She blinked, caught off guard by the question. “My story? Why do you care?”
“Call it curiosity,” he said, his eyes fixed on hers. “You’ve been thrown into my world, but I know almost nothing about yours. Where do you come from? What makes you… you?”
Anika hesitated, fiddling with the edge of her dupatta. “There’s not much to tell. Just a regular life, you know? Grew up in a small town, worked odd jobs, and now I’m here… pretending to be your girlfriend. Bas itni si kahani hai.”
Shivaay frowned slightly. “That’s not an answer.”
“Well, it’s all you’re getting,” she said with a forced smile. “What about you? Mr. Perfect Oberoi? What’s your complete story?”
“You already know mine, at this point even more than what my brothers know” he said, leaning back on the swing. “Work, family, legacy, completed ex love story. That’s all there is to me.”
Anika studied him for a moment. “That’s not true. You’re more than just work and family and a broken relationship. You’re… complicated.”
He raised an eyebrow, amused. “Complicated? That’s a new one.”
“It’s true,” she said, turning to face him fully. “I saw it in your eyes earlier, during the Haldi. For a moment, it was like you were… tired.”
He looked away, his jaw tightening. “You think you know me?”
“No,” she admitted. “Par shayad dheeme dheeme janne lagi hu.”
Shivaay’s smirk faltered, replaced by a flicker of something unreadable. “Careful, Anika. Knowing too much about me might make you regret this arrangement.”
Anika crossed her arms, raising an eyebrow. “Waise bhi mujhe regret karne ke liye aap kaafi reasons de dete ho. Ek aur reason mil gaya, toh kya farak padega?”
“Funny,” he replied dryly, leaning back against the swing. “But seriously, what are your dreams?”
She blinked, caught off guard by his question. “Dreams?”
“Yes,” he said, watching her closely. “You must have some, right? Or are you planning to make a career out of playing Sita Maa or someone's girlfriend?”
Anika rolled her eyes, but her fingers instinctively toyed with the edge of her dupatta. “Mujhe lagta tha Oberois sirf khana aur paisa discuss karte hain. Kabse yeh philosophical questions poochna shuru kiya?”
“Arey wo tumhe therapist ki fees na deni pari isiliye maine ye role le lia,” Shivaay said, his tone sharper now. “So? What is it? What do you want from life?”
Anika hesitated, feeling exposed under his intense gaze. “Mere sapne? Tumhare jaise bade bade nahi hai. Simple cheezein chahiye thi—ek chhoti si dukaan, apni jagah, aur ek peaceful zindagi.”
Shivaay frowned. “That’s it? A shop?”
“Tumhare liye chhoti baat hogi, par mere liye bada sapna tha,” she said, her voice gaining an edge. “Har kisi ke sapne Oberoi Empire jaise bade nahi hote, Shivaay.”
There was a pause, and she sighed, softening slightly. “Actually, ek sapna aur tha... I always wanted to become an interior designer.”
Shivaay raised an eyebrow. “Interior designer? That’s interesting. Toh phir kiya kyun nahi?”
“Zindagi itni asaan hoti toh shayad karti,” she said with a small, wistful smile. “College tak ki fees kaise bharni hai yeh sochte sochte sapne puraane ho gaye. Lekin abhi bhi kabhi kabhi lagta hai, maybe one day...”
“One day?” Shivaay repeated, his tone skeptical.
“Haan,” she said, her chin lifting slightly in defiance. “Ek din apna kaam start karungi. I’ll design spaces, make them beautiful. Shayad kisi din tumhare jaise bade log mujhe hire karenge.”
Shivaay stared at her for a moment, his expression unreadable. “You’re serious about this.”
“Of course I am,” she shot back. “But filhaal, life ne mujhe tumhare fake girlfriend banne ka project diya hai, so wahi kar rahi hoon. Aise hi paise jama honge for the course”
There was a pause before Shivaay spoke again, his voice quieter now. “Why didn’t you tell me this earlier?”
“Because tumhe kya farak padta?” she said, shrugging. “Yeh deal hai na humara. Ek baar Priyanka ki shaadi ho jaaye, toh tum apni duniya mein wapas chale jaoge aur main apni.”
Shivaay didn’t respond right away. Instead, he leaned back against the swing, his eyes fixed on her. “Tumhe apna sapna pura karna chahiye.”
She blinked, surprised. “Kya?”
“I mean it,” he said, his tone more serious now. “Tumhe interior designing karni chahiye. If you’re that passionate about it, toh chhodna mat. I will sponsor everything”
Anika laughed, shaking her head. “Yeh lecture mat do. Mujhe toh aaj tak kisi ne support nahi kiya. I don't want this charity. Jaisa deal me tha waisa hi we will never interfere after the timeline gets over”
“I really want to help" he replied
Anika stared at him, caught off guard by the sudden sincerity in his tone. Before she could respond, the cool breeze stirred through the garden, tugging at her dupatta. She moved to adjust it, but Shivaay was faster. His fingers brushed against hers as he draped it back over her shoulder.
Her breath hitched at the unexpected proximity. She looked up, and for a fleeting moment, their eyes met. She saw something in his gaze— vulnerability, and perhaps a flicker of respect. But just as quickly, it was gone, replaced by his usual guarded expression.
“Tum acting theek kar rahi ho,” he said abruptly, breaking the moment. “Priyanka genuinely thinks tum family ka hissa ho.”
Anika stepped back, her cheeks flushing slightly. “Aur tumhe lagta hai main mazaak uda rahi hoon?”
“No,” he said, his voice quieter now. “But don’t forget—this is temporary.”
“I know,” she said quickly, crossing her arms. “Trust me, Mr. Oberoi, mujhe yeh fake relationship todne ka intezaar tumse zyada hai.”
“Good,” he replied, his tone returning to its usual sharpness.
As Anika turned to leave, her heart still racing from the momentary closeness, she couldn’t help but feel like she’d just revealed a part of herself she usually kept hidden.
And maybe, she thought as she walked back toward the house, that vulnerability wasn’t such a bad thing after all.
YOU ARE READING
The GIRLFRIEND Deal
Romance"The best relationships usually begin unexpectedly" Shivaay Singh Oberoi, a heartbroken lover whose ex betrayed him after a successful relationship of 5 years. His faith on love ceases to zero. Anika, an aspiring Interior designer does local plays...
