The GIRLFRIEND Deal

CHAPTER 34

The massive Ferris wheel loomed over them, its glass pods glinting under the sun. Anika’s eyes sparkled as she took in the sight.

"London Eye! Itni badi chakri dekhi nahi hai pehle" she said excitedly.

Shivaay raised an eyebrow. "It’s not a chakri, Anika. It’s an architectural marvel."

"Haan, haan, Mr Khadoos!" She grabbed his hand, pulling him toward the queue for the glass pod

Minutes later, they were slowly ascending over the Thames. The view was breathtaking—London stretched out before them in a stunning blend of historic charm and modern elegance.

Anika pressed her hands against the glass. "Yeh dekhiye! Kitna sundar lag raha hai!"

Shivaay stood beside her, hands in his pockets. "Hmm. Decent."

She turned to him, unimpressed. "Just decent?"

Shivaay glanced at her, her eyes wide with excitement, cheeks slightly flushed from the cold.

"Fine," he admitted, "it’s beautiful."

She grinned. "See, you just had to say it!"

Their eyes met, and for a moment, there was silence—just the city below, the sky above, and them standing in between.

Shivaay looked away first, clearing his throat. "Chalo, next stop?"

Walking across Tower Bridge, Anika felt the cold breeze against her face. "It has a different level of beauty!"

Shivaay chuckled. "Tumhein har cheez sundar lag rahi hai aaj."

She grinned. "Because today is special. I mean, Oberoi khandan ke business tycoon ne time nikala hai ghoomne ke liye!"

Shivaay smirked. "I prefer to take breaks sometimes."

Anika suddenly stopped, fishing out her phone. "Ek selfie toh banti hai!"

Before he could protest, she pulled him close and clicked a picture. "Perfect!"

Shivaay glanced at the photo—Anika was grinning widely, while he looked somewhere between annoyed and amused.

"Delete it," he said.

"Bilkul nahi!" she laughed, tucking her phone away. "Yeh yaadgar din hai."

Shivaay didn’t argue, though he had a feeling Rudra would soon get his hands on that picture.

Eventually, they did all the mandatory things in London and concluded the day with hot chocolate

_________________

Shivaay and Anika walked in, still caught up in the comfort of their outing, though neither of them openly acknowledged it. They took their seats among the family, with Omkara and Rudra eyeing them with mischievous smirks.

“I hope you two had fun today,” Jhanvi said, her voice full of warmth as she looked between them.

Shivaay gave a small smile, nodding. “It was nice. We saw a few places.”

“Where all did you go? Any new spots to add to the list?” Om asked, leaning forward with interest.

Anika smiled, a little sheepish but happy. “We visited a few museums, walked around the city, and had some good food. It felt good to just... explore without the usual rush.”

Rudra chimed in, always ready to tease. “That sounds romantic, Bhaiya. You two really know how to make the most of your time together.”

Shivaay rolled his eyes, but there was no malice in the gesture. “We’re just... getting to know the city, that’s all.”

“Sure, sure,” Rudra said, winking at Anika. “The city is a great place for bonding, I bet.”

Anika looked at Shivaay, who was busy trying to ignore his brother’s jabs. “Well, it’s nice to experience something new. The day went by really fast,” she added, her tone light.

Jhanvi, sensing the playful atmosphere, smiled warmly. “I’m glad to hear it. It's always good to take some time off and recharge. Especially with everything that's been going on recently."

Shivaay nodded, but his gaze drifted briefly to Anika. There was a brief pause before he spoke again. “Tomorrow we will be leaving my afternoon. After that, we’ll head back and settle everything.”

The mention of leaving the next day brought a sudden hush to the room, as everyone reflected on the thought. The family had gotten used to having Anika around, and despite the light-hearted teasing, there was an underlying warmth to their dynamic.

“I’ll miss having you here, Anika,” Pinky said softly. “mai to bohut khush hu you stayed this long.”

Anika smiled, feeling a lump form in her throat. “Thank you, Aunty. It means a lot to me.”

“It’s been nice having you as part of the family,” Tej added, his tone sincere. “I hope we can all stay in touch.”

“Of course!” Anika said, her smile genuine. “I’ll always stay in touch with you all.”

"Touch me to rahenge na. Isi ghar me wapas aana hai" Dadi chipped in

Anika went and hug her tightly. She felt the warmth of a family and it meant the world to her.

The conversation then shifted to lighter topics. Shivaay, though composed on the outside, couldn’t shake the thought of how much things were about to change. It had been a good time—more than he had ever expected when the deal with Anika had started.

But for now, there was a sense of calm and quiet contentment in the room, as the family enjoyed their last evening together before the inevitable departure.