Both were getting ready in front of the mirror while stealing glances with each other. He placed his brush on the table when she forwarded the nuptial chain towards him. He looked at it before looking into her eyes. She was smiling.

     He smiled making her wear the chain recalling the previous times when both yearned for it. He realised how far they have come. Filling her partition with the vermillion, he kissed her forehead. She felt bliss.

      Both had their breakfast with the family and then came back to their room. They had taken leave for two days. Today evening was their reception as Shivaay had informed everyone. There were some praanis whose mouths needed to be shut and he very well knew the ways to deal with such shit.

      He was fiddling with his phone when Annika, who was sitting beside him on the couch, demanded him to search his name in her henna. He agreed heartily and placed his phone on the nearby table before holding her hands.

      Though he was quite excited at first but all his excitement went down the drain as he couldn't locate his name even after keen research for twenty minutes. Annika was getting frustrated now.

     'Shiv, be quick....' she muttered being bored.

      'Yeah yeah....' He whispered twisting her hands here and there with one hand while his other one was in his mouth since he was biting his nails in vexation.

     'I'll give you punishment..' she whined when he still couldn't find his name.

      'And may i know what kind of punishment?' He asked sweetly.

      She thought for a few minutes before smiling mischievously. He was smiling looking at her but her next words literally gave him a heart attack.

      'You won't touch me for a month.'

    'You...yoo....you can't be serious, jaana.' He gulped giving her a scared smile. She smiled cheekily.

       He instantly held her hands more tightly looking as carefully as he could. He cursed himself for not getting where his name was written. Annika chuckled looking at his scared face. She wasn't going to give any punishment but it was fun teasing him. It felt so good to see him being cranky like a toddler.

      His frown changed into a full blown smile when he found his name on her ring finger. Tracing it with his index finger, he kissed it. She smiled.

      He pulled her from her waist making her sit on his lap. She gasped clutching his shoulders.

     'Now, my reward time....' He whispered nuzzling in her hair.

     'Reward?' She looked confused.

     'I found my name, right? So i deserve a reward....' He replied gazing at her lips. She shivered under his gaze.

      He leaned forward to kiss but she pushed him getting up from his lap and stood beside the window blushing furiously. He went behind her and hugged her from behind.

      'Your blush is driving me crazy, jaana.' He spoke kissing her neck. She blushed more leaning into his touch. 

       He turned her around cupping her face. She parted her lips. He was about to kiss her when suddenly.......

      'Oops.' Came a voice making Shivaay groan and Annika giggle.

      They looked towards the door to see Rudra and Annay who stood there covering their eyes.

      'Idiots.' Shivaay muttered frowning. Annika chuckled going from there.

      They gave him a teasing smile while he rolled his eyes.

     'What brought you here guys? I'm sure it must be something unproductive...' He said sarcastically.

      'Haan haan! You are doing na, the most productive work...' Rudra said with a wink hi-fying Annay.

      'Hogya? Ab bako kya chahiye?' ('Now bark what you want?') He said annoyed. These idiots ruined his special moment. He felt like kicking them out.

      'Actually, we were going out for sometime. So came to ask if you are interested?' Annay said.

     'No! I have work, you guys enjoy.' He gave them a tight lipped smile.

     'Okay!' Both said in unison with a sad pout.

     'Oye! Nautankis, i really have some work. Will go some other time.' He said with a smile seeing them getting sad suddenly. No matter how much they tease or annoy him but he couldn't stop loving his idiots. They were the one who stood with him through tough times. Not even once had they let him feel left out.

      They went from there smiling not before taking a promise from him to hang out with them once soon.

_________________________________________

Evening

      The party was going on full swing. Everyone was waiting for the newly wedded couple who got a little bit late in getting ready for the husband took some time to romance his wife.

       They descended down the stairs with his hand on her waist looking like a royal couple. Confidence dripped their faces. The sound of claps echoed through the mansion as the media clicked pictures of the couple badly hit by love-o-maria. They couldn't take their eyes off each other.

      Their parents stood there clapping happily seeing their children happy after long. They  prayed for their happiness to last forever.

     'I would like to thank all of you to join our happiness. Today, is a very special day for me and my family. I introduce to you all my gorgeous and lovely wife, Mrs. Annika Shivaay Singh Oberoi.....' He spoke forwarding his hand which was soon held by Annika with a wide smile plastered over her face. Everyone clapped for them.

     Media asked some questions which they both answered gracefully. Shivaay's hand never left Annika's waist. Some girls there even envied Annika for being so lucky to become the SSO's wife but they didn't know that Annika felt herself fortunate to get his love, not his bank balance. Nothing, literally nothing can beat his selfless love.

     Soon the reception ended. Shivaay  made sure that the news spread allover the world so that no one dare to point a finger at their relation or especially Annika. He can even die but not bear a single tear in her eyes. They had endured enough. Now it was time to forget everything and live with each other happily.

_________________________________________

     Annika was taking her night dress from the wardrobe when her eyes fell on something. It was some alcohol bottles.

      'Shivaay!' She called him still looking over the bottles. He followed her gaze and stood there not knowing what to say.

      'Will you say something now?' She was annoyed now. This man still didn't learn how harmful it can be for his health.

     'Annika! I brought these long back. But i don't drink anymore....' He explained.

     'But that day......' she referred the day he drank so many vodka bottles.

    'I was stressed. I didn't have any other go. It was....it was getting unbearable....' he sighed.

      'Meri wajah se.' She spoke looking down as her eyes shed tears. He cupped her face making her look at him.

      'Aye! Meri jaana ki aankhon mein aansu ache nhi lagte.' ('Tears don't suit my jaana's eyes.') He wiped her tears with the pad of his thumb.

     'I'm sorry.....' she cried. He shook his head.

     'Jaana, bas bohot hogya na. It's enough. Let's forget everything and move forward....' He spoke kissing her forehead. She nodded hugging him. He rub her back. His warmth made her feel better.

       Both laid down on the bed after changing. Annika slept hugging him being tired because of the hectic day they had. But he couldn't sleep. His thoughts drifted to the time when Annika found his drinking and smoking habit for the first time.....

Flashback

      Annika was going back to her home from school. She passed by the field to see Shivaay and his friends hanging out there. But what caught her attention was the cigarette in Shivaay's hand. She stood there to see what else he did. After smoking for some time, he started drinking. Annika's heart skipped a beat seeing all this. She didn't know. It had been three months to their relationship and she had never seen shivaay doing something like this. She was angry. She decided to confront him.

      Going towards him, she held his wrist and dragged him towards the backside of field. He was happy seeing her but unaware of her anger. He still held the bottle in his other hand.

      She took it and threw on the floor angrily. He looked shocked.

     'Jaana....' He tried to hold her shoulders but she stepped back.

     'Shut up! Just shut up......' she shouted pointing a finger at him.

     'Annika....'

      'What the hell do you think you were doing?' She shouted holding his collars. The alcoholic smell from his mouth made her cringe in disgust. She literally loathed such things and this man was enjoying.

     'Annie, we....we were just hanging out....it's.....'

     'Like this.....' she pointed at the broken bottle pieces on the floor.

      'Annika! What's wrong with you? It's just alcohol......' He reasoned.

      'Are you even serious Shivaay? Just? Just alcohol? This can harm your health dude.....' she was enraged seeing him being so careless.

      'I'm habitual to it.....' He muttered annoyed making her glare him.

      'This is ridiculous.....you know what......i don't want to talk to you....' she said walking from there.

     'Annika! Annie, listen.....jaana please....'

     She didn't stop. He punched the nearby wall. It wasn't supposed to be this way. He didn't like it. He didn't like arguing with her. It was the first time it had happened. He didn't feel right.

      Three days went by but Annika didn't talk to Shivaay. She didn't even pick up his calls. Her ignorance was making him angry. He wasn't used to it. In their relationship of three months, she never ignored him. And now when she did, it was getting unbearable for him.

       He asked Ishani to tell Annika to come to the field. But she didn't come. Two more days passed. He was all riled up by then. He decided to message her.

      'Annika! Come to the field right now. Tumhe meri kasam.'

     Annika wouldn't have gone if not for his swear. He was sitting on the bench when she sat beside him with an angry face.

      'What's wrong?' He asked after a silence of a few minutes.

     'You are still asking this?' She looked at him angrily.

     'Yaar meri life hamesha se aisi hi thi....main nhi badal sakta aise ek dum se....' ('My life was always like this....i can't change it suddenly.') He said rubbing his temples.

      'But you can atleast try, Shivaay.' Her voice cracked as she spoke.

     He looked at her concerned.

     'If not for yourself but you can try for me or for aunty. Have you ever thought that if something happened to you due to all this, what will happen to her and.......me?' She spoke holding his hand. Her voice suddenly soft.

       'Okay! Okay! I'll try but please....please don't cry. It hurts, here.' He said placing her hand on his heart. She wiped her tears.

     'Pinki promise?' She forwarded her little finger towards him to which he joined his one saying 'Pinki promise.'

      With that promise, Shivaay tried a lot to leave all those bad habits. Though it was tough at first but with Annika's constant support and motivation, he finally succeeded. Annika felt so happy seeing him doing all this for her. Since then, their love bloomed even more as they both promised to stand by each other forever and ever........

Flashback ends

      Shivaay looked at her who was snoring on his chest. He smiled realising that how she had always helped him to become a tad bit better everyday. She never made him feel that he was bad being a goon instead she always motivated him to leave his bad habits behind to live a sustainable life without making him feel bad. When people always disgusted him, it was her who stood by his side. It was her who was always proud of his small achievements. It was her who cared for his happiness.

       'Love you!' He muttered pecking her forehead.

     'Love you too!' She replied even being in sleep making him smile. He pulled her more towards himself before drifting into a peaceful slumber......

      *********

Thanks to everyone who voted and commented on the last part❤❤❤