𝖉𝖎𝖘𝖊𝖓𝖈𝖍𝖆𝖓𝖙𝖊𝖉

𝔱𝔴𝔢𝔩𝔳𝔢

Shivaay frowned, correcting the documents as Mamta stood in front of him, fiddling with the ends of her dupatta, nervously.

"S-S-Shivaay S-Sir?" Mamta's stammering voice made him look up at her with an arched eyebrow. "A-are th-there t-too many m-mistakes?" She smiled nervously.

"No," he shook his head. Sighing, he forced a polite smile onto his face, "It's much better than last week." She nodded her head vigorously, as she smile nervously—— the movement of her head made Shivaay fear that she would end up disconnecting her head from her own body.

"Do you have the final draft of the deal we're supposed to sign with Swarna Steel Corps?" Shivaay arched an eyebrow.

"The revised and final version," Mamta placed a black file onto the table. "The meeting with your colleague from Switzerland is scheduled for two o' clock, according to the clock in Goa."

"Right," he looked at her amused, as she nodded and left the small cabin. In the past few days, they'd managed to hire a few workers who'd been willing to work under the famous industrialist—— the Shivaay Singh Oberoi!

He sighed—— the achievements in his life had always been an achievement on the Oberoi banner. But this—— he swallowed—— this was the first deal which would either be one he'd give his blood, sweat and tears into making a success, or one that people would scorn him for having let the chance slip through his fingers.

He couldn't be a failure, once more.

He couldn't disappoint his loved ones again.

He'd already failed Om, Ru, Dadi, Bade Papa, Badi Maa and his father—— he couldn't bear to be a disappointment in the eyes of his wife as well.

꧁꧂

Annika rested her head against the armrest of the sofa on the cemented platform in the garden.

Shivaay had left about three hours ago, and she'd spent a long time of it, slumbering underneath the warm blanket, wrapping herself into a cocoon as soon as her husband had left, and taken all the warmth with him.

Annika sighed.

Her cellphone vibrates beside her and a smile lit up her face, as she accepted the video call.

"Sahil!" She grinned. "Remembered the fact that you have a sister?"

"No, I remembered the fact that I have a headache due soon if I don't take the initiative to take care of it first," he retorted drily, a cheeky smile on his face.

"Badmaash," she faked a gasp. "Did you just call me a headache?"

"Did I ever call you one?" He countered. "I merely said that I have a headache I need to take care of, in advance."

"What else could you have been referring to?" Her eyes narrowed, a smirk on her lips—— she was sure that she had him cornered.

"My exams, Didi," Sahil rolled his eyes, as he replied in a 'duh' tone. "Honestly," he ran his fingers through his shoulder length hair. Annika's smile dimmed, as she recalled the numerous times she'd seen Omkara doing that. "There's a rumour going around, Didi." Sahil began, hesitantly.

Annika swallowed, stiffening. She had an idea as to what it was that he was referring to, but she had hoped to avoid the topic—— pushing back from calling Sahil, for the past three weeks.

Sighing, she arched an eyebrow at her brother who tapped his chin with his index finger.

"What rumours?" She inquired.