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A N T I C I P A T I O N
R E V E L A T I O N S

"Sir, Mrs. Pinky Singh Oberoi is here, she wants to meet you. Urgently."

Without his knowledge his knuckles curled into fist, he could feel a distant headache coming on. Oberoi family....once the reason for his heartbeats...are the ones trying to cease them now.

Shivaay frowned, his shock disappearing into clouds of confusion. Why is she here? There should be no reason for her to be here. Her son died years ago. He was not her Shivaay. Then why is she here? On who she now wishes to stake her claim as a mother. A mother who turned blind eye to her child's tears and begging.

Pinky Singh Oberoi. His mother, the one who birthed him. And also the one who loved his name more than him. She didn't birth a son.

She birthed a vessel for her ambitions.

She birthed a carrier for her dreams and visions.

Either way, she was still his mother no matter how much he tried to deny it. He pursed his lips contemplating, weighing his options.

Should I meet her? What business she could have here? Apologies? No. That's too... nevermind. He shook his head massaging his temples.

God...just when I thought it was getting simple....

He couldn't shake off the feeling that something was wrong. But what?

Should I take the chance? Can I....?

It's not worth it. It was never worth it. Not in the past, not now. Nor will it be in the future. It will never be worth it. No matter what he does. Fault lies in his hands.

"Sir...?" He was pulled out of his thoughts. He put the phone down and groaned quietly in his hands.

Learn to say no.

They didn't hesitate to say it to you.

No...? No.

And that was it. He made a decision. He picked up the call. His expression was less uncertain than before but certainly more colder.

"Send her away." He said firmly. "She has no business in this office premises." He uttered, his tone borderline condescending.

"Are you sure, sir?" Came out a meek voice from the other side of the intercom.

The silent beep was the only answer the poor receptionist got as she stared at the phone screen in slight surprise.

She turned to look at the elderly woman's hopeful and anxious expression. She was wringing her dupatta in anticipation, hoping that she would be let through.

The receptionist pinched her forehead in frustration, she could never understand this family.

"I am sorry, Mrs. Oberoi. You are to leave the premises at once."

<>

Please. Shivaay. Just this once, mere bachhe. Meri baat sunle.

Pinky Singh Oberoi thought as she stepped into a familiar display of opulence. Everything about the building was so familiar yet so distant.

She could see her Shivaay's reflection in every interior decor. They screamed of him. The sleek modern yet classic design. A wry smile curved up her lips.

He hasn't changed a bit. Or at least his tastes.

Her eyes turned to the ocean blue paint on the walls. Soft and soothing.

"Mom yaar! Phir se itne bright colours ke sheets? Maine mana kiya tha na!"

She could hear the same indignant tiny voice complaining to her when the maids had accidentally placed bright yellow colored bedsheets instead of the pale ocean blues that he preferred.

She could even picture a huffy seven years old Shivaay with his hands on his hips pointing at the sheets with a petulant expression on his face. Those stomps of foot make his displeasure known.

Easier times....no those weren't easier times either....

A thoughtful frown took upon her features, the receptionist was busy making a call.

Has Shivaay ever seen easier times?

No...he hasn't.

His childhood was spent watching his family tearing itself apart.

None of them have.

Surely earlier they were at least cordial. But that wouldn't be said easier.

"Oberois never had it easy."

She could hear her brother-in-law's voice ringing in her head. She could vaguely remember it was another argument of theirs. For whatever reasons she didn't care. But those words had turned into a dull memory.

It was always her fighting for her son. Yes, she had selfish reasons for it. But at least she stood up for her son. Shakti never did.

She looked at the clock. Time was running out.

For once she didn't even trust her husband with her son. He was an absent father. During Shivaay's childhood, it didn't matter to her much. As it simply made it easier to teach Shivaay her ways.

But now she regretted that. Had Shakti been slightly more attached to their son, he wouldn't be contemplating to sacrifice their son as a lamb for slaughter to save him own skin.

Would Shivaay believe her?

Of course he will. He always did. He must.

But there was still a nagging fear at the back of her mind.

What if he didn't?

She shook her head.

Tu bhi na Pinky. Shivaay hamesha teri baat maanta aya hai. Ha, gussa bhale hi ho iss waqt. He will still listen.

She was broken out of her thoughts when the receptionist called her name. And the frown on her lips only deepened when she heard the words.

"I am sorry, Mrs. Oberoi. You are to leave the premises at once."

He didn't listen to her....

Her eyes narrowed as she glared at the receptionist. How....dare....

She shook her head. Calm down, this is not the time for anger. She shouldn't make the matters worse than they already are. But she needs to make Shivaay hear her out. For his own sake!

"It's urgent—" she started.

"I'm sorry, ma'am. But the instructions we received were strict. You are not allowed inside the building pre—"

"Ma'am? Ma'am!?!" The receptionist rushed out of her seat as she saw Pinky ignoring her words and making her way through the guards.

My job is gone.... The receptionist thought, her face was drained of any color. She watched as the guards tried to reason with her to stay behind. But of course, they cannot hold her back, the fact she was a lady.

<>

Shivaay turned back to the files Inspector Shinde had left behind.

He flipped through the pages and searched for the dates. Official sanctions. But he made none. How could he? He couldn't even turn to his side in bed without nurses and Aradhya helping him.

And what was even more puzzling was that his account still had the same money he had left it with, despite all the transactions.

He turned over the documents. Arjun pacing in front of his table, possibly talking to another client or his CA. He didn't care much about that.

"Arjun, yaar. What the hell are you doing?" Shivaay asked with a petulant expression on his face.

Arjun turned to look at him incredulously.

"Kyaa hua? Kyaa huaa!?! Tu mere se puchh Raha hai kya hua?!"

Shivaay winced at the shrill tone. Was that necessary? He thought as he massaged his ears with an annoyed expression.

Just because he is struggling with his voice doesn't mean people can shriek at him without any consequences. I can...I can...wait...what will I do? He cannot just fire him for shrieking. That'd be absurd. And Shivaay Singh Oberoi didn't do absurdity.

He opened his mouth to say something but apparently Arjun wasn't done.

"Kaisa banda hai yaar ye!? Iske paise koi aur use kar raha hai aur isko chinta bhi nhi?"

Arjun asked his expression etched with disbelief and slight annoyance as he grumbled back in the call.

Shivaay just rolled his eyes and turned away with a slight huff.

Arjun's eyebrows twitched in irritation as he scowled at his boss cum best friend. Is he for real?

"That was the fourteenth I had made this hour. And I have dozens more to make!" Arjun started as he hung up yet another call, fully turning to face his boss. "Can you show the slightest bit of seriousness that you actually care about your account being tampered with?"

Shivaay shrugged. "Bold of you assumed that I cared in the first place." He said as he stood up from his chair and walked over and leaned back against his table. "Besides....sab moh maaya hai..." He continued with a smirk. His words eerily matched his wife's, which only fuelled Arjun's irritation.

Shivaay smirked as he saw Arjun's scowl deepen, this is fun, he thought. Oh how he loved that expression on his friend's face.

"Bhai? Tere paas paise nahi honge to hamari salary kaise dega?! Look at the bigger picture." Arjun said exasperated. He needed a damn drink after the day was over.

"And the bigger picture is your salary?" Shivaay asked stifling his laugh.

"Be serious." Arjun chided. He was starting to feel like an exasperated father.

"Are you saying that you had me doing all this hard work for nothing!?" Arjun huffed. He stared at Shivaay's smirk with mild annoyance and exasperation. The nerve of this man— behaving like he owned the place. Well, technically he did own it. But that's besides the point. The point is that he had been working like a bull for nothing.

Despite his best efforts Arjun's lips curved up and a strangled laugh escaped him.

Shivaay chuckled along and Arjun joined in. Soon the dull cabin, was now filled with the warmth of laughter and familiarity.

Arjun smiled slightly seeing Shivaay laughing. Well, at least he is laughing....I guess that's worth it. He thought as he pocketed his phone.

But of course, the happiness doesn't last well in his life. As if on cue the cabin door was sprung open, garnering the attention of the occupants inside.

The laughter suddenly died down when the cabin door burst open and Pinky Singh Oberoi barged in with guards hot on her heels.

"Shivaay!"

And the smile from Shivaay's face vanished into a mixture of hurt and cold indifference.

;;

Whoops....
My apologies 😭