Always There for Each Other ✔️

Reign

"We make a good team." Annika remarked, genuinely smiling.

Shivaay stifled a yawn. "As annoying it is, we do."

"Oh, come on. I am sure you love working with me." Annika laughed and wheeled back to the snack counter all the while sitting in her chair.

"Weirdo." Shivaay whispered to himself.

He did like working with her. He loved it, as she claimed. And, Shivaay wanted to know if she did too.

"Do you love working with me?" Shivaay asked the question out loud even before his mind can working on stopping it.

Annika, who reached for a granola bar, looked at her co-worker, mirroring his intense gaze and nodded. "Yeah, I do."

Oh, boy, he was in trouble.

***

This was a total mess.

Pinky and Kalyani held onto each other, weeping at the devastation of their home becoming a house. Just a house worthy enough to be auctioned.

Shakti and Rudra tried their best to get ahold of ministers and government personnel that can help them out of this situation, but their phones were confiscated.

The only communication that was taking place was between Bhavya and her team.

Who told Khanna what was going on.

Om's grimace grew each second that passed by. His name could not be added to the list of auction participants.

The money he earnt with his career as an artist was of no use. Even Shakti's separate money was of no use too.

Because none of them had seen it coming.

No one pegged Tej Singh Oberoi full of this much hatred or fool-headed crap. Or both.

Om glanced at his father and mother who stood by a pillar at a corner.

"I will..." Rudra muttered angrily and started walking towards them but Om stopped him as soon as he got a hint.

"Listen Ru, he will never understand what he has done wrong. Confronting him will just make him angrier on Shivaay. And then cause more raita." Om said sternly and signalled the man to step back.

"Bhabhi aur Bhaiyya yaha hote toh yeh sab nahi hota." Rudra looked pained as 'raita' took him back to the days where there was no 'raita' and just him, Om, their better halves, and Shivaay-Annika.

"I know, damn it!" Om cursed. He never felt this helpless. This helplessness was hitting on another level that made him crave for some type of relief. Any relief. Relief drugs once gave him.

But a look at his wife who was trying to keep herself together and memories of promises made to his brothers stopped him from trying to get ahold of that poison.

They were not allowed to go outside.

Phones were confiscated.

Landline connections were disconnected.

Strange government officers walked around the mansion the whole night.

No one has slept.

Khanna was out of reach.

Om suspected these rules were greatly exaggerated. The signed papers and permissions were authentic as confirmed by Bhavya but he could not help feeling that someone else was behind this too.