2 weeks later

The Mehta family had came to the Oberoi Mansion to match both Shivay and Anika's Kundli. Dadi and Sahil were sitting on the couch, beside Sahil ,it was Tej then Jhanvi. Opposite to them , Shakti and Pinky were seated ,beside them Mansi and Harshad. The youngsters along with Anika and Shivay were standing beside them. The Pandit ji is matching the kundli keenly, sitting on the middle chair.

"The kundlis are matching perfectly. They are made for each other. Their love will last long till the end , just like Shiv ji and Parvathy mata." The pandit ji said smiling , making the whole family smie wide , where Anika blushed hard and Shivay too had a small blush on his face which was unnoticed by others. He too was unaware of the fact.

"We can do their Engagement withing 2 days and shadi after 8 months." The pandit ji said making everyone happy. The pandit ji left after receiving his reward for the happy news. Everyone feed sweets to each other.

Youngsters moved to the poolside where the elders sat on the loving room chit chatting. Rudy dragged Shivay with them. All settled themselves on the couch beside the pool and Anika was left. She had no seats. Rudy smirked watching this.

"Bhabhi sit down. Why are you standing there?" He asked hiding his smirk.

"Rudra can you see any seats here?" Anika asked rolling her eyes.

"Yes I can." Rudy said as everyone looked at him as if he is an alien.

"Bhaiya, give her some space. Don't take that chair only for yourself." He said to Shivay earning a knowing smile from Om. Sahil is sitting between him and Rudy.

Shivay said nothing and made some space for Anika to sit. She was hesitating.

"Arey dii, what are you waiting for? Sit na." Sahil said watching Anika being hesitated. Anika nodded her head and sat beside Shivay. It was quiet big chair that 2 people could sit with adjustment.

Everyone started chit chatting while Shivay was engrossed in his phone.

"Bhaiya, please keep your phone aside and talk to us na." Rudy said pouting. Shivay looked up from his phone.

"Rudy I have some mails to check. Bye." Shivay said and before anyone could react, he got up from the chair and walked into his room. Anika watched him going, with a confused face. She turned to OmRu.

"Is your bhai paralysed by his cheeks?" Anika asked with frown. Om and Rudra laughed out aloud.

"Why-why are you asking s-so bhabhi?" Om asked in between the laugh.

"Because he never smile. It surely looks like his cheeks got slipped into comma." Anika said rolling her eyes as OmRu laughed more loud. After sometime they composed themselves. Sahil got up and ran to the living, to him Maa and Papa.

"Bhabhi, he was not like this." Om said as Anika looked at him curiously, to hear further.

"You know how childish and joyful Rudy is." Om said and Anika nodded ruffling Rudy's hair and he gave her a cute smile in response.

"He is the exact duplica of 7 year before Shivay. Infact Shivay was more mischievous than Rudy. He always ran around the house. Always making everyone smile by his antics , but he was mature as well. He took care of us all." Om said as his eyes started to get watery.

"Then what made him like this?" Anika asked being confused.

"It was his 20th birthday party. We all were so happy. We had held a big party. We had invited a lot of people. But in some time, we saw another face of Shivay. The sweet cute and joyous Shivay had turned into a beast who was thirsty for blood." Anika gasped as a fear came into her heart after hearing Rudy.

"He killed his best friend. We saw him sitting on the dead body of his best friend, Shaurya Goenga. He was just like Shivay to us.  But that day everything changed." Om said with a checking voice.

"Wh-why did he do-do that?" Anika asked whispering as her voice had lost somewhere listening to OmRu.

OmRu narrated the whole insident along with the reason to Anika, which was a huge shock for her.

"Bhabhi, don't let him know that you know all these. Let him tell you all by himself. Make him trust you. Let him know that you will be there by his side, in every thick and thin. Please don't leave him. Its you, only you can bring back our old Shivay. I have seen the sparkle in his eyes whenever he see you." Om said crying, joining his hands infront of her.

"Bhabhi, please bring back me , my old Shivay bhaiya, who used to talk to us about his whole day, sitting here. Who loved our Obro moments. Who loved to cook for us. Please...." Rudy said crying like a baby.

"Shh... Rudy, I promise you, i'll give you the old Shivay back. The one who was mischievous joyous and childish." Anika said cupping Rudy's cheeks. He hugged her crying on her shoulder. Anika caressed his head and gestured Om to join the hug. The trio hugged each other, promising each other to bring back the old Shivay.

•°•
°•°

It was already past 10. All did their dinner already. OmRu and Anika came to the living after their chit chat and saw Mansi and Harshad getting up from the couch to leave for their home. They noticed OmRu and Anika. Dadi called Anika towards her.

"Beta, tomorrow you and Billu will go for your engagement shopping." Daadi said smiling. Anika gave her a nervous smile before asking,

"Daadi, how will I go with a Cat? How will I manage to do the shopping while taking care pf the cat?" She asked earning laugh from the whole family. Rudy came to Anika and hugged her from shoulder.

"Bhabhi, don't worry. Our Billu will take care of you and of himself as well." He said chuckling.

"What are you saying Rudy? How will the Cat take care of me?" Anika asked rolling her eyes.

"Puttar, Billu is the nick name of Shivay. I call him Billu with Love." Daadi said and everyone laughed at Anika's expression. She bit her tongue realising her mistake.

"I am really sorry Daadi." She apologised with a pout.

"Its okay Anika, it happens sometimes." Tej said smiling. Anika smiled at him.

"We'll take your leave then." Harshad said and took blessing from Daadi, followed by Mansi. Harshad hugged Tej and Shakti while Mansi hugged Pinky and Jhanvi.

"Take care Daadi." Anika said taking blessing from Daadi. Daadi pulled her into a hug with a kiss on her head.

Anika moved to Shakti and Pinky and took blessings from them. Both hugged her and Pinky kissed on her forehead. Then she moved to Tej and Jhanvi and took blessings from them as well. Both hugged her. Jhanvi kissed on her forehead while Tej kissed on her temple.Om and Rudy hugged her. Sahil also took blessings from everyone and hugged OmRu.

"Aunty Uncle, we will drop you guys home." Om said and just then Shivay walked into the living.

"Shivay beta, we are leaving." Harshad said smiling. Shivay walked to them and took blessings from the duo without any expression.

"Umm... Aunty come na." Om said picking up Sahil and they walked out of the mansion along with Mansi and Harshad. Shivay and Anika followed them till the car. Rudy took the diver seat and Om took the passenger seat. Harshad and Mansi took the backseat along with Sahil.

"Bhabhi, there are no seat left for you. Umm.... Shivay please drop her." Om said hiding his smirk. Harshad and Mansi smiled at their antics. Anika looked at Shivay with a puppy face.

"Wait here, i'll bring the key." Shivay said marching inside the mansion.

"All the best Bhabhi." Rudy and Om said and drove off the car.

In 2 minutes, Shivay came back with his car key and saw Anika pacing here and there.

"Come." Shivay said coming to Anika and walked to his car followed by Anika. Both settled inside and Shivay drove the car.

It was a silent ride till the destination. Soon they reached  Anika's house.

"Come inside." Anika said before getting down from the car. Shivay sighed watching OmRu's car parked there. He got down and followed Anika.

Getting inside the Mansion, they saw OmRu sitting in the living, talking to Harshad and Mansi. They smiled seeing Shivay and Anika entering.

"Anika, Sahil gone to sleep. Just see if he had changed his dress. If not, wake him up and make him change his dress." Mansi said and Anika nodded her head walking to her room. Shivay settled beside OmRu. Mansi offered water to him.

After 10 minutes Anika walked to there in her tee and shorts.

"I made him change his dress maa." She said settling beside her Papa.

"Okay Aunty, well. Take your leave then. Bye." Shivay said and got up from the couch followed by OmRu. They walked out of the Mansion.

"Shivay..." Trio stopped by Anika's voice. They turned around and saw her walking to them.

"Give me your number. Woh.... We have to meet tomorrow. So i'll call you to know the place and time." Anika said earning a teasing smile from OmRu from behind Shivay, to which she blushed. Shivay gave her his number and She saved it as Mr.To Be.

"OmRu, you please take my number. You can call me in emergencies na." Anika said and told her number. OmRu saved her number into their phone where Shivay stood there, for them to finish. They walked to their car and sat inside.

OmRu started the car and drove off. First thing Shivay did after getting inside the car is to remember Anika's number and save it into his phone as Girl.

He glanced the contact for sometime before keeping it aside and drove off to Oberoi Mansion.

•°•
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Next Day

Anika stirred in her sleep before opening her eyes groaning with irritation.

"Hello, who ever you are,  keep your mouth shut and cut the call because I am not done with my sleep." She said and was about to cut the call which disturbed her sleep early in the morning (according to her).

"Anika,its me Shivay." And there she lost her sleep. She sat up on the bed with a jerk. She looked at the caller id and saw Mr.To Be.

"Ha-haa, Shivay tell me." She said composing herself.

"You said we have to go for the shopping. Meet me at the cafe at 11 am." Shivay said his voice carried no expression or emotion.

"Okay." She said and next second the call got cut. Anika saw the time. It was already past 9. She gasped. Getting up from the bed she ran to the bathroom to get freshen up.

•°•
°•°

Anika was waiting inside the cafe from past half an hour. Its already please 11.30 but there was no trance of Shivay. The waiter already approached her with the menu more than 6 times.

Suddenly she saw Shivay entering the cafe. He came and sat on his regular table, where Anika was already seated. The waiter came to them and took their order. Latte for Anika and his regular Espresso for Shivay.

"Sorry I had an urgent meeting." Shivay's said turning to Anika after placing the order.

"Its okay." Anika said giving a small smile. Both finished their coffee and walked out of the cafe after paying the bill.

•°•
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They came to The Oberois Shopping Mall. Entering into the store, they were welcomed by the staff's warm gesture, especially when it is Shivay Singh Oberoi.

"Its our  engagement and we want to select our outfits." Anika said to the staff, who led them to the ladies collection first. Anika selected a simple lehenga, after trying more than 10 dresses already.

Then the staff led them to the men's section. Shivay selected his dress, matching to Anika.

Then they left to select the rings.

Both got in and started to select rings for each other. Thats what they got instructed by their family. Both had to select rings for each other. After examining more than 100 rings, both selected the ring for each other. They walked to the food court and sat there ordering some fresh juice for themselves.

•°•
°•°

Anika walked to her house as her house was just at a  walking distance from the mall. Where Shivay drove to his office.

Anika was about to get inside her house suddenly she realised something. Her phone is left with Shivay. She had gave it to him while she went to try on her lehengas.  Anika ran inside the house and saw her mother sitting on the couch.

"Mumma give me your phone." Anika demanded and Mansi gave it with a confused face. Anika unlocked the phone and dialled Shivay's number.

Yes! She remembered his number. Its her habit to learn her closed ones number. And now when Shivay is gonna be one of them, she leaned his number.

By the 2nd ring, Shivay picked up the call.

"Your/my phone." Both said in unison, just after the call got recieved. Anika smiled. Mansi smiled knowing to whom she is talking.

"Hmm... I'll come to your home." Shivay said. He was sitting at the cafe, enjoying the silence.

"No, tell me where are you?" Anika asked immediately.

"I am at the cafe." He replied instantly.

"Okay. Wait there, i'll come in 20 minutes." Anika said earning a humming from Shivay. She cut the call and gave the phone to Mansi.

"Maa, my phone is with Shivay. I'll be back after getting it." Anika said and Mansi nodded her head. Anika walked out of the mansion. She have to walk till the cafe as the car was taken by her Dad and her Champa is taken to the service.

She barely walked 10 minutes. She was in the exact middle between her house and the cafe. And the road was somewhat deserted with vehicles passing by there barely.

The vision infront of her made her numb.

Shivay saw Anika standing there numb, just like a statue, as the man infront of him, landed on the floor with a thud, with blood oozing from his forehead. Shivay was standing there pointing a gun, which he used to fire on the man, exactly between his eyebrows.

Shivy adjusted the gun inside his blazer sighing. She had seen him and now there no run-away. Sighing, he walked to Anika. Grabbing her hand, he led her to the building aside, which was destroyed 90%. As they got in, people surrounded the dead body. Withing 15 minutes, police was arrived and the body was taken away from there. The place was sealed by police. As the people left, Shivay looked at Anika, who was looking at him, from the second she saw him.

Shivay closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

"Anika, now when you saw me, let me tell you something. I am like this. I am not good for you. Tell the family that you don't wanna marry me and broke the alliance." Shivay said looking into her eyes. Still she was looking at him without blinking his eyes. He sighed before saying the thing he never wanted her to know. Now that's the only way for her to broke the alliance.

"Anika, it was me who looked your puppy. It was me who rode the car above your puppy mercilessly." He knew that was unintentional. He never wanted to kill that creature. Nevertheless, he didn't knew that his car would run through his tiny body. He just wanted to drove away his car but that happened. 

Now he was sure that she'll broke the marriage. He saw her still staring into his eyes, but this time teary eyes. He bought his hand to her face but didn't dare to touch her cheeks. He dropped his hand and waited for her response.

Anika was numb after hearing his confession. It was him. She lost her puppy, that tiny life, which only knew how to love, only because of him. But she saw his eyes, which was filled with guilt.

"Anika just broke the marriage and live happily. You won't be happy with me ever. I am not a person who could keep you happy." He said looking into her eyes.

Anika composed herself. She took a breath, not uttering a word. It was giving some kind of pain into his heart.

She bought her hand to his blazer. He searched each one pocket when she saw the gun. Averting her gaze from it, she searched again and found her phone. All the time, he was watching her every action keenly.

"Anika you have time till tomorrow. Once we got engaged, you will not be able to back off from it." Shivay said just when she found her phone. She looked into his eyes fiercely.

"You are none to take decision behalf of me." Anika said and walked out of there. She looked at the police sealed place for some second and walked to her home.

Shivay stood there watching her walk away. He sighed and walked to where his car is parked. Then he drove back to Oberoi Mansion.

•°•
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Heya guys....

Hope you all liked the chappy.

Stay tuned...

Love
Athi ❤️