#Fun Facts- India holds the record of not invading any other country in the last 10,000 years of its history.

Cooking skills were meant to be a survival instinct though, it had many benefits following it. Cleanliness, teamwork, kitchen management, creativity, adaptivity, decision making and the list goes on. As the chart of benefits goes on it seemingly explained every bit of Shivaay's characterization. Comparing these points Annika was nowhere close to this. Though Annika was easily adaptive, creative, her decision making was on point however she never found it familiar or a combination of enjoyment and satisfaction in cooking. She found her satisfaction in amounts. The fresh aroma of a base of cotton, ink and soap fantasise her, her finger fluttered to figure the fresh notes of currency.

Business exists as her dream.

And she was sure that she would be one of the most important business magnets like Ratan Tata, Kiran Mazumdar Shaw, Sunil Mittal, Narayana Murthy and not forget her now late grandfather-in-law whom she had idolized, tried to parody one day. She was not meant for this. She was only meant to lead as a leader with an accurate path toward success.

•••••

"Where is the dumbest Khanna? I swear this is the second time he was keeping an eye on me, I won't leave him." Shivaay gritted his teeth looking around in search of his favourite person to beat up.

"Uhm- he took a few days off and went on a vacay to Goa. You know 'heartbreak' again." Tej connive his shoulders and grabbed his bowl of ice cream from the dining table.

"Again? So this isn't the first time." Annika thought out aloud chewing the paranthas, which she disliked at an instant.

[Trans- a flat thick piece of Indian bread, usually made with wheat flour but without yeast. It is often stuffed with vegetables like boiled potatoes, radish or cauliflower, etc. and is fried on a griddle.]

"I will tell you, sista." Rudra stood up excitingly rubbing his butter diluted fingers on the workout vest. "Khanna bhaiya supposedly proposed to his love interest yesterday night for the third time and as usual he got rejected." Rudra trailed off with a relaxing sigh.

"Three times? Bappa? Why so? Poor soul." Interest building up inside her Annika pushed her plate away and leaned over the table wanting to hear more of this.

"The only condition from her was him to accept that he is idiotic and bizarre at times. And Khanna bhaiya is too egotistical and proud of himself so the condition was never accepted." Rudra giggled recalling the debate between his family and Khanna over the topic.

"That is good for him, if Khanna had accepted her condition in future years she would have suffered a lot." Shivaay sorrowfully yet sarcastically comment with tsk-tsk. "It was bad to watch us kissing. It is so embarrassing." Shivaay bobbed his head at his phrases and went ahead by wiping his hands on the hand towel.

"Wasn't it embarrassing while kissing leaning against the kitchen counter? That too in front of your family? My God." Shivaay was ridiculed by Tej with his huge fake plastered smile on his lips.

"Baade papa I- we didn't know that visitors were appearing at that time." Shivaay placed half of the towel on his face trying to cover his flustered face.

"Sarur Ji it's common. Chill. See in later years you might have to see many things. More than kissing." Annika rolled her tongue over her lower lips while Shivaay was completely annoyed, flustered and endeavoured to stop her.

As Annika winked Tej groaned at her bluntly answer and glared at her parents. According to Tej Annika's sharp and bluntly attitude was because of Harsh and Arundhati.

"By the way who is the lucky girl?" Harsh piped into the conversation.

"Eliana Aves. She is our female head of security." Jhanvi laughed recollecting the glimpse of Khanna and Eliana bickering over cricket matches.

"And the interesting thing to see is that both of them can't stand each other for good minutes however as destiny played a key role they fell in love," Kalyani added with a glint of happiness talking of her to-go preferred topic Pyaar, Ishq, love like younger generation called.

[Note- synonymous of love in Hindi.]

"True Kalyani. Destiny plays a crucial part. We never had guessed that my granddaughter would one day marry your grandson. I never thought our conversations might one day turn like this." Vaidehi put in her words showcasing her gratitude to destiny for these unexpected moves.

"Hmm. Prithvi Ji would have performed bhangra with all the revelations." Others just stared at the duo of old women invested in their talks.

[Trans- a local and folk dance of Punjab.]

"Aai will you get my admission to my dream college for my master's? As promised?" Annika diverted her sight to her mother who was again bickering with her father. With Annika's loud and clear tone everyone turned their attention to her.

"What promise?" Om asked. Being mum from the start of the dinner bored him and this topic was interesting for him. To know more about him.

"Nothing Dear. It is just the usual agreement." Arundhati shrugged off her shoulders not wanting to reveal the layers of secrecy.

"No there is more in this. Aai had promised me to send abroad for my studies if I get married. Now I'm married she has to finish off her commitment." Annika continued as her mother glared at her, making an invisible hole in her.

"You agreed to get married only for this promise. This is fucking bullshit." Angered by her previous acts Shivaay throw the spoon of the dessert he was having, banging the table.

"Yes. I wanted to study and nothing matters more than that."

"Don't try to use your foolish brain on this." Shivaay retorted back and stood up aggressively.

"Okay stop it both of you. Sonu, yes I will. I will make the necessary arrangements for you both. Are you all okay with them staying away for a few years?" Arundhati intervened in the glaring session of both husband and wife where both weren't ready to drop.

"It's worth it. I can see my successor in her." Tej mumbled softly not wanting others to hear especially Annika, and but that she would sit on his head.

"Definitely. Puttar we are okay."

"My baby should study well," Pinky put in being overexcited.

"Yes Pinky Ji, Sonu should."

"Okay, then I will sponsor your tickets. But in near future, you have to return with interest." Arundhati laughed and winked as she looked at her daughter's horrific face.

"You are the best Aai." Annika cuddled her mother in a bone-crushing hug being super delighted.

"You do guys ask me if I wanted to join?" All twirled their heads hearing Shivaay's lethal tone. "And you Annika who in their right mind agrees to this commitment? Are you out of your mind? Okay, I understand you wanted to study but did you think of this from another perspective? No, I bet"

"You don't want me to study?" Annika growled with her involuntary tearing eyes.

"Of course, I do. I will be a supportive partner. Nevertheless, your spontaneous decisions aren't good."

"Shivaay stop it. You are making a hill out of a mole. This isn't a valid reason to bust out." Tej stood up yearning to calm his lad.

"It's not baade papa. Imagine if someone else had married her it would have been a different story. Who knows what he did? What he wanted."

"It's okay Shiv Sonu is still young. You need to guide her. It's your responsibility." His father Shakthi spoke advising him.

"That's what I'm speaking of. She and her dreams are my responsibility, it is mine. With her acting like all five-year-old kids it seems impossible, now."

"You call me a kid?" Annika widened her eyes enough to scare him off however with his composed structure it wasn't significant.

"Yes. No, you aren't a kid in fact you are a toddler."

"Yeah, toddler. The same toddler you were kissing. Don't forget that I'm your wife, Shivi."

"You-"

"Stop it both of you. You both are adults and very well know how to solve this problem, I hope." Kalyani intervened.

"In the room right now," Shivaay authorized and in no seconds scampered back to the stairs.

"But I don't know the route." She pouted.

"You very well do. In the next two minutes, I want you inside."

•••••

What do you think about Shivaay's sudden outburst? Was it justified?