Dinner at the mansion had been a surprisingly warm affair. Despite the initial confusion, the family had welcomed Anika back into their fold with open arms. Pinky had teared up multiple times, Jhanvi had fussed over her like a long-lost daughter, and Dadi had kept praising her for being a strong woman.
It almost felt like old times. Almost.
But as soon as dinner was over and the family dispersed, Om and Rudra wasted no time in pulling Shivaay aside into the study room.
Shivaay barely had the chance to settle into a chair before Rudra folded his arms across his chest, eyebrows raised. "Bhaiya, waah! What a performance!"
Om leaned against the desk, unimpressed. “Seriously, Shivaay? You didn’t even flinch while spinning that entire story in front of the family. For a second, even I started believing that’s how things happened.”
Shivaay smirked, swirling the glass of water in his hand. “It got the job done, didn’t it?”
Rudra scoffed. “Job done? Aapne toh literally villain ka tag khud pe le liya. Why would you do that?”
Om shook his head. “Shivaay, leaving aside how well you lied—tell me honestly. How do you feel?”
Shivaay stilled for a fraction of a second before taking a sip of water. Then, in a carefully neutral tone, he replied, “I feel… relieved. Now everyone has an explanation, no unnecessary questions. My family won't hate me and Anika's image isn't ruined”
Om narrowed his eyes. “You care a lot about her, don't you?”
Shivaay placed the glass down with a soft clink. “She didn’t object to the lie. She needed a way out of that situation, and I gave it to her. Because once I needed a getaway and she helped. It's not about care, it's about payback”
Rudra huffed. “Right. You’re so business minded. But for once, mujhe laga tha ki yeh drama khatam ho gaya hai, bas. Ki aap dono apni alag-alag life jeene wale ho.”
Shivaay’s jaw tightened at that, but his voice remained steady. “That’s exactly what’s happening.”
Om wasn’t convinced. “Are you not planning to start fresh with her? For reals this time”
Shivaay’s eyes darkened for a split second before he leaned back in his chair. “No.”
Om raised an eyebrow. “No?”
Shivaay exhaled, his expression unreadable. “A deal is a deal. I never intended to pursue her then, and I won’t now.”
Silence.
Rudra exchanged glances with Om before shaking his head. “You’re impossible. Can't you see she has settled here. She is an amazing human, she is loved by the family. If you are thinking about marriage, why not her?”
Shivaay didn’t respond. He had said what needed to be said. Whether he believed it himself was a different matter.
_____________
Anika adjusted the strap of her bag as she stood near the entrance of the Oberoi mansion, preparing to leave. The evening had gone smoother than expected, but she still felt like she was walking on eggshells.
“I’ll get the car ready,” Khanna offered.
She shook her head. “Nahi, Khanna ji. Main khud chali jaungi.”
Pinky gasped. “Aise kaise? We aren't letting you leave alone”
Jhanvi nodded in agreement. “It’s too late, Anika. The driver will drop you. We insist please”
Anika smiled, trying to reassure them. “I’ve been in London for six months, Jhanvi aunty. Mujhe aadat hai yaha ki roads ki. I will manage”
Before anyone could argue further, Shivaay’s voice cut through the conversation.
“I’ll drop her. You don't have a choice Anika”
The room fell silent.
Om and Rudra, who had just joined them, nearly choked on thin air.
Pinky’s eyes widened in delight. “Haa haa”
Anika turned to Shivaay, her eyes searching his face for an explanation. But he was looking straight ahead, his expression blank, as if he had just announced something as ordinary as a weather report.
Jhanvi smiled. “That’s a good idea. Shivaay, make sure she reaches safely.”
Anika opened her mouth to protest, but Shivaay was already stepping forward, his car keys twirling between his fingers.
“Chalein?” His voice was calm, but there was something unreadable in his eyes.
She swallowed, then nodded slowly. “Okay.”
And just like that, they walked out together, leaving behind a room full of stunned faces.
_____________
The drive to Anika’s place was silent for the most part, apart from the occasional sound of the indicator or the low hum of the car’s engine and her giving the directions. She sat with her hands folded in her lap, occasionally stealing glances at Shivaay, who looked straight ahead, his face unreadable as always.
She wasn’t sure what to say, but she felt like she had to say something. So she did.
"Thank you."
Shivaay’s hands remained steady on the wheel, but his gaze flickered towards her for a split second before returning to the road. "For what? Dropping you home?"
"For saving me back there. You didn’t have to do that, but you did. And I genuinely appreciate it."
Shivaay let out a low breath, his grip tightening slightly. "You once saved me when I was a mess, Anika. Consider this my way of thanking you back. Now, we’re even. I don’t owe you anything anymore."
Anika felt something twist inside her at his words. Even? That was all this was to him? A debt paid?
She turned towards the window, watching the blur of London’s city lights pass by.
The car ride continued in silence for another ten minutes before Anika finally spoke again.
"You can drop me off here."
Shivaay arched a brow but didn’t slow down. "I can't find any buildings in here"
Anika sighed, shaking her head. "I know. But I don’t want to trouble you to drop me till my door."
A smirk tugged at the corner of Shivaay’s lips as he finally glanced at her. "Anika, if I wanted to know where you live, it would take me seconds to find out."
She narrowed her eyes at him. "Creep much?"
Shivaay chuckled, the first genuine sound of amusement she had heard from him all evening. "I’m just stating a fact."
Anika rolled her eyes, but her lips twitched despite herself. "Well, don’t bother. You don’t need to know where I live. It's just 5 mins walk from here, I can manage"
Shivaay didn’t respond immediately, but as he pulled the car over, he glanced at her once more. "We’ll be seeing a lot of each other anyway, Anika. 2 mins ride won't hurt"
Anika exhaled and nodded before unbuckling her seatbelt. As she stepped out, she turned around one last time. "Goodnight, Shivaay. I will text Pinky aunty that you have safely dropped me home"
Shivaay gave her a small nod. "Goodnight."
And with that, she walked away, disappearing into the street. Shivaay waited for a while before she takes the turn towards her house and then he follows her by the car to check if the street is bustling with people and it was. So he turned around and started driving.
He had thought seeing her again wouldn’t affect him.
But he had been wrong.
Very wrong.
YOU ARE READING
The GIRLFRIEND Deal
Roman d'amour"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...
