Matters of Heart

Chapter -One

3 Months Later

5:00 AM Shivay's Room

He sat dressed in one of his power suits, his Americano in hand, after his first meeting of the day with the Japanese counterparts of Oberoi Industries. This was a very important meeting for the OI. They will be partnering with a Japanese company to build India's biggest shipping port and today's agenda was finance. And he felt nothing, no excitement while discussing the numbers, wheeling and dealing the other parties, the rush of being the center of attention as he shows off his intelligence and smarts, the contentment of having all his ducks in a row and hitting the bull's eye by getting exactly what he wanted out of this deal. But nothing. No excitement or rush of victory. Nothing. Just emptiness. And it was all because of her. Yet, here he was in their room because it will never be just his room again, grappling with the pain of losing her. It was becoming more and more difficult to breathe every day without her. She had become his life and his home. God Damn it where was she?

She took everything of substance in him with her. Shivay Singh Oberoi has become a robot, devoid of any emotions or feelings. He had taken the ultimate risk, the risk of love, and lost. Shivay Singh Oberoi who had never failed at anything had failed miserably in love. How could she do that, throw away his emotions back at his face brutally? She knew very well how much they mean to him and yet she did not even think once before saying those vile things to him, his brothers, and his mother. He gripped the cup tightly at the thoughts that kept telling him that he was wrong, something or someone made her do this.

After all, she had gained nothing from this separation. Their joint bank account remained untouched, she took no jewelry, no cash, asked for nothing in alimony. Two days after his monumental lack of judgment due to heartbreak, Shivaay being himself analyzed everything she had done and said to him that day. He had come to the conclusion that she was planning to leave him that day, no matter what he would have said and done to placate her, she would have still left. She knew all his buttons and she pushed and pushed until he was over the edge. Love combined with hurt and anger made him lose every rational thought. If he had been thinking like Shivaay Singh Oberoi instead of her billu he would have noticed the plea in her eyes, the pain of her tears, and heard her heart break along with his.He threw her out. She just left and then vanished into thin air. Now, three months later he was still looking for her like a madman. He had hired a private investigator as he did not trust Khanna to not update the other family members. He hated hiding things from his brothers but they were also hiding something from him. He suspected they knew the reason for her bizarre actions. There was no trace of her. Whenever he went to see Sahil, to check on him at his boarding school all he could tell him was that Annika di Skypes him from a big park which was no help at all. Enraged at the conflicting emotions and heartache he smashed the cup on the floor as he stood up. Why did she not discuss with him what was wrong? He was learning to put her first but old habits die hard. What had made her do something so drastic. Stuffing his hands in his pockets he curled his left hand on her engagement ring that she had left on the dressing table that day, which he now carried with him everywhere.

Above all, he was worried out of his mind for her. She must be eating that terrible burnt food. No one to hold her at night when she had her nightmares. How was she coping with all this alone? He had to find her. Even if she refuses to take him back at this point he needed to know that she was safe and healthy. He, the great wall of Shivaay Singh Oberoi was ready to beg once he knew that she was okay, to take him back. He will apologize and do whatever she said to get her back. And if she doesn't want to come back he was ready to go with her this time. Come hell or high water, they will be together again and he will make sure nothing comes between them ever again. "Where are you, Annika? He murmured a silent request to the universe to help him. He was not a man looking for his love, in reality, Shivaay Singh Oberoi was looking for himself because he was nothing without her.