Shivaay Singh Oberoi had no reason to care.
Absolutely no reason.
Yet, as he descended the grand staircase of the Oberoi mansion and spotted David standing far too close to Anika, something in his chest tightened. Who is this guy anyways?
David was leaning against the wooden railing, his body tilted towards her in a way that felt… familiar. Too familiar.
Anika, on the other hand, seemed unbothered—nodding at whatever David was saying, her arms crossed, a small smile playing on her lips.
Shivaay’s brows furrowed.
That smile.
It wasn’t the polite, professional one she gave during meetings. This one was real. Genuine. Easy. The one she used to give me before she was his fake girlfriend.
He said something to which she even laughed loud.
And it clicked.
Was David her boyfriend?
Not that he should care.
Because he didn’t.
Of course, he didn’t.
But the thought lingered. Was she dating him? It's not a big deal. She has every right.
Not that he wanted her. He didn’t.
It was just… curiosity.
Nothing more.
Shivaay didn’t waste another second. He walked straight to where his mother was sitting, flipping through a wedding magazine.
“Mom,” he said, making sure his voice was loud enough for Anika to hear, “I’ll meet Aadhya this week if she’s free.”
From the corner of his eye, he saw Anika looking at their direction.
Good.
Pinky, delighted, clasped her hands together. “Oh, Shivaay! I knew my son would make the right decision!”
Shivaay gave a small, smug nod. Yes. The right decision.
He didn’t need to waste time thinking about Anika and David. He didn’t need to be curious about whether she was dating someone.
He was moving forward.
And if Anika heard every single word he had just said, well…
That was just a coincidence.
"Shivaay, don't forget, it's game night," Om reminded, standing near the counter with a cup of black coffee.
"Yeah, and last time you bailed on us. No excuses today, Bhaiya. We start at nine sharp!" Rudra added, pointing a warning finger at him.
Shivaay smiled, adjusting his cufflinks. "I’ll try to be early."
"Not 'try'—you will be early," Rudra corrected.
With a shake of his head, Shivaay left for work.
Soon enough, Om and Rudra made their way towards Anika.
"Hi didi" he chipped in.
Anika put her laptop aside and smiled at the younger ones.
"Hello ji, kuch kaam tha?"
"Nothing. We just want to catch up, it's been so long and I realized ki maine to aapse baat hi nahi ki acche se" Rudra said, plopping down beside her. "So tell us, how’s life treating you in London?"
Anika shrugged. "It's… good. Work keeps me busy. I’ve settled in well."
"Made any new friends?" Om asked.
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...
