The Hidden Game

Chapter 18

Hey my darlings,

Here i am with another update on the same day. So i hope that you guys enjoy it.

This chapter is not edited, so there will be grammatical mistakes. Kindly ignore them and enjoy the chapter.

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Hredhaan Grover

"I ordered Praneel to meet that old man in the hotel." Said Advika with the most neutral voice of hers that we all looked at her in bewilderment.

"Advi..." Called Kashvi from where she is standing and took a step to come towards her when Advika shook her head in denial making her stop there.

"Advika I don't think..." Started Praneel with a concerned look on his face that I furrowed my eyebrows in confusion.

"Don't" Said Advika with a tone of finality before looking in our direction with a determined look on her face.

She took her seat while asking us the same with her eyes and we too have done the same before glancing at her way.

What is she talking about? Why did she ask Praneel to meet that old man? So many questions were running in my mind but it's best to let her explain before coming to any decision.

She bent down to get something out from her desk I think because the next moment she picked out a box, placing it in front of us on the table.

"I am secretly paying the amount to the orphanages every month and that old man was the manager from one of those orphanages" She said looking at us blankly while masking her expressions.

Orphanages? So there is my Vika present still hidden inside behind this hard exterior of hers. I thought to myself with a small smile bracing on my face which clearly didn't go unnoticed by her.

But she averted her eyes with a small flick of curios reaction and looked at Mag with the normal blank look again.

"So you mean to say that Praneel was paying them the amount as per your instructions?" Asked Falan with a curious and surprised look on his face. But I clearly got the clarity here because I know her more than anyone here.

"Yes. We often won't be able to go to the orphanages because of the busy schedules. So sometimes the managers offer to meet somewhere nearby to collect the monthly amount." She said with a distant look on her face that I furrowed my eyebrows in question.

There was some unknown pain in her eyes for a moment before she blinked it away. But I am sure that I saw the flicker of her pained expression.

Pain? And in Vika's eyes? Something is definitely wrong and it's bothering her in more ways than she is letting on.

I know how stubborn she is. So I even know that she won't admit it or even accept it. Hell, she won't even answer me if I ask her directly and instead she will show me the hell for even glimpsing her pained expression unexpectedly. That's how stubborn she is.

I need to find a way to know what happened to make her this way. Because I got a hunch that this pain might be the reason for her present personality. But then again I am not sure.

What happened to you Vika? I sighed helplessly before looking at her again when Falan asked her the question.

"Do you have any proof to testify your statement?" Asked Falan in a professional way while looking at her.

"Here. These are the bills for the amount we paid every month" Said Advika while pushing the box towards us with the same blank expression.

"May I know why you would pay them secretly?" Asked Falan while looking inside the box and reading the bills.