The Accidental Matchmaker

chapter viii

viii. The Beginning of a Partnership

Shivaay looked at Gauri with a raised eyebrow.

"Di got a call from our parents. Should be down in a while." Gauri explained and Shivaay nodded. When he saw her moving away, he called her out. Turning, she smiled at him. "I am supposed to get Omkara Sir's schedule for tomorrow and he also has an upcoming exhibition to attend in Mussoorie so wanted to make sure the arrangements were made."

"You are pretty hardworking." Shivaay smiled at her before turning to the 15 storey building's entrance again.

He had turned to his phone when he heard the elevator ding. Looking up he found Anika walking towards the car, all her attention on her phone. She dialled someone again and began talking in muffled voices, looking pissed off. When was this woman calm, really?

She opened the door and got inside. "Mom, this is not how you do it. You are supposed to ask me before taking life-changing decisions for me. I have some work I'll call you when I get home again. This conversation is on hold till then and if you take any decision on my behalf again, I am going to tell Dad about this, whatever this is."

She cut the call and leaned into the seat with a sigh.

"Hello to you too Ms. Trivedi."

"Yeah well, didn't realise pleasantries were necessary."

Shivaay shrugged and pulled at the shift, driving out of the complex. Anika turned to look at him, as if suddenly remembering something.

"What did you mean by we will have to behave like a good, happy couple?"

"You should blame your wrong timing for doing wrong things. I overheard Mom and Badi Maa's conversation today. Turns out, we have a certain MNC's CEO coming to Mumbai this weekend. They have a daughter, Misha. We were friends, back in school and it is pretty obvious she expected more out of the friendship."

"I don't want to hear a sappy love story."

"If you let me complete it, you'll understand why I am narrating this to you. Her father brought a proposal to the company a few weeks ago, which I was unaware of. A marriage of convenience."

"Oh. The rich people thing."

Shivaay gave her a look before continuing, "So, with the sudden appearance of my girlfriend, my Mom suspects that I procured you just so I could get out of this marriage."

"Wow."

"Not wow. I cannot breakup with you, not well until this whole story dies down. If we break up when we initially planned to, my Mom is going to lose faith in me and I do not want that."

"I can't pretend to be your girlfriend for an undefined period of time."

"And I cannot let my Mom and my family believe that I paid someone to be my girlfriend just so I could get out of a marriage which will also bring profits to the company."

"Shivaay I-"

"Anika, I understand that you didn't think it through that day. We are past that. It's happened. We can't go back. But what I can do is make sure my Mom doesn't lose faith in me."

"We can just tell everyone that I lied."

"Right after my Mom told Misha's parents about my girlfriend? I don't think so."

Anika buried her face in her palms, mumbling something along the lives of 'ruined my life because of romances'.

"Sorry what?"

"My Mom called me. My neighbours from back home have a son who is interested in getting married. She fixed a date with him, on my behalf, without telling my father! Or ME!"

"Ow."

"This isn't fair. I have to play a fake girlfriend, try to get myself married, also make sure you get married- Wait, why don't you actually marry Misha if it is so profitable?"

"Uh, my Dadi doesn't particularly like her."

"Oh. Wait Dadi?"

"Yeah, my grandmother..."

"I know what Dadi means. I mean, I didn't see her around that day."

Shivaay rolled his eyes. "You didn't see her but you did get me stuck with her pretty bad."

"What?"

"I was talking to her that day. She was coming home from one of her religious trips early to surprise my family. I promised her no one was home but then you came, everyone came home and you dropped a bomb and I came to drop you home, I stayed in office for a long time and after I went home I was interrogated by my brothers and finally, my Dadi appears at the door with a very angry look. I ruined her surprise. Just completely forgot about her."

"Oh."

"The only thing that saved me was a certain girlfriend."

Anika sighed. "How am I stuck in all this mess?"

"Because my brother's assistant suggested weird ideas to get me married and decided to involve her own sister. At least, that's the version I am supposed to believe."

"So you think it is not true?"

"Not entirely. Om wouldn't suddenly be insistent on getting me married. I know him, he would have gone for subtlety first, agreeing to Mom in her rants and sprouting a few shayaris on the correct occasion. The abruptness doesn't suit him. That is more of like a Rudra move, to catch people off guarded."

"You psychoanalyse your brothers?"

"I don't do it on purpose. It's my nature and I know them since they were born, so I know them." Shivaay shrugged.

Anika chuckled. I thought I knew my sister. I so hope you catch them rhe way I did, someday.

"So what do you think? Could help me out of this mess?"

"Do I have a option?"

"Tch." Shivaay smirked.

"Don't show me that attitude and I would think."

"Like you gave me a chance to think."

"I'll never hear the end of it, will I?"

Shivaay only shook his head and took a sharp turn.

"What do I get out of all of this?"

"Penance?"

"Oh please. I am pretty sure it is hell for me anyway."

"I'd do the dates."

"Sorry?"

"The reason to my house and my lofe was because Om wanted me to find a life partner. So, I will go on dates with whoever you tell me and I will put in efforts. For Om."

"And will I have to accompany you?"

"That was aprt of your initial job, wasn't it?"

"You realise I cannot spend time with you, more than absolutely necessary. It is torture."

"Once in two weeks, maybe. If I have an actual replacement, I might as well tell me family our secret soon."

"You have something else in your mind, don't you?" Anika raised an eyebrow and Shivaay shrugged.

"We are acquaintances. Doesn't mean I'll have my secrets tumbling out in front of you."

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Merry Christmas to everyone who's giving this crazy story a chance.

Hopefully, the plot will stay interesting till the end, now that I finally see some light at the end of this tunnel. XD

Waiting to hear from your end <3