A/N: Sorry for the disappearing act that we pulled up🙏🙏🙏🙏

Were busy with exams😰😰😰😰

So, here is the next and long Chappy as compensation😜😜😜😜

Enjoy😊😊😊😊

Shivaay: Are... are you sure?

Rudra: Haan. Doctor ne kaha hain na ki bhaiya aur bhabhi ko ghar le jaa sakte hain. (Of course. The doctor said that bhaiya and bhabhi can go home.)

Shivaay: Haan... Likin... (Yeah... but...)

Rudra: Likin-wikin kuch nahi. Aap choose kar lo, aapko humare saath car main aana hain ya bhabhi ke saath. Kal milte hain. (No 'ifs-and-buts'. You decide whether you want go in a car with us or with bhabhi. See you tomorrow.)

They leave from there. Shivaay, Anika and Mahi look towards each other. Anika breaks the silence by asking...

Anika: Ab? (Now?)

ShivHi: Huh?

Anika: Ab kya? (Now what?)

Shivaay: Ab... you both should be happy. Kal tum dono ko discharge mil jayega. Achha, mujhe thoda paperwork karna hain. I'll be back. (Now...you both should be happy. You both will be discharged tomorrow. I have some paperwork to do. I'll be back.)

He quickly went outside. As he left, Anika sighed and Mahi layed back on the bed.

Mahi: Yeh sab kuch itna... (Why is everything so...)

Anika: ... Complicated kyoon hain? (...Complicated?)

Mahi: Sahi-eech bola. (Exactly.)

Anika: Pata hain, Shivaay bahot bade Tadibaaz hain. Woh bolenge nahi par woh itne toot gaye hain ki wapas Oberoi Mansion bhi nahi jaa sakte. (You know, Shivaay has a big attitude. He'll not say it but he's so broken on the inside that he can't even go back to Oberoi Mansion.)

Mahi: Likin woh hum dono ki wajah se kuch keh bhi nahi sakta. (But he's not saying anything because of our condition.)

Anika: *buries her face in her palms* Itna raita kaise phail gaya Mahi? (How did things get so messed up Mahi?)

Mahi: *keeps his hand on her shoulder* Tu chinta mat kar. Raita phaila hain to simat bhi jaayega. (Don't worry. If things got messed up, they'll sort out as well.)

Anika: Kaash aisa hi ho. (I hope that's what happens.)

Next morning, after their examination, MahIka were discharged. ShivIka went in one car and RuHi in one. They reach Oberoi Mansion. Shivaay helps Anika and Rudra helps Mahi to go inside. Before the step in, Gauri stops them.

Gauri: *come running* Rukiye! (Wait!)

Bhavya catches up with an Aarti ki thaal. Om, too, comes down.

Gauri: Aarti ke bina aap dono kaise aa sakte hain? (How can you enter without the Aarti being performed?)

Om: Gauri, rehne do. (Let it be Gauri.)

Gauri: Arey, aise kaise? Ghar ke bade bete aur badi bahu wapas aaye hain.  (How can I? The eldest sons and eldest daughter-in-law of the family have returned.)

AnShivHi look towards each then sadly towards the floor. Om gives an angry glare to Gauri while Bhavya tries to handle the situation.

Bhavya: Achha, Mahi bhaiya, aapka room humne ready karwa liya hain toh ek baar dekh lijiye. Bade bhaiya ka room ke paas hi hain. (Oh, Mahi bhaiya, we have prepared your room so might want to check that out. It's near (Shivaay) Bade Bhaiya's room.)

Om: Bhabhi, actually ground floor pe koi aur room free nahi tha toh aapki arrangements humne Shivaay ke room hi kar di hain. I hope it's okay? (Bhabhi, actually there was no other room free on the ground floor so we made all arrangements for you in Shivaay's room. I hope it's okay?)

MahIka nod then are taken to their rooms.

In ShivIka's room, Shivaay makes Anika lie on the bed then moves to go out.

Anika: Shivaay, aap kaha jaa rahe hain? (Shivaay, where are you going?)

Shivaay: Bas thoda kaam hain. I'll be back in an hour or two. (It's just a little bit of work. I'll be back in an hour or two.)

Anika leans back on the bed and closes her eyes. Suddenly, she hears some commotion from the poolside and goes to check on it.

At the poolside, Om bursts out at Gauri. (This is before he realizes his mistake)

Om: *angrily* Kya zaroorat thi tumhe woh aarti wala drama karne ki? (Why did you have to create that drama with the Aarti?)

Gauri: Aap hume galat samaj rahe hain. Hum koi nautanki nahi kar rahe they. (You're misunderstanding. I wasn't creating any drama.)

Om: Oh really? Magar, jahaan tak mujhe yaad hain, jabse hum mile hain, tabse tum koi na koi nautanki zaroor karti aayi ho. Tumhari jhooti pregnancy ka drama, woh Chulbul wala drama, is ghar main tike raihne ke liye drama... Aur tumhara woh Kaali Thakur wala drama. Pehli usse shaadi karne ke liye tayaar ho gayi, Jahnvi Thakurain ka ghar todkar usse khud-khushi karne par majboor aur phir khud shaadi se bhaag gayi. Listen, apni life ke saath tumhe jo karna hain karo likin mere bhaiyo ki life main dakhal mat do. (Oh really? But as far as I remember, you've been creating some drama since the day we met. Your fake pregnancy drama, becoming Chulbul drama, creating more drama to stay in this house... and you drama with Kaali Thakur. First, you were ready to marry him, you broke Jahnvi Thakurain's marriage and compelled her to commit suicide and then ran away from your wedding. Listen, do whatever you want with your life but don't interfere in my brothers' lives.)

Gauri: Aise nahi Omkaraji. Hum toh bas is ghar ki parampara nibha rahe they... (It's not like that Omkara. I was just following the family traditions...)

Om: Please. Jo tumhara yeh naatak hain, tum isse band kar sakti ho. Kyoonki main achhi tarah jaanta hoon, tumhari jaisi ladkiyon ke liye rishto ke kya maaine hote hain. (Please. Cut this act of yours. Because I know very well that values and relationships mean little to nothing to girls like you.)

He storms off towards his room. Gauri slides down a pillar and breaks down. Seeing her condition, Anika runs to her.

Anika: Gauri!

She kneels beside her.

Anika: Sambhalo apne aap ko. (Pull yourself up.)

Gauri: *cries* Kaise bhaujai? Hum kare toh ka kare? Hum is parivaar ke liye kuch bhi karne ki kosis karein toh Omkaraji ko yahi lagta hain ki hum koi naatak kar rahe hain. Yahaan tak, unhe ab bhi lagta hain ki hum itni giri hui ladki hain ki kisi ka ghar tod sakti hain. Mana ki jin paristithiyo main hum mile they, unhe lag sakta tha ki hum galat kar rahe hain. Likin humne unhe kitni baar samjhaane ki kosis ki, ki hum majboor they. Bareilly main unhone humse saadi karke humari jaan bachai thi, hum poori sraddha ke saath apna pati-dharam nibhane ki kosis karte hain likin kab tak? Kab tak hum akele is riste ko nibhate rahe? (How (Anika) Bhaujai? What do I do? If I do anything for the family, Omkara thinks I'm faking it. He thinks I'm frivolous enough to break someone's marriage. I agree that in the situation that we met, he could think that I was wrong. But I tried to tell him so many times that I was helpless, forced into it. In Bareilly, he saved my life by marrying me. I try to fulfill my duties as his wife as best as I can but till when? Till when will I be able to maintain this relationship alone?)

She leaned on to Anika's shoulder while Anika wiped her.

Anika: Gauri, main jaanti hoon tumhare liye yeh sab kitna mushkil hain likin har maanne se toh kuch nahi hoga na. (Gauri, I know it's very difficult for you but giving up won't solve anything.)

Gauri: Aap nahi samjhengi bhaujai. Kyoonki bade bhaiya aapke khilaaf nahi, aapke saath hain. (You won't understand (Anika) bhaujai. Because (Shivaay) bade bhaiya is not against you, he's with you.) 

Anika: Aisa nahi hain Gauri... (It's not like that Gauri...)

Gauri: Arey, hum bhi kaisi paglaith chirraiya hain. Aapko aaram karne dene ke bajaye yahan baato main uljha rahe hain. Chaliye, aapko kamre main le chalte hain. (I'm such an idiot. I'm talkimg to you about these trivial things rather than letting you rest. Come on, I'll take you to your room.)

She takes her inside.

Gauri: Aap aaram kijiye. Hum... jaate hain. (You take rest. I...shall go.)

Anika: *concerned* Gauri, tum theek ho na? (Gauri, are you okay?)

Gauri: Ho jaayenge bhaujai. (I will be (Anika) Bhaujai.)

She passes a sad smile to her and leaves.

Anika: *in mind* Yeh Om aur Gauri ki zindagi main phaila hua raita toh sametna padega. (The mess created in Om and Gauri's life needs to be sorted.)

She sighs and leaves for her room. She lies on the bed and closes her eyes, trying to come up with some idea. She falls asleep in some time. Shivaay comes in and sees her fast asleep. He freshens up then sits beside her, caressing her face. She looked so innocent while sleeping. She hugged him in sleep. He smiled and reciprocated the hug. He, too, slept after some time.

Shivaay was walking in dark room.

Shivaay: Koi hain yahaan? (Is anyone here?)

A strong source of light fell on him, almost blinding him.

Voice 1: *from a distance* Arey, woh hi hain na, multimillionaire Shivaay Singh Oberoi. (Look, it's him, multimillionaire Shivaay Singh Oberoi.)

Voice 2: Yeh Shivaay Singh Oberoi kaise ho sakta hain? Yeh toh bas "Oberoi" ke naam pe dhabba hain. (How can he be Shivaay Singh Oberoi? He is a shame to the "Oberoi" family.)

Voice 3: Naam, khoon, khandan ke pe ghamand karne wale ki ragon main ek rakhqail ka khoon behta hain. (A mistress's blood flows in the veins of  the person who was so arrogant about his bloodline, surname and lineage.)

Voice 4: Yeh apne baap ki najaayas aulaad hain. (He is the illegitimate son of his father.)

Shivaay: *shutting his ears* JUST SHUT UP!

Voice 1: Chup rehne se yeh sachi nahi badlegi ki tum kya ho. (Staying quiet won't change the truth.)

Voice 2: Tum ek Oberoi nahi ho. Tumhari maa Shakti Singh Oberoi ki biwi nahi hain. (You are not an Oberoi. Your mother is not Shakti Singh Oberoi's wife.)

Voice 3: Tumhari zindagi ka sach yahi hain ki tum ek rakhqail ki aulaad ho. (You are the son of a mistress; this is your truth.)

Voice 4: Tum najaayas ho. (You are illegitimate.)

Shivaay: Chup! Chup ho jao. (Shut up! Just Shut up.)

All voices: Tum najaayas ho... tumhara astitva ek jhoot hain... tum ek Oberoi nahi ho... tum Shakti Singh Oberoi ki najayas aulad ho... haan, tum najayas ho... (You are illegitimate...your existence is a lie...you are not an Oberoi...yu are the illegitimate son of Shakti Singh Oberoi...yes, you are illegitimate...

Shivaay: *screams* NAHI!!! (NO!!!)

Shivaay wakes up with jolt ranting...

Shivaay: Nahi, aisa nahi hain... (No, it's not true...)

He was panting heavily. Anika heard him and woke up.

Anika: Shivaay!

She switched the lights and sat beside him, trying to calm him down.

Anika: Shivaay, aaram se. Saans lijiye. (Shivaay, calm down. Breathe.)

Shivaay: *still in his trance* Woh... woh log... (Those...those people...)

Anika: Kaun log? Koi nahi hain Shivaay. (Which people? There's no one here Shivaay.)

Shivaay: Aur... woh... aa... aawaazein... (And...those...vo...voices...)

Anika: Shivaay koi aawaaz nahi hain. Yahan sirf hum dono hain. Suniye. (Shivaay there are no voices. Only both of us are here. Listen.)

She cups his face and makes him look into her eyes. She holds him in that position till he regains his composure. He takes a deep breath and she leaves him.

Anika: Aap theek hain? (Are you okay?)

He nods then rests his head in his palms.

Anika: Shivaay, kya hua? Kuch boliye, mujhe fikr ho rahi hain. Sab theek hain na? (What happened Shivaay? Say something, I'm worried. Is everything all right?) 

Shivaay: *broken* Kya theek nahi hain Anika? Everything's a mess. (What is right Anika? Everything's a mess.)

Anika got teary-eyed seeing his state but controlled herself. She looked towards Shivaay and, not knowing what to do, followed her instincts, and...

***Cliffhanger😝😝😝😝

Keep guessing what will happen😉😉😉😉.

Next chapter will have more ShivIka moments❤️️❤️️❤️️❤️️

(Pinky Promise)