The dorm of draama turned into a mansion of melancholy with the news of Shivaay's accident.

The previous day, Shivaay was in a hurry to get to Delhi for a client meet when his car broke down. Bhavya who was just entering the mansion to meet Rudra after their tiff, offered him her car and he thanked her for the gesture.

What no one anticipated was that Sultan who was Bhavya's rival had implanted an explosive in her car with the help of his men in the department.

When the news of that car in flames was witnessed by the family members, they were shaken to the core and none of them being able to trace their brother's phone added to their panic.

"Bhaujai... nothing will happen to bade bhaiyya... please calm down" Gauri tried her best to comfort Anika who had been a crying mess since she saw the news.

Omkara and Rudra silently watched the two women hugging each other while they stood at two different ends of their brother's room, calming their own worried hearts.

"Pinky really crossed limits this time putting the entire blame on Anika... that accusation was baseless" Kalyani mumbled to Jhanvi who nodded in agreement assuring her mother in law time and again that Shivaay will be alright.

"Just sit here... I will bring some soup... you haven't eaten anything since morning" Gauri said getting up from the bed when Omkara offered to help her.

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As Gauri stirred the soup in the kitchen, Omkara ordered the staff to take care of the rest of the family's lunch arrangements.

"Did Bhavya find anything?" Gauri asked Omkara, as he came near her to see if she needed anything.

"No news yet. They did not find Shivaay's phone at the blast site... that is the only good news she had to say to me... He always takes his phone with him"

"But where did he go without informing anyone of the change of plans? Didn't Khanna ji go with him?"

"No... Khanna was to wait for him at Delhi... he reached there before Shivaay"

"Why don't you call Karan ji? Maybe he could help... He told me yesterday that he was a police officer too...like Bhavya"

When the hell did he talk to you..... was the first thing that came to his mind.

Despite the situation they were in, and though he knew that her intention was only to help him, Omkara could feel anger bubble inside him...

Fearing he would say something which would hurt her, he remained silent looking through his phone as though he didn't hear her take that name.

"Omkaraji?"

"Hmmm?"

"I asked you..."

"I... uhh... don't have his number" was what he could manage to mutter grimly.

"Okay... the soup is ready... I will take it upstairs... do you need anything else?"

"No... I will manage"

Gauri nodded her head and served the soup in a bowl. Just when she exited the kitchen, Omkara stopped her with a thank you.

"You don't need to thank me... I am doing this for my..." she stopped mentally cursing herself for the slip.

"I.. I am sorry... I meant to say... Anika is like a sister to me"

Omkara nodded his head and smiled at her while she turned around to walk away.

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Rudra was trying to lighten his sister in law's mood by playing his classic jokes when Bhavya called him and informed him of Shivaay's whereabouts.

Happily, he told the news to everyone relieving them of the stress.

"I told you Bhaujai... everything will be alright... enough of this crying go and wash your face..." Gauri said joyfully and Anika smiled nodding before walking to the washroom.

"Rudy bhaiyya... when will bade bhaiyya come?"

"Bhavya said they are on their way here"

"They?" Omkara asked.

"Yeah... Shivaay bhaiyya and Karan.. I mean Vikram... he saved him"

"What?"

"It seems that Karan was informed at the last minute, that Bhavya was in danger and when he followed the lead, he got to know of the explosive. He alerted Shivaay bhaiyya and took measures to see that Sultan believed he succeeded in his plan"

"What non-sense... he could have just informed one of us..." Omkara said angrily.

"What are you saying Omkaraji... he saved Bade bhaiyya" Gauri sided Karan making Omkara sharply turn to her.

"Didn't you see Anika bhabhi's state? That could have been avoided Gauri"

"I agree but without knowing his thoughts we cannot blame him... He must have had his reasons"

"What thought..."

"O... Gauri is right... we do not know the full story... for now he saved Shivaay bhaiyya and everything is in its place... so just calm down" Rudra said trying to dissipate the quarrel.

"Fine!!" Omkara huffed before his mobile rang showing his brother's Id.

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"You should have called me at least Shivaay" Omkara rebuked his brother again, once they were alone after the tear-filled union of the 'great-wall' with his family.

"As if I didn't try... That Vikram took my phone and did not allow me any human contact saying the call might be traced"

"I don't know if he is nuts... Sultan is after Bhavya... not you... why will he trace your phone"

"He said our family is under surveillance..."

"What?"

"Yes... he said that since Bhavya is supposedly Rudra's wife... her family... that is us... can be targeted anytime... he wasn't sure if the bomb was supposed to blast in the mid of the road or at the mansion where it was supposed to be parked, had Bhavya not given me the keys"

"My God!!"

"Yeah... I think I have to strengthen the security team"

Omkara remained silent absorbing the recent facts... his family was in danger.

"I will never admit saying this but that Vikram is smart... he will keep Anika safe" Shivaay commented making Omkara look at him surprised.

"What... isn't that what you all wanted... For me to accept her choice?"

"Anika was worried for you Shivaay... she hadn't eaten anything until the news came that you are safe... she was a mess..."

"Really... if she was worried for me she wouldn't be engaged to Vikram now... would she?"

Omkara sighed not knowing how to answer the question while Shivaay continued "Does she love him?"

"Shivaay... you should know her better"

"Ohh.. everything I should understand. You won't tell me why she did what she did three months back?"

"I am helpless Shivaay... I am bound by the promise"

"Is she more important than me to you now?... let me see till when you will hold on to your promise" he said.

"What are you going to do Shivaay?"

"Simple... I am planning a wedding... of your Anika Bhabhi... sorry, not your Bhabhi anymore"

"Shivaay... are you mad?"

"Why? She is already engaged... what loss if she married soon" Shivaay said and left the room shutting the door on the face of his pleading brother on his way out.

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"Excuse me? Marriage?" Karan gave an exasperated look to the brothers and his fake fiancé.

"Sorry... we did not expect he would be so adamant" Rudra apologized.

"The hell I am going to get involved in this... Does your brother think with his brain? Or was it fed to dogs during his development?"

"Karan..."

"Nope... my answer is a no... do you think this is a joke? By the way.. this man here has been rambling about me disturbing the peace of this house... Instead of thanking me of saving Shivaay, he accused me of almost killing Anika" Karan gave a glare to Omkara who was avoiding his gaze.

"Now what do you have to say?? What happened to the peace and normalcy of this house now... or is this normal for you?" He asked and no one spoke a word.

"What use of all that crying Anika? Go... talk to him and relieve me of this madness... kaise log hai yaar tum sab"

"I want to see if he really would make me marry you .. Don't I mean nothing to him?" Anika questioned weakly.

"Great... and what if he succeeds in this stunt..? what inference comes out of that?"

"I will be convinced that he really moved on from me and he doesn't need me"

Karan gaped at the woman with a look of disbelief "Did you hear yourself? What is the point of all this if you are going to lose him ultimately?..."

"Rudra look at me closely" he asked and Rudy turned to him after admiring the carpet for a great while.

"Is there 'Bakra' written on my face anywhere?" he asked very seriously but Rudra couldn't help the curve of his lips . He turned to Omkara who also was trying hard not to laugh.

"Oh... yeah... come on.. laugh at me now... but let me tell you that I am not going to be the scape goat here guys" said Karan and Omkara rolled his eyes.

"You will not marry her.... All this is just a drama... an act to convince Shivaay bhaiyya that he will loose her if he remained stubborn" Rudra tried to convince him.

"Whatever... I am not going to believe you... if you are mad enough to carry out this huge drama, I won't be surprised if you duped me into marrying her... what will Gauri think of me"

Omkara let out a low growl this time and Karan scoffed at him "Are you planning to get me married so that I will no longer be able to pursue her or what?"

"Okay.. enough... you are talking rubbish now" Omkara uttered in irritation.

"Do whatever you want... I am going... do not call me again" he said and almost ran out of the room when he crashed into Gauri who was walking into the room.

Fearing she would fall, Karan pulled her against his chest while she gasped in shock when he engulfed her in a protective hug stopping their downfall.

"Are you okay dearie?" he asked her in a gentle tone caressing her cheek while she mumbled an okay trying to get out of his embrace, clearly uncomfortable.

"Leave her!!" a voice screamed from behind him and Karan got his chance to roll his eyes now... fully knowing who the voice belonged to.

"Now what? She was about to fall" he said leaving her and turned around to face a glowering Omkara.

"Gauri... come here" Omkara ordered making her knit her eyebrows in confusion.

Now what made him angry? It was an accident.

When he understood she wasn't going to move from her place without further explanation or worse embarrass him in front of the people present there, Omkara moved forward with an irritated sigh and grabbing her hand, walked away from the place leaving the rest behind.

"Aree... what is that man's problem? Why does he act like I am someone trying to steal his wife? I always got these jealous husband vibes from him" Karan asked turning to Rudra.

"Because she is his wife and he is jealous" Rudra confirmed making Karan gasp and grip his heart.

"What did you just say?"

Anika gave a disappointed look to her brother-in-law who bit his tongue at the slip. She slapped her forehead and muttered a 'naalayak' (good for nothing guy) as she left the room.

"She is his wife? But she said.."

Rudra sighed before briefly explaining his second brother's problem while Karan silently listened to the story licking his wounded heart.

After a while, the youngest Oberoi was called by his grand mother and he excused himself to answer her. Karan on the other hand stared at his retreating back when his mobile rang.

"Karan are you free now? Can you come to the head-quarters?" Bhavya asked him.

"Huh? What?" he spoke his mind still stunned to process her question.

"What happened?"

"Bhavya... why didn't you tell me that Oberoi mansion is a converted mental asylum?"

"What?" Bhavya asked, her tone swiftly changing from serious to amused.

"There are certified mad people staying here under one roof and people call me weird" Karan scoffed and Bhavya laughed aloud asking him of the details which he offered without delay wanting to share the information and de-load his poor brain.

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Karan is me... I am Karan... 😂😂

How did you like it?

I was to publish this tomorrow but today is a holiday and the chapter was done writing... so I thought why not now🤷‍♀️

Do vote and comment.

Bye until the next update.... yours Soujanya.