"I was surrounded by darkness and was turned in a devil.. But you were the  little flicker of innocence in me, THE ROSE OF THE DEMON'S HEART."

~•~•~•~•~

'Let me fix the sitting arrangements', Anika chirped excitedly, 'Dandi and Bhavya in the first seats, you three brothers in the middle and me and Chutki at last!!'

'Anika!!', Shivaay sighed dramatically.

'Don't be a cheap asshole! We are having a family trip, right Om?', she turned to Omkara pouting, 'please let me have Chutki to myself for this journey.. I haven't met her for almost a month..'

'Its okay Anika, Omkara looked at Gauri sighing, 'I'm in a good mood today.'

'Wow! Chutki!! Let's get in! I have to talk buckets to you!!', Anika and Gauri hopped in the back seat.

'Chu-k-ki!', Omkara smiled very fondly sitting in the middle of his two brothers.

*****

A small boy was wandering  in the barren streets of the worker's colony. His father brought another woman today and worst.. That sorry excuse of a husband raised hand on his mother.

'I hate you Mr. Oberoi!', he kicked a big pebble furiously.

The pebble flew some meters away and hit a roadside dustbin. Much to relief, the workers were gone for their shifts, else they would have hit the boy sure for creating noise.

There lived mostly the employees of Kalyani Mills, the mills that were founded by the boy's grandfather. The workers of Kalyani Mills were provided quarters in this colony and it was a quiet place. So, the boy, whenever felt insecure, troubled, came in here. The quietness and calmness kept his burning heart at peace and being the introvert kid from a very early age, he never interacted with any of  the residents. They also didn't know who the boy was wandering in the empty alleys alone, shoving his hands in his pockets and kicking the pebbles angrily.

That was a day like that. Him, wandering alone on a quiet evening, when he spotted a girl toddling after a small white butterfly. Her small, chubby hands were raised high, trying to catch the butterfly in vain. Her small legs were shaking, taking steps unsteadily. She was stumbling every now and then.. and he was afraid if she lost her balance and fall.

He rushed to her when she hit a small pebble and tripped. He picked her up in his arms, resulting in her loss of touch with the butterfly.

He looked at the tiny moving doll in his arms. Her big hazel eyes looking at him in wonder, as if she had laid her eyes upon a human for the first time. She lifted one of  her small hands towards his face. He also waited patiently to see what the little creature was planning. She stuck her pointer finger out only from her fisted hand and poked his nose.

While he was blinking rapidly to contemplate what just happened, the little devil broke into fits of giggles, showing her small, pearly teeth.

'Playing mischiefs huh?', he started tickling her, and she started wiggling in his lap, kicking and punching him with her little feet and fists, which tickled him and he laughed out loud, his sour mood vanishing at once.

Once they were done laughing holding their stomachs, he held her up on the ground. Poking her nose he asked,

'Who are you, little elf?', he wiggled his eyebrows comically.

She put her index in her mouth, sucking it, as she looked at him intently, trying to understand his motive. Getting on his knees, he leaned closer to her face, his eyes twinkling in keenness.

'Ch.. Chu-k-ki', her  small and cute voice uttered and she immediately ran inside a nearby house, after pecking his nose quickly.

He stood there dumbfounded touching his nose. His little heart thundering in unexplainable happiness, as he mumbled,

'Nice to meet you, Chu-k-ki!'

*****

But soon after the Kalyani Mills tragedy occurred and he never saw her again.

'Om!/O!', came his brothers' voice.

'Om, are you okay?', Shivaay patted Omkara's shoulder.

'I'm more than just fine Shivaay, I can't tell you how happy I am today. I always thought life has never been fair to me. It has snatched away all whom I used to adore, but no, life gave me a chance by returning one of my treasures back to me.', he was smiling dreamily.

Gauri ogled over his smiling face from the rear view mirror. He looked as a completely different person. This innocent smile was no match to his cold chuckles and sinister smirks. Butterflies erupted from the pit of her stomach, tingling her nerves and her cheeks turned pink voluntarily.
I can spend ages just by staring at his beautiful smile, she concluded.

But as her Shankarji was always a bit mean to her, so his smile soon turned into a sickening smirk, 'I helped you in finding Chutki when you asked for me. Then, why did you lie to me that Chutki was dead, when you had found her already three years back?'

This time Anika choked on her own saliva, and started coughing furiously. Shivaay being Shivaay, turned at his back and started comforting her, 'Anika! Its okay.. Its okay.. Breath in, breathe out.. Yes, yes, that's fine! That's fine!', he was rubbing her back and Gauri handed her a water bottle.

'What just happened Anika? Are you okay??', though Omkara sounded worried, his eyes were sparkling in amusement, as if he enjoyed her little embarrassment.

The brother and sister in-laws shared an intense stare when Anika stared down awkwardly, and Omkara turned back forward, smirking victoriously.

Suddenly he looked up at the rearview mirror. His eyes locked with Gauri's, and she mocked at him making an animated face.

He chuckled.

Anika shifted uncomfortably between their silent conversation, and chills ran down her spine remembering an apparently small incident which changed her course of life, as well as Gauri's.

*****

'Is this your sister Anika?', Omkara asked Anika excitedly.

'Uh, yes Om', This was the second time he was in Oberoi Mansion. For, he came one year back to attend Shivaay and Tiya's wedding, which turned into Shivaay and Anika's wedding accidentally. And this was the second time he came to attend their remarriage. In the meantime, Shivaay had shared with her the darkest truths of the Oberois, especially about the middle Oberoi, who was a stain on the Oberoi surname. And true, she was afraid of him, in spite of him being extremely friendly to her.

He was caressing Chutki's little image in the frame, her  index in her mouth, as she always used to do when she was amused of something.

Anika, we should find her and we have to succeed', suddenly he became sickeningly excited, 'life has never offered me a second chance, and when I have given one, I will make a run for it.', he smiled fondly at Chutki.

'Did you know her?', Anika hoped he didn't.

'I was eleven then. And she was barely three or four. How can I forget such a pure and innocent soul?', his smile grew wider. No doubt, he grew very affectionate at her by then.

'Hh haha', Anika laughed nervously, suddenly praying that Chutki gets invisible or they never succeed in finding her.

Later at that night, she snuggled in Shivaay's chest, playing with the buttons of his kurta.

'Shivaay, can it be possible that Om made friends with common children, like me or Chutki??'

'I highly doubt it Anika. He has always been a scary and disturbed soul. He was very introvert and he hadn't a single friend even in his academic life. We were really surprised when he brought Riddhima along him.. He has never been a man to love or to be loved. But, why are you asking this??', Shivaay started caressing her hair, trying to ease her discomfort.

'I will tell you everything Shivaay. Just promise me, that even if we succeed to find Chutki, you will keep her hidden from Om. Please Shivaay, for me??,' she held her pinky out, 'I want a pinky promise.'

Shivaay stared at her pleading eyes for a long time silently, confusion etched on his face, increasing her anxiety. When she was at the verge of her patience, he slowly wrapped his pinky around hers,

'I promise.'

OMG!!! Am I dreaming guys?? 'The Fairytale I Never Dream Of', #1 in #omkara!! All the credit goes to you guys, thank you!!
🍕🍕🍧🍨🍦🍫🍬🍭
A virtual treat from me!!

So, I revealed some past secrets, more to come when we reach Mumbai. Carry on with your guessing dearies.

And yes, sorry for not updating yesterday. I was feeling tired after typing a one shot whole night. Sorry again.

If you are interested, give a try to my new OmVya OS, Ibaadat. A love story which ends in resulting the change of the povs and relationships between two people.

Happy reading!
With love,
Sarani.