Her room was decorated with roses, to the point Ann was feeling sick. She hated the whole idea, of being trapped in one room whole night with a man she barely knew. That man was now her husband. A tear rolled down her face, and she wiped it off. She felt suffocated inside the room, and opened the door to her balcony.
The wedding was hosted at the Oberoi Mansion, and as they would catch a ship to England in two days time, they were going to spend the last couple of nights at the Trivedi residence. Avantika Ma, had left no hospitality fall short, knowing that the ownership of the house lied with Neil. She did whatever that would make him happy. The decorations must have been an addition to that. She looked at the moon shining bright and wondered, if the dark clouds looming around her would succumb to its' light.
She heard foot steps approaching...and her heart started to pound...
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48 hours ago...
Was it lavender or Jasmin? Shivaay opened his eyes groggily. Something annoying went in his mouth, and he spat it out. He hugged his pillow tight wanting to just stay asleep when he realised it was not his pillow. "Annika?" He muttered, wiping his eyes.
She was fast asleep snuggled to his chest. Her mouth was slighting open, and she was snoring. He almost laughed out loud, finding her faint snore adorable. Her stubborn auburn hair was falling on face, so he tucked it behind her ear. She looked so at peace. He looked around and realised, that they both were in the stable. He held on to his temples as his head started throbbing in pain. "Ah..." He exclaimed when Ann woke up startled. "Arrrgh!" She screamed out loud making his headache worse. "Shhhh...What's wrong with you! Stop shouting! My head!" Shivaay pushed her away.
"What's wrong with me? You are the one who shouted in my ear....I got scared!" She started turning pink, and Shivaay laughed, still holding on to his head. "Why what's so funny?" Her lips pursed. "Can you stop shouting?" Shivaay complained. "I am not shouting! I MIGHT NOW!" She retorted. "Ouch..." He held on to his head. " Shivaay...are you okay? I am sorry...I didn't mean to hurt you..." She looked at him apologetically. "But you did..." He said yesterday's memories seeping in.
"Look...I am not taking responsibility for the cause of your headache...for making it a bit worse maybe!" She crossed her arms and eyed at the almost empty bottle of scotch lying on the floor. "I wouldn't have got drunk if you didn't...If you didn't..." His ear tips turned crimson and she laughed. "What? What's so funny?" He asked irritated and she rolled her eyes. "Nothing now stop being a baby...and suffer the consequences of your actions!" She teased him.
" Will you tell the same to Neil?" he asked, and her smile vanished from her face. "Look Shivaay...It's different...It's not the same..." She tried to walk away, when he held on to her hand. "Then let me understand...why are you still going to marry him? After knowing that he's the one who burnt down your school? How can you trust him to look after you?" Shivaay's emerald blue eyes, scrutinised her.
"Let me go Shivaay....I don't think I am answerable to any of your questions...Friends don't pry you remember?" She retorted, trying to get away from his grip.
He suddenly let go of her hand and she almost fell. "Fine...do what you want...It's your life!" He started massaging his temples again. Ann sighed and sat next to him. "Are you going to be angry with me the whole time Billu ji....come on now let's forgive and forget?" She made a puppy dog face and held on to her ears. "Go away...I don't want to talk to you!" He turned his back to her. "Are you sure?" She poked him, and he gruntled irritably. " Are you sure? I'll be gone soon and you will only have Night to talk to!" She giggled and poked him again. "I don't care! I don't want to talk to you!" He glared and looked away again.
" Okay...as you wish...since you made up your mind...I am leaving..." She poked him one more time. "Stop poking me you irritating woman!" he said angrily. Ann giggled and poked him a few more times, and he stood up. "Stop being a child Annika!" He ordered, and she just gave him a cheeky smile, and continued to poke him. "Stop it...stop it.." He was trying to dodge and move away. "What are you going to do? Stop talking to me?" She giggled and poked him again. "YOUUUU! Wait till I get you!" He snapped and started to chase her. She jumped over the hay stacks, and ran around giggling. Night munched on his corn, looking at them who were running around, like two hooligans in his stable, turning things up and down.
Finally Shivaay caught up to to her and grabbed her by her waist, and poked her back. He soon realised that she was ticklish and she couldn't stop giggling. "Shiv...aay..Stop...stop..I can't..." He kept tickling her until she was out of breath. Finally, both sat down to catch a break. "Shivaay...I think I am going to miss you!" She blurted out, and he noticed her cheeks taking a shade of pink again. "I will miss you too!" He said. For no reason at all, tears ran down Ann's face, and he sighed. "Why are you crying now? What did I do?" He asked her.
"Nothing...you did Nothing...just..I...I am going to miss you...home...Gauri...my work...the kids...school...Night...Omru...Daadi...I am going to miss everyone so much! Without even realising your family, has become mine too...". He wiped her tears off, and leaned in. Ann took a deep breath, as he came so close to her. He placed a kiss on her forehead, and all her troubles just vanished.
"You know, you don't have to leave, if you don't want to..." He said, holding her sob face in his palms. She wiped her tears, as his emerald blue eyes tried to tell her something that she again failed to decipher.
"I should go..." She stood up to leave.
"Annika..."
"Can you stop calling me that? My name is Ann..." She turned back holding on to her chest uncomfortably. Every time he called her that, her heart seemed to stop.
"Annika...Are you sure you want to get married to Neil, Is he the one you want to spend the rest of your life with?" He asked again.
"Yes...This...This is what I want..." She said looking down at her feet.
"Alright..then...We have a wedding to plan! Let's go!" He dashed off.
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"I really don't understand why she is hell bent on marrying that hooligan!" Shivaay complained. Rudra and Om looked at their disgruntled brother and back at each other not knowing what to say. "Bhaiya...Why don't you tell her how you feel about it?" Rudra suggested.
"What do I feel? I feel nothing!" He shook his head.
"Ah is that why you are sulking?" Rudra commented and Om nudged him to stop, knowing he was pushing Shivaay's buttons.
"What does it matter Rudra? She said, clearly that's what she wants...She wants to marry that arsonist! I guess, that's it...She's made up her mind! And you know what? She's right! Friends don't pry! I am done!" He stood up annoyed.
"Shivaay...Please don't take me wrong...sometimes...sometimes it might help if you tell her...how you feel about her? I mean...about this whole affair?" Om suggested.
"What are you two on about? FEEL? I don't FEEL anything! Nothing...ZERO!" He closed his eyes, and saw her smile. He shook it off again.
"Alright Bhaiya...then I guess we have to just help plan the wedding and bid her farewell! Isn't it Om?" Rudra shrugged.
"This house has become a mandir I tell you...wedding..wedding and wedding! Soon people will think the Oberoi's are broke, and running wedding receptions for a bloody living!!! UUUURGH" He got up to leave frustrated.
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"Didi? Are you okay?" Gauri shook Ann up who was lost in another world.
"Ha? Yes..Yes I am..." She said.
" Where were you last night? You were not in your room? Did you run off to teach the kids again? You have to be careful! You know that right?"
" I...I was okay..I just went for a walk!" She lied.
" Hmmmn..... I guess you are nervous! It shall all pass after your first night together!" Gauri giggled.
"HUH?" Ann widened her eyes.
"Didi...First Night...The night you...and your...." Gauri teased her sister who was already freaking out.
"Err...I...I Don't...GAURI...Just because you got married first doesn't change the fact that I am your older sister...so SHUT UP!" She said angrily.
" Oh...Didi...I was just teasing you...In fact first night is about getting to know each other...Me and Omkaraji...we just kept talking all night...you know? It was such a memorable day...We spoke our hearts out...our likes...dislikes...our childhood....our dreams...It was beautiful..." She hugged Ann who was lost in space again. "So do you ever think about it? How are you going to spend it?" Gauri asked again, and Ann pushed her away.
"I...I don't know..." for the first time she was feeling the wedding jitters. She couldn't imagine herself being alone in one room with Neil. She couldn't imagine, that they would sit and talk to each other all night. They never had that much to talk about. Then she recalled, last night in Shivaay's arms, inside that uncomfortable stable, she felt the most comfortable, and safe. Will she ever be able to feel the same with Neil? She sighed.
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24 hours ago...
Ann was feeling restless, she kept tossing and turning in the guest room of the Oberoi Mansion. She woke up and decided to go read instead. Shivaay has been faithfully ignoring her the past few days. The last thing she wanted was to leave knowing that he resented her for choosing to marry Neil. She hoped that he will at least be there for the wedding, so she could say goodbye. Soon after the wedding, Neil and Ann would be shipping off to England. Who knew, when she will ever get to see him again.
She got her shawl; wore it around her white cotton night gown, and made her way down stairs to the library. This was a place that gave her solace, after Papa's passing. This and Shivaay's lake of solitude. She got up the step ladder, and started looking for something she might be interested in reading. Perhaps, something about being a good wife, she thought, since she has to adjust to her new role in less than 24 hours.
She kept searching the shelf, and she didn't even pay attention to where her footing was. She suddenly, slipped, and landed on the floor face flat. "OUCH!" Her forehead bumped on one of the shelves. "Didi...Didi...are you okay?" Gauri came running to her aid. "Err...yes I think so..I just couldn't sleep so came to read something!" She said. "I saw you coming down, so thought we'll have some tea together....Oh Didi...look at your forehead....there is a huge bump...how are we going to get rid of this by tomorrow...Ohhhh" Gauri worried.
Ann looked at her reflection through a glass in the book shelf, and saw an anomaly developing on her forehead, with a bluish bruise that was going to disfigure her on her wedding day. And she couldn't care less! She just shrugged and smiled, "It's okay Gauri...I am fine...I don't mind.." and Gauri cut her off. "What do you mean you don't mind? I guess we'll just have to draw a ghoongat....instead of the maang tikka we discussed earlier!" ,Gauri came up with a solution. "Do as you wish my darling chutki...you dress me up as you like!" Ann hugged her little sister and gave her a kiss. "I am going to make some tea...I'll meet you in the courtyard Didi? Let's stay up like the old days and talk all night!" She hugged Ann as a tear escaped. Ann agreed, wiping the tear away from her dear sisters, face.
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Shivaay opened his eyes, and for his surprise Ann was sitting right next to him. She was gleaming, and she was wearing a white kurti unlike her usual self. He could swear, she looked a bit older, as he spotted a fine line underneath her eye. Nevertheless he found her beautiful.
"Annika...What...What are you doing here in my room?" He asked sitting up. She just smiled, and looked at him endearingly. "Oh...Billuji...when are you going to tell me?" She asked him. "Err....tell you what?" He asked perplexed. "What I want to hear?" She tilted her head and smiled playfully. "What do you want to hear?" He asked. "Hmmmn what's stopping you?" She placed her palm on his chest, and his heart started racing. "I don't know what you are talking about..." His ear tips turned crimson again. She leaned in a bit closer, and whispered in his ear, "At least ask me to stay?"
"I already did...in my own way I did...but you didn't understand me....you just want to leave..."
"Maybe I need a reason to stay?"
"I am sorry Annika...I..I can' t be the reason!"
"Hmmmnn why? Would that be so bad?"
" I...I never planned for this...this...us....I...I don't have you in my list...I...I can't change it...It's who I am..." He said struggling to contain his emotions.
" Is that why every time you see me...all you want is to touch my lips with yours?" She whispered in his ears again, and her lips almost brushed against his ears, sending a spark down his spine. She placed her palm on his face, and he held her hand by the wrist. All he wanted was to do as exactly, she said. He leaned in...to finally give in, to what his heart yearned for. But then she vanished. She vanished into thin air, leaving him hanging. Shivaay looked around panting, unsure of the surreal vision he had. It felt so real. She was real...and she had chosen to leave...he had chosen not to stop her.
Shivaay got up the from bed, needing some fresh air. He was fairly used to having figments of his imagination follow him around by now. What is wrong with me? He kept asking himself.
I want you to stay...but I don't think I can be the reason you should stay back...I have to get married to Tia. That's my plan...If I ask you to stay...that would be selfish of me...just because I...just because I can be myself with you...laugh with you...feel carefree with you..I cannot ask you to stay? Could I? These feelings...these feelings that's plaguing me...I know you don't feel the same way...If you did you would not be marrying him...These feelings...they will go away...once..once I execute my plans as I envisioned them to be...it's all going to be okay...I will forget...I will forget all of it...
Then he saw her again, her reflection through the french window that led to the courtyard. All he wanted to do was run to her, and hold her, and tell her to stay back. His figment of imagination...
Shivaay Sighed. "I know you are not real...I know you are not mine...But...Can you stay with me a bit longer? I...I can't say it out loud...you know that...I am like that...I can't express how I feel out so freely like you do...but that doesn't mean I don't feel...I feel for you...you are right...I want you to stay...because every time I am with you...all I can think of is touching your lips with mine!" He hugged her. Breathed her in, Lavender or Jasmin he couldn't tell, and her hair went in his mouth annoying him. Wait!...in his imagination he could never...was this...
"Errr ANNIKA?" He jumped realising it was her. Thankfully she did not hear a word he said, she was fast asleep on the bench in the courtyard. He sat on the floor beside her and leaned his head against her. He soon fell asleep.
"Didi...Didi..." Gauri looked for Ann.
"Shhhh Gauri...Let's go..." Omkara dragged Gauri back upstairs.
"But Didi is waiting for me..." Gauri contested.
"Trust me she's fine...Err She's sleeping..Let's just...Let's go!" Om decided it was best to leave Ann and Shivaay alone. He hoped they would finally realise, that they had feelings for each other. He had never seen his brother asleep so peacefully, in someone else's presence.
As morning dew landed on her cheek Ann woke up and found Shivaay fast asleep, resting his head on her lap, sitting on the floor. "Shivaay? What are you doing here?" She asked. "I..I came here last night...saw you alone...So I stayed...I must have fallen asleep..Sorry!" He crumbled his eyes. "It's okay...I am glad you stayed..." She smiled.
"Annika...are you sure you want to marry him?" He asked again for the last time.
"I am...Last thing I want is them to humiliate my Momma and Papas love again!" She gave him an awkward smile.
"What do you mean?" He asked.
"Shivaay...The society we live in is a cruel one...especially to a half-caste like me...they are quick to point their finger at my character...my family...my blood...they'll even start questioning my existence. More than anything...because I am a woman...Even if it was the mans fault...they'll just point the finger at the woman!" She had a point. That was the last thing he would ever wanted to see. He held her hand and gave a reassuring squeeze.
"Don't worry...that will never happen! I know how much your family's respect is important to you! I want you to know... I support you in whichever the decision you make!"
From the day he met her, Ann always had and has lived for her family first. He knew how important her Papa's reputation was for her. She felt relieved, as if a weight has been lifted off her shoulders, sharing a bit of her burden with Shivaay. Holding her hand, he sat beside her on the bench, and she rested her head on his shoulder.
"I thought you were going to ignore me till I left...but I am glad you changed your mind!" She said.
"Annika? I...I..." He attempted to tell her something.
"Hmmn?"
"Nothing.."
"Nothing?"
"Yes....Nothing"
They both watched as the sun rose in the horizon, brightening up the rest of the world.
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5 hours ago...
Gauri, drew the red dupatta over her head. "Oh Didi...you look so beautiful...I will have to cover your face a little bit more with this to hide the bruise, okay?" Gauri pulled the veil half way down, covering her eyes revealing her beautiful nose ring, and her crimson plump lips. "You still look gorgeous...!" She hugged Ann, who was almost trembling. "Err....Gauri...is Shivaay?" She found her self searching for him. She felt more calmer around him for some reason. She knew if he was around, she could do this. She could walk up to that mandap, and get married.
"Bhaiya? I think he's downstairs with Neil Jiju, and Rudra Bhaiya...Didi...The auspicious time is around the corner...I don't think you should be meeting any..." before she could complete, Ann had got up on her feet. "Didi...where are you going?" Gauri asked perplexed. Ann stopped by the door way. She was being ridiculous!
She was in her bridal lehenga...and she could barely see through this damn hand worked dupatta! Despite, she was going to run down, to Shivaay Singh Oberoi, so she could muster up some courage to go and sit on that mandap? How could she be this ridiculous? Ann..you are strong on your own...you don't need someone else to tell you that you are! She reminded herself and took a deep breath.
She turned around and Gauri, walked up to her and held her hands. "Didi? Are you? Are you sure you want to do this?" Ann shook her hands off irritated. "Why is everyone asking me that? You...Shivaay...everyone just keep pestering me about this...I want to get married to Neil and that's it! I am going to get married!" She declared. Gauri sighed... "It's just...you seem to want to run away to someone..somewhere...else...since the day of your betrothal to Neil Jiju...I..I just said Didi..I didn't mean to upset you on your big day?" Gauri said apologetically. Ann took a deep breath, and sighed.
Gauri was right..Her heart did want to leap out and run away....run behind...run towards...run into...Shivaay Singh Oberoi for some god damn reason! That's all she wanted to do even at this very moment. "I...I don't know what you are on about Guari...let's go now shall we?" She ignored her heart once again.
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Avantika Ma, hugged her tight, before making her take a seat, next to Neil. She could see through the veil, that Neil was wearing a traditional, Sherwani, and had and extravagant emerald green necklace, around him. Emerald blue...his eyes...She sat nervously next to him, and scrunched her lehenga in her hands slightly, clenching her fists. Neil was wearing a Sehra, made out of fresh flowers. Despite the fragrance of the blooms, she sensed an invigorating scent of cedar wood hovering around her. Perhaps...he was standing beside...Knowing that he was somewhere close by, she closed her eyes tight, as the pandit, chanted the auspicious mantras.
All she could see was him...His handsome smile...Gauri and Om completed her ghatbandan, and it was time for them to stand up, and take the seven rounds around the sacred fire. Ann found herself, glued to the ground, unable to stand up. "Didi...Didi...get up..." Gauri prompted her, and she stood up.
She closed her eyes once more, and took a deep breath in. You can do this...Ann...You can do this...She kept telling herself. Her heart raced, as she saw his face once more. She opened her eyes, as she tripped, and Neil halted, for a moment, so she could settle and catch up to him. She had a glimpse of his face through her veil, and his Sehra; she could swear she saw a familiar jawline, and neatly trimmed stubble. Shivaay?...How can it be Shivaay...You are going crazy! You are even seeing him here! She shrugged it off, as she gathered her steps, and started to follow Neil, around the fire again. As the phera's came to an end they sat down. It was almost over, as Neil, adorned her maang with sindoor. She couldn't help but feel a tear escape her eye.
A tear of regret...She closed her eyes again tight. Neil tied the mangal sutra around her neck, and his fingertips, slightly touched her bare skin. Millions of sparks, just ran through her body, in that second, reminding her of every single moment she spent with Shivaay Singh Oberoi.
The first time she saw his piercing emerald blue eyes looking in to hers...the first time their hands touched....the first time they became friends...the first time he hugged her...dancing on his feet...his stubble tickling her face...his warm breath against her skin...she could feel him...she could feel him in and around her....I...I love him...I love Shivaay...
She stood up, so suddenly, everyone got startled. Neil pulled her hand and made her sit down, back next to him. She realised where she was...she was on her wedding mandap...wearing someone else's mangal sutra...wearing sindoor, for someone else...when her heart...when her heart belonged to no one else than Shivaay. She found it hard to breath...and the floor beneath her started to spin. The burning fire was splitting into more flames, and everything around her was going dark. "Didi...Didi..." Gauri supported her, as she found it impossible to stay still, and the priest announced the wedding ceremony to be complete. They were now pronounced husband and wife!
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Present...
She heard foot steps approaching. And her heart started to pound. Despite her very late realisation how she felt about Shivaay, she was now married to Neil. Her life couldn't be anymore complicated. Neil opened the door, and she turned her back not wanting to face him. She had done wrong. She had done wrong to a man who didn't deserve it. She has agreed to spend the rest of her life in a marriage of convenience, and now Neil will have to suffer. Neil stepped closer and placed a hand on her shoulder, which she shrugged off rather quickly.
"Neil...Please...I..I have to tell you something...please believe me when I say It was NOT my intention to do so...it..it just happened. I never thought...I..I.." Then she took a deep breath in. "I...I need time...I need time to get to know you...to be.. to be ready...I hope you understand...I just...just realised that my heart is with...SHIVAAY?" She jumped as Neil turned her around.
It was not Neil...It was Shivaay. "SHHHHH....Please don't shout...!" He shushed her placing his hand over her mouth. Muffled she started yelling at him, and then she bit his hand. "OUCH...You crazy woman! Listen to me! Please..I'll explain..." He pleaded. Ann couldn't understand what was going on. Shivaay was wearing the same sherwani and the emerald green necklace Neil was wearing a moment ago.
"Shivaay...what's going on?" She asked worried.
"Look I...I will explain...just first promise you will stay calm?" He looked around to see if there were any heavy objects around that may land on his head during this process. Ann obliged and she sat on the bed. "Neil...he...he didn't...he left...He was there...and then the next minute when we were going to escort him to the mandap, Rudra found this note and his sherwani in the room!" He handed her a crumbled up note. "I am sorry...I must leave!" It said.
Ann started sobbing, realising the humiliation she was going to face, when everyone gets to know her groom left her at the mandap, then no later she realised... "If Neil left...Who did I get married to?Was...was it you?" She mumbled, and he nodded. Her heart leapt out of joy!
"I...I am sorry Annika...I did what I thought was right....It was too late..all the guests were here...you were waiting on the mandap...and I know your family's reputation is important to you!" He said. She couldn't contain herself, she just leapt in for a hug and she started to sob. Shivaay, jumped a bit surprised, that Ann hugged him so tight.
He was expecting her to throw a punch not a hug. Was she alright? Maybe she is upset, that Neil left. Ann didn't know how to express what she felt right now. She wanted to scream out loud, that she loved him...she wanted to tell him that he's the one she wanted to be with...and fate had just done that! Shivaay pulled away from her hug and made her sit down on the edge of the bed. "Annika...Ann...I know this is hard for you...Neil leaving...but I..I think there is more to it what it looks like...I can't say for sure, until I find him, and bring him back!" Find him and bring him back? What on earth for?
"I promise you...I will bring him back...I will make everything right..." He promised kneeling down next to her. Ann looked into his emerald blue eyes confused.
"Shivaay? You...You are the one who got married to me on that mandap right?" She reconfirmed again.
"I did...but, it's just a ritual, Annika, don't worry about it much! Once Neil is back we'll explain to him, and I am sure he will understand. Besides he is a Christian isn't he not? I don't think these rituals matter to him anyway!" Ann pushed his hands away and stood up.
"What on earth do you mean? I don't understand any of this!" She questioned him.
"Look...whatever I did...I did to protect you and your family from humiliation...For us this doesn't have to be real!" He sad so bluntly, Ann really wanted to throw something at him that was heavier than a punch.
"So YOU are saying...YOU after taking Neils place...to protect me from humiliation, going through every damn step of completing the rituals...after the priest says this union is now complete...YOU are going to find the man who ran away from his own wedding, and make me go back to him? Do you even hear yourself?" She spat through gritted teeth.
Why was she getting angry? Isn't that what she wanted in first place anyway? Get married to Neil? "Look Annika I know this is not ideal...but everyone thinks you got married to Neil anyway...No one even saw my face...so..it's no big deal!" He shrugged.
"NO BIG DEAL? THERE IS NO BIGGER DEAL THAN THIS MR.SHIVAAY SINGH OBEROI! I DON'T CARE IF NO ONE ELSE KNOW, THAT IT WAS YOU! I KNOW! I KNOW WHO I GOT MARRIED TO! WHY ON EARTH DID YOU STEP ON THAT MANDAP IF YOU DIDN'T EVEN WANT TO IN FIRST PLACE?" Here it was...the wrath he was anticipating. "Errr I told you why already!" He said scratching the back of his head. "OH YES YOU DID! INFACT YOU SAID IT OUT LOUD...HOW YOUR DAMN HERO COMPLEX MADE YOU DO IT!" She started bawling her eyes out. "Look Annika...Please...don't cry!" He took a step closer cautiously.
Ann felt her knees weakening, as he gave her a hug, to pacify her. "Shivaay...You don't understand...I...I...lov..." Before she could complete, they heard a knock on the door
Ann wiped her tears, and opened the door, to find Daadi and Rudra standing outside. Shivaay sighed and rolled his eyes at Rudra. Rudra mouthed I am so sorry! To him. "Billu...Is it true what Rudra is telling me? Did you take Neils place on the mandap?" She asked him sternly.
"Daadi...I did what I had to at that moment...that doesn't mean..." Before he could say anything Daadi cut him off. "Doesn't mean what? That you didn't tie this mangal sutra around her neck? You didn't adorn her maang with this sindoor....whether you like it or not...Ann is your wife now!" Daadi declared. "Daadi...that's ridiculous...I don't...I mean even she doesn't! Tell her Annika....Daadi...She wants to get married to Neil, and go to England...I...I am getting married to Tia...that's the plan...this is NOT the plan!" He wiped off sweat forming on his forehead. Ann looked at him who was clearly, struggling, and stepped in between.
"Daadiji..." Ann addressed the matriarch who was giving Shivaay a glare only a disgruntled grandmother could give.
"Daadi." She corrected.
"Daadi...Shivaay is right...I didn't know I was getting married to him in first place...this marriage doesn't mean anything to me...as much as it means nothing to him!" She said looking down at her feet. Daadi sighed. "Putter...You two completed the sacred rituals...whether you knew it was him or not that is not the case...you two are bound to each other now...don't you understand?" She walked up to Shivaay and shook him.
"Daadi...It's just a necklace...and some colour on her forehead...here let me just wipe it off..." Shivaay took a step closer to wipe the sindoor off of her forehead and Annika dug her nails in to his arm.
"Ouch...what's wrong with you!" He complained in pain.
"What's wrong with YOU? It's my decision whether to wipe it off or NOT! You didn't give me a choice, when you decide to take matters to your own hand...least you could have done was to tell me...from now on you have no right over me...my life...my decisions do you hear me Mr.Shivaay Singh Oberoi?" She asserted. She pushed his hand away with a scowl, and Shivaay shot daggers at her, irritated.
"Even if I told you at that point what was going to happen? You would probably breakdown..." He retorted, examining his hand for damage.
"How on earth would you know that? I am not some damsel in distress you find in fairy tales!" Ann huffed and crossed her arms.
"Oh trust me you have been lately around Neil!"
"Neil who is not around anymore!"
"Yes..maybe the man couldn't bare your annoying irritating stubborn self and ran away in first place!" He crossed a line he shouldn't have.
"Ohh...no...I'll tell you why he ran away! So, SHIVAAY SINGH OBEROI...THE NARCISSIST with a HERO complex can steal his bride!"
"STEAL THE BRIDE? ME? YOU? HUH in your dreams!"
"NO....IN MY WORST NIGHTMARE!" She yelled.
Daadi, Gauri, and OmRu, stood mum while Shivaay and Ann threw fire balls at each other. As this tournament didn't seem to have a time out, "STOP IT! YOU TWO STOP IT!" Daadi finally interfered. "Already fighting like husband and wife and saying you don't accept this marriage! Billu...I'll give you a day...My Bahu...better be home by tomorrow! Children...Let's go home!" Daadi ordered. OmRu and Gauri, seeing Daadi, angry for the first time in a long time followed her without a word. Ann, angrily, pushed Shivaay, out of her room and closed the door on his face.
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"Didi? Please stop crying...please!" Gauri, pacified a distraught Ann, who couldn't get herself out of bed. The man she was suppose to marry, ran away, and the man she wanted to marry...was married to, was running away from it all. She didn't know what her next step should be. She felt, confused, angry, and most of all, she was disappointed. Gauri and Daadi had come back again to escort her back to Oberoi Mansion. The old matriarch was hell bent on taking her daughter in law back home. Daadi sat on the bed next to her, and wiped her tears.
"Putter...I am sorry...this happened ! I am really really sorry! I didn't think Billu will turn out to be such an idiot!"
"It's okay Daadi he is my best friend! He is not as bad as he pretends around, everyone...He probably didn't want me to get embaressed...be labelled as the girl whose groom ran away!" It didn't feel right letting him take all the blame for this predicament. After all, his intentions were to do good, she knew that.
"Putter I know the whole world thinks you are married to Neil....but WE know it was Shivaay and you are rightfully my daughter in law!"
"No Daadi...I...I know Shivaay...He doesn't accept this marriage..."
"So you don't accept this marriage either?"
"I...I" She mumbled.
"Why are you still wearing this mangal sutra and this sindoor then?" Daadi questioned her choices and Ann didn't have any reply. "Because marriage does mean something to you! You respect it! All I am asking is the two of you to respect that!"
"Daadi....Tia?" Ann's mind went back to the woman who was engaged to Shivaay Singh Oberoi. Who was planning her dream wedding.
"What's with Tia?" Daadi retorted. "Ann think for a moment...Billu who doesn't care about anyone but himself....He lied in a bed for two months after trying to save you! He leaps in, the moment Neil disappears to protect your honour! Do you really really think he wants to get married to Tia? I see the way he looks at you! He has that spark in his eyes, when he's with you! He laughs with you...fights with you....so freely...He is himself with YOU! Have you ever seen him doing any of that with Tia?" Daadi wiped away the last tear off of Ann's face. "Now no more excuses...you get ready, the carriage is waiting downstairs...I am taking you home that's it!" Daadi ordered.
Ann sighed and sat down in front of the mirror and looked at her reflection. Her eyes were red from all the crying she did last night. Whether she accepted it or not, she was Shivaay Singh Oberoi's wife. Daadi was right! Shivaay had been nothing but selfless with her. The selfish, Shivaay Singh Oberoi, had always put her first. This has to mean something...This must mean something...She plucked a rose from the decorative garland around the vanity table. She started picking one petal at a time, "He loves me...He loves me Not..."
With every petal she picked, she recalled, every moment, he made her feel loved. She recalled the first time he gulped down her disgusting tea as if it was some elixir....Him talking with Papa with utmost respect....Him giving blood at the hospital so she didn't have to...Making her dance, on his feet so she won't get mud on hers...The night he declared that he can't let her go...the crescent moon bracelet he made just for her...
"He loves me....HE LOVES ME! He's just being an egoistic idiot! HE LOVES ME! That's why he kept asking me, if I am certain that it was Neil I wanted to get married to...He must think, that I don't feel the same way! I just have to tell him how I feel!" She squealed and jumped up. She ran down, to the carriage Daadi and Gauri was waiting for her and hugged Daadi tight. "Thank You Daadi...Thank You!" She placed a kiss on the kind old matriarch, who pat her with nothing but love. "Hurry now...we must get to the Oberoi Mansion soon!" Daadi, instructed the driver.
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Ann jumped off the carriage and ran towards the study, she knew Shivaay, would be. She was about to dash in when she heard Mr.Mehra and Shivaay in conversation. She stopped her budding excitement, and decided to stay back until they finish. After all, she was going to lay down her heart in front of him, she better prepare herself. She closed her eyes, and took a deep breath in.
"Shivaay Singh Oberoi....I trusted you! Don't forget that YOU are a councilman thanks to me! It won't take much long for me to turn the tables around!" Mr. Mehra, thumped his fist on the table angrily.
"Mr.Mehra...I know this is NOT ideal! Ann is my friend, and I couldn't let her get humiliated! I am in the process of finding Neil! If I wanted I could have hidden this whole thing from you! I am telling you because I think I will need more than a month to get married to Tia! I need to find Neil, close this whole chapter first! This is why I need your patience!" Shivaay said.
"YOU MARRIED THAT HALF-CASTE TRIVEDI GIRL SHIVAAY! HOW DO YOU EXPECT ME TO BE PATIENT? Mr. Mehra bellowed in anger.
"FINE...I will divorce her legally if that's what you want! I don't think these rituals meant anything in the first place! She didn't even know who she was getting married to! Every damn person in this town thinks it was Neil! I don't know why you would want to publicise the matter any further? Is that wise?" Shivaay raised an eyebrow and Mr. Mehra seemed to calm down. He pulled a chair and sat down.
"FINE....I will give you a month...to find this Neil...Smeil...whoever, and ship this damn Trivedi girl off to England! I need your word, that you will ship her off, even if you find her run away groom or NOT! I heard your grandmother, and Tej is already accepting this marriage. This is a problem Shivaay...word will travel fast...and trust me if this brings any shame to my family I PROMISE YOU....I WILL MAKE YOUR LIFE A LIVING NIGHTMARE!" Mr. Mehra lit up his pipe.
"I will make this right...Tia is the one I will marry...I cannot even think to marry someone like Ann, and sabotage my career! Tia will be my wife! As for my family...just leave them to me Mr.Mehra...not a word will go beyond this four walls. I promise you!" Shivaay shook Mr.Mehra's hand.
Ann held on to her chest, unable to comprehend what she overheard. What was she even thinking? Just because he was being nice to her, she thought he was in love with her? How naive she was...Idiot...you are an idiot Ann. Tears started running down her face, and she ran back out, and bumped on to Daadi and Gauri who stopped her. "Putter...where are you running off to?" Daadi asked, worried. "I...I just need to be alone Daadi...He...He doesn't...Shivaay wants to get married to Tia...I..I think it's best if we leave it at that!" Ann wiped off her tears.
She didn't know what was worse, Daadi and Gauri mollycoddling her, or the fact that Shivaay's words pierced her heart wounding it bad. "Ann...you are going to stay here...until we come to a final decision...I will prepare the guest room for you...just change and get refreshed!" Tej, interfered, making her decision forever more harder. "I...I..just have to think about this Mr.Oberoi...Please give me sometime!" Ann wiped her tears, and reassured him. "I'll be back...I promise!" She said looking at a worried Gauri, as she walked out.
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Ann needed to think. On one end her heart was breaking into million pieces. Even before she confessed her love...she had been turned down. On the other hand, she had her family name to live up to. Shivaay had a point. Everyone thought she got married to Neil, so the best would be, that she goes to him. But to go to a man, who left her behind? She couldn't do that to herself, compromise to the extent of losing her self respect? NEVER!
"May I sit down?" She got startled as Shivaay appeared out of thin air. She was sitting alone by the bank of the lake. The place of solitude that was special to both of them. He was wearing a white kurta, unlike him, and she could swear he looked a bit older. She spot a grey hair on his stubble. She shrugged and let him sit next to her.
"Why do you always have to be the hero? Why did you do that?" She complained.
"Do what?" He asked, looking at her with his piercing emerald blue eyes.
"Marry me?" She asked, because now she knew for certain, he had no feelings of affection towards her. Nothing beyond friendship.
"I really didn't know what I was thinking!" He shrugged and smiled.
"I...I know you have to get married to Tia...and you don't believe that this marriage is real...but Daadi"
"What about Daadi?...She is adamant isn't she?" He said without a care in the world.
"Hmmmn she is.." She nodded, scanning her reflection in the water.
" So tell me...do you believe it to be real?" He leaned in closer making her heart skip a beat.
"Shivaay...does it matter what I want? You don't...the last thing I want is this to be a one sided love that never gets reciprocated....I'd rather die I think!" She blurted out.
"Ah...one sided love? Are you certain?" He placed his forehead on hers.
"What do you mean? I...I just heard..." She trembled, as he nuzzled her nose tip, and leaned in to kiss her. She closed her eyes tight, and the warmth around her disappeared. He had disappeared. She looked around deliriously. She was for sure going mad. Mad because of a man. She stood up and folded her cuffs.
She was NOT going to let a man ruin her life! She was better than this! Neil ran away FINE, good for him! Shivaay is running away FINE, good for him too! She was going to stand still and face this all. As much as she was in love with him, she hated him. Perhaps this was the best way to forget him! She was going to fight her way out of this vexing emotions that had taken her life over. She was going to write her own destiny.
She was already in touch with her maternal grandparents. She already had some savings. She could cover half of her ticket to England. Avantika Ma, who manipulated her emotionally all this time, can do whatever she wants with the house! She could care less! She will leave whatever she earns until her trip to England, to support her. She was going to take the Oberoi matriarchs offer to live in the Oberoi Mansion until she executes her escape plan.
This would protect her secret...Shivaay will make sure, that their marriage remained a secret...Whether Shivaay accepts their marriage or not, it didn't matter to her any more. She was going to leave him...this place...everything, and going to start her life in England, as she planned, but ALONE! For once she was going to be selfish, and look out for herself! She was NOT going to care about Shivaay...Gauri...Avantika Ma, Daadi....NO ONE but herself!
From now on it's just going to be ME...MYSELF...AND I...! I AM DONE LIVING FOR OTHERS!
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Pre- Write
"Wonder when would that be!? Both Didi...and Bhaiya...they are too much alike...sometimes I think this is a very bad idea..." Gauri worried.
" Just wait and watch putter...time heals everything..and I got something up my old sleeve too! Now listen!" Daadi gathered the family, for a secret convention.
What do you think will happen next? 🕵️♀️
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Written with love,
@decievedevil