Chapter 130
Unfair and Unsquare
Anika sat there quiet baffled by all that had happened not only today but in her entire life. The time when she was left alone in the bus to the time when she had crawled the alley of death in the basement, to today the finale of it all. What a dramatic life Anika had lived, fit to be written and read long after she would be gone. A story full of hope, Shivay had called her destiny's favorite, and she had masked an urge to show him a mirror, that was what a child of destiny would look like, she had thought. Today when Anika looked at the horizon far away with the sun glowing humbly and ready to seek reprieve in the deep abyss of blue waters Anika could not envy Shivay for his privileged life. She had watched the news on loop and was still reading the snippets on her phone, it was not in her to seek joy in someone else's plight and downfall, but she couldn't snub that young girl that had suffered for years, she finally felt free. Anika saw his picture trying to hide his face as the authorities took him to court, Samaksh had griped her with his monstrous physique and terrifying psyche, seeing him hapless and helpless in these pics assuaged her need for revenge she never knew existed within her. On the dimming horizon Anika visualized her, disappearing looking peaceful and calm, rest in peace, she mumbled to herself or to her, Anika was not sure. There was nothing left for her to worry about, Sahil was on his way to a better and prosperous life with his rightful family even if not acknowledged as such, he had received his due legacy. Her dream her aspirations duly taken care of, they would never need to look for another investor ever. She felt blank, mind numb and body light as if ready to float off, so this is what people call bliss she thought to herself. She let herself enjoy that void where there was no concern, but her phone buzzed, and she dragged herself out of the stupor, disconnecting the call she messaged Shivay that she was at Marwe Beach. Deserted on weekday the place gave her the solitude she needed.
Just a while back, Priyanka had cried her heart off on her shoulders, silently bearing the brunt of being in love, one-sided love. Anika had told Priyanka all the pros and cons of being in love and then being in love with Ranveer. It was as if she had recounted everything to herself.
"Matters of heart don't see reason Anika di."
She was tired and exasperated, and so was Anika, but Priyanka was right heart was beyond the realms of reason. Anika had left Priyanka to her devices and walked all the way to the beach, hoping that perhaps coming face to face with the ground reality she would be able to break the spell that Shivay had cast. Nothing worked, even though she rejected the new found knowledge with hard logic.
It was merely a charade for eight weeks
If that were true, he wouldn't have married me in front of his family.
He kept the relationship secret.
Without sharing with the world, I got kidnapped, and Priyanka was in the loop too. There is still Tia looming.
He did not think love is essential to marriage.
I never cared about marriage as an institution at all, why else would I have accepted the contract.
He is very casual with you.
He is just himself around me. I accept him as he is.
He treats you like an opponent
No, I am his partner in crime even if unwilling, to begin with, I love the thrill now. I love everything associated with him. I love him too.
She had broken down into the sand, unable to accept the reality. Every reason her logic had thrown her way to snub her heart had been thrown into the oblivion till the fact that she loved Shivay jackhammered its way into her mind and all logic lay in tatters. She had finally arrived at the bigger question. What next? She found no answer, but Anika at least needed some way out of this mess.
I love Shivay doesn't mean he loves me too. The only solution Anika saw to her plight was to leave forever somehow never to return.
Anika had closed her eyes inhaling the salty air and bringing her knees close to her chest, and she dozed off. A buzz immediately after woke her up.
"Stay safe will get to you in 20 minutes"
. His grey eyes still the most prominent feature on his face, nothing had changed either about him or about her or about their situation, yet, something had moved, Anika would never be the same. Would he be the same once I am gone? She wondered no more scared to be out in the open. For the longest of times, Anika had never felt this kind of freedom as if nothing held her back. She looked around and saw a few sailors and petty officers strolling around forever watchful and observant.
"Looks like I am safe." She clicked a picture of the men discreetly or at least so she thought and sent it to Shivay.
"Keep your distance from them. They are all brave souls of our defense force and probably trainees at INS Hamla they might mistake you for a terrorist."
"I thought I looked divine just this morning."
"Everyone cannot see through the terrorizing exterior now can they?"
"Are you looking in a mirror baghadbilla ji?"
She chuckled before sending the message. He hated it when she called him Billuji, but this one got a place of runner's up.
"No, I am looking in your eyes."
She turned around with a start and looked up at him. There he was looking straight into her eyes. She had read somewhere about the infamous smoldering gaze and golden flecks in eyes. Anika shook her head to clear it of the sudden mist that his presence seemed to always thrust on her. The sun was a little ball now, and it reflected in his eyes. Oh so it was the light that these phrases talked about, she thought with relief. Much ado about nothing Anika thought.
"Let's go, Anika."
He stretched his palm towards her not to assist her but to hold her close, to assure himself that she was safe, safer than ever. She had fought well, and now she needed to bask in the glory of her victory.
"No
"No means"
"No" And she laughed open heartedly at the joke, sure that he knew a no meant no.
"I know that, but I didn't understand."
"I am not going anywhere". The waves were gaining momentum though she was way out of the reach of the impending high tide, yet Shivay wanted to leave soon.
"I am sitting out of tides path. I asked them." She said pointing to a group of sailors, knowing fully well what was coming next.
"If you won't come on your own I will pick you u..."
His eyes pricked with the salt and sand as he tried to figure out what dared to hit him. Anika had splashed his face with sea water, not once but at least thrice and he was drenched. As she readied her ammunition this time, a ball of sand Shivay in reflex secured her hands in a tight grip in front holding her captive from behind.
"What kind of foolishness was that? You put that on me, Anika, again and I will wipe away all this sand with your clothes"
Her laughter rang clear over a roaring wave that hit the beach and Shivay did not wait for another wave. He picked her up, but before he could have hauled her up to his car parked a few yards away, a group of sailors stopped him. He put her down, and Anika saw a defensive Shivay for the first time as he look at her unsure.
"Is everything alright mam?
One of them enquired in a heavy tone, acquired through their hard training.
Shivay fixed her with a warning stare but Anika was out of his reach the next minute, and she started talking to them.
"He is... "
She stopped tentatively and raised her brows at him daring him to come any closer, turning back to them again, Anika spoke confidently.
"He is my husband". Shivay looked visibly relieved as she uttered the word.
"I will repeat, is everything all right mam?"
Shivay looked peeved now and was about to take his Baghadbilla avatar, but Anika spoke up again.
"Yes, Petty Officer."
She had recognized the insignia on his badge as she added sincerely.
"You should leave now the high tide is expected around 7:30 PM in another hour" He spoke curtly, and Shivay chuckled.
"We were leaving." Shivay held her hand and pulled her along.
"By the way Gentleman, you can pick her up." One of them spoke over the waves as if Anika was not embarrassed enough.
"What were you precisely up to there, Anika?" He asked still upset at her childish display of conviviality, as he buckled her up and pulled the belt tighter than necessary.
"What were you, trying to do? Going to enter into a spat with defense personals? Really Shivay? You do know they don't fall under the civilian administrative system. Even your highest level of acquaintance would have shrugged their hands of this controversy if anything went wrong." She said holding out an anti-allergy tablet as he had been sneezing now and then, he knew Anika was right.
"Bless you.
"You know I have dust allergy still you wanted to dunk all that sand on me, some doctor you are." He said disgusted
"Aww, poor Shivay baby, trying to play the victim. Next time you threaten me as you did over there Shivay and like you do all the time, I swear..." her remaining sentence was left incomplete for want of an idea.
"I swear what Anika?" He asked taking a turn towards his home now only a few minutes away. Anika read the hidden challenge in his tone loud and clear.
"I will tell you when you threaten me." She said her conviction lost but still trying to keep up. Shivay applied brakes suddenly in a by lane but deserted by no means. Giving no time to her to comprehend he unbuckled her and yanked her to himself, his eyes spelling desire in no uncertain terms to Anika, he spoke.
"I swear what?" His voice heavy with her closeness that always made him want more, and left him unquenched.
"I swear I will do this." She rubbed her hands still sticky with sand first on his face, and as he left her to roll into another bout of sneezes, she wiped the remaining sand on his coat.
"My hands are clean." She said looking smug at her long due victory.
"I will avenge this Anika and no I am not threatening, I promise you that." His tone held an immoral undertone about which, Anika did not care. Today was her day, not because she learned that the most significant curse of her life had been lifted, but because she had won a duel with Shivay, unfair and unsquare, so be it.
...
Edited by samiksha1993 - 7 years ago
Kumkum Bhagya
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