Shreya sat back on her own chair and went back to work after that. But for some reason, she couldn't really concentrate. Something was irritating her at the back of her head. It was almost like the itching sensation that you some times get at the center of your palm. The sensation wouldn't go away easily even when you scratch.. rather the itching increases the more you scratch.

Shreya was having a similar situation.. the more she tried to distract herself.. the more it bothered her. The annoying part was that she did not even know what it was that was bothering her. All she know was that her intuitions were screaming at her to look out with her eyes wide open.. that the answer is staring in front of her.

Finally, she got frustrated left all her files as is and went to make herself a drink. Just when she opened the refrigerator, her eyes landed on the painting all over again. Then Anand's voice rang in her ears all of a sudden..

'It is such an ugly thing but your dad was so stubborn to buy it and put it in his office..'

And then there was also her own voice telling Charan.. a long time ago. Even though it felt as if eons had gone by, he remembered once a few months back Charan asked her who had bought this painting and she replied it was her father but then added as such right here in this same office.

'We, all the people in our family are what you call artistic- handicaps.'

When she put this both sentences together.. somehow both seem to contradict each other.

Her family.. they were people who appreciated numbers in spreadsheets and the zeroes and ones in a code. They did not understand the paints and canvas. They were absolute handicaps when it came to art.

Even if her own mother was an actress, still none of them knew anything about paints and brushes. Any paintings they ever own in purely for investment purposes. Even that, none of them would personally go since it wouldn't matter either way. So, they had a trusted agent make the purchase for them which will be appraised by a professional.

At the same time, it was also a fact that her father had bought this painting.. personally that too. And as Anand said, he had also been very particular about it. But this painting did not seem to hold any significance what so ever for her dad to put so much effort into it. And the same had also ended up in his own office.. it did not make sense. More like, her dad's behavior was odd.. something did not add upright. Adithya wouldn't do something like that in a whim.

She abruptly got up from the chair and called a number, "Akash, I need you and whoever is available ASAP in my office. Drag Pritham with you." She then cut the call without even bothering to hear for his reply.

Her mind was working several hundred miles an hour as she tried to put all the scattered puzzle pieces together. But it was not easy.. she did not even know what she was hunting for at the moment. All she had now were scattered fragments of sentences that did not make sense together but were also absolute facts on itself.

She kept staring at the painting.. as if they could magically give her the answers she was looking for.

Then another sentence Anand just said struck a chord.

'But he was dead set on this one.'

This leads to the most obvious question..

So, the question was.. why would a person who knew nothing about art, who had zero interest in paintings buy a painting.. why would he buy a painting and hang it in his office?

Why? Why did her dad buy it when he did not know how to appreciate art to the slightest? Why all of a sudden? And why this one? What's so special about this one? Since the artist was not famous enough.. it did not even have any monetary value attached to it? SO it did not make sense for him to actually buy it in the first place!

Unless.

Unless.. he had other motives to buy it.

Unless.. he was not buying the art but something else entirely in disguise!

Just as she figured this out, Akash, Adam, and Pritham walked into her office without bothering to knock while Akash complained unceremoniously.

"Shreya.. did you even see what time it is now? We just came from a vacation.. and just because you are on a high spirit to work doesn't mean that you should end up torturing us with you!!"

Shreya did not bother to reply to his childish whining. But before she could open her mouth to explain why she had called them, there was a knock on the door.

"Come in.." Shreya called out and to her surprise, it was actually Srinivas who walked in.

Shreya frowned in confusion. She did not remember calling him.

"Are you not done with your work yet?" Srinivas asked looking around at Adam, Akash and Pritham scattered around in her office.

That is when it struck her that she had transferred Srinivas's job and he was her detail. And unless explicitly said, the respective details should make sure the person they are protecting had gotten home safely before they could knock off.

So, she looked at the clock that read it was 1 a.m. and gave Srinivas an awkward look.

Just when she was going to ask him to leave home, Srinivas beat her to it and said, "I will wait outside. You can finish up here and then I will drop you off.."

"Wait.." Shreya called out and gestured him towards the couch and asserted, "Just be here.. You don't have to go out.."

Not only Srinivas, but even the other three guys also gave her a surprised look that looked as if they were trying to ask her whether she had gone crazy.