Always There for Each Other ✔️

The Men of the House and Their Wives

"How about a group picture of the senior eldest couple and junior eldest couple of the family?" Khanna asked as the official photographer for the post-marriage photos of the grand Shivika wedding.

"Good idea, Khanna." Rudra said.

"Bade papa, Bade Maa." Shivaay called out, and the two stood beside Shivaay and Annika, draping arms over the younger and newly-wed couple.

"Never thought I would see you smiling so goofily." Tej whispered to Shivaay, who flustered a bit.

"How was last night, darling?" Janhvi lightly tickled the crook of Annika's neck.

***

18.

That was how old she was when Prithvi saw her and fell in love with her.

Coming from a family of jewellers and Prithvi's being an ancestrally royally wealthy one, it was not hard for Kalyani's family to agree to the charming Oberoi family, especially their son, who was grossly smitten by the only girl child in the family.

Kalyani soon saw herself getting married to a prince charming of a man and boarding a train to Bombay, so that her ambitious husband could fulfill his own dreams.

Become a businessman in the glorious Bombay.

Her husband was a charming prince for sure, being all romantic and caring, setting her on fire with his antics. The amount of times she had to downcast her head due to his heated gaze was astronomical.
The small flat they lived in became a beautiful villa, and the abandoned acres of land that her husband bought for her on her birthday after cracking a huge deal became the construction site for their dream house--Oberoi Mansion.

The haven they created together was family, and the constant smile on her husband's face brought her unending joy throughout the course of their marriage.

2 sons, 2 daughter-in-laws later, and 3 grandsons later, she finally came to see that breathtaking smile dim slowly.

Tej, the ambitious one in their family, put forth his idea of a mill that was going to be run outside of the Oberoi Empire umbrella.

"So, is this what you have decided?" Prithvi asked one last time, as Kalyani settled beside him, as always her hands tangled with his.

"Yes, Papa. Shakti is going to help me out." Tej said, and the way Prithvi's hold tightened on his wife's gave a sign to his wife that this may not end well.

And, it did not.

Kalyani Mills went to ruins, and after cost was taken care of, the remaining money was put into the Oberoi Empire, against Prithvi's protests and orders.

Her husband wanted the rest of the money to be distributed or given to the various initiatives started by him for the well-being of the victims, but their sons did not budge. Especially the eldest one.

Shivaay was 5 when the incident took place, and the poor child was so busy protecting Om from the weird stares he got from his classmates, forgetting the fact that his own friends were not talking to him.

Prithvi and Kalyani had a biased affection towards their eldest grandson. Those colour-changing eyes. That beautiful smile. The personality that matched Prithvi's.