The echo of laughter touched Anika's heart as she stepped inside the hall. All the happy faces brightened, they knew she went to visit Soumya, thus, they were waiting to listen about her from Anika because after Rudra's sudden proposal Saumya has not bothered to look back at their family.

"How is Saumya beta?" Daadi got up, the positive curve over her face broke Anika's heart more.

How would she share about the condition Saumya is going through? How can she snatch away the excitement they have for Rudra's birthday. Sensing something wrong daadi's smile faded, an unknown feeling of fear crawled up her heart.

"Everything is fine right?" Pinky asked.

"I want to take rest Mom"

Anika walked forward caring about nothing, Pinky called her thrice just to get ignorance in return. Her heart pumped fast and her eyes shed a tear. Pinky looked on at the retreating figure of her perfect daughter-in-law about whom she boasted on her kitty parties. Trying to deviate herself Pinky walked towards her room putting up a fake smile. Ignorance, just one thing that Pinky is scared of and now it was Anika who ignored her. Has she chosen a wrong life partner for her son? She silently entered her room and sat like a statue, it affected her, Anika's ignorant behaviour affected her. An hour passed, Pinky refused to go out of her room and still sat like a statue. Various contradictory thoughts formed a knot in her heart. Suddenly a soft knock pulled her out of her thoughts, it was Anika at her door step. Making hard tries to not behave strangely Pinky welcomed Anika inside.

"Sorry Mom" fidgeting her fingers, Anika mumbled softly.

Understanding more of Anika's side, Pinky cupped Anika's face putting her hair strands behind her ear. She caressed Anika's head softly and dropped a kiss over Anika's forehead.

"What is wrong beta?" making Anika sit Pinky asked.

"I am confused mom, I am confused between what is right and someone's emotion" Anika's eyes stayed glued to her fidgeting fingers.

Anika remembered Soumya's words, please don't share it to anyone before I talk to Rudra and you talk to Shivay bhaiya, she can't break her promise. Looking at Pinky for once Anika decided to not share anything and change the topic somehow. Looking at Anika's eyes and getting the hints Anika's sentence had, Pinky guessed that maybe Anika is referring to Soumya and Rudra but when Anika denied Pinky dropped the guess and waited for Anika to explain.

"Is it about you and Shivay?" she is a mother and this thought helped Anika to form her excuse.

Intentionally Anika saddened her face and sighed hard. She waited for Pinky to ask the question again, giving a slight nod to Pinky's question Anika held Pinky's hand. Pinky's heartbeats ran like bullet fearing about Shivay. What can it be? The mother inside Pinky's soft heart feared about her son's well about remembering her son's heart condition. As Anika prolonged in answering her questions, Pinky's questions increased.

"Mom, it is actually about my job and my next visit to Shivay" breaking all the suspense Anika answered.

Getting some relief Pinky waited patiently to hear more. Anika shared about her boss, she discussed how her boss denied to grant her another long vacation on their anniversary because of her last vacation and how much sad Shivay got listening to the news. The glow from Anika's face vanished as she further explained about her Hitler boss. Listening to all these, Pinky continued chuckling feeling the love between her children.

"Do you know, your Papa was also like this after our marriage. Just after our marriage when I went to my maternal house to stay for ten days, he got angry because of my long vacation and right away went to my house on third day to bring me back. Even my friends has named him mad lover looking at his antics and teased me" this time Anika grinned narrowing her eyes.

Pinky's cheeks warmed up reminiscing all her past memories and she hid her face blushing hard.

"It was love marriage, isn't it Mom?" Anika now comfortably sat over Pinky's bed grinning like a Cheshire cat.

Blushingly giving a nod to Anika's question Pinky looked down. Anika asked details about their marriage and when after much insistence Pinky at last started describing her love story, Anika's phone rang. I would kill the person whoever has called, Pinky heard Anika mumbling and laughed slightly stopping her story. Sadly it was Shivay and ironically Anika won't even dare to kill him.

"Why are you always there to disturb this mother daughter duo by poking your nose?" Anika asked irritatingly scrunching her nose while Pinky looked on trying to hide her smile hard.

Shivay touched his nose and looked at the screen. What's wrong with his nose? He thought as he spotted his mother sitting by Anika's side. His smile grew wide and then came to halt looking at the irritated face of his wife. Ignoring Anika he asked about their family to his mother and what exactly is Anika doing at Pinky's room at that time. Pinky blushed and looked down, sensing something interesting Shivay looked at his wife. Anika was smiling by then while her eyes remained stuck over Pinky. Shivay thanked his stars for gifting these beautiful ladies in his life. He asked about the matter again, Anika started explaining as Pinky blushed hard with every passing moments.

"Mom never shared all these to me, then how come she has shared everything to you?"

"Not everything mister, you have poked your blunt nose in between our interesting conversation"

Shivay and Anika's banter continued as it landed up on the topic that whom Pinky loves the most. Previously Shivay and Priyanka used to fight like that and now seeing Shivay and Anika fighting over the same, Pinky felt good. Her little happy family. Pinky smiled as Shivay and Anika argued over Pinky's love.

Happiness, a word that has the capability to bring smile in anyone's face. It is something which gets your life going. At any sad situation, you wait for this same happiness to return into your life, thus you stay alive with hope and faith. In any happy situation, you live every moments and so you rejoice this journey called life. Therefore, happiness, it is the key word. The sky turns purple and the day becomes windy, the rain becomes romantic and the thunder becomes melodious, all this is just because of the same, happiness. Reading until Omkara turned the next page of the special card his best friend Gauri has sent to him. She is getting married, the happy reason in her life and in Omkara's life as well. He remembered all their playful moments together, the moments when they used to become husband and wife of each other and played family games. The feeling of growing up made him elated as he read the invitation further. She has invited the entire Oberoi family on her marriage and requested very sweetly.

A month and then Gauri's marriage. Mumbling in head Omkara happily walked up and down in his room. Several plans excited him as he decided to make Gauri's marriage most special. Enquiring Anika he got to know that Ishana would be coming back after the anniversary of Shivay and Anika, he so wished to take Ishana along but after hearing about Ishana's busy schedule, he dropped the idea. Moreover, the month is full of birthdays in their house. At first Rudra's one, just in two days. Then comes Priyanka's number and then Anika. Happiness is thus in feets of the entire Oberoi family.

"Hey Rudra" Omkara called seeing his brother passing by.

"Yeah bhai" Rudra entered throwing up the ball he was playing with and caught it.

"Busy?" after a long break, Rudra's college friends has at last gathered to play cricket together.

Therefore involving Rudra in serious topics would be a crime it seemed. Answering a no Rudra waited patiently to hear more from Om. As they discussed about Gauri's marriage, Rudra's excitement rose a level up. But sadly he won't be able to attend and after disclosing this fact Rudra went to join his cricket team. A game he loves dearly and would have become a player himself if his family never forced business inside his head.

Days passed, hustle bustle inside the Oberoi mansion announced the younger son's birthday party. The ball room lights and planned designing transformed the mansion into a palace. Rudra's friends made the party more lively as they danced and enjoyed. Everything was fine, but this little brother as he turned another year older, missed his elder brother. Shivay indeed wished him first but the warmth in physical presence remained missing. Anika tried hard in keeping the online touch alive by video calls every moment Rudra asked for, but still she as well wanted Shivay near. This distance between them knocked their heart again. Ignoring such saddening feeling Anika involved everyone in dance and she herself danced choosing Omkara as her partner.

Rejoicing around Rudra cut the cake and fed everyone. As the last hour of the party began, the celebration doubled up with games and fun. At this crucial moment a known face stepped in amid the crowd. The music stopped for Rudra and wind hit him hard watching her approach towards him. A blue coloured saree she is wearing, perfectly draped with full sleeved blouse. Kohl highlighting her eyes and pink shaded nude lipstick, she looked gorgeous as she carried herself ever so elegantly. Have ever Rudra commented her of being so gorgeous? Probably no.

"Happy Birthday Rudra" her voice sounded honey coated and very much melodious.

"Thank You Soumya" his lips shivered while curving up.

Sahana looked at Rudra and then looked away hurting him.

"Won't my princess wish me?" Rudra extended his hand to take hold of Sahana only to register her refusal.

He wondered, how come Soumya knew about his birth date. Then the name of Anika ran through his mind, looking at Anika he could make out that she is nervous. Fear of Soumya's insult hit her heart continuously, she can't let the matter out like that. She feared about Rudra's reaction and clutched her dress tightly.

"You all please enjoy, Rudra and Soumya needs some alone time" Anika fastened her step grabbing both their hands.

Rudra asked continuously about the matter looking at the sudden change in Anika's behaviour and Soumya kept on asking him for patience. Reaching her bedroom, Anika locked the door and took Sahana in her hold.

"You two discuss, until I come back" Anika took Sahana into her hold and went out granting them some privacy.

She just hoped everything to run smoothly as she imagined, unknown to the disaster that is going to hit this two real hard. She roamed around with Sahana on her lap and tried entertaining that little kid in every possible way she could. She loved the company of that little fellow. She loved thinking about getting to see that little fellow in their house everyday if Rudra agrees. And how she hoped, Rudra to agree to Soumya's proposal after listening to everything carefully. More time passed and this time she grew impatient to know the conclusion. Walking to the party she handed Sahana to Pinky and requested her to take Sahana's care. Pinky asked about the matter holding Anika's hand.

"Mom, please patience for now. Let me go and know the matter first then I promise to share it once the right time comes"

Pinky knows that Anika won't ever prove her words wrong, thus letting Anika go Pinky continued her job with Sahana. This little girl is dear to everyone and is loved by all. Anika hurried her steps towards her room and knocked the door. Only Rudra's howling sound came back as reply. She banged the door and Soumya came forward and opened the door wide. Anika could see tear stains down Soumya's eyes and Rudra's eyes reflecting fire.

"Rudra... you are her last hope, please..."

"I am not marrying her bhabhi, I won't marry her"

Anika's rest words died in her throat listening to what Rudra said. The boy who loved someone so dearly is denying to marry the girl, is truth so weak to break relations amid love? Soumya looked blankly at Anika and then at Rudra. The ground under her feet seemed slipping away looking at that fire in Rudra's eyes.

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Heya everyone, I am back after my long vacation. According to this chapter what do you think? Is everything that is happening is going to bring happiness in their family or sorrows for eternity? Think buddies think and get ready for something unexpected. And good news is, Shivay and Anika's anniversary is coming soon, so a reason to be happy. And do suggest some ideas to Anika to make her boss grant leave to her. Until the next, bye.

Thank You so much to everyone who read, voted and commented. Hope you have enjoyed this part as well. If so then please do hit the star button and leave your comment or criticism down.

NEXT EPISODE WILL GET POSTED ON SUNDAY.

-NILANJANA