The Dating Charade ✔️

Chapter-5

Shivaay was quite restless the next morning, waiting for Annika to show up. She was supposed to come over in the afternoon, but that didn't stop him from taking a permanent seat in the living hall since morning, pretending to do office work but all the while keeping his gaze fixed n the door. All his family members noticed this, and it was Tej who finally called him out on it, sporting a teasing grin on is face.

"Shivaay, are you working on the venture with Saraswati Steels?" He asked, nudging his own brother in the process. Shakti gave a grin at that, too.

"Yes, bade papa. The very same." Shivaay replied distractedly. He checked his watch- it was 12 pm now, and he wished for the umpteenth time that he had asked her the exact time she would show up at. He could ask Badi Ma, or practically any one else in the house including Khanna, since they all loved her to death and were equally excited about her arrival as he was, but he knew that would just result in relentless teasing and questions. 

"Well, any update on that?" Tej continued, " I heard that they've refused to do the deal with us?" 

"Yes, Bade papa." Shivaay replied, not realizing what he had said. It was only when the whole family erupted into laughter that he looked up, and realization hit him- he had just been made a 'pappu' of, as she would say.

Blushing, Shivaay shook his head and mumbled a 'you guys', before actually trying to focus on his work. That didn't go on for long, though, because the reason of his restlessness walked in just then, with that heady, intoxicating scent of hers, looking beautiful as usual in the blue tank top and denim jeans she was wearing. Shivaay stood up as she walked in with a bright smile on her face, greeting everyone in the family.

"It's good that you're here, Annika," Shakti said with a smile, "Or 'someone' would have surely gone crazy with the pretense he was having to put up!" Everyone chuckled at that, save Shivaay and Annika- while Annika looked on with confusion, Shivaay turned red with embarrassment.

"Anyway, guys," Shivaay interjected before he faced more embarrassment in front of her, "can we all just sit down and discuss the plan?"

After a few minutes, when everyone had settled down and tea and coffee had been served, Shivaay started.

"So, as you all know, the Annual Business Award Ceremony is this weekend, and that is where I'll be introducing Annika as my girlfriend," he looked up to gauge Annika's reaction, who was sitting beside him, and was pleased to find that her cheeks turned slightly pink at that.

"I'm also nominated for the Best Businessman of the Year Award, and if I win that, it'll be another smack in the face for the Kapoors'." There were mutterings of how he's surely going to win it from everyone, and it warmed Annika's heart to see that.

"Anyway," Shivaay continued, "I'll show up with Annika, they'll be asking me who she is, and we'll say that we're dating. In fact, I'll tell them that we've, uh, been in love since before we found out about Tia, and that I was about to break off my alliance with her anyway."

Shivaay could from the corner of his eyes see Rudra and Om giving each other weird, knowing looks, but decided to ignore it.

"And also, the media will surely want to know all about how we fell in love, so we'll have to come up with a story."

"Why don't you just tell them the truth?" Rudra offered with a shrug. Both Annika and Shivaay blushed at that.

"What do you mean?" Shivaay asked with a frown.

"I mean," Rudra quickly tried to cover up, "why don't you tell the media that she was your wedding planner, and that you gradually fell in love. It'll make for a good 'story'," he added with a smirk.

Everyone pondered over it a minute, before deciding it was a good idea. After that, the ladies started discussing over what Annika would wear to the event, while the men talked about business. It was around 1 pm that Annika got up to leave.

"Areh, Annika, where do you think you're going?" Dadi called out. 

"Um, home, Dadi," Annika said, clearly uncomfortable, since everyone had now stopped their discussion to look at her. Especially him. His deep, scrutinizing gaze always left her feeling flustered, and the worst part was, she wasn't quite sure if she disliked the feeling.

"Don't be stupid, puttar," Dadi chided her. "It's almost lunch time, and you're not going anywhere before having lunch with us." Annika was about to rebuke, when Om and Rudra joined in with the pleading. Smiling, she agreed.

"You know, Dadi," Shivaay suddenly spoke up, "it's been quite long since I've prepared lunch. So what say, Om, Rudra? Let's head up to the kitchen?"

Everyone in the hall other than an oblivious Annika understood his intentions- he wanted to make lunch for her, exclusively. Grinning, Om and Rudra followed him to the kitchen, deciding that they really needed to have a talk with their brother. Especially since he was bringing out all the ingredients necessary to make aloo puri...