Shivika SS: 3 Months Later (Forced Marriage Track) Completed - Page 18

Oh wow...what starcrossed lovers these two are...but am enjoying their journey...

God

Brilliant chapter! Waiting for more:)

Supppeerrbbb update Aasthi!
Loved it!
Pinky was tooo sugary...
Nd Arhaan defending Anika was awesome. Liked the way he stood for her...nd vowed to protect her nd stand by her decisions.
But i am feeling sorry for Shivaay..he has fallen irrevicably for her...his feelings r genuine.. but he himself invited trouble By doubting her.
Well lets c what u have in store for us...
This is going more intresting now..
Update soon dear.

Love Sharmi

woow...its awesome...amazing...
this part is so beautiful n heart touching...
waiting fr next update...Continue soon...

Awe awesome update

Satisfaction *relief* is what I feel after reading your ff

Lovely ff...

wow i am just so loving it

Chapter Six: The deepest bonds

"Dadi, did you really mean what you said? About respecting Anika's decision if she wants a divorce?" Omkara asked dadi as he sat at the foot of the bed

Dadi who was massaging Om's head with oil, considered his question

"Yes. Of course I did. When I first made them stay in this marriage, I knew they loved each other and something had happened that made Billu turn into Shivaay- the destroyer. I thought with time, they would work it out. But I regretted it when I watched Anika break day after day. Because of Billu's stubborn pride and my determination, we lost the old Anika. But then Arhaan came along, he found the old Anika and brought her to life. I will not force our choices on her again"

Omkara closed his eyes

"But now even choti maa has accepted her and you know that Shivaay is in love with her. The divorce will break him" he said thoughtfully

"Or it will give him a fresh start and make him win her back again and marry her the right way this time" she replied optimistically

"Do you think it's possible with Arhaan around?" he asked. "I first thought that their bond went deeper than friendship, then I wondered if they were in love and didn't know it but now Arhaan has even accepted his love for her. He just said Anika was his world and I'm sure that if Anika were to choose between Shivaay and Arhaan, she would choose Arhaan"

Dadi smiled

"You are absolutely right" she said

"That doesn't bother you?" he asked incredulously

"Why should it? Arhaan is a great guy and I never expected any different" she told him

"But dadi, shivaay..." Om started agitatedly but she put a calming hand on his shoulder

"When I first met Arhaan I had a long chat with him. Do you know Arhaan and Anika were in the same orphanage? Anika was four and Arhaan was eight when they first met and were inseparable ever since. Four years after that, Saahil's dad traced Arhaan. Saahil's dad was Arhaan's uncle and only living relative but Arhaan's parents had lost touch with him before they died and hence he was in the orphanage. When Saahil's dad came to take Arhaan away, Arhaan refused to let Anika go and hence Anika was adopted as well."

Omkara said nothing. He waited, thinking of their pain, their loneliness as dadi narrated the rest of the tale

"Being adopted didn't change their lives in any major way. Saahil's mother and bua never accepted them. They were each other's support even then. They both filled in the role of mother, father, brother, sister for each other. But then Arhaan had to leave of med school and then find a job to pay off his loan and in that time, Anika learnt to fight alone and that was when Shivaay happened."

Om nodded. The rational side of his brain told him that Anika deserved better but his heart that was ruled by his brother refused to agree

"Dadi, I do understand that Arhaan is more deserving in Anika's affections than Shivaay is but Shivaay is my brother.." he defended

"You are not listening."

"I am." He told her "I get it that Anika and Arhaan love each other but Anika did fall for Shivaay before he destroyed it all"

Dadi now chucked openly and her face radiant

"Their bond is far too deep, Om, that Anika will always choose Arhaan over Shivaay because she would rather hurt herself by not choosing Shivaay than hurt Arhaan by not choosing him"

Om felt the weight of disappointment on his chest. The thought of Shivaay without Anika didn't bear thinking about

"Shivaay has no hope then?" he asked

"I'm surprised that you couldn't read the nature of the relationship that Anika and Arhaan share given that you share such a bond with two other dim-witted men." She said swiftly

It was then it dawned on Om what dadi was trying to tell him, why Anika Arhaan bond seemed so familiar. After all if there was a choice between Anika and them (OmRu) for Shivaay, he would choose them over Anika just as Anika would choose Arhaan over him. Anika- Arhaan bond was familiar because it was the same bond he shared with Rudra and Shivaay.

The realisation brought such happiness that Om lifted dadi off her feet and swung her around. Dadi twisted his ear and slapped him affectionately

"Don't you dare tell this to your brother now. Let him go through the pain of losing the love of his life, only then he will never take her for granted again" she said wisely

***

Shivaay was completing some of his pending work late that night when he saw Anika wake up. He smiled when he watched the realization dawn in her eyes that she was sleeping in his bed and he guessed, as he saw her fingering her hair, that she remembered him drying her hair.

He tried not to laugh as she shifted in the bed uncomfortably, stealing glances at him. He knew it was hunger that had woken her up given that she had slept through dinner. Sighing, he shut of his laptop. He stood up, walked towards her and grabbed her hand. Making sure that his fingers were entwined comfortably into hers, he dragged her out of the room and into the kitchen.

Perhaps it was shock at the way he just behaved or perhaps she was still disoriented from sleep but Anika followed him timidly without removing her hand from his. He helped her into a high chair and went about to prepare fresh sandwiches while she sat quietly and observed him. When he was done, he sat next to her and they munched the sandwiches in silence.

Once they finished eating, a servant magically appeared to clear the dishes and this time Anika kept her hands inside the pockets of her pyjamas. The action didn't go unnoticed by Shivaay but he didn't let it affect him. He was far too happy that she didn't find his presence such a burden. That was a start

When they entered their bedroom, Anika quickly straightened his bed and then moved to her own bed and quietly lay down. Shivaay locked the bedroom door and went onto his bed hoping Anika would say something, break the silence but she did no such thing

With a sigh of resignation, Shivaay turned off the lamp and lay down looking at the ceiling. The past came to haunt him again and the distance between Anika and him drove him into pits of despair. As he found himself drowning under the burden of pessimistic thoughts, Anika's soft voice brought him to the surface

"Thank you Shivaay" she whispered

He couldn't respond immediately as his heart thudded with emotion and his eyes pooled with tears and yet he felt butterflies of elation in his stomach

"Goodnight Anika" he replied huskily

"Good night" she said

**

Anika couldn't sleep and after a bit of tossing and turning, she sat up in bed. Grabbing her phone, she tiptoed out of the room, into the pool area and went to the opposite end so that she could talk without being interrupted.

Then she called Arhaan.

He picked up at the second ring

"Anika it is my night off" he complained

"Arhaan wake up you sleepy head" she whispered agitatedly

"What happened?"

"I slept through dinner and then Shivaay made sandwiches for me"

"Did he poison them?"

"Nooo"

"Then what is the issue?" He asked simply

"Well I got the same feeling, I used to get before all this forced marriage happened"

"What feeling?" he asked yawning again

"Butterflies in the stomach, heart racing, clammy palms---that kind of feeling"

"I get the same feeling when I see Nidhi" he whispered enthusiastically now fully awake

"Can we focus on my problem please?" she reminded him

"So you have started getting feelings for him again and he is crazy about you. So can't you try and forgive him?" he asked her in the matter of fact voice

"No" she said stubbornly

"And I don't want these feelings so make them stop" she ordered

"Fine." He replied sarcastically "Measure his height and get a bag to wrap him into. And some ropes. We will throw him off the cliff tomorrow"

"Arhaan---that's morbid.. And be serious for once"

"That is the only remedy for your heart and butterflies. If it is not acceptable, sleep and let other people sleep" he said making Anika's jaw drop in anger

"I can't believe this. Next time you have a problem, if I don't act as unhelpful as you are now, My name is not Anika Shivaay Singh..." Her voice trailed into silence, not being able to believe what she had just said

"Oberoi" he completed and when she remained silent, he went on

"Thanks Anika. After this, I'm sure Nidhi loves me. Female brains work in the reverse gear- It is now a proven fact. Good night."

Anika sat on the floor and covered her face in her hands

"Pheyl gaya raita"

Chapter Seven: The medical Ball