Shivika: Journey Till Our Hearts

|| 1. The Marriage ||

"I am the complete opposite of what you believe in. I have no surname, no established lineage and can't even speak and carry myself the way these sophisticated girls do" She spoke nervously and looked up slowly expecting him to understand her point but was surprised to see him smiling faintly.

"Yes, but I still want it to be you"

Another surprise. What did he mean by he wanted her to be.

"But why?" She still wasn't able to understand why he chose her.

"You know how stuck we are. The situation in the past months have been really difficult and if the news of my marriage breaking off comes out, I would have to spend months trying to salvage the company. And also, the family would have to face a lot of embarrassment. I can't put off this wedding. I know all of this may sound really shallow to you, but believe me, it is not as wrong as it sounds."

One look at his face and she understood that he was really worried about what would happen later. She knew that he had always shouldered the responsibilities of the family and business and how he was tensed about the impact one decision of his would do. And she had this one chance to give it back to the family who had helped her so much and more so for the man who was looking at her expectantly.

"I will marry you" She said in an instant.

She saw his tense muscles relax and he said, "Thank you very much Annika. You get ready and meet me in the hall in half an hour" He said with a straight voice and left the room.

She smiled a bit seeing him thank her. She got ready but suddenly so many questions plagued her.

She had agreed to do what he asked in an instant? Was it wrong? Nothing was common between them, could they make it work? And still, why her? What would the family think? And why couldn't she say no to him?

Keeping all the thoughts aside, she made her way down while gathering the mental strength to face the curveballs life was throwing at them.

"Annika, we have reached" She was shaken slightly by Shivaay as the car pulled over and that put an end to the flashback. She made her way out and could see the grandeur of the place and marveled secretly at her own preparations.

She was walking towards the dias when she felt a firm masculine hand grasp and turned sideways to see Shivaay walking straight and had a poker expression on. He has become the Shivaay Singh Oberoi and not the Shivaay she had seen a few minutes back. They both settled down on the dias and the mantras started. It is really happening, whispered Shivaay and Annika's minds.

Finally, the most awaited wedding of the year had been done. Shivaay Singh Oberoi was finally taken. He was a married man. But all throughout the wedding, Shivaay's face was poker. Nothing on his face showed how big of a hurricane was going on in his mind. As he took the rounds around the fire, his mind told him that she was his responsibility now. As he filled her hairline with sindoor and put the mangalsutra around her neck, he realized that she is a very important part of his life. Having a wife, taking up her responsibility and making sure of her happiness were really life changing things. He had expected things to change but never to this extent.

And now as Shivaay accompanied his wife in his house, slowly his nervousness started kicking in. How would his family react? Had he done the right thing?

But more than him, the girl inside the veil was feeling anxious. She felt that she had betrayed the only family she loved and the ones who gave her love, respect and a feeling of home. Well, they are technically her family now.