Hi everyone :) I want to begin by thanking God for His blessings and all readers who have read this story and appreciated it. This story became trending on #12 on the "Ishqbaaaz" tag this week so thank you so much :)

This is an excerpt from the upcoming Diwali Special Chapter: Our Love that will be posted in the upcoming days. This chapter will be focusing on a love confession and Anika's upcoming wedding sequence.

I got a lot of requests to update and unfortunately I will not be able to update this week, but I decided to post a long excerpt that all of you can read for the weekend :)

P.S. I have just posted a new Shivika FF: "Our Forbidden Love" on Wattpad that explores a young Anika falling in love with a much older Shivaay Singh Oberoi during her sister and ex-fiancé's destination wedding.

https://www.wattpad.com/810326098-our-forbidden-love-chapter-1-a-romantic-encounter

This story is a rendition to "Learning to Love Him Again" as there are some similarities and big differences with a stronger Anika being the big difference. If possible please do click the link below and read this story :) Thank you :) I am still considering whether I should continue writing this story, so if possible please do let me know if like the concept once you read the story :)

https://www.wattpad.com/810326098-our-forbidden-love-chapter-1-a-romantic-encounter

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Author's Note: These are all snippets of the chapter and the real chapter is not in this order. Thank you :)

https://youtu.be/r7VTWg4d-bw

"Love us. Choose us Anika..."He whispered as I smiled before pressing my lips against his shoulder kissing it.

"Yes, always us...Shivaay...just you and me...and Chaaya..." I whispered as I felt an unusual ache inside of me. Shivaay chuckled lightly against my ear before brushing his cheek against me and looked back at me into my eyes.

His hand laying against the bare skin of my stomach and continuing to caress it.

"Love us Anika...love us...don't forget about them..." He whispered as he captured his lips on to mines'...

......

"Hey..." His voice deep and husky as he spoke first. Playing with my earring, I twisted it across feeling nervous as I thought of what to say.

"Hi Shivaay...how are you?"

"I-I am good...um...I didn't talk to you since that night, but I wanted to check in and ask how you are feeling now?" Shivaay's voice reflecting a sense of concern.

"I'm good...I mean I still feel a little weird because of what happened that night. That man made me so uncomfortable and I...I don't know..." I bit my lip trying not to cry as I remembered how that man had violated my space that night. Somehow I have been having a fear lately while going out in public that the incident might happen again.

"Anika...I assure you that you will be safe. I will protect you ok? Be brave and I know you can protect yourself as well. You have the capability of being a strong person..."

His words cheering me up and bringing a small smile across my face. "How do you know that?"

Shivaay sighed as he spoke, "I saw strength in you the night you stood in that empty jail for me...I saw a brave Anika who stood up for me and fought for me that no one else has ever done." I felt my cheeks burn up as he had clearly touched my heart once more.

........

"Mommy?"

"She will be with us soon meri jaan...Just watch...your mom will come soon..." I said with a sense of determination.

Chaaya began to giggle as she kissed my cheek with pure happiness. "I will see my mommy soon! I will see mommy!" Chaaya yelled loudly as I smiled raising her up in the air as she giggled.

........

"Anika if you love your father and I and if you care for us then for once listen to us and believe our decision will be correct. Promise me that you get married to the person we choose for you..." Mom repeated as I bit my lip contemplating and thinking about what to do.

.........

Om ready to lunge towards me as Gauri held him back. "I will show you the dust one day Shivaay...I will show you the dust..." Om repeated as I chuckled, rolling my eyes at his stupidity.

"What dust? Hm? What dust? I own Oberoi empire. I am the image of this empire and no one can take it from me...not even you." I snapped my finger right under his nose inciting his rage.

"Next time think before you mess with me. No one can take me down besides myself..." I hissed as I looked at Om and back towards Papa. Om's eyes showing revenge as Papa stood still with an unusual, cold expression as he looked at me.

................

I felt flustered as I looked back at Shivaay. "What are you doing? I have a lot of things to do!" I whispered loudly as Shivaay had a wacky smile on his face...a foolish smile I shall say more appropriately. We turned a corner into an empty hallway as Shivaay took a deep sigh before looking back towards me.

Without any hesistation, Shivaay pushed me back lightly against the wall surprising me. What is going on his mind? Those eyes are clearly showing something is brewing up in his mind...I twirled the end of my shirt around my thumb as I felt coyness approach me. The way he looked at me without any shame surprisingly felt intriguing.

I leaned back against the wooden wall as Shivaay placed his hand besides my head. His aftershave filling up my senses as he leaned closer towards me. My hands instantly running up to his chest as I looked up at him brushing my head against his lips as he let out a small sigh against the locks of my hair falling over my face.

"Stop..." He whispered as I looked up at him confused.

"W-what do you mean?"

"You are getting to me Anika...I cannot express how I feel right now seeing you after so long..." His words placing a small smile across my lips as I felt my cheeks fluttering with redness.

"Not too long...it's been just four days..." I whispered back as I leaned closer towards his ear. Shivaay clicked his tongue in disagreement.

"It felt like an eternity to me..." He whispered back as I looked back into his eyes seeing a sense of honesty in them...wanting to feel that he might just be telling the truth.

I bit my lip as I looked at him. You made a promise Anika...you promised your mom already then what are you doing here right now? You shouldn't be indulging in conversations with Shivaay knowing your marriage has now been fixed with Armaan. I felt sadness overcome me as I came back to reality.

"I-I should get going Shivaay...um..." I felt his eyes on me and clearly the way he looked at me was making me go blank in an instant.

"Mr.Oberoi..." He said as I quickly looked back at him.

"What?"

"That's what you said inside...I actually am starting to like the ring to it...I hated it the way you said it before, but now...I don't know..." His voice lowered as I felt his hand trace against my arm raising goosebumps. His fingertips lightly traced each and every inch of smooth skin lighting it up with his heated touch. He heaved a breath as he looked into my eyes capturing me in an instant.I gulped nervously as clearly he was playing his cards right...knowing what exactly worked on me and would coax me towards him.

P.S. I have just posted a new Shivika FF: "Our Forbidden Love" on Wattpad that explores a young Anika falling in love with a much older Shivaay Singh Oberoi during her sister and ex-fiancé's destination wedding.

https://www.wattpad.com/810326098-our-forbidden-love-chapter-1-a-romantic-encounter