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"Shivaay. Mujhe na aapse kuch-" Anika staggered forward but Shivaay caught her. "Easy Anika. It's okay. You can tell me your little secret while sitting too." He encouraged leading her towards the bed.
Anika giggled. "I know, Shivaay. But I don't wanna sit. Mujhe khade hona hai."
Shivaay stepped back, folding his arms telling her to continue.
Anika looked into his kaanji aakhen and gulped. She turned around shutting her eyes tight, "Nahi. I'm scared Shivaay. Mujhe aapse bahut darr lag raha hai. Especially from these beautiful kanji aakhen of yours. Aisa lag raha hai ki yeh mujhe kaccha kha jayenge."
"What?! I thought you found my eyes beautiful? Why're you suddenly scared of them?" Shivaay stepped forward.
"Nahi nahi nahi." Anika jumped on the bed, "Don't come near me. Or else I will..." She stopped looking around for something with which she could stop Shivaay from coming closer to her. But Shivaay being the tadibaaz he his, jumped onto the bed with his signature hair flick.
"Or else you will..?" He asked in a low husky voice. They were both standing in the middle of the bed, facing each other. With every step Shivaay took towards her, she took a step back.
They both had reached the edge of the bed, when he took her hand and twisted it behind her back and reflexively her free hand rested on his shoulder.
Anika shivered. "Anika, now tell me your little secret." He smiled a knowing smile.
"You won't be able to handle my little secret, Shivaay. It's not thaaat little." She said stretching the word that.
"It's okay Anika. Shivaay Singh Oberoi can handle anything."
"No no no Shivaay. Yeh secret na bahut badi hai." She wanted to stretch her arms wide to show Shivaay how big her secret was but only stretched her free hand as the other one was still tight in Shivaay's hold.
"Leave my hand Shivaay." She pouted, trying to wriggle her hand out. But Shivaay just smiled teasingly.
"Nahi chodunga Anika. Tum chuda sakti ho toh chuda lo."
"Aap Anika Singh Oberoi ko challenge kar rahe hai?" She raised her eyebrow.
Shivaay smiled at that. She herself had acknowledged that she was Anika Singh Oberoi. And a feeling of pride was evident in her voice.
"Anika Singh Oberoi huh?" Shivaay smirked.
"Haan. Shivaay Singh Oberoi mera pati hai na. Toh hui na mein.. Anika Singh Oberoi." She smiled widely showing all her teeth.
Shivaay chuckled see his cute wife like this. Indeed alcohol brought a different side of his khidkitod Anika out. He felt like smacking and thanking Rudra at the same time. Anika had mentioned earlier that Rudra had spiked her orange juice so that she would get the guts to tell Shivaay her not so little sercet.
He had a sudden urge to pinch her cheeks and was about to as Anika was intently looking at Shivaay. On seeing him bring his hand toward her face she stepped back.
Anika's shrill voice filled the room. She caught Shivaay's arm tightly for support but both of them fell down on the floor with a thud.
"What the hell Anika." Shivaay got up rubbing his head which had banged Anika's. He looked at her to see if she was hurt but saw that her eyes were closed.
Panic surged through him. "Anika!" He patted her cheeks. "Open you eyes Anika."
She slowly tried to open her eyes but couldn't. She softly mumbled, "Let me sleep na Shivaay. I'm very sleepy." With that she had drifted back to sleep almost immediately.
Shivaay looked at Anika intently. He had always liked to secretly see Anika sleeping. She looked so cute and innocent.
He gently tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. He scooped her in his arms and placed her on the bed not taking his eyes away even for a minute.
"What was your little secret Anika? Guess I'll never know." he sighed.
He turned around to leave when he remembered that their heads had collided. So he went and gently bumped their heads again.
"Kya hua? Kahan aag lagi hai?" Anika instantly got up looking around worried.
"Actually- when we fell our heads - " he said waving his phone in the air. And Anika just nodded rubbing her eyes.
"Anyway, what was the secret you wanted to tell me?"
"Woh main." She started blushing profousely.
"Anika just tell me--" Shivaay started now starting to get annoyed. He was dying to know what it was.
"I love you." she said quickly not liking the build up of her not-so-little secret at all.
"your little secr- You what!" Shivaay almost yelled at that.
Anika ran away scared and hid behind the bed. He took a couple of minutes to digest what he had just heard.
"Anika, now tell me your little secret."
"You won't be able to handle my little secret, Shivaay. It's not thaaat little."
"It's okay Anika. Shivaay Singh Oberoi can handle anything."
He recalled every moment he had with Anika. How she had saved his life numerous times. The way she used to blush every time he was around. How she was touched even by the smallest gesture made by him.
And then when it finally hit him, he smiled.
"She loves me. Anika loves me." Shivaay repeated.
He slowly went behind the bed where Anika was. Anika was crying silently hugging her knees tight. Anika looked up feeling Shivaay's hand on her shoulder. His heart pained to see her like this. Tears were streaming down her cheeks. He sat down beside her.
"I know Shivaay. I know that you can never love me. Because I'm just your responsibility. Aur yeh sara raita maine phailaya hai. But I tried Shivaay. I tried really hard not to fall in love with you. But I did. Mujhe pyaar hogaya hai aapse Shivaay. Appki tadi se. Aapki kanji aakhon se. Mujhe mere baghad bille se pyaar ho gaya hai." She cupped his face.
"Shh. Don't cry Anika." Shivaay wiped away her tears and held her palms. "Yes, Anika you are my responsibility. That is why I take care of you. But that is not the ony reason. You're very dear to me." Shivaay looked down. He subconsciously traced circles on her hand. "If OmRu is my life, then you are... you are my reason to live. If anything happens to you Anika, I'll die." He said quietly but looking directly into her deep brown orbs.
Anika shook her head, "Aisa mat boliye Shivaay. Aapko kuch nahi hoga."
Shivaay inched forward and placed a wet kiss on her forehead but not moving back. He lingered there for a few moments. He finally pulled back.
"But what I don't understand is, after all I've done to you. You love me? Why?"
"Whatever happened Shivaay, it wasn't your fault. It was the circumstances. And I know whatever you did, you did it for your family's welfare. You're not bad Shivaay. You're very good at heart. I've forgiven you Shivaay. And who doesn't make mistakes? Everyone does. Whatever happened, it was the past. So just forget it and move ahead." She smiled.
Shivaay was taken aback by her understanding. His wife indeed had a big heart. He had not married anyone, he had married a gem. But whatever he had done to her was wrong. He was cruel to her.
"But Anika-" Shivaay wanted to argue but Anika stopped him as she placed a soft kiss on his cheek. Shivaay's eyes widened with shock. After he recovered from what had just happened, he smiled. He looked at Anika who had fallen asleep on his chest. He wrapped his arms securely around her. Resting his head back on the wall he dozed off, with his Anika safe in his arms.
Tomorrow, they would take a step ahead in their relationship. Also he would make sure to give Anika all the happiness she deserved and to make up for what he had done to her even though she had forgiven him. Indeed, tomorrow would be a new beginning.
Okay so I have no idea what I ended up writing. This is the result of no wifi for days. Hope you guys like it. 😃😳
Kumkum Bhagya
