"Can you please explain why Om called me out of the blue and asked me to stop setting him up with my friends Shivaay?" Shivaay gulped and told her what happened downstairs. Even though they were on phone, he was able to imagine her pierced stare and gritted teeth.

"Look Honey, in my defense it's all your fault!" Shivaay heard Annika gasp, before she could ask, he explained. "Well, whenever we are together, you talk about your Gauri and Om, or Bhavya and Rudy. It's not my fault that I almost let it all slip out. Maybe you should talk about other things..." He heard Annika giggle,

"Are you complaining about something else or is it just for defense Billu Ji?"

Shivaay grinned sheepishly and he sat down on his bed. He might never admit out loud, but he was glad she was calling him 'Billu Ji' again. It just meant everything was alright between them. He did not know why, but that reassurance was needed for him to feel at peace again.

"By the way, I wanted to know if you were alright if I posted one of our engagement pictures on Instagram. I know you don't like social media, if you aren't okay with..." Shivaay interrupted,

"Anni, you don't have to ask permissions! Why did you think I would say no to you?" Annika smiled and said,

"I just didn't want to do something you didn't like! Okay wait, I'll send you the photo I wanted to post!"

Annika opened the picture she was staring at time to time for the past hour, ever since one of her friends sent her. The photo did not reveal the chaos on both their minds that evening, it was ethereal. The angle in which the picture was taken was in a way that the lighting around the two of them created an illusion of smoke. Annika and Shivaay were having an intense eye lock, it seemed clear that they were lost in each other's eyes and couldn't tear their gaze off elsewhere. It was... perfection. Annika realized Shivaay was still on the call, and immediately sent that picture to him. Now it was time for Annika to sit in silence because she was sure her Billu Ji was dazed by the photo too.

"Annika... you should not post this one." She heard Shivaay say, when she asked why, she did not get a reply for some time. "This photo is too intimate, can you post something else?" Annika sensed why he was hesitant, and she had to agree, this was indeed intimate. After all, there was a kind of turmoil going on back then in both their minds.

"Alright... Check this one out!" She sent him another picture that was taken when they were talking to Mallika and Siddharth. Annika had a smile on her face while Shivaay was looking at her while he held her by her waist. It was definitely one of those cute pictures everyone on social media would caption 'find a guy who looks at you like _____'. For once, Annika couldn't agree more.

"I guess this is okay!"

Annika rolled her eyes, "What is the problem NOW?" Shivaay's reply made her heart skip a beat,

"I just don't want to share the moments I spend with you with anyone else!"

Is he for real? Did that man even realize the effect of his words on her? Only Shivaay was capable of saying things like that and completely stutter whenever she asked him any serious question. He casually spoke about his meeting at his office while she kept going back to the moment he said those words. After a whole hour, she reluctantly cut the call. She took a last look on the picture and wrote the first thing that came to her mind as caption. With a smile, she went to sleep.

It was finally the most awaited day for Omkara, the same day Rudra had dreaded. It was Friday and every Oberoi waited for the main man to arrive at the living room so they could leave to the Advani Mahel. The wedding was nearing and they had so much to arrange and so much to discuss. But of course, there was no sign of Shivaay Singh Oberoi, who nowadays was always on phone with his lady. He was now busy texting Annika who was now venting out to him.

Annika- Shivaay, I am good at my job! How could that man even say that! If only he weren't my client! Why are men such pigs!

Shivaay- I know honey. You are not good, but amazing at what you do! Chuck that man, I am proud of you :*

Annika was having a bad morning when her client 'mansplained' to her about a deal through an e-mail. Ever since she had received that, she was ready to throttle him. Shivaay's usual 'Good morning' text resulted in her ranting out to him. She was surprised when Shivaay was more irked than her, and her mood was instantly lifted when he told her he was proud of her.

Omkara saw Rudra and Shivaay engrossed in a conversation about sports cars while they were driving to Advani Mahel, he pulled out his phone. Gauri's display picture was taken on Shivaay and Annika's engagement. Shivaay and Annika stood in the middle, while Rudra, Bhavya and Mallika were on Shivaay's side while Siddharth, Gauri and Om were on Annika's side. He zoomed in, well Gauri and Om made a perfect pair! If only... But Om was elated that she chose a pic where he was next to her, though he knew it meant nothing(?).

Rudra rubbed his sweaty palms, he gulped hard one last time. He hoped she wouldn't be disappointed by him. He made sure everything he remembered she had asked for was ready, and stepped into the Advani garden. There were two huge dining tables set in the garden. Both the tables were full of food that Rudra groaned, it wasn't his cheat day. So he had to control himself. His eyes fell on Bhavya who was wearing a black halter neck top and a gingham knee length skirt. He wondered why her look seemed incomplete. She frowned while looking down her iPad. Well, that was why, now she seemed like Bhavya, the girl who always frowned. He did not regard anyone else and went directly next to her. The first thing she asked when she saw him was "Did you bring the catalogue I gave you on Monday?" Damn the catalogue! How did she ask for the one thing he forgot? Bhavya shook her head in exasperation, "Good I got another copy of it. I had no hopes on you anyway!" She walked away and honestly? Rudy wished she had slapped him instead. He secretly didn't mind her constantly criticizing him, she would sometimes appreciate if he did something right too. But somehow, he didn't want to be the useless guy in front of her. Bhavya somehow provoked him to be a little like her, perfect. Well, he would prove her he isn't 'hopeless', Rudra decided determined.

Shivaay sat down a little disheartened, because the table he sat was soon filled with men from both the families. He sat next to Rajveer at the head of the table, with Tej opposite to him and Omkara next to him. They were discussing business, and for the first time ever, Shivaay was completely disinterested. His eyes searched for only one person, he hoped she felt better now. His senses alerted suddenly and he knew Annika was there. Before he could move even a little, he heard Rudra sing,

"Ek Ladki Ko Dekha To Aisa Laga

Jaise Khilta Gulab

Jaise Shayar ka Khwab

Jaise Ujali Kiran

Jaise Bun Mein Hiran

Jaise Chandani Raat

Jaise Narmi Ki Baat

Jaise Mandir Mein Ho

Ek Jalta Diya...

Ek Ladki Ko Dekha to Aisa Laga."

He handed Annika a long stemmed rose, flicking his hair like Shivaay usually did. Annika grinned and received. While every single Oberoi there laughed eyeing Shivaay, leaving the Advanis puzzled, he just wished the ground would open up and swallow him. He took out his phone and pretended to go through, well he actually went through his gallery hopelessly, but no one needed to know that. He peeked to see that Annika sat near Dadi, in the farthest corner much to his disappointment.

"By the way, Rajveer, Annika did an amazing move by posting that picture right? I cannot see any article without them, our hit has increased rapidly," Tej said, grabbing Shivaay's attention. He knew their picture would make into the news, so he did not bother to check it out, but Tej indicated something else.

"True Dad, the photo went viral within an hour. People loved the pic, but you gotta accept the caption was amazing!" Omkara said opening Annika's page. Shivaay grabbed Om's phone and read it.

'When the wind doesn't blow,

When we hit our life's low,

When there is a pain you can't show,

Through every sunglow and rainbow,

Just hold me tight and I'll know'

Shivaay felt something when he read it, when he knew it was written for him. He did not know what, but he felt something. His eyes immediately looked for Annika, who was now walking towards their table. Without a second thought, he grabbed her wrist and dragged her away from there. Like always, the Oberois misinterpreted that Shivaay was enraged while there was something else in his mind.

Shivaay dragged a confused Annika to the first secluded corner he found. He looked at her for a moment, with an expression that was very complex that she couldn't grasp. Before she could process the happenings, his hand was immediately at the back of her head. His lips claimed hers, and the kiss was an intense caress. There was a surging tide of emotions that he gave, in which she couldn't help but drown. And suddenly he wasn't there against her soft lips, and her eyes flung open. Her lips twitched, aching in his absence. His gaze into her orbs were really intense that she gasped.

"Your eyes Shivaay... They make good girls go wild." She whispered, panting for the air around her. The sensation was exquisite... She now knew why they went doolally over intense kisses in romance novels, for nothing else stirred one like a perfect kiss did. She knew whatever she uttered had an effect on Shivaay, he neared to kiss her again, when her phone rang. It was that damn client! Shivaay groaned and Annika now decided that the deal with this chauvinist client was over!

Shivaay was already furious with Annika's client. Those men who belittled a strong independent women only to balm their male egos were still existent in this 21st century. If they didn't enrage him enough, someone had actually dared to treat his Annika that way! He was sure he would have smashed that phone, if he hadn't looked at her expression. His lioness would do that instead, with her, he just had to stand back and watch her do her thing. He gestured her he was leaving while she held his hand. She slid her hand into his pant pocket and his eyes widened. She simply pulled out his handkerchief and wiped off her lipstick on his lips, as she continued to burn down that client of hers.

In case you hadn't guessed, I witnessed the whole men dominating the workplace scenario first hand today! Isn't it so unfair that there are still people who don't treat women right professionally just because of their gender?

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