Chapter 14:
Shivaay POV
Anika looked so pretty. But she looked so tensed. We were going home after the accident. The doctors had asked me whether I had any problems with sight or hearing. They had kept me at the hospital for 2 days. Apart from my sprained hand, there was nothing wrong.
When I turned to the back seat, there were 2 kids looking back at me. They were just staring at me. That was weird.
I observed Anika. She looked tired.
We stopped in front of the Oberoi mansion.
"Please get down." Anika said. Suddenly, she got a call. "Haan Dhruv...kya...accha I will tell Daadi and stay at Mansion."
She did not stay here?
"Chalo Ansh and Shivani." Anika got out of the car and opened the back door. The two kids jumped out.
She came to my side and opened the door. "Please get down."
I got out and held her close to me. She looked away. "What is wrong, Jaan? Why are you behaving like this?"
I noticed that she was not wearing her magalsutr.
"Shivaay, let me go."
I left her. She moved away from me.
Daadi opened the door and hugged me. "Billu, are you okay?" The rest of the family too piled out.
Om and Rudra helped me up the stairs.
Anika was going in the opposite direction. "Anika, our room is this way."
Anika turned around shocked. Everyone was paused where they were.
"Shivaay, what did you just say?"
Anika walked towards us. "Rudra, doctor ko bulao. She said. She took my hand and took me to our room. There were no pictures of her and me. Not a single one. That was weird.
Within minutes, the doctor arrived, after all we were the Oberois.
"Shivaay, could you please answer a few questions?" I nodded.
"Which year is it?"
Hmmm. Which year? When I replied, Soumya gasped. Anika looked frustrated.
"Shivaay, please don't panic but it is actually 8 years later. The accident has taken a toll on your memory."
Daksh was standing next to Anika. Did I imagine it but did he just glare at me?
I held Anika's hand. "Nothing can scare me when Anika is by my side."
She glanced at Daksh.
The two kids came into the room. "Mama...please sleep with us." The girl said.
Anika saw my puzzled look. "Shivaay, this is Ansh and Shivani. Your kids."
"Baccho, give Papa a hug." The two of them gave me hugs. "Good night Papa." They both whispered. "Mama, come na. I am scared."
I moved slightly. "You both can lie down here with Mama and me." The two of them jumped in. I saw Anika glance at Daksh again.
Daadi herded everyone out.
Anika changed her clothes into something Prinku gave her. Why did she not have clothes here?
When she went into the bathroom, I looked at my kids. Ansh was fast asleep. Shivani cuddled close to me.
"You know Papa, I wish we could lie down like this before also." She whispered.
I patted her head. "Why not, Princess? We can whenever you want."
"But you were never with us."
Anika came out of the bathroom. "Shivani, go to sleep. You know Papa always has to travel. Why do you keep troubling him like this?" She chided.
"Jaan, you should not get jealous that your daughter wants to spend time with her dad." I teased. She cringed.
She came and lay down next to Ansh. Strangely, I felt like this was the very first time this had ever happened.
She dozed off after a few minutes. I watched her and the kids sleep. It calmed my mind.
Anika POV
As soon as Shivaay closed his eyes and I was sure that he was asleep. I got up. First, I called Dhruv.
"Hello?" Dhruv spoke from the other end.
"Bhaiya..." I could feel tears come into my eyes.
"Ani, kya hua?" He asked.
"He doesn't remember anything about the past 8 years." I whispered. I looked back at him and the kids. Shivani had his hands around his neck and Ansh had put his leg on him.
Dhruv had gone silent when I heard a soft knock on the door.
"I will call you back." I kept my phone on the table and opened the door. Daadi and Ma were standing there.
I slipped out of the room. I went downstairs to see everyone was seated in the living room. Ishita was standing in a corner while everyone else was sitting.
I sat on a chair and Daksh came and sat next to me. Somehow, it felt wrong and weird when he put his hand around my waist. I moved a little.
"What should we do now?" Badi Ma asked. Everyone was staring at me. What do I say? That I want to go with Daksh or that I want to stay with Shivaay?
"She will stay." Daksh said. This annoyed me. He had not asked me for my opinion or anything. He smiled at me. The sweet smile made me want to nod and so I did.
I walked back to my room after discussion. Ishita would move to the Villa her adopted parents had left her with Nia.
"Now we can be in the same house." Daksh whispered as he walked beside me.
I glared at him. "Yeah with a man who believes he has been a great dad and husband for the past 8 years." I could feel tears roll down my face.
Daksh wiped my tears. "We will get through this. You want to go out to tomorrow?" He asked. I shook my head. "No, Daksh. We are going tomorrow to meet my brother." Daksh looked a little annoyed and this irritated me. Why?
When I walked into the room, I saw that all of them were still asleep. It was a sweet sight. I lay down on the bed and closed my eyes.
When I opened my eyes, I couldn't find the kids or Shivaay. But I could hear laughter. I got up and walked to the french windows. I saw the kids and Shivaay playing in the pool. I watched them play when I remembered that they had just been in an accident the previous day.
"Ansh, Shivani...get out of the pool. Yesterday, you guys were hurt and today you are in the pool. I dragged the two of them out.
"Mama..." Shivani squealed. Shivaay laughed. "Arre Jaan..."
I turned to him. "You too." he held his hand out. I held it and the next moment, I was in the pool.
"Shivaay..." I shouted but at the same time felt like laughing. Ansh and Shivani were giggling.
We then got out of the pool. I ran into the bathroom tackling Shivaay. When I got in only did I realise how we had behaved. I had a boyfriend for god's sake. I had to be careful.
I quickly took a bath and changed into a indigo and white salwar. When I walked out, Shivaay was sitting on a chair. The kids were no where in sight.
He looked up at me and walked up to me and kept his arm around my waist.
"Shivaay, leave me. Go, get changed. You are drenched and we have to go meet someone special today." I chided him.
"Stop whining." He whispered in my ear as he left me and walked to the bathroom. Suddenly, I felt like asking him to come back.
I watched him go.
"Anika, where is your mangalsutr?" He asked. My hand instinctively went to my neck. It was not there. I knew it. I had removed it when I started dating Daksh. It was at home.
"Did you loose it?" I looked away. "Ghar pe hain." I whispered.
He seemed satisfied with my answer.
I called Jeevika. "Bhabhi, my magalsutr is in the cupboard right?"
I heard Jeevika searching in my room.
"Haan Anika." She replied. "It was in the locker."
I knew it was there after all, I looked at it every night.
"I need you to keep it on my dressing table like I forgot to wear it."
I heard her sigh. "How long are you going to act, Ani?" She asked.
I shook my head/ "I don't know, Bhabhi." I heard the door and immediately cut the call.
He came out fully dressed in a suit.
"Are the kids ready?" He asked.
"They are not coming." I replied. I did not want them when Shivaay met Dhruv for the first time. Especially Shivaay, as I did not know how he would behave.
We walked out of the room and Shivaay held my hand. It felt weird but strangely nice. I felt like when we had first remarried and before we lost our child.
Then, I saw Daksh come from the other side. I quickly left his hand.
"It is only Daksh." Shivaay took my hand again. We walked to the breakfast table. The kids were seated with the rest of the kids. Soumya was serving them. Ishana was serving the adults. Everyone was seated. 3 seats had been left. Shivaay sat in the middle. So I was forced to sit next to Rudra and Daksh sat on the other side.
"Mama, are you going to meet Mamu and Mami?" Shivani asked across the table.
Shivaay looked at me surprised. "Sahil is already married?" Everyone looked at him.
"Bhaiya..." Rudra opened his mouth. Soumya gave him water.
I shook my head. "Oh girlfriend." He said and continued eating. We all kept silent. Om glanced at me from across the table. I shook my head. He had to meet Dhruv. I was not ready to tell him.
After breakfast, I took him towards my car.
"Jaan, we will take the driver. I want to know more about our life for the past 8 years." Shivaay said.
I tensed. What would I tell him. But I nodded.
The driver came with the car. Everyone came to the door to see us off. I gave Daksh a small smile which he did not return.
Shivaay POV
As we sat in the car, I saw that Anika was tensed.
"So how is Sahil's girlfriend?" I noticed how her expression tensed. What was wrong?
"Bhaiya..." Since when does she call Sahil Bhaiya?
"Bhabhi is really sweet. " Bhabhi
Then I saw the car drive towards Raichand Mansion. "She is a Raichand?" My hands clenched. They had killed my grand aunt. Anika's face paled.
The car drove into their front entrance. Anika stepped out. I got out after her.
"Anika, why didn't you ask him to leave her. She is a Raichand." She flinched.
"Yuvarani...Rajkumar and Rajkumari are in the divan." A maid informed Anika. She nodded.
Rani? Sahil was a prince if he married the Raichand. But why did they call her Yuvarani?
When we walked in, I saw Dhruv Raichand and another girl sitting. Was she the girl? But she is too old. Where is Sahil?
"Anika, where is Sahil?"
Anika finally looked at me.
"Sahil is not here."
I looked at her puzzled. "Then why are we here?"
"To meet my brother."
I looked around expecting Sahil. "My brother, Dhruv."
I looked at him. He did not look pleased to see me. "But Anika, he is a Raichand."
She looked at me. "So am I."
Then I blanked out. I could hear people swarming around me.
"Take him to the room." I heard Anika.
When I opened my eyes. Anika was looking at me worried. Dhruv was standing near the door. The other girl was standing near her.
"You know Anika, I had a strange dream. You told me you were a Raichand." I smiled at her.
She grimaced. "I am. I am the Yuvarani."
"What? No impossible." She nodded. She pointed around her. I knew the room was hers as it had her picture with the kids on the walls. But the strange thing was that there were none of us.
Dhruv and the other girl left.
"Who is she?"
"That's my Bhabhi, Jeevika."
I nodded and sat up. She was packing a bag.
"Why don't you have clothes in my house?" She looked up at me. I could see she was hiding something.
"Actually, you travel a lot, so I spend a lot of time here." She replied avoiding my eyes.
"Why don't you stay with the rest of the oberois?"
She ignored my question and went to her dressing table. I got up and turned her around. "Anika, tell me what's wrong? Is it Ishana and Soumya? Did they do something?"
She shook her head. "No...I am working with the Raichands thats why. So then it becomes easy when I stay here. The kids' school is close by."
Why did I feel like she was not telling me the whole truth?
"Why didn't you work with the us? We have an event planning section."
She looked at me. "I am 52% share holder." She said. "Now you rest."
She went to the bathroom. She had just dismissed me. No Anika, no one dismisses Shivay Singh Oberoi. I went to her cupboard and opened it. It was full of her things while I had not found a single thing in my closet. I went to her dressing table. There were bangles, rings, bracelet, makeup and other things girls usually use. There was a picture of her and the kids. Where was I? She usually had a picture of me always with her. I knew it. I had seen it. I looked inside a jewellery box. I closed the box when I heard the door open. She had changed out of Prinku's clothes.
She walked to wear I was standing.
"Do you need anything?" She asked.
I shook my head. She picked up the magalsutr from her table. She was about to wear it when I held her hand.
"Let me." I saw her shoulder tense. After I helped her. She would not meet my eyes at all.
"You take rest. I will go down."
I went near the bed and waited till she left. Then followed her. But even before, I opened the door, I could hear her talking.
"Ani, you need to tell him about your fight?" a woman's voice. I guess it was her sister-in-law.
"How? How can I tell him, I have been here?" She replied frustrated.
Been here? What fight?
I have to find out. I called Sara, my secretary.
"Hi Sara." I said. "Can you send me the report of my overseas trip?"
"Sir, do you want me to pull out all the details.'" She asked.
"Yup. I need to check something about the deal and my trip."
"Sir, the one to Manali last month?"
"It was last month. Any trips after that?" I inquired.
"No sir. Do you want to send me the details?"
"No, it is fine."
If I was here for the past month, why was she at home? Anika walked into the room with some more clothes.
"Jaan..."
She was putting clothes into the suitcase. "Hmmm..." She was engrossed in packing. Now was the perfect time to ask her.
"When are we going home?"
"This is home na. We always stay here." She turned and left the room.
Always stay here? So she did not live in the Oberoi mansion. I will ask the kids.
I slept for sometime. I felt someone poking me.
"Shivaay, please get up. We have to go. The kids called." Anika was hovering over me.
I got up and went to the car. Dhruv and Jeevika had gone out with their daughter. The car was brimming with things that I had to sit in the front and Anika sat crammed at the back. She kept silent through out the ride.
When we reached the house, Ansh and Shivani came running towards us.
"Mama...you took so long." Shivani exclaimed.
"Haan Uncle...what did you do in Mama's house?" Ansh asked.
Uncle?
"Ansh, why are you calling Papa...Uncle...just because Pia and Nik call him Uncle you can't." Anika said.
"But Ma...you.." Ansh tried to say something.
"Ansh..." Anika emphasised.
I picked Ansh up. "Anika, Ansh and I will go to the court." He was the weak link. I had to use it. I felt guilty using my son but I just had to.
Anika just nodded.
"Papa, I also want to come." Shivani exclaimed.
"No Shivi, you are already having a cold. Now help Mama." She passed a toy to Shivani.
"Chalo Ansh, Let papa and Ansh spend some boy time." I carried him down to the stables. I had taken my anti-histamines today morning if not I would be sneezing my head out.
"Papa, you know at school, all the boys make fun of me because you never come with me for Sports Day." Ansh said as we walked towards the court.
"Ansh, you never called me then how could I come?" I asked him.
"But you are never there at home. Last time Dhruv Mamu came. Daksh Uncle said he will come this time." Ansh said.
Daksh? What is he doing in their life? While I was not.
I played with Ansh for sometime before sending him to the house.
I immediately called Dhruv. Only he can give me the answers I need.
"Hello? Who is this?" Dhruv asked.
"Hello Raichand. Shivaay speaking." I said.
"Oh the Oberoi. How can I help you?" He sounded mocking.
"I need to talk to you now."
I took the car from the garage. I saw Anika come out. "I will come in 2 hours, Jaan." I told her and drove out.
When I reached the Raichand Mansion, I saw Dhruv and Jeevika standing at the door.
"Hello Mr. Oberoi, how can I help you?" Dhruv asked.
"I will go put Priya to bed." Jeevika said and walked in.
Dhruv took me to his study.
"Mr. Raichand...I need to know exactly what happened in the last 8 years. The details and don't try gloss it over like your sister." Dhruv seemed relaxed when he heard this.
"Finally for one thing, you and I agree, Mr. Oberoi."
"Shivaay is fine." He nodded.
"Well, Shivaay, first of all, you haven't been together for the past 6 years."
6 years?
"She decided to pull away finally from the relation where you were the center." He seemed proud of his sister and at the same time disappointed.
"You hurt her too much. When she took a stand, she flung you out of her life. Jeevika and i begged her to get together because she was pregnant and the doctor said she needed a lot of support." But she was adamant and neither did you come. She used to wait for you near the door every single day, hoping for some closure. At least, she used to till she became too weak to even walk out of room." Dhruv looked up at me. His eyes filled with hatred.
"Your children almost took my sister's life. But they could not do something their father had already done." He hissed. I had never Dhruv so angry and desperate not even at meetings we went to.
"What did I do?" I whispered. I was scared to listen to the answer. I did not feel at all like an Oberoi.
"What did you not do? You thought my sister was cheating on you with me. So you brought your half-cousin or whatever and acted like you were in a relationship and had a daughter. You then forced her to adopt that kid."
"Half-cousin?" I asked.
"Oh, you don't remember that then here is her address, they sent her away since you don't remember her." He tossed me a paper.
Jeevika came in with a couple of books.
"And here is my sister's pain written in the pages." He said after taking the books and dropping it on the table."
I got up. 2 hours had gone by with my brother-in-law yelling at me. And for once, I, Shivaay Singh Oberoi believed I deserved it.
"Raichand, please don't tell her I came."
Dhruv looked at me. "I won't because I am hoping you can fix this. Also remember this, Daksh was my classmate and my sister's current love but if you can fix this. I would rather prefer my niece and nephew having their real dad with them. A stepdad is not always the best thing you can have in your life."
Daksh was her boyfriend. No wonder he glared at me.
I kept the books in my car and drove home. When I came, I could see Anika at the entrance. She was walking from one end to the other.
I passed the keys to the driver and asked him to send the books to my study without anyone knowing.
I walked to the door.
"Are you crazy? You were in an accident just yesterday. And then you disappear for more than two hours." She held on to my collar and started shaking.
"Anika, Calm down. Shivaay Bhaiya knows how to look after himself." Daksh had walked into the foyer.
Anika immediately let go of my collar. "Woh Daksh, Daadi asked me so many times, so I got worried."
I moved towards her. "Arre Daksh, I am her husband, she can ask. Actually Jaan, there was a problem at one of the sites. I went to check on that." I replied to her.
Anika was looking so uncomfortable.
"You set out the food, I will go change and come. Are the kids sleeping?" She nodded. As soon as I left her she moved away.
Well Anika, Shivaay never let's what is his go so easily. Now to use this memory lose to my benefit.
Author's Note: Glad you all liked the story so far. Unlike Anika, Shivaay is more calm regarding loss of memory.
By the way, I had a question from one of the readers regarding Ishana working with the Raichands, the reason is that she did not want to be treated as Oberoi. She wanted some freedom at place of work. Also she got to know about Anika being with the Raichands.😊😊😊
Anupamaa
