"And I know at the end of day, you always will have my back."

It took exactly 15 minutes for Ansh to reach his sister, after her distress call. He didn't comment on her puffy eyes or the grumpy child in her arms as she silently took her seat beside him and he ordered his driver to collect her car and take it back  home.

Settling in the driver's seat, he started driving the car wordlessly for the better part of journey as Anya continued staring outside the window, eyes on the fleeting things and mind lost somewhere entirely else.

"Where to??" Ansh questioned her mildly

"Somewhere I can scream my heart out without all the unwanted questions" the off hand reply both surprised and frightened him a little but he did what she asked him to do, he took her to a place all for himself away from all the loud noises and screams of scandals. To a place where the sky and sea meets and converse daily. He took her to a place where no one can overhear their screams or words. 

Anya was surprised to find herself in an unknown place, in a part of the city. She never came before as she looked at Ansh with curiosity filled eyes, only to be ushered inside by her brother. Not stopping for even a single minute inside the house. They reached the back porch and settled down there silently. Eyes locked with the glistening sea and mind locked in memories.

"I thought you wanted to scream??" Ansh asked her after sometime breaking the silence surrounding them

"I thought so too" she replied with a watery laugh as she looked towards him with misty eyes

"what happened to you, doll" his eyes were full of love and concern for her as he questioned her while shifting a little more closer to her and wrapping his arms around her shoulders.

"I don't know bro....I really don't...one moment I'm like nothing can unnerve me anymore and the next I'm crying over things that happened decades ago. On top of hazy memory of childhood where it hard to differentiate between dreams and reality. Everything just seems too much like I'm not really made for all this. You know sometimes I really feel like shouting at my past self to listen to Mrs Oberoi and dad, I feel I should have stayed away from her. I should have listened to them."

"And I wouldn't be alive if you listened to them. she won't have saved me that day if she didn't love you, Anya" Ansh told her with a small smile, supporting her past decisions when sometimes she herself doubts her choices.

"still you know I should have been a little wary after they asked me not to meet her for the hundred time but they didn't tell me why?? They never told me how badly she had hurt Mrs Oberoi and dad in past, they never told me how many times she tried to kill them in past and how gravely Mrs Oberoi was injured when she was carrying us because of her. I didn't know she wanted to harm us and here I'm being sad  and all because she is dead." Anya spoke up in a totally distressed tone

"What and how did you know all this??" Ansh questioned her back seriously shaken by her tone and discoveries.

"You know, I had years out of this city to search whatever curiosities rise in my head, their are news clippings and hundreds of unsolved cases lining up in the store rooms of police stations. You know reading those files, I didn't know what to do. I wanted to ask her so many question, the sweet lady I called aunt lana, the lady who told me stories and tickled me and laughed with me. did she really love me or all of that was really a facade??Did I really mean something to her or I was just another pawn in her game of revenge?? All her promises to always love me and protect me were they really true or were they just perfect lies?? I wanted to scream at her and let all those questions out. I wanted to know did I really change her for better or worse, I just really needed all those answers, I needed to know was her love really fake??" her tone was relentless and full of distress and Ansh didn't know what to say to her to make her feel better, to lessen her internal distress

"I think she loved you truly doll after all she saved me because of you and let's not dig past graves. Let's think about our future after all we are together and most importantly alive, aren't we?? btw who is this little guest in your arms I thought I needed to beat Viaan thinking she was the reason of your this current disastrous mood" Ansh added the last line solely for teasing purpose and making Anya smile. he grinned internally feeling accomplished when a hearty chuckle escaped her lips as she threw back her neck and just enjoyed the comfort and security he was providing to her by just being with her.

"I think you would have done more than throwing some punches at Viaan if I didn't go there today" She said in an airy tone surrounding her, all her guards were down at the moment, letting Ansh a peek inside an Anya just a few people knows

"What do you mean is the child really Viaan's??" Ansh questioned Anya suddenly very alert and cautious about the whole situation

"no, hell no...... I don't think I could be this calm if Viaan had a child even by some relation before we got together but  she ain't Viaan's. You know Kritika bhabi right she had a childhood best friend, I don't know much about there past or how did they became friend and all but bhabs loved her very much. When bhabs got to know that she is staying in Delhi she brought her to our home. Vi wasn't happy with her inclusion in our family but didn't let anyone know. well, anyone beside me, Ro and Savvy that day bhabi and Mom was out, Karan bhai returned back home late that night heavily drunk. bhai usually don't drink but that day due to some reason he was drunk. Vi and I took him to his room and placed him properly on the bed. Vi took out his shoes and socks and then we left the room letting him sleep off his drunken haze. We were sitting in the back garden, it was quite late in the night I don't exactly remember and suddenly I saw a shadow on Bhai's window. I told about it to Vi but then on a second glance we didn't see anything so we continued star gazing and talking and after some time latter we again saw the shadow on the window. We went  to check out what exactly was happening, to be truthful Vi and I expected some thief and not what we faced inside bhai's room. I think you can guess what we saw there. I made sure Jasmine leaves the house without uttering about that night to anyone, bhai was too drunk and not at all in his senses so he didn't remember anything. This was a secret Viaan and I were bearing from so many years always afraid that someone will spill the beans to ma, bhabi or bhai destroying our family and few days ago Jasmine called Vi threatening him that if he didn't provide her with money and take the child's responsibility. She will tell the press that the child is Vi's and he forced her  and you can imagine what would have been the family's reaction if she gave this statement to the press. I went there to confirm my doubts and make sure Jasmine doesn't utter even a single word about this to anyone but now I'm full of more questions than answers Ansh, my doubt regarding everything related to fixing was right. Bhai was investigating match fixing when Jasmine was told or forced to sleep with him, clearly to blackmail him but bhai himself left the investigation and went aboard because of some issues then Viaan was blackmailed just before a knockout match and then the fire incident in the orphanage just before semi final match. you can see the link don't you Ansh??" Anya questioned him with expectant eyes and a contemplative tone

"I can, doll but what are you planning to do now and the child is with you, so I think the deal went according to the plan." Ansh questioned her as he gazed now towards the sleeping child in Anya's arms

"I don't know now Ansh. I thought I'll get the details from Jasmine...I even had her at a point from where I could get to know whatever I want but then suddenly something changed in the air. She went inside and came back with an armour built around her. She handed me the child without any demand and asked me to leave. Everything changed in just a moment, the thing that I had in my grasp slipped away from me and the final shocking piece that totally unhinged me was Jasmine stating she is Svetlana's daughter and Svetlana is dead when just a second ago I saw her on the window. I couldn't contemplate anything, my emotions got better of me and here I'm crying over past when I decided I won't let the past get me" Anya said everything with a painful sigh as she thought about the day's event and how close she was to the whole truth before it slipped from her hands

"We will handle everything dear sister. I'm sure we can do anything as we stand united against all foes but what did you plan for this little angel. I'm sure you and Viaan had decide to keep her." Ansh asked her diverting her mind to the current topic, he knew how much danger she is trying to unveil the darkness surrounding the heart of game and he will be damned if he let her deal with it alone. He will be there for his best friends and sister like they always were there for him. He will shield her from harm and make her laugh when all she wants to do is cry.

" Yeah, but I really don't know what to tell the family. I don't  know how to explain all this and I'm not finding a sound enough reason to satisfy their never ending curiosity and I don't know anything about how to raise a child, dude I'm a child myself" Anya spoke sounding really tired of finding excuses for everyone as she sat unmoving to not disturb the baby's sleep and towards the ending her tone slowly raised to a high pitch whining note making Ansh to let out a throaty laugh.

"Well, You can tell the family that you were attached to this child after caring for whole night and decided to adopt her as the fire incidence really shook your soul and you didn't want to imagine what would have happened if this child wasn't saved when she was saved and you asked me whether you could adopt this child or not and I being your loving, caring elder brother decided to grant your wish and Viaan also is totally in support of your this wish and tada you got the perfect excuse and as far as raising this child is concerned you have the world's best uncle with you to help you out" Ansh stated in a voice full of self boasting followed by another hearty laugh of Anya

"you know you got competition there right, Savvy and Ro will not let you take that position so easily." Anya's tone was full of mirth and teasing finally having someone on whom she could depend and open up to so easily

"W ell as far as I'm concerned I'm the only mamu of your dear child and they both can fight for who is the best chachu for all they want. The place of the best mamu in the world is reserved be me. Don't worry doll we will learn and adapt together. You'll be the best mom, we'll handle everything together." Ansh started in a boastful tone but ended in encouraging full of support whispers for his sister as he side hugged again making sure not to disturb the child's sleep as Anya relaxed in his arms, leaning in him for support and both of them stayed there in each other company looking at the conversing sky and sea, staring at the vast blues of nature and just relaxing.

On the other hand, in the small house of chawl Jasmine has finally gotten her emotions in control when another women entered the house with collected cold steps.

"You knew that Anya??" Jasmine's accusing tone met her as she was going to get a glass of water

"No"

"Then why did you stop me from getting the money out of her, I know she would have given anything to save her precious cricketer. I would have settled with that much money anywhere in the entire world with my child and you snatched that freedom from me, you told me to tell her you were dead and my mother. You aren't my mother Svetlana but I guess you're that Viaan Kundra's guard bitch. you spared her the details you knew why she was here" Their was so much scorn,remorse and accusation in Jasmine's tone as she looked towards Swetlana her hands still shaking from grief

Jasmine couldn't contemplate what happened  next as she was suddenly pushed to the wall with Svetlana's hands tightly wound around her neck.

"Yes, I'm not your mom but I'm your boss and I saved both of your life prohibiting you from telling anything to her. She had a curiosity larger than both her parents combined and he would have killed you both if he got to know she knew who he is and you told her about him and I made you give your daughter to her so that your daughter won't ever fall in same path as us. What did you think they wouldn't be able to find you and drag you back here?? No, amount of money could save you from this muddy waters of crime world when you've once entered this world" Svetlana's tone was cold and threatening and also full of warning as she loosened her grip on Jasmine's throat

"Why does Anya means so much to you?? Don't you want to destroy the oberoi's" Jasmine still questioned Svetlana not forgetting her reaction watching Anya

"None of your business and don't mention about her to anyone got it" Svetlana's eyes were still full of raw cold fury and warning as she looked towards Jasmine

"She got the same anger as you" Jasmine still continued riling up Svetlana to get some answers but Svetlana didn't give away anything beside a frosty glare towards her as she threw her own question towards Jasmine

"What kind of guy is this Viaan Kundra??"

" he is a gentleman as far as I know" Jasmine mumbled still looking towards Svetlana suspiciously 

"Hmm....go look after the preparations" Svetlana ordered Jasmine in a tone that left space for no other comment after Jasmine left the room, Svetlana continued gazing outside the house.

"Stay safe and away from this matter, Princess. I don't want you to get hurt but your family needs to be punished for their sins. They need to answer for all the crimes they did and I don't want you to get involved in the cross fire. fly away with your prince, my little girl, don't fight my battle. I know what you're trying to do but I won't let you get hurt as long as I'm alive. I was decieved, I didn't realize who the true enemy is but now I know and nothing will save him from my eire. Justice will win" She thought looking towards the seat where Anya was sitting and reminisced when she first met a 1 year old jovial girl, ready to befriend everyone, not at all shy always ready to run around the house and make her parents run after her as she crawled around the house curiously. how she was commanded to kill the girl to punish the oberoi's for their sins, snatch the liveliness of the house, the heart of shivika. She remember standing above her crib with a pillow in her hand, ready to suffocate the sleeping child to death, in her bitterness, anger and thirst for revenge. The pillow was inches away from Anya's face when the little girl opened her eyes and looked at her with oh so trust filled eyes. Her eyes were full of curiosity, trust and sleepiness as she gazed at her without any fear and then passed her a sweet smile totally crumbling her resolve for killing the sweet thing. She couldn't just couldn't make herself kill the sweet child and when she threw her arms towards her asking her to pick her up. she complied silently taking the child with petal soft and smooth in her arms as she happily mumbled something or other thing to her. She couldn't kill such an innocent,sweet and trusting child and then there was the panic in Anika's eyes as she snatched her away from her, afraid she might hurt her child and oh, how right she was she wanted to kill her child moments ago but couldn't. Slowly-slowly that girl had her wrapped around her fingers, she fell in love with the enemies child, going as far as to think of Anya as her own child and she can't let her get hurt. She'll not let Anya get hurt even when she burns down OM brick by brick, she will make sure Anya is far away from all the harm.

...to be continued...

So, what do you think guys?? Are you still confused if yes please tell me where I'll try to clear up the doubts and hope you enjoyed the chapter. I'm not portraying anyone as a saint I hope I cleared this with this chapter and this one was really a big chapter, hope I'll get reviews from you guys too and thanks for giving this story sooooo much love guys.