SidNaaz: Worst Betrayal Ever?

Shehnaaz's Wrong Info?

Shehnaaz spent the rest of the week working like a fanatic at the office. At home she alternately thought about Sidharth and worried about her father's financial situation. The hospital was demanding half of the fee at once. The only thing she could think of doing was to sell her mother's splendid grand piano, but the thought broke her heart. It was her piano too, and here in Mumbai she missed it. She missed being able to play, to work out her frustrations and disappointments at the keyboard as she used to do. On the other hand, her father was far from being well, and if he needed to go to the hospital again, she couldn't risk having him turned away because his last bill wasn't paid.

Late Friday afternoon, Sushma stopped her in the public relations department. "Samar's birthday is next week, on Thursday," she told Shehnaaz. "It's sort of a custom here to bring a cake for your boss." With an irrepressible grin she added, "Cake and coffee is a terrific excuse to quit working fifteen minutes early."

"I'll bring a cake," Shehnaaz quickly assured her. She glanced at her watch, said good-night to Sushma and quickened her pace toward her desk. Irfan Siddiqui had called and invited her over for dinner that night, and she didn't want to be late.

On the way to her apartment to change her clothes, Shehnaaz considered telling Irfan about the Kumar's deal. She felt uneasy about it, however. Before she interfered with anyone's reputation and job, she ought to be certain of what she actually knew. It occurred to her that Irfan might consider news of the Rossi project "valuable information," and that he might pay her the ten lakhs he'd offered, but her conscience screamed at her for even contemplating the thought. She decided to call to the hospital and offer one lakh. She might be able to borrow that much from a bank.

Over dinner later Irfan asked her if she liked her job at SFK Corp. When Shehnaaz replied that she did, he said, "Have you heard mentioned any of the names I gave you?"

She hesitated. "No, I haven't."

Irfan sighed with disappointment. "The most important contracts we've ever considered bidding on have deadlines only a few weeks from now. Before then I've got to know who's leaking the information to SFK Corp. I need those contracts."

Shehnaaz immediately felt guilty for not telling him about Kumar or Rossi. More than ever she felt confused, torn between her loyalty to Irfan and her desire to do the right thing.

"I told you Shehnaaz wouldn't be able to help," Imran put in.

Shehnaaz didn't know how she'd ever let herself get into this mess. In her own defense, she said, "It's too soon to know, actually. I've been reassigned to work on a special project on the eightieth floor, so I haven't been working full time for SFK Corp until yesterday, when Sidharth"Mr. Khan"flew to Italy."

Sid's name sent a bolt of electricity through the entire room, and all three Siddiqui's stiffened perceptibly.

Imran's eyes gleamed with excitement. "Shehnaaz, you're fantastic! How did you manage to get yourself assigned to him? Hell, you'll have access to all sorts of confidential""

"I didn't manage anything," Shehnaaz interrupted. "I'm there because I happened to put down on my application that I speak Italian, and he needed a temporary secretary who was fluent in it to work on a special project."

"What kind of project?" Irfan and Imran demanded in unison.

Shehnaaz glanced uneasily at Qamar, who was watching her intently over the rim of her glass. Then she looked at the two men. "Irfan, you promised when I agreed to work for SFK Corp that all you would ask me to do was tell you if I overheard one of those six names. Please don't ask me about anything else. If I tell you, I'll be no better than the person who's spying on you."