Shivika SS: 3 Months Later (Forced Marriage Track) Completed - Page 25

Chapter Eight: The Anxiety Attack

Anika woke up at around 2 am in the morning with a monster sized headache only to find her soon-to-be-ex-husband lying on the bed next to her fast asleep. Her head was resting on his chest and her leg was entangled in his, while his hand was wrapped around her waist.

She pressed her hand to her mouth to hold back a scream and breathed in deep to calm herself. The pounding in her head seemed to intensify and she sat up with a groan, holding her head. The movement woke Shivaay who, unlike his wife, was a light sleeper. Quietly he left the bed, and opened his medicine box and then went around to get a glass of water. He handed her the glass and placed two pills in the palm of her hand.

"This should get rid of the headache" he said, his voice warm and full of concern

"What happened?" she asked confusedly

"Daksh spiked your drink" he told her in a matter-of-fact tone that didn't conceal the fury within

The episode earlier that evening flashed in front of her eyes. Her drinking fruit punch, her head swimming, Daksh pulling his mask and lifting her up but she couldn't remember anything after that. Shivaay sat next to her reading the questions that were clearly etched on her face

"Arhaan saw him and he and another doctor, Dr Nidhi, stopped him and then that lady called me up. Luckily Randhawa was there as Prinku's date and the situation was soon under control." Shivaay explained and he neatly avoided mentioning Arhaan's hand to hand combat with Daksh lest she give the other man undue credit.

"ACP and Priyanka?" she asked, her eyebrows raised

"Yes, looks like. Om is pretty annoyed" he said smiling in reminiscence

"I bet." She said slowly "You don't mind?" she asked, shocked

"No. She loves him and I want her to get her own happy ending. That would make one of us."

Anika looked at him through the corner of her eyes. He seemed defeated somehow and she wondered what happened to that unflappable Shivaay Singh Oberoi she had once known. He had changed drastically since her kidnap, three months ago. Strangely the change hadn't affected her. Until now.

"The divorce will be through soon Shivaay. You can have your own happily ever after as well" she told him in a consoling voice but that reassurance brought a curious emptiness in her heart

Shivaay heaved a sigh and took the empty glass from her hands and placed it on the table nearby

"I don't think I can ever have a happy ending" He told her resignedly, standing up and straightening the covers

"Why would you think that?" she asked

"Because the one I want a happy ending with is busy divorcing me" he said without meeting her eyes

And with that he went to his side of the bed and lay down leaving a very shocked Anika staring at him with her mouth wide open. Such was the extent of her shock that she didn't even remember to get into her own bed. Instead she lay down beside him, staring at the ceiling till the medicines kicked in and she fell asleep.

Shivaay who had been waiting for her response was disappointed once again but the disappointment turned into a surprise when Anika rolled towards him in sleep, placed her head on his chest and flung her hand around his waist.

Shivaay stood frozen, not even daring to breathe, lest she woke her up and then he relaxed and exhaled, knowing there was no chance of waking her up.

She was Anika after all

And a drugged Anika at that.

**

The next morning, Shivaay was in the kitchen cooking breakfast with his brothers when Saumya, Anika and Prinku sat on the breakfast table, chatting in hushed whispers about the ball and everything that happened. They seemed to be teasing Prinku as well who was tomato red with all the blushing.

Rudra and Om brought some of the dishes and joined them at the breakfast table followed by Shivaay who was surprised to see Anika, fully dressed and ready for work. Even though he knew that Daksh was behind the bars, he was still sceptical about Anika joining work so soon after the incident

"Anika Where are you going?" he asked her, his tone a tad sharper than he intended

Anika raised an eyebrow at the tone

"To hunt for elephants. Want to join?" she replied sarcastically and Saumya snickered.

Shivaay took a deep breath praying for patience. This woman was hell bent on making him age prematurely

"I mean you cannot go to work.. You were hurt" he told her

"I'm immune to pain. It's called SSO effect. Besides going in a state of panic over small wounds is your department, not mine." She replied but regretted it immediately as she saw a flash of hurt in her husband's eyes. This had been going on for the past three months that she would fling words like stones at him and he would take them like roses from her. But it was only now that her taunts gave her no satisfaction.

Shivaay kept quiet as he took the much deserving taunt squarely in the chest. He knew there was no forgiveness for what he had done and yet he hoped day after day that it would be different. And even though every time they walked two steps ahead in their relationship, something happened that brought them back at square one.

And one of those somethings' was now walking towards the breakfast table, wearing a inky blue Henley Tshirt and tan denims.

How could he still look that good after being thrashed the way he was? Shivaay wondered bitterly

"Hello girls, Good Morning Om Ru... Oberoi" Arhaan greeted everyone charmingly making it a point that he addressed him like an afterthought.

He sat beside Anika and grabbed a plate but Anika quickly saw the bruise near his jaw

"Arhaan were you hurt last night? Show me?" she exclaimed, turning his head with her hand and rubbing the wound with her thumb

Shivaay froze in mid-action, his eyes shooting daggers their way. His fingers were curled around the fork and he clenched his hands so hard that his knuckles seemed bloodless. Omkara nudged Rudra and both the brothers watched their elder brother stew

"Relax, its fine." Arhaan said brushing off her concern "How are the bruises? We'll have Nidhi take a look at the hospital okay?" he asked her in return

"It is just a bruise." She told him casually "Stop acting like Sh... a sissy"

She had been on the verge of saying Shivaay but she caught herself in time and corrected it. Arhaan noticed her slip. He gave her a penetrating glare, eyebrows raised but before he could say anything, they were interrupted by Pinky aunty and both Anika and Shivaay heaved a sigh of relief, each for different reasons

"Good morning baccho.." she said cheerfully, carrying a bright yellow watering can in one hand.

"Where are you going chotti ma?" asked Om as she was headed upstairs instead of the garden

Pinky looked at Shivaay and Anika who were sitting too far away from each other, much to her dislike. She answered Omkara but her eyes were on Shivaay

"Oh, I thought I'd water the plants in my bedroom. They are a little shrivelled. You see, you need to nurture and cherish things so that they grow and it is never too late to start."

Arhaan rolled his eyes as he filled water in his glass. Pinky aunty's double meaning talk was getting a little annoying given that she wasn't really known for tact.

"What are you doing, Arhaan beta?" gushed Pinky, putting a special emphasis on beta and making it sound like a taunt.

Arhaan raised an eyebrow and continued pouring water in his glass

"Oh, I'm watering this glass hoping I nurture it long enough for it to grow into a jug." He replied dryly

Everyone on the table looked pointedly at their plates as they tried to hold back the laughter. However Rudra laughed out aloud and gave him a fist bump

"Jug ghoomeya thaare jaisa na koi." He sang nudging Saumya with his shoulder till she laughed with him as well. Shivaay who was expected to take offence at that comment, was lost in his wife's laughing eyes. Pinky, who didn't understand the joke, laughed to herself and went upstairs.

After breakfast, Arhaan went to his bedroom to gather his things and even Anika got up and collected her handbag leaving Shivaay staring at her, wishing she said something... Anything.

The moment that thought crossed his mind, Anika looked at him sharply and as if by magic, she caught the unspoken message. For the next words that left her mouth which, even though were directed to his siblings, her eyes were fixated on his face and he knew the words were for him

"See you in the evening" she said with a smile and left the house

The answering smile didn't leave Shivaay's face for three hours after she left.

**

That evening Shivaay had the poolside decorated with multi-coloured scented candles and had white rose petals strewn in the pool with an "I'm sorry" written in red rose petals. His brothers helped him in setting a table for two and he made sure he himself cooked Anika's favourite things that evening.

He checked his watch as it was time for her to arrive and then went to shower and change. He took extra care while dressing up, feeling like a teenager on the first date. He then paced around in the bedroom, waiting for her to arrive.

Normally Anika arrived at 6 in the evening but that day she was late. Rudra told a worried Shivaay that Arhaan might have taken Anika for a ride or something, raising his eyebrows as a string of colourful curses left his brothers mouth

Did Arhaan know telepathy? Shivaay wondered, not for the first time. Trust that doctor to screw up his plans for the evening. This Arhaan was becoming a constant thorn in his side, Shivaay thought irritated

But that irritation soon turned into bone chilling fear as Anika didn't turn up even three hours later. Her phone was out of coverage area and Arhaan's was switched off. He knew that even if Anika went somewhere with Arhaan, she would definitely inform the others and the anxious looks on the faces of his siblings told him that they too were sure that something was wrong.

Shivaay sprang into action. He first called the hospital and was told that Anika left at 5 pm itself and that Dr Arhaan had left fifteen minutes earlier. He then called the police station to see if Daksh was still in custody. He explained the situation to Randhawa who promised him that he would himself interrogate Daksh, in his special way and find out if the man had something to do with her disappearance

Shivaay who was now beside himself with fear asked for both Anika's and Arhaan's phones to be traced. Arhaan's phone was found in the hospital and he was told that Arhaan had an argument with Dr Nidhi and he had walked out of the hospital way before his shift was over.

Anika's phone was found lying near a pub. Shivaay went to the given location. He showed pictures of Anika and Arhaan to the watchman who informed him that she had left with a visibly drunk Arhaan on the bike two hours ago and that Arhaan had been riding

On receiving the news, Shivaay sank to the ground, his head in hands. Omkara and Rudra held him telling him that they would find Anika. But the reassurance fell on deaf ears because Shivaay knew in his heart that something was very, very wrong.

ACP Ranveer Singh Randhawa arrived there minutes later and told him that he had the cops looking out for the bike with his registration and they needed to go over the accident cases that had happened post 5 pm and check the hospitals accordingly.

Heart sinking with dread, he nodded.

Shivaay had once thought that nothing worse could happen to him than being betrayed by the one he so desperately loved when he had been told by Daksh that Anika slept with him.

When he knew the truth he thought that nothing worse could happen to him that watching Anika's indifference and her growing closeness to Arhaan and yet now he was in a situation that was worse- infinitely worse.

Omkara's words spoken to him a long time ago rang in his ears

Ek din teri zindagi kisi aur ki ho jayegi aur tujhe pata bhi nahi chalega.

Royegi wo lekin aansu tere bahenge. Chot usse lagegi par dard tujhe hoga

Hasi uski rukegi par dam...dam tera ghutega

Aur us din duniya ki koi bhi takaat, koi bhi paisa, koi bhi naam tere kaam nahi aayega

At that time those words had been nothing but empty words

Today it was the truth

Chapter Nine: Rewind and Fast Forward