An Aesthetic Love: A Collection Of Shivika Short Stories

30| all yours.

"congratulations, Annika!" Shivaay says loudly, and hugs her with all his power.
Her hands automatically make way to his back, and with happy tears in her eyes, she reciprocates the hug.

He breaks out of the hug, and wipes the tears falling out of her eyes, with his thumb.
She holds his hands into hers, "thank you, Shivaay," she says, thanking him for this achievement.

"Mujhe kyu thank you bol rahi ho tum? Yeh sab tumhari mehnat se hua hai, Annika." He wipes her tears again, "maine toh kuch bhi nahi kiya."

"Aisa kyu keh rahe hain aap? Aap na hote toh mai bhi yeh na kar paati. Aapki wajah se aaj mujhe yeh itni badi khushi mili hai. Aapne iss sabme mera saath diya, uske liye thank you."

"Tumhe pata hai na Annika, tum mere liye bahut important ho. Aur yeh tumhara sapna hai. Aur mai kaun hota hoon tumhe tumhare sapne ko pura karne se rokne wala?" He asks her with a smile.

She smiles back at him, and takes him into a hug, keeping her head on his chest.

It was a special day for Shivika. One month ago, Shivaay has encouraged Annika to restart her event management business.
Within a week of setting up her business again, she had got her first offer of a wedding, and to her surprise, it turned out to be one of her old friends, Rohit Sharma.

When she told Shivaay about it, he was extremely happy. One thing he's liked about Annika ever since he's met her, is that she was an independent woman. She led a hard life, but she was never dependent on anyone at all.

One reason why he encouraged her to start her business again was that he didn't want to take away the independence and self-sufficiency from her. Yes, she was a part of his life now, the most important one, but that didn't allow him to take away her independence.

Annika had initially hesitated and was reluctant to go for it, but Shivaay promised to help her if she needed it, and discussed important businessperson traits with her from time to time.
And the best part is, Annika was running her business not as Annika Shivaay Singh Oberoi or even Annika Trivedi but as Sirf Annika - the name that gave her an identity of her own in this world.

Shivaay was even more proud of her because of this!

Right now, Shivaay congratulated Annika as her first project after restarting her business was a grand success, and everyone in the pre-wedding functions and wedding itself had appreciated her work and talent.

Annika came out of the hug, and looked at him happily.
"I'm so proud of you, Annika," he tells her, his eyes slightly tearing up, while she looks at him with a smile, "so proud. I love you."
"I love you too," she tells him.

"Accha woh sab chhodiye, yeh lijiye," she says after a pause, retrieving a card from her bag.
"Yeh kya hai?" He asks her, taking the card into his hands and opening it.
"Party?" He questions, looking at her.
"Woh..." Annika hesitates before speaking, "pehla event acche se ho gaya na, so ek party organise ki hai." She says, not looking at him.
He smiles at her.

She raises her head to look at him, "aap aayenge na?" She asks, with an innocent look in her eyes.
His smile grows wider.
"Ofcourse mai aaunga, Annika," he kisses her cheek, "I know yeh event aur iski success tumhare liye kitni important hai. Mai toh sabse pehle aaunga iss party me." He says, and she smiles.

"Thank you Shivaay," she kisses his forehead, and then rests her head on his chest, "thank you."
He hugs her tightly.

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