"Sir you need to have this smoothie" Khanna stalked behind Shivaay. Whilst Shivaay was making frightening faces toiling to avoid him and his milk smoothie.

"I'm telling you, Khanna, that I loathe bananas. On top of it, you are passing me this banana smoothie. It's yuck" Shivaay offered a scrutinized gaze at the tumbler Khanna was clamping and attempted to run away from his clasps but was fruitless.

Khanna held his wrist and yanked back to him. Shivaay swallowed looking at the gigantic man in front of him. He was a foot taller than Shivaay and was more like a hulk with all muscles. He looked like a small teenager in front of Khanna.

Khanna gave a courageous look and handed the tumbler to him, for which he sighed and gulped down the quantity in one go. Khanna snickered as Shivaay was battling not to throw up the stock he had minutes back.

"I swear Khanna, I will fire you" Shivaay murmured and clenched the hand towel from Khanna's hold.

Shivaay dried his mouth and edges and passed a narrowed look at him, who in return upheld a nasty smile. Shivaay was overtaken by his premature guts and was worried about the abrupt fluctuation in Khanna, however, he tried his best to fabricate his posture and look steady as always.

"Sir don't worry, you don't have the liberty to fire me" Khanna pronounced with a hoarse voice. Shivaay was astonished by the unexpected twists of incidents. Numerous reflections were floating through his sanity. His brain ceased functioning with those utterances. Did he lose the rights? He thought.

He was scared to lose Khanna.

"Only Annika ma'am can fire me now. I work for her now. I'm not only your man, but now your supposed gym trainer" Khanna laughed seeing his employer's complexion, his face ashen like of corpse and bleached like the ceiling.

In his fits of laughter, Khanna realised that he might have hurt his feelings of him. Shivaay was straight looking at him with blank emotions. Khanna knew he have maliciously hurt him with his lame jokes.

"I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to" Khanna murmured griping Shivaay's palms. As Shivaay sensed his intertwined with Khanna, he grasped them stronger. He preferred him in his life, he didn't have that brave heart to let go of him.

"You won't ever leave me, right? Like others did." Shivaay looked at him with excusing eyes. Khanna's eyes moistened hearing him. He was never loved as a family nor had one, he was always a subordinate. He was fascinated with Shivaay, he did never treat him like his employee in his seven years of experience. Instead, he was behaved towards as one among his family members to Shivaay. He was much indebted to the Creator for sending Shivaay as his employer, from him he got a sister who he never remembered.

"Even if you fire me, I will be pestering you till my death. I will always be there for you, Sir" he rubbed his tears harshly and fought to smile through the tears.

He was taken back when Shivaay took him into an intense hug, suffocating him to death. Nevertheless, he too reciprocated back and smiled till it stretched out his eyes. His eyes shone like the stars embedded in the dark sky.

"Even my brothers said the similar once. But I'm deserted here" he heard Shivaay whisper, his black uniform shirt was soggy implying that Shivaay was sobbing. He made Shivaay sit near the treadmill and made himself comfortable in front of him, succumbing to match his height.

"I will never do that Sir. You have given me a roof above me when I required it the most. You gave me love, appreciation as your family which I didn't once receive from my own. Annika ma'am have packed my food even when she was involved in her catering service, still, she was kind-hearted to do so. You both have bestowed everything I could ask for, now it is my turn to pay off you both." Shivaay was blank with his speech, nothing was left to speak much. He was speechless with the words.

Words of assurance did magic to Shivaay. His heartbeat was in rhythm and was relieved by the soothing words. Just as peace after the storm.

.

Annika was settled leaning to the headrest of the rocking chair. Her eyes were closed, and she unsuccessfully tried to comfort her sanity. Her mind revolved around the morning incident when she met her sister Gauri during her visit to Chachi Ji.

Talks between the sisters disturbed her. Though Gauri didn't mean to offend her worthless, her words cut the flesh out of Annika's heart.

.

"Jiji it must be hard as a sole earner of your house right? Heretofore jiju has been at rest and you are operating since then. You can ask for any financial help if needed." Gauri passed a tight lip smiled and cradled her daughter.

"No Gauri. We have enough to survive for decades" Annika's authoritative voice made Gauri whimper a bit, but later on composed as if nothing transpired.

"Why would she Gauri? Damad Ji (son in law) has established an empire at this age, then he must know about savings and all. Aur taane marna band karo" Chachi Ji came holding a snacks dish.

She kept the dish in front of the sister and placed her palms on Annika's shoulder as support. Annika just gaped at her sister, who have altered a lot since that event. Her life did primarily revolve around Gauri and Sahil. And one of the crucial souls had withdrawn in support of her.

Chachi Ji stroked her back sensing her inner turmoil. Though initially, she was unsatisfied with Annika, she soon realised that she is the nicest. No one in Annika's place would have utilized her earnings for her and her son. Just Gauri was enough for her to draft opinions, hardly after her wedding with Omkara, she acted like not related to them. She understood all.

"I didn't mean like so Jiji. You are misinterpreted." Gauri stood up waving her hands in dismiss.

Ignoring her words Chachi Ji enquired about Shivaay and wished to meet him. She expressed that she was about to visit them about was reluctant about his behaviour with her, as her previous meets with him.

"Nahi Chachi Ji. He is all fine. He was yearning to meet Sahil, I said that he is in the hostel." Annika smiled at her aunt. She was frightened of Shivaay. Their past meets were not so good, she was greedy and he was arrogant. Nevertheless, Chachi Ji wanted to mend the relationship between the two.

"Then can you get him here for lunch? I will apologise for my behaviour. Even Sahil will be coming for Diwali breaks" Chachi Ji happily flapped her lengthy pleated hair from her shoulder.

"He would be pleased with it," Annika responded with a grin imagining the change in atmosphere for him.

"Jiji" Annika turned to her sister and raised her brows encouraging her to speak further.

"Don't you think you should start your family? Hum kya bol rahe hein ki, Jiju has successfully killed my father-in-law and also served his jail terms so he might have done other illegal things. Who knows? You should start for a baby before he is arrested if you want to claim his property" Gauri placed her daughter on the sofa, and sipped the chai.

Annika's eyes moistened with her words. She flipped her eyelashes consciously to control her tears. Whereas, Chachi was amused with her choice of words.

"We would start our family soon. See we aren't as instant as you and your husband are. Like before the wedlock. No Offence, I'm joking." Annika laughed at it, with a constant fake smile plastered on her lips. Words did hurt, but she didn't want to show to Gauri. She could cry alone, within the four walls.

"Ohh I have to collect my dresses from the designer. Okay, bye guys" Gauri stood up abruptly making her way out with her daughter.

Annika deliberately walked behind to send her off to her car.

"Don't you dare talk awful about my husband? I hope your family have received the notice. Let's meet over the court and decide if Shivaay is your father in law's culprit" she gulped down looking at her elder sister as she grits her teeth with pure bitterness.

.

"Annika where are you lost?" She was brought to the present from her thoughts by Shivaay when he vigorously shook her.

"Nothing" her eyes twinkled seeing him cheerful. Her lips stretched as he informed her about his workout session with Khanna, just like a kid does to his mother.

"Damn Khanna. He is tricky than I thought." As he muttered in a grumpy manner, she burst out in fits of laughter, visualising the huge muscular man quarrelling with lean Shivaay.

"You ought to build muscles if you want you to win against him" she playfully expressed. But Shivaay looked serious and determined, nevertheless, he nodded.

"Gosh. I came here to inform you something" he sat at the foot of the chair, between her legs. She nodded, asking him to speak about it.

"This Friday, the annual panel meeting is being held in the Oberoi industries. I'm going to attend it" she sat straight stiffened with this new information.

"Is it necessary to join?"

"I'm one of the largest shareholders after Tej S. Oberoi, and lately his shares are equally divided to my cousins. So I'm the majority of the them"

"Are you sure?" She asked sceptically.

"I can't ground myself with the guilt, which I haven't done. I need to face the consequences, then only I can connect with" saying so he stood up and pressed his lips on her fore line. She shut her eyes anticipating the feeling.

   *****

Fellows, abundant sisters or brothers are not the way shown in shows in reality. They might be civil but never too happy with others success.
I mean no offence with it. Not all are the same.
So things are bad with Annika and Gauri.