As soon as the nurse told Annika that Shivay was calling her name, she ran inside like a wind. There he was, the man around whom her world revolved, the man whom she loved the most in the entire world, the man who taught her how to love someone selflessly and the man who was now in the most terrible condition of his life.

"Shivayyy" she sat beside him caressing his head lovingly.

As soon as he saw her, all his worry was vanished. He looked at her and it was as if all his pain got relief. He smiled faintly at the feeling of her soft touch over his forehead.

"Are you feeling better? Do you want something?" Annika asked him in between her tears.

"No!!! I just.... Annika just tell me how did I end up here? Its causing me a lot of worry and anxiety. Why cant I remember what had happened with me?" Shivay asked her with tearful eyes. It was like he was someone who was lost and was asking for her help to reach his destination.

Annika's heart sanked looking at him, his eyes were asking her a million questions but she didnt know what to answer him? How should she tell him when she had nothing to answer.

"Shivay..dont take so much stress! Everything will be fine. Please do not think so much" She requested him.

"I cant Annika. I want to know. Its killing me from inside. We.. we were so happy, we were ready to marry. It was our wedding that day and... and then you did not reach the temple. I called you so many times but your phone was not reachable. I even called Akaash but even he was unreachable. This is all what I can recall but nothing after that" Shivay kept talking with confusion giving Annika the shock of her life.

She was frozen at her spot! This was what all he remembered from everything that happened with them?? What was she to do? How would she tell him all those storms that they have suffered together and alone in the span of some months. He only remembered about the moment they were about to marry. How would she tell him that what had made her not reach the temple that day? How would she tell him that she was attacked by someone, that his best friend Akash was killed, that she was suffering a hell and she was not even out of that and now he has landed in the same hell.

"Annika, what happened? Why are you silent? Tell me what has happened with me? Where did you and Akash go at the time of our wedding? And what happened after that?" She heard him ask her.

Annika's throat was getting dry but she knew she had to answer him, it was necessary for him to know. Though before she could say anything, she heard sheetal approaching her. She had a wicked smile on her face. Annika was really scared looking at that look on her face. Was she planning to do something against her? She cant do that? She cant go to such limit! Annika thought.

"Mom....." Annika moved towards her before Sheetal could reach Shivay.

"Let me give you the lesson of your life Annika. Now that Shivay only remembers some part of that day, I will make him hate you and Akash." She whispered and moved dangerously towards Shivay.

"Shivay beta! you wanted to marry her but you dont know that she and Akash both of them were....." as soon as Annika heard this her heart stopped. What should she do now. How should she stop Sheetal.

"Me and Akash were coming to the temple but we met with an accident Shivay." Annika ended up saying, stopping Sheetal in between. Sheetal was shocked.

"As we were late, you tried to call us but couldn't. Thus you came to find us and on your way you also met with a terrific accident Shivay. It was too late Shivay... Akash... Akash was really injured and he...he died"
She told him the reality even if it was somewhat true. She knew he needed to know it. She knew she was not doing anything wrong because atleast she was not lying. She didnt want to lose any chance for Sheetal to demean Akash after his huge sacrifice for Shivay and Annika and thus she left no scope for Sheetal to defame Akash as she was aware that once Shivay knows that Akash was no more, he wont listen to anything against him such was his love for Akash, his friend, his brother.

Shivay was taken aback. Fresh tears started brimming his eyes. Akash was gone? His only best friend, his brother was snatched from him. He shouted with pain "Akaasshhhhhhh? How did all this happen Annika? My brother, I lost him, whyyyyy" He sobbed.

Annika hugged him tightly without thinking about Sheetal. She knew that more than Sheetal and her hatred, Shivay needed Annika's attention. She consoled him, caressing him and asking him not to cry although she was crying too. The drastic memory of that fatal day clouded in her mind. She was herself not out of that pain, she lost her brother too but she had to do it to stop Sheetal.

Sheetal was shocked listening to all of it. She was not expecting Annika to actually tell him all that. She wanted to use the situation for her benefit. She wanted to actually tell Shivay that Annika and Akash tried to elope together, that they tried to deceive him. But she failed. One more chance of demeaning Annika infront of her son was snatched from her. She was fuming with anger without thinking about what all impact her lie would have left on Shivay and his health.

"Shivayy.... listen to me! Akash is here with us, he will always be there with us. It was bound to happen Shivay. One cant fight destiny but you need to be strong. You need to take care of your health for Akash. I know he wont be happy looking at you this way. Please try to do it for him. I know it will take sometime for you to absorb all this but this is the reality Shivay. You don't remember anything because your accident was really terrific. You...You have been in the hospital for two days. " Annika said to him before Sheetal could say anything.

Annika was hurt, really hurt but she had to do this. Had she not told the partial reality to Shivay, Sheetal would have left Shivay in a more worst condition. She knew that Sheetal was planning to say something against her and Akash. She was feeling so disgusted at the thought of Sheetal demeaning Akash in front of Shivay. Sheetal was so much in rage that she didnt even mind saying foul things against some one who was actually dead, about Akash who was like a son to her at one point of time. Also, Annika was shocked that Sheetal didnt even mind giving Shivay another shock in such a drastic condition. What kind of motherly love was that? Was her rage and revenge more important that her love for Shivay?

Shivay was just listening to her. His face was on her shoulders and he was shattered. His eyes were at loss of tears now. He was just too much in pain.

Sheetal was just looking at Annika with deadly glare. It was as if she wanted to kill her. Annika didnt show but it scared her. She was just thinking about what all she would do in future! How would she handle this all? At one place Shivay was suffering and he needed to know the reality eventually and on one side she was facing a war with Sheetal. The intoxicity in Sheetal's heart had reached a level where she did not even care about Shivay now. She just hated Annika and wanted to hurt her even if that gave equal pain to her own son. Annika didn't know how would she handle all of it, how would she fight Sheetal and save her relationship with Shivay, but one thing which she knew was that she wont leave Shivay alone in this situation. She would be with him like he had been there with her always. And for that she knew what she had to do it even if it made Sheetal hate her more.

Shivay's silence was killing her. She cant let him go all silent in pain, that would leave him affected. She knew she needed to do it, for him, for them and this she held Shivay's face in between her palms and asked him softly,
"Listen to me!!! No more crying Shivay. Everything will be fine, I promise. I know losing Akash is a huge loss for you and one can take his place but I want to let you know that I am there with you okay? I will always be with you. We need to be together in this and its all that matters. It may not be a right time but I want to ask, will you marry me? Will you Shiv? I want to be with you, for always, for eternity?" She said looking straight into his eyes.

It was as if she said something he wanted to listen. He had so many dreams about their life together but one incident spoiled it all. He lost his best friend but he cant lose her now. He wanted to marry her, he knew life was giving him another chance and watever may happen he knew he didnt want to lose her.

He looked at her with red eyes, a few tears left his eyes when he said "I will Annika! I will marry you" he said hugging her tightly while Sheetal just gave deadly glares to Annika. Annika gave no heed to her and hugged Shivay. She knew it might be wrong at this point of time but it was necessary. For Shivay to be saved of his mother, Annika needed to be with him. She couldn't leave Shivay and if she wanted to be with him she knew that Sheetal would do everything to break them apart but she and Shivay were each other's strength and together they would outgrow of every kind of obstacle.

She heard Sheetal leave the room with anger. She was asking god for strength and blessing so that she could save their relationship from the evil eyes of the world. She wont let her blessing from heaven get more hurt. She would face everything for him, with him.

Precap: Shivay and Annika marry each other.

Author's note:
• For anyone, who is confused about the track of the story, kindly read it from the starting to get a better understanding.

• Next episode will be on the wedding of Shivay and Annika. Finally they would be together.

• Sheetal and Annika will now have a face off with each other. Tell in the comments whom do you support and why?

• Kindly give votes and do comment to tell how you like this part.

• For any query or complaint, leave a message in the comment section or message box.

Much love to all.
🌸