Shivaay woke up with a broad smile on his face when the morning rays peeped into his room, along with some chilling breeze. He had such a good sleep after a very long time!

Harsh and Meera had provided him a separate room, in spite of the fact that, he had agreed to share the room with OmRu.

"It is ok, Beta... you may get frequent business calls.. A separate room means, neither will your privacy be impacted, nor will OmRu's sleep get disturbed.." they had told him.

"I can manage, Uncle.. You need not take the pain to..."

"What's the pain in this, Beta? It is our responsibility to take good care of our guests, make them feel home" Meera had convinced him saying so and he could not argue any further.

The house was huge enough for Shivaay's expectations in a town, since he had never been to such places before. Though he couldn't compare it with Oberoi Mansion, he still wondered how they had managed to build such a huge beautiful villa, with a wonderful architecture, specially the rooms were so spacious and airy. They did not even need air conditioners ever. Shivaay also wondered how big his Daadi's ancestral house would be then.

He got freshened up and decided to tour around the villa for a while, when his phone buzzed.

************************************

Annika came down for her morning dose of coffee. Her mom was already preparing a cup for herself.

"Good Morning Annika" Meera said handing over a cup of coffee to her.

"Morning Mumma" She replied.

"You are ok now?" Her mom hesitantly asked her.

"Much better" came her prompt reply.

"Woh Annika.. I was going to tell you this.." she paused.

"Haa Mumma.."

"They are a big family Annika.. They are indeed very nice people.." she spoke hesitantly.

"The Oberois?" She asked.

"Hmmmm.."

"Of course they are... In fact, Daadi is very sweet...." Annika added sipping her coffee.

"About their proposal yesterday... Think about it Annika.. I mean, I know you would have already done that...But, we should not be doing anything that will put their reputation at stake" Annika's eyes widened at that..

"Nahi matlab.. I am just saying nothing should go wrong, everything should be perfect..And, you are new to this..Such a big risk it is you see...." She reasoned.

"Mumma relax.. You know I wouldn't be taking risks.. You also know I wouldn't be doing anything that will put 'anyone's' reputation at risk" She repeated her mom's sentence and her mom was a little relieved now.

"And you also know I would be there to help you if you are planning to take risks" Harsh's voice turned mom's and daughter's attention towards him.

"Good morning Papa" Annika smiled and side-hugged her dad.

"Remember Annika... whatever decision you make, I am here to help you" he repeated.

"I know" she replied promptly.

Shivaay, who had walked towards the direction, casually heard their conversation and felt a sense of pride. His family had made a place in their hearts in one day, and that felt truly great!

Annika, who casually looked outside noticed him standing there.

"Aap eavesdrop kar rahe hai kyaa, Billujiii?" She asked widening her eyes at him and pouting.

Shivaay was lost in those eyes for a moment.

"Woh nahi.. I just came..." He stammered.

"Annika... chup" her mom stared at her.

"Some coffee, beta?" she asked looking at him.

"Huh hmm.. It is ok aunty" He hesitated slightly.

"Arre.. Don't worry.. We will give you your favorite Kaali coffee" Annika said casually and he gulped.

"Mumma.. He likes that Kaali coffee only.. Give him, na" She ordered her mom.

"Okay will do that.. but how do you know about that?" Her mom raised her brows and looked at her doubtfully.

"Arre.. that was what I gave him yesterday na Mumma" she blurted out in a flow without realising and her mom stared at her, while Shivaay chuckled.

"What did you just say?" her mom asked and Annika started blinking.

"Woh.. woh..Mumma"

"I will deal with you later" her mom angrily said and prepared coffee for Shivaay.

"Thank you, Aunty.." He said as he took the cup and walked outside.

One last time, he looked back at her and said "Oh and yeah.. Thank you Annika... for understanding me soooo well" he stressed on the 'so' and walked out with a smirk.

"Khadoos aadmi.. Now mumma will make me pickle.." she murmured to herself.

Before even her mom could ask her anything,

"Woh mumma.. I will.... I will go check if Priyanka got up huh.. Byee" Saying so, she quickly ran outside and her mom just shrugged her shoulders.

Atleast, she was happy that her daughter was coming back to normal. But, would it last long?

************************************

The Oberoi family members, along with the others assembled for breakfast. Annika helped her mom set the table.

She noticed that her mom had kept two separate additional bowls, one with salad and another with something that looked like pasta. She wondered why that was separate, and also less in quantity. She remembered Rohit saying the other day that he is not going to follow any diet for the next few days and enjoy as much delicacies as possible, as his bua makes wonderful dishes and he was hardly going to be here for only a few more days.

"Mumma.. What is this?" She asked doubtfully.

"Salad and pasta" her mom replied casually.

"Haa woh toh thik hai.. But, why this? It is for Rohit, right? I mean Rohit was asking you for something else, hai na"

"This is not for Rohit, Annika" her mom replied.

"Hein? Then??" She was puzzled.

'"It is for Shivaay"

"Whaat?" Shock was an understatement for her. Her mom had started preparing special dishes for a newly arrived guest. How did she even find out his preferences so soon? Whatever magic had he done to her mom. She frowned thinking that.

"Haa.. he prefers gluten-free food.. So, I prepared this separately for him" Her mom smiled proudly.

"This special Singh Oberoi prefers gluten-free food.. Too much of pampering for a new comer.. Bechara Rudy.. No special treatment for him.. Arre.. leave that.. Priyanka, the bride.. Nothing for her too" Thoughtfully, she rolled her eyes when her mom shook her.

"Annika.. What are you thinking about? Go and keep it there.. He must be waiting na"

"Ya ya.. Whatever" She rolled her eyes and left.

************************************

"Here.. special food for you, Billujiii" she stressed handing him over the pasta.

He was surprised seeing special breakfast for him.

"Iski kyaa zaroorat thi? Mom, I would have had whatever you guys are having" he ranted looking at his mom.

"Hawww.. He preferred this and now acting like a very good boy" Annika widened her eyes.

"Shivaay.. I never said anything" Pinky was confused.

"No no.. she did not say anything, Beta.. I only heard your mom and badi ma speaking about your preferences yesterday.. So, I thought why not prepare something you like" Meera said as she walked over to the dining table.

"But aunty... you need not have taken special pain and time to do all this.."

"It took hardly ten minutes, Beta.. In fact, it was done much quicker than all those other items.. It would be great if all of us eat simple food like this, hai na" Her mom sheepishly smiled trying to make the mood lighter and Annika got so annoyed.

"Hawww.. What a 360 degree turn? Two days back, she was saying she needs to prepare this, prepare that etc etc.. Now she is acting sooo sweet to him.. Simple dishes huh... What jhaal has he done overnight" She murmured.

"Thank you Aunty..But, please hereafter I will have whatever you guys have.. No special treatment please.. I feel left out" he smiled and requested.

"Accha thik hai.. Have it now" she replied.

"Both of them are competing for Oscar, it seems like" Annika sighed in disbelief.

************************************

After a while, the Panditji arrived. Daadi and all others sat around for discussion. The panditji did a check on various factors, made some innumerable calculations and then finalised the wedding date as the following Sunday. They had around twelve days to be precise.

Daadi thanked him for the help and asked him to assist them with the wedding rituals too. She also informed him that the wedding would be taking place in their ancestral home and it was being setup right now. They spoke for a little more time about their past days, as Daadi knew him and his family well from quite sometime.

"Don't worry.. I will assure that everything happens smoothly... I will make a list of few items and let you know. Just ensure you get them as well..I will come again either this evening, or worst case tomorrow.. Meanwhile, you can discuss about other events and finalise them" He gave a reassuring smile.

In spite of Harsh asking him to have something to eat, he refused and just asked them to get him a glass of water. Annika brought it for him and he looked at her attentively.

Once he was done, he got up to leave, but turned back to look at Annika one last time.

"You are truly blessed, Annika beta" Saying so, he left smiling, leaving behind a completely perplexed Annika. She, however, decided to shrug it off and went inside.

************************************

After a little while, Shivaay decided to ask Annika about her decision, but was not sure, how to begin the topic, as she kept giving back to him in one way or the other. From what he heard in the morning, he was close to eighty percent sure that she was not going to take up the task of being his sister's wedding planner. Of course, he understood her apprehensions too.

He finally made up his mind, went and sat next to his Daadi. His daadi, parents and Harsh, were having some discussion about some items that had to be purchased for the wedding rituals.

"Daadi.. Woh.. just thought of asking something.. Let me know once you guys are done with the discussion. I will speak about it then.."

"What is it, Shivaay? Just go ahead" His dad asked in anticipation.

By that time, Priyanka and Annika had joined them there.

"Mmm.. actually.. Tejal had called this morning.. Hmm.. You know what I mean right? She was asking me about the dates and all that stuff.. I said I will be calling her back this evening" He kind of hesitantly said.

"Bhaiyaa.. What is this now? I had told you na..."

"Prinku..What is he supposed to do, huh? She called him and he spoke.. How would she know you are not interested?" Pinky glared at her and Priyanka just hummed in response and decided to remain silent.

"Waise Annika.. Did you already think about it? Sorry to push you.. We do not have enough time left right.." Jhanvi politely asked Annika.

"Aisa kuch bhi nahi hai, aunty.. I understand your anxiety too" She smiled.

"So, what have you decided Puttar?" Daadi asked looking at her intently.

"Woh Daadi.. I thought well about this.. It is great that Priyanka even considered asking me for this.. But, at the same time, I am totally new to all this... I haven't ever taken up such a big responsibility on my shoulders single handedly.. Not sure to what extent I would be able to do justice to this" She went on and on and everyone was listening to her patiently.

"Well, I can totally understand Annika.. It is ok.. I know it is not easy for you.. I can call Tejal" Shivaay interrupted and she gave him a weird look.

"Bhaiyaaa.. Will you atleast let her complete? When did she say she cannot?" Priyanka made a puppy face.

"But.. you can see na..the way she was..."

"Mr. Oberoi.. I only said I can understand it is difficult and it is a huge responsibility.. I never said I cannot take it up...Did I?? I was going to say, I am ready to take up this and help Priyanka and my sweet cousin, Rohit..Haa. yeah I am new to this.. But, I am confident enough that I can manage..I will try my best to make sure this is not just my first work, but also my best work..Waise bhi, Papa is there to help me, hai na Papa" she said with a swag looking at her dad and he nodded.

Shivaay stood there dumbstruck, as his eighty percent confidence had gone up to ninety nine percent, when she made the first half of her speech.

"Wowwwwiee... Thank you so much Annika..Thank you" Priyanka happily jumped.

"But, you will be fine right?" Shivaay asked in an ambivalent manner.

"Are you challenging me, Mr.Oberoi?" Annika glared at him with questioning eyes.

"Not at all.. I just double confirmed" He gulped at her fierce response.

"Bhaiyaa.. don't make fun of her huh" Priyanka instructed her brother.

"What the hell?!I just casually said that" He thought.

"I am so happy, Puttar.." Daadi hugged her and turning towards Shivaay "Billu.. get the cheque book" she said enthusiastically..

"Ek minute..kyun?" She asked casually..

"What kyun, puttar? It's your first assignment"

"Daadi.. I agreed to do this for you and Priyanka.. Moreover, how can I take money for my own cousin's wedding?" She pouted.

"But, Annika" Priyanka said but was cut off by her

"No ifs and buts...I am not taking money and that is final.. Waise bhi, you will be paying for other arrangements right..Just that my fee is waived..So chill..." she crossed her arms and smiled.

"Haha..accha thik hai..."

"Annika..are you sure?" Her mom asked her skeptically..

"Mumma.. trust me..You know I accept only if I am sure, right?" She said confidently and her mom hummed in response..

"Ok listen.. I remembered something...I had shortlisted some designs.. I will bring my laptop" She turned towards Priyanka after convincing her mom..

"You have a laptop?" Shivaay was startled. He had no idea why he ended up asking stupid questions to her all the time!

"Excuse me? What do you mean?" She shot daggers at him.

"Nahi..matlab.. I just asked so that, I mean, I was thinking, I can arrange for stuff that you would require.. Don't think otherwise" He had to be careful with his words while talking to her is what he understood with her reactions so far.

"Another oscar performance.. Someone nominate him already" she sighed murmuring..

"Whatever..." She said aloud, shrugged and then looked towards the others...

"Hmmm... well... all okay.. but then...." She paused..

"What is it Annika?" Jhanvi asked looking at her intently..

"Haa didi..what is it?" Rudy joined in curiously..

"Hmmmm...I have ONE condition.." She raised her brows and everyone looked at her with bewilderment..

***********************************

Okay... So, Annika has accepted to take up the wedding planner job! This chapter is dedicated to all those who guessed it right 😌😌😌
But, do you think she will do justice to it?

What was that weird Panditji talking about??🤔

Now main thing, guess guess... What is that condition Annika madam is talking about 🤔🤔
You know the author by now.. So, you should know what the condition would be too 😋

Happy Reading!☺️

To all those who think the pace is slow, please wait patiently, as, the best (Shivika❤️) is yet to come 😇
(Maybe I'm boasting too much, let's make it, the "better" is yet to come) 😉)