Hello everyone! I know I keep going MIA but trust me when I say that I'm really not in the headspace to write right now. But because I feel awful for not publishing anything for lengthy periods of time, I'm putting up the first part of this TS I started writing months back. I thought I would only publish this when I had written the entire thing (because you'll probably have to wait long for me to update it) but desperate times call for desperate measures.

Hope you enjoy xx

Annika had hated Shivaay Singh Oberoi for as long as she could remember. Well, that might be an exaggeration, but she had developed an awful dislike for the man about a year ago. She had never properly met him, other than occasional glimpses at some social events. The way she knew about him, and what had brought on this hatred, was the fact that he had dated Mallika di and broken her heart, badly. Mallika was Annika's elder cousin, and the two were very close – in fact, all cousins on that side of the family were. Shivaay Singh Oberoi and Mallika di had dated for a while, a relationship that had left the latter heartbroken. She had been inconsolable. Albeit, she was the one who had actually initiated the break-up.

"But only because he isn't in love with me," She had explained in between sobs, eating ice-cream from the tub as the girl gang had tried to console her.

This had carried on for a few weeks, until Mallika had finally stopped crying and gone back to life as normal. She didn't blame Shivaay, because he had been a good boyfriend despite a lack of romantic feelings; but he was her first love after all, and it was natural to feel this way. However, for Annika who only saw her beloved cousin's tears, Shivaay Singh Oberoi was a nuisance of a man who deserved nothing but hell, thank you very much. It had been close to a year since Shivaay and Mallika had broken up, but Annika was still holding a grudge. And she forever would be. But because she would never have anything to do with the man, it was all good.

That was until, of course, her event management company got an offer from the Oberois to organize their annual, high-profile business party.

***

"Gauri, I told you this is my final decision. I am not taking up the offer."

"Don't be stupid, Anni!" Gauri tried explaining to her cousin as the latter carried on organizing her wardrobe according to "color scheme". "This is huge for your company, do you realize that? Not everyone gets a contract to organize the biggest business party of India!"

"Yeah well, I don't know any of that. All I know is, I am not going to work for the douche who broke Mallika di's heart."

"Oh God," Gauri groaned. "Listen, even Mallika di is over it, okay? I'm sure she won't have a problem with this. Besides, you just have to organize a party for them. You're not gonna go like, date the guy or something."

"Yuck, how can you even say that?" Annika scrunched her face. "It's against the girl code to even think romantically about your best friend slash sister's ex."

"Exactly my point," Gauri rolled her eyes. "I mean, Shivaay Singh Oberoi is really hot..."

"Ri!"

"Okay, okay, kidding," Gauri raised her hands in surrender. "But think about it practically, Anni. You started Aatishbazi just two years ago, and yet you're already getting such amazing contracts. This will be so good for the company's reputation!"

When Annika still looked unconvinced, Gauri decided to play the trump card.

"Okay, at least think about your employees," Annika looked up here, halting her task. "I mean, you'll get a really good paycheck for this, no doubt. Maybe you'll be able to give the employees a bigger bonus this year?"

Annika was silent, thinking deeply about Gauri's words.

"But you know what," Gauri shrugged, "You're right. I mean, who cares about the employees, right? You should just stick to your morals and not work for a guy who Mallika di dated like, once upon a time." With these words, Gauri left her cousin cum best friend with a smirk, because she knew she had just targeted dear Ani's most sensitive spot.

***

"I think this space might be a little congested for 200 people."

Inspecting the banquet hall of Oberoi industries the following week, Annika made her opinion made known to Shivaay Singh Oberoi. He was personally giving her a tour of the hall because of the significance of the event at hand. Annika for her part was acting entirely professional, when in reality she wanted to punch his handsome face for what he had done to her sister.

"I think it's large enough," he frowned. "This is where we've always had the party."

"I said congested, not small," Annika rolled her eyes. "And, um, don't you think having the party at the same place each year makes it kind of...boring?"

"No, I don't," Shivaay scowled. "This is a business event, not a wedding. It doesn't have to be exciting or whatever. Just classy enough to impress our most valuable business associates, especially from overseas."

Annika inwardly groaned. She couldn't understand what Mallika di had ever seen in this guy. Sure, he was hot, but in the past half an hour Annika had gotten the idea that he was arrogant, condescending, and extremely boring.

"I'm just saying, Mr. Oberoi," Annika continued with as much patience as she could, thinking only of her employees and a bigger bonus for them, "I couldn't help but notice that you have a lovely backyard in your premises. See, right there," She pointed to the huge green area down below, visible through the glass walls of the banquet hall.

"Yes, I know where our backyard is," Shivaay stated, making Annika narrow her eyes. He cleared his throat. "Well, what about it?"

"Well," Annika started slowly, as if explaining to a 5-year-old, "I was thinking, maybe we could have the party there?"

Shivaay shrugged in response.

"It's a business party," He reiterated for the hundredth time that morning. "It's for people to network, make deals, have—"

"Have fun?" Annika offered.

"Have a taste of the Oberois' hospitality," it was Shivaay's turn to narrow his eyes. "Look, Ms. Trivedi, I appreciate your, um, ideas," he said with a wave of his hand, "but I prefer that we stick to the basics. Just, make sure there's good food, classy décor, and everything runs smoothly, okay? And maybe if we want to utilize one of your more 'colorful' ideas, we'll, uh, call you to organize our annual Holi party."

With a barely-there curt smile thrown her way, Shivaay ordered his personal assistant, Mishra, to escort her out and left the hall. Annika took a deep breath after he left, before letting out a loud groan of frustration. To her relief, Mishra didn't even bat an eye. He just nodded at her in understanding and led her out.

***

"Make sure you get white lilies only. Any other color or flower won't go with the rest of the decoration."

Instructing one of her staff members, Annika turned around to find Shivaay Singh Oberoi storming her way, looking pretty pissed. Annika braced herself.

"Ms. Trivedi," He started, looking down at her intently. "I thought I specifically asked you to not organize the party here, but in our banquet hall."

"Yes, I remember, Mr. Oberoi," Annika smiled at him sweetly. "The conversation took place only two days ago and thankfully my memory is still quite good."

"I really doubt that," Shivaay snarled, crossing his arms against his chest, "because right now you are doing exactly what I asked you not to do."

"Right," Annika replied, still smiling. "But I am also doing exactly what your father asked me to do."

"My father?" Shivaay asked, confused.

"M-hm," Annika nodded enthusiastically. "I met him the other day after that conversation with you, and he was very delighted by my ideas. Said they were very, um, colorful!"

"You felt the need to talk to my father after I already gave you strict instructions?" Shivaay asked, face almost red with anger.

"Well," Annika replied calmly, "I just thought I should talk things out with someone a little less...boring, you know?"

With that, Annika turned around and got back to work, just barely resisting the temptation of sneaking a look at Shivaay's baffled expression.

­***

It was the weekend, and as customary, the Chowdhary-Trivedi girls were assembled in one of their houses to catch up.

"I really don't know what you ever saw in him," Annika stated as she licked chocolate of her fingers. "I mean, he's so...so..."

"Cocky?" Gauri offered.

"Well, that, and a lot more. But the point is, I just don't see why you dated him and then cried about him, Mallika di. The dude's such a douche! You're so much better without him."

"You don't know him well enough, Ani," Mallika explained. "Sure, Shivaay can be arrogant and all that when he wants, but you should see him with his family sometime. You'll feel like he's the sweetest man you've ever met."

"That's not gonna happen," Annika scoffed.

"No, really," Mallika urged. Although the relationship had hurt her, she respected Shivaay a lot. "And you know, the girl he falls in love with is going to be the luckiest. I mean, I can't even imagine the things he would do for her."

"Is he a good kisser?" Saumya asked excitedly. Annika glared at her, but she did perk up at the question.

"I don't kiss and tell," Mallika stuck her tongue out. Annika sighed internally. Guess she would never know if that mouth was good at anything other than barking orders.

"Is he a gentleman though?" It was Gauri's turn to be curious. Mallika nodded.

"For sure."

"Argh," Annika groaned. "Why are we even talking about him? Even the mention of his name irritates me. You know what he said to me the other day? He said I was clumsy, and that too only because I mistakenly dropped coffee on him! And on top of that, he..."

As Annika continued, the other girls looked at each other and tried to hide their smiles. And she asks why they were even talking about him...

***

The business party was a success. And by success, it wasn't the usual kind of success, but the kind where everyone came to Shivaay asking for the event planner's contact details. By the end of it, even Shivaay himself came up to Annika and tried to compliment her work. Tried being the keyword, because they ended up arguing over something else in the process. Regardless, when Annika reached home that night, she collapsed on the living room sofa, exhausted and satisfied. She already had three new contracts, all high-profile parties that would give her employees bigger bonuses and more. Opening the heels she had worn to compliment her beige cocktail dress, Annika massaged her feet. She was about to go to her room and retire for the night, when her parents walked in.

"Papa, Mama," Annika spread her arms for her parents to hug her. "I haven't seen y'all in so long."

"Nautanki," Her mother smacked her head. "And don't think I didn't see you making way too many trips to the dessert section."

"Give my princess some rest," Harshvardhan Trivedi said, settling down beside his daughter. "You know how many people came up to me to tell me what a marvelous job my daughter had done?"

Annika's parents had gone to the Oberoi's party as well, of course. Her father was a well-known businessman, and Annika would be able to get a lot more contracts if she used his reference. However, that is exactly what she didn't want, and so stayed away from her parents if they happened to be in a party she was organizing.

"Wait, people there knew I am your daughter?" Annika asked.

"Only a few," Her father assured her. "Shivaay was quite surprised when Tej told him, actually."

"Of course," Annika rolled her eyes. "He was probably wondering how an 'insolent' girl like me could be your daughter."

"He called you insolent?" Her father asked.

"Irrelevant," Annika said, stretching her arms.

"Waise, is this the same Shivaay that Mallika was dating last year?" Her mother asked.

"Yep," Annika replied. "The very same."

"What a sweet guy," Her mother continued. "He was being such a nice host, you know. Even got me appetizers himself. I wonder why they broke up."

"Mom, have you not been listening to me? He's anything but sweet, okay? Mallika di is better off without him."

"Well, he is a really good businessman, as well..." Her father shrugged. Annika looked at him with her mouth open. "I'm just saying, baby, that he wouldn't be a bad son-in-law."

"I don't know why we're even discussing this," Annika said, exasperated. "He and Mallika di have broken up, so you guys shouldn't be imagining him as a son-in-law anymore, okay? And just FYI, you have a very wrong idea about him. Very wrong." Picking up her heels, Annika stomped off to her room, leaving her parents amused.

"You know, I was actually talking about seeing Shivaay as our son-in-law," Harsh revealed to his wife as their daughter left. "As Annika's husband. But I guess that's not going to happen, is it?"

"Well, you never know," Avantika Trivedi smiled. "On one hand, she and Shivaay have started off on the same note as we did. You know, fighting, hating each other's guts, etcetera. But on the other hand..."

"Yeah?"

Avantika sighed. "Well, I just don't know if Anni will ever be willing to go against the girl code and date her cousin's ex."

To be continued