Shivaay caught his wife by the waist and bundled her into their bathroom. Rudy grumbled something nearby, something about married people and their weird timing, but left them alone. Shivaay needed to talk to Annika urgently, his anxiety levels through the roof since they had discovered it was Veer who was their hidden enemy.
"Annika? You okay? You didn't go near him did you? he fretted over her, drawing a frown from her.
"I'm fine, Shivaay. I was with Om and Rudy and everyone, why should I be in trouble. We've got so many things to do Shivaay, not to sit around and worry. We told each other to keep an eye out for trouble but appear unaffected. Right?
" I dunno, Annika. I've been thinking. Maybe Veer does not like my encroaching on his business turf here in Goa. But we aren't in the same ventures at all. Something's not clicking in my mind, I'm missing something. He had an expression of stressed tension, that Annika hugged him tight. Lost in each other for comfort, they shared tender kisses of love.
"Every thing will fall into place, Shivaay. We'll just play cool for now. Can't we tell OmRu? So they can be on alert too?
"When I get the chance, I will tonight. Its getting dangerous for everyone. I'm in half a mind to send everyone back to Mumbai. What I don't get is why? Does Veer want us out of Goa you think?
"Oh God, Shivaay! We caught Svetlana outside his outhouse last week, with that cycle bell fake ghost woman's body. You think he's helping Svetlana? She cupped her face in horror. "Oh God. There was once I saw that woman on the kitchen counter and Veer pretended not to see her! That means he knew about the cycle bell ghost woman and even tried to convince you I was going crazy?! She leaned against a wall in flabbergasted horror.
"But what does he want from me?? Shivaay frowned in deep thought. "Doesn't make sense...
A knock on the bathroom door interrupted them. "Um.. Bhaiyya, Bhabhi? The pandit wants to meet you guys... Sorry for interrupting.. Shivaay opened the door in a rush and startled his youngest brother. Looked over Rudy's shocked face, "What? Can't a man talk to his wife in peace in the bathroom? and marched off, Annika's smile smoothing away the rebuke.
Preparations mounted and Annika suddenly found herself face to face with Veer. Nervously, she spoke little and evaded. Shivaay's orders. Suddenly she realized how huge and imposing he was physically. Creepy, after just being chased by him and doused with petrol. She shivered, and Veer didn't miss it.
"Are you okay Annika? You look a bit anxious.. Annika smiled wanly and locked eyes with Shivaay across the room. He signaled her to leave and she obeyed. Taking refuge in the kitchen, she fussed over the trays of sweets. Carrying one, she turned to find Veer right behind her.
She gasped and let out a little scream and backed off against the kitchen counter. Veer's eyebrows shot up in surprise.
"Annika? Why are you scared of me? Is something wrong? Have I upset you in any way? he raised a hand toward her and she flinched so hard, his brows knotted in suspicion. Her eyes wide with terror, she resembled someone he'd seen recently. Slowly, he moved towards her, trapping her against the kitchen counter. She was petrified, gasping in soundless terror. She made to flee, when he put out a hand to stop her exit.
"Annika? Why are you afraid of me? Or are you, Begum Zubeida Khan?! he spoke menacingly, as her eyes grew even wider at what he was saying. Trapped, she crouched away as far as she could.
"SO you and Shivaay played a trick on me. There was no rich investor from Dubai after all, it was you! So now you know it was me! But that's not fair, I don't mean YOU any harm at all, sweet Annika. It's just Shivaay I want to be rid off. You, are the sweetest gift a man like me could ever ask for...
Annika went speechless with what she was hearing. Her brain was screaming Shivaay's name over and over like a chant. When Veer's large hand came to gently caress her cheek, she flinched so hard it enraged him.
"NO!!! You were not supposed to fear me!! I went to so much trouble!! You trusted me damnit!! Now he's ruined my hard work! He punched a hole in the wooden finishing , startling a scream out from her.
"Shivaay !!!! she screamed. In a split second, Veer went silent, simply tossed Annika over his shoulder and ran out of the door.
Shivaay felt her fear first before he heard the scream. Running to the kitchen he found the kitchen in mad disarray, the door wide open, a large hole punched into the cabinet and Annika gone.
Oh God. It was Annika , Veer wanted Annika.
He felt momentarily dizzy with the thought of Annika being terrified and wanting him. He swayed to the doorway wondering where to go. Omkara pulled him up as Rudra ran out to see if he could see anything. But they had vanished.
***
Hours later and no leads. Shivaay had called the cops, but the process was painstakingly slow, Commissioners were called in, still no leads. Bhavya pulled in her resources and they were tracing Veer's phone. Rudra was scouring the streets in the car hoping for a sign. Om was searching Veer's house with the police , suspiciously finding the man's wife and daughter gone too.
Shivaay knelt on the floor of his room and wept for her. He'd never felt a devastation so dark, he wished the ground would just open and swallow him up, but she was waiting for him and he had to stay strong.
Om found him on the ground like that. Pulled up his brother and shook him out of his misery, and sent him out to meet his visitor. Monali and Swetha. They both wept and spilled their truth to him, explaining Veer was watching and targeting Annika all along, not him. They explained he was some kind of an underworld Don here in Goa, and he had men everywhere doing his bidding.
This filled Shivaay with dread. Thankfully, Major Crimes Unit came through for Bhavya and they were able to track down the profile of this alterego of Veer...
***
Annika sat restlessly in her gilded cage of a prison, like a 5 star hotel room. It had no exits, windows bolted and doors heavily guarded. She'd spent her first hour there shouting and making a ruckus to attract attention to no avail. Exhausted, she tried waving to passersby outside her window, but no one looked that high up to notice.
Now, worry was setting in. What did Veer want from her? She was Shivaay's wife, its madness to steal another man's wife like this. Wasn't it? She'd sooner die than be compromised in any way. A cold calm entered her fevered brain.
Yes, no compromise. I am Shivaay's.
***
Sitting in a corner by the window, she was startled with the entry of Veer in the room. Hands in pockets, he stood by her, his gigantic height making him look very imposing.
"Annika, I made this room up for you. It's beautiful. Why do you sit in this corner?
"I want to go home to Shivaay. She replied in a low voice.
Veer sat on his haunches and reached out to touch her, she flinched and crawled back into a corner so fast, his face crumpled into an ugly scowl.
"You reject me, for the likes of that scrawny man?
"He's my husband. I will not have this conversation. Please just let me go. This will never happen.
"Oh but I am an extremely patient man, Annika. I'd wait for you to forget Shivaay and come to me. You're worth the wait. And I will lay the world at your feet, as my queen. He boasted triumphantly.
"Stop it! It'll never happen!! I would rather die as Shivaay's right now. Just kill me now!! she screamed hysterically, angering Veer.
He grabbed her face and stroked her cheek. "Such a beautiful spitfire. I am amazed at the fire in your eyes, and had to bear that small man putting his hands all over you, when you deserved much better. Now you'll have me.. and he'll mean nothing to you. You'll see. She screamed denial and he laughed, leaving her again in her solitary moonlit dark.
***
Sometime in the wee hours of the morning, police officers banged down her door and suddenly there he was, her Shivaay. Holding her and kissing her and carrying her out to safety. She didn't say a word, just stared at him in silence as he took her away to safety.
But as they were leaving the building, they met with heavy gunfire. It seemed like a large amount of men with guns were shooting down the policemen like flies from the darkness. Shivaay took her hand and they ran into the woods nearby. Breaking away from the gunfire battle, they ran and ran until they could run no more, and sought refuge in an abandoned shack. There they slept till morning light in each others arms.
The whole night she never left his arms. He rocked her the whole time, reassuring her he wasn't going anywhere, that he'd never let her get to any harm. That she was his life, and he'd die without her. She heard it all, memorized them and slept in his embrace, as he kept watch for safety.
The next morning, they carefully ventured out to find civilization. Shivaay left Annika at the hut for mere minutes and he was clubbed on the head by Veer's men, left for dead in the jungle. Annika waited and waited for hours for his return, to no avail. Dread increasing , she remembered her promise to stay put and out of sight, and in a rare moment in her life, she obeyed Shivaay against her own instincts.
***
Close to 12 hours later, she came out of the shack worried like mad. No head or tail or which direction to go to, she wandered lost in the jungle. Scratched and miserable, her resolve dissipating, her hopes pinned on seeing Shivaay again. Bruised and tired, at last she found tarred road, and collapsed by the side, found by Good Samaritans.
She woke up hysterical in a hospital bed, screaming for Shivaay. She kept asking for Shivaay Singh Oberoi and the doctors sedated her, for she was severely dehydrated and traumatized, the anxiety would cause her more harm than good.
The next time she awoke she remained calm and asked for a police officer to make a report against her kidnapper. When the man came, she informed she was the wife of Shivaay Singh Oberoi and to please contact her family so she can go home. But she got bad news, Shivaay Singh Oberoi was assaulted in the jungle and sustained severe head injuries, currently undergoing surgery and care in an upmarket hospital in Mumbai. It was all over the news. His wife was missing and presumed dead.
Again, Annika struggled for freedom, this time from wires and tubes that were meant to heal her. She yanked them all out, ready to run, but her feet weren't strong enough to carry her, and she collapsed into darkness.
***
Shivaay opened his eyes 5 days after his life saving brain surgery, and saw the teary relief in all of his family members. There they all were; Mom, Dad, Dadi, Om, Rudra, some unknown girls.
Wait, was someone missing? Feels like it. But who?
Who?
But they are all here. All who matter.
Then who was missing?
Oh God his head hurt something fierce. He couldn't take so much of the fussing and crying and immediately succumbed back into the cold darkness.
To be continued... Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Part 5 & Epilogue
Bindi
Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi 2
Jodha Akbar
