The Other Son

XXXI. The Other's Choice

"Shivaay!"

Abhimanyu looked up. The voice was Svetlana's.

He immediately stood up to find Shivaay on the ground, blood oozing from his back, the bullet had struck him. 
"I-I can't bend, please get a stretcher and help him up!", Svetlana said hastily.
Abhimanyu rushed down to them and helped Shivaay up on the stretcher.

"I shouldn't have come out! How stupid! He told me it was dangerous, they would try to kill the baby again but-"
"What?", Abhi asked, slowly overcoming the shock.

Svetlana looked at him, suddenly realising she had spilled it.
She sighed.

"Explain! Why can't you bend? Dangerous? Kill the baby again? What-", She held his face, trying to calm him down.
He paused.
"We did not lose our baby.", She said softly.

Abhimanyu heaved a breath of relief, the last load off.
He shut his eyes, emotionally drained, yet glad. His worst fears didn't  come true.

He looked up holding her hand, "Stay here with Shivaay, call Anika and Gauri as soon as possible. And tell kiddo, whoever did this to him will update his next location from hell."
He said. He edged closer and kissed her forehead.

"Stay with him.", Saying so Abhimanyu ran in the opposite direction. He glanced at his car, Kapoor was not there.
He was expecting it.
The sniper was gone as well. He noticed a biker on his side.

"Give me the bike, I'll buy you a Harley Davidson.", He said. The biker, flabbergasted got off awkwardly.
Who didn't know tycoon Abhimanyu Singh Oberoi!
"Stay in here boy."

Saying so Abhimanyu drove off in the opposite direction, his gut told him it was this way.
He rode at the highest possible speed, drifting through the Mumbai traffic.
He noticed a car suddenly, he had noticed it in his rear view mirror while coming here with Kapoor.

He drew in a sharp breath and followed it.

●

Anika rushed into the hospital, with Gauri, Bhavya, OmRu and the rest of the family. She knew something was going to go wrong with the way Shivaay was hiding things, but she never thought it would put his life in risk.

Shravan and Priyanka were already here, Shravan paced before the OT thoughtfully.
"What happened to him?", Anika asked, trying very hard to not panic.
"Anika, don't worry.. nothing will happen to Shivaay bhaiya..", Priyanka said giving Anika a tight hug. She was trying very hard to hold back her fear and panic.
"But how did this happen?", Omkara asked.
"Because of me.", Svetlana said, sighing.

Shravan had forced her into eating, but her guilt was overwhelming. Shivaay put his life in danger for her, for Abhimanyu.
"As usual! I am not shocked!", Omkara said irritably.
"This is not the time to get angry on her, Omkara ji. Calm down.", Gauri said holding her husband's hand.
"I will not leave whoever did this to bhaiya! Do you know who it was Shravan?", Rudra asked, he found his rare anguished self. How could someone casually hurt Shivaay and walk away?

"Abhimanyu has gone behind him. He won't leave them.", Svetlana said, looking at the shut Operation Theatre.
"I think even we should go, he won't be able to do it alone. Where did he go?", Omkara asked.
"Om, don't worry about him.", Shravan said sighing, "He has managed more than this alone. He is used to it. You should be here with Shivaay."

Om nodded, shoving his hair backwards.

The doctor walked out of the Operation Theatre.
"Is he okay?", Anika asked immediately.
"He is out of danger. The bullet struck his rib.", The doctor said smiling softly.

Anika heaved a breath of relief.
She hoped Abhi was fine as well.

●

Abhimanyu walked into the old downtrodden factory. He didn't recognize it, but it looked like it was really old. The car had got him here, it had gone into the parking and here he was.

"Kalyani Mills.", He read the board.

He drew in a cold breath.
He slowly walked in, it was cold and musty. 
"How have you been?", A cold voice asked.
"Rishi Sehgal.", Abhimanyu said sighing.

"He's not the only one here, I believe.", The second voice was new. Abhimanyu looked to his side. 
"Harshvardhan Trivedi.", Abhimanyu said amused.
Kapoor was tied to the same pole where Shivaay had been tied a few days ago. He sat struggling to free himself.
"Leave! Leave from here Abhi!", He shouted.

"You shot your own son in law.", Abhimanyu said, looking at Harsh.
He still had to innocent, common man face. A thin moustache, neatly combed hair. Nothing made him look like the new head of the Blue Eagle.
"I didn't want to shoot him though.", He said sitting back on a desk. On the wall behind it was written "Foreman".

"Sometimes I think Shivaay should have joined the Army or become a Doctor. Poor thing is so passionate about protecting and saving people.", He said smiling more to himself.
"Why are you doing this? I presume you were a good man.", Abhi said.
"Svetlana, your so called fiancee has caused so much pain to my daughters and her in laws. You think I should forgive her?"

"And do you not see, you are causing pain to your daughters only.. look at Anika today, she's devastated. Her husband is in a tussle between life and death. If they are ready to forgive her, why can't you?", Abhi said, calmly.

"Because I am their father! That Svetlana will try to hurt them again!"

"Why?! Kapoor is alive! Why would she bother her life anymore?! Is it really your daughter or just your ambition to lead the Blue Eagle and hurt Kapoor?!", Abhimanyu was slowly getting riled up.
"Lower your voice!", Rishi shouted from behind.

"Or we have better ideas.", This was a new voice, or an old voice Abhimanyu knew well enough.
He sighed, "Misha Raichand."

"Ironically, this was a war between Kapoors and Oberois and Abhimanyu knows the old cards of the game.", Harsh said amused.
"What do you guys want?", Abhimanyu asked.

"Truthfully, we want Valens.", Rishi said stepping forward.
"Hand it over to us, all it's finances, everything and take Kapoor and your wives life. There will be peace forever after this.", Rishi added.

Abhimanyu sighed.
"How can I trust you?"
"You have a signed contract from the Blue Eagle, as well as our word.", Harsh said.

"So now that the façade is off, you don't care about your daughters, do you?", Abhi asked.
"I do, but the farther they are from me, the better. Hand over Valens, it will be compensation.", He said.

Abhi smiled.
"Compensation of love. Of course.", He said, "Fine. Get me the papers."
"What are you even doing?! Have you lost it?! Don't-"
"I know what I am doing Dad.", Abhimanyu said.

"Through this you hand over the Attoney over Svetlana's shares as well. The Deed of Gift to her dissolves.", Misha said.

Abhimanyu looked at the papers.

Valens.
His dream.

"You hand over, and for life your family, Shivaay, everyone will be safe. So choose, your family or your company?", Rishi asked.
Abhimanyu looked at the papers, a slight smile appeared.
Kiddo had his effect on the treacherous Abhimanyu after all.

He sighed the papers.

"Bad decision, I'd say.", Harsh commented.
" Shivaay stood for me, for him my happiness was over his own life. I can't be as selfless as him, but maybe I can try.", Abhimanyu said, feeling a sudden contentment course through him.

He threw the papers before Harsh.
Misha unlocked Kapoor.

"Aapko aapki tanhayi aur paise mubarak, mujhe mera parivaar aur sukoon mubarak.", He stated before clasping Kapoor's hand and walking out.

"How did this happen? The Abhimanyu who never spent a pence for another man handed over his Company so easily?", Misha asked more to herself.
Harsh smiled softly, "Shivaay Syndrome."

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Precap - Sukoon and a Trip to Europe (happy wala)

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Aapko aapki tanhayi aur paise mubarak, mujhe mera parivaar aur sukoon mubarak - Greetings on your loneliness and money, greeting to me for my family and peace.