Shivika OS - Because I Love You - Redux

Background: Redux. Shivaay has apologized to Anika, signed the divorce papers as her birthday gift. The next morning he brings Nikhil to the mansion to patch up Anika and Nikhil's relationship.

No Rakhel, No manhandling. But still a forced marriage.

No redemption. Just magical love. How don't ask me! Just went with flow of the episodes.

--------------------------- Because I Love You

Anika stood rooted at the spot. She saw Nikhil standing before her. While he stood a little distance away. Like last night's divorce wasnt enpugh, here he was ficing his broken relation. Nikhil was apologising but she heard nothing. She was seeing Nikhil before her but her eyes were drifting to him. Was it so easy for him?

She had thought it was hard for him to leave her. It was hard for him to see her marry someone else. A part of her felt he did everything because he couldn't express straightaway his affection for her. 

She looked at Nikhil. Where was he when she needed him? Now what was the point of coming to her? She asked him to leave before she did something she did not want to. Shivaay blinked baffled.

"Anika, I created the misunderstandings, it wasn't his fault nor yours. " he explained. Her happiness was with Nikhil. It pained him to say this because in past two days he had realised how much he loved this woman. If it hadn't been for Omkara's questions he would have never realized.

Shivaay had no answers when Omkara asked him the "why's". Why did he marry her? He could have got her to the streets, he could have sent someone else to insult her, why did he not? He could have executed everything in such a wah that his family would never know, why did he not? Why was his heart in his mouth when Anika's saree had caught fire? Why had he given up on his stubbornness so quickly and let Anika live in his room? Why? Why was he begging for forgiveness like a maniac? Why was he so knee on seeing her happy? 

Because he loved her!

Why had he rushed the day previous to yesterday to name it friendship? Why did he need a reason to stay bounded to her ? Why did he want a reason to care for her?

Anika stormed out of the mansion. Shivaay followed her. What was wrong amidst all the right now?

Nikhil looked dumbfounded. 

Anika had been fast and lucky to catch an auto rickshaw. Shivaay did not understand her behavior. He drove to her house. His car did not seem to for in this time as there were vegetable vendors leaving no room for his car. He gotvoff his car and ran behind the auto. He knocked the door. 

She opened it on the third knock. "What's your problem?" She asked irked.

"I came to ask you about yours!" He said baffled. "Nikhil was apologizing and he loves you ." he said the latter with a stone on his heart.

"I don't love him!" She said simply.

He looked confused. "So why were you marrying him? "

"Don't question me. Just go. I am in a bad mood."

"But,!"

Slam.

This woman was mad! She was driving him crazy in her love and otherwise.

* * * *

He knocked at her window. "Anika open."

"Get out Shivaay, I m tired of you!" 

"Anika what was wrong today?. Vikram is a nice guy!"

"It's been six months, you have rejected all the best guys. This one was particularly very nice."

She opened the window. "Mr.Oberoi. stop it. Otherwise I swear I will kill you. I do not want to marry. Fine. Get it in your head. "

"You are lying. I want your happiness Anika!"

"First wish for your life!" She said moving the knife out of the bars at him. 

"I am happy Shivaay!" She added, seeing concern in his eyes. 

"I don't understand what you want. " he said. That was the problem. He considered himself not fit for her.

"Then just stop trying!" She said painfully. She had seen him do everything to keep her happy. But he failed every single time. Because all he did was to push her away from him while his happiness was with him. 

"I won't." He said stubbornly. He loved her endlessly. If his entire life went away in looking for her happiness he would happily give his life to that. Their friendship had grown beautiful and strong.

But his love remained inside. His love as a lover. It was like a climber that grew all around his heart and only got intricately intense.

"Why?"

"Because I care!" He said softly.

She shut the window and went away irritated. Was it for so hard for him to understand, that he was the only man she saw as her husband. She still was married to him. Not by evidence or proof,or anything material but by her heart. With time she had only fallen hard for him. So hard that she was waiting for him to say it. She knew he loved her. Loved her endlessly. She wanted to hear that from him. She was waiting go accept him and his love and make his heart her home.

The knock on the door irked her and brought her out of her thoughts. 

She walked to the door and he entered. "Anika!" He said while she shut the door and he waited for her to walk up to him. 

Before he could say another word she pressed her lips against his. He held her waist shocked by the sudden intimacy. His cheeks felt wet. She was crying!

"Anika!" He said moving his face away to see her.

"I hate you. Can't you see I love only you. How can I marry someone else when my heart calls you husband! "

He looked at her shocked. 

"Will you say something?" She asked annoyed trying to stop her tears.

"How can you?"

"Why Not?"

"You deserve better Anika. I am .."

"Shut up. I deserve that love that you hide in your heart. I deserve every bit of it. That's mine!" 

He smiled slightly. "You are very kind Anika,"

"And you are very mean and bad. You are depriving me of my husband's love!"

"No...my everything is for you. "

"So why is it hard for you to take me as your wife?"

"I want you to be happy. "

"Even if that means being someone else's wife?"

"Anything for your happiness." He said a tear escaping his eye.

"You will be okay if I will marry Vikram?"

"My happiness is in your happiness."

"I want to slap you right now, Mr. Idiot!"

"I am all yours! Anything you hurl, I will take happily."

"I don't want to hurl anything Shivaay, I want to give you love, I want to be yours, because my happiness is in your happiness!"

He cried listening to her. How could this woman love him so much?

"Can you hug me like a husband!" She said irritated. 

"Why ? Why do you love me so much?" He asked painfully.

"Because love is love , there isn't a reason you love someone. You love someone because you love them. That's it. And I Love You Shivaay!" She shouted. "You couldn't understand that much?"

"I did not want to assume. "

She punched him on his stomach. "Stupid man! "

"Ouch!" He cried in pain. That hurt. 

"I love you Anika. You are the only one I see as my wife. I love you!" 

She smiled hugging him. "Then why were you busy wasting time and setting me up with someone else. Stupid!"

"Because I was looking for your happiness."

"And it was with you all the while." She said breaking apart staring at his lips.

"I love you, Anika!" 

"I know!" She laughed, "now tell me why?'

He hugged her tightly. 

" Because I love you!" 

She laughed in tears. Breaking apart looking into his eyes. This man had hurt himself so much. She ran her fingertips on his face. The face that knew well to conceal pain.

He stared at her and then claimed her lips. She kissed him back fervently. 

FF Writer: anamika_writes
Cover Credit : Zephyr