T H E   S I L E N T   W A T E R S

O U T   O F   T H E   S H A D O W S,
O C E A N S   A P A R T

❝ Been living this life so patient
Until I see you again,
it's war we're facing ❞

Shivaay looked down the glass pane which floored the cabin flooring. The wooden flooring extended with glass ones for a few feet distance. They were at eighteenth floor. The buildings were towering onto one another. He sighed, as he closed his eyes.

Two decades earlier the very same buildings used to intimidate him. He remembered holding his grandfather's hands tightly as he walked inside one of those big buildings. Yes, they were not towering at that time. But for a child they were. He was seven, when his grandfather had brought him to his office. At that time they were only seven storeys but that was a huge deal those times.
He used to admire them from outside, but inside was another whole world. All the stress and drain that it puts on the human to control it all.

At that point of time he never knew he would be owning the very same; he had inherited his grandfather's legacy.

He looked down at the glass flooring. The vehicles resembled miniscule objects. The large vehicles all now were the size of ants. Amusing how perspective changes the reality. The more he kept gazing down the more dizzy he felt. His stomach churned but he didn't back away.

"Shivaay!" He was startled out of his trance. Aditya was standing there looking at him quizzically. "What are you doing?" He shrugged before walking back to his chair. He extended his hand for the files that he was holding in his hands. He glanced up when Aditya didn't move from his spot after handing him the file.

"Yeah, sorry." Aditya caught up on the stare before he hurried out of the room. Shivaay couldn't focus on the papers. Or on the conditions written on them. His mind was awaiting the fall of the night over the city.

They will be there.

Right in front of him.

Is he that strong to face them?

"I have never thought I would be the one to say this, but you have managed to disgrace the name of the Oberois." 

The memory relapsed over and over again.

He snapped his eyes closed breathing deeply through his mouth. These voices that have haunted him in his sleep. And the very same ones who threatened his sanity.

"It was all a play to you, wasn't it? Mr. Shivaay Singh Oberoi."

"Just tell the fucking truth god damnit! Prove them wrong."

"I can't believe I proudly called you my son."

"I always knew that there's something, a hidden motive or else a person can never be this great that you pretend to be."

"I never expected this from you Shivaay."

He tasted bile in his throat and the sinking feeling increased in his gut. His clamped his mouth shut. He felt heated all of a sudden the fear instilling deeper into his core. To his bones. His hands shook as he uncorked the bottle to gulp down the water.

No, he was not strong.

But he has to fight. Maybe not as a warrior but as a survivor.

And he will.

Annika tightened the clasp of her bracelet around her wrist. Her eyes were blank. She didn't know what to feel. She was feeling restless like something was going to happen. Something unfathomable. But what?

Her insides were clenching painfully, knocking the breath out of her.

<>

His hands hovered over the medicine box with uncertainty. He took out a patch.

"Don't. They won't help you." He turned around to see Aradhya standing at the door. Her arms crossed. Why is she here? He frowned when he saw the bag in her hands. "I have to check your vitals. Just in case." She muttered as she placed the bag on the table to begin her.

"Can you make it another day without this?" She muttered, he looked at her hand. She was holding up a syringe. His shots. He didn't know. He wasn't feeling any discomfort at the moment. He nodded.

"The nausea will subside. Keep yourself hydrated." She spoke as she looked at the readings from the Sphygmomanometer. She hummed. "As I expected. There's no wonder you were feeling dizzy. Your blood pressure is very high. If you want to make it to the ceremony, then I advise you not to get up from where you are till the evening. And if possible try to relax your thoughts." She removed the belt from his hands and arranged the instruments before leaving the room when she heard a cough.

"Recovery is a slow process, don't rush it." She said, he was trying to speak. As much as she was happy that there were no complications, he should rest rather than pressure his own body.

"I don't think you should go to the ceremony." Priyanka looked up from the laptop.

"I am afraid—" she paused looking around, "that it can——will cause a severe trauma on his body."

"What do you mean?" Priyanka said straightening up. She put the laptop aside to face her fully. "He is recovering right? No more nightmares, and his bleeding has stopped."

Aradhya played with her fingers nervously, "We don't know that." Priyanka frowned. The doctor rubbed her forehead in frustration, she wanted him to go for a scan so she could see the damage extent as well as the recovery stage but she didn't get a chance to convince him—

"Him coughing it out—the blood is a good thing." She backed away when she saw Priyanka's glare. Now how do I explain this?

"It shows that his body is fighting. But if he does not then it is a worry. If the blood starts clotting under the epiglottis then I am afraid that it could block its airway. And it's life threatening——" and Priyanka's world darkened for a moment but Aradhya continued.

"——and if all that happens then it could trigger angina. And I don't have any of those medications that may be required with me." Priyanka's face paled at every word. She couldn't understand a few sentences but looking at doctor's face she knew it was serious.

She took a deep breath and glanced at Priyanka's pale face and winced. "Long story short, don't let him go there."

"It's all a possibility, though I will contact the city hospital for the medications. But I'd suggest you should avoid it." Priyanka nodded. Her face turned ashen. "He wouldn't agree." She spoke.

"Then I will have no choice but to sedate him." Her glare deepened.

<>

Shivaay got up from the bed. His limbs were aching. He rubbed his chest slightly to distract himself from the pain and he stood up with a grunt. He hated how these years have affected him. His body is too weak. He grows tired easily, bruised, and not to mention the lingering pain that keeps him the company in the quiet. It made him feel like he was dying. Or maybe he already was. He looked at the clock.

Two hours.

There was no sign of Priyanka and Dr. Anand.

He fished out his phone to see that Neeraj had reached Goa. And he closed his eyes in relief. He grimaced when his feet ached, he wasn't even able to hold his body up. But ignoring it all he grabbed the suit which was kept on the table and went to change.

When he came back from the shower changed into the fresh clothes for the evening. His eyes fell upon the tray lying on the desk. His medicines. Sighing he went to take them, but then his eyes fell upon the small white one. Sleeping pills. He chuckled at the attempt. Are they taking him for a fool? He recognises the medicine well enough. It kept his sanity intact a few years past, how could he not recognise it. He gulped down the rest throwing the white one in the bin.

He walked into the hallway. Priyanka and Aradhya looked up suddenly. He were surprised to see him dressed. He arched his eyebrows in question. He accidentally texted Arjun instead of Aditya.

Priyanka couldn't help but chuckle as she peeped over his screen. "Aww, you're already missing Arjun." Shivaay rolled his eyes at that before turning back to his phone. But her smile vanished soon, shouldn't he be asleep by now? She turned to look Aradhya who sighed. He didn't take the pills.

"Well, don't we all look charming?" Radhika smiled to remove some of the tension. "And Shivaay you look like a King——regal."

Aha! See? Another win on my side. Priyanka cleared his throat. "You don't need to boost his already high ego, Radhika. He's insufferable." She huffed at him. Little Ditya was holding his hand as she twirled around showing him the dress.

"I look pretty! Don't I chachu?" Shivaay nodded fervently. "You are looking good too! And that flower—" she pointed at the brooch on his blazer and then somewhere at her frock. "They're the same! See we match!" She giggled. Shivaay couldn't help but smile.

Aditya rushed inside adjusting the manor his suit. "The cars are here, we should be on our way." Shivaay nodded and Priyanka couldn't help but follow her brother with worried eyes. If there was one good thing that happened in those years, it was that he learnt how to share his troubles no matter how reluctantly, but he did. Now he was putting on the same mask that he used to wear when he was here.

Aradhya followed the people silently. She didn't know what she was doing. She never imagined she would be ever going to such a a high profile party ever. But here she was. And she knew she is definitely going to be out of place there.

Shivaay ignored all the worried glances that his sister gave him. His chest was tightening painfully as they inched closer to their awaited destination; keeping his eyes remain fixated upon the window of the car, he let out the breath that he didn't know he was holding. His eyes were burning.

The secret will be out in a few minutes. Out to the world. For good or bad he didn't know, he just hoped what he had planned works out.

He did not feel very brave for what he was going to do, instead he felt he was going to be sick. But that will make no difference to what he was to do.

<>

The Oberois made their way into the building and the whispers arose. The paparazzis clicking away the pictures.

Gauri was holding onto her husband's arm tightly. She was still not used to these kind of parties. Om gave her a reassuring smile and she smiled back meekly.

Rudra was blankly staring ahead, his mind couldn't register the words that Soumya was excitedly saying. He felt his throat drying up. He didn't have a good feeling about this. Soumya however was grinning from ear to ear, to her this was the perfect time for her to showcase their engagement.

The senior Oberoi couple, Shakti expression was grim and Pinky well—she wasn't the Pinky they knew anymore. She hasn't spoken a single word ever since her beloved son——her eyes were empty as of devoid of any soul behind them.

Tej was practically glowing however, he was happy. He had gained everything that he had wanted. His sons were now the rightful owners. He was now the face of the company, yes despite the scandals they couldn't erase the fact that he was a good businessman of his era. Jhanvi was happy to see him.

They sauntered past the rest of thw gates towards the venue. Shakti and Tej went to greet the old delegates while Jhanvi chose to give Pinky some company so that she doesn't feel alone. Om excused himself with Gauri so they could enjoy some private time while Rudra chose to stay with his mother and aunt, ignoring the angry looks from his fiancee.

They all, however, remained oblivious to the storm approaching their way.

There might be a few inaccuracies in the medical conditions described above, as I am no professional in that area.....at the moment.

Ahhh!!! Next part will be up tonight :) <3