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B A C K  I N   T H E  G A M E
B Y   T H E   S H O R E S

"Om, look at the mail." Rudra whispered as he looked at the address. VOID?

Om grabbed the laptop, and scrolled down the contents of the mail. "It's a formal notice. A summon." He murmured.

<>

"Here are the medicine, Dr. Bhalla said to give him that in case he complains about headache after waking up." Priyanka informed as she placed the medicine on the side table.

Her eyes narrowed. Annika nodded slightly, Priyanka was still wary around her. She watched as she left the room without sparing her a glance.

Annika sat by the side, he was still asleep. The sessions have started to take a toll on him, especially the one they witnessed today. It was cut short, as it nearly drove him to edge.

"What's happening, Shivaay?" She murmured, as she brought her fingers close to his. "Everything's a mess. It's like a maze the more you venture, the deeper you lose your way in." She whispered as she drew circles around the back of his palm.

"I feared if the truth came out, your relationship will be ruined." Tia spoke.

What?

His eyebrows creased together in sleep. Annika frowned. "Is he having another nightmare?" She murmured to herself as she tried to wake him up.

"There is something that I haven't been telling you." Annika looked at him with furrowed eyebrows.

"Promise me, you have to promise me something." Shivaay spoke as he held her close. His eyes staring right into hers.

"Anything." She whispered.

"Promise me that no matter what anyone tells you, shows you, you won't believe anything until I confirm it. Promise me that you won't conclude anything without clearing things between us."

Her eyes turned fearful, "You are scaring me Shivaay."

"Promise me, you trust me right?" He asked.

"Pinky promise." She whispered as she interlocked her finger with his.

He sat up with a startled gasp.

"Shivaay?" He felt a hand on his shoulder and he almost flinched back, until he saw who it was.

"A-an-annika?" He rasped out between the pants, he closed his eyes to steady his breathing before he turned to look at her. She was looking at him worriedly.

He straightened himself up slightly and focused to steady his breathing.

"How are you feeling now?" She asked softly, Shivaay turned his head slightly to look at her in confusion. Promise me that you won't believe anything until I confirm it.

There's something that I hadn't been telling you.

"What?" Annika frowned when she listened to his words. He shook his head. "Did I say that out loud?" He asked. She nodded.

"That was a memory." He muttered under his breath but it was loud enough for her to hear. She remembered him speaking the words before he left for Goa.

"Yes, it was." She confirmed, he looked at her warily.

"What are you doing here?" He asked softly, his eyes falling on their hands. She blinked, she was about to pull away when he tightened his hold on it.

"Don't go..." He whispered. He looked at her. His hand reached out for her, inches away from her. He hesitated for a moment, his eyes flickering to her, before he tucked in the loose strand that was falling on her eyes.

"I wouldn't have let this happen..." He whispered to himself.

"And I shouldn't have let this happen." She answered. He gave her a wry smile. There's no point in blaming themselves.

"None of us are at fault. And even if we are, we both contributed equally." He chuckled, "talk about takkar ki ishqbaaazi."

That brought a smile on her face.

"Go to sleep." He spoke as he grazed his hands by her cheek, she shivered slightly in response, and his lips curved up. He noted the fatigue around her eyes, the slight redness in those and sighed.

She rolled her eyes. "I wanted to...I shouldn't have hid such information from you." He frowned at the words, before he realised that she was talking about the divorce papers.

"Well, I can't hold you responsible when I do the same" he chuckled, he brushed his knuckles over her cheek, "years ago and even at this moment, not deliberately. Fortuitous perhaps." He admitted. I wish I could remember them sooner.

"And on the brighter side." He took a deep breath, before a mischievous glint took over his eyes. She narrowed her eyes warningly, "What are you planning?" She asked.

"Nothing." He shrugged pretending to be oblivious. "What are you talking about?" He asked arching an eyebrow.

"The mischief in those kanji ankhein. I am no stranger to those." She smirked slightly.

His eyes lit up at that.

"Is that so?" He asked, his lips curving up in a lazy smirk. She rolled her eyes at that.

His hands dropped by his sides, he looked at the clock and sighed. "It's almost morning, why are you up?"

"As if you don't know." She whispered.

"Do I really?" He asked, she nodded. "Well, I hope that it's true." He whispered.

"It is." She assured.

She looked at their hands, his hand above hers and she smiled, how she longed for this.

"I am okay, Annika." He spoke after a while. He looked at and his eyes softened, "Go to sleep. I will rest for a while before I leave for the office."

She frowned, "You will be leaving for office? Have you looked at yourself—"

He shushed her gently, "—company won't regulate itself Annika. Besides, I have a few things to look through urgently." He averted his gaze.

She frowned, "alright...be careful." She knew he was going to do something that wouldn't be appreciated, that is why he averted his gaze.

"I will." He promised. And she squeezed his hand in return.

<>

Neeraj looked at the memos that were retrieved from the phone that he had confiscated from Mishra. The rest of the data was still recovering, he was looking through the ones that were accessible.

He looked at the first one.

1st March [19:43]
Kalyani Mills.

He scrolled down to see various links of news articles. There was nothing more to that date. Why was Shivaay searching for Kalyani Mills? Neeraj frowned. He looked at the date and there was one more text.

Bua's statement.

He read the words. He vaguely remembered, Shivaay calling him for his help but at that moment he was busy in some other case and after that when he called him back, Shivaay said everything was okay. Was it for the same reason?

He looked further.

3rd March, [13:04]

There was more information about the Mill, the disaster, the aftermath. Neeraj frowned, does this all somehow link over to the decades old tragedy? His blood ran cold.

<>

Shivaay looked at Mishra for a moment before he shook his head. "Send out a formal notice for Mr. Omkara Singh Oberoi and Mr. Rudra Singh Oberoi, for the meeting this evening, I'm afraid that their presence would be required in the investigation." He spoke.

Mishra frowned, "Investigation?"

Shivaay turned to look at him, "I believe, I was clear with my words. The words must be followed without a question." He answered.

Mishra nodded, Shivaay was clearly not in the mood to entertain anything. Shivaay looked at the screen in disdain, all the dirt was being functioned under his name. He knew it was not Om or Rudra, he knew them very well for that. It was someone else, someone who was the former chairman, and his former mentor of sorts, Mr. Tej Singh Oberoi. But he had no proof for that. As the legal authorities lied in Om's hands, he would be held in account.

It will be a good lesson for them. He thought.

Shivaay was startled out of his thoughts.

"Sir, they are here." He heard his assistant's voice.

"Lead them to my cabin." He instructed, it would be a pleasure to work with them both. He chuckled.

<>

Om entered the building, the hustle around was the only thing similar to the evening that he had been around last time. But even without the extravagant decorations, the building was a grandeur.

"Why are we summoned here?" Rudra murmured lowly.

"I don't know, we don't even hold the legal rights over the company." Om answered back.

"Mr. Oberoi?" Om turned to look at the lady, she appeared to be in her late forties, "Shivaay sir, is in his cabin. Kindly follow me." She said leading them through the doors.

Once reached the eleventh floor, she backed away. "The cabin in the right." She spoke as she walked forward.

They looked at the large hallway, the entire floor was empty except for the two doors, each at the opposite end of the floor.

"This way."

She knocked on the mahogany door.

"Come in." The muffled voice answered from behind the door. The door opened but they didn't enter.

He looked up from his phone, his eyes narrowing. "You can leave, Mrs. Sinha." He spoke politely. The lady nodded and returned back from the doorway only. Not knowing what to do, they stepped inside.

His eyebrows arched when they entered the cabin, he cleared his throat before he straightened up on his seat slightly.

"I don't remember, permitting you to enter the cabin?" He asked as he placed the phone back on the table, before he turned their whole attention to them.

"But—"

"That was for Mrs. Sinha. And to be clear she didn't enter either." He smirked. "Go back. And ask again."

He frowned, "I was clear with my words, Mr. Omkara and Rudra."

Om clenched his fist, while Rudra on the other hand followed the words without any arguments. They deserved every bit of anger he had and the punishment he gives, he would take it without complaints, Rudra thought.

"May we come in?" He asked softly. He saw something flicker in his brother's eyes, but it was soon masked away by the aura of professionalism.

Be professional, don't bias. Shivaay reminded himself, but he was heavily disappointed in them.

"Come in." He answered. He looked at them.

"I take it you have looked through the details of the summon and have the documents prepared with you?" He asked.

Om and Rudra stood at their places, he realised something and his lips twitched, "Take a seat, please." He spoke, politely this time. They shared a look with each other before occupying the seat opposite to his.

"Yes." Om answered as he placed the file on the table before pushing it towards him. Shivaay waved his hands vaguely, "I didn't ask you to show them, they are not for me. Those are for you." He answered.

Rudra frowned. "For us?" Om echoed.

Shivaay sighed and nodded, his expression getting serious.

"You will need this as a defence against the lawsuit" he looked at his watch, "that was filed an hour ago." He said.

Om's eyes widened, "What do you mean!"

Shivaay looked up, and his lips pursed, "I meant you, as the former heads Oberoi Group of Industries, not you in particular. The directors are involved as well." He spoke.

"And these documents will act as defence." He gestured towards the file, "they are fake, and will hereby justify your ignorance and negligence and let's just say implausible behaviour towards the company's betterment." He glanced at the file.

Rudra blinked, was Shivaay indirectly berating them. He controlled his smile, he missed his scoldings. "Mr. Rudra, pay attention." Shivaay frowned.

"Fake?" Om breathed. Shivaay nodded, "the transactions that were made in the company's name were, some of those transactions occurred through my account using my name, in my absence." Om's eyes widened.

"We didn't—"

"Oh, trust me I know you didn't—" Shivaay interrupted sharply. "You are too morale for this." He sneered. Om noted the sarcasm in his voice and he held back a wince.

"I'd suggest you will co-operate with the auditors." He spoke.

"We are telling the truth."

"I have no reason to believe the fact." He looked at them, "If you are speaking the truth, then prove the reports otherwise. I mean they have proof against you." he said as he placed the file back.

Om winced, Shivaay had recited the same words that they had spoken against him years ago.

"Prove it. Or they are worth nothing."

"We will. Just one chance is all we ask." Shivaay turned to look at Rudra.

"You don't have to prove it to me, but to the court." He answered with a shrug. "But you don't believe us either."

Shivaay arched his eyebrow. "It's hilarious that you are asking for second chances when you don't believe in the same. Isn't the situation familiar?" He asked.

Rudra froze. Six years. It has been six years.

"I have nothing to do with what you do or not, unless my name is involved there—"

"—nothing?" Om interrupted.

"Pardon?" Shivaay turned to him.

"Then why did you walk in that raging fire if you had nothing to do with us." He hissed. Shivaay clenched his jaw in anger, he had no answer for that. Because I am not like you! I can't turn back when I know either of you are in trouble.

"These things shall remain in past, you have limited time, I'd suggest you hire a good lawyer if you can find one." He said instead.

He glared at them.

He got up from his chair, grabbing his blazer from his seat. "You are dismissed." He answered.

"We will prove it to you, Shivaay." He rolled his eyes at that.

"Like I said, you don't have anything to prove to me." He said as he walked away, his back facing them. "And I am not obligated to believe in the truth you wish to prove it to me. Legal authorities are already dealing with the matter." He turned around slightly. The ashen faces of his brothers, he clenched his jaw, even now he couldn't see them like this.

"Earn it." He spoke, in spite of himself, once at the door. Their eyes brightened at the prospect of the second chance. But the words Shivaay spoke next made them halt.

"But remember one thing" Shivaay started. He looked over his shoulder. "It. Will. Change. Nothing."

The shine in their eyes dulled in an instant. I too asked for a chance, he thought to himself bitterly.

"Lead them out." They heard him speak outside the door seconds before his assistant came in to guide them out.

I apologise for the delay in the chapter, I was kind of confused with the storyline.