Rudra POV
“Dil Bole Oberoi…” I whispered to the photo frame. The last picture on the day of Shivaay Bhaiya’s wedding. The wedding that changed us all.
Soumya came up behind me. “Don’t worry Rudra…….everything will be fine.”
She was my only support as my brothers had jumped at each other’s necks. More like O killing Bhaiya. I mean Bhaiya had sent Bhabhi away despite her pleading him. She had begged and I did not say anything at all.
“When Soumya?”
Soumya sighed. She did not know. I knew that Bhaiya did not even know where Di was.
Suddenly I heard anklets chiming across the corridor. The last time I heard such a noise when that Tia witch dragged Bhabhi out of the door.
“Bhabhi…..” I ran out of the room. I saw a man running and a lady running after him.
“I am going to kill you if you call me chutki again.” her voice seemed so familiar.
Soumya came behind me. “Are you mad? Why did you run off like that?”
I shook my head. “Nothing.”
I took her hand and led the way to the hall.
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Anika POV
Billu’s chutki…..I thought with a smile. How did Om come up with these things?
“Chutki….Om will bring you down. I have to be with Mallika. And you should rest for some more time.”
I glared at Bhaiya. He just smiled.
“Om, I am going to complain to Ishu.”
Om looked at me and smirked. “Right now, I think she would be on my side on this matter.”
I want to go down. I planned everything. What sort of torture is this? You are just like your father.
“Anika, don’t blame Billu in this matter.” Om said.
Sid bhaiya started laughing.
Hmph….my brothers both were being such a burden.
I turned to the other side and sat.
“Om…..Anika…..Mom said that it would be better if we introuduced you later, chutki.” Naina didi said. I was glad.
When we walked into the hall, it was super crowded. People were congratulating Mallika and another lady who was facing away from me.
Bhaiya was with a group of guys. I clenched Om’s hand.
“Calm down Anika….they are just people……I know they are high class snobs but you are also high class now. A Rana, one of the business empire heirs, people are here to please you. See there are the Raichands, Dhruv Raichand has been trying for a merger with Ranas for the past 3 years.”
I felt like laughing. These people had been there for my humiliation as well.
I saw Asha, one of my helpers signalling to me. I walked to her.
“What happened Asha?” I asked.
“Oh Anika…..I should have guessed that you were the one that arranged all this.” My hands trembled slightly. Why was I feeling so scared?
“Yes…Mrs. Kapoor. I am so sorry that you had some problem…how can I help you?” I asked with a smile.
Mrs. Kapoor walked to me. “Anika….so now you have changed families to cheat. But I thought Siddarth was already married.” She asked mockingly.
I signalled Asha to leave. “Ma’am, I don’t need trap anyone with another’s child. I don’t need that sort of money.”
“Ma’am, Bhai Saab….Om…..” a maid told me frantically.
What had those two done? But they had no problem before.
I ran to the hall. In the corner, I could see a croud gathering. I tried to push through. “Om stop it.” I could hear Bhaiya telling. “Leave him.” Om was fighting with someone. Who? Suddenly Naina spotted me.
“Chutki……come here” the crowd immediately parted for me. Om looked unharmed.
“Om!” I shouted. Om went slack. Rudra and Sid bhaiya were pulling him away from the other man and Mallika looked frantic along with……Tia.
My mind clouded. And he turned around. His face went pale seeing me. Tia turned to face me. For a second I think I saw hope but it may have been a figment of imagination as if it was there. Now she was looking at me snidely.
“Anika……so you are our planner. I should have guessed. No wonder the styling felt so similar.” She said.
But my eyes were only on one person. My body and heart were pulling me towards me but my brain refused. It had seen the heart suffer too much and now not only it was at stake. It had to think about the baby as well.
I turned around and left. I could hear Om call me. I walked to my room when Om barged in behind me.
“Anika……please don’t tell her.” He looked desperate.
I glared at him as I held the phone to my ear.
“Hello Ishana.”
“Hi Anika….How are you? How is my husband?……has he eaten your brain?” I looked at him. He was pleading.
I smirked. “Ishu, our mahan decided to create a scene today.”
I heard Ishana gasp. “Give the phone to him.” She hissed. I knew he was dead.
I sat on the bed and watched as Om apologised to her. Then I left the room.
Little did I know that I should have just stayed in the same room despite the phone romance.
“Well, if it isn’t the old gold digger Anika.” a voice called.
I turned around to face her.
“So now you shifted from the elder to the younger brother. Well I should tell you Anika that he is no longer an Oberoi…he is like you without a surname.”
I was about to tell her that I was a Rana when an evil thought came into my mind. “Tia, having no surname, I have certainly achieved a lot more than you ever could. I am an event planner for the Ranas and what are you? A husband thief. Cheapdi”
Suddenly, Sid bhaiya came. “Chutki……the guests are calling you….”
I turned to him. “So sorry Sir….I will come right now.”
Sid looked at me puzzled. “Chutki….”
I rushed off. When I walked back to the hall. I could see Jhanvi and Shakti looking at me. Pinky and Tej were glaring at me. Shivaay was missing.
I walked to Naina di and whispered in her ear. She looked at me worried but followed me.
When we reached a side room, I walked in and she followed
“Why don’t you want to be introduced?”
“Didi, please don’t ask to many questions. Can you not do it? It will make my life as an event planner tough for the next few days. We can do it after Mallika bhabhi and her friend’s godhbharai na.” I pleaded with her. The oberois would be gone after today and tomorrow.
Naina finally nodded. “Are you tired? How is our chutki?”
Hmmm…..tired…..
“Haan didi, I want to rest now.”
Naina nodded. “Then you take rest. I will tell him.”
————
Shivaay POV
“Om please come back.” that was all I said before I got punched right in the face.
“Do you know how much courage I had to gather to face her?” he had shouted back.
Face who? But before that the next punch had landed.
Rudra and Sid were trying to pull him away from me. He was resisting them. Mom was glaring at him. Badima was watching the scene with disappointment.
“Om!” Everything went silent. A woman in a midnight blue lehenga. She looked so angry. Then I realised who she was.
Om stilled. She glared at everyone across the hall. Then she turned and walked upstairs. My brother immediately followed her.
“Anika…..listen to me…..Anika….”
She was the planner? What was he doing with her? She is mine.
I felt a hand on my shoulder. It was Badima. She shook her head. I felt like screaming and shouting. She is mine. No one can take her.
Then I remembered how Tia had thrown her out and how I had watched.
After sometime, Sid came and closed the party saying that the new Rana was not well. Who was she that they were so secretive about her. Was she even there?
I walked to my bedroom just to see Anika talking to someone in the balcony.
“Hi Billu. How are you? Today Shivaay Singh Oberoi came in front of me. I was so scared he would say something and your Sid would come to know. That Tia na she insulted me again. What does she know about the Ranas?”
She called someone Billu. I was her billu. I walked into the balcony. She quickly kept the phone down. So she was talking to someone.
“Bi…..Mr. Oberoi.” Anika…..it is Billu. Your Billu.
“Anika” We stared at each other. Her doe-like eyes stared at me with eyes wide open.
Suddenly, O walked in.
“Anika…..it is time for your supplements and for you to sleep. I have to make sure that you are in bed.”
Anika looked at me horrified.
Why did she need supplements? She did not have any deficiencies when she was with us. Om turned to me. He looked annoyed to see me.
“Om, let’s go.” She said.
How dare she command my brother? Especially when she was not his sister-in-law. But Shivaay, she is. You did not sign the divorce. It is still buried in the corner of your cupboard.
“Om, listen to me.” I said and held his arm. He brushed it off. Anika sighed.
“O please.” She whispered. But Om held her shoulder and led her out.
She was playing with his heart like how she did with mine.
What about what you did with hers Shivaay? She always supported you.
No…..She did not. She just wanted property.
I returned to my room to find Tia asleep. Her face was streaked with tears. I was about to wipe her tears when I heard sobs from outside the window. I walked to the window to find Anika sitting near her window. She was crying and I could see Om saying something to her. Om finally wiped her tears and took her in.
I yearned to be next to her but I could not. No one knew that the woman who was with me was not my wife.
I finally lay down on the sofa bed in the room.
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Author’s Note: Hope you liked this chapter. Please comment. It keeps me going and encouraged to write more. I am sorry if I don’t reply to your comments but I read them all. I am in 3rd year university and barely get anytime to reply to your comments. I will now be able to update only weekly after the next update because of workload. But I will update as soon as I have a chapter ready. I promise.