The Heart Gets What The Heart Wants/FF ShivIka(Ud:May08 Ch:34a/pg141) - Page 5

Chapter 4 - Relations Past, Present and Future..

Annika in her secret garden

I lifted my face to bask in the first rays of the morning sun and sighed. As I drank in the warmth and light that seemed to fill every fiber of my being I felt peace fill me.

What had Dadi advised?? Oh! Yes, think happy thoughts to start your morning and it will help you get through the day.

I smiled as I thought about all my happy thoughts, Dadi getting ready with the puja thal to pray with me when I got back, Sahil waking up at the boarding school and kissing a picture of us both at Raksha Bandhan for good luck, Om, DevRu , Prinku and Soumya waiting for me to make breakfast with them in the kitchen while they chatted away.

Shivvay standing at the entrance of the garden under the arbour watching me silently with his eyes the colour of my shawl... My eyes snapped open at that shocking thought and I turned my head to look at the entrance. It was empty.

What was that!! How did that thought enter my head? Since when did thinking of Shivvay make me even remotely happy? I frowned at the thought and was upset. The spell was broken and again it was thanks to him.

I walked slowly to the old bench by the beautiful lotus ponds edge and sat down. As I fed the fish absentmindedly, my thoughts went back to the wedding day.

My argument with Shivvay, my slap at his disgusting accusation, his brutal physical and mental assault, his chase and capture of me and, the worst action of all, the bombed car that I had been told Sahil was in. How could any man stoop so low as to use a child and especially a brother? And most importantly, how could a man like Shivvay, who knows the love of brothers, use another's brother as his leverage.

Where had the "billu ji" I knew disappeared? Did he ever exist or was that just an illusion I had conjured in my head? Where was the man who comforted me after the stalker attack? Where was the man who cared to ask if I was alright the next day after the attack? Had I been a blind fool or had I read more into it than I should have. That man had been human and reachable - this man was a closed book with the khoon-khandan lock firmly in place around the book.

My thoughts were broken with the buzzing of the phone. "Not Shivvay again", I muttered in exasperation. "Will this man never let me be in peace?"

I looked at the screen and was surprised to see it was Om. Why was Om calling me this early? He never disturbed me when I took my morning walks? I looked at the time and saw it was close to 7am and no one, besides me, Shivvay, Om and Dadi, woke that early. I decided to pick the call in case it was an emergency at the house.

"Hello", I said tentatively.

"Anni", whispered Om, "come back as soon as you can".

"Is everything alright?", I asked and before Om could answer I heard a very angry Shivvay in the background yelling on top of his voice, "... and I told you to keep your hands off the nightlight. Don't you dare touch that again!!!"

"Oh! God", I said fearfully, "It's not Sunaina again is it? He needs to go easy on that girl for the love of God."

"Just come back to the house Anni. Right away.. ", replied Om hurriedly before he yelled "Shivvay no!!!" and hung up.

I sprang off the bench and started making my way back to the house with thoughts of Sunaina getting yelled at once more for touching the nightlight at my bedside table while straightening the room.

I had grown fond of the girl while planning the wedding at the house. She was intelligent, quick and hardworking. It was she who had rushed to Shivvay, water glass in hand, when I fainted at the 'Karva Chauth' ceremony. She told me how alarmed Shivvay Sir had been when he saw me faint and how she held my head up while he gave me water to drink. She was the only one Dadi had given leave to still address me as "Annika Di" and had assigned her duties strictly for and around my needs.

According to her, while I was in the kitchen she had been straightening up our room and happened to pick the nightlight on my bedside table to admire it and Shivvay Sir walked into the room. He had blasted her for touching it and told her never to straighten the bedside table ever again. That was Annika Madam's and she was very much attached to it because his family had made it especially for her. Upon hearing the commotion coming from upstairs I rushed to our room to investigate.

I found a crying, frightened and distraught Sunaina running out as I approached the room and a fuming Shivvay staring after her. I knew it could not have been anything good that was exchanged between them and started after the poor girl with a angry look at Shivvay.

After a lot of coaxing and pleading she told me what had happened and understood why Shivvay Sir would have said so because he cared so much about me. I almost laughed at the absurd statement but decided not to discuss my marriage with her. I could not imagine this intelligent girl making the mistake again considering she was quite afraid of Shivvay.

As I entered the house I could hear Shivvay and Om arguing loudly and quickly made my way upstairs to our room.

I was surprised to see the whole family gathered there with Tia and Pinky Aunty standing outside the room wearing their usual taunting smile.

As I made my way past them into the room towards Shivvay, I heard Daksh's voice call out sarcastically from the other side of the room, "Hello love!!"I'm back."

As I turned towards the voice in shock I stood still staring at his rigid back and fists clenched at his side. He had not turned to face me but was, instead, standing near our bed, on my side, staring intently at the nightlight that was gifted to me.

I had stiffened at the sound of pure anger, malice and rage that his voice had carried and simply squared my shoulders at what was going to come next.

Daksh, for his part was still staring at the night lamp, as if committing every detail on that lamp to memory .

The Lord Shiva seated in all his splendor on Mount Kailash, face set in determination with his trident clasped firmly in the right hand while his left arm encircled the Goddess' waist protectively, almost pulling her onto his lap.

As he began to reach out to touch the side that held the statue of the goddess on the nightlight I heard Shivvay rasp through clenched teeth and stride forward towards him," I thought I asked you explicitly not to touch that nightlight !"

Shivvay deftly plucked it off the table as Daksh almost ran his fingers over the goddesses arm and held it away from him. Daksh cocked an amused eyebrow at Shivvay as he turned towards me with a wry smile and began to approach me.

The look on his face made my breath catch in my throat in fear as I saw the restrained anger in his eyes. I steeled myself for what was about to come next but was amazed to see a very determined and furious Shivvay steeping between us.

"I told you Daksh, this marriage was my decision and Annika practically had no say in the matter. And I will have you remember she is MY wife now so bear that in mind when you talk to her and address her henceforth", Shivvay addressed Daksh in a low and challenging voice hissing through clenched teeth.

"Wife!! She is not your wife Shivvay. This was merely a marriage of convenience because Tia went missing. It was fortunate for you I was not around or you would have had paid a heavy price for what you asked MY fiance to do for you", whispered Daksh threateningly. "Annika will sign the divorce papers and walk out today to live at her place and I am going to see who is going to stop her from leaving", said Daksh as he looked around the room.

"But I am not leaving Daksh and I do not plan to leave anytime soon, "I calmly replied over Shivvay's shoulder.

I saw Daksh's head snap towards me while his eyes wore a questioning look.

I walked past Shivvay and continued as I stood face to face with Daksh, very aware that Shivvay too had stepped closer so that his chest almost touched my back.

"To marry Shivvay was my decision and mine alone and similarly it will be solely my decision when I plan to divorce and leave him. I give no one the right to make that or any other decisions on my behalf for me now or ever in the future. I am sorry but even after I divorce Shivvay, whenever that might be, I do not plan to ever marry again. This experience has taught me how valuable my freedom is to me"

"But Annika..!", pleaded Daksh almost reaching out to touch me but being cut off by Shivvay placing himself a little in front of me, "you know I love you and will wait for you no matter how long it takes"

"And I thank you for that Daksh. You made me feel special and wanted. I will never forget that. But I value my freedom and my independence and I hope you can respect that as well. I will not change my mind so please do not wait for me", I smiled tenderly at him.

"Annika..," Daksh started to reply and walk towards me when he was cut off by a very rude and angry Shivvay blocking his way completely by now as he stated, "You heard her Daksh. I suggest you respect her wishes", demanded Shivvay.

"That is so rich coming from you Shivaay," retorted Daksh and laughed a painful laugh. "I will never forgive you for taking her away from me. This is your fault entirely and there will be consequences, I promise."

Saying that Daksh left the room in angry strides, with all the family following him out and Pinky Aunty trying to reason with him about what had happened being my fault.

Only OmRu and Dadi stayed back to watch the amusing exchange that was to take place between Mr and Mrs. Oberoi.

I walked around Shivvay so that I was now face-to-face with him and crossed my arms while I slowly and deliberately looked him up and down with a sarcastic smile on my face.

"What?!", questioned Shivvay one eyebrow almost cocked to his immaculate hairline.

"Mr. Oberoi", I said in a voice as smooth as silk as I walked slowly up to him, my face almost touching his and being rewarded with a sharp intake of breath at the action and the title I addressed him with, "You are not trying to get into my good books so that I let YOU off the hook easily, are you? Taking the blame entirely for what happened and protecting me from Daksh's wrath? How very gallant! I hope you understand that I meant every word I said about the divorce. It WILL BE in my time and ON MY conditions, make sure of that."

Shivvay's eyes turned to flint stones, hard and grey, but he did not scare me anymore. He had done his worse to me and there was nothing more he could do. It was my game now and my rules that would apply to it.

As he opened his mouth to say something we heard a very high pitched melodious, "Shivvay baby!!" outside the room and he slowly closed his eyes at the sound as though holding on to his patience.

I could not hold back the giggle that rose to my lips at that whole scene and burst out in uncontrollable laughter to his annoyance

As Tia entered the room she asked in a puzzled voice, "What's the joke?!! What did I miss?!! Why is everybody laughing Shivvay Baby?!"

"Bhaiya cracked a very funny joke that had us in splits," replied DevRu. "You must ask him to share it with you as well. We will leave you two alone now Bhaiya. Lets go Ani Bhi. Time for breakfast, remember?" and saying that led me by my hand, still laughing, out of the room with Om and Dadi grinning from ear to ear.

"Later Shivvay I am sure you have a lot of catching up to do with Tia", said Om as he snickered.

Chapter 5 - page 9

https://www.indiaforums.com/forum/ishqbaaaz/4762067/the-heart-gets-what-the-heart-wants-ff-shivika-ud-may08-ch-34a-pg141?pn=9

Originally posted by: NYCForever

show mein toh hone nahin waali but forum mein sub stories mein hum shivaay ki oh my maata kar rahe hain 😆😉