"How did you know that I would be here?" asked Shivaay still looking out of the window.
Anika smiled lightly. "Khanna had called to tell me that you have driven off to some place without security. I just....knew that you would be home". Anika answered. When she had got a panicked Khanna's call her heart could just come up with one place where Shivaay would be. Home. She did not know what made her follow her heart and rush straight home but she was glad that she followed her intuition.
"Kya hua?". Asked Anika.
Shivaay tensed at the question. He did not want to open that topic again so he casually shrugged and replied" kuch bhi nahi hua.". Though Shivaay was still looking out of the window and she could not see his face properly Anika could sense that something was definitely wrong. Something major which made Shivaay Singh Oberoi leave office at the middle of the day and drive home.
Getting out of his hold, Anika turned to face him and crossed her arms.
"You really think Shivaay that I will buy your 'kuch bhi nahi hua' statement now? Come on Shivaay I know you a little too well to buy that." Shivaay mentally cursed himself for not being able to hide anything from Anika. Realizing that she was adamant to know the truth he started.
"Bas Mumbai ka naam sunke purani yaade waapas aayi.Uss din ki yaad aayi.."
"Hum jaante the ki tere liye business important hai, but tu iss had tak gir sakta hai yeh maine sapne mein bhi nahi socha tha"
"yakeen nahi hota ki tu humara bhai hai"
"Aaj tak jis insaan ko bhai kehne mein garv mehsoos kartha tha,aaj usse bhai bulane mein bhi sharam aa rha hai"
Shivaay's eyes started filling up. Anika moved closer to Shivaay and held his fore arms.
"I can't face their hatred anni, I can never forget those words, those accusing eyes ... everything is still fresh in my mind. It feels like these seven years never happened and I am still in the Oberoi mansion lounge listening to those words.I...I cannot go back to Mumbai . That day gave me a lifetime's hurt. I cannot face it again. If it happens again I won't be able to cope up with it, it will break me. "Shivaay leaned his head on to her shoulder and whispered the last part. Strangely standing there with Anika close by seemed to work like magic. The feeling of loss,despair and pain which was there in his heart suddenly vanished. It was replaced by something magical, something indescribable. He felt like he was safe and no force would harm him as long as Anika was by his side.
Anika straightened up Shivaay and cupped his cheeks with her hands.
"Shivaay till when will you keep running from your fears and nightmares. Face them Shivaay or they will continue to haunt you for the rest of your life. You have ran away from Mumbai for long now its time to go back and set things right. Who knows maybe they all have realized the truth that you are innocent."
"And on top of it its Ayka group's first venture into the Indian market. If you are not present at the flagoff event the media will have a field day at your cost."
She tried putting logic into Shivaay's mind so that he would go to Mumbai and face his fears.
She saw that Shivaay was staring blankly at her as if in deep thought. She reached forward and held his hand and squeezed it a little. This bought Shivaay out of his reverie and he continued in a lost tone.
"Pata hai, sometimes I wonder how things would have been if that day hadn't happened. What would have happened if they believed me rather than those false documents and proofs? Did they not know their brother? Why?"
"Nahi, Shivaay it is not about trust. They trusted you. But Shivaay everyone has weaknesses. Koi perfect nahi hota hai. So even OmRu had weaknesses. Om's weakness was his obsession with truth. He has always said that if he had to choose between his family and truth, he would always stand by the truth. And on that day all the proofs were against you. The truth was on the other side. So felt it was his duty to support truth and make it win. Usse yeh pata nahi tha ki kabhi kabhi jhoot sach ka poshaak pehen leta hai aur hum usse pehechaan nahi paate hai. And Rudra was in a dilemma. For him, you both have always been one team. You both together sheltered him from all the darkness and protected him. Infact you even told me that you both did not even argue in front of him. Then suddenly one day you both are in the opposite team. If he supported either you or om, he would be standing against the other. Whoever wins or loses, rudra would lose one of his brothers in that fight. So he kept quiet,not knowing what to do. "
"Will the truth ever come out Anni? Will they ever know that their brother had not committed such a crime?"
"Sach ek aisi cheez hai Shivaay, jisse chupaya jaa sakta hai par kabhi mitaya nahi jaa sakta. Wo kabhi na kabhi bahar aa hi jaati hai. Also the bond between three of you was never so weak that a small storm can break it. Infact your bond is such that it can bend but it can never break."
Shivaay looked at his wife in awe. She was the most sensible and straight forward person he had encountered so far. He had always wanted a life partner who could understand his brothers and the bond between them. Anika not only understood the Obro bond but also knew that they are like the three parts of the same story. Totally hollow and incomplete without the others. She was the only person who had seen the emotional and vulnerable Shivaay, he had kept hidden behind the hard exterior of Shivaay Singh Oberoi all these years. Thanking destiny for giving him such a priceless treasure, he engulfed Anika in a tight hug . Anika also circled her arms around Shivaay and hugged him back.
He stroked her hair and whispered near her ear lobe "thank you"*for everything*added him in his mind.
Getting out of the hug and composing themselves.
"Did you forget our rule,ha. No thank you or sorry between a husband and wife",said Anika wanting to change the topic of their conversation.
Knowing what she was trying to do, Shivaay played along.
"OK wifey,but I have to admit one thing. You have become more sensible than before."
"Huh"Anika waved her hand dramatically in a typical Anika style. Tossing her fringes, she continued."samajdaar toh main hamesha se thi. Ismein kaunsi nayi baat hai?"
Suddenly she stopped her rant and glared at Shivaay with her hands on her hips. Shivaay was surprised to see the sudden change in her stance and wondered what did he do now, that she glared at him so ferociously.
"1 minute Shivaay ,did just say that I was dumb earlier?"Anika asked in an angry tone. Shivaay was amused to hear her question. He tried hard to control his laughter but failed and burst into peals of laughter.
As Anika watched Shivaay laugh his heart out, she felt a certain joy. Though she had seen Shivaay laughing many times in the last 7 years but every time it felt so special. His joy and happiness was so infectious that Anika couldn't stop a smile that crept on to her lips. If years ago someone would have her that one day she will marry Shivaay Singh Oberoi, fall in love with him, complete her education and will open her own business she would have thought that person was mad and would have taken him to her mohalle wala ram dulari Vaidya to get him treated. But today as she stood there she felt contended. She had a family which she craved since childhood. She was the no1 of someone's life.
Her thoughts and Shivaay's laughter were interrupted by a rumbling sound. Shivaay stopped laughing and look at Anika with a questioning look.
Knowing exactly what Shivaay wanted to ask Anika replied.
"Today was really a hectic day. I did not get time to have lunch."
"Chalo, lets get you something to eat." Shivaay held her hand and led her downstairs to the kitchen.
But as they were passing the main hall, they saw Khanna standing near the entrance discussing something with a little girl of about 6.They were so engrossed in their hushed conversation that they did not notice the new entrants to the hall. The girl was dressed in cute denim shorts and a pink t shirt. Her long black wavy hair which reached till her waist were tied in a high pony. Seeing that the two of them were not aware of their presence Shivaay and Anika called out simultaneously,
"Niharika!!!"
This call made the girl turn around to face Shivaay and Anika revealing her blue green eyes strikingly similar to her father's kanji aankhein.
"Papa, Mamma".
As Khanna and the girl turned, their faces sported a look as if the they have been caught stealing something. Niharika trying to hide something behind her back.
"Naira, what are you hiding?, Show me"
Niharika hesitantly sidestepped revealing a cardboard box with an open lid. Shivaay and Anika looked confusingly at each other. They walked forward to see the contents of the box and were shocked to see a cute white puppy with a black patch near his left eye.
"Niku , what is this? Why have you bought this puppy home?"Shivaay asked.
"You know papa, we found this puppy near the school gates when Khanna uncle had come to pick me up. Someone had abandoned the puppy there."
Glancing at Khanna, she continued,"Khanna uncle wanted to take the puppy home. but maine unse kaha bhi ki Khanna uncle, Khanna uncle rehne dete hai na. Ghar pe already 3 doggies, 4 cats and 2 aquariums hai. Agar hum isse bhi ghar le gaye tho, mummy papa gussa karenge. Par Khanna uncle maane nahi aur zid pakad ke baith gaye. Toh phir muche bhi manna pada."she finished narrating her story.Khanna was listening to Niharika's story with surprise evident on his face.
"Khanna is this true?"asked Anika suspiciously noticing his expressions.
"Haan, maam Niharika betu bilkul sahi keh rahi hai,bas yeh sab usne mujhse nahi balki maine unse kaha tha"said Khanna in a low voice. He did not want to lie to his Shivaay sir and Anika maam. Turning to Niharika he mouthed a sorry.
Realizing that her game was over, Niharika shifted her tactics. She always had a plan B. She made her cute puppy face and started"mumma aapne hi toh sikhaaya, that we should help others. This puppy must have hungry and cold for so long. I just couldn't leave it there, could I?"she asked, a little too innocently.
Shivaay knew his daughter very well. She was a cute little girl with a golden heart. She treated everyone with respect and could connect easily to every living thing's pain. Biggest proof of his daughter's good nature was the ever growing number of pets in their mansion. All said and done but she was his daughter too, so she knew how to get her way along when desperate times arose. She knew very well that her mother could not say 'no' to the cute puppy face that she makes. But what she didn't know was that even her father makes the cute puppy face when he had to convince her mother.
As soon as Anika saw her daughter's puppy face, she knew that she wouldn't be able to resist even if she wanted to. Her expression was just like Shivaay's when he tries to make her agree to something. Like father like daughter. Thought Anika
"Niku, give this puppy to Ratchel", said Anika in a firm tone.
Niharika obeyed her mother and silently stepped aside so that Ratchel could lift the puppy up.
"Ratchel,please dry him up and get the vet to check on him please?"
"Ok maam"
"Does that mean we are keeping the puppy, mamma?"
"Yeah sort of" replied Anika. Niharika face lit up like a bulb. She excitedly hugged her parents and thanked them.
"Go upstairs, freshen up and then come down ok" said Shivaay while taking her school bag off.
She excitedly ran to the stairs . Stopping near the base of the stairs she turned to Khanna.
"Khanna uncle, aap iss puppy ke liye ek accha sa naam sochna. Main bhi soochoongi.theek hai?"
Khanna replied in an equally excited voice."Done". Shivika looked at Khanna disbelievingly.
"haan haan Khanna agar puppy ka naam soch liya ho toh thoda security bhi check karlo",shivvay said in a playful tone.Khanna smiled sheepishly and strode out of the room.
Realizing that Anika was hungry, Shivaay led her to the kitchen and cooked up a meal for her. They were later joined by Niharika who chattering on and on about her day at school.
Lots of laughter and stories later**********************************************************
Shivaay lay in their bed with his daughter lying on top of him and Anika sleeping on the other side cuddling up to him.
"Cinderella and the prince got married soon and the whole kingdom rejoiced. They lived happily ever after. Thus was the story of Cinderella and her prince charming"
"Nice story haina? Did you like it?" getting no response from her he lifted his head up carefully, to not disturb Anika to find to his daughter sleeping peacefully clutching on to his shirt.
He laid back with a smile on his face. She looks cute while she sleeps. She looks cute even when she pouts and then when she makes that puppy face and... ok Shivaay she always looks cute.
When he had fallen in love with Anika he had known with great surety that she would be his first and last love. But he had been wrong, when he took his daughter in his arms for the first time, he fell in love with the tiny baby. When she opened her eyes revealing blue green eyes strikingly similar to his own, he fell in love with her eyes. His own eye color never looked that beautiful as it looked in his daughter's eyes. At that very moment, he vowed to be the best dad to his daughter. She was his princess who made him realize that what being a dad actually meant. He then turned his head to his wife,who slept peacefully. She had become the Anika, the corporate shark, owner of one of the world's best brands for the world but had preserved the young girl inside her who loved pompoms and used weird words. Just that she never showed her crazy side to the outside world. She was a diamond that he felt he did not deserve. If fate had snatched something from him, it gave him something in return as well. As twisted as was destiny his love story had started off at the middle of a road in heavy rain. When he was lost in the darkness, it was she who held his hands and guided him back to the light.
If years ago someone had told Shivaay that he would be happily married and deeply in love with a girl who did not know her surname and did not have NKK, that he would have a lovely daughter, to whom he will read happily ever after bed time stories, he would have showed that person tadi and would have personally gotten him admitted to a mental hospital. And now not only that all this had happened, he would give up on anything to keep his family safe.
Time is indeed powerful. Just look at the way it changed his life thought Shivaay. Gently kissing both Anika and his princess good night, he slept peacefully as he held his world in his arms.
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sorry guys for being late. clumsy me had sprained my right wrist so typing with one hand that too the left hand took a lot of time. next time i will try to update earlier.
PS: Niharika is just a random name i picked up because i was bored with the usual names like shivika ,ansh etc. if you guys want me to change her name please do inform.
Guys next which Obro? Rudra or Omkara. Let me know
Keep voting and keep commenting :)
Thanks to all those who voted on the previous part. Special thanks to those who took out time to leave their comments. <3