Anika's POV:

I came back home after talking to Meera. I heard my parents talking in the living room, quietly though.

I could still hear what they were saying though. As I walked past them, I heard my mum asking about what they should do with the baby. Dad replied with he didn't know what to do. 

Mum: think we should send Gauri abroad if she refuses to abort?

Dad: fine but I am not paying for anything! If we send her abroad, where will she stay and can you imagine what she will do if she is alone? I don't trust her alone at all.

Mum: then should we just find some sterile man who will accept the child?  

Dad: that's a good idea. At least she won't do anything stupid.  

I couldn't hear anymore. Hopefully after I tell Pinky that I accept her deal, mum and dad would let Gauri be happy with Om and I can bang my head against a wall, being stuck in a marriage with Shivay. 

I went upstairs to see Gauri outside her room after forever, listening from upstairs to our parents' conversation. 

Me: Gauri, sab kuch theek hai? 

Gauri: when I give birth to my child, I will make sure that I won't be like our parents. I hate them.

Me: Gauri, you don't mean that.

Gauri: they never loved me didi. They only loved my dead twin.

Me: come here baba.

I gave my little sister a hug and wiped the tears that rolled down from her eyes. 

Me: everything is going to fall in place, don't think about our parents. 

I kissed her forehead before we went to my room. I decided to make her feel better so I put on one of her favourite movies. 

Gauri: what is your Disney Plus password?

Me: why are you still after my Disney Plus password?

Gauri: tell me didi.

Me: no.

Gauri made a face. I smiled. She was never getting my Disney Plus password. I have no idea why she was after that password. I was never going to tell her.

I guess me and Gauri fell asleep whilst watching the movie. When I woke up, Gauri was still asleep and when I checked my phone, it was 8:30 in the morning. It was morning already? Urgh early mornings are the worst. 

Sitting up, I looked at the time again. I guess I could tell Pinky now that I accepted her condition, but should I go to her house and tell her? No it was too early. Do I text her then or call her? But what if someone like Shivay saw it and I don't even have her number....

Gauri murmuring in her sleep: if you are overthinking, stop it. Not everything requires overthinking.

Me: stop acting like you can read my mind.

Gauri: whatever! Good night.

I rolled my eyes as that girl kept my blanket over her. In her lovely imagination, it was apparently since nighttime. I might as well let her sleep for now. Meanwhile I got up and decided to take a shower. 

As I allowed the water to rain down on me, I thought about Pinky's condition again. Marrying my ex...why did she wanted me to marry her son Shivay a.k.a my ex? She earlier didn't give me an answer when I asked why she wanted me to marry my ex. She also became sad thinking of something. If I asked her again, would she tell me this time or would she be like her son who never gave me an answer?

Me: do you love me?

Shivay: I....well...love, that's a strong word don't you think?

Me: tell me Billu, do you love me or not?

Shivay: ummm....meet me at Kyoto Garden, 6pm, don't be late.

Me: I am never late.

Shivay gave me a look, raising his eyebrow. I  smiled trying to look as innocent as possible but he told me that I had a natural guilty face. I laughed hugging him. 

I remember that day very well, I remember that evening....that evening was the worst evening in my life and I never hate recalling that evening. If he had just told me that he loved me instead of arranging me to meet him at some garden and never coming, maybe I might have been happily married to him with a family of our own and we'd still be madly in love. 

I felt my face wet, I didn't know if it was because of the tears that I felt rolling down my eyes or if it was before of the shower. I stopped the shower and first dried my body. After drying myself and changing into my clothes, I checked the time on my phone. I guess I would talk to Pinky at 11, and if I was going to marry Shivay, then I was going to keep my distance away from him as possible since I didn't want to be hurt again by him. 

He hurt me once.

And he wasn't going to hurt me again.

I wasn't going to let him hurt me. 

A little later, I was ready and my lazy sister was still asleep. 

Me: Gauri, wake up baba.

Gauri: let me sleep. My son is tired.

Me: for the millionth time, it's a girl and get up. 

Gauri: wake me up when our parents are out of the house.

I sighed. I hope that after talking to Pinky, Gauri and our parents would get along again. I decided to let Gauri sleep on my bed and I went to get water and medicine for Dadaji. I was trying to find Dadaji. He wasn't upstairs so I went downstairs to see Dadaji putting his shoes on and he was with my parents. 

Mum: Anika, today we're going to meet your Chachu and Chachi. 

Me: kyu?

Mum: bass aise. They are our family members and we can meet them whenever we want.

Me: accha. So are you guys having breakfast there or here?

I said giving Dadaji his medicine. He took it with no complaints before getting up from the sofa. 

Dad: we're going now. Make sure your sister doesn't do anything stupid. Come on Sakshi and dad.

Mum nodded as she grabbed her handbag before going outside the house with dad. When they went, I ran up the stairs to tell Gauri that our parents were gone and she decided to get up to freshen up for the day. 

Gauri: I'll cook breakfast today. 

Me: I'll cook waise I am not a bad cook as I was before I went to London.

Gauri: I know but I am just in a mood to cook.

Me: no you will rest and I will cook.

Gauri: fine yaar. Waise in London, did you take some cooking class?

Me: no voh...I just learnt. When you live alone, it's important to learn how to cook. 

Gauri just smiled as she went out of my room to go to her room. She could have at least made my bed. As I went to make my bed, I thought of a memory from London. A memory I hadn't thought about in a while. 

Me: you're a terrible teacher I hope you know that.

I said as I threw flour at Shivay who was trying to teach me how to cook.

Shivay: and you're a terrible student.

He said throwing flour at me. I came closer to him and threw another handful of flour at him. He came closer to me and kissed my lips. I couldn't help but respond to the kiss. 

Me: the cooking lesson?

I said in a gasp. Before he took my lips again, he said: I can teach you when your ego is gone. 

I rolled my eyes as he kissed me again. 

Wiping the lone tear that escaped my eye, I made my bed and then went to downstairs to make Gauri food. After making Gauri breakfast, I kept the food in front of her but she was too busy texting someone.

Me: who are you texting?

Gauri: does it matter?

Me: you have a smile on your face and I know well that you don't smile when you text.

Gauri: didi, voh um Om found a spare phone and finally we can text. 

Me: oho. If you are done being sneaky, eat the breakfast I made you. 

Gauri: fine didi.

She started eating the breakfast I made her, still texting her boyfriend. Soon she wouldn't have to secretly text her boyfriend. 

Gauri: where are you going?

She asked later in the day. It was nearly the afternoon and I was preparing to leave.

Me: I am just going to sort some things out. 

Gauri: what things?

Me: some work things.

Gauri: so I can stay here all by myself?

Me: Gauri, are you planning to sneak your boyfriend in? 

Gauri: what makes you think that?

I gave her a look. She sighed and made a face at me. I had no idea how Om was going to come here since his family did seem quite strict in making sure he didn't contact or meet Gauri but seeing my sister's cute sad face, it was my turn to sigh. 

Me: Om can come but remember that mum and dad can come anytime, I'll come back in an hour so I want your boyfriend gone after an hour. 

Gauri: fine didi and thank you. Now go. I like to be alone with my boyfriend.

Sighing, I left the house. Once I went in my car and started to drive, my mind once again getting filled with Pinky's sudden sad face, flashes of mine and Shivay's past, Pinky's deal etc....

But I was willing to do anything for Gauri who was like my child. I loved her and I wanted to be a good sister to her. 

But marrying Shivay Singh Oberoi....I agreed once for my sister and once again for my sister, I was agreeing to marry that arrogant stupid man who broke my heart. In this forced marriage, I was going to keep a wall around my heart and that too a strong wall that he couldn't break. 

I reached the Oberoi Mansion and saw that watchman outside the house. I hope this time he'd let me enter without annoying me.

Me: Anika Tridevi, I am here to meet Pinky Singh Oberoi.

Watchman: Pinky mam is waiting for you so come in.

I smiled as I entered through the gates and rang the doorbell. Thankfully the watchman didn't give me a hard time. I was hoping for a servant to open the door but instead...

Shivay: what the hell are you doing here Anika?

Yes the cat opened the door. Why couldn't he be at his office? 

Me: I am here to meet your mum.

Shivay: my mum has nothing to do with you, bye.

He was about to close the door when Pinky came up to us.

Pinky: Shivay, let her in and go upstairs to helps your dad with work.

Shivay: but mum...

Pinky: go upstairs and helps your dad!

Shivay sighed as he went upstairs. It used to take Shivay ages to listen to me but he listened to his mum after she told him to do something twice. Mama's boy. 

Pinky: comes in.

I gave a tight-lipped smile as I came in the house. She signed me to sit on the sofa opposite her. I did as she signed me to and she sat opposite me. Pinky looked to see if anyone like Shivay or Rudy or Priyanka was listening before focusing her attention on me. I knew that Om wasn't in the house since he was with my sister.

Pinky: so I guess you came to tells me your decision.

Me: ji haan, I came to tell you my decision.

Pinky: so what is it?

Me: I agree to your condition. 

Pinky: really? That's great. 

Me: but I want to know that why you want me to marry your son?

Pinky: I am not telling you.

Me: but...

Pinky: I'll tell you something. I had an older sister and she was a terrible big sister to me who destroyed my happiness. If I had an older sister like you, I wouldn't carry this pain on my chest. 

I wanted to ask what did her big sister did to her but it wasn't my place to ask. I just kept quiet and gave a smile, before saying: thank you for giving me an opportunity to make Gauri happy. 

Pinky: your welcome. Now I will try and arrange your engagement soon. I will do everything in my power to make sure your parents agree to your sister's marriage and your marriage.  

I nodded and got up to leave. I still had some time left so I decided to go to the company I worked for and checked some accounts and cash flow charts. After sorting out my work, I decided to drive back home, hoping that my parents won't home yet since Gauri and my parents alone together spelt trouble. 

Om: Anika?

He said as he came back from my sister's room. His shirt was inside out so I could guess what the hell was going on behind the door. 

Me: yes me. I live here. What are you doing?

Om: I am going now since sadly my hour is up.

Me: bechara. Now go and maybe sort your shirt out because your aunt finds out where you was at. 

Om: thank you, I'll sort it out in my car. 

Me: good now go before my parents come back.

Om: fine, I hope one day I don't have to sneak in to meet Gauri.

Me: the day isn't fair Om. Bye.

Om: bye.

Anika's POV ends

Anika allowed Om out of the house before locking the door. After Om left, she went back upstairs and knocked on her sister's door. Gauri opened the door after a few knocks.

Gauri: welcome back. 

Anika: Gauri, do you owe any concealer?

She asked as she looked at some of the purplish marks on her neck. 

Gauri: yeah why?

Anika got her phone out and put her camera on before showing Gauri the phone so she could see her neck. 

Gauri: shoot. Thanks, I'll sort that out.

Anika smiled. Gauri looked so much happier than she did in the last few days but her eyes still had sadness in them and Anika knew it was because of the whole marriage mess and their parents being stupid. Hopefully Pinky would keep true to her word and make sure that their parents would let Gauri marry Om and Anika would marry Shivay....if only she didn't have to marry Shivay. 

Soon their parents and Dadaji was back. They didn't say anything. Anika was a bit concerned so she went up to Dadaji and asked in a quiet whisper: Dadaji, sab theek hai? Why is everyone quiet?

Dadaji quietly: kuch nahi. Bass they're thinking that if Gauri doesn't abort then....

He couldn't complete his sentence since the doorbell rang.

Sakshi: Anika, open the door please.

Anika got up and went to open the door. She knew that Pinky would try and convince her parents but she didn't expect Pinky to start on the same day Anika agreed to her condition.

Anika looked at Pinky who was with her husband, Om and Shivay. Shivay was looking at Anika in a way that sent a shiver down her spine...

Precap: Shivay corners Anika

How was this guys? I know it was boring. I wrote some of this in a rush since I have had some things to do. I hope you all liked this though and can forgive me for the late update.