Chapter 13- The Success Of Exposing Patil.
Anvika sighed dramatically. "Oh my god. Why am I so nervous? Something tells me today's going to be... different."
And none of them knew - it really would be.
The Grand Arrival
"Get me the list of today's events, Saurav," Anvika ordered, tapping her pen impatiently on the counter. "And after that, message every floor manager in charge. I want them to check if everything's in its place - including the restaurant. I don't want a single thing out of order."
Her voice carried a mix of authority and nerves, sharp enough to make Saurav straighten his back instantly.
"Ma'am, understood!" he replied stiffly, fumbling with his phone. "I'll message the managers right away. And, uh... calm down, Senior, you're scaring me too."
Anvika exhaled deeply, trying to compose herself. "I know, I know... It's just- the Head put me in charge. This isn't even my usual department, but since the responsibility's mine now, I want everything to be perfect."
Saurav gave her a half-smile. "Yes, Ma'am. Perfect it'll be."
The clock struck 12:00 PM - Thursday.
The air in the hotel lobby buzzed with nervous anticipation. Every staff member stood lined up neatly, dressed immaculately in their uniforms. The red carpet gleamed under the golden light, fresh garlands waiting in Anvika's hands. The marble floors reflected the shimmering chandeliers as the faint hum of car engines grew louder outside.
And then came the news that made everyone freeze.
"The car has arrived!" someone called out.
Anvika's heartbeat skipped. "What? Already? Oh, God... okay, Anvika, breathe." She pressed a hand against her chest, whispering to herself, "Breathe in. Breathe out. You've got this."
The Head of Operations, Mr. Dev Verma, stepped forward, his expression firm.
"Everyone! Attention!" His voice echoed across the lobby. "No mistakes. Not a single one. Understood?"
"Yes, Sir!" came the synchronized reply.
Moments later, a fleet of five luxury cars rolled up to the entrance - their sleek black exteriors gleaming under the afternoon sun. The final car, more opulent than the rest, came to a halt before the red carpet.
The door opened, and Mr. Carlo Greco stepped out - the owner of one of Italy's largest business empires. A man of discipline and power, with a presence that demanded both respect and attention. His sharp Italian features were softened by the faintest of smiles, though his eyes revealed a lifetime of experience in boardrooms and billion-dollar deals.
Mr. Verma hurried forward, bowing slightly. "Namaste, Sir! It's a pleasure to meet you. I'm Dev Verma, the head and person in charge of this hotel - and the closest associate of our CEO, Mr. Rathore."
"Ah," Carlo replied in a smooth, accented English, shaking his hand. "Thank you for the warm welcome, Mr. Verma. Though, I must say, I expected to see your CEO himself. Where is he?"
Mr. Verma's expression faltered slightly. "Ah, Sir, the CEO is currently in the States for an urgent meeting. But he sends his regards - and this bouquet, specially prepared for you."
He gestured to Anvika, who stepped forward gracefully with the bouquet of fresh lilies and roses. Her voice carried warmth and poise.
"Welcome to The KN Hotel, Sir. It's an honour to have you here," she said with a sincere smile, then turned to his wife and children. Switching fluently into Italian,
she added, "Benvenuti nel nostro hotel! Spero che vi piaccia l'India e che il vostro soggiorno sia meraviglioso."
(Welcome to our hotel! I hope you enjoy India and have a wonderful stay.)
She handed the children a few chocolate boxes, their eyes lighting up instantly. Carlo's wife chuckled softly, clearly touched.
"That's so sweet of you," she said, smiling warmly. "And your Italian- it's impressive."
Carlo nodded, visibly pleased. "That's... amazing. I appreciate that."
Behind them, Saurav gave Anvika a discreet thumbs-up. "Well done," he whispered, earning a small smirk from her.
Once seated in the grand lobby, refreshments were served. Carlo looked around with approval. "I must admit, your hotel has a beautiful atmosphere," he said, sipping his drink. "The name - The KN Hotel - caught my attention immediately."
"Thank you, Sir," Anvika replied politely.
Carlo continued, his tone calm but layered with meaning. "You may know, this is my third visit to India. Usually, I stay at the Royal Palace Hotel. We've had a long-standing relationship with them - one of the finest establishments I've known. But since I'm discussing a potential deal with your CEO about land in Italy, I decided to try your hotel this time."
Mr. Verma's smile twitched slightly. "We're honoured by your decision, Sir."
"But," Carlo added, "that doesn't mean the deal is confirmed yet. I'll have to see if your hotel lives up to its reputation."
"Of course, Sir," Anvika said confidently. "I'm sure you'll find your stay pleasant and memorable." She checked her watch and smiled. "It's 1:30 PM already. Shall I guide you to the restaurant? Today's lunch has been specially prepared for you."
"Andiamo!" Carlo's wife said cheerfully. (Let's go!)
The restaurant gleamed like a royal dining hall - soft instrumental music, pristine cutlery, and chefs waiting at the ready. As Anvika guided them to their seats, Mr. Verma stepped in, trying to seize control of the moment.
"Sir," he interrupted, "this food is prepared using the finest ingredients - directly from our trusted Patil Vendor, one of the most famous names in the industry. You'll love it."
Anvika clenched her jaw slightly but stayed composed.
"Well then," Carlo said with a faint smile, "let's eat."
As the family began their meal, the scene shifted-
RAW Headquarters, Mumbai
Inside a dimly lit office, Pari Shah stood beside Rahul and Mr. Sharma, her calm contrasting their unease.
"Pari," Sharma said sternly, "what exactly did you do? We've been waiting for half an hour."
Rahul grinned. "Sir, patience. Trust me - you'll see the results soon."
"Don't be overconfident, Rahul," Sharma muttered.
Pari's lips curved into a faint, knowing smile. "Let's just say... things are about to get interesting."
Her phone buzzed. She answered swiftly, putting it on speaker.
"Ma'am, thank you for the tip!" a woman's excited voice came through. "The news is up already - and because of this, I'm getting promoted! You're a lifesaver!"
Pari's eyes glinted. "Glad to hear that. Our work here is done, then."
As the call ended, she turned to Sharma and Rahul, her tone calm yet full of quiet confidence.
"Now... the drama begins."
Back at The KN Hotel
The Italian family was still enjoying their meal when Carlo's secretary came rushing in - pale, breathless, holding a tablet.
"Sir! You need to see this immediately!"
Carlo frowned, taking the tablet. The moment his eyes landed on the screen, his expression hardened.
"What... is this?" he growled, his voice echoing through the restaurant. "Is this true?"
"Sir, I just received the alert- it's all over the news."
Within seconds, Carlo pushed back his chair, his face flushed with anger. "Get up," he ordered his family. "We're leaving. Now."
"Sir, please-" Mr. Verma stammered, following him in panic. "What happened?!"
"I will not stay at a place that lacks integrity or respect!" Carlo snapped. "This hotel's reputation is already in question. I won't be associated with such nonsense!"
The restaurant fell silent. Guests turned, staff froze, and Anvika stood there in shock - her hands trembling as her heartbeat thundered in her chest.
Saurav whispered from behind, "What just happened...?"
Anvika didn't answer. Her eyes followed Carlo storming out through the lobby, her mind racing.
Something had just gone terribly, terribly wrong.
The moment Carlo pushed his chair back and stormed out, it was as if the entire lobby froze. The staff members exchanged confused looks, whispering sharply among themselves. What just happened?
But Anvika didn't have the luxury of confusion. Instinct took over. She darted after Carlo and his family, heels clicking against marble, breath uneven.
"Mr. Carlo! Wait-please stop!" she called, practically sliding in front of him before he could reach the exit doors.
Carlo's wife clutched their child closer. His assistant lingered behind him nervously.
Anvika steadied herself and lifted her chin. "At least tell us the reason. Why are you angry? What did we do? If there's something you don't like, I'll fix it..."
Carlo let out a humorless, cold laugh.
"Fix it? You don't even know what your own company is doing behind the backs of hundreds of employees."
Before she could question him, he snatched the tablet from his assistant and shoved it toward her. The screen glowed between them.
"Here. Read this."
The staff had now gathered behind Anvika, peeking over her shoulder. She blinked at the tablet, confused-until she began reading the article.
Line by line, her face drained of color.
The words blurred for a second, her heartbeat ringing in her ears. Drug trafficking... international networks... illegal ingredient transport... KN Hotel deals...
Her hand trembled.
She tried to speak.
"Mr. Carlo... I-I..."
Nothing came out. Her throat felt blocked, her breath uneven.
Carlo took the tablet back gently.
"I know. You're shocked," he said, his voice surprisingly calm. "And frankly? I don't think you knew any of this."
He turned toward the doors again.
"You seem like a genuine employee. Here's my advice-leave this place as soon as possible."
He paused by his car, looked at her one last time and said, "I always wondered why only your company and a few others still do ingredient deals with him. You know exactly who I'm talking about."
Before Anvika could gather a single coherent thought, his car sped away, leaving her staring helplessly at the retreating vehicle.
The staff immediately circled her.
"What happened, ma'am?"
"Why did he leave like that?"
"Why are you so pale?"
Mr. Verma barged through the crowd, voice booming.
"Tell us! What the hell did he show you?"
"Sir, wait-she's clearly in shock," Saurav said gently, placing a hand on Mr. Verma's shoulder.
But Anvika didn't answer. She quietly pulled out her phone, unlocked it, and showed them something she had apparently checked before.
Another article.
Another bombshell.
The headline revealed the truth:
PATIL VENDOR - INDIA'S MOST DANGEROUS ILLEGAL DRUG DEALER
UNDERWORLD TIES EXPOSED
The article went on to list cases, secret transactions, missing reports and a video proof-a confession recorded by none other than the CEO of Rosemont Grand Hotel.
Everyone gasped. Mouths hung open.
"How...? How is this possible?"
"What the hell...?"
The video automatically began playing.
CEO Aarav Patel appeared on the screen, sitting stiffly in his office.
He admitted that years ago he discovered allegations about Patil Vendor's drug network. He didn't believe it at first-until he had an investigator confirm it.
When it turned out to be true, he immediately cut ties.
But the police lacked evidence, so nothing happened.
"But since we left Patil Vendor," the CEO said in the video, "some reporters claimed we used low-quality ingredients because we refused their supplies. We endured the backlash. But one by one, other hotels slowly stopped dealing with Patil Vendor too. Only a few major companies continued... including one whose name shocked me."
A murmur rippled across the staff.
The last line of the video carried weight.
"And now, I am giving this statement because criminals like him do not deserve to roam free. I will do whatever I can to ensure the truth reaches authorities."
The video ended.
The KN Hotel lobby sank into a suffocating silence.
Meanwhile... in Mr. Sharma's Office
"What!!!!" Mr. Sharma shot up from his chair, nearly knocking over his tea.
Everyone in the office stared at the article on his screen.
"You got an interview from that CEO? And detailed reports? How did you do this?! Where did you even get these records from?"
Pari exchanged a proud look with Rahul. They bumped fists.
Rahul chuckled. "Sir, we did it."
"Don't play games-explain!" Mr. Sharma demanded.
Rahul held up his hands.
"Okay, okay... sir, the deleted reports on Patil Vendor? I recovered them. I, uh... have a little experience with computer hacking."
Mr. Sharma's jaw dropped.
"You WHAT?! You know hacking?!"
He rubbed his forehead. "And the interview? How on earth did you manage that?"
Before Rahul could answer, Pari leaned against the table casually.
"Actually... that was me."
"You?" Sharma blinked.
Pari smiled lightly. "I used a few... connections."
She winked.
"You know which ones, right?"
Before he could question her further, the scene shifted into a flashback...
FLASHBACK - PARI MEETS CEO AARAV PATEL
CEO Aarav Patel sat across from Pari, stiff and irritated.
"Listen, I don't want drama," he said, voice firm.
Pari folded her arms, unfazed.
"I understand. But answer me honestly-was what you did right? You let a drug dealer roam free, even after knowing the truth."
Aarav flinched.
"You didn't want to sound greedy or selfish," Pari continued, "but after you cut ties with Patil Vendor, almost every hotel followed your lead. Yet reporters still painted you as the bad guy. And you kept quiet."
Aarav's eyes narrowed. "What are you implying? And what do you mean by enemy company?"
Pari arched a brow.
"Don't pretend you don't know who your competitor is. KN Hotel."
He stiffened.
She stepped closer.
"Ask yourself-was it right to stay silent simply to avoid 'hurting someone's business'? Especially when that someone is a criminal circulating drugs internationally?"
Aarav fell quiet. His gaze softened with guilt.
After a moment he sighed.
"You're right. What I did was wrong. I did report him, but without proper proof... the police couldn't do anything."
Pari softened.
"I understand. But that doesn't mean you continue staying silent."
Aarav looked at her.
"What do you want from me?"
"Nothing much," Pari said with a confident smile. "Just do what you can do. Record a detailed interview with a reporter. Give them facts. Your words and your witness account will be a major piece of evidence."
"And what would I gain from this?" he asked suspiciously.
"Nothing... and everything," Pari replied.
"You said you want to make things right. This is your chance. And if your business benefits in the process? That's just justice-not greed."
Aarav thought long and hard. Then he exhaled.
"You know what? I'll do it. Not for business- but because you've convinced me."
Pari grinned. "Perfect. I'll have the reporter here in thirty minutes."
She turned to leave-but Aarav suddenly spoke.
"You lied, didn't you?"
Pari froze.
"Lied about what?"
Aarav leaned back, eyes sharp.
"Getting a meeting with me isn't easy. And the Shah family... they don't have relatives. There's only one heir. Should I say your name or will you?"
Pari's lips curved slowly.
"You figured it out, didn't you?"
She extended her hand.
"Hello, Mr. Aarav Raj Patel. I'm Pari Shah."
Silence settled between them-
A silence filled with power, recognition, and the start of a new alliance.