Is it possible to forget someone in 3 months?
Anika curled her fingers around the newspaper she was holding. She glanced at the calendar that stood on her table.
“Anika Ma’am, it is Mrs. Singh.”
Anika groaned. What had Sahil and Mahi done now? She took the handset on her table.
“Hello Mrs. Singh……I am so sorry. I will have it refunded.”
She heard the old lady laugh. “Arre Anika beta…..this time Mahi and Sahil have done nothing. Actually, I am calling you because I wanted to tell you that Shaurya has taken those two monkeys for dinner today.”
Anika smiled and placed the cheque book down.
“Acha aunty. No problem. Just tell Shaurya not to let Mahi eat too much junk food.”
The lady laughed. “Okay Anika beta.”
Anika smiled trying to keep the tears that burned her eyes at bay. She looked at a photo on her table. It was taken days back when she and her three monkeys had gone to Disneyland.
“Arre Anika…..are you okay?” Siddarth asked.
She looked up to see her saviour walk in with her husband.
“Anika……he could not trust you. Now there is no point in shedding tears for him.” Mallika scolded her gently.
Anika nodded. Mallika’s eyes darted to the crunched newspaper on the table. She picked the paper and tossed it into the bin.
“Why do you still follow his life, Anika? It is time to move on….Chutki. That Pinky aunty has too much control in his life. Nothing you do is going to change his mind.”
Siddarth gave her a gentle smile as he took a seat as he knew his wife was going to rave and rant for sometime.
“Mallika….calm down. Anika was just looking at the paper.”
Mallika stopped pacing. “You better shut up. Don’t think that taking your saali side is going to get you into my good books. And you, Anika………you better not forget that you are Anika Kabeer Chaudhry.”
At that moment the door opened and two kids came running in.
“Anika Maasi……” They shouted and leapt into Anika’s lap.
A little girl followed them. “Mama…..”
She toddled to their side. She tried to pull the other two down.
“Nikhil…..Nia…..get down from Maasi’s lap. Let Shivani up.” Mallika reprimanded.
“Sorry Bua.” Nia and Nikhil chimes
The two kids immediately got down and helped the little one. Her hands immediately went to Anika’s face.
“Mama……why you cry?” She stammered out. Her green eyes wide in worry.
Mahi sauntered into the room. For a second, Anika’s heart squeezed but it released seeing the pitch black eyes.
“Anika……..Shaurya…..”
Anika smiled. “I know….Shaurya is taking you and Sahil for dinner. But that does not mean you can leave now. Get back to your office and start typing the report on your table. I need it before you leave.”
Mahi rolled his eyes. “You know Question Kumari…….I ask myself several times…..why I became your secretary?”
Siddarth laughed. “You had no choice buddy. She chased you through your chawl with a cricket bat till you gave up.”
Mahi smirked. “I did not give up. I felt bad for her.”
Mallika scoffed. “Yeah right.”
Mahi placed a file on Anika’s table. “Anu…..here are the receipts for the Mehta Wedding.”
Anika nodded. “Now go finish your work, so that you can leave by 4. Mahi, I am telling you that you have to finish it before you can go with Shaurya.”
Mahi stuck his tongue out. “I can go on my own also. It is my job.”
Anika glared. “Then you can sleep in the lobby for a month.”
Mahi smiled and walked out.
Nia and Mikhail followed him. Shivani also slid from her lap and followed them.
Mallika smiled and sat next to Sid. “You do know that our monkeys are not going to let him work.”
Anika smirked. “You don’t know Mahi. He will be done with the work in 20 minutes.”
Sid smiled. “You know Anika…..Mahi is very lucky to have you as his Bhabhi.”
Anika gave a sad smile. “I was his Bhabhi, Jiju. Now I am his best friend.”
Mallika glared at Siddarth as Anika looked away.
Mallika tried to change the topics. “Did you get any information regarding the documents for Shivani’s adoption?”
Anika smiled. “What do you think?”
Mallika and Sid smiled. “So you got it.”
Anika nodded. “Yeah! Shivani’s parents were orphans. So there is no family to take over her custody. By 15 June, the documents should be signed and she will be my own little princess and no one can take her away from me. Thank you Jiju. Without your letter, they would have never let me proceed with the adoption especially since the DNA results hadn’t come by then. Mallika…..let Dad know about his new grandchild.”
Mallika smiled. “You can tell him yourself.” A voice came from behind them.
Anika had a wide grin. “Papa!”
Kabir Chaudhry walked in. “Where is my naughty monkey?”
Mallika helped their father to a chair. “She has gone to trouble her uncle along with Nia and Nikhil.”
Kabir nodded. He was proud of his little girls. Mallika was a top architect in the Chaudhry company while Anika was the ruler of the events department of his son-in-law’s company. Finding Anika had been a blessing for him. A reflection of his late wife in her younger days, he watched his daughter take care of her small family of her daughter and brothers.
When he had mentioned marrying, he had noticed Anika still and that was the last time he mentioned it. Even when Anika insisted on being a Chaudhry in the shadows he never said anything.
—————————————————————————————————————————————————————
Jhanvi watched as Meghana followed Shivaay to this room. Shivaay’s face was devoid of any information
“Ma…..don’t you think we should tell him?” Gauri asked.
Jhanvi shook his head. “Gauri…..I promised her. She went to hell and back with the hope of getting him to hate her.”
Jhanvi looked at her phone. “She hasn’t even messaged any of us since she left. Where is she?”
Rudra and Bhavya were searching everywhere for her but it was like she disappeared.
Om stormed in. “I know where Bhabhi is.”
All heads turned towards him.
“What do you mean?” Tej boomed.
Jhanvi looked at him with a sad smile. No one had been more affected by the missing Oberoi Bahu than her own husband. She had seen him even avoid Anika’s favourite sofa in the library. He denied that he felt anything for the girl that saved his reputation.
Omkara’s illegitimacy had been proved false by a DNA test. But however by then, Shivaay already hated the woman Anika had portrayed herself to be.
“She is in Paris.”
Omkara tossed a newspaper towards us. It was a blurred pic. But walking next to Mallika and Kabir Chaudhry was Anika. Her hair was covering most of her face but she had been so imprinted in my mind that even in my sleep I would be able to draw her. The article spoke about Mallika’s achievements. It was something about some award ceremony nomination.
“Isn’t Bhaiya going for the event?” Rudra questioned.
Everyone looked at Rudra shocked.
Rudra nodded. “Yeah he is. He told me that I had to go with him…..something about taking care of the business…….he said that it would be good for me to mingle with other businessmen and women.”
Elsewhere in the mansion, Shivaay’s patience was reaching the limit.
“And you know Shivaay, Meera said that my photos were the best.” Meghana crooned.
Did all girls talk so much about themselves? It is so boring………but she did not. No Shivaay….you cannot think about her. Remember what she said to Mom. She is a b*t*h. Thoughts of this kind kept running through Shivaay’s mind.
“Shivaay!” Meghana whined.
“Hmmmmm Meghana. Don’t you have to pack? We are leaving tomorrow.” He asked.
Meghana eyes lit up.
“Oh yes Shivaay……I completely forgot. Silly me. I should tell Raina to bring down all those suitcases. I will go shopping for some new clothes.”
As soon as she left, Pinky came into the room. “Shivaay, you need propose to Meghana beta already. How long are you going to make her wait. Here…..use Daadi’s engagement ring.”
Mom pushed a ring box into his hand. “When you come back………I want Meghana as my future bahu.”
As Pinky left Shivaay felt an odd sort of anguish. He felt like he was betraying someone.
“No Shivaay you are not.”
He muttered to himself as he slipped the box into his bag.
Author’s note: Please review and let me know whether I should continue. This is the first time, I am writing something along the lines of the track of the show. So I am not sure. To all those who are waiting for lies brings us closer update. I will update it by next wednesday.