Gauri Singh Oberoi moved through the passages of the Oberoi Mansion not in a particularly merry mood. Walking through the pathways of a place, she decided to not return unless the sky fell down. It wasn't as if any happy or relatively positive emotion greeted her in this Mansion. On the contrary, a heck lot of negative emotions were doing salsa in her mind. And maybe that's the reason; she had escaped the raging study of one Tej Singh Oberoi with angry tears in her eyes and a heated glare towards her husband. For she knew if she stayed even a single second more in that room, she'll do something she'll regret later like tearing apart someone's face or speaking some words that can never be taken back.

So she took a dramatic exist from the close room where people were at each other's throat. Not really but still quite literally. And she was too angry on her husband to care about anything else at the present moment. She had definitely seen him wince when she broke Mrs. Jhanvi Oberoi's favourite vase during her fired up exist. Yes, she felt quite a vindictive pleasure doing that served him right for hiding things from her.

Hiding very important things from her, she thought sourly. She hadn't yet forgiven Om for not informing her about their daughter's shifting back to their place or Ritisha's wedding alliance. She can't help but seethe in anger. She raised that girl after her parent's demise. She raised her as her own daughter and now, her daughter's marriage is being decided without her consult.

Heck, they even allowed Ritisha to accompany that guy on his tour and send Omisha with them too. "For safety and reputation" the causality with which Jhanvi Oberoi uttered these words to reassure them was mockery at its best. Like it could ever reassure her, how was the notion of her daughters travelling with virtual strangers were to help her feel calm? She didn't know what was going in these people's head? How could they just allow her daughters to accompany the guy they have just known for someday on a tour? It was beyond her. Well, understanding the members of this family has always been beyond her.

"Gaurii," the hand closing around her wrist halting her steps and holding her was unmistakably her husband's. But still, she is angry with him. She has just a fleeting contact with her daughter since she returned and that was when she helped her pack. There was something wrong with her. She seemed sad and shriveled even with her everlasting smiles. And the way she embraced her like she wanted to break down, like she wanted to hide from the world, like she wanted to just stay there and forget about everything else. Like she wanted to forget the outer world ever existed. It all made her worry; she wanted to talk to her. She wanted to ask her "What's wrong?" But she couldn't for she didn't have any time in her hand.

With a sad smile her daughter bid her goodbye and now, her whole ire is on her husband and the rest of the family. Couldn't he inform her about anything? She could talk to Misha and help her but no, now her daughter was on a plane to Coimbatore and her husband wasn't at all trying to steer the decision of his parents. He wasn't as angry as he should be, she could clearly see that and she didn't know why? So, right now she was minutes away from losing her whole composure and his ever calm eyes weren't helping the situation.

"Viaan will take care of everything," He whispered conspiratorially in her ears and for a second she was confused, Viaan. Why Viaan? But then everything cleared in her mind. Of course, Viaan the captain of ICT and her soon to be son-in-law and from the looks of it her husband already knew that the girl's were accompanying them on the tour and Viaan was given the responsibility to safeguard them.

But, why? This was the poor lad's first series as the captain. He will be already under pressure then what was the need to load him with more unnecessary responsibility?

"Anger, I'll explain everything later. Need to check on Shivaaye now," Her Husband promised her.

She just blinked in acceptance and he disappeared from her side again in search of Shivaaye without any doubt. She just hoped for his sake that there was a good reason behind all these.

Sighing, she continued walking ahead. Her mind was still full of many questions and doubts and though the guys seemed alright. Even the one with pink hair, she knew better than to judge anyone on the basis of just their appearance. Why? Why Omisha was so sad? Why Ritisha said yes? Why Omkara and Viaan were on board? There were so many whys in her mind and no other option then to wait for the answers.

The ringing of her phone halted her on her steps again. Sighing, she picked up the call without checking the caller idea.

G: 'ello

Gauri answered the call almost dismissively. She wasn't interested in talking to anyone at that moment with so many questions in her mind.

"Hey, Ma... You Okay?"

"Yeah, I'm okay. What about you?"

Gauri asked immediately concerned and very much interested in this conversation.

"We are fine, Ma. In our rooms actually,"

"Oh! That's good. Met anyone else yet?" Gauri asked Misha almost offhandedly

"Naah, all the players hadn't reached here yet. Agastya said everyone will be here by tomorrow and he said he'll introduce us to the others during dinner,"

Misha didn't sound that interested in meeting the others and Gauri couldn't blame her. Her daughter got her father's social skills. So, you can say they were almost non-existent. An introvert, she worried a lot about her daughter's silence and her perception that people could understand silence.

"They're good lads, Mishu. Don't worry, everything will be fine,"

"Really, Ma"

Gauri didn't miss the despair in her daughter's voice nor the humorless chuckle accompanying her words. Did the world really appear that bleak to her daughter now?

"yes, everything will be fine. It always becomes so have I ever told you my story Mishu?"

"No,"

"Well, I think we have to amend that dear. I'll tell you all about that when you return from this tour of yours?"

"Sure, Ma...do you know any dad's assistant called Aaina?"

"Yes Why?"

Gauri couldn't help but ask suddenly very alert. How did Misha know about Aaina?

"Nothing, had a chat with her during your Rishikesh tour,"

"Oh!! Aaina is a sweetheart,"

"Dad said so too, He seems to trust her with his life,"

Gauri didn't miss the way Omisha sounded a lot sadder while uttering this like she was afraid that her father didn't trust her with his life. How'll Gauri convey to this silly girl she is her father's life?

"SHIVIKA" The sudden yell for Shivika stopped her from reassuring Omisha, startled, she rushed towards the commotion. She gasped watching Anika steer a bandaged Shivika to her bed and making her lie down comfortably.

"Mum, what happened? Is Shivi alright?"

The panicked calls from Misha reminded Gauri that she has a worried sister on phone and God, how did Aaina and all those boys handled multiple calls at the same time?

"Yeah, yeah...She seemed just a little peachy, maybe overworked herself again" Gauri answered as vaguely as possible.

"OH!! Ask her to not overwork. Tell her, I'll handle everything once I'm back. Harvik is calling for dinner, Ma. I'll talk to you later"

"Sure. Take care, love"

Gauri disconnected the call smiling. Never let it be said that Omisha Oberoi didn't care for her sisters. Omisha could always do anything for her loved ones and she didn't know whether to be proud or worried about her this habit.

Looking at her phone with an expression of longing, she walked towards Shivika's room and watched as Anika fretted over Shivika. She was worried about the girl. No doubt, she had seen the girl grow and play around her. She loved that child and she is sure the girl will be fine with Anika caring for her. But she just couldn't make herself enter the room and help Anika. She just couldn't for the scene in front of her was making her strongly reminisce about Shivanya.

A weak whimpering, trembling, shivering and crying Shivanya, a Shivanya she cared for and nursed back at their place. Looking at Anika fretting over Shivika, just reminded of her weak, gravely ill Shivanya calling for her mother while her mother was never there for her.

Shivanya had been always extra clingy during and after being ill. She wanted hugs and human presence around her. She got cranky when there wasn't anyone near her. She didn't want her or Om to leave her even to get her favourite food. Gauri knew all this by her heart. For she cared and nursed an injured or ill Shivanya as much as she did Omisha and Omav, if not more, so watching Anika fret over Shivika.

She couldn't help but think about a young Shivanya calling for her mom when she had a scrapped knee with teary eyes and the Aaina she met a few days ago, who didn't even hiss when her hand by mistake got a deep gash while collecting the pieces of a glass that slipped from Panchi's hand.

Aaina who didn't care about the deep gash or bleeding palm and even asked Viaan to let it be, for it was nothing but a small cut and Viaan who didn't listen a single word of her "It's fine" rant. A part of her heart was greatly touched by Viaan's concern and love for her daughter but the other part, the one full of motherly love which wanted to protect her child from all kind of misery couldn't help but wonder. Wonder- what her daughter had faced in her life away from them that a deep gash on her palm didn't faze her? What did she face to become so uncaring of her injuries? When did pain stop affecting her or when did a deep gash start looking like a small scratch to her?

She didn't know. She just knew she didn't like it at all. She didn't like the type of life it implied to her.

"Only if you cared even a percent of this for Shivanya,"

And this was the reason; she couldn't help but taunt Anika with these bitter words when she finally left Shivika's room. Gauri didn't miss the way Anika stiffened hearing her words but continued walking ignoring her altogether. If it was any other day, Gauri would have ignored her too. She would have walked away and let the anger and grief over a lost daughter consume her soul. But not today, she had too much to torment her soul already. Today, she'll have at least her one question answered with this thought she tailed Anika.

"So, now you're going to ignore that you've any other daughter," She couldn't help but be totally snide while speaking so.

Anika stiffened more but didn't react to the bait moving in front of her. She calmly entered her room, ignoring Gauri altogether.

"You know acting as if you don't have any other daughter won't change the truth. She was yours," Gauri stated nonchalantly through fury was racing through her veins and her heart chanted "And she is mine now,"

"No, she wasn't ever mine. She isn't mine." Anika said with furious conviction.

"You know for an as mere mistake as opening a door. You have given your daughter a very big punishment. And that to on hearing her mother's voice. Don't you think it's really unfair Anika. You forgave Shivaaye but can't do the same to your own daughter. Strange isn't it." Gauri's asked in an calm humorless tone, looking at Anika with a look that clearly let the other woman know how much respect for her remained in Gauri's eyes.

"You know Gauri, We are like the pet birds in love with their prisoners. So used to living in a cage and under people's care that we can't survive our own. We can't live in the wild anymore. We forget to be free birds," Anika said not meeting Gauri's eyes but Gauri could see her eyes glistening with emotions alright, self-mocking clear in her eyes.

"What? Will you stop speaking like this and clearly tell me what do you mean?" Gauri demanded though she understood the meaning of the words quite alright. She didn't know how it was anyway connected to Shivanya.

"You won't understand," Anika shrugged.

"Try me," Gauri challenged.

Gauri was going to get to the bottom of this today. She watched as Anika looked at her with a resigned huff and walked towards her bed. Startled, Gauri just gazed at Anika curious and before she knew it-Anika was back handing her some kind of letters. Four letters exactly. No, not letters printed notes.

The first one said: Thank you for taking in my daughter. Well, it's not like you had any other option. But don't worry she'll know who her real mother is. She'll love her real mother. You can't snatch her destiny from her. She'll succeed where I failed. She is my legacy, she'll only rise, my moon.

The second note said: So, how was my surprise dear? Told you my daughter will succeed where I failed. She knows her mother. She helped me. She knows my voice. Don't worry, I gave your son a very painless death. He was being a very big thorn in my daughter's path. No, he couldn't be that everything belongs to her.

The third note said: The idiot that harmed my daughter had been taken care of, I didn't know that dumbo hurt my daughter. I told them she shouldn't be harmed. Yet, they couldn't follow a single instruction. Alas!! They have been punished. Take care of my child now will you? If you don't...it won't be pretty.

The fourth note said: BE WARY!!! BE VERY WARY!!! THE ENDGAME HAS ARRIVED.

"You know your daughter have always been a survivor," Gauri informed Anika off-handily as rage danced in her eyes.

"What?? Didn't you get it Gauri. She isn't my daughter..." Anika snarled looking at Gauri as if she had lost her mind.

"You know Anika when Shivanya was born. She was born blue. Ansh's umbrical cord has wrapped around her neck, cutting her oxygen supply. I thought she'll die, there weren't many chances of her survival yet I watched as she was kept in the glass ball with oxygen and a strange light over her. I watched as she cried the whole night and the next day she was better. The nurse handed her to me and I took her to you. Choti Ma was there with you and the air was so tense when I handed her to you. You looked ready to cry and I thought it was because of the shock. Maybe you also thought she won't survive," Gauri spoke with glassed over eyes lost in memories.

"What do you mean?" Anika demanded from her confused.

"What do I mean?" Gauri chuckled darkly "I mean that Mrs Anika Oberoi if you had trusted me even a bit na then you wouldn't have been manipulated so badly. Don't you remember that Mumbai was under a great flood when Shivanya and Ansh were born? Don't you remember that the family was stuck in the ancestral village while we were at home when your water suddenly broke? Don't you remember that I took you to the hospital with the air ambulance and I was the only one present there during the birth? The rest of family arrived next day. Don't you think I would be the first one to know if Shivanya wasn't really your daughter? But did you ask me? Did you once ask me or tell me about all this? No, you didn't and your child is suffering because of this." Gauri said with ire in her eyes yet she didn't scream. She knew sometimes simple words hurts more than any scream ever could.

"You...mean..." Anika stammered looking at Gauri shell-shocked

"Yes, I mean you were played Mrs. Oberoi and because you didn't trust any of us with this. You had put our children in path of harm too," Gauri announced shooting Anika an angry look.

"What? How?" Anika demanded from Gauri not understanding how did she put any other child in danger? Wasn't this all about revenge from her? Then how were any other children in danger?

Gauri chuckled humourlessly again looking highly disappointed.

"Do you really think all this was about you? She did all this for revenge. No, Anika you're not worth that much energy. Hurting you, she won't get anything but her own ego. She did it for this mansion and property. Why will she try to kill the children otherwise? Ansh was the heir he is already taken out. The girl's weren't any use as they know in Oberoi's the girl's aren't chosen heirs. But now, the situation changed Omisha is in the business, Omav in the music. She is confused. She'll use kill or marry," Gauri mumbled the last part to herself. Does Tej Oberoi know? Is this reason he is in so much hurry to get the girl's married? Does Aaina know? Is this the reason behind her request to stay hidden?

"You...mean..youmean...You mean to.." Anika stammered not able to believe anything Gauri said.

"Yes, Shivanya is your daughter. No, you didn't give birth to a dead child neither the child was exchanged on birth. I was there. I would have known," Gauri said.

"How...how do you know they told me my daughter.."

"Died? I've a lawyer best friend who tends to be a little paranoid,"

"You should have trusted us... me," Gauri told Anika impassively one last time as she left Anika's room. She needed to talk to Omkara. Their children can be in grave danger and she didn't have any time to spend on consoling a lost Anika.

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"Why did you suddenly stop grilling Mr. Oberoi and Chote papa? Didn't mind there slight anymore did you?"

"You weren't protesting as vehemently as you should have."

"I didn't think you would have noticed that Shivaaye. I thought you stopped understanding me a long ago?" Omkara asked Shivaaye sarcastically.

"I...didn't, you stopped understanding me, Om" Shivaaye said helplessly

"Did I now? I don't think I ever could understand why you sent our daughter away without any fault of hers and you wouldn't say anything. I don't think I could ever understand that," Om replied without any emotions as he looked away from Shivaaye.

"I...I didn't want to lose her Om. I love her. I was scared they said they'll kill her. The attack on Shivika, I didn't want to lose her like Ansh. I sent her away. The officers were best they had hid many witnesses under witness protection programme. She was supposed to be safe. She was supposed to be alive away from us. But I think it was my fault. Maybe she was really safer here. Maybe I shouldn't have sent her." Shivaaye spoke almost brokenly and Om slowly walked towards Shivaaye. He looked at the files scattered in front of Shivaaye. It was a file with death certificate of some Anshi Kanungo but the picture attached to the file was of Shivanya.

Omkara felt his heart stop for a minute. Even though he knew Shivanya was alive and well. For a minute, he still felt his heart stop beating. The picture seemed to real to be photo shopped or something.

"They say she is dead. Every damn detective says the same. But I know she isn't. She isn't right Om," And for the first time in the last eleven years, Om saw how truly broken and alone his brother really had been. Didn't he always tell Rudra that Shivaaye's habit of taking everything on himself will be the cause of his undoing?

"You know , you should have told me Shiv. You should have trusted me," Om said matter of factly to Shivaaye.

"You know I trust you Om but," Shivaaye said looking tired of life altogether

"But you didn't have that habit of burdening your brother's with your problems but you should have," Omkara said walking away from Shivaaye's room but he halted on the door and said loud enough knowing Shivaaye will get what he wants to say: "She is happy. You did right even if I don't agree the way you opted for it,"

~to be continued~