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

❝The scars and the wounds
I wear them proud.❞

Shivaay tapped his foot against the wooden floor nervously. Priyanka tied the mask on his face. As luck would have it, the particular event was a masquerade. They were in the backrooms prepared for the guests to await the beginning of the function——or rather he might say looking around—a gala.

"Breathe in." She said placing a firm hand on his shoulder. He nodded and sighed. Come on, Shivaay. This is just embarrassing. You cannot be afraid of the crowd.

He nodded at Aditya who went to inform the host about the changes that were to be made with the proceedings——that Shivaay wouldn't be able to give the speech or answer their questions———because of his sore throat? He thought to himself deadpanned. Couldn't have they found a better excuse? But it's better than nothing.

He arched his eyebrows at the gaping host who looked like he has seen a ghost when his eyes fell upon him. He might have paled a few shades. You can't blame him for that, it was his first appearance after the six years of abrupt anonymity.

He cleared his throat despite the ache and the warning look from Aradhya. She needs to loosen up. He turned to the host and nodded towards the direction of the door watching as he hurried out.

"I can't believe you scared him without saying anything—" Aditya gaped at the man—his friend. Shivaay smirked. He was worried for nothing. It all came out naturally. "Do I need to remind you of his name, Adi?" Priyanka asked crossing her arms above her chest, her eyebrows arched up in a smug expression.

"Anyways" Priyanka cleared her throat fastening her own mask. "Shall we proceed?" She gestured, inclining her head in the direction of the door.

Shivaay took a breath and walked out, Priyanka's eyes gleamed when she saw the familiar stride. And she smirked. The game's on.

<>

The host took the centre stage microphone clutched in his hands and a new shine to his face. Rather she might say. They chose to be seated at the table at the very far end of the hall away from the prying eyes. Mainly because for Shivaay's comfort.

Shivaay was watching the event attentively, his eyes accessing the guests when his eyes fell upon the ones he had been dreading. His family......his fingers closed into a fist and he forcefully averted his eyes. No, he will not be affected.

And his eyes turned to the person sitting at the end of the table and his breath hitched——she. Unable to hold himself anymore, he turned his face fully in her direction. She looked beautiful—no scratch that——the stars would lose their shine in front of her. She was his star........

His eyes lowered. And he gulped down the lump that formed. Maybe it was not meant to be? If——his thoughts were interrupted when the hosts voice spoke up and he forced his minds to focus on the voice. A good distraction stopping his mind from going elsewhere.

"Good evening my friends. Apologies for cutting you party short. I know you guys were having a good time. But it's time for the highlight of the evening." The host spoke and the hall went silent to listen to his words.

"The reason this party was arranged."

"This party has been organised to honour the business man of the year, the CEO of VOID, for some reason we don't know the name. The CEO has won three business man of the year in a row now, an impressive feat." Shivaay couldn't focus on the words properly as the pain deepened in his chest. He chose to ignore it, they will leave soon anyways.

"Before this only Shivaay Singh Oberoi was the one to achieve this. But looking at VOID's exponential growth in the industry. I can say history is in the making." The hosts eyed glinted and his eyes briefly turned to the table at the very end of the hall. They don't have any idea, do they? Shivaay thought as he craned his neck.

"A brief information, VOID has marked the fifth year of its establishment with this award. Yet there is no news of the man behind the success. We had tried to reach out to him for the last two years but every offer was declined. But as it's said that the third time's a charm. And it truly is. He accepted this year's invitation, and for the first time he'll be exposing himself to the world."

The audience clapped.

"I'm surprised too. The company is newly established, only five years, still the growth it has shown is massive. Mind blowing."
It was a stout grey haired man, whom Priyanka recognised as Mr. Ahuja, a dear friend to VOID after their successful collaborations together. There were many voices but she couldn't recognise all of them.

"Especially the CEO. I don't know who he is. But he is an ideal man. A man of his words. Extremely professional. It was a pleasure to work with him."

"Exactly. Our deal was a smooth sail. A cooperative leader that's what he is."

Priyanka chuckled to herself, they all were in for a surprise weren't they? A huge one indeed. She kept her eyes intently fixed upon her brother sneaking a few glances around. But in the direction of where the Oberois were seated.

"And to present the award, I would like to welcome a well known and feared business man of his era, Mr. Tej Singh Oberoi."

The Oberois clapped as Tej made his way to the stage. The host handed him the mic.

Priyanka's gaze hardened. Her father. She curled her fingers. That man was no father of hers. Her eyes raked to her brother——whose face grew gaunt——he was. His eyes were flickering with a thousand emotions at once.

That man did not fail only her—but her mother—but she too was not completely innocent either. She too left her alone like she was no one. And her brothers. What she was supposed to say? She was forgotten, to one her tears didn't matter, he had made that clear that day on the call itself and the second one who seemed to forgotten about her existence. She had only one left with her.

Her Shivaay bhaiya, and she would be lying if she didn't bring the world down for him if the time asked for. He was her anchor when she needed one, she will be his now.

Aradhya watched as how the their faces darkened. She was worried. For both of them. She didn't know what history they have shared with their family but from what she had heard the family had been a close knit group. It was just one side of the story. The other side she has learnt—or merely caught up on was because of the years she has spent in their company. Whatever it was, it certainly was not as glamourous as the media has depicted it to be. There's always two sides of the story——it wasn't any different here.

"It's my absolute pleasure. To stand here on the stage, to present this prestigious award, to what seems to be a business tycoon in making." Priyanka's mouth curled in distaste, it sounded so fake. It always have been, she could just see it more clearly now.

Instead of those, the same words returned to his mind, straight out of his dreams.
"I always knew that there's something, a hidden motive or else a person can never be this great that you pretend to be." Yes, Shivaay thought, there was a hidden motive, or a very vulnerable one. He could lose himself rather than his family. And the same reason that became the reason that he is now haunted by the fragments of the past.

"So ladies and gentlemen, the wait is over. Please welcome to the stage, the man of the evening." The host announced, as he handed the award to Tej.

Shivaay's hands clenched and then unclenched. Priyanka sent him a reassuring smile, her smile held a silent message in them. We're here to watch your back, bhaiya. You're not alone in this. He nodded.

The lights dimmed.

<>

Annika walked into the party. Her steps weren't as confident as she would have preferred. But can you really blame her? She was not used to going to a place like this all alone. Her stomach was in knots since the evening.

Sighing she took a step forward. She manoeuvred through the crowd of guests looking for the people she was familiar too.

"Annika?" A smiled took up on a features as she recognised the voice. Mallika Choudhary. Her dimpled smile gave her away. Siddharth was standing behind her. After a brief greeting her eyes fell upon the people she had grown to love as her own family. But not—

"Annika?" Om asked in surprise. Perhaps Gauri didn't tell him that she would be here too. She returned the smile that Om gave her. Gauri took off her arm from Om's and walked to her, knowing full well that she wouldn't be comfortable to meet the rest.

"It's good to see you." Om spoke. Annika nodded with a hesitant smile. It was. Rudra joined them too after a few moments. They all settled for a table beside the Oberois. And the unease grew with each passing moment. She turned around to look at the tables.

She felt a steady gaze on the back of her head but she couldn't find the source. A startled gasp escaped her when the lights dimmed suddenly before zeroing on the end of the table. She couldn't recognise anyone on the table. But for some reason they felt familiar.

She watched as the man stood up. Her heart stopped. Dread filling her all over. Why did he——her eyes stared at the figure——at the posture, the strides——could it be? Could it be him?

<>

Shivaay walked up to stage. His eyes falling on the man he had called his bade papa. And surprisingly—fortunately he didn't feel a thing looking at him now. He has lost the last the last bit of any positive thought that he may have unknowingly sheltered for this man. All he felt was—rage.

That single emotion have overpowered the others that he have been feeling.

The storm that he had kept inside all these years——they will suffer the same. He will make sure of it.

Because he wasn't Shivaay just for the namesake.

"Ah, before we begin the ceremony, I would like to share a information with you."

Shivaay smirked behind the mask. "As, we know this man have managed to achieve the feat set upon by Mr. Shivaay Singh Oberoi, and may surpass his achievements in the upcoming years. We are all in for a surprise. The reason is that the records have set up much higher now. He once again remains undefeated, he still reigns over the industry." The host chuckled.

The murmurs arose.

"Because the man standing right in front of us——"

Shivaay raised his head and he heard a gasp. He turned his neck slightly, to see the award have fallen from Tej's hands. He stared up at him shock. He felt satisfaction washing upon his features.

"———is Mr. Shivaay Singh Oberoi."

And all hells break loose.

Pardon the typos and grammatical errors.....have been running on cups of coffee since yesterday.... hoping that I do the next one tonight

Hoping I didn't ruin the chapter hehe