Vyansh was walking next to him and told Vikrant, People these days are not what they seem. Each and every one of us has a different side, a side that is only revealed when we desire. You should examine her, I tell you. Is it to you she is a mystery bride? All the other ladies have been checked in at this hotel, except Ishani. And keep in mind, you saw in the CCTV that the girl got out of a vehicle here at your hotel. Then I begin to suspect Ishani. She had a reason, too. Possibly, she got married to you only to get revenge on the basis of you deducting her salary and shouting at her.

Vikrant looked angrily at him. "Shut up, Vyansh! When did you ruin yourself so much? You say that stupid girl might do something like this? Yes, she is dumb, but she is not blind! Did you notice how we were different in age? There's a world between us. And had Ishani been that girl, how could she get married to me and then run away? And why should she come back to my hotel? Should she run? Answer me that!"

Vyansh could not answer, and he could not speak.

In a few moments they were in the monitoring room. The security manager immediately switched on the CCTV footage of the same night and moved aside. Vikrant and Vyansh each concentrated upon the big screen before them.

Vikrant hardened his face as soon as the footage started. At approximately 8:30 pm, a young man came into the hotel. Both Vikrant and Vyansh looked at one another in puzzled glances.

Vyansh inquired of the security manager, Who is that guy?

"That is Tushar Mehra, one of our hospitality people, sir," the manager responded.

They went on and watched the tape intently. Minutes later, the car of Vikrant came to the hotel. Next, there was a period of nearly one and a half hours without any other people in the footage. Vikrant informed the security manager not to go back.

He wound up the video an hour later, and Ishani was there—leaving the hotel. Vikrant and Vyansh froze. The kitchen had registered Ishani going out but had not made any entries of Ishani entering.

Vikrant at once recalled that she had been staying at the hotel the night before. He instructed the security manager to rewind the video footage. The manager did this, yet there are no accounts of Ishani getting into the building. They ran back and forth the whole footage—nothing. No other clue; only Vikrant, Ishani, and Tushar had appeared at different times.

Vyansh gazed incredulously at Vikrant. Vikrant massaged his temples between two fingers and asked the footage to play on again. This was something more shocking to him this time—the first to enter the hotel after Ishani had gone was Vikrant himself.

But the departure of Tushar was never mentioned.

Vikrant had the whole footage of the CCTV replayed several times,times; it did not show Tushar walking away. His frustration grew.

Then a thought struck him. Where is the video at the back gate?,times; he demanded.

The security manager stood still with a parched throat. Back gate camera, sir... it is broken. Today we were intending to call the technician and change to a new one.

He was about to do so when Vikrant moved his hand across his face, with a loud slap. The manager dropped on the ground, and his cheek was red and swelling at the moment.