was a stark contrast to the fragile figure she had seen when she met him on the road.

Pushing aside her inner turmoil, Suri focused on the present moment.

With a nod, she agreed to consider the commercial proposal, determined to handle the professional aspect with integrity and fairness.

"Thank you for considering me," Suri finally responded, her voice steady as she met Evan's gaze. "Let's discuss the details further.",