CHAPTER 32: Heart to heart
(Day after Shivaay reveals the Oberoi-Kapoor past to Anika and Prachi)
Anika was sitting on her bed in her room…. The book she had thought she would read to refresh her mind was lying in front of her…. Her mind was so preoccupied by her thoughts that the book could not be of much help…. She rested her head on the head board of the bed and closed her eyes…. She had made an excuse to Prachi that she won’t be able to come today as she was not feeling well…. Prachi could understand that something was amiss but didn’t pester Anika much into telling anything…. She knew that when Anika would be ready she would open up herself…. Prachi had agreed that she would tell the same to Shivaay and will also work upon the case with Ranbir…. Anika was sure that Prachi would look after the work in her absence and was not concerned about that….
What bothered her were her own principles…. Since the time Shivaay had revealed the past of the Oberois and Kapoors, her mind and heart was not letting her stay calm…. Her entire life she had seen her father work hard to fight for justice…. He had always taught her to fight for the right and never compromise because of circumstances…. Her Arjun Bhai too had instilled the same principles in her…. From the time she had joined law college her aim in life was clear…. She would fight for all those who could not have the privilege to hire lawyers to fight for their cause…. She had decided it long ago that she would never fight a case for any rich and powerful person…. She had seen many of them use their money, power and status to turn the tables in their favour…. She wanted to be successful only by her hard work and had fought hard to reach the place she was….
And then one day, her Bhai requested her to fight a case for the Oberois…. One of the most reputed families of not only the city but also the country…. Moreover fight for a man who couldn’t think beyond his beliefs of name, blood and lineage…. Shivaay Singh Oberoi…. A man who lived his life only on his terms and conditions…. Why did she have to land in this mess…. She knew that Shivaay just like the others would go to any lengths to protect his family name and fame…. His family was already involved in many wrong doings in the past, what if they were doing the same even today…. So, was she going to fight for the wrong people…. Maybe not all the members in the family were wrong but it didn’t make much of a difference…. At the end of the day, they were one family and would hide each other’s wrong deeds…. How could she then fight for them…. What if they were also involved in the murder…. What if it was someone from the inside…. It could be, after all Tia was not only stabbed with a knife but also been poisoned over a period of time…. And during that time, Tia was residing in Oberoi Mansion…. How could she be poisoned in the security of Oberois without any help from inside….
Shivaay…. Her thoughts shifted to all the time she had spent with him…. His eyes that changed colours…. His smirk whenever he achieved what he wished for…. His smile at his success…. His coldness while treating people who were not his equal…. His dressing sense…. His neat and tidy hair…. Wherever he was, he carried an aura of power and might with him…. His one look and no one would dare to cross paths with him…. His anger was also a reason no one dared to raise a voice against him….
Her thoughts were disturbed by a knock on the door…. A staff member had come to inform her about a visitor waiting in the living room…. She wondered who it could be…. Her parents and brother were not at home so it was upon her to attend the guest….
*****
Shivaay was sitting in the living room of the Raichand Mansion waiting for Anika…. He still could not understand why he had cancelled all his meetings for the day and come here to see her…. He was thinking of an excuse he would give to her when he saw her descending down the stairs…. She was wearing a simple light pink kurti and white salwar…. Her hair was tied in a messy bun…. She was looking beautiful even with her simplicity…. He was looking at her and was so lost in her that he didn’t realize that he had stood up from his place and that now she was standing in front of him surprised seeing him there…. Seeing him lost, Anika snapped her fingers in front of his face and broke his chain of thoughts…. He looked at her and realized that she was near him….
Anika: Shivaay, what are you doing here? Shouldn’t you be working in your office at this time?
Shivaay: So, this is how you treat your guests? No greetings but only questions.
Anika: No, I didn’t mean that. Please take a seat and I’ll get something for you.
Shivaay: Relax Anika; I was just saying like that, no need of any formalities.
They both settled on the sofas…. Anika was waiting for him to say something about his sudden visit…. Shivaay couldn’t understand where to start…. Finally he spoke breaking the ice….
Shivaay: So, how are you feeling now? Prachi told me you weren’t feeling well.
Anika: I am fine just had a head ache, couldn’t concentrate on anything else.
Shivaay: Anika, you should take care of your health. Also, I don’t have a habit of beating around the bush so I would directly come to the point.
Anika: What do you mean Shivaay?
Shivaay: Anika, I have been noticing the change in your behavior since yesterday, after I told you the past of my family and Kapoors. So, please tell me what is bothering you?
Anika: Shivaay….
Shivaay: Look Anika, you don’t have to lie to me, I can clearly see that something is bothering you.
She looked at him and could feel that he was genuinely concerned….
Anika: Shivaay, I don’t know what to tell you.
Shivaay: Just tell me, what is in your mind and we’ll figure everything else.
Shivaay assured her to trust him and just say her mind out…. Anika could feel the care and concern in his eyes and voice…. She took a deep breath and looked at him…. She did not know why but she felt like telling him everything that was bothering her…. She told him about her principles…. How Arjun had requested her to take up the case for the Oberois…. How she had agreed only because Shivaay is her brother’s friend…. Her doubts about Tia’s murder and maybe someone from the families could be involved…. She finished with her talks and looked at him…. There was a neutral expression on his face…. Was he offended…. Was he boiling with anger…. Was he regretting his decision of hiring her…. Was he going to throw her off the case….
Anika: Shivaay….
Shivaay: Anika, you have already got your chance to speak, now is my turn. I know that whatever my family did years ago, it was all wrong, but I also know that Dad or Bade papa didn’t do it only for my family but also for the families of all those workers who had worked hard day and night for the factory and company…. Anika, when a company faces loses, it not only affects the owners but also each and every person who has worked for it…. If they hadn’t covered for the loses many families would have suffered…. Still, whatever happened was not right, especially with Tia’s family but then it was not in our control…. I know my justifications cannot make the things done in the past valid, and I know whatever happened was wrong but all I want you to know is I am sure that whatever happened in the past has no connection with what happened in the present, the reason for Tia’s death is definitely not the old enmity….
Anika looked at him as he took a pause…. She could now see that he was not angry on her…. She felt a sense of relief knowing that he did not take her words in the wrong way and was trying to understand her opinions also…. If he could do it, even she should listen to him with patience….
Shivaay again continued talking explaining her that his family was wrong years ago but they weren’t wrong today and that he knew that neither his Dad nor his Bade papa were related to Tia’s murder…. He knew that the situation may look against his family but they were definitely not at fault…. He also told that he agreed with her doubt that Tia couldn’t be poisoned regularly without any inside help and that he would definitely help her in finding the person behind all of this…. Anika could feel that he meant each and every word he was saying to her….
Shivaay: Anika, I have nothing but my words to assure you that we’ll get through this together and find the culprit soon.
Anika: Shivaay, this assurance is all I need. I am feeling much better after talking to you. Thank you for listening to me….
Shivaay: No need of thank you, I just did what I felt was right thing to do.
Anika: Now that you have solved my problem, I owe you a coffee. You wait here, I’ll come in few minutes.
Shivaay: As you say.
Anika smiled and walked towards the kitchen…. Shivaay looked around the living room while he waited for her…. He walked towards a wall filled with photo frames…. There were various photos of Anika, Arjun and their parents…. From her childhood to the present times…. He smiled seeing her beautiful smile in all the photos…. Anika came from the kitchen and saw him looking at the photos…. She stood beside him and he looked at her…. She gave him his coffee and they looked at the photos….
Shivaay: Looks like you are very close to Arjun.
Anika: Bhai is my lifeline, I cannot imagine a day without him, he has always been with me in all my ups and downs, be it studies, or anything else.
Shivaay could see her love, care and respect for her brother in her eyes…. Looking at Anika and Arjun’s bond he was reminded of his brothers and sister…. She looked at him with a smile…. He smiled back…. There was complete silence as they sipped their coffee…. They didn’t want words to disturb their eye conversation…. His eyes were busy talking to her eyes…. A deep conversation that did not need any words…. His Dadi always told him that eyes speak what your heart feels…. Today he was actually experiencing it…. They both didn’t say anything and enjoyed the moment….
*****
Hello everyone, I hope you all are doing well.
So here is a chapter only dedicated to our amazing and lovely Shivika.
I hope you all like it, do comment and share your views on the same.
One thing to be understood, Shivaay agrees that whatever happened in the past was wrong and his family was at fault, and so all he wants is that people shouldn’t add the two things, past and present together and come to a conclusion.
Who do you think would be involved in Tia’s poisoning, is it someone from the Oberoi family or is someone else?
Keep reading and smiling!!!
Take care and stay safe!!!