Ms. Rai presented her research findings on gold smuggling to her team members, who applauded her for her thorough search for details and asked for her final verdict.

Ms. Rai stated that gold is akin to a disease; once consumed by it, you can never escape. Relating her findings to their current work, she concluded that smuggling will remain a persistent activity.

Middle Eastern countries are focusing their business on high-value items such as oil, gold, and real estate. These three commodities attract wealthy individuals from around the world. Gold, in particular, appeals to everyone, regardless of income level or whether they come from a rich or impoverished nation.

The regulations in these countries are designed to facilitate the purchase of gold and allow it to be exported without complications.

They are unconcerned about what happens in the recipient countries; that responsibility falls to the buyer.

This type of arrangement serves as an open invitation for anyone who is entrepreneurial, willing to take risks, and fortunate. If someone gets caught, the smugglers will learn from their mistake and devise an exceptional idea to keep the business running. The desire for gold is insatiable.

Gopal Gundu is lying on the bed, having just woken up from a night's sleep. Stretched both his hands. His right hand touched the bedside table and his mobile. His left hand had touched the wrinkled pullover, which he was not expecting. When he came to bed, he joined his wife Ragini, who was in deep sleep.

Regular affair

This isn't the first time Gopal has woken up to find his wife missing from their bed. Sometimes, he feels a sense of low mood when he notices her absence. This has been happening for about a year now. It's 8 in the morning, and as he gets out of bed, the housemaid brings him coffee. Gopal dislikes asking about his wife's whereabouts. However, the astute housemaid shared that she left at 6 AM. She also mentioned that last night, his wife had brought a suitcase, which is now in the special room. Gopal went to the special room and found a large suitcase standing there.

He attempted to move the heavy suitcase, but it was too cumbersome to budge with just one hand. The case didn't belong to him or his wife. He set it down on its flat side and tried to unlock it by adjusting the combination. He entered his wedding date and month, and to his surprise, the lock opened.

Stunned, he looked inside and felt a wave of nervousness wash over him. He remained seated for a moment, too shocked to move. His mouth felt dry, and after a struggle, he managed to get up and sit down in a chair in his bedroom.

What was he supposed to do now? What was happening in his house? Who was the woman involved? Why was she doing this?

He felt proud of Ragini as he began to recall their first meeting. An elderly lady had brought her to him, introducing her as someone she cared for like a daughter. Ragini was well-behaved and aware of her limits and conduct. Everyone spoke highly of her, and he had never heard a negative word about her.

Now, he wondered what was happening. He decided not to go to the office, feeling confident that he could manage everything. He thought about taking a shower while pondering his next steps.