Anika's Secret

Chapter 18: Shivaay is Fooled

Shivaay POV
"Mr. Shivaay....get up." Someone was calling me. I opened my eyes to look into 2 huge doe-like eyes glaring down at me.
"I am hungry. I need breakfast." She grumbled as she brushed her hair.
I quickly looked at my phone.
"And Mr. Shivaay, you should really not ask my doctors to sneak into medical files. Dr. Neel is too important for Pearl that is why I am keeping him." She said.
How does she get to know things so fast?
Then there was a knock on the door.
"Bhabhi, Mama is calling you for Breakfast." Priya shouted from outside.
Anika walked to the door. "Get up fast. Don't you have a meeting with the Ranas today?"
What meeting? And since when did Ma care about Anika?
I have to find out and there was only one way.
"Anika?" I called.
I saw her back stiffen and she paused. "Hmmmm."
"I want to take you out for dinner today." I saw her fidgeting with the end of her shawl. I had my fingers crossed.
Finally, she nodded. "Okay."
Today, I would beg her for forgiveness.
I looked up to see her still standing at the door. "Get up Mr. Oberoi......you have a meeting in 1/2 an hour."
What? She was coming? I had told her to rest.
"Anika, you need rest."
She turned around to glare at me. "Mr. Oberoi, I survived 6 months without your help, I am sure I can still look after my kids alone." With that she walked out of the room.
I guess that was end of the discussion.

Anika POV
Breakfast had been uneventful. The Senior Oberois had not come downstairs. Prinku was sleeping. Priya, Om and Ishana had left early to get some legal paperwork done for Priya. So the table was occupied by me, Soumya and Rudra. I watched Rudra eat silently. Dumbbell Oberoi had certainly grown up over the past few months. He looked rather......aged.
"Good morning. Ani." A voice boomed. I turned around to see Mallika Bhabhi and Siddharth Bhaiya walk in.
I got up slowly and walked to them.
"Adi?" I inquired.
"Dev took Adi and Ayu to the hospital." Mallika replied.
"Aur aap? Yahan?"
Siddarth scowled. "Shivaay called and scheduled the meeting here."
What? In the mansion?
"Great that you guys came." Shivaay said as he walked into the room. "Rudra, let us go to the Study."
Shivaay did not even glance across the table to see Rudra's glare. He picked up a piece of bread and walked off.
Mallika came and sat next to me.
"How are my nieces or nephews?"
I smiled and nodded. "Bhabhi, they are fine."
She helped me to the room. I saw that there were only 4 seats. Rudra was reading something. Shivaay's laptop was in front of one of the chairs.
"Please take a seat." Shivaay told Bhabhi and Bhaiya.
Once they were seated, we realised that there was no seat for me.
Rudra looked up. "Oh Di....you don't have a seat." He got up.
"No Rudra, sit. Anika, you can sit here."
He pointed at a sofa. My laptop had been arranged neatly on it. There were a few papers and pens as well.
Mallika shot me a smile.
"No, I can sit on a chair." I retorted.
Shivaay smiled. "I know you can, Mrs. Oberoi but I would like to make children's mother comfortable."
I felt like pulling my heart and throwing a tantrum. "No!"
Shivaay looked as though he had been expecting that. "I am sorry Mr. Rana about my children's mother."
Did he just apologise to my brother for my behaviour? And did that stupid Bhabhi of mine just throw me a cheshire cat grin?
"I am not your wife and I am here as a Rana and I can surely fight my own battles." I retorted.
Shivaay smirked. "Well, Mrs. Oberoi.......if you want the meeting to continue, you better sit on the sofa. If not I shall be forced to have Priyanka help you back to your room."

Mood swings are my worst enemy. I felt rage and my blood boil.

"How dare you Mr. Oberoi? I am going to sit on a chair and there is nothing you can do about it. Rudra get me a chair."

Rudra glanced between me, Shivaay and Bhaiya. Then my brother had the audacity to betray me. "Rudra......let Chutki sit comfortably on the sofa. Chutki.....please sit down."

Then suddenly, my anger was replaced by intense sadness. I felt tears rolling down my cheeks. I closed my eyes and lifted my hands to wipe the tears away when I felt another pair of hands.

"Anika......it is okay. It will be more comfortable." Shivaay led me to the sofa and then walked to his seat.

"It is Miss. Rana." I hissed as I sat down on the sofa. "I only sat on the sofa because I am tired and there are no gentlemen here to get me a chair."
Shivaay was looking at the papers. "I did not ask for an explanation."

Mallika POV
It was so sweet to see Shivaay try to please my stubborn sister-in-law. The meeting was short. It was supposed to be a joint venture in taking over a company in France.
"So Siddarth, we will have to go to Nice next week then. Mr. Dubois would like to meet us." Shivaay said.
Siddarth nodded. "Yes one Oberoi and One Rana. I was thinking maybe Dev from the Ranas."
Shivaay nodded. "And Rudra can you..."
Rudra looked at me. I glared at him. "I am sorry Sir but I can't make it. Soumya has some exams and she needs me around for it."
Shivaay glanced at Anika, who was reading something in a paper. "Then I guess I will have to go."
Anika put the paper down horrified. "Bhaiya, I will go instead of Dev."
Rudra glanced at me. Hmmmm......looks like she was slowly falling back in love with him.
"No Ani. You are 6 months pregnant." Sid retorted.
I pressed my heel on his foot.
"Sid, even I travelled with Mom and Dad to Australia when I was pregnant with Adi."
Anika stood up. "See even Bhabhi went." Sid glared at me.
I just grinned at him.
Anika sat down again. "So done, Shivaay and I will go to Nice day after tomorrow."
Shivaay held her arm. "Not so fast. We will have to see. I will call your doctor and find out whether you can travel."
I saw Anika's eyes go wide. "I can. I asked her last week as I wanted to visit Sahil at his boarding school." What was she hiding? Should I stop her?
"And anyhow we can take a doctor with us. I am sure Neel would not mind. We can also take his wife Nia. They just got married."
Shivaay smiled. "So basically we are sponsoring them a work honeymoon."
She gave a cheeky smile.
Well, I guess if two doctors are going, it should be fine.
"Anika D...Bhabhi, Mrs. Handa and Mrs. Malhotra are here. They want to talk to you." Soumya rushed into the room.
"Do you want me to come?" Shivaay said to Anika.
She ignored him and walked out. The three men in the room shot me a look that indicated that I had to go with her.

I prayed to Pinky Aunty's Devi Mata as I ran out after my sister-in-law.