"In the end, we stand united against ourselves."
There was a click of a door opening and it was enough to distract a drunken Nikhil momentarily. She watched with bated breath as he turned to stare towards the door, leaving her personal space and it gave her the chance to breathe and flee. She pushed him with all her might and he stumbled away from her.
Anya tried to rush towards the door but he caught hold of her wrist, gripping it tightly over the metal of her bracelet making it dug in her skin as she tried to jerk away his grip without slicing her own wrist. She succeeded in landing a well-aimed back kick at him and at the same moment she heard the distinct sound of something smashing.
Anya watched with wide eyes as Nikhil fell down on the ground in slow motion, leaving her wrist and holding his head. He fell and her eyes were still wide, adrenaline rushing in her ear. She still wanted to flee but stilled watching the trembling girl with puffy eyes. She stilled watching the girl with bleeding lips and shaking figure and just like that she forgot her plight as a phantom of promise kept on ringing in her ears. She walked towards the girl and gently took her face in her grasp. A gentle hiss of pain escaped her lips as she noticed the bluish skin on her head and the purplish bruise on her jaw.
"Omisha, who did this??" She asked her gently as a fire of vengeance burned brightly in her eyes.
"Leave it, Anya... You're bleeding" Omisha told her trying to grasp her bleeding wrist to get a better look at it.
"Omisha, answer me. Was it Savvy??" She asked her sister even though, she couldn't at all make herself believe that Savvy could do something like this but Nikhil's words still ringed in her ears.
"No, no...... he didn't Anya" Omisha reassured her, vehemently taking Savvy's side.
"What happened then?" Anya questioned her gently running her fingers through her bruises.
"Jhanvi Singh Oberoi" she spat out not giving her any more justification and neither did she ask for anything more as she gritted her teeth angrily
"Anya, you need to get out of there soon though," Omisha told her urgently and she was confused why did she want her to leave.
"But why??" She asked her, confused and sceptical.
"Jhanvi and Shakti are planning something, I don't know what it is but it won't end well for anyone. I sent jiju, Ira, Ansh, Ro and Savvy out. You need to leave too." Omisha all but begged Anya to leave but Anya was Anya, she has stopped running away a long ago and today even she has planned a little destruction of her own.
"Thank you, but we will face this together." She told her firmly, determination shining in her eyes.
"But Anya, she hates you." Omisha tried to make Anya see reason.
"She hates you too and let's face our demons together as sisters, now. After all, one for all and all for one isn't it." Anya told Omisha repeating, their father's line. They could feel the tension in the air and the stillness of a coming storm.
"As sisters" Omisha repeated with her eyes bright and shining with a crystalline liquid.
The Sisters tended their wounds, Omisha applying ointment on Anya's bleeding wounds and Anya gently applying ointment on Omisha's bleeding lips, along with concealer on her bruises. They sneaked away from the room, trapping an unconscious Nikhil inside and walked towards Omisha's room which was the closest, hiding from the view of the guests and changes their dresses. Omisha's lehenga had blood stains on it and Anya's dress was torn, all thanks to an idiot.
They changed and slipped into simple dresses and went to the main hall, in search of whatever disaster that was planned to happen at this party. Omisha and Anya walked side by side and were more than a little shocked watching a girl wearing knee-length lehenga and backless blouse dancing on the song Batiya bujhado. The atmosphere of the engagement ceremony was like a dance bar and they could clearly notice the horrified look on Omav's face as he whispered something frantically to Panchi.
Anya was more shocked watching the dancer's face and knew something was seriously wrong. Jasmine was dancing there, Jasmine and she knew trouble was near but before she could utter anything before she could warn Omisha, the blackout happened.
She panicked and tightened her grip on Omisha's hand as she felt something hard and metallic poking her back. She stiffened and light came back. She watched with horror-stricken eyes as every single member present in the hall were on gunpoint and she couldn't thank Omisha enough for sending the guys away.
The chaos that was about to unleash wasn't planned by her and is unpredictable, but the question is who is the mastermind of the chaos about to happen.
"Hello, everyone...I know, I know you must be feeling really terrified and confused right now, after all, it's not every day that you're on gunpoint but you can thank Mrs Jhanvi Oberoi for this." Jasmine's words chimed in the whole hall and Jhanvi Oberoi visibly paled, it was not part of the plan. Anya realized as her eyes scanned every face in the room, her fingers entwined with Omisha's in a vice-like grip as her eyes scanned for what this will lead to.
Will she die here with a sister she just reconnected and a family she can't still forgive?? Will she die here shot by Jhanvi's hired goons?? Is this how she is supposed to end?? At least, Viaan will be safe and sound. Ansh will live and they wouldn't have to face this blood bath. They didn't have to see the chaos and destruction being connected with the Oberoi's lead to. They will be alive and she'll be in peace knowing that fact.
"We were ordered to kill a very person you see, we were hired to kill a bird who is getting engaged today." She heard Jasmine inform everyone happily, sounding mad like villains in Bollywood generally sounds as she pointed the gun in her hand towards Panchi. Anya didn't know from where Anya got the gun?? Anya didn't know what will this lead to or when Jasmine will shoot Panchi?? But she knew she failed, she should have known Jhanvi will plan something like this snatching the girl Omav loves from him when he is so close getting her as his forever and she knows Omav loves Panchi by the way as soon as the gun was pointed in her direction he stood in front of her. The message clear even death will have to go by him first to reach her.
She prayed to every god to out there, begged them to let Omav and Panchi go unscathed. Jasmine's enmity is with her and not them. Please, don't make Jasmine shoot at them and cursed, herself for letting Panchi come here, cursed herself for not trying more to break this engagement, cursed herself for not actually going with Niks plan of running away with Panchi. She was a fool to think Jhanvi won't do anything like this to Panchi. She tried once, what was stopping her from doing that again. She is such a fool. She could see the panic clearly in Ishana ma's eyes and felt bad a thousand times more. Oh, you fool if you tried harder than she won't have to go through that, another mother wouldn't have to go through the pain of losing a child because of her.
And Jasmine as if the gods heard her prayer moved the gun away from Omav's direction and pointed it towards her direction and she smiled, smiled at the ridiculousness of the whole situation as she met Jasmine's eyes, a few days prior she was the one in control and now Jasmine is the one ruling here.
"Nice to see you again, Anya. So, the broken princess did manage to break through the walls surrounding the unwanted Princess's heart. Peculiar, very peculiar never thought I'll see this day." Jasmine taunted her the gun still aiming at her head, clean death it will be, right.
"You can start by shooting me, I won't mind." She replied back the smirk still tugging at the corners of her lips. She isn't afraid to die, she just doesn't want to leave Viaan, she doesn't want to leave Viaan alone to deal with all the mess and chaos they created. She doesn't want to die without hearing him or watching him. She doesn't want to die without telling him she loves him and she wants him to be happy and live even in her absence.
A smirk on her lips, tears in her eyes. She presented an image of a broken angel perfectly ignoring the protests of the eyes in front of her.
"So, brave the king's queen. The little girl has indeed grown but it's not your time, today. It's destruction of Oberoi's but not you little princess for you had a heart made of pure love." Jasmine told her words she didn't understand, what's with her calling her Queen and princess together?? What they're planning and why she pointed the gun at her if not meaning to finish her off.
The confusion may have displayed on her face as Jasmine laughed, laughed at her.
"You played no part in it for the story started before you were born. For the story started and continued but never thought we would ever have the same enemy, my butterfly" she heard an unmistakably familiar voice say as her heart literally stopped beating for sometimes. Her head snapped towards the tone of the voice and there she was her Aunt Lana, whom the whole world thinks dead. She didn't know whether to gape at her, hug her or beat her for making her go through the pain.
Aunt Lana, who looked just like ago. Stylish, sultry and sexy in her leather jacket and jeans with dark red lipstick gracing her lips.
"The story where I'm the hero and villain, where I promised to break this empire and bring it down brick by brick and today is the day, the day where I'll fulfil my promise and bring justice to my family. And thank you butterfly, you helped me a lot know the whole truth, you helped me a lot analyzing the whole situation and Jhanvi dear, thank you for the easy entry or we were still planning how to enter this house. How to break the security when you're not working as Tej's secretary and mistress." Svetlana was taunting everyone, she knew and so she kept mum, locking her feelings inside and watched how this show will unfold. What is the truth that they didn't know?? What is the truth that made Svetlana chase after them like a bloodhound??
"Shakti Ji, happy knowing that I'm still alive and well, after all, you made sure I'll be dead the way you planned it all but my dearest you're not the only king in the underworld, even Kal has to bow down and you anticipated it, didn't you. The show of enmity between brothers, the show of loving a certain someone all a facade as the brothers build their own love and empire didn't it. The good Shakti Singh Oberoi helping poor Svetlana seek justice for her family yet all Svetlana's plan that Shakti knew failed and failed miserably. Who poisoned Jhanvi's mind against her own children, Shakti Ji?? Who poisoned Pinky's heart against her own daughter in law and granddaughter, dear Tej?? I'm in awe the way you brothers work, making the world think you're enemies but killing each others enemies using this motto. I thought Shiv, Om, Ru were the ideal brothers but no you proved me wrong. Tej handles the image, Shakti handles the dirty works and they love no one but themselves, family is a weakness, love is a game, money is all. The motto isn't it, for money you destroyed lives, for money my family is still trapped inside the walls of this family and yes, I found out the truth. I'm not the fool you made me to be." Svetlana ranted and Anya couldn't help but think why didn't she end them at the first chance she is getting. What is the need to rant and tell them I know?? And in her heart, she prays, prays that for the first time in her entire life Police makes an entry at the right time.
"Shivaaye, you always thought why I wanted you dead, didn't you?? Om, I know you pondered why I hurt you and the answer is simple to hurt the man that fathered you but now, I know the man won't even blink if I killed you. They care for no one but themselves after all what kind of father can kill his own daughter and make his wife think his sons and nephew marrying her off killed her." Svetlana and Anya both knew she had Jhanvi's full attention with her words. The way Jhanvi, Shivaaye, Om and Pinky looked at her with wide eyes.
"Oops, I mean killed your two children...you don't know your Rudra is dead, do you?? You never wondered why he is avoiding staying at OM?? You never thought that maybe he is avoiding ShivOm so that they don't realize he isn't there Rudra. So, they don't realize he doesn't know about their Obro moment and all??" Svetlana laughed while saying so and Anya's stomach was full of dread as she looked at Ritisha whose eyes looked blank and dead. She really needed to concentrate on this case, damnit she should have known it ran deep after all no one could ever catch kal for the past 40 years.
"Rudra...Rudra...dead" Jhanvi stammered not realizing she was shaking badly.
"Yes, well let me describe how they died to you...." Aunt Lana spoke gleefully and Anya wanted to scream please don't, they won't be able to bear it. Please, leave the details its not for them.
"The man Priyanka married, Vikrant was the don of Goa. The sole king of all the drug and real estate business in India and Shakti's real close friend and protegee. You can say he raised him to be the king of that area. He gifted Goa to Vikram and to make their bond seem stronger and make sure Vikram never betrays them for the crown of underworld. Tej gifted him her daughter, he made everyone realize Vikram was the best one for Priyanka but the didn't count love to be a part of the plan. Priyanka didn't know about Vikram's real work but her love Ranveer who was after he knew and love had a strange way of putting death to shame. Priyanka gave all his info to Ranveer and Ranveer chasing Vikram reached Shakti uncovering the always unknown ruler of the betting, fixing and sex rackets. As Ranveer was unaware of Tej also being the joint king of the world he got caught and Priyanka was shown on the call how her love got killed then Shakti put two options in front of her kill herself silently or watch as they killed her son and niece and stay alive and mute. For no one should know about their identities and Priyanka killed herself protecting her child as any mother will do. I don't know what happened to the child but looks like dear Anya have a peculiar relationship with him, did you know dear Shakti she and him accomplished what I failed to do. They put together your and Tej's connection and solved the murder mystery of Priyanka and Rudra. Tej never thought Rudra will come to meet Priyanka that night, no even Shakti was shocked watching Rudra staring at them as they were trying to make Priyanka's dead body disappear and Rudra disappeared with his sister. For them, the underworld business always came at top even before their family and children." Svetlana started laughing and Jhanvi Oberoi wailed as a furious Tej and Shakti looked at them. And she prayed with all her heart that the police will come on time or the situation will end like nothing ever. Aunt Lana seems to have lost her mental balance whatever happened to her family must be very bad and so did Jhanvi Oberoi the way she wailed looking at her and Omisha, was unnerving her and Aunt Lana wasn't done yet.
"Wanna know where they make Prinku and Rudra disappear, that no matter how hard the great SSO tried he couldn't ever find Priyanka. Why Rudra never stayed here more than a day?? Well, the answer is simple Vikram is your new Rudra and an underworld don has various things to care for and so Rudra's sudden interest in business. You know plastic surgery does wonders if you know the right man and have enough money and as for their dead bodies." Aunt Lana motioned towards some bulky men and they hammered at the wall, the wall in the living room where a giant family photo of their family was hung. The wall broke and four skeletons fell from there, four out of which two they knew Rudra and Priyanka were always home. Anya thought shuddering at the image it created in her mind, but who were the remaining two.
"Oh, that's Ranveer and who is the last one Tej, dear??" Aunt Lana asked a visibly gritting Tej Singh Oberoi with a grin.
"Don't be shy, Tej I'll answer if family member get to know about their secrets they were trapped in the walls forever and that's Sahil. So, you know Anika." Svetlana informed Anika and Anya closed her eyes in distress Omisha's words about her mother's mental health ringing in her mind and she begged God to make aunt Lana stop. No, more terrible revelations please, they won't able to bear it.
"Now, what do you think Jhanvi?? Were you right doing what you did with the kids??" Svetlana taunted a sobbing Jhanvi and Shakti Singh Oberoi finally found his voice.
"I know even if I killed you now, you won't suffer you'll feel free. So, why not finish off the only person you ever loved truly. Why not finish her so the pain we feel will be the same. I know our empire will fall and the pain we will feel. You should too, right." stating so he fetched a gun from god knows where inside his dress and pointed it directly at Anya.
Two gunshots ringed in the air as with closed eyes and bated breath Anya waited for the pain and a piercing scream ringed in the air.
~To be continued~