ShivIka: Conceivable – Part 1
He browsed through the various sites seeking to fix an appointment with the advocate for applying a divorce. This marriage had to be brought to an end. He had to conclude it. She was a gold digger and he couldn’t stay with her anymore. The regular arguments, fights and shouting were intolerable. He feared that the day when all of it had to be concluded, it would be concluded with violence. He breathed out a sigh and ran hands through his black hair. He covered his eyes with his palms to calm down myself. It was frustrating. She needed to understand that what she was doing was wrong. She loved someone else and was staying with him only because she wants his money, the Oberois’ money. And to add to it, his mother; She had to understand that the girl she thinks to be perfect for him wasn’t the one. They weren’t made for each other. They couldn’t be soulmates. And there couldn’t be a second thought to it.
He looked outside at the sky. After the raging storm, the sun had finally been shining, although languish, but there was a ray of light and a ray of hope. Hope. It reminded him of her. She had brought some ray of hope in his life. She wasn’t a gold digger. She had loved him truly and passionately, she trusted him and confided in him. She was the one, made for him. Looking back into his laptop, he continued browsing in search of an advocate. The sudden knock on the door startled, but within a fraction of seconds, he regained his composure and thought of who it could be.
It couldn’t be Om. Neither would it be Rudra. The two brothers he had, one, who was professionally an artist and the other one who’d been struggling to learn the business were his lifelines. They had been together and no one could ever rip them apart. Rudra had completed his college a few months when he desperately needed a designer for their new office. That’s when he had met her. She had always been a bubbly, cheerful girl and in spite of being wary about the responsibilities and the relationship he was bound into, he had fallen in love with her. Oh, it was now that he realised how entangled their lives were! Everything he talked about would always end on her. The second knock brought him back to reality and he instantly knew who it was. Determined, to make her realise her own mistakes, he ignored her and continued browsing. The door squeaked open slightly and she peeped inside to check on him. He looked at her from the corner of his eyes and mentally laughed on seeing her scrunched up face. Although annoyed, she still looked beautiful. He again shifted his gaze back to the laptop and heard her heels clicking on the marbled floor.
She gracefully walked inside, towards his desk wondering whether he was awake or not. How she wished he’d fall asleep during his work and then, along with Om and Rudra, she’d make fun of him. She mentally laughed at her thoughts and wondered how she had ever gotten this ‘Oh-So-Perfect’ man in her imperfect life. Over the few months, she’d known him; she knew he was a perfectionist and the best. He cared for his family, brothers and all the relationships he was into, equally. And this Oberoi Empire; It was his baby. He couldn’t take his hands off from it, no matter what.
“Sir, are you sleeping?” She asked standing beside his chair and trying to glance at his face. The ray of light streaked her face and she squinted, trying to adjust to the brightness. She looked towards the window and instantly, she was pulled on his lap with a jerk. Shocked, she looked behind at the innocent face that smirked at her. Her body stiffened as his arms snaked around her waist, pulling her closer to his body. She wasn’t new to the touch, but it always felt different. The muscles in the pit of her stomach clenched and she wriggled in his grip, but being adamant, he tightened his grip. She breathed out a sigh. She always fell in her own traps and plans. She should’ve known that he was doing it deliberately.
“I brought the designs, let me show you them,” she said and he instantly, loosened his grip. Although, she found things fishy, she got up only to be pulled back on his lap.
“Now, this makes it way more comfortable,” he said tucking the stray locks falling over her face behind her ear. She knew arguing with him would be of no use and thus, finding an alternative she placed both her arms on the desk in an attempt to move the chair towards the table. Successfully, their overlapped form moved towards the table and she pressed her finger over the touchpad to open the mail she’d sent him.
“Here, have a look at these. I came up with some exclusive designs and if you don’t like it this time, too, then I’m quitting,” she stated and he immediately looked up at the screen. All these days, even though he liked all her designs, he’d rejected them all stating they either weren’t classy or good. But he’d lied. She was an exceptional designer and all her designs were exclusively different and beautiful. He paged through the designs with the utmost interest. The mere thought of her quitting the job scared him.
Paging through the designs, he went back to his inbox and opened her previous mails. Going through them all over again, he selected one of the designs which had been her best creation till date. “Here, this one,” he said removing his finger from the touchpad.
She looked back and forth at the screen and at him. He already liked one design, but he’d unnecessarily made her work. She was furious. ‘Merciless’ was what she thought of him and immediately stamped on his foot. Wincing in pain, he let her go and held his foot. She smiled victoriously and turned around to leave his office. She needed to calm down and looking at his face would only remind her of the number of times he’d joked with her and thinking him to be serious, she’d worked hard when it wasn’t needed.
“Anika, I’m sorry,” he apologized holding her hand. She picked up the designs with her other hand and stubbornly, looked around at the office, ignoring him. “Okay, we’ll go for dinner tonight. Happy, are you?”
She squealed in happiness and hugged him tightly. He knew how to convince her and she could never stay mad at him. He was the epitome of perfection and she adored him. Sometimes alone, she’d wonder, what if Shivaay Singh Oberoi hadn’t been in her life. What would’ve she done? She thanked God for every moment in her life. She couldn’t have asked for anything more, at least, till the time she had him. She thanked God once again and slowly pulled apart.
He caressed her face and said, “I love you Anika.” She couldn’t have doubted. She knew his love couldn’t be expressed in words and at that moment, she felt way more blessed and lucky. Her love might be nothing compared to his, yet all she could do was, love him with all her might.
She smiled and replied, “I love you, too.” He kissed her forehead and staring at each other, directly in their eyes, they realised they could skip into their world of fantasy with all the love they possessed for each other. Just to make sure that they both felt the same, they hugged each other, again and mentally promised to never let go off each other.
Author’s Note: Hello everyone! Pretty sure no one out there knows me, but I just know a few of you. Well, this is a short story that I’ve thought of on the heavenly couple ‘ShivIka’ and if you like it, please don’t forget to leave your views. Constructive criticism is always welcome.