Finding Forever, Together ~

Chapter 7

"Gauri, tum baat samajhne ki koshish karo-"

"Kuch nahi samajhna mujhe, mom! Jaise papa ko unki behen important hai waise mere liye bhi di important hain! Aapne dekha nahi, unhe kya ho gaya hai? Nahi dekh sakti mai unhe iss haalat me!" An exasperated Gauri screamed at her mother.

This was the first time in history that the three sisters were not at agreement with something their parents decided. Although Annika had actually agreed, it was visible in her present condition that she did it against her will.

"Lekin Gauri, hum kuch nahi kar sakte! Tumne dekha nahi, Annika kisi ki baat nahi sun rahi hai! Usme hum kya kar sakte hain?" Avantika replied. Not like she didn't want her daughter to be happy. But things were beyond her control right now.

"Mujhe pata hai di yeh sab isliye kar rahi hain kyuki woh papa se bahut pyaar karti hain aur unke against nahi jaana chahti. But ek baar toh unhe apne baare me bhi sochna chahiye, na! Bua ne aake bol diya toh unhone maan liya? Unke apne koi decisions nahi hain?" Gauri screamed back again, and sitting down on the bed, closed her eyes.

She remembered very vividly how this around one year ago, their entire life had taken a flip.

*Flashback begins*

"Namaste buaji." The three sisters greeted their aunt, who had just arrived. Giving them a slight smile, she sat down on the couch in the living room.

The entire family was indulged in conversation about random topics, when Nandini, the buaji, turned her attention to Annika.

"Annika, ab toh teri padhai bhi puri ho gayi hai, na? Toh, shaadi ka kuch socha hai, ya mai kuch bataun?" She asked her in a very curt manner.

Annika sighed, though with a smile. She was going to tell her about her engagement, but Gauri beat her to it.

"Arey buaji, aapko nahi pata? Di ki toh engagement bhi ho chuki hai," she looked back at Annika, "Shivaay jiju ke saath." She ended, and Annika blushed a very dark red. She couldn't help it.

"Kya?!" Nandini yelled out, "Annika, kya yeh sach hai?" She asked loudly.

"Haan ji, yeh bilkul sach hai." Harsh told her.

"Aisa...aisa kaise ho sakta hai? Harsh?" She turned her attention to him, "tumhe toh pata hai na ki maine Naresh ji se waada kiya hai ki mai Annika ki shaadi unki behen ke bade bete se karwaungi?"

"Kya?" Annika screamed out, not believing what she heard.

Instead of questioning Nandini and her husband's annoying dramatics, she went directly to her father.

"Papa, kya yeh sach hai?" She asked him, and Harsh looked away from her.

She turned his face to make him face her.

"Bataiye na, papa! Keh dijiye yeh jhoot hai," she slumped onto the couch beside her, "mai," she shook her head profusely, "mai Shivaay ke bina apni zindagi imagine bhi nahi kar sakti." She said, and closed her eyes.

"Batao na Harsh, ab tum kya choose karoge, tumhari beti ki khushi, ya tumahari family ki izzat? Kyuki agar yeh shaadi nahi hui, toh humari family ki izzat toh mitti me mil jayegi," Nandini told him, and Annika opened her eyes.

The fact that their family's reputation was at stake because of a relationship didn't sit right with her. She couldn't ruin the family for her own relationship.

She had to make a decision.

She was still lost in her thoughts when Harsh spoke up.

"Mere liye meri beti sabse zyada important hai," he said, and Annika instantly panicked. She will not let him take any wrong decision.

But she was also in a huge dilemma, because Shivaay meant so much to her. She wanted to keep her family reputation intact, but she did not want to lose him either.

Why did all of this have to be so hard?

"Ek minute Harsh." Nandini stopped him.
"Tumhe toh apni beti ke aage kuch dikhega hi nahi." She said, and turning to Annika, continued, "Annika, tum batao." She gave Annika the choice.

Before she could speak, Harsh interrupted.

"Annika, mujhe pata hai tum kya kahogi. Lekin yeh mat bhulna, ki tum Shivaay se pyaar karti ho. Aur yeh baat hum sabko pata hai ki Shivaay se accha life partner tumhare liye koi nahi hoga."

Nandini chuckled.

"Pyaar?" She spoke slowly, before regaining her voice, "Pyaar hone se kya fark padhta hai, Harsh? Pyaar toh isse meri pasand ke ladke se bhi ho jayega, shaadi ke thode time baad. Pyaar is not the issue."

Annika stared at Nandini for a long while.
She had only one choice now.

"Theek hai, bua ji." She said, not looking at anyone, "karungi mai aapke pasand ke ladke se shaadi." She said, and Nandini smiled, while everyone else's faces dropped.

"Annika, nahi!" Harsh told her after she announced her decision, "tumhe yeh karne ki koi zarurat nahi hai. Tumhe mujhpe bharosa hai na, hum koi na koi solution nikal lenge, beta! Lekin tum yeh itna bada faisla nahi logi. Shivaay ko kitna bura lagega! Nahi. Mai tumhe yeh galti nahi karne dunga."

Annika sighed.

"Papa," she said softly, "shaant ho jaiye. Mere liye iss family ki reputation sabse zyada important hai. Aur Shivaay ka kya hai? Main unse baat karungi na, zarur samjhenge woh! Mujhe pata hai ki unhe mujhpar bahut bharosa hai. Mai unhe sab bata dungi. Aap pareshaan-" she was interrupted by Nandini.

"Nahi, Annika!" She screamed, "tum uss ladke ko kuch nahi bataogi." She told her.

"Lekin bua ji, mere liye Shivaay ko batana bahut zaroori hai! Kaise bataungi mai unhe ki mai humari engagement kyu todh rahi hoon?" She said strongly, though with tears in her eyes. The thought pained her, and she was supposed to bring it to life.

"Annika, yeh humare ghar ka mamla hai. Isme kisi bahar wale ko involve karne ki koi zarurat nahi hai." She told her.

"Lekin bua ji-"

"Bas! Keh diya toh keh diya." She ordered, and Annika sighed again.

*Flashback ends*

Gauri got up from the bed and went into the living room, where as expected, she saw Annika and bua ji arguing.

"Aapne shaadi ka invitation Oberoi's ko bhej diya!" Annika screamed at her, and Gauri flinched. Ofcourse she was angry. This was the last thing she would have wanted.

"Haan, kyu nahi? Woh humare neighbours hain, aur tumhare business partners bhi. Toh shaadi me woh bhi aayenge, na?" She said, almost like she was doing it on purpose now.

Annika was going to retaliate when her phone rang. It was from her assistant, Shreya.

"Bolo Shreya." She said, interrupting the argument.

"Kya? Oberoi's ke saath meeting? Lekin Shakti uncle toh papa ke saath London gaye hain na, toh phir kaise..." She almost questioned, until she got the answer herself.

Alright.

"Theek hai. Mai abhi office aati hoon." She said, and disconnected the call.

"Aapse mai baad me baat karungi," she said, looking at Nandini, "mujhe abhi kaam hai." She said, and left.

Not having attended any meeting with the Oberoi's for the past one year was coming to bite her back.

She will finally have to face Shivaay.

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Guys Shivika will reunite soon don't worry 🥺🥺🥺