~~~Annika's POV~~~

I looked through the rack where many designer dresses are hanging. I loved each one of them but the dress which caught my attention is black one, there are many dresses of same designs but colors are different. Shivaay is just a miracle, which happened in my life. I think I shouldn't punish him more. Whatever he did wasn't really his fault but I will not tell him anything, yet.

I wore the dress without looking at myself as I promised shiv. Taking baby steps I came out of the dressing room to see him sitting on the stool with his back facing me "I'm here" I called out and he slowly turned but didn't looked up. Feeling nervous I looked down and he slowly shifted his gaze upward. On looking down I realized what wrong I've done. My bruises! With the same thought I looked up and he was on his knees crying... while I couldn't make any move. How can I forget about that easily? How can I forget these bruises, which are paining so much? How can i?

"Anika...I'm sorry" he stood up and walked to me. I don't know what I should do?

"I'm a beast. I know. Please..." he fell in my feet's and my knees automatically fell weak and I reached his height. Don't know why? but my hands moved and held his shoulders. Maybe that's what I want. What my heart wants! I pulled him in a hug and he cried more.

I should be the one to cry like this, but here he's. "Anika I never even thought of hurting you like this. I don't know how and why I did..." he hitched for a breath and I parted "YOU KNOW!!! But you're not ready to tell me anything shivaay." I spoke looking in his puffy eyes with mine.

His expressions changed and he brushed off his tears while rolling and blinking his eyes.

"I know shivaay there's something more to that night. I know you can never rape me just because you were drugged. There's something which triggered you. please tell me. please shivaay." I gulped and held his hands while requesting him but he didn't say anything except "Sorry?"

"Shivaay you want to take a new start. But you're not ready to tell me the reason of that night, which is the only reason we're here, like this." I slightly pushed him and stood up brushing off my tears "Your apology is fake, just like you!" I walked back in the dressing room and closed the door.

Why he do like this? Is he playing with me? what if his apologies are really fake? Is he even victim?

I hate you shivaay for being like this with me. why? why can't you just be normal.?

I cried thinking of his expressions which he gave when I asked about the reason. They were very much hurting!!!

POV Ends...

Shivaay was standing near the closed door. With his forehead and one hand on door and other hand on his heart side. Silently crying!
"Anika I can't tell you the reason, because I know you'll not be able to handle that shock. When you'll know that it was your friend who manipulated me." he said in his heart and cried.

Slowly he slid down the door crying but now the sobs were clear to her. She wasn't less, she too was crying with the thoughts she got due to his strange behavior. Leaning and sliding by the door, they both were sitting by eachothers side, but just the door was the hurdle.

"Shivaay..." she called out as she cried

"Anika. Please don't cry" he stammered and cried

"Why you're doing this? You know it hurts me, you know it's the last chance. Why then?" she asked touching her forehead with the door and crying

"Anika I want to tell you. you're right there's a lot more than just drugged, but it's not the right time to tell. Please trust me. I'll tell you once everything gets clear to me." he gulped the lump and tried to compose his-self.

"Shivaay sometimes that right time never comes. Sometimes we've to create that right time. No time is wrong or right, it's just the mind and person. Please tell me whatever you know. Please shivaay" she cried hugging her knees.

She was ready to beg to him to get the truth. As she knows, if she doesn't get to know the truth. Then she' ve to go away from him as she can never live with the one who's still not sincere to her. After whatever he did and she forgave.

Where he wasn't ready to even accept her begging as he knows, she'll break down in so many pieces which he can never gather back, ever.

"Annikaaaaa... please understand" he cried hard "I swear on myself... I'll tell you everything when everything gets clear. Please anika don't be so stubborn. Where you've waited and trusted till here, so long. Please trust and wait some more time. I promise..." he started coughing and she was already coughing...

"Swear on me shivaay. I swear, I'll not listen to anything then, if you don't tell me everything by tomorrow noon. I swear I'll vanish such, that you'll never know where I went." She stood up crying

"I swear on you." he smiled happily and stood up... soon she opened the door and their swollen, red eyes met.

Ishq hai ansu, ishq hai naghma

Ishq sukoon hai rahat hai

Ishq hai sehra, Ishq hai dariya

Ishq junoon hai zehmat hai

As soon as their eyes met. Shivaay immediately hugged anika and she too reciprocated. He somewhere earned the right again to touch her.

After being consoled by eachother for minutes, they parted and looked at eachother.

"I'll wear some-other dress" she sniffing walked toward the rack when shivaay held her hand and stopped her. Pulling her toward himself he folded her arm behind her and looked in her eyes.

"Why? I know you loved it, so wear it. I'll call a beautician, she'll hide them" he spoke with guilt and love. She gulped hard due to proximity.

"I...I don't want to let anyone else know it." She replied looking at his lips and he smiled

"Then I'll do this for you" he smiling left her and she astonished, look at him.

"Shivaay. You? I mean do you know how to do it? i mean even I don't know. Then." she asked in shock and he smiled opening the little cabinet. Where little LED was attached.

"YOUTUBE, dear wifey" he searched on YouTube and she settled on stool.

"Wait here. I'll bring things..." he left and she smiled.

After half an hour he returned and she was watching serial on that LED.

"Anika...? You could've watched videos of these... I mean" he paused as she smiled

"Dear hubby... I was about to fall asleep because of those videos. They were so slow and boring. How you'll watch them?" she yawns

"For you I'll" he smiled and played the video and started applying things on her marks while blowing on those bruises, so she doesn't feel much burning.

Anika reddened due to the proximity and the blows of his. Wherever his hands were touching that skin was burning.

She finally shut her eyes tightly not able to control the tickling session she felt since he started hiding her bruises. His touch gave her butterflies fluttering in her stomach.

"Anika" he spoke while applying the concealer near her neck, his breathe was already fanning her neck but as he spoke the breath increased and she lightly moaned, not being in her senses "Shiv..." but soon she opened her eyes in shock. Realizing what she did.

"Shivaay... stop" she stood up and he hid a smile. "I know anika my closeness, my touch affects you. but it's your wound on heart which is stopping you. But I promise I'll heal that also, the way I healed other..." he thought and smiled with determination

"Oh god! What I did? How can I lose my control like that? I should have control on myself. Idiot" she thought and mentally slapped herself. "It's done." Shivaay spoke making her come out of thoughts.

"I know. That's why I asked you to stop" she smiled giving 'I know' kind of look and he giggled

"Sit down. You're almost ready. Today I'll do your face make-up too." He said making her sit on the sofa

"why you're doing this?" she asked

"as you didn't wanted anyone else to do this." He smiling replied

"But I can do my make-up."

"I know, but now I want to do it. you just sit relax"

"Shivaay, even you need to get ready. If you'll stay with me like this... your family will think that, that I've snatched you from them. You know they'll say I've done some black magic on you and..." she stopped as he smiling placed his finger on her lips

"Sshh you speak a lot. Why they'll say this? They've no right to say anything like this anika." He held her hand and sat infront of her

"They were the one, who didn't even bother to check on me, not me. So now they even don't have any right to ask anything like this or say. Just leave it. Tell me what you'd like to have in lunch?" he asked playing with her hand and she blushed feeling the butterflies filling up in her stomach.

"Whatever you'll be having."

"Espresso? No! you need something healthy. Tell me I'll make it"

"Why not? When you're not having anything healthy which you also need. Then why should I care and have something like that?" she spoke and made faces.

"But... you really need it."

"Firstly, I don't want you to make anything as you're already booked" she pointed toward the makeup "Secondly, you also need to get ready and again booked, btw I'll be helping you in getting ready, dear hubby" she pointed toward the dress of his

"Thirdly, now you'll be having whatever I'll ask you to have. And it's final. Your wife's final order." She looked at the right side with smirk and attitude look

"Okay. Till you're talking with me like this, happily." He smiled and pecked her hand where he felt sensational feeling in his body and she, she just flushed and looked down feeling those butterflies again!
"Now stop blushing, and let's get ready" he smiled and she flushed more.

"Okay." She smiled and they started with their getting ready things.

After nearly one hour. They both were ready and sitting in dressing room only. They were looking at eachother

"Weird" she laughed hard suddenly

"Really weird" he joined her and they both laughed their lungs out seeing eachother.

"We're sitting here since morning" she controlled her laughter and he stopped laughing and was just giggling

"I feel like I'm living my childhood." He chuckled and she smiling looked at him

"What?" she asked

"When I was a kid. I used to feel like choosing a place and stay there only. Do everything there as if I'm on some secret mission and I need to hide well, or something like 'I'll die if I come out of that place' and then I used to get everything there. Making sure I need not to come out of that place..." he chuckled and she scratched her head in confusion.

"Weird. Just like today" she chuckled

"I know. Btw you didn't tell me what should I do with raichand's?" he got serious and she looked at him

"Nothing. Let it be, nothing will get fine by doing something with them" she smiled weakly

"But anika... where's anika? I need to punish her. And I'm sure you'll have no problem with that?" he asked seriously

She looked at him and immediately sensed the raising anger in him. She now knows very welly that how much he hates anika. She has experienced.

"I'll tell you, when you'll tell me" she gulped hard and he tightened the fist but then gulped down the anger and lovingly looked at her "Sure. But are you sure, you'll be able to forgive me?" he asked with something so strong in his voice which she failed to understand

"Don't you trust me?" she asked as she failed to understand the real question which he asked.

"This isn't the matter of trust anika. I feel..." he stopped as their cellphone rang

"Gauri" she immediately picked up her mobile and giving him the smile with many emotions hidden behind that smile, left from there.

He too picked up his cellphone with same emotions and seeing the caller he dropped his head back on headrest and breathing out picked up the call

"I'm back shivaay. Let's meet" she said excitedly

"Come home."

"Not today. I'm very tired and will be resting. Tomorrow?" she said and he nodded "Okay. Btw won't you attend the reception party?" he asked

"idiot! You never said me about that, how am I supposed to attend?" she yelled

"Sorry. Now, will you come?"

"NO! throw another party for me, later."

"Sure pari. But... you'll not leave me, right?"

"Yes. Why you're asking so?"

"Nothing. No matter what, you'll never leave me, promise me" he asked with shaking voice and wet eyes

"Shivaay is everything fine? Why you're sounding like that. Stop scaring me and tell me the reason. Btw I promise"

"Nothing pari. I just felt like asking this and asked. don't leave me, you. I can't afford loosing you and other 2-3." He gulped down the lump closing his eyes and let those tears roll down

"Idiot. How can you even think that I'll leave you? no way. Abhi tou 7 janam baki hai. Meet you soon. Bye love you"

"Love you too" he dropped the call and opened his eyes which were having lots of emotions, much more than before.

He knows that he has done a mistake which, which can cost him many things. And somewhere he knows, pari will never accept him as friend after the truth comes out. Fears were surrounding him.

Meanwhile anika was sitting in balcony talking with gauri

"Gauri you need to attend it, no matter what!" she said

"Sorry anika. I can't. I need to meet you. tell me when are you going to come at my place. I've to tell you a lot."

"Tomorrow. Pakka."

"Please forgive me. don't leave me, I've no one else other than you anika"

"Why do you think that I'll leave you? and why you're apologizing again and again?"

"Just... felt like. Please say, you'll not leave me."

"Okay baba I'll not leave you."

"Thank you."

The call got dropped.

~~~Annika's POV~~~
I'm really worried for gauri, why she's behaving so weirdly? I don't know! Huh! I looked in the room and saw shivaay walking out of the bathroom. All dull!

Oh god! Why is this feeling not leaving me that there's some big storm going to come in our life's "Shivaay" I called out but he not in senses just walked out of the room.

I followed him but saw omru coming to him and changed my direction.

"Let's go bhaiya. Guests are waiting. We need to reach the place." Rudra held his hand. Shivaay jerked and looked at him "Han?" what's wrong with him?

"nothing shivaay. Let's go" om held his hand and they walked out.

What's happening? Everything was fine, few minutes ago. Why he's behaving weird and why the hell I'm feeling restlessness?

"Anika" maa called me and I shrugged off the thoughts and also left with them.

We reached the venue in minutes. I don't believe that it's not a dream. Such a big and beautiful hall. For our reception? Sometimes I feel like the luckiest girl in the world but whenever something happens which make me feel good. Other day, something worse happens.

"This time nothing will go wrong. Trust me" shivaay held my hand and I felt good.

"I trust you" I tightened the grip and he smiled weakly.

Soon the media covered us. I went blank due to their flashes.

Light music was playing in the background. Few couples were dancing. Others were sitting. While we were meeting the guests.

While meeting with many guests, I felt as if I saw ragini there. But shivaay said he has banned her.

Maybe my imagination?

We met mr and mrs. Malhotra but pari wasn't there..

Oh I see! Maybe that's the reason shivaay is upset as no one of his friends came.

Soon I heard the song... and we had to dance...

He smiled and offered me his hand. I happily gave him the hand and moved to the floor to dance.

"Why you're so upset shivaay?" I asked as we danced

"Even I don't know" he looked in my eyes and I saw something which again I couldn't understand.

"Shivaay... don't worry, everything will get fine."

"I hope so... but everything should get fine with everyone. Nothing should be taken away anika" he sounded scared and I felt the grip on my waist tightening.

"Why you're so worried shivaay, tell me what's disturbing you. maybe I could help?"

"I'm not understanding anything anika. Many different thoughts are occupying my mind. I don't know what to do and what not."

"But you were fine before the call."

"No! I wasn't, it was your company, it was you. because of whom I was happy and care free even with those thoughts."

"Then I'm still with you. and will always be with you"

"Swear on me"

"I swear."

"Thank you" he back hugged me while dancing and those butterflies!
"Thank to you" I looked in his eyes as he again held my waist and danced

"For what?"

"For everything. It's the best day of my life... as you were with me for whole day, and trust me. I never loved anyone's company this much." I placed my head on his chest as we danced slowly to the music

"I feel luckiest when you're with me, like this" he wrapped his arms around me and I' safe!
"I was just overthinking, I guess"

"Mean?"

"Mean... I was feeling as if some storm is coming."

"Nothing can Distinct us. Never"

"Shivaay... I need to tell you something."

"Even I"

"But..."

We parted as the song stopped and clapped echoed the hall... we couldn't get to talk after that as some of his partners came and he excused.

Soon everyone left and even we, but where is shivaay?

Few minutes ago, he was here only...

I called him but his cellphone was switched off.

We reached home. I wasn't ready to leave without shivaay but om said that shivaay has gone for an emergency work in office.

I waited for him all night long. But he didn't come.

I'm not feeling good at all!
Where are you shivaay????

To Be Continued...

Precap: upside down!

Hola sweethearts, here is your update. I know you love me hehe I love you too. So in love no sorry right? Hehe you're so understanding, love you!

I LOVE YOU ALL. THANKS FOR READING AND VOTING, WE'VE REACHED 117K READS AND 11.1K VOTES. ALL THANKS TO YOU.

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Love ~ Annie...