Mahi woke up only to find Anika still sleeping. He decided to get ready and make breakfast for her. Emotional Anika had a tendency to be all over the place and adding hunger to it only made her worse. Though he did it more out of concern for her. He was really worried about her mental state and feared that it might take a toll on her physical one. He resolved to prevent that from happening as he made his way towards the kitchen and started preparing her favourite aloo poori. He had taken the day off not that he had much work to do anyway so that he could get her to open up more and convice her to start therapy again. But the more important thing was informing her husband . Mahi knew that Anika would kill him if he went behind her back and revealed her past to Shivaay but he had a moral obligation to do so. He couldn't just let her suffer.  She deserved better...he had  seen the haunted look in her eyes far too many times ...the same look he had in his own yes while growing up. The one driven by depthless grief. The kind that consumed one enough to make them want to kill themselvers. He did not wish for her to suffer that fate .

Suddenly there was knock on the door. Mahi wondered who could it be at that time of the morning. No one in general ever came to see him . Perhaps it was someone for Anika. A certain blue eyed man who Mahi had once mistakingly believed to be his brother.
.
Mahi opened the dare only to have his suspicions confirmed. There stood in front of him  Shivaay Singh Oberoi who was visibly seething with anger.
Mahi took in his apperance...he was dressed in a sharp black suit. Mahi knew that they might have the same face but everything about them was entirely different. This he had learn during the time he had impersonated him.

Shivaay Singh Oberoi didn't know what he was feeling more - anger that his wife spent the night at his doppelganger's house or sad that she had taken such a step. Was she trying to teach him a lesson ...Anika always did like settling scores but this was too much even for her.

Where is she asked Shivaay without exchanging any pleasanteries. He was back in his S.S.O mode.

All this time when Anika used to talk about you i always always thought she was exagerrating but now i see it.

See what asked Shivaay impatiently

The air of arrogance that you carry everywher eyou go...your tadi..you have really bad manner mr. Oberoi

Says the person who tried taking my place. Now tell me where the hell is my wife.

She is sleeping replied Mahi

Where

Inside the bedroom replied Mahi fully aware that Shivaay Singh Oberoi was about to lose his shit.

Shivaay averted his gaze towards the bedroom his eyes expressing his fury

I slept outside on the couch said Mahi to put the poor husband of his friend out of misery.

Before Shivaay could say anything, Anika emerged from the bedroom.

Arey Mahi ..i hope you have prepared the aloo puris..i am famished ..i swear  to god if you made me get up this early only to find out that there is no aloo puri then i will never ever...

Anika stoped midway before she could complete that sentence. How could she. Her husband was standing in front of her.

For a moment time stopped. This is not what she had expected. She  would have never thought in her wildest dreams that her husband could come there especially when he was too wrapped up in convincing his fake wife Tanya that he and Anika were not working together.

What..what are you doing her Shiv..vaay stammered Anika.

Make a wild guess Anika remarked Shivaay sarcastically. He walked towards her .

Besides shouldn't i be the one asking that question. What the hell are you doing here.

Before Anika could say something Mahi cleared his throat. Umm..i am going to give you guys some privacy..i'll be in the bedroom..call me if you need anything Anika Mahi as he left the room.

Oh really since when do you care where i go Shivaay said Anika with a tinge of hurt.

Anika don't you dare do that warned shivaay

Do what asked Anika

You know i have no choice ...my family

Exactly Shivaay...there it is  again..your family...not ours..after everything that we've been through you still don't consider me as a part of your family said anika more hurt than angry

What are you saying Anika. You are on Oberoi..and i am trying to protect you from getting hurt..

Protecting me from getting hurt? All you have done since the day we got married is hurt me Shivaay..you know what i don't wann atalk about this anymore ...i don't want to say anything which cannot be taken back
which is exactly why i think that you should leave.

Like hell i will..do you really expect me to leave you here all alone with that man said Shivaay

For your information that man hapoens to be my best friend and has been with me through my toughest times unlike my husband .

What is that supposed to mean Anika?

Nothing Shivaay please just go said Anika sitting down on the couch with tears flowing from her face.

Shivaay knelt down and wiped away her tears.

Shivaay please...

I am sorry Anika...you know i am..i have never been a good husband to you but i truly want to change that..i am just stressed because i am tired of watching the people i love in constant danger..i am tired of being the great wall of Shivaay Singh Oberoi..right now the only thing which keeps me sane is the thought that once this is all over i can hold you in my arms  again and we can finally start our lives together...Anika you don't know how i felt when i found out you were here..thousand thoughts were running through my mind..what if something had happened to you and what not? I will fix it all i swear but right now i need you support me otherwise i'll break and so will our entire family.

Anika was in a dilemma now..there he was..the man she unconditionally loved looking like a lost puppy begging for mercy.

Please come home...I will end all of this in a few days and get rid of Tanya
begged Shivaay

Shivaay i want to..i do..but if i stay there then i am only going to be an obstacle in your path to find out the real enemy..i want to stay here for a few days...i trust Mahi completely...and i know it may seem a bit strange to you that Mahi and I are friends but its the truth and i know i have never mentioned him before but there were many reasons for that.

Shivaay wanted to pick his phone and smash it across the room. Under other circumstances he would have. But this time he couldn't blame her. If his wife wanted to stay with his inpersonator then there was nothing he could do about it .

Fine if you want to stay here then stay here but i'll be stationing a guard outside for your security and once this is all over you are going to explain to me how you ended up becoming friends with whatever his name is okay?

Anika daid nothing but nodded .

I'll go now but i'll come tonight to visit you.

One week later

Shivaay was ecstatic. He had finally gotten rid of those tapes which were fake to begin with. Abhay and his accomplice were finally exposed which meant that Shivaay was free to bring his wife home. His stubborn wife who was still staying at that wretched man's house. Shivaay ahd been regularly visting that chawl every night since past week burning in fury at the sight of Anika laughing with his duplicate. But enough was enough. There was nothing which could stop him from bringing her back home .

Shivaay had already called and informed Anika that he was coming to pick her up. Finally they both were going to be together . If only he knew the struggle his wife was going through.

But Mahi did which is why Mahi had called Shivaay and asked him to meet him alone . Shivaay obviously refused but when Mahi insisted it was regarding Anika he imedietly complied.

Why the hell did you call me here ?

Mr. Oberoi good morning to you too.

Don't..

Don't what

Act like we are friends okay. You are man at whose house my wife is staying which is why i am being civil. Now tell me why did you call me here.

To talk about Anika and her childhood.

This piqued Shivaay's curiousity.

What do you know about her childhood.

Alot more than you do . Look you can act all hostile towards me if you want but at the end of the day we both want the same thing- her happiness . Which is why i am about to tell you things which i am not supposed to . I know Aniak will kill me if she finds out i was the one who talked to you about all this. But i ahve no choice. You need to know.

Shivaay was getting worried now.

What does Anika not want me to know asked Shivaay in a softer tone which was evidently laced with hurt. What could have Anika not told Shivaay but had told Mahi.

Anika and i became friends during the time you both were separated. I know the divorce was hard on you because you didn't even know the cause of it but it hit Anika harder even though she had herself decided to leave you courtesy of your mother Pinky Singh Oberoi. Anika tried to hold her self together until..

Until asked Shivaay impatiently

Until she had a breakdown. The divorce bought out her worst fears to reality, the fears that she had grown up with, those of abandonment and losing her sister chutki. I found her on the middle of the road  looking for her long lost sister. She was apparently convinced that chitki was there. I bought her back to my home only to find out that she had forgotten the night before. She may have been sleepwalking or she just wanted to deny that she was suffering. I made her see a therapist to deal with her nightmares but then when she decided to come back to Obeeoi mansion she left therapy midway. Look i know i shouldn't meddle in your lives like this but i care about Anika. I truly do enough to tell you all this. She needs help Shivaay...medical help. She needs to deal with the loss of the only relative she ever had. The one she lost forever.

Shivaay was flabbergasted. How could have he not seen this coming . Anika had been acting strange for some time now but he chose to ingnore it thinking it was because of Tanya. But had she been like this ever since she came back in his life. Mahi was right ....she did need help.

Can i ask you a question Mahi. This was the first time Shivaay ahd called him by his name.

Sure

Why do you care about her enough to talk to to man who you know loathes you? Why are you so intent on helping the wife of the man who quashed your dreams and that of your family of becoming rich? The man you impersonated.

Because she and I we are both orphans. Anika has been somewhat of a balm to my wounds. She tried to lift me up . And its time to repay the favour.

Shivaay was still not entirely convinced but he had more things to worry about. He had to talk to his wife.

I am going to make it all better..i am going to fix it all..vowed Shivaay Singh Oberoi.