The Heart Gets What The Heart Wants - Part 1
The Unwilling Oberoi Bride
Chapter 2 - page 2 Chapter 15 - page 43 Chapter 28 - page 97
Chapter 3 - Page 5 Chapter 16 - page 45 Chapter 29 - page 104
Chapter 4 - page 8 Chapter 17 - page 48 Chapter 30 - page 113
Chapter 5 - page 9 Chapter 18 - page 50 Chapter 31 - page 118
Chapter 6 - Page 13 Chapter 19 - page 53 Chapter 32 - page 123
Chapter 7 - Page 15 Chapter 20 - page 57 Chapter 33 - page 134
Chapter 8 - page 18 Chapter 21 - page 59 Chapter 34a - page 141
Chapter 9 - page 20 Chapter 22 - page 63
Chapter 10 - page 25 Chapter 23 - page 69
Chapter 11 - page 28 Chapter 24 - page 73
Chapter 12 - page 32 Chapter 25 - page 79
Chapter 13 - page 37 Chapter 26 - page 84
Chapter 14 - page 40 Chapter 27 - page 91
The Heart Gets What The Heart Wants - Part 2
The Willing Oberoi Wife:
https://www.indiaforums.com/forum/topic/4847257
This is my very first short story, (hat has now turned into a Fan Fiction lol 😆)
and it is especially for Aprilsunrise'
as it was requested by her. I hope I live up to your expectations. 😊
Chapter 1: Mist filled Mornings and Meditative Musings on Marriage ... in the Secret Garden
It has been 2 weeks since the fateful day that Shivvay
changed a very reluctant Annika from being just 'Annika', as he had said, to 'Mrs.
Annika Shivvay Singh Oberoi'.
It was a marriage that was completed in one hour
and was supposed to last one day. But fate willed it otherwise and here she was
in a relationship that was more a burden than a joy.
I loved to stroll the Oberoi grounds just after dawn in the softest light and the quietest part of the day because it not only energized my spirit and soul but gave me the strength to face another battle that would start once I got back to the mansion.
As I made my way to my 'Secret Garden', as Dadi had recently christened it, my steps quickened eagerly in anticipation of getting there before the rising sun did. I always beat him to being the first one there every morning for the past few days now.
It was the other big change that had come about after my untimely marriage and that too to 'The Shivvay Singh Oberoi himself', I realized.
The girl who would love sleeping in every morning had disappeared and in her place stood the woman who arose early only so that she could steal a few moments of quiet time for herself away from his piercing 'Kanji eyes'.
The garden that stood at the very east end of the grounds was in the old, forgotten, overgrown section of the estate where hardly anyone came anymore and it was for that very reason that I loved it here. It was still, quiet and away from the reality of the world and the best part was that it was mine and mine alone.
It had a small pond and a small and simple carved wooden bridge that spanned
the narrowest part of the figure '8' shape Dadi had designed it in. It was her
lucky number she had said because it was the day and month she had met her
'Ishqbaaz' who changed her life forever.
I smiled a wistful smile at the memory
of Dadi saying those words to me the
morning after the reception fiasco while we sipped our Masala Chai in the living room as she pointedly looked in Shivvay's direction.
How she equated her beautiful love story to
my miserable one was beyond logic to me, let alone Shivvay, who almost choked
on his 'Saira Banu' while Tia flipped through the social media pictures of the
reception beside him blissfully unaware of her surroundings.
Suddenly I felt the need to get away and breathe as the air was thick with some kind of heavy energy that suffocated me and surrounded me. I knew it was because of Shivvay and the way he always managed to make me feel trapped and tied to him, even from 10 feet away.
His piercing grey-green eyes following my every move over the rim of his coffee cup did nothing to make that feeling better.
"What was the man's problem?!!", I muttered under my breath in sheer frustration as I looked from him and pointedly towards Tia sitting beside him, who he completely ignored.
One would almost imagine, if he was a stranger to our story, that it was me he really was interested in by the way his eyes followed my every move. Only I saw the challenge and the accusations that he held in them though I could not imagine why considering HE was in the wrong.
I unwillingly removed myself from Dadi's warm presence beside me and told her that I needed to get some fresh air as I was feeling a bit unwell since last night.
I felt more than saw Shivvay's frown at that remark
and realized how it might have sounded to anyone listening but I was beyond
caring at this point. I almost bumped into Pinky Aunty while trying to make my
hasty exit and saw her deliberately take a few steps back as though I were an
untouchable.
I ignored the action with a proud toss of my head as I side
stepped her lightly before she could move anymore farther back. Her good opinion
or approval did not matter to me anymore. As far as I was concerned people had
to give respect to receive it in return whether old or young and I knew what
she thought about me, she had made that perfectly clear the day I got married.
Dadi, Om and Devru (my adorable devar Rudra) were the only reason I was here carrying on this sham of a marriage.
"Anni Bahu!! Ruko Tho!?", Dadi called lovingly after me and I heard Shivvay's sharp intake of breath at those words.
I stopped on my tracks and closed my eyes for a few seconds as I savored the beautiful words washing over my whole being. That was the very first time she had called me anything but Annika. I opened my eyes and turned around slowly to face her as I saw her walk leisurely towards me.
Hooking her
arm in mine she smiled benevolently and started talking about her precious rose garden in the lower
grounds that she needed to inspect.
As she pointedly looked at Pinky Aunty she
told me that the gardener had informed her that the beautiful roses had been attacked
yesterday by some pest that was eating away at the flowers. She needed to
inspect and fix that immediate problem to make sure the garden that she had so
lovingly planted with her husband was always free of disease and thriving.
Then she turned to me and requested that I accompany her as it would be my job to take over the gardens now since she had grown too old to make these lengthy walks every week and there was no one else she could trust with this important task.
I could see Pinky Aunty fidget at the insinuation
while she looked at Tia who was still blissfully unaware of what had transpired
and was busy showing Shivvay the new sports car she had her eye on for the past
month. Shivvay nodded absentmindedly at Tia, his eyes not once leaving my face or Dadi's to look in Tia's direction. But Dadi, who
had already turned to walk away with my arm firmly in hers, did not give him the satisfaction of acknowledging his look even once.
I smiled a small smile of victory as I turned and walked along with her and realized I had a mentor I could learn so much from. I was truly blessed to have her in my life no matter how short that time would be.
"Ani Bhi!!!", yelled Rudra as he ran towards us. "Where are you off too?"
"I am taking her to the Rose Garden Rudra, she needs a little time to herself. You can have your Ani Bhi when she comes back from her walk with me", Dadi wagged her finger at him.
"But that's not fair!!", cried Rudra. "I have not had a chance to speak to her for more than a few minutes since yesterday and she is here today because of my prayer to the angels you know?"
"Arre! I promise you can have her back soon to pamper you for the rest of the day but let her come with me for a morning walk at least?", coaxed Dadi.
"Promise Ani Bhi?!!", asked my adorable younger Devar with a pleading look and his patent adorable pout.
"Han of course!!! Pakka promise", I said and smiled. "Now can I go and catch up with Dadi before she disappears??" I gestured towards the briskly walking Dadi who had already gotten a head start leaving me to sprint after her.
I knew Shivvay had watched the entire exchange with his permanent frown and as I turned to steal a glimpse at his thunderous face I saw it change to a shocked expression when Rudy waved at him from a distance and turned back to saunter towards the kitchen.
"What!! Rudy??!! Not even a 'Hello' for your Bhaiya??!!", I heard Shivvay ask with a voice full of surprise.
"It's too crowded there Bhaiya and you are already occupied with all the people on social media. We can catch up later when you come back to the real world and besides I have to make my own breakfast from today so I need to hurry", retorted Rudy as he walked away with a disappointed shake of his head.
I hurried towards Dadi as I did not plan to spend a second
more than necessary in that living room today.
I sighed in pleasure as I stepped out of that heavy dark room and into the warm
sunshine, making my way towards Dadi, who was already in a deep conversation with the head gardener
about the roses. It was the day I learned how to heal a diseased rose plant and
myself because it was also the day Dadi had introduced me to Anni's Secret garden as she named it from
then on.
She was the only one who knew of my morning walks there and encouraged me to keep it that way.
I know it bothered the control freak side of Shivvay not knowing where I was when I went on these walks but as I saw it was none of his' bees wax' as I was his wife in name only. I knew he was awake and aware of when I stepped out of the room because his 'Annika Radar' would not have it any other way but that was his problem not mine to deal with.
It was a raitha he had spread and his alone to clean up and he was not getting any help from 'this wife' to do that.
Chapter 2 - page 2
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