Shivaay and Anika were playing with Pari. Pari was lying down on her stomach and she was trying to sit up on her knees and hands to crawl on the floor. Shivika were encouraging her.

Suddenly the doorbell rang.

S- Wait. I'll go and check.

As soon as he opened the door, he was stunned to see a man and a woman dressed in business suits and a man in ordinary shirt and trousers, standing beside them.

S- Yes. How can I help you?

M- Are you Shivaay Singh Oberoi?

Shivaay nodded his head.

S- Yeah. I am Shivaay. What can I help you?

M- Hello, I'm Arvind Chinoy and she is Mreenal Reddy. We're child welfare officers. Can we come in?

Shivaay realised that they were still standing at the door.

S- Oh! Yeah sorry. Please come in.

They entered the house and Shivaay asked them to settle down on the couch in the living room.

Ar- We heard that you and Ms. Anika has adopted a baby girl few months ago.

On the mention of Pari, Shivaay's palms started sweating. He was getting a very bad feeling about this, especially after looking at that ordinary man who was giving him a cunning smile all the while.

S- Yeah.

Ar- Hmm. So this is Mr. Rohit Mathur, uncle of the baby you've adopted and he has claimed that he never gave up the baby for the adoption after his sister's death, i.e. Baby's mother. So being the immediate relative, he has claimed this adoption illegal and if he doesn't get the baby, he can claim it as kidnapping.

Shivaay was totally shocked.

S- What do you mean by illegal? We've completed all the formalities of the adoption. Pari is our baby. You can't just barge in our house with a fake or whatever relative and claim our baby as his.

M- Look, Mr. Oberoi. We understand that you're emotionally attached to the baby but this is legal action. We did a whole background check of Mr. Mathur and it proves that he's related to the baby. We've to take the baby with us.

Suddenly they heard a crashing sound of the vase and there stood Anika with teary eyes and Pari in her arms.

A- You can't do this. This is our baby. You can't take her.

Tears were continuously making their way through her eyes.

M- Look Ms. Anika, this is necessary. If you want the baby back, then you can file the custody case.

S- Yes. We will definitely file the custody case. This is totally wrong. Let me call my lawyer.

Shivaay immediately called the lawyer and in few minutes, the lawyer came there and Shivaay told him everything.

L- Okay, Mr. Oberoi. So you and Ms. Anika have to sign some documents related to the custody case.

R- What's wrong with you all? I'm here to take my niece with me. Then why are you making it complicated for me? Just give me the baby and finish it. Anyways, she was only adopted by you both. It's not that you're her real parents.

Shivaay and Anika angrily looked at Rohit.

A- SHE'S MY DAUGHTER. MINE AND SHIVAAY'S. YOU'RE NO ONE TO HER AND I WON'T LET YOU TAKE HER WITH YOU. I'M HER MOTHER AND SHIVAAY IS HER FATHER. GET THAT.

Anika shouted at him and Pari snuggled closer in the crook of her neck and Anika held her tightly in warmth of her embrace. Even the officers were feeling bad because they saw the true love in this small family.

Anika was continuously caressing Pari's back to calm her down or rather calm herself down. Tears were continuously flowing from her eyes.

A(to Pari) - It's okay, baby. I won't let anything happen to you. No one can take you from here. I'm with you. Dadda is with you. I love you my baby.

Anika was consoling Pari.

S- Anika, please sign these documents.

But Anika was lost in her conversation with Pari. Shivaay understood her dilemma. Maybe Anika wasn't Pari's blood mother but Pari was her daughter. Since, pari came into their lives, Anika has only lived for Pari, her every decision has involvement of Pari, in short, Anika's world revolves around Pari. Suddenly, when someone came and told a mother that they are taking her baby away from her, how can the heart of a mother be calm.

Shivaay kept his hand on Anika's shoulder and Anika looked at him startled.

S- Anika, please sign this.

Anika looked at him and then at the papers. She slowly took the pen from him and signed it.

L- Okay. I'll submit these papers in the court and try to get an early hearing date ASAP.

Shivaay and Anika nodded their head.

S- So we've filed the custody case also. Now can we keep our baby with us?

Ar- I'm sorry, Mr. Oberoi. This case is kind of complicated. Mr. Mathur has claimed his rights on the baby and if you've handed over the baby to him, then the adoption could be cancelled. But as of now, you've filed a custody case, the baby will be taken to the child welfare centre as according to the laws, neither of the opposing parties can be trusted with the safety of the baby. So Pari will live in the child welfare centre, till the case is in the court.

Anika looked at him furiously.

A- Are you mad or what? You can't take our baby and dump her in some filthy child welfare centre. I won't allow this.

M- We understand your feelings, Ms. Anika but we can't go against the laws. So please cooperate.

Anika handed Pari to Shivaay, who was just trying to control his tears.

Anika folded her hands in front of the officers.

A- Please, don't take my baby away. How will she live without me? Every three hours, she need her feed, how will I feed her? How will I live without my baby? Please don't do this.

The lady also had tears in her eyes on looking at the condition of Anika but she was bound by her duties.

She took Pari from Shivaay's arms while Pari clutched his collar tightly in her fist, not leaving it. Shivaay also held her tightly in her arms.

S- Look, we can find some way but please don't take her with you.

M- I'm sorry.

Mreenal took Pari in her arms and started taking her away. Pari started crying loudly and was trying to free herself from the lady's hold.

Anika and Shivaay looked at her and burst into tears.

As soon as they reached the main door, Pari screamed-

P- MAA.

Shivaay and Anika were shocked to hear Pari's first word.

The lady took her away and Arvind and Rohit followed.

Anika slumped down on the floor and Shivaay side hugged her.

A- Did you hear, my baby called me maa? Her first word. Shivaay, I want my baby back.

Shivaay was controlling his feelings. He caressed Anika's back to calm her down.

S- Shh.. We'll get her. Very soon, Pari will be with us.

Anika hid her face in the crook of his neck and burst into tears.

Shivaay was feeling broken from inside, on parting away from his daughter and on seeing his love so broken. He was also a father. He has accepted Pari as his daughter. She was his princess and seeing her condition while she said her first word, his soul shivered from inside. He was feeling so vulnerable and broken but he can't shatter into pieces. A father may act like a stone from outside but he has a heart which breaks on seeing the vulnerability of his family. Shivaay knew that he can't show his weakness to Anika as he has to console her and fight for his baby girl.

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