Trouvaille
Hey guys. First of all, a very big Thank You for arranging this competition so that I could write this OS, or else I would have never thought about writing this. Secondly, this is the first time that I am writing a proper story, so please read this till the end and then please comment on this.
Happy Reading….!
“Shivaay sir, the Singhanias are here” called out his secretary, bringing him the related files for the meeting, “They are waiting in the conference room”.
“Make sure they are comfortable. I’ll be there in a while”, was his short response. This deal was very important for him. If everything went as per his plan, then stocks of the Oberoi Industries will be soaring the skies. He left his cabin for the conference room while mentally remembering all the clauses to be discussed in the meeting. It was his last meeting for the day and then he would leave for his home, the Oberoi Mansion; he could call it his home only because of his brothers and his dadi waiting for him there. They were his lifelines. A smile appeared on his face as he thought of his brothers.
They were three bodies but one soul. Three parts of the same story. Omkara, the artist; his beautiful pieces of sculpture, his paintings on which he would vent out all his emotions and his shayris, which they would never understand. And his baby brother Rudra, always lightening the atmosphere with his antics. Even though they all called him Duffer Singh Oberoi, he very well understood the matters and their seriousness. It was his antics that kept him sane, he (Shivaay) believed, otherwise he might have gone in depression long back. (Sigh). His dadi always kept telling them that they will get their takkar ki Jodi and they will also become Ishqbaaz. But he had no place for love in his life. After what he had seen in his home since long, he hated love or rather he feared love. We generally tend to hate the things we fear….
Breaking his chain of thought, he pushed open the door to the conference room to be greeted by the members of the board and his clients, The Singhania Industries.
“Sorry to keep you waiting Mr. Singhania”
“Not a problem Mr. Oberoi. We have been discussing the terms of agreement with Mr. Mishra here.”
Very soon the MOU between both the companies was signed.
“Congratulations, so we are officially business partners now Mr. Oberoi. I would like you to meet her (Referring to the lady standing next to him). She’ll be working with you on this project on behalf of the Singhania Industries. She’s one of our best employees.”
Shivaay- “Hello, I am Shivaay Singh Oberoi, pleasure meeting you, and you Miss…?”
“Anika. I am Anika, and nice meeting you to. I look forward to work with you”
And this is how it all started. Little did they know that just a simple business meeting was going to change their entire life.
Shivaay and Anika started working on the project. They were quite formal with each other initially but soon they turned into best of friends. Shivaay told her all about his brothers Omkara and Rudra, about how they were his life and his dadi, the head of the Oberoi family, who kept the whole family together; while Anika told him about her life, her family, her friends at work and elsewhere, the pranks which she had played on everyone and so on…
They spent most of the time together working on the project and used to hang out together when they took breaks. She was sincere in her work but was a fun loving person while Shivaay was more of a workaholic. They were poles apart but yet similar. They fitted perfectly as if completing each other’s missing piece of puzzle.
They didn’t know when between work, fights, hangouts, stealing glances at each other, they had fallen for each other very badly. Anika acknowledged her feeling whereas Shivaay wasn’t ready to accept them. After all that he had seen at his home, he hated this emotion, this feeling of love. He forced himself to believe that they were just friends.
One fine day Anika had called up Shivaay to her house. He reached the house to find it empty. The house was simple but classy. The decorations had been kept to the minimum but still it gave a feeling of warmth and comfort. Out of nowhere Anika appeared in a simple but pretty ethnic tunic.
Shivaay-“Ar, Happy Birthday Anika, sorry I didn’t know about it or I wouldn’t have brought you a gift.”
Anika-“Are ruk toh jao mere Rajdhani Express. It’s not my birthday today. I have called you here for some other reason. Shivaay aap toh bolne se rahe, you call me Jhasi ki Rani, so let me only do this.
Shivaay, I don’t know to say cheesy lines, those Bollywood types, but, I love you and I know that you also love me. So, will you marry me?”
Shivaay didn’t know how to react. He had never even imagined this in wildest of his dreams. He knew he had some special feeling for her, but love, never. He couldn’t love, neither her nor anyone else. Love makes a person weak and Shivaay Singh Oberoi was not weak.
“No” said he, keeping stone on his heart, veil on his brain and suppressing his feelings for her. “No. I don’t love you and I don’t want to marry you.”
Anika felt as if a knife had been pierced in her heart. “Why are you doing this with me Shivaay? I know that you love me. I can see it in your eyes.”
“Eyes can be deceiving Anika. I said I don’t love you, get that?” With this he left, without looking back at her, fearing his decision and long build ideologies might change if he waited there for some more time.
Things had become awkward between them since that day. They met only in office now and things were kept to work purposed only.
Today they were working on the project in Shivaay’s study at Oberoi Mansion. Both were immersed in work so as to distract themselves from each other’s thoughts.
That sudden noise in the hall brought them out from their trance. Shivaay with a sigh when outside. Apparently it didn’t seem that it was something new to him, it was something very casual. Something in routine.
SHIVAAY
As I came out of my study I saw the scene which kept replaying since long, every time I thought that I had become used to it or I can ignore it but every time I proved myself wrong. Every time it wrenched my heart to see the same sight. And this time it was all four of them together. Yeah I am talking about my parents and my uncle and aunt.
Bade papa was shouting on badi maa again for the same reason that she hadn’t raised their children properly and they didn’t want to join business and why his eldest son hated him or why the business started by badi maa was running in losses. In short he had blamed her for all the problems in his life. And then mom decided to interfere in their matter and the whole new round started. Mom said that it was only because of me that Oberoi Empire was at this level and I have so much work but even then his (bade papa’s) children trouble me for every small problem in their life and bade papa counter argued that because of me his sons were not entering business, I wanted to hold power so I wasn’t allowing them to enter or why his daughter shared her pain and happiness with me rather than him.
Papa had to then intervene to stop mom he started scolding her for interfering in others matters which started the fight between mom and dad. I couldn’t take that any longer and turned back towards my room when,
“Oh Anika, it’s you. I am sorry that you had to see this. Just give me moment, I’ll be right back ”
“Shivaay are you…..” But he had already left for his room before waiting for her answer.
ANIKA
With the voice in the hall, Shivaay and I, we both rushed towards the hall. Shivaay wasn’t as shocked as I was. He seemed to know what must have happened. I came out to see some fight going on in the hall. One person was Tej Singh Oberoi, who didn’t know about him and maybe the lady was his wife, Jhanvi. The other couple might have been Shivaay’s parents, I guessed. And suddenly everything in this fight was about Shivaay and his brothers. I knew Shivaay loved his brothers more than anything and I had met OmRu for a few times and I knew they cared for him as well. Jaan jhidekte hai ek dusre pe wo. And they are trying to break this bond. Now suddenly everything made sense. His hatred towards marriages, his denial, everything. He feared that the same will happen with him as well and so he feared love. My chain of thoughts was broken when Shivaay excused himself and went towards his room.
[Location: Shivaay’s room]
Anika entered to see the whole room in a mess. Shivaay was sitting in a corner. Hair completely messed up, blood-red eyes, no one would have believed that he was THE Shivaay Singh Oberoi.
Anika- “Shivaay….”
Shivaay- “Anika please leave. I want to be left alone for some time.” Pain clearly evident in his voice.
She went and sat down next to him. Immediately Shivaay hugged her tight as if his life depended on her. The child in him was craving for the love and warmth. She caressed his hair and rubbed his back, whispering sweet nothings in his ears until he calmed down.
“It’s ok. It will be ok Shivaay. I am there with you now and will always be there with you. I now know why u rejected my proposal or why you fear love. But Shivaay everyone’s story is not the same. I know you love me. I don’t know how will our story be a few years later but we have accepted each other the way we are now and we will accept each other then. Whatever the situation maybe, we will listen to what the other has to say. We may fight sometimes as well, but that will only increase our love for each other. We’ll try and make everything fine between your parents and Tej uncle and Jhanvi aunty. If not we won’t let their relation affect ours. I DON’T NEED CHEESY ‘I LOVE YOUS’ Shivaay. JUST HOLD MY HAND AND TELL ME I’M HERE FOR YOU and in turn I’ll be there for you until my last breath. So Shivaay, will you spend rest of your life with me. Will you grow old with me. Will you allow me to be the mother of your children. Will you let me console you and in return console me when I have my emotional breakdowns. Will you stand by me whatever the situation maybe. Will you Shivaay?”
Shivaay once again engulfed her in a hug. “Yes, yes and forever yes Anika.”
No more words were conveyed between them then. Those eyes revealed everything.
They had a long battle ahead, and life is always a battle, fighting inner and outer problems , will they stay together forever or will their relation break like their elders, that, only time will tell. But for now they were together and promised to stay together in all circumstances and that is what mattered the most.
THE END
Thank you for spending your time reading this. Please shower all your love through your comments. Is there any part, scene or line which you liked then please tell me. Constructive critics are most welcomed as it will help me to improve. Thank you.