There is nothing more humiliating than being disowned publicly by the very man who forced you to marry him secretly and without your consent.
There is nothing more humiliating than the same man's false wife rubbing it in that you are not worthy of the Family you were forced and blackmailed to marry into because SHE did not step up to the plate.
There is nothing more humiliating than your sacrifice for that same Family being turned around,by those members, into greed for wealth and power sought by you.
Most of all, there is nothing more humiliating than you now having to bear the vile blasphemy of his Family name, that he sacrificed you for, for the period of time until you can shrug it off like dead unwanted skin.
Chapter One: An unexpected visit
Chapter 2: page 4 : Target Located
Chapter 3 : page 9 : Safe Haven Discovered
Chapter 4 : page 10 : I am in your corner
Chapter 5: page : About how things stand as of now
Chapter 6: page 14 : In the Spotlight... and trending
Chapter 7: page 16 : Reminiscing Miss Eliza Doolittle and memories of a distant past
Chapter 8: Page 20 : In the Spotlight...Trending and on the Front Page News
Chapter 9: Page 22 : Clash of the Titans
Chapter 10: Page 26 : The Ravages of war and their after effects
Chapter 11: Page 28 : The Ravages of war and their after effects continue...
Chapter 12: Page 30 : The Peace Negotiations begin...
Chapter 13: Page 34 : Blessings in Disguise...
Chapter 14: page 37 : ...Fool me twice, shame on Me
Chapter
15: Page 41 : To Partners in Crime, Friendships and
Building New Partnerships
Chapter
16: Page 45 : A
stroll into the past
Chapter 17: Page 47 : I am who I am
Chapter 18: Page 51 : Regrets, Revelations and Recompense
Chapter
19: Page 51 : Fates Intertwined and Pasts Shared
Chapter One: An unexpected visit
Singhania Business House: Marine Drive - Mumbai
Office of Rohan Yash Singhania. Heir apparent of Singhania Business House
"You are the apple of my eye, you know that don't you Rohan?", he remembers the soft and tender voice whisper in his ear as she placed a soft kiss on his curly mop of unruly hair. He was that and more, for the longest time till she married, under awkward circumstances, and went away for a long... long time because Papa was very mad at her.
As he stared at the bustling city below him he thought back to the day he had seen her for the last time until he had returned from University years later.
He didn't understand then as a little boy as to what
was so wrong about the beautiful decorations, soulful wedding music and the
actual wedding ceremony to the handsome Prince that Bua had married?
They looked like one of the many the royal couples from Dadaji's pictures that lined the hallways he always ran down, and was reprimanded for always.
Of course those Princes were more stiff and somber than this Prince who had married his Bua. This Prince looked like the kind of Prince who would whisk her away on a white horse if he was given the chance with his roguish smile and his flamboyant ways. She, for her part, looked radiant, glowing and almost ethereal as she took the rounds around the sacred fire with him, stealing glances in his direction every now and then.
That they were both happy with this marriage was evident. What was perplexing to him was who this Prince was that had turned the mood of his entire family sour and why was the other man, who had rehearsed all this with her before, looking like he was made of stone?
Why was no one else happy in his Family except him?
He was brought back to the present with his cabin door opening softly and the same soft voice call out in greeting as he turned with a smile, "Rohan!?"
Striding around the big rosewood table, he enveloped his Bua in a warm and tender hug, as he kissed her forehead.
"My.. my..., I should stay away more often if this is the welcome I get when I see you", she teased good naturedly.
"Then I shall have to end up visiting you and you know how much your 'Jigar Ka Tukada' enjoys that when it happens, don't you", he winked as he laughed loudly.
"I would tell you that you boys seriously need to grow up and behave", she wagged her finger as she reprimanded and took a seat gracefully on the couch near the window, then waving for him to sit she continued, "but then I guess right now that would defeat the purpose of my visit. Right now it suits me better if YOU don't behave."
"So this is not a I missed the 'Apple of my Eye' visit then?!", he asked teasing, one eyebrow raised mockingly
"No, this is a 'I need a favour visit'", she said simply as she folded her delicate hands in her lap, waiting for him to answer.
"Does it involve your 'Jigar Ka Tukada' and his recent wedding?, he asked his voice barely controlling his mirth.
She looked a bit taken aback and then smiled knowingly as she questioned, "Om!??"
"He told me what had happened and that you might visit. He filled me in on the discussion as he was unsure I would even agree to help in this matter", he stated as he leaned back into the couch with a somber look on his handsome tanned face. Then he stretched out his long athletic legs and folded his arms at his chest as he usually did when he was uncomfortable with what he was being asked to do.
Jhanvi took in his appearance and smiled slightly, thinking what a contrast the two young men, she adored as nephews,were. One was all casual and relaxed and the other prim and proper.
They were as different as night and day.
His shirt sleeves rolled up casually to reveal strong arms that had browned beautifully with days spent hiking and camping in the outdoors, deep black twinkling eyes set in a face like Adonis crowned with a mop of irresistibly curly hair that refused to be tamed, Rohan Veer Singhania was every girls dream. What made him even more desirable was that he was not even aware of the effect he had on the women around him.
"And..?", inquired Jhanvi, not wanting to pressure him but unable to keep out the importance of this request, she made of him, out of her voice.
He uncrossed his arms, leaned forward lithely and rubbed the back of his neck as he stared at the patterns on the beautiful Persian rug under his boot while he answered carefully with measured words, "Are you sure he won't mind!?"
Rohan's appearance always fooled people to believe that he was a reckless and careless decision maker. Only Jhanvi knew how much responsibility had been put on his shoulders after her older brothers sudden stroke that left him bed ridden. Her nephew had learned very early in life to be a cautious and careful businessman who had to make mature and calculated decisions.
Then he looked at his Bua and stated very plainly,"This IS his wife we are talking about you know, not just any girl. You know how possessive he is about his things. He has not forgiven me for taking his bike till date! God help us all if he finds out I have given her a job here to work under me!"
"She is NOT his wife Rohan and he does not care about the marriage that happened between them. She means nothing to him and that is the stark fact", Jhanvi stated, her voice holding a pain that surprised him.
She cleared her throat as if to clear the emotion clogging it and continued, "He made his choice and introduced Tia Kapoor as his wife at the reception which was clear indication that he held the marriage as unimportant and would see it dissolved soon. Annika walked out of Oberoi Mansion at that point swearing never to return to it, inspite of Mumiji protesting, which was the decision she made and it is what she wanted."
Then she sighed heavily as if the whole burden of this had been unbearable for the past few days and looked at him pleadingly, "We have accepted both their decisions but cannot refute the fact that it is our Family that has wronged Annika. She cannot work at the Oberoi Offices as there is a chance she will run into him there and besides she is too proud to accept it anyways. We have accepted that she wants nothing to do with any of us but we cannot leave Annika without a proper future and means to live the rest of her life because of this damage it has caused her. Give her a job here and consider this a favour for Om and me."
Rohan sat silent for a moment and then smiled impishly as if something had dawned on him slowly. He laughed softly and asked, "You could have chosen any place for her to work besides here. Any business house that you are friends and partners with would have done the same for you but you chose me. I think I know the answer to the question but would still like to know why?"
Jhanvi raised a delicate eyebrow and with a very straight face answered her handsome nephew in a matter-of-fact voice, "Isn't it obvious why? It is because Shivvay dislikes you for the competition you are!! He hates competing with you and losing. He has to share me, Om and Rudy with you and he does not take that very well already. He hates when you have something that belongs to him and he cannot have it back. Now imagine that Annika is working here with you where he has no control over her and she is completely out of his jurisdiction because of you being her boss. What could irk Shivvay Singh Oberoi more than watching his wife working closely with you? This is needed though in order to make him see sense"
Rohan laughed uncontrollably at his Bua's words and
when she had finished he said, "I would never have taken you for a cupid Bua
but it is obvious from that fact that you are doing this to your 'Jigar-Ka-Tukada'
that this girl is very important to you, Om and Rudy. Remind me never to cross
the three of you ever. I actually feel sorry for the man now for doing this to
him and I can't believe I even said that!"
Jhanvi stood up, leaned down to kiss her nephews
adorable head while he was still rumbling with laughter and walked out saying, "I
will send her to you tomorrow and remember Om spoke to you, not me as far as
she knows. I will never hear the last of it if Shivvay ever finds out that I
did this to him but someones gotta teach that boy what is important in life. I supposed that burden falls on me."
Rohan watched as his Bua gracefully exited and wondered if the trio knew what they were doing. This was, in all legal respects, Annika Singh Oberoi who was the wife of THE Shivvay Singh Oberoi. He would have to be careful not to be collateral damage by the end of this hunting season.
Chapter 2: page 4
Target Located
https://www.indiaforums.com/forum/post/146206921
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