The Masquerade (AnShi/ShivIka FF)- Epilogue UPDATED (Pg 130){COMPLETE} - Page 18

Originally posted by: --Nargis--

Go Shivayy...you can do it!! Break a leg ...say you're sorry!! great update twerps...its amazing how this guy has no issue expressing his anger of discontent...but apology...that's a whole other issue! Looking forward to to SSO eating some humble pie please!😆

Originally posted by: Sophia21

Sorry sorry im a little late but read both updates in one go and amazinggg yaar.. Lmao Anika avoid the great SSO 😆 .. Of course that didn't last that long ..
I wonder what plan he thought about.. Please continue soon.. Thanks for the pm 😳

7

Once in Bagad Billa's room, Anika headed straight for the stack of forms that she herself had placed over the past few days. The pile had grown slowly and a mere glance told her that SSO hadn't bothered to go through a single one of them. Here she was working herself to the bone to get his wedding to be the year's biggest and grandest affair, and the person who was responsible for the whole circus wasn't even ready to lift a finger. Well, at least she hoped he was serious about needing help with the forms. It showed he had finally realised that it was after all HIS wedding and he ought to at least have some kind of opinion on it.

As she tried to sort out the most important ones from the pile, SSO came and stood next to her. She turned to hand him a pen and a form and looked down to see him holding out towards her, what appeared to be a gift.

"Ye tumhare liye..ek chota sa gift", he said, clearing his throat.

'Brown color ka bag hai yeh.', Anika said dully.

'How did you know that?' Shivay asked in surprise.

"You made me wrap my own gift!" Anika's voice was indignant.

What?" Shivay looked at her and then the gift in confusion.

"Mr. Oberoi, let me remind you that yesterday this item had arrived in the mail, and as I always wrap your gifts, I wrapped this as well."

Shivay groaned. This was exactly the kind of thing that happens whenever he dealt with Anika! All his plans go out of the window! He tried to make the best of a rotten situation.

"I'm sorry Anika." His hours of practising before the mirror had finally paid off. "I said some stupid things the other night and ruined your bag on top of everything."

He held out the present. It was a Gucci bag with enough space for Anika to house the sabzi ki dukaan that she generally carried around with her.

"I don't need your gift." Anika said coldly. Shivay's annoyance made its way to his face. However before he could say anything, Anika beamed at him and said, "Just the apology will do, Mr. Shivay Singh Oberoi!"

Shivay fumbled, unsure how to respond and heard Anika say, "Toh aakhir aapne maan liya aapne galat they!"

He raised an eyebrow at that but she went on heedless, "Ab aap jitna tadi maarna chahte hai, maar sakte hai, magar ye mat bhuliye ki aap har cheez main sahi nahi hote hai, Billuji."

Shivay watched the sheer joy in her face and something twisted deep within him. He smirked and stepped towards her.

"Shayad main galat tha...par ab mujhko tumhare kuch galat fehmi door karne do"

It was now Anika's turn to look confused. "Galat fehmi?" she stuttered, looking into his eyes.

"Haan. Tumhe lagta hai ki main thoda..."

"Badtameez hain?" Anika half-whispered.

Shivay grew slightly red at that but cleared his throat and went on, "Haan..woh aur bhi bohut kuch...let me show you that you are wrong."

Under that powerful gaze that Shivay now cast on her, Anika grappled for words.

Sensing her confusion, Shivay leaned towards her and smiled. "Let me take you out for dinner."

"To make up for everything." he added almost as an afterthought.

Anika looked on, stunned. Shivay's smile grew. "Tomorrow, after work. I'll see you then."

With that he turned around and left. It was only as he disappeared through the door that Anika realised she had been holding her breath.

----------------------------------

"Priyanka!! I don't know what came over me!! Kuch bol hi nahi payi!"

"But Ani! I think Bhaiya wants to make things better between the two of you. I mean, you guys have been fighting since the day you met. Maybe he is just trying to do the mature thing-"

"Oh! So that means I'm not mature!" Anika turned to her friend angrily.

"Arrey na baba! When did I say that?" Priyanka said in a placating tone.

"Priyanka!!" Anika made a whining sound as she dropped down into the couch. "I can't sit down for dinner with that Bagad Billa!!" I just CAN'T!"

"But it might be fun. For one, Bhaiya has the best choice in restaurants. You know, the last time we went out.."

"You really think I'll be able to eat anything with that man sitting in front of me!" Anika huffed and then immediately looked at her friend with contrition.

"Sorry yaar! I know he is your brother... but.."

Priyanka laughed and said, "Ani! Tere aur Bhaiya ke beech toh kuch ajeeb sa hi rishta hai!"

"Which is exactly why this is a disastrous idea!" Anika shuddered as an image of a pair of cold green eyes rose in her mind.

"But it might be a fresh start of sorts!" Priyanka came towards her friend. Sitting on the couch next to Anika, she hugged the girl and said, "You know I love Bhaiya and I want you to see that he is not all bad."

Anika's face showed clearly that she very much doubted the fact but she leaned into the hug and said, "Thik hai baba! I'll think about it."

------------------------------

Next morning, Anika felt less brave and more inclined to call in sick to work. She could get out of that dratted invitation if she was ill, right?

However, the memory of Daadi's kindness towards her and Saahil made her squeeze out those cowardly thoughts. She looked around the room with a sigh. It was less cluttered today since Saahil had left for Bangalore the day before.

This house was still there with them because of Daadi. Buaji had disappeared since the day those workers turned up with the documents to show that she had sold off her own nephew's property. When your so-called family abandoned you like this, life showed who your true family was. And Daadi had done even more than what one's family might be expected to do.

She had been a wall that shielded Anika and Saahil from the untold horrors that life would have otherwise thrown at them. She owed it to Daadi that she at least tried to make things right between her and Billuji. It was a well-known fact that even that kindest of ladies at times got worried over her fights with the SSO.

Anika ate her breakfast slowly, dreading what the day held in store for her.

...

NEXT