#Fun Fact - Mosquitoes are the deadliest animal in the world: They kill more people than any other creature, due to the diseases they carry.

Mr Sheikh counterfeited a smile as he recognized his long-time best friend turned enemy, Vikram Rana. He glanced at the surrounding in hopes of slipping away from his awful taunts and deadly insulting smirks, however, he couldn't.

"I see-" Vikram Rana hummed. "What is your only daughter doing for a living? Heard that she is pregnant? Is it true?" Sameer's smile dropped down gearing up for more of his words. He didn't have anything to taunt when his daughter was at fault. He was waiting for the moment when he could directly offend Vikram, that was possible only after he talk to the Oberoi's.

"I'm so sorry for your state, this awful. I apologise on my husband's behalf." Ketaki Rana, Vikram's wife piped into the conversation and bowed to him with a sympathetic expression that he hated.

Right now all he wanted was to do is strangle his daughter for jabbing him into such a position, his dome had lowered. He shall wait for a due time and strike his skills against all odds.

Waving awkwardly at the couple he dismissed himself in search of his wife and daughter.

The Oberoi had hosted a dinner in their words small gatherings meant having all of the famous and reputed businessmen, influential people and their families. In short, appropriately hundreds of people had gathered in the open area of the Oberoi mansion even after the sudden summon. People laughed clattering their glasses of beverages and talking about the abrupt invitation. Many believed this had something linked to the rumours of Shivaay being married that were surfacing on the internet. Nevertheless, of that, they all enjoyed themselves until the announcement was made.

He walked past the men and ladies involved in their conversations to look for his family. He halted his steps when he caught a familiar face standing at a distance. Striding long steps he reached the spot and found many more faces similar.

"Namaste Arundhati Ji." He smiled shaking hands with her and her estranged ex-husband, claimed to be.

"Aai where is he? He is avoiding me. I swear I will kill your damad one day with my bare hands." He swirled only to glimpse at Annika, his daughter's friend, who had visited them days back.

[Trans- son-in-law.]

Giving an apologetic expression Arundhati grabbed Annika's shoulders and shook her as she answered. "I tell you, you and your husband are idiots just like your father." Harsh coughed up showing up his presence. "Go solve problems yourself. Don't involve me. I know you guys fight one instant and another instant cling to each other. I can't imagine my eyes be spoiled." She muttered as she wriggled Annika to move.

Annik let out a defeating sound and turned toward her father. "Baba? Help." Who in returned glance his ex-wife and again avoided the murderous glares from.

"Come let's go kill my daughter's husband." Harsh pressed his neck to the shoulders cracking a few bones and stretched. Preparing himself for some hand fight, like that of his college time.

"Baba he is my husband and your son-in-law. So doses must be less." Annika protested stomping her foot. "Can't afford him in bad shape. Only a few punches would do."

That was a bratty and spoiled daughter. Sameer thought.

Sameer sighed staring at her.

He never thought her to be some prominent person's daughter. Not at least a politically involved. He glanced at her from top to bottom with his scrutiny, she wore a white thigh slit dress with a sweetheart neckline. Not that he cares. But still intruded with the theme, her choice of selection. White was the theme colour of the intimate family of Oberoi. He did wonder if Annika belonged to them. Somehow.

"That man. He hurt my kid." Harsh growled under his breath as he got hold of his daughter's wrist and dragged her to his supposed son-in-law, hell he cares that.

All he could see was red.

Sameer stood mazed with the turns. Somehow things didn't show up clearly. It was a mess. And he was stuck overall. All he looked after was his daughter and her unborn, at least as of now.

••

Rudra adjusted his bow tie around his neck. Many girls flashed their lustrous smiles looking at his handsome and well-built structure. As an acknowledgement, he knocked a few of his infamous smirks and winks in their direction. Her mother, Jhanvi would have smacked his head beholding his all unwanted actions if she ever watched him do so.

He was quite happy with his body. Flexing and stretching his biceps he travelled past my many business associates to reach up to his family.

"Hello, Shivaay! Remember." He heard his sister-in-law speak well in imitation of the past. Seems like she had not disregarded the ice cream parlour occurrence. "My foot! I guess I'm only shouting around the world saying 'married and taken'. Can't you exclaim that?"

He bucked up and strolled to the couple who stood squabbling with each other.

It was nice to rile them up.

"I told her!" Shivaay exhorted back. He donned a white formal suit beneath a shirt and matching pants.

It wasn't competitive as Rudra's.

He smirked at the thought and glanced at his clothing. He put in an oversized white with silvery glitter jumpsuit matched with a contrasting black row. He stood like a hippo nevertheless showing his near chocolate abs.

Yet another Ranveer Singh with spooky clothing.

"Shall I tattoo it on my forehead?" Shivaay snarled. While Annika seemed to contemplate the idea incredibly agreeably good and passed him a toothy grin.

"You should try doing it," Rudra augmented forgetting the consequences of his edict. Also, his previous deed happened to inflame their quarrel more. He was the reason.

"You shut up! Zip it." Shivaay edged his fingers at him and bellowed.

"Why would he?" Annika asked raising her fingers similar to his. "He only did well for his Vahini. Don't shout at my devar! Got it?" She held up her tone, bringing attention to many guests.

[Trans- in-law, elder brother's wife. In Marathi.]

"Who Vahini?" Rudra asked omitting his brother's stare.

"Me! Your sister-in-law!" She cried out indicating herself. Understanding it Rudra nodded and spoke nothing.

"It was all your fault, Rudy. You shouldn't have sent those pictures to her." Shivaay added before talking out of the conversation to fill up another reload of wine.

Rudra didn't mind too. Minutes later his sister-in-law would have been cornered by his brother in the secluded place and moaning his name or scratching his nape.

The rest was history.

They just needed an excuse to make out. They fought only to make up later. Sometimes Rudra wondered why wasn't his brother and sister-in-law taking the relationship to the next level. Truth to be said he did expect some good news over time. However, nothing of that sort happened. Goodness, he wasn't ready too, to be a chachu. Not before his late twenties or kids would call him an uncle. That would be an insult to his well-built body and hours of maintaining it.

••

Shivaay snorted glimpsing yet again a familiar face. Similar to the previous time he found the silhouette to be chatting while swaying her body. He recognised her. It was the same person who was the reason for his wedding. Annika came into his life because of her.

It was Mrs Ahuja.

Sonali Ahuja.

Squeezing his eyes tight he turned his heels finding out some escape route nevertheless, despite his efforts she caught him.

He sensed a light tap on his shoulders and turned later a second.

"Hello, aunty!" He awkwardly waved his hand in the air with his other hand holding a glass of wine.

"Ohh Arundhati's son-in-law." She exclaimed with a dramatic change in her demeanour. Her blood-red lips tainted with lipstick parted as she recognised him. "How are you doing? Annika?" She asked pushing her hair back.

"Yes. We are going. All thanks to you." Shivaay leaned his upper torso in gratitude and began. "If you weren't there back then, we wouldn't have the willpower to take such decisions. Thank you."

"That's incredibly nice." She laughed genuinely interested in their happiness. "So why are you here? Yet another event to manage?" He raised her brows questioning him.

Before he could answer her concerns both heard a high pitched tone like that of thunderstorms and seconds later Shivaay stumbled with sudden weight on his body.

It was Mrs Ahuja's daughter Natasha Ahuja.

"Why does everyone in the world find me to hug. Shit. Shit." Shivaay muttered as he caught his wife starting at their close figures.

"Oh, God! Can't believe I met Shivaay Oberoi." She giggled glancing at her mother who stood dumbfounded and started comprehending the actions. "Finally I met him, Mumma. Fucking finally."

Uncomfortable with the proximity Shivaay pushed her back and stepped back making a good distance to safeguard, what belonged to his wife.

"Shivi." Annika walked into the gathered form.

"So close ones call you Shivi?" Natasha glanced up to have a look at the man she loved, whom she held passion for. "Shivi baby-" she tried rolling his name off her tongue with a tint of shyness.

"You call him Shivi baby once again. I swear to Bappa main tumhen maar daaloongi. Mere nange haathon se." Shivaay gulped as his wife dangerously whisper and yelled at the girl who was trying to flirt with him.

[Trans - I will kill you. With my bare hands.]

"Why would I listen to you?" Natasha twisted her lips.

"He is mine!" She snapped. "Why didn't you shove her off." She asked forgetting the other presence watching them keenly.

"I did." He urged.

"No, you didn't. This is the second time. If a saleswoman had flirted with you I would have pushed you to ask for a discount. But this is ridiculous."

"You tell me that you love me. 'I love you' then I will push them back." Shivaay again forgetting the surroundings couched to her height and whispered in her ears.

"No. I won't. I had asked you first for a date. Wasn't it men to propose or initial but you turned out the scary cat?"

"Watch that!" He snorted.

"Scaredy cat."

"Don't fucking say that again." He whispered dangerously.

"What will you do? You scaredy-cat. You didn't even have the guts to ask me out. Learn from me."

"I can do a lot more than expected."

"Like?"

"I will show you."

The next second she stepped back as her husband inched closer with his jaw clenched. She pressed her thighs yet moved back however just in time he caught her waist and dug his fingers over the silky cloth. By the next blink of their eyes, he smashed his lips over hers, his other hand gripped her nape and tilting at t certain angle. It was surprising acting from his side but not letting the moment run out, Annika responded to him. The kiss was dangerously hot with extreme passion. Their lips moulded and moved to sync with each other.

Yet another make-out session. A wild one. That too in front of many strangers. Rudra shook his head as he overlooked them in the position.

***
^^mood board in the media box.
(Girlwithhotlips)thank you for the mood boards, Nishi. 💋

How was the chapter? Can't wait for more!!