"Loved yet unloved, that's my story..."

Omisha Oberoi was a star. A superstar. She had over 30 million insta followers, a worldwide fan base. Her each and every concert has been houseful. Tickets sold in just 24 hours. Can you even guess how much she is adored? She is loved yet she is feeling utterly alone right now.

Alone and unloved.

As she drove along the familiar pathway of her father's farmhouse. The soft trail with a sheet of palm trees on both sides. Leading to a beautiful house beside the sea. Parking her car in the garage. She hastily wiped away any traces of tears from her eyes. She is brave and strong. She is a warrior and her father's daughter. She reminded herself again for the thousandth time that day.

Picking up her luggage. She walked towards the main door. Her heart slowly and steadily accelerating its beats in expectation, anticipation, and wonder.

Oh! How she imagined her mother's frowning face breaking in a gleeful grin watching her. A breathtaking beautiful smile as she engulfed her in a warm hug. A hug feeling like sunlight. The soft light of the sun filling her with warmth and love. Her mother's hugs are what she is seeking the most now.

She reminisces her past self trying to free herself from the embrace as soon as possible and then asking about her father in a disinterested tone. Still, her beaming mother will shake her head in exasperation and tell her in a complaining tone "In his gallery. Where else can he be? Sometimes I feel like that the gallery is his second wife, "

And she will just roll her eyes. Her father true to her mother's words always was found in his gallery, with his hands either drenched in clay or paint. His eyes sparkling with happiness watching her and a smile so like her mother's always sprouted on his face. He was always genuinely happy when she visited.

Looking back at all those years. She can confirmly say her parents were the only ones genuinely displaying their happiness whenever she visited. Her father never hid any emotion from her. Her mother didn't use her for her personal gain.

And she was a total fool in the past.

Sighing, she rang the doorbell. Once twice before noticing the lock on the door.

Where did her parents go? Why wasn't she informed? She thought instantly as a voice inside her mocked her "did you ever tell them anything? Why should they then? They have a life. A life which you know nothing about"

She dismissed the harsh words of her own conscience. Concentrating on finding the extra key that should be in her handbag somewhere. Her mom had given her the extra key and from then the extra key was always in her handbag. After, a slight shuffling. She found the key and entered the house.

She didn't know why she kept the key with her always? Maybe she was always subconsciously aware the danger that place possessed to her.

Sighing, she entered the empty home. Imagining her mother's warm smile and habit of keeping the conversation flowing while eating. Her mother hates eating in complete silence. She always says "family dinners are supposed to be fun. And not feel like strangers eating together."

Now it feels like she really had family dinners only with her parents.

Sighing, she went to her room and dropped the luggage there. She is going to live here from now. Well, if her parents decided to keep her then she will stay here. She won't go back to that blasted place. She won't go back to the place where everything is valued by money and purchased.

Determined, she walked to her father's gallery. He never got angry with her. No matter how bad her mistakes were, he always forgave her even when she broke his sculpture by mistake. He had calmly explained her mistakes to her and asked her to never repeat them. Punishment meant not being allowed to watch her fav show or getting banned from doing something she loved. So, she could learn her fault. Dadu slapped her when she by mistake spilled water on his file. Dadi locked her in her room for a day when she dropped the cake on her fav saree. They never explained what she did wrong?

Yet, she chose them. She was so foolish, wasn't she?

A stupid foolish girl.

But she was a child. A child desiring friends. A child who got her first friends when Dadi accompanied her to her school. She became popular when Dadu dropped her in school. Teachers treated her in a special way. They didn't scold her when she forgot to do homework.

They all treated her like a princess. She was allowed to play the lead characters. She was happy. It all felt so special back then and so wrong now. She didn't have a normal childhood. She doesn't have even a single real friend. A fact she is realizing now. A fact that was always in front of her. A fact she was too blind to see, too stupid.

Sighing, she opened her father's box of paints and made the wall her canvas. Pouring her soul on the white blank wall. For music no longer gives her solace. Music doesn't feel just hers, anymore. Her music reminds her of- how she is used?

Used to earn more money, used to be the face of their brands, and ensure more profit. She is just an investment for them. An investment they can use any way they want.

Angry, sad, dejected, and in despair, she threw paints on the canvas letting it take any shape and form it wanted. She worked non-stop, unaware of the time and the growling of her own stomach.

It wasn't until the room suddenly became all dark that she realized the sun had finally said goodbye.

Sighing, she switched on the lights. Looked at her art. It was a being with what seemed like the universe in place of its head. If her father was here, he'll surely make something out of this painting.

Something she couldn't see and explain it to her in his poetic words. She isn't really a poet...but sometimes pain really escapes her mouth through pain simple words.

Noticing the clock ticking around 8 O'clock in the night. She dialed her father's number, worried.

After several rings, her father picked up the call. And she couldn't help but ask him all worried "where are you papa??"

She didn't care about anything else at the moment.

"Omisha!! Everything alright beta??" And it was so like her father to ask about how she was fairing? Whenever she called?

Was she so bad at being a good daughter?

She didn't care as tears spilled out of her eyes violently, hurting every single pore of her being and she shook her head in negative. No, she wasn't fine.

Not at all.

But her father couldn't see her action through phone. And she didn't know how to verbally tell him about everything she is suffering from??

"Mishu! What happened baccha?? Are you alright??" She heard him ask again and she couldn't help but sob on the call.

"Papa *sob* save *sob* her, " she didn't know what happened to her. Why was she crying like this? Why his love-filled tone made her sob like this?

She couldn't help it. The pain was just too much.

"Mishu!! What happened baccha? Why are you crying? Mishu!!" She could feel his worry rising. He seemed panicking.

So, she tried her best to control herself. She needed to do this. She needed to save, Ri. She won't let them have their way with her Ri. She is the eldest. She needs to protect them. Shivu protected Shivika and now, it's her turn If, she has to take enmity with the whole family to do so, she will.

"Papa, they are forcing Ri in marriage. She doesn't want to get married. They have locked her in her room. They're marrying her to Agastya Raina. He doesn't have even a little good reputation papa. He is a friend of Viaan Kundra and Swadhin Raizada. They're marrying her to him only because he is very famous and rich and his father is the current head of the income tax department. She doesn't want to get married. Do something papa?" She wanted to scream they are using Ri as their pawn. She didn't know what unrest they had created in the income tax sheet to do this?

But she just can't stand and allow this. She can't even help Ri in running away from that damn house. For they, can't just escape. And Ri is marrying a guy, she hadn't even once met. And she hadn't heard even a single good thing about this Agastya. Well, even in the Bollywood talk show "Live with K and K", he had talked very disrespectfully and haughtily with the anchors.

He is known to be notorious. How can she just let this be?? She isn't absolutely allowing this?

"Where is Shivaaye??" She heard her father ask her there was some shuffling sound from the background too. Where is her father exactly??

"Bade papa and badi ma had gone to the farmhouse. Ansh bhaiya's death day is around..." She let the rest of the statement hanging. Well, she didn't inform her bade papa or badi ma about all this. She doesn't trust them anymore. She doesn't actually trust anyone but her parents.

"Does they know??" Her dad again asked her very seriously

"No, I don't know...they weren't here when bade and chote dada-dadi fixed the whole thing. Even Agastya wasn't here as he is out on some tour or something" she couldn't help but complain hating both Agastya and her grandparents.

"Oh! Can I talk to Ri??" Her father asked in a calm voice. But she knew, he was really-really angry now. She always knows when he is angry. Her father has the cold as arctic anger which falls like an avalanche. She had witnessed it for the first time when he left the OM.

"Umm...I'm at your place papa, " she mumbled softly. Not sure how her father, anticipate this move.

"Mishu! What else happened? Are you alright??" She didn't know–how he knew her so well?

But she couldn't tell him her worries now. She couldn't tell her how she had finally known why she had suddenly gotten friends when Jhanvi visited the school with her?

It didn't have anything to do with her nature. Jhanvi was bribing them to be her friend. She was bribing them to keep her away from others. She was bribing them so, she couldn't make any friends on her own. She bribed her boyfriend to be her boyfriend and now, she bribed him to break up with her.

Why??

Because Jhanvi thinks Ornov will make a better husband and boyfriend for her. Because Jhanvi believes she needs Ornov in her life. No one in this whole run had ever cared about her feelings. Her emotions.

She is just a doll. The 2.0 version of Priyanka for Jhanvi with whom she is playing as she wished till now. But not after this, she won't allow her to play with her life anymore.

She won't date or marry anyone of her choice ever again. She'll do what she likes or what her parents what her to do. But she won't tell her parents about all this, now

After all, her father must be really angry and worried about the whole Ritisha matter. After their Rudra Chachu had suddenly disappeared and Bhavya Chachi had spent a few years after that searching for him. Before she disappeared too.

Ri had been an orphan since she was just 2 years old. She had been practically raised by ma, badi ma, and dadi's. And now, her marriage is suddenly fixed by dada Ji and dadi without notifying any of them. And that too with this nortorious, narcissist of a guy.  She doesn't want to make him worry more. So she just says: "yeah...yeah, I'm fine dad. Just tired with everything. Ri was really gloomy"

"Omisha... do you think Ri can somehow arrange a meeting with Agastya?" She was surprised by this sudden question. Why does her dad want Ri to meet Agastya?

And she was sure he was going to ask her something else first. He used her full name. He only uses her full name when he wants her to speak truthfully. But why did he suddenly change the question? And what is all that loud noise behind him? It's like someone is discussing something and that too very loudly.

"Trust me beta..." Her dad was supposed to say something when the phone was taken by someone else.

"Omisha! Agastya can help Ritisha out of this. From what I know, he isn't that interested in getting married before his brothers" the new female voice told her, the voice felt a little known but she couldn't place it.

"But he doesn't have any brothers, " she protested. Agastya was an only child.

"Trust me on this. He does and think if Ritisha complies with their wishes. They won't be very harsh on her. Agastya is a good guy. He won't hurt your sister. He will help her and let Ritisha decide after meeting him whether she wants to go with this alliance or not. He can be her only key out of that place. You know, right" the girl whoever this girl is told her. Yes, she knows that but he is her grandparent's choice. He can't be good. She is sure of that fact plus there is his reputation too.

"How are you so sure about him and who are you?" She asked this unknown girl a little angry. Why was she taking that Agastya's side? What if her sister gets in more trouble because of him?

"Well, I'm your father's disciple and Agastya's sister is my very dear friend. I know him well." The girl answered her calmly.

She wasn't still reassured though but thought to go with it. There seemed to be no other option, anyway. And from when did her father have a disciple? She thought he didn't teach art.

"What's your name?"She asked her sighing in defeat. At least, she should know the name of the person to blame if Agastya turned a complete jerk like she believes he is.

" Aaina...Aaina Randhwa, here talk to Mr. Oberoi, " there was a little shuffling and the phone was back to her father. She didn't know why but the name sounded vaguely familiar to her. Where did she have heard it before? 

"Omisha!" Her father's call brought her out of her musings.

"Papa, can she be trusted?"

"I trust her with my life, " she didn't know why but this statement stabbed her somewhere. Her father didn't trust her with his life. She is sure of it.

"Oh! Where are you btw?" She asked him again?

"Rishikesh, "

"Oh! I disturbed your trip right, "

"No, you can't ever disturb me, beta"

"Umm, when are you coming back??"

"Day after tomorrow"

"Oh, okay dad. I'll call you later. Ri is calling, "

"Okay, love you beta. Take care"

"Love you too, dad" she mumbled while disconnecting the call.

And looked at Ritisha flashing on her screen. She sighed picking up the call. Now, all she needs is to make Ritisha agree to meet Agastya. A piece of cake, sure, she thought grumpily.

~to be continued~