FF- I'll love you better now: Serendipity Updated 25th Nov Ch:5 Page:5 - Page 4

Originally posted by: heavenlybliss

omg whyd you have to end it in suspense 😆

Now you must update fast!

Loving it! Rudra <3

Originally posted by: sosweetsumi

oh no please let my shivaay caught a glance of rudy or better yet let anika work her magic and connect ru with her.

i am having fingers crossed literally

please let the have a glance

Originally posted by: MahaSrilu

Oh Now How am I gonna wait for another Update! too bad Shelma...Killing us slowly and doing a great job at that .

Haha...I'm so wicked, aren't I?😛😆

Did Abhay saw Rudy,Pls let Om or Shivay(hell both) see him pls pls pls, I'll be waiting for next update desperately

Writing a reunion is going to be the hardest part. Even I am clueless as to where my story writing takes me sometimes!

PS:That was an Amazing Update and I Kinda like Tej 😊.

Thank you, love and ikr!😆 I cant believe how the CV's let go of such a potential character.

Love

~Maha~

||CHAPTER-5||

Fear had been a constant emotion in his life.

He had first felt fear when he opened his eyes three years ago and had no clue as to who he was. The euphoria of learning things from the very beginning, being questioned about his memories and struggling to remember was just too much.

Luckily, he had his brother Abhay with him who had consoled him that his old memories weren't important but those he made from now on were the ones that mattered. And memories did he make, with his Bhaiya and Charu Didi.

Going to the movies, visiting carnivals, bidding expensive art pieces, travelling through the countryside or just talking about inane things had been the best part of his life.

And sometimes waking up cushioned between his Bhaiya and his Didi during their late-night musings and cooking breakfast together the next morning were simply blissful moments.

But the fear was always there.

And he had seen it in his brother's eyes when they had moved to Amsterdam from India without whatever so reasons. And he had seen it time and time again when he would stop by Zulfi Singh's paintings or when he would sneak out with Rachel or the times, he would try browsing the internet.

That fear in his Abhay Bhaiya would turn to anger; an anger Agastya would do anything to avoid. His brother was a merciless and a strict disciplinarian who always resorted to physical punishments when teaching him a lesson.

Hence, the thought of displeasing his brother was the worst kind of fear he had.

"August! Are you even listening to me?!" Rachel's incessant tugging brought him back to the dilemma in hand.

"Yeah, yeah..." Rudra sneaked a look at his brother while trying to discretely move behind a pillar close to him, "I hear you loud and clear.

"I'm so sorry August, I think it's best if we get out of here". And Rachel did sound sorry. Heck! She sounded to be in the verge of tears.

"Yeah..." Rudra conceded, ignoring the hitch in his own voice and the burn in his eyes. To risking everything and coming this close to meeting his idol only to be jeopardized at the last second did not sit well with him.

"Good..." Rachel muttered, obviously as displeased as he was, "Your brother seems to be distracted with his phone, let's move". She held onto his sleeves and subtly pushed him towards the stairwell.

Rudra sighed and followed her lead. As much as he dreamt about this moment all his life, earning his brother's displeasure was not worth it. A few more steps and they were out of this predicament and his dream forever.

"Hey you!" Rudra stilled, his left foot hovering over the first step of the marbled stairs. Beside him, Rachel froze at the impeding footsteps, her hand clutching Rudra's biceps in a vicelike grip.

"You dropped your invitation by the pillar". Abhay approached the pair from behind, doing his best to mask the irritation from his voice. For all his kindness, the punks seemed to downright ignore him and whisper between themselves.

His mood soured further when they started to descend the stairs without sparing him a glance or taking the crumpled invitation from his hand.

Kids these days have absolutely no respect for their peers...Abhay thought haughtily.

It seemed that the Gods were hell bent on making his life miserable today. From having to meet Shivaay Singh Oberoi, the bane of his existence and the very person he was deceiving his brother from, to having to do business and associate with him was just horrible.

To have that conceited, arrogant man force Abhay to come to Zulfi Singh's gallery for the meeting was the icing to the cake.

And now, he had to deal with a pair of moody, angsty and ungrateful teenagers while he should be at his house with Agastya welcoming Charu from her trip to India.

This day could not get anymore worse...Abhay sighed and crumpled the paper invitation in his hand, his mind encouraging him to hurl it at the hooded boy's head. If only Shivaay Singh Oberoi would stop making merry with the paparazzi and finish off with the dreaded meeting, he would gladly rush back home and call it a day.

Abhay eyebrows twitched when an awfully cheerful ringtone blared from his pocket. Looks like Agastya got to my phone again...

Abhay felt a smile gently tug at his lips at the thought of his naughty brother changing his ringtone to 'Bob the Builder'. The caller id on the screen lightened his mood further.

She was finally back home...

"Made it back in one piece, huh?" He playfully questioned the woman on the other side. Svetlana, or Charu as she insisted to be called, only snorted at the inquiry.

"If you meant to ask whether the airport patrol recognized me as Svetlana and got me arrested, well, it's a no". Her smooth voice remarked casually, "But if you meant had I come back with the medicines, then it's a yes."

That's one good news for the day, Abhay grinned, still in wonder of how things had changed between them in such a short span. They had met as enemies only to forge a team for a common goal and now they were...

Abhay shook his head, refusing to be hopeful.

The first year around Svetlana had been nerve-wracking with her constant scrutiny. Having to flee India with her was never in his agenda nor was parenting Agastya together. While he did initially distrust her, she was the only one who could assist his baby brother medically and yet keep his existence a secret.

The second year in Amsterdam was when he got to really know her for whom she was; a victim, a recipient of the senior Oberois' web of deceit. She was just like him.

A survivor, an avenger.

And just like him, she had fallen hard to Rudra's light. The only hope in their darkness, the only saving grace in their quest for vengeance. Their salvation had come late but it had come at last.

And with Rudra in their life, they had connected, like a long-lost puzzle piece, perfectly together and in love. Like they were meant to be a family.

"---brat with you?" Abhay blinked, coming out of his maudlin reminiscence.

"Uh, what?" He could feel Svetlana roll her eyes in exasperation.

"Stop zoning out on me, you jerk!" she playfully sneered at him.

"I wouldn't do it if our conversation wasn't so one-sided". He smirked.

"Whatever". She grunted and Abhay could picture her flipping him off. "Anyway, give the phone to Agastya. I haven't spoken to my boy in ages!"

That took the smile off his face. Abhay blinked, perplexity and dread seeping into his heart. "Stop joking around, Charu..." he laughed nervously, "Surely, he was the one who picked you up from the airport?"

The silence from the other side made his anxiety grow ten-folds. "I caught a cab, Abhay". She replied, her voice just an octave above a whisper.

And that's when reality hit him. No, no, no...Abhay shook his head ignoring Svetlana frantically calling his name.

That boy from earlier! Trepidation and rage burned in the pits of his stomach as realization hit him that his brother had once again defiled him. His baby brother was her at the same place as Shivaay Singh Oberoi and his wife!

"Ladies and gentlemen thank you for coming". Abhay gasped at the voice and rushed towards the balcony. "Before we start the meet and greet, I'd like to introduce you to my two, strong pillars and my constant support system..." The smooth voice of Zulfi Singh blared through the microphone.

Abhay stared in shock as the masked painter pulled Shivaay along with Anika to the stage. "Say hello to my brother and the king Shivaay Singh Oberoi and the king-maker, Anika Shivaay Singh Oberoi!"

Shivaay looked affronted at his brother's declaration while Anika laughed harder, hugging Zulfi Singh to herself as only s sister could. But Abhay's mind overlooked that for one clear detail; Zulfi had called Shivaay 'his brother', which only meant...

Abhay gulped and rushed down the stairs, tremors taking over his body. Shivaay Singh Oberoi and Omkara Singh Oberoi were in the same abode as Rudra Singh Oberoi...

___________________________________________________

The second he and Rachel reached near the exit, the voice of Zulfi hit Rudra's ears. He stopped on his tracks and stoically turned around to observe Zulfi unmask himself and pull his brother Shivaay into a tight hug.

"August!" he heard Rachel wheeze beside him from their constant running, "Now is not the time to take a break, we are almost there!" she added urgently.

"But Rachel..." Rudra whispered, his voice low in absolute awe, "Zulfi is right there!" he grinned excitedly as he pushed through the crowd with Rachel in tow, moving towards the two brothers. And something about the voice and the way the brothers hugged held Rudra's interest.

He's just ten feet away...Rudra's exhilarated heart screamed inside his head. He was going to meet him, he was finally going to meet Zulf--

"Yeah..." Rachel conceded, her voice deathly still, "And so is your brother..."

No sooner had she uttered those words, Rudra's eyes scanned the crowd and locked into Abhay's furious gaze. And it so happened to be at the moment when Shivaay closed his brief speech of welcoming the crowd and had them dismissed for the meet and greet.

And the once controlled crowd of sophisticated men and women were now a mess of raging fangirls and admirers!

Voices and hands pushed him from all sides as they moved to greet the now unmasked artist, Omkara. People were cheering, and cameras were flashing like crazy and through it all, Abhay's eyes caught and held him on spot.

And those eyes, oh god! They promised severe retribution!

With one last forlorn look thrown the Oberoi brothers' way and acting on pure instincts, Rudra took hold of Rachel's hand and broke into a sprint towards the exit. No way in heaven or hell was he going to get disciplined in public!

"Agastya!" Rachel huffed, trying to keep up with his pace and failing at it, "Slow down! You are going to crash into someo--"

CRASH!

The sound of broken champagne glass echoed through the crowed as Rudra tripped and literally crash-tackled a young lady to the ground. He promptly scrambled back to his feet, muttering apologies with his head bowed down.

Internally, he groaned at the bigger mess he was making. He could feel the crowd's scrutiny and rapid footsteps approach them. Please let it not be my Bhaiya, please let it not be my Bhaiya...he mentally chanted

"ANIKA!" he heard the man, whom he identified as Shivaay, approach the lady he had just pushed onto the ground. "Are you alright?! What's this blood on the floor...?!"

The worry, warmth and protectiveness in the businessman's voice struck Rudra with an abrupt familiarity so fast and hard, it made him lightheaded and sway dangerously on spot.

"I'm alright, Shivaay but I think the glass pieces from the cup struck the poor kid's leg". Her voice sounded so concerned, even when she was addressing a stranger who had just pushed her.

"Hey, you, look at me". Rudra stared at the ground with conviction, refusing to show his face even as he felt a warm hand grab hold of his chin. "Are you alright? Should I call a doctor?"

'Should we call the doctor, Baby Ru?'

The strange voice echoed in his head...

'S-see Ru, l-look here.'

The same voice that haunted his dreams...

'Bhaiya got you, sunshine. Don't cry!'

The voices that resurfaced everytime he visited one of Zulfi Singh's exhibits...

'Bhaiya won't let go. Don't be scared!'

The agony in those voices and the memories of blood, tears and pain it brought with it were just too much that Rudra felt his eyes water. And with enough force, Rudra snapped his head to the side to get the hand off him and immediately dashed towards the exit.

He heard the lady and the man call him out, and even the voice of Zulfi Singh carry over the crowd, but he ran as fast as his legs would carry him, away from the warmth of the art galore and into the darkness of the night.

______________________________________________

Originally posted by: daisydee425

Amazing