"So you mean to say Princess Anamika own everything but she ranaway because she didn't want the royalty and you guys aren't able to locate her from the last eight years?" asked Shivaay feeling ridiculous about all these things.
"Yes, we can't even reveal about her missing because then our enemies would use her against us. I still can't believe Annie acted so irresponsible and selfish to leave everyone suffer." said Aditya while Gauri interrupted him angrily.
"She wasn't selfish okay. She wasn't irresponsible. You just imposed everything on her. She wasn't able to live the way she wanted and above all even the decision of her husband wasn't in her hand. Who will wish for such royalty?" A tear escaped Gauri's eyes as she left to her room. Om for the first time felt bad for her. Not that he would admit it in front of her.
"What did she meant with not having the right to chose her husband?" asked Jhanvi to which Advaith replied "because since everything belongs to her and the power would then go in the hands of her husband. Princess Anamika's husband had to be selected through a process where every prospective groom is to be judged by a group of our councilors and advicers. The boy have to proof his ability and trustworthiness before grabbing this position."
"Is it some kind of election or job come-on which girl will like this. Every girl have a right to chose their future husband." said Somya who by now clearly sympathize with the Princess. "I agree but we can't help it. This is how it goes. If our father wouldn't have been partial naming everything in her name this wouldn't have happened." said Advaith with face that clearly showed how much he dislikes this.
"What if she is married by now?" asked Rudra to which Advaith replied "Then we don't have any option except to accept the man. Anyway we are now quite close to her. All these years she made us feel that she left the country because her passport was the only thing she took with her but now we know she is India only. Our officials have confirmed that."
A moment of silence passed as everyone grasped this. "So what you guys have decided?" asked Aditya and Shivaay turned to Priyanka "If our Prinku still want to continue with this relationship we are okay. She don't need any heritage. Her three brothers can lay down their life for her." said Shivaay as he looked at Priyanka affectionately.
Aayushman waited expectantly for his barbie to accept the relationship as his heart was thumping quite loud when Priyanka meekly nodded in a yes. Happiness once again filled the room. "Let's get done with the Roka tomorrow then?" proposed Maya.
"Can you guys stay for one more day so that Annika can also attend the Roka? She will be here day after tomorrow." asked Shivaay to which Tej added as well "Yes she is family without her function would be incomplete."
"Sure this way even we will be able to meet Annika who have this control on the Oberois!" replied Aditya smiling as Advaith went to make the arrangements.
"Bhaiya don't tell Annika bhabhi about it okay we will give her surprise." said Rudra excited and Shivaay nodded in a yes before moving toward his room to call Annika as he wasn't able to receive her call moment ago all because of that Princess Anamika!
He wanted to share it with Annika but got quite busy in a fight over 'Who miss other the more?' which went for nearly three hours with various facts and figures from both the sides. The call ended as Dadi pulled Shivaay's ears for not listening to her as she was calling him from last one hour.
The next day went in the preparation of Roka. Shivaay's phone was confiscated by Dadi so that he actually help them instead of roaming around chatting with Annika. Whole day Shivaay sulked like anything.
It was the day of Annika's arrival and Shivaay was ready from morning itself to go and receive her. Only he knew how much he had suffered since Dadi didn't even let him video call her last night! While everyone were busy in arrangements Shivaay was looking at his watch waiting for it to click 10 because he had to pick Annika at 10:30 and including the fifteen minutes route and traffic he would reach by 10:30.
Om and Rudra didn't left any chance to tease Shivaay but the only answer they get for all the teasings is that Annika is his Girlfriend!
At 10 he went to receive Annika but in his excitement he reached there 10 minutes before the time being and have to wait in the car. As Annika came he engulfed her in a hug to which she reciprocted "I missed you." said Shivaay as he kissed her forehead, a long lingering kiss while Annika held to his collar tightly clearly showing how much she missed him in her own way.
They reached Oberoi Mansion talking about Sahil's upcoming exams. As Shivaay parked the car Annika's face went pale seeing the cars with royal emblem "Billujii the Rathore are still here?" she ask in a whisper and Shivaay looked confused before replying "Yes, actually Priyanka and Aayushman have approved each other and The Rathores have stayed for one more day to do the Roka so that you can be a part of it as well. I wanted to tell you but Rudra and Dadi didn't let me. Now come we are getting late."
"Bilujii you go I.. I.. don't think I can attend it." stammered Annika to which Shivaay cupped her face "You okay right?" Annika led out a sigh before holding Shivaay's palms "There is something that I need to tell..... "her words were interrupted by Shivaay's cell phone showing dadi.
"Look Annika we are getting late let's go we will talk later." said Shivaay but Annika didn't move. "Girl!" and an annoyed Shivaay picked her up in his arms, Annika led out a gasp. "Leave me billujii what are you doing?" screamed Annika while Shivaay royally ignored her and moved inside the Oberoi Mansion. "What kind of behavior is this? " yelled Annika but all Shivaay did was glare her "I am holding my girlfriend any problem?"
"Anamika!"
Shivaay and Annika stopped listening to Prince Aditya as all the Rathores looked at them with wide eyes while the Oberois were confused. Shivaay looked behind still holding Annika to see whom they are referring to but didn't find anyone. Annika wiggled in his arms so he kept her down.
Immediately Gauri came hugged her "I missed you dii. How are you? Where were you?" Annika didn't reciprocate the hug and slowly whispered "I am sorry Princess Gauri I don't know you. I think you are mistaken."
"You don't know us Anamika?" yelled Aditya walking toward her, anger clearly visible in his eyes. Shivaay had a blank expression all the while. "I guess you are mistaken Prince Aditya she is our Annika, Shivaay's girlfriend. She is not Anamika." said Shakti.
"She is Anamika only, Annika is Princess Anamika's pet name. Stop lying Annika." scolded Advaith as he marched toward her. "I don't know you guys!" Annika said meekly looking down.
In a moment she was pulled by Shivaay who held her shoulder tightly "Annika look into my eyes and say they all are lying and you are not Anamika. I promise I myself will cut all cords with them." Annika couldn't match his eyes and looked down with which Shivaay jerked her apart "You are lying right? You are too bad at acting Annika, you recognized Princess Gauri even before anyone introduced her to you." he said sarcastically laughing while ears brimmed in her eyes.
"Prince Aditya give us a moment." said Shivaay and dragged Annika with him in the study as the Oberoi family followed them. It was too hard for everyone to digest that the Annika they have known for nearly an year happen to be The future Rathore Queen!
"Go ahead!" ordered Shivaay as he left her hand and turned back looking outside the window. Everyone in Oberoi Family looked at Annika who was silently crying while Pinki walked to her and cupped her face wiping her tears "Don't cry beta just tells why you hid everythings? "
Annuls smiled a bit and than as her hiccups subsided she began "I am sorry. I am sorry billujii but I couldn't help it. I want scared, I dreamt a future with you. I was scared my past with spoil everything!"
Shivaay still didn't look at her. He was too hurt with the fact that she hid her identity from him. She didn't trust him enough to share that phase of her life. No matter what was the reason he wished for trust and loyalty from her and she broke that too!
"My brothers doesn't have the bond like you guys have. You know that's why I really admired the three of you and your love for Prinku. My brothers do love each other and me but power and property always come in between them. My mom Avantika Rathore died giving birth to me My dad Anant Rathore loved all of us equally but from childhood only he was scared of the passion and desire for power in my brothers which had been the cause of many rifts. For me life was all about living to fullest. Even being born as a princess I never had any traits of one. I only wished to see a bond in my brothers, the one you guys have but it never happened. My dad was scared that my brothers will drift apart if any one of them held the power. His fears were proved right when Aditya bhai and Advaith bhai had a serious fight because Aditya bhai cancelled Advaith bhai's bills. It came to a point that both wanted the division of their powers and heritage. Dad was suffering from cancer..."Annika choked on her words and it took everything in Shivaay not to come and hold her in his arms.
"He made a will that everything of Rathores belongs to me, the power and property because he knew if the property can separate my brothers it can keep them together as well. He didn't gave me power to transfer the property because he knew I'll do it in the first call of my brothers. My property can only be held in future by my husband while still the superior right will be mine. He left us when I was 13. Just like he wanted my brothers never fought anymore because they knew it was useless. But in all this he caged my life. He caged me in a golden prison. Before Dad's demise I lived the way I wanted, I was never forced to behave or learn the life of a princess but after that although the power of property was with me but all my personal life decisions were taken by my brothers. I was caged in that palace because according to them someone can misuse me. I was forced to learn what was not my interest. It was not that they behave badly with me it's just they never understood their annie, for them I turned out to be the future queen Anamika Rathore who need to be perfect. Perfection is not me, I can never be perfect. I can never learn politics and buisness, that's not my section. I still tried and tried my best. No friends were allowed for me because according to them I was so naive to be betrayed. My only support was Gauri, my cousin sister yet more closer than my real brothers. Life was suffocating me and it went out of my control when at the age of 17 I heard them discussing about some prospective grooms as I was turning 18. My future husband would have been chosen by a group of advisors. Means I don't have any say in when I want to get married and with whom!"
"I knew I can't go against my brothers. I can't take any harsh decision against them even though I have power because from their point of view they were doing right for the Rathores but they never thought of their sister. My patience gave up and I ranaway leaving everything behind. I remember I hid in a truck that brought me here in Mumbai. I didn't have any place to go. Just some money that I had in my hand. I had brought my passport but I burned it up so that no one get to know about me. That's when I met with an accident where Sahil's parents, my foster parents saved me. I suffered from Retrogade Amnesia and they adopted me. I didn't remembered much they just knew my pet name because that's what I told them before turning unconscious. It took me three years to get back my complete memory. I never intended to runaway forever, it was an impulsive act I pulled out in the heat of the moment but with loss of memory and the love I got from Sahil's parents I stayed back. When my foster parents died in an accident, I had the responsibility of Sahil. I had to pay them for the love they gave me so I decided I will never look back in my life and with that Anamaika Rathore was no more and Just Annika came into existence!"