Karan Shukla scratched his head, his sane brain repeating the same questions again. Unable to keep up with the drama any longer, he decided to finally let the people sitting before him know of his thoughts.
"Umm... so your brother... I mean Shivaay fought with Anika who was his wife then... because she had called your brother..... that is Omkara, illegitimate and wanted to share...no divide the property?" he asked Rudra.
"Yeah... he divorced her for it"
"Okay... so why did you return Anika?" he directed the question to the lady in the room.
"After our divorce Shivaay had stopped living... I wanted to make him normal"
"Ohh... then why are you marrying me? I mean I know it is fake but still... why even tell him that you have moved on?"
"Because he should not know the reason why I left him in the first place... I wanted that tadibaaz, ishqbaaz Shivaay back... I promised them" she said pointing to her brother in laws.
"Acha... so you do that by marrying some other person and make him feel worse than before? I mean... If my ex-wife came back happily engaged to somebody else... I would be miserable... forget the tadibaazi, I would drown into a deeper well, at the state of my life" he put down his thoughts and the trio stared at him.
"Ummm... can't you people talk things out? If he is ready to forgive you ...you can make up"
"I can't... my mother in law still holds an upper hand... I should make him believe that we cannot get back together"
Karan sighed "Is the secret that important?"
"Yes... it would destroy him"
"Have you cross checked the facts? Because your mother in law seems to hate you so much that I won't put it past her that... she fabricated everything" he said while they thought of the possibility in complete silence.
"How do we do it?" Rudra asked felling hopeful.
"I don't know... I would have done some investigation if you had let me...but the secret seems to be too personal?"
"Yes... sorry that we can't let that out" said Rudra.
"I don't mind really... I can do my part and leave... Shivaay just needs a face for the name you blurted out and I am going to give him one... if the plan is still on... you sure you guys cannot solve things any other way?"
The trio nodded their heads in confirmation and he nodded back with a smile.
"Shivaay has people who can check your background" Anika said.
"I have my tracks well covered baby... I might appear weird with my over friendliness but I assure you that I am good at my job... you just need to tell me what you want my identity to be"
"We haven't thought of it yet... may be a businessman?"
"Uh..huh... no... when you want to dupe someone, you should choose a profession which his not under his expertise... how about an artist? I can use my current cover... maybe I can improve on my status quotient... Instead of a drama company I will shift to theaters... they earn well I heard"
"Thank you so much for the help Karan... I really..." Anika started when he cut her off.
"Woah... too emotional...Start calling me Vikram first.... Who knows you might blurt my name out in front of your ex" he quipped and that brought out a genuine smile from the brothers as well.
Karan looked at his watch and widened his eyes "Hey I am running late... I have to leave now" he said getting up from his place.
"No... stay for lunch please" Rudra asked and his brother nodded his head in agreement.
"Umm... will Gauri be there?" Karan asked at once and the smile slipped from Omkara's face.
Rudra couldn't hold his laughter any longer and Anika joined him making Karan raise an eyebrow.
"What did you find funny?"
"Why do you want to know if she would be there?" Omkara asked instead of answering his question.
"Seriously? I thought I made it very much clear... I like her.. and I want to date her..."
"Just stay away from her okay" Omkara bellowed.
"Sorry? And who are you to tell me that?"
"This is my house... I am Omkara singh Oberoi" he said though his mind mocked him for using his family name.
"I know... but what are you to her?" he asked again making Omkara look thunderous.
Rudra and Anika calmed down sensing the serious air and watched on in pin drop silence, as Karan smiled calmly "Father, brother, husband, boyfriend, guy-friend...anything?"
When he only got a smoldering glare in reply, he sighed "Get back to me after you find answers man" he said and turned to the remaining two "I am hungry... am I still invited?"
Anika and Rudra still gaped at him while he snaped his fingers "Hello... am I still invited?"
"Huh... yeah of course... come this way" Anika said getting over her shock and Karan followed her out.
Once alone Omkara took out his anger on the vintage paper weight of their study desk. As it lay on the floor, broken into countless pieces of glass, Rudra sighed and neared his brother.
"I don't want him near her... get him out of here Rudy" he ordered and left the place while his brother closed his eyes in disappointment.
Jealousy...he could understand but possessiveness... he did not expect from his good brother.
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"What? Why not Karan? Did you know how difficult it was to arrange a person who could play someone else"
"Bhavya... we could have hired someone who could act"
"Are you mad? Do you think Shivaay bhaiyya won't know? It is not about acting the part... it is making him believe and also cover the background without leaving any hint"
"But O doesn't want him Bhavya... Karan doesn't seem to..."
"I have a twenty four hour job as an ACP Rudra... Recruiting people for drama isn't my job profile... what I did for you was a favor... your brother should develop some spine..."
"BHAVYA!!.. I will pretend that I have not heard you say that.... thanks for doing me favors... I will not disturb you from now" Rudra said firmly before ending the call.
"What happened Rudy?" Anika asked seeing her cool brother in law visibly angry.
"What does she think of herself? Only because I run after her doesn't mean she can talk anything... I never let anyone speak against my brothers Bhabhi"
"Okay... is this about Om? Did Bhavya talk..."
"Yes... and she knows nothing about him... how can she even.."
"Calm down Rudy... why did you call her in the first place?"
"O doesn't want Karan here... I asked Bhavya to replace him"
"That is wrong Rudy.. Karan is a nice guy and he can be more helpful than we thought"
"How?? I know you will say ek teer do nishaan (one arrow targeting two birds) but O gets irritated if he flirts with Gauri bhabhi in front of him... even I wouldn't want some other guy trying to impress my Bhabhi... It is just so awkward"
"Hmmm... but we should give Gauri a chance"
Rudra sharply turned to her "What did you just say?"
"I meant if Karan stays, we will know if Gauri would give him a chance"
"I still don't like what you said Bhabhi... I am getting irked by the second... I won't blame O bhaiyya."
"Rudy... I want to know if Gauri really gave up on Omkara... or does she still love him"
"Of course she loves him"
"Stop assuming things Rudy... we haven't ever talked about what she actually wanted... now we can get a chance to see it"
Rudra sighed "What about O then?"
"Vikram should meet Shivaay soon... make that possible by the night... than he won't have a say in this..." Anika said and Rudra nodded agreeing.
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Bhavya cursed herself for the lack of control over her mood. She knew she had no right to comment on something so personal to Rudra. Afterall, she was only friends with him and returning his favor of letting her stay with him temporarily.
Her mood had been fouled since morning when her superior informed her that one of their many attempts to capture Sultan had failed and he had escaped yet again with the help of his men.
She had no right to take her frustration out on Rudra but lately she realized she had been doing that a lot.
Bhavya tried calling him again when the call went unanswered. Sighing, she looked at the clock, stood up to leave her cabin and pay him a visit to apologize... for reasons not known, she did not like him being upset with her.
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"Is there something wrong?" Shivaay's voice boomed through the silent room.
Omkara who sat on the floor, his back resting against the bed opened his eyes and looked at him.
"Are you okay Om?" his brother asked again and Omkara nodded his head in a yes.
"Why are you sitting alone? Where are the other two?"
That question reminded him of their plan yet again and of the annoying person he met that day... That issue he was trying to forget... in the calmness of his room which his brother disturbed.
Right... Shivaay needed to return to his usual living self... he can mop over his problems later..... he decided.
"Rudra and Anika went out with Vikram" Omkara said getting up from his place.
"Who?"
"Vikram Rathore... Anika's fiancé" he said and received Shivaay's glare in return.
A part of Omkara's brain mocked him for putting his brother whom he loved on the same boat he had boarded some time ago.
What does Rudy say? Jealous SSO rocks... well, maybe Shivaay isn't the only brother who cannot tolerate that emotion.... his mind scolded him for being less sympathetic.
"Why did Rudy go with her?"
"She wanted us to get to know him... I was not in the mood and he offered to go first..."
"Great... so how is he?" Shivaay asked acting nonchalance.
"Who... Rudy?"
"Om" Shivaay chided.
"Ohh... Vikram... he is good" he said evasively... not wanting to describe Karan.
He still wants him out of the plan and Shivaay getting a picture of him or worse meeting him would mean he needed to tolerate the man's presence near Gauri which he was not in the mood...given the circumstances.
You wish!!... why don't you agree that you would die before singing a praise for that man... his inner voice spoke to him.
"Good?"
"Yeah... good... he was a... umm... friendly person"
"That is great... I will call Rudy then... I was thinking of having a word with the guy..." he said and Omkara felt panic raise from within.
"I shall meet him today before I go for the conference in Delhi" said Shivaay.
"NO!" he uttered a little louder than usual making his brother raise an eyebrow.
"I...I mean to say... he must be busy today... may be you could meet..." he stuttered trying to lie... a job which he was poor at.
His statement however was cut short as his rival's cheerful voice greeted him for the second time that day.
"Hi Omkara... Rudra was saying..." Karan started but stopped looking at the other person in the room
Shivaay turned around to look at the intruder while Omkara closed his eyes stiffling a groan.
"Ohh... Mr. Shivaay... good that I finally meet you" he said with a wide smile.
"You are?"
"I am Vikram Rathore" he introduced himself, successfully setting up his role in the brothers' life for the next few weeks.
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Bang...😂
Vikram is going to be a nail for the next few chapters I guess... let us see... if I can throw him out sooner.
If you did not realize it yet .. I am making it clear... I am not writing Ragini/Nagini and her pathetic drama episodes here...
I am only taking points from the show which have a focus directly or indirectly on Rikara...
Hope you understand that and support me...
Vote and comment..
Until next week... bye bye...