"Namaste Dadi" Kushal bow down to touch her feet and she blessed him whole heartedly.

"Achanak yaha kaise aana hua?" Jhanvi asked casually, Shivaay thought, 'Anika ko line marne aaya hoga aur kya'

"I was thinking if Anika is free, to mai use raat ko dinner pe leke jana chahunga" Kushal made the announcement.. Shivaay gritted his teeth in anger and looked at Anika, her face was expressionless.

"Anika kyu jayegi?" Shivaay roared. All the gazes fixed at him.

"I mean since I am not getting married now, so Anika will join the office" Shivaay excused.

"Bhaiya ko kya problem ho rahi hai" Rudy whispered to Om and he shook his head.

"Shivaay, office raat ko nahi hoti" Kushal said and the clan burst out in laughter..

"Koi baat nahi puttar, leke ja Anika ko. Ghumegi to man bhi accha rahega" Dadi proclaimed. 

Shivaay went outside the mansion clenching his fist, "Mai gadi me baitha hun, Anika jaldi aana"

"Tum aa rahi ho na Anika dinner pe?" Kushal asked with hope in his eyes. Anika didnt feel right  to break his wish. So she agreed for it.

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Anika settled down in the car silently. Somewhere, she knew that Shivaay didn't like Kushal but he is nobody who could interfere in her personal matters. The car journey was completely silent, no one spoke anything.

On reaching the office, Anika was about to go to her cabin when Shivaay ordered her, "I want you in my cabin, now". 

"Yeh insaan kaise gidgit ki tarah rang badalta hai, ek pal me kuch aur, dusre pal me.." She adjusted herself and moved towards his room.

"Shivaay.." She entered the cabin without knocking

"Dont you have manners Anika, ki kisi ke cabin me ghusne se pehle knock karna hai" he looked devilish and she was definitely frightened.

"I am sorry"

"Next time se dhhyan dena, anyways take this files. We have 3 meetings in a row this week and a conventional meeting this friday. Be ready, event manager" he said and signaled her to leave. 

She too ignored his rude attitude, left for her cabin. The whole day she was engrossed in her work. Shivaay purposefully gave her so much work so that their dinner date would cancel. When the clock stroke 6, she realized that her time is over 1 hour back. 

"Shivaay.." she uttered his name from outside his cabin. She could not knock as her hands were full with tons of files. Shivaay rushed out of his cabin, they got collided. Anika was about to fall but why fear, when Shivaay is here. He held her by waist but the files fell on the ground. They shared a cute yet elegant eyelock. Anika was the first to back off.

"Uthaiye SHivaay" she said but Shivaay was busy gawking at the beauty in his arms. She shook his shoulders, thus breaking his trance. They picked up the files from the ground.

"Mera time ek ghanta pehle hi up ho gaya. Now its 6. I need to leave" she told and turned her face.

"Kaam khatam kar lia?" he asked

"Almost, except for 2 files. Wo mai kal kar dungi" she said

"Bohut excited ho date pe jane ke liye?" he smirked.

"Haan hun, aapse matlab. aap to ghar nahi jayenge ab, let me find an auto"    

"Mai ja raha hun, chalo.. Personal driver banake rakha hai" he commented.

"Har kisi ke nasib me nahi hota na itna handsome personal driver" she said and then realized the sentence, 'Phail gaya raita'

Shivaay's lips curled up to form a smile which was missing since the morning. 

"Chaliye, ab ghar. Aur aise haste rahiyega. Saal me ek do baar has lenge to tax nahi bharna padega" she giggled and went outside the office, leaving behind a smiling Shivaay.

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Kushal and Anika reached the dinner destination which was decorated with orchids and soothing music was playing in the background.

"Itna kharcha karne ki koi zarurat nahi thi Kushal, hum kisi bhi hotel me kha sakte the" Anika said feeling uneasy at the point.

"Special logo ke liye special karne me accha lagta hai" he said expecting a blush. 

"Yaha pe koi aur nahi hai?" Anika had this fear, alone with him. She feels most secure with SHivaay. 

"Tumhe koi problem hai kya?" he questioned.

"No, but aise hi casually pucha" she replied although her she wanted to run from this uneasiness.

"Baitho na" he pulled down the chair and himself sat in the adjacent seat.

"Tum bohut beautiful lag rahi ho aaj Anika" he told and touch her hands. His hands moved towards her shoulder and she shrugged it off immediately.

"Khana order kare?" she uttered.

"Its ready only." he pressed the bell on the table. Soon two waiters served food for them. Seeing them, Anika felt relieved.

Kushal was constantly blabbering but Anika was silent, unusual to her regularity.

"I promise Anika, mai tumhe bohut khush rakhunga" he said finally while her eyes popped out in disbelief and shock.

"Kya keh rahe ho Kushal?" Anika said. Kushal reduced the distance between them, "Yes Anika, mai tumhe kabhi bhi kisi cheez ki kami nahi hone dunga. Tumhe physically and financially humesha satisfy rakhunga" 

Anika shook her head in disgust with his sentence.

"Dekho Kushal, tumhe galat phemi huyi hai, I am not interested in you. Pyaar ka matlab physical satisfaction nahi hota, yeh do dilon ka bandhan hai." she said.

"O common Anika, don't be like an Aunty now. You are a modern girl. Money is the most important thing and also physical need. I wasn't expecting this from an intelligent and practical girl like you" he moved closer to her while she backed out.

"Please Kushal, don't touch me. Mai aisi cheapdi ladki nahi  hun. Ek aurat ke liye uski izzat hi shringar hota hai" she was moving back while Kushal followed her with a evil smirk plastered on his face.

THANKS FOR READING

ANNE