A Symphony Of Silence And Storm

Rudra became a fan

A meeting with Shivay was the furthest thing from Annika's mind. "Great, Annika," she thought sarcastically, "your clumsiness just had to show itself in front of Mr. Grumpy Cat himself." She'd given Shivay the nickname due to his perpetually sour demeanor and piercing eyes.

Meanwhile, Shivay simmered with frustration. First, a cancelled client meeting thanks to network issues, and now this - an encounter with the infuriating girl from the temple. He felt like a volcano on the verge of eruption. After wiping his face dry, he barked an order at Khanna, his bodyguard. "Find out how that stupid girl got into this event."

"Which girl are you referring to, sir?" Khanna stammered, taken aback by Shivay's fury.
"The one from the temple," Shivay replied curtly. He wanted nothing more than to banish the girl from his sight, from his house.

"Understood, sir," Khanna replied and scurried off to investigate.

Annika approached Dadi, finding her seated with two young men. One appeared younger, while the other seemed to be her age or perhaps a year or two older.

"Dadi, is the decoration alright?" Annika inquired apologetically. "I feel like I could have done so much more if I had more time."

Dadi's smile was warm. "Puttar, it's beyond perfect. You've done a phenomenal job."

Annika offered a grateful smile, but a sudden prickling sensation made her feel like someone was watching. Turning her head, she met the curious gazes of two pairs of eyes.

"Hi! I'm Rudra, and this lanky fellow with long hair is my brother, Om," Rudra introduced himself excitedly.

"Hello, I'm Annika," she replied politely.

"Can I call you Didi (elder sister)? I have a question," Rudra pressed on, his eyes sparkling with mischief. Dadi and Om exchanged a knowing look - here we go again, they thought.

Taken aback by Rudra's informality, Annika hesitantly agreed. "Sure, ask away."

Didi, how do you do it? I've never seen someone leave another person speechless!" Rudra exclaimed. He wanted to know how Annika made his bhaiya speechless.

Annika, misinterpreting Rudra's question, assumed he was referring to her event management skills. "It's a hobby, really," she replied. "I find it quite enjoyable."

"Wow, what a cool hobby! You've got yourself a fan here," Rudra declared, beaming. Annika offered him a small, uncertain smile.

Kanika, who had been observing the scene from afar, approached them with a haughty air. "Who are you? I don't recognize you," she said to Annika in a condescending tone.
Annika, not one to back down, mirrored Kanika's attitude. "The feeling's mutual. Who might you be?"

Rudra, ever the protector of his newfound "Annika Didi," reveled in seeing her put Kanika in her place. "You don't know who I am?" Kanika sputtered, her arrogance faltering.

"Perhaps you're the one who doesn't know who you are," Annika countered, feigning innocence. "That could be a serious problem. Maybe you should see a doctor. But anyway, I have more important things to attend to. Perhaps another time." With a quick goodbye to Dadi, Om, and a mischievous wink at Rudra, Annika walked away.

Kanika, fuming at Annika's confident dismissal, glared at her retreating figure. The tables had been completely turned.
Rudra, ever the opportunist, couldn't contain his glee. A burst of laughter escaped his lips, echoing through the transformed garden.Feeling a wave of embarrassment wash over her, Kanika mumbled an excuse and hurried away from the group,while her designer heels clicking angrily on the stone path.

"You shouldn't laugh at her face like that, Rudra," Om scolded, though his own lips twitched with amusement.

"It's the first time I've seen someone make Kanika look so foolish," Rudra argued, still chuckling.

Suddenly, Shivay's voice cut through their conversation. "What's going on? Why are you all laughing?"

"Nothing, Bhaiyya," Rudra stammered, trying to regain his composure.

"Have you seen the event manager? She's done a fantastic job. I should really acknowledge her work. And who was that girl you were all talking to?" Shivay inquired seriously.

"Bhaiyya, how can you forget your future wife so easily?" Rudra teased, confused by Shivay's question.

"I'm not talking about Kanika," Shivay clarified. "I'm referring to the other girl who was standing here."

"Oh, that's Annika Didi, Bhaiyya! Such a sweet and down-to-earth girl. I'm a huge fan of hers now," Rudra enthused.

Shivay's confusion deepened when Om clarified that Annika was their event manager. The realization that this "clumsy" girl was responsible for the stunning transformation of the garden left him speechless.

Rudra, sensing an opportunity for mischief, taunted Shivay, "Should I call Annika didi over so you can personally appreciate her work?"

Shivay, flustered, stammered an excuse about important work and retreated, leaving the others to erupt in laughter.

Meanwhile, Priyanka searched frantically for Annika. "Annika! I've been looking everywhere for you," she exclaimed upon finding her in a makeshift room. "I wanted to thank you for creating such a magnificent event!"

"Thank you, but it's all part of the job," Annika replied modestly. A question, however, weighed on her mind. "There's something I don't understand, Priyanka. Why didn't you tell me you were so wealthy?"

Priyanka smiled honestly. "We didn't want you to accept the job based on our status."

Their conversation shifted as Annika, glancing down at her soiled clothes, confessed, "Priyanka, I have a favor to ask. In all the morning chaos, I forgot to pack a change of clothes. Would you have anything I could wear?"

Understanding dawned on Priyanka's face. "Of course, let me see what I can find."

Moments later, Priyanka returned with a garment bag. Unveiling a stunning lavender dress, she said, "This might work."

The dress was breathtaking - a sleeveless, backless gown that left Annika speechless. "It's beautiful," she stammered, "but why such an expensive-looking dress? A simple one would have done."

Priyanka chuckled. "It's not actually expensive. I designed it for someone, but they refused to wear it because it wasn't a brand name. Consider it a small token of appreciation. Thanks to you, I had the opportunity to dress my entire family."

Annika, not wanting to appear ungrateful, accepted the dress with a grateful smile. With the Maha Aarti approaching, she excused herself to change, a hint of excitement bubbling beneath the surface.

As Annika emerged, the dress clinging to her form in a way that accentuated her beauty, Priyanka gasped. "Annika, you look incredible! It's as if the dress was made for you," she exclaimed.

A blush crept onto Annika's cheeks at the compliment. She quickly made a few adjustments to her hair and applied a touch of makeup before joining Priyanka on their way to the designated area for the Maha Aarti.

Spotting Shivay in the distance, Annika nudged Priyanka and whispered conspiratorially, "Priyanka, be careful of that arrogant guy over there. He's a real piece of work! I don't know why he's even here. If I'd made the guest list, he'd be banned for sure!"

Priyanka, stifling a laugh, couldn't help but peek in the direction Annika indicated. Her eyes widened in surprise. "Annika," she said, amusement dancing in her voice, "even if you could change the guest list, you can't exactly blacklist him.

Annika's brow furrowed in confusion. "Why not? Is he some kind of VIP or something?"

Priyanka burst out laughing. "No, silly! He's my eldest brother, Shivay Singh Oberoi - the eldest son of the Oberoi family!"

Annika's jaw dropped. The realization hit her like a ton of bricks - the very person she'd been fuming about, the one who'd hired this "clumsy girl" as their event manager, was none other than Priyanka's brother. The man she'd been secretly fuming about all day was practically family!

Feeling a wave of heat rise to her cheeks, Annika mumbled an excuse and hurried outside, needing some fresh air to process this overwhelming revelation.