"Ishqbaazi ho toh takkar ki," his Daadi would always be heard quoting, and they certainly had lived up to that statement of hers. From being Tadibaaz to being Ishqbaaz, they had come a long way...a very long that too. A dreamy smile adorned his face as her thoughts clouded his mind, and his heart fluttered with utmost happiness. With a dreamy sigh, he shut down his MacBook, and putting it aside, reminisced the journey of their love.

From breaking each other's stuff to taking bullets for the other, their journey indeed was weird yet a beautiful one. He still remembered how almost a year ago, she had broken the windshield of his car and slapped the bundle of cash on his face in the very same way as he had. That marked the beginning of THEM, and what followed was a string of beautiful clashes between these two level-headed souls...both fiercely independent and equally hot-tempered.
They had clashed like none other; and the funniest part was when she ended up being his sister - Priyanka's best friend and his wedding planner. Both raged war against each other, with fire and water, playing a catalyst between the duo. Breaking windshields, throwing water at each other, making stupid and false accusations about one another, and yet being there for each other had somehow become a routine for them.

Ah, how had she managed to tame the high and mighty Shivaay Singh Oberoi, and gave it back to him with equal ferocity! And why would she not? She was Annika Shivaay Singh Oberoi, after all! She broke his ego and the walls that he had built around himself, through which no one ever bothered to see, except for his lifelines - his brothers. These two were made for each other.

He first loathed her and treated her like roadside dirt, for she had no Naam, Khoon, Khaandan, and was an orphan. But Annika wasn't the one to be easily broken; she walked around him with her head held high, and that was the thing about her which intrigued Shivaay the most, and he began feeling attracted to his wedding planner - Annika. But, but, but...when it came to love and all that stuff, his mind would always take a backseat and hence decided to proceed with his wedding with Tia; not because he loved her, but because she was a girl of class and lineage; thus hurting Annika and himself in the process. Guilt swept through his entire being as he recalled how he had forced her into marrying him, with Tia ditching him at the altar at the last minute, and Daksh, Shivaay's so-called friend, maligning Annika's name in front of Shivaay, calling her a gold-digger, to how hurt Annika had been when he claimed Tia, who had come back, lying that she'd been kidnapped, to be Mrs Shivaay Singh Oberoi in front of the world.

Indebtedness and gratitude is what Shivaay felt towards her as time,  and again, Annika had saved Shivaay's and his family's grace and protected them against all the evil. She had even lied to OmRu about Shivaay asking her politely to sit in Tia's place for the wedding; while he was anything but polite, using her brother Sahil as bait to threaten Annika. When his brothers were ashamed of his deeds, it was Annika who had caused them to reconcile with Shivaay; it was Annika who had borne the brunt of his mother, Pinky', accusations of her marrying Shivaay for his wealth (all because of Daksh).

Goosebumps rose at the back of his neck as he remembered how he had almost lost her when Daksh had kidnapped her; thus revealing his psychotic nature and out came his lies about Annika, and Shivaay felt ashamed; for misunderstanding her by trusting Daksh. She was on the verge of losing her life, but it was Shivaay's heartbeats that had brought hers back. And the Stone Singh Oberoi that Shivaay had been till then, bent in front of Annika, going to lengths to earn her forgiveness; and being the soft and kind-hearted person that she was, Annika forgave him. That day marked the beginning of their relationship in the real sense.
But, with Tia and her evil intention back in their lives, both of them were still in doubt about what they were. Tia's lie about being pregnant with Shivaay's baby...their relationship saw nothing but furthermore confusion. But, unlike Shivaay, Annika had full faith in her husband and like always, thrived on proving his innocence.
Their story took a tumultuous turn when Shivaay took the bullet meant for Annika, and Pinky showed Annika out, blaming her for Shivaay's condition. However, Annika's attempt to stay away from the man she had come to love went out of the window as that man himself searched for her, even in his weak state. The younger Oberoi's doubt about Tia and Mrs Kapoor (Tia's mother) was increased after the news of RuMya's (secret) marriage was leaked, and thus a dramatic plan against the Kapoors was staged; with Annika's fake memory loss and Shivaay and Tia's fake marriage.
Amidst all the drama, ShivIka got even closer to each other, with each passing day. The last stage of their plan was executed, and Annika managed to bring back Dushyant (Tia's husband and the father of her child, whom she had presumed dead because of Mom); and finally, the Kapoor's lies were revealed.
Slowly even Pinky had started to mellow down on Annika, as Annika had time and again save their family from their enemies and rivals.

However, their happiness was short-lived as entered Kamini; one more person to exact revenge from the Oberois for no good reason. And acting as Shivaay's knight in shining armour like always, Annika had not only managed to rescue Shivaay; who had been kidnapped by Kamini; but also saved him from being shot at; getting herself hurt in the process.
From that day onward, Pinky not only cared for Annika but also respected her and accepted her wholeheartedly into the Oberoi family; not because Annika had saved Shivaay's life, but because she realized that Annika was the only one for Shivaay and had also seen the glint of happiness in her son's eyes whenever he was with his wife. A mother's happiness lies in that of her child's, and so did Pinky's.

His smile widened, remembering how his Paanika had not only won over the hearts of everyone in the family, including Tej, but she had also reunited his...oops, their...Badi Maa and Bade Papa (Tej and Janhvi). Not only that, but she had helped OmRu win over the girls they loved - Gauri and Soumya, respectively, who had the same bumpy rides of marriage as Annika, and he did. And now because of her, RiKara and RuMya were going to get married again.
But little did she know that she was too...

He had realized that he was in love with her; with every single thing about her...her eyes, her weird lingo, her being equal to him, her blush...everything seemed appealing to him.
"Whoa...", he said to himself as he glanced at his wrist-watch and realized that it had been a long time since he had slipped into his trance; and she might be coming back anytime soon from her shopping-outing with Gauri and Soumya; as pre-planned by the rest so that they could prep-up for the surprise their beloved Annika Bhabhi. And before that, he needed to cross-check things and get ready for surprising his Lady-love.
Having a quick check over the arrangements, Shivaay then proceeded to have a quick shower and get ready. Done in twenty minutes with the shower, Shivaay walked out of the bathroom, straight into their walk-in closet. After literally pulling out most of the apparel he had (that were plenty in number), he finally settled on a black shirt with royal blue jeans and a blazer; that brought out the colour of his satrangi kaanji aankhein (as Annika always put it).
Oh well, she dwelled in each and every single thought of his. He certainly was whipped, but hey, he wasn't complaining at all!
Getting ready, Shivaay put on his wristwatch and left his hair messy, for he knew that Annika loved that on him. There...she made an appearance in his thoughts AGAIN. Spraying his favourite perfume and throwing himself a satisfactory glance in the mirror, Shivaay walked over to the pool outside their bedroom, where all the arrangements had been made. Out of all the places in the entire Mansion, he chose the pool to execute his plan, as the spot had been an integral part of their love story.
"Beautiful!" Shivaay said to himself on seeing the whole setup. The entire area had been illuminated with scented candles placed around and fairy lights hanging across the white curtains, giving it a dreamy look. A table for two had been set, with a thin vase holding a small bouquet of roses, was placed in the centre. It was perfect, and Shivaay Singh Oberoi settled for nothing less.

"Bade Bhaiyya, we have left the shopping mall. We are getting Bhabhi home. All the best!", Gauri informed Shivaay over the phone and hung up immediately, before Annika could notice.

And just like that, Shivaay Singh Oberoi's nervousness kicked in. That was laughable indeed; because THE SHIVAAY SINGH OBEROI, who never got nervous in front of any foreign delegates too, was being super-duper nervous, that too for proposing to his own lawfully wedded wife. Thankfully, his brothers (and best friends) Omkara and Rudra (OmRu) walked in only to find their brother pacing around nervously. "Kya hua Shivaay? Why do you seem so anxious?", Omkara asked Shivaay. "Because I am anxious! What-what if Annika rejects my proposal? What if-if she doesn't like the whole setup?", Shivaay replied, aghast; that made OmRu snicker at the terrified condition of their elder brother - the Great Wall of Shivaay, who protected their family against those who wished for their downfall - that too because of the silliest reason. "I am all riled up and you both are laughing at my condition", Shivaay commented, shooting daggers at OmRu. "Arre Bhaiyya, you are getting worried without a reason. Annika Bhabhi will surely love this whole thing and she would accept your proposal too. Just relax and be yourself.", Rudra said making Shivaay feel better. Patting on his youngest brother's back, Shivaay replied, "Mr Dumbell Singh Oberoi has become Mr Smart Singh Oberoi; not bad huh!" "Finally you are in your element - tadi wala element!", Om commented and the three of them shared a hearty laugh.

Just then Shivaay's phone pinged again; with Gauri's message that they had just entered the Mansion and were entering through the gates. He immediately informed OmRu of the same and the duo dispersed, leaving Shivaay to himself.
When the sisterly trio, stepped into the Mansion, Annika found the house surprisingly quiet. But before she could even comment over it, she received a message from Shivaay, that read:

Billu Ji: Hey beautiful, please do me a favour na! Please go to our room...there is a file kept in the cupboard; just hand it to Khanna. He'll come soon. See you later! :)

Smiling at her phone, Annika departed to their room, informing Gauri and Soumya about it; who sighed in relief.
When Annika entered their room, a surprise awaited her; as the room was decorated with red roses - her favourites - and heart-shaped balloons. On their bed, laid a neatly-wrapped package. Always eager for surprises, Annika instantly went and picked up the package; when she noticed a note fall down. Picking it up, she unfolded it and (it) read; in Shivaay's glorious handwriting:

Dearest Paanika,

Surprise surprise! ;)
Open these gifts and grace whatever it is inside them. I hope you love it. :)
And once done, come over to wherever you are being taken; where another surprise awaits you! :D
And yeah, Gauri is going to blindfold you; so please don't show your TADIBAAZ side to the poor soul! Haha... ;) :P

Your One And Only Pati Parmeshwar,
Billu Ji

Annika blushed to her fullest, reading the note; and wasting no time, opened all her gifts carefully.
Shivaay had thoughtfully selected each and everything for her. There was a beautiful royal blue anarkali dress - simple and elegant - with a heavily embroidered blue and golden dupatta. To go with that outfit, he had gotten her golden jhumkas, combined with golden bangles (plus her regular ones too). Annika also decided to leave her hair open with a side partition and no make-up, but just a faint dab of her red-matte lipstick and kohl; exactly the way Shivaay loved on her. Just like she clouded every single thought of his; he too occupied her heart and soul.

Spraying on Shivaay's perfume - because that made her calm - and checking her appearance in the mirror and taking a deep breath, Annika went outside her room only to met by RiMya (Gauri and Soumya); and Gauri immediately blindfolded her and led her to the poolside.
"So tum dono ko iss sab ke baare mein pata tha?", Annika asked; while RiMya held her hand and walked her further. "Haan." replied the two in unison; and Annika knew it would be futile to get them to spill the beans over what the surprise was, so she kept mum and let RiMya take her to where she was destined to be - with Shivaay...her Shivaay!
Soon she felt RiMya letting go of her and another hand holding her. Annika very well knew who it was, from the touch. "Shivaay...", Annika took his name like a prayer; and like always Shivaay loved the way his name sounded when it rolled down her tongue. "Haan main, ab chale?", Shivaay replied. Smiling, she nodded her head in affirmative and Shivaay led her further.

Shivaay could not help but be mesmerized by his wife's beauty. He felt lucky to have Annika for she was truly an angel...to him as well as their family.

(ShivIka's Attire)

Coming to a halt, Shivaay said to Annika, "Ready?"; to which Annika replied, "Yesss!", in an excited tone; with that Shivaay opened the blindfold and whisper-yelled in her ear. To say that Annika was awestruck would be an understatement. The sight in front of her was the one to behold. She looked back at Shivaay; who was holding her by her shoulders and smiling. Her breath hitched as she took in his appearance. "Yeh sab-yeh sab mere liye hain Shivaay?", asked Annika hopefully. "Nahi nahi, its for Mallika and Tia.", Shivaay answered sarcastically; and then added, "Of course, it's for you!" And the smile that Annika gave him was proof of how much she loved it and that meant the world to him.
"There's something more.", Shivaay said and Annika asked, "One more surprise?", her eyes wide, with utmost excitement. "Haan!", Shivaay replied. Annika quirked her eyebrows, asking Shivaay what the surprise was. "Aise nahi. Pehle aankhein band karo.", Shivaay told her. "Again?", she whined, making a bad face. Sniggering at her antics, Shivaay replied, "Yes, or else no surprise.", and smirked at her. "Ughhhh, fine!", Annika said, shutting her eyes close and sticking out her tongue at Shivaay. "No peeking haan.", Shivaay said, teasing Annika. "Haan baba, I won't!", Annika answered; her patience wearing off.

Shivaay then pulled out the red-coloured velvet box from his pocket and bent down on one knee; and said, "Open your eyes now," Annika did as asked, but was flabbergasted to rather see Shivaay on the floor on his knee; one hand behind his back. "Shiv-Shivaay, yeh sab kya hain. Aap please uthiye!", Annika pleaded Shivaay only to be shushed by him. "Kabhi kabhi bohot zyada bolti ho tum Annika! Aaj main bolunga aur tum sunogi!", Shivaay said softly and Annika simply nodded her head in a 'Yes'.

Taking her hand in his own Shivaay continued, "Mrs Annika Shivaay Singh Oberoi...this is a melody to my ears. Our story had a rocky start - we are polar opposites in nature, yet together, we have a beautiful and unbreakable bond. You challenged me like none other and that is one of the many things about you that I admire. Tumhara independent hona; tumhari honesty, tumhara kisi ke samne na jhukna...inn sab ne mere dil jeet liya hain Annika. Tum meri zindagi mein aayi uss se pehle I was a arrogant, rich guy, jo 'Naam, Khoon, Khandaan' inn sabme believe karta tha; par tumne mere iss bakwaas belief ko todd diya; and I am really glad that you did so. Meri black and white zindagi mein tumne satrangi rang bhar diye. I am sorry, sorry for all the trouble I have always caused you. I am sorry for disrespecting you and treating you like trash; when you deserved none of it. I am sorry for delaying this so much. Main tumse kuch kehna chahta hoon aur poochna bhi. Paanika, meri Paanika; you changed me for better or rather the for the best. You stood strong by my side despite the pain I inflicted upon you. Aur iss ishqbaazi ke safar mein mujhe kab, kaha aur kaise tumse pyaar ho gaya, woh pata hi nahi chala. I love you Annika; I am in love with you; every single thing about you...be it your smile, your playfulness, the spark in your eyes when you talk about your work, the immense love you have for everyone you come across, your bonding with every family member of ours...I fell in love with all of it; hard and fast. So, Mrs Annika Shivaay Singh Oberoi, kya tum tumhare Billu Ji se shaadi karogi...fir se? Saari duniya ke samne, sare reeti-riwaazon ke saath? Kya tum mujhe ek aur mauka dogi har uss galat ko theek karne ka jo maine tumhare saath kiya hain? Will you spend your entire life with me; being the mother to our kids - Ansh and Shivika? Kuch toh bolo Annika!" All the while, tears of happiness and bliss were continuously flowing down Annika's cheeks. Sitting down on her knees, matching Shivaay's level, she answered,"Kya bolu main Shivaay? You have rendered me speechless. Of course, of course I will marry you...because I am in love with you ; every single thing about you, inside out. And as much wrong you did too me in the very beginning, you poured in happiness gazillion times more. It's because of you I got a family, so please don't apologize for anything oukayyy? I love Billu Ji!" "I love you more, Paanika!", Shivaay replied, his eyes moist; because finally everything fell into it's right place.

And without wasting a single second, Shivaay slid the ring onto Annika's ring finger; and handed her the one for him. Annika too, instantly slid the ring onto Shivaay's ring finger and Shivaay lifted themselves up, with entwined fingers.

With a small force, Shivaay pulled Annika closer to himself making her feel weak in her knees. His eyes held fire that she was ready to burn in. She looked at him lovingly and so did he. And as Shivaay un-entangled their fingers and cupped her cheeks, Annika's heart missed a beat! She knew what was to come and she wasn't going to stop! She blinked at Shivaay and that was all he needed to seal her lips with his; not caring about the audience they had - their family - hiding around. It was a blissful moment, not just for ShivIka but for the entire Oberoi clan.
Their passionate and heated moment was broken by fake coughs, wolf-whistles and hoots coming from RiKara and RuMya. Breaking apart, a blushing Annika hid herself in Shivaay's embrace as everyone came out from the hiding and tackled ShivIka in a huge family hug; showering blessings and congratulations on the duo.

It was going to be a long night of celebration for the Oberois.