Sitting in the hotel room bed still in her bridal dress, Annika had no idea what her life held. Not even in her dreams she would have thought that she would be married to The Shivaay Singh Oberoi, the person she had read about in her business case studies.

He had been her idol since she read about him, she dreamed to be a business tycoon like him, so successful yet so grounded to earth but all her dreams were let down the day her parents dropped her from her college to get her married.

She felt so low of herself for being a burden on him. He must have dreamed so much about his life partner and here just for the sake of her respect he married her out of pity. A tear escaped her already stained face thinking about this. No matter what she will always have this undying gratitude for his decision to marry someone who isn't even one percent of what he is.

Her thoughts were interrupted by Shivaay who just arrived inside the room locking the door. As a reflex Annika stiffen because technically it was her wedding night and as taught by her mother she have to give herself to her husband. She can't even object especially after what he did for her but at the same time no matter what he was still a stranger for her.

"You haven't changed Annika, must say you are really tolerant to this heavy lehanga. I would have choked out by now." Shivaay joked with a smile as he removed his coat.

Annika just kept looking down with her veil still on her head and Shivaay looked at her through the mirror confused. "What happened?"

Annika again didn't said a word just fumbled with her fingers when Shivaay realized what she must be thinking "Annika relax, we don't even know each other for now. Let's just begin with being friends shall we. You get changed and then we will discuss it."

Annika nodded and taking a salwar suit from the two suitcase of her basic needs, she had got along as Shivaay refused for anything else. She went inside the washroom to change. Once she came back she saw Shivaay lying on the bed fiddling with his phone.

She just stood there not knowing what to do ahead when Shivaay noticed her and smiled. "Come here Annika let's have a buddy talk." Annika bit her lips, something she do in nervousness before going and settling down beside him at the farthest corner possible.

"Annika are you scared of me?" asked Shivaay with a raised eyebrow to which Annika just fumbled with her actions again "Trust me I'm not a man-eater." He joked and a small smile formed on her lips.

"Keep smiling wifey it suits you."

Shivaay commented in a loving voice and unknowingly a blush came on her face listening to his nickname for her.

"Okay Annika we will leave for Mumbai tomorrow early morning. I'll introduce you to my family. I haven't informed them still because it's something too big to be told on phone but trust me they will love you. Also I have asked my lawyer to get our marriage certificate made we will sign it tomorrow. If there will be any problem I will be there for you." he assured holding her soft palms into his much strong and warm ones.

Annika nodded when Shivaay continued "Ok let me tell you about myself, I am Shivaay Singh Oberoi, eldest son of Oberoi family. I am 29 years old. My parents name is Pinki Singh Oberoi and Shakti Singh Oberoi. The dearest person to me are my brothers Omkara Singh Oberoi and Rudra Singh Oberoi who is more like my child. Then I dearly love my sister Priyanka Singh Oberoi and my grandmother Kalyani Singh Oberoi----"

Shivaay continued and Annika looked at him with a small smile. "So I am professionally the owner as well as CEO of Oberoi Group of Industries----" he was interrupted by Annika.

"You are one among the hundred most influential person on the world, also the one who brought hi-tech dairy in India. You are also the founder of Oberois telecommunications sector and Oberois Housing sector. You run many NGO's for physically disabled and also for the education of economically backword kids under the name of your grandparents Late Mr Prithiviraj Singh Oberoi and your grandmother Mrs Kalyani Singh Oberoi. You are one of the richest person in India as well as in world. You also run an environment program for preservation of rivers and animal habitat which is head by your brother Omakra Singh Oberoi. You have done your MBA from Standford Graduate School of Business and are one of the youngest achievers featured In TIME cover. You also invest for the well being of martyr's families and soldiers who get physically disabled on duty under a joint program with the government named protectors-----" she stopped realizing Shivaay's intense gaze on her.

"Wow even I didn't knew this much about myself!" Shivaay exclaimed and Annika looked down embarrassed and flushed.

"Haww are you a stalker of mine Annika?" teased Shivaay and Annika's eyes immediately shot up to give an explanation "No you were our case study subject in college."

Shivaay burst out laughing seeing her horrified face and Annika just stared him laughing with a smile " I was just kidding Annika, well I didn't knew I am successful enough to be studied anyway since you already know about me almost everything then tell me about you?"

"About me, there is nothing special to know about me." Annika answered in a low voice and Shivaay frowned "Come-on Annika we need to know about each other right to make our relationship work. You know so much about me and I, literally nothing which is clearly not fair."

"Ummm My name is Annika Vardhan Trivedi-----" Annika began only to be interrupted by Shivaay "Corrections wifey it's Annika Shivaay Singh Oberoi now."

Annika face again turned crimson listening the name and Shivaay held back his hands who just want to pull her milky chubby cheeks which looked even more cute with that blush.

"My parents name are Harshvardhan Trivedi and Shanti Trivedi. I have a brother Sahil Trivedi and I am 21 years old." Annika ended and Shivaay looked at her confused "What about your education Annika? What do you want to become? Where do you want to work?"

"You want me to work after marriage?" asked Annika remembering Nihal's word 'It's a shame on the man if he let his lady work'.

"Why not if you are willing to you should. And how does it matter if I want or not it's your future, your life, your dreams you should have the final say in your decisions." Shivaay stated it like a fact and Annika just can't help but compare him with Nihal.

"So tell me what do you like to do in future-----no before that have you completed your studies because you are just 21?" Shivaay asked and Annika nodded in negative answering in a low voice "I dropped from second year business management, this year for wedding."

"Okay so you are in the same class as my youngest brother Rudra, although he is two years elder than you. So we can get you in the same college he is or do you prefer any other college. You can tell me, I think you should also do it from Standford Graduate School of Business if you are interested. I wanted to send Rudra also but he can't stay away from me so he didn't agree."

Annika looked at him wide eyes, he had started planning for everything from now itself "I---I will st--udy here only." she said fumbling and Shivaay looked at her with his beautiful hazel eyes before smirking "You can't stay from me as well" he teased and Annika again blushed looking down.

"Jokes apart. We should get your admission done soon so that you can cover up. So what do you plan to do after studies?" he asked lying down on bed at one side.

"You can rest too Annika, trust me I am a very controlled man." Shivaay again teased and Annika can't help the smile as well as the blush before lying down at the other corner of the bed.

He made it look all so easy, his constant effort, jokes and confidence in talking is commendable. He doesn't fumble or go awkward talking to her even though he doesn't know her. Well he is so successful in life for a reason!

"You didn't tell me Annika? What do you want to do after completing your studies?" he asked turning toward her and as a reflex Annika turned toward him as well "I haven't thought much since neither my parents nor Nihal's family wanted me to work but----I---I--wish to be li-ke you." Annika ended looking down again.

"Really? Well you can't be like me" Shivaay stated and Annika looked at him. Of course she can't be like him. He is all so successful while she isn't that much educated also "You will be like yourself and far more better then me" Shivaay added with a smile and a belief in his beautiful hazel eyes.

"You want to ask something?" Shivaay asked, he laid down just looking at the girl who is now his wife "Annika you can ask anything, go ahead" Shivaay encouraged and Annika finally asked the question she wanted to ask from so long.

"Why did you marry me? Why did you fall in such a loveless relationship? I know you did it out of pressure and pity on me----" She was stopped by Shivaay who placed his finger on her lips shutting her up with the new sensation.

"Annika you are asking me the question and giving the answer as well." Shivaay continued raising an eyebrow "Why I married you even I don't know but I can clearly say it's not because of your relative pressure, nobody can pressurize Shivaay Singh Oberoi" he stated with a proud voice.

"Also I don't pity you Annika, you aren't a poor, helpless lady who need my pity. You are a beautiful strong woman who deserve a great future and if I can give that future to you I am blessed." Annika just can't help but feel herself lucky to have this man in her life. She would always stay grateful of him!

If only she understand a relationship doesn't work on Gratitude!

"About being in a loveless marriage----" continued Shivaay "I think most people get married believing a myth that marriage is a beautiful box full of all thing they dreamed for: companionship, intimacy, friendship, love etc. The truth is that a marriage be it love or arrange is empty at the start. You must put something before you take anything out. There is no love in marriage, love is in people and they put love in marriage. There is no romance in a marriage. You have to infuse it into your marriage. A couple must learn the art of giving, loving, serving, praising and keeping the box full. If you take out more than you put in the box will be empty. We with time will infuse love romance and intimacy in our marriage as well. It's just that we may take more time than others."

Annika just stared him not knowing what to say as he held her hand and said in a low whisper before closing his eyes.

"We will make it work wifey"