LOVE, LIFE, SECRETS: Answers lie within – CHAPTER 46

CHAPTER 46: Shivaay Singh Oberoi

(Day after Shivaay finds out that Arjun and Anika are lying to him about something)

Shivaay: If this is how you work here, then you are not needed. You are fired, get lost from here.

Shivaay got up from his place and threw the file at the feet of the employee who had come to take his signatures on some papers…. The employee was shocked and scared by seeing Shivaay’s reaction; he picked up the file and walked away quickly not wanting to face more of Shivaay’s wrath…. Shivaay ran his fingers through his hair and sat back on his chair….

But more than the employee Ranbir, Prachi, Rudra, Soumya and Anika were shocked seeing Shivaay’s anger…. Ranbir had witnessed this scene numerable times but never in the last few days…. Anika, Prachi and Soumya looked at each other scared seeing Shivaay…. Rudra who had only heard his Bhaiya to be a very ruthless boss was also shocked witnessing the same….

Rudra: Bhaiya, calm down.

Shivaay: I am fine Rudra.

Anika: Shivaay, why did you behave like that and why did you fire him? It was all not needed.

Shivaay: You don’t tell me how to handle my work and my employees, Ms. Raichand, Shivaay Singh Oberoi doesn’t need your advice to run his business. And moreover, I pay them money not you, so you are not supposed to talk in between.

After hearing Shivaay’s words to Anika, all of them were even more shocked than before….

Anika was taken aback, tears collected in her eyes but she controlled herself…. First his anger and how he talked to her and then him calling her Ms. Raichand…. What had happened to him that instead of Anika, he called her Ms. Raichand….

Ranbir remembered his conversation with Shivaay last night…. Shivaay wanted a private investigator to look out for all the activities of Anika and Arjun…. Did Shivaay’s rude behavior and last night’s phone call have a connection…. But then why would Shivaay suddenly want to spy on his best friend and his lawyer, Ranbir wondered…. He was unable to understand what had changed Shivaay in one night….

Anika: Sorry to interfere in you work, Shivaay.

Shivaay: Mr. Oberoi….

Anika: What?

Shivaay: Call me Mr. Oberoi and not Shivaay.

Ranbir wanted to say something but Prachi held his hand and signaled him not to say anything at the moment…. Rudra was feeling bad for Anika seeing his Bhaiya behaving rudely with her…. Soumya was also surprised as yesterday she had seen a different Shivaay and today a different one…. Yesterday he was Shivaay but today he was definitely Shivaay Singh Oberoi….

Anika: Sorry Mr. Oberoi.

Mr. Oberoi….

Hearing it from her hurt him…. But no he was not going to get carried away by emotions again…. He was already being fooled once but not again…. His heart felt a pang seeing tears in her eyes and he wished to immediately wipe them but he controlled himself…. He was Shivaay Singh Oberoi and he had to keep himself in check…. Mistakes could not be repeated…. He is Shivaay Singh Oberoi and he will never repeat his mistakes….

Ranbir: Sir, if you are ready, I think we should leave to meet Mr. Dushyant Rana.

Shivaay: Sure, anyways I don’t wish to waste any more time here.

He said looking at Anika and wore his shades before walking out of the room…. Ranbir and Rudra followed him…. Soumya and Prachi felt sad seeing Anika’s state and held her hands from either sides…. The girls looked at each other consoling Anika and comforting each other, and then walked out following the boys….

Shivaay sat with Ranbir in one car…. Anika and Prachi sat in Anika’s car while Soumya sat with Rudra…. Anika looked at Shivaay once before getting into the car but he did not even spare her a glance…. She sat in the car quietly….

*****

“So finally we are here for the talk”

Dushyant Rana spoke as he walked into the Oberoi Farmhouse…. Shivaay wished the meeting to be a private one and thus had asked Dushyant to meet him here…. Dushyant too wanted to meet Shivaay after all they did not have encountered each other after whatever had happened in the past few days…. Dushyant looked different today…. His eyes did not reflect any pain or grief but something else, like a fire raging in his insides…. He had a certain determination in his eyes…. He did not wait for Shivaay to say anything and took a seat opposite him…. He could see Shivaay frown but he did not care…. Shivaay who had stood up earlier also settled in his place…. Dushyant looked around to find some familiar and some unfamiliar faces…. His gaze stopped at her as he took a good few moments to take in her sight…. He had known that he would see her in the coming days but now seeing her in person just ignited the fire more…. Shivaay also followed Dushyant’s gaze and looked at her….

Dushyant: Never thought we would meet like this Annie.

Anika: Only my family and friends call me that.

Dushyant: And I am neither of them?

Anika: Yes, you are none of them and it is Anika but for you Mr. Rana, it is Ms. Raichand.

Dushyant: Oh you still possess the same temper.

Dushyant chuckled…. Anika wanted to answer back but Prachi held her hand and moved her head horizontally asking her friend to not do anything…. Ranbir, Rudra and Soumya looked at Dushyant and then at Anika…. What connection did they have…. By the way Dushyant behaved, it was clear he knew her well and by the way Anika behaved, it was clear that they were not in good terms….

Shivaay looked at Dushyant and then at Anika…. Why were all the girls he trusted have some connection with the Ranas…. First his best friend and ex-girlfriend Mallika…. Then his childhood friend and late fiancé Tia…. And now the girl he…. He brushed aside his thoughts and cleared his mind…. He was not supposed to think about any of this….

Shivaay: If you are done with your personal talks, I think we should talk about the purpose of the meeting.

Dushyant: Of course, anyways I’ll get many chances to meet her later.

He said looking at Anika…. He smirked while she turned her face to the other side…. How much she wished to pull of that smirk from his face…. But she could not…. Things were already complicated and she did not wish to create any unwanted problems for Shivaay or the Oberois at this point in time….

Dushyant: Well before you start talking, may I assume that you know everything about Tia and me.

Shivaay: You may, I know everything.

Dushyant: Good, at least I don’t have to pretend anything now.

Anika: Of course, your pretense is not at all needed here. We have some questions for you and you’ll answer them saving everyone’s time.

Everyone was stunned for a moment seeing Anika’s commanding tone…. So this is how she was in the court room they thought…. She needed answers and she knew how to get them…. Shivaay blinked his eyes a few times to see if it was really Anika or he was dreaming…. Prachi chuckled at everyone’s expressions, Anika 2.0 was well known to her….

Dushyant: Calm down my dear. Itna gussa is not good for your health.

Prachi: You don’t worry about her health, Mr. Rana and do as you are said to do.

Ranbir: Yes, it would be better if you stop talking all this and talk what is essential.

Dushyant: I must say I am impressed Mr. Oberoi, you have one heck of a team.

Shivaay: Well, Shivaay Singh Oberoi choses the right people.

He did not know why but he said it looking at Anika…. She too looked at him…. For a moment Shivaay felt getting lost in her eyes but soon turned his gaze away…. Why was he doing what he had decided not to do…. Anika was affecting him in ways he could not handle….

Shivaay: So, I’ll directly come to the point, what were you doing at Hotel JW Marriott the day before Tia and my wedding?

Dushyant: Why would I be there, to meet my wife why else? I wanted to meet Tia and convince her to not marry you.

Rudra: If you didn’t want her to marry Bhaiya, why did you let her agree to the wedding? Why didn’t you do it before the chaos started?

Dushyant: I did not have a choice then, if I did not let Tia do what her mother wanted, she would have suffered a lot.

Anika: If that is so, why did you come to convince her just a day before the wedding?

Dushyant: You would understand better Ms. Raichand, love, it makes you weak.

For a moment he looked at her while her mind travelled back to those days…. Days when she was in love…. Days when her love also made her weak…. Days when her love gave her nothing but pain…. She stopped herself from thinking more and looked at him…. Why was he doing this…. Why was he making her remember things she wanted to forget forever….

Anika: I don’t think you answered my question properly.

Dushyant: I know that we had only planned that we would reveal the truth to the Oberoi family and my family after the wedding, so that even Tia’s mom gets what she wants and so do we. But no matter if the marriage with Shivaay had no meaning, I couldn’t let Tia get married to someone else and so I went to meet her to convince her….

Shivaay: But she did not agree to you and you killed her.

Dushyant: How dare you even say that, don’t you ever say that again.

Dushyant stood up from his place as anger filled him…. Shivaay too stood up….

Dushyant: So this is why you called me here, you thought I killed my Tia?

Shivaay: Tell me I said something wrong, we enquired from the hotel and your car was in the parking lot all through the night, at the time when Tia was killed you were in that hotel.

Dushyant: Just because I was there that day and my car was there the whole night, you accuse me of killing my wife.

Their voices were filled with anger making others in the room flinch…. If this was not interrupted things could get way out of control…. Prachi signed Anika to do something and she had no other option than to intervene….

Anika: Calm down Dushyant…. Please….

All looked at her in surprise…. She shook her head in negative as he looked at her still in surprise….

Prachi had not expected this, she thought Anika would calm down Shivaay….

The same thought crossed Ranbir’s mind, why did Anika ask Dushyant to calm down…. And why did he become Dushyant from Mr. Rana…. How her tone that was so rude to him all this while turned soft….

Dushyant calmed down hearing her and sat back on the sofa….

Shivaay was looking at the scene as his eyes stayed on the two of them…. Shouldn’t she have calmed him down instead of that Rana…. Wasn’t she the one who was rude to him minutes ago…. What was Anika Raichand really…. Who was she…. How did she change so many shades in just a few minutes….

Rudra and Soumya also exchanged a few looks….

It was evident on each of their faces that they all did not understand the equation between Anika and Dushyant….

Dushyant: Look Anika, I know I was there to meet her and that my car was also there the whole night, but believe me I didn’t kill Tia. I really loved her, more than I have ever loved someone.

Anika: Of course, who would know it better than me that how much you loved her?

Dushyant: I am sorry Anika, I know it wasn’t fair with you but….

Prachi: And I don’t think we have to talk about that.

Prachi interrupted the conversation at the right time…. Anika thanked Prachi for interfering…. Things happening were getting complicated….

Prachi: If you were unable to convince Tia then why did you stay at the hotel the entire night?

Dushyant: I didn’t stay there at the night.

Ranbir: But your car….

Dushyant: My car was not working so I had to leave it there. You can check with the hotel staff if you want. I couldn’t convince Tia and after she assured me that nothing will go wrong, I had to agree. I left the place after some time.

There were moments of silence…. Dushyant stood up from his place….

Dushyant: I don’t think there is more to talk now. I should get going.

He turned to go but stopped and looked at Anika once…. She also looked at him….

Dushyant: I am sorry Anika, I never hurt you intentionally.

Anika: It’s okay Dushyant, I don’t think there is more to talk about all that.

Dushyant nodded and walked out of the house…. She was right it had been a long time ago and they both have moved on…. Some things were better left unsaid….

Throughout all this Shivaay was only looking at Anika….

*****

Hello everyone, I hope you all are doing well.
Here is the next chapter of the story.

Did whatever Dushyant say is true or is he hiding something? What is Anika and Dushyant’s connection? How will Shivaay and Anika’s equation be after this meeting with Dushyant?

Keep reading and smiling!!!
Take care and stay safe!!!