Anika let herself go, her clothes became more matronly. Her beauty slowly disappeared with her. She didn't know how to cook, but she learned everything from Shivaay, especially all his favorite foods and desserts. She stayed up late each night to cook favorite foods while he was busy, and woke up early each morning to cook him breakfast. Less than a wife, she became a permanent free servant in the Oberoi Mansion. She was more than a maid rather than a wife in their marriage. He always comes home late at midnight, and never acknowledges her efforts and says he had his dinner with Ragini. She couldn't see him starving, and it was not good for his health, because he had heart problems, and sometimes she went starving to his office for lunch. He always had an early lunch with Ragini again with the same excuse as early. It's not good for his health to eat late, he has to take his medicine.
And all these efforts only earned her a frosty glance from him.
He didn't acknowledge her as his wife. He could barely even look at her, but when it came to any scandal or any family issues with Oberoi, he left all his important work and came back for what? Just to scold her or punish her badly, none of his family stood beside her and always blamed her too for all the mishaps in the Oberoi's family. Sometimes, and, all along, Ragini came to her and reassured her that she could take care of it! Since Ragini and Shivaay were childhood best friends, Anika always thought Ragini was telling Shivaay all her good points, of how good of a wife she was, and one day he would change his mind and accept her and love her.
But, little did she know that Ragini's meaning of "Taking care of Shivaay's" was vastly different from hers.
While she lost herself like a housekeeper in the Oberoi mansion, they both were enjoying exploring each corner in the master bedroom where she slept at night. While she was made fun of by her mother-in-law for being an ugly, lazy, middle-class and orphaned girl and what not? Anika always tried to become a good daughter-in-law, but none saw her efforts. She was slowly trying to become a dignified daughter-in-law that her mother-in-law had always wanted, but none could work. While she always looked at Shivaay with lovestruck eyes, he was already busy with Ragini, she didn't have any chance to get a glimpse of him, and he was spending all his time with his best friend.
" Shut up! A hard screeching voice said. There stood Ragini Malhotra in her glorious looks.
Right now, as the two girls faced each other, their fates had now definitely been reversed.
Ragini slowly curled her lips as she glanced at the decrepit Anika hard.
" I see you are still alive, Haan, so, you escaped from the fire? So, what are you doing here? Do you think I'll let you meet my Shivaay? Don't you know that trash is not allowed in our Oberoi mansion?
Anika flinched. That large Oberoi Mansion was once at her home. Now she couldn't even enter the front gates.
I need to see him. I wanted to meet him and ask him what you said was right or not? Anika repeated, clenching her fists.
Hmm, well he doesn't want to see your face. " Ragini shrugged her shoulders.
Well, I still need to see him. Anika said proudly.
" Anika, Anika, why are you so stupid darling, how many times should I have to tell you? That Shivaay doesn't want to see your face, he hates you. Do you know why? Because he thinks you killed his Dadi. Hahaha, yes. He believed that you had killed his dadi. He and his whole family hate you. He hates you, he wants to kill you. Do you listen to me, he hates you Anika. He will not see you. Grandma has just passed away. She needs peace. He needs peace in his life and he will get it after you vanish from his life for forever "Raagini smirked.
Although Anika already looked like a beggar in torn clothes, rough hair, and dirty makeup begging to see her husband outside the gates, her eyes were wide and soulful, lashes trembling with unshed tears.
She had already lost everything, but those enchanting eyes of hers were unchanging, making you want to drown in them.
Ragini felt hatred bubble up like acid in her stomach, and she looked down at the expensive ring on anika's finger, her nuptial chain, mangal sutra around her neck, Slowly, her lips began to curve triumphantly, all of a sudden she felt sudden rage inside her seeing anika, wearing all the symbols of marriage, which is connected to shivaay, and like a some witch possessed her she snatched the nuptial chain (mangalsutra ) from her neck, Anika felt sudden pain in her neck, the way ragini scratched her neck by removing her nuptial chain, she felt blood on her neck, she didn't get the chance to be alert when Ragini forcefully took her hands and removed the shining diamond studded engagement ring from her hand.
Ha, what was the need for these things?
Anika had already fallen this low, dirty, ugly and now Shivaay divorced her, how could she even dare to compete with her? Plus, Shivaay is already hers, and very soon he will become hers in every sense, and soon she'll become the wife of Shivaay Singh Oberoi.
Ragini!! How dare you.." Anika screamed and came forward to grab Ragini's neck. Her guards held her arms tightly.
" Leave her, the two of you. Go do something else. I want to speak to her alone.
The two guards looked at each other, nodded, and left.
Why don't you just leave us, Anika? Shivaay hates you, he doesn't want to live with you. Because of his Dadi, he married you, but now, after Dadi died, he no longer wants you in his life. You were always a hurdle in our love life, Anika. You don't deserve to be his wife. He always said to me how much he felt disgusted whenever he saw you, he felt so ashamed of you for being his wife. Only I, Ragini Malhotra, is suited to be the wife of great business tycoon Shivaay Singh Oberoi. "Ragini proudly said to her knowingly how much her words are hurting her, but she deserves it for snatching her love from her, she wants to feel her pain, how much it hurts whenever she saw them together.
Finally, my baby, get rid of you. Soon we'll marry, and we will have lots of babies. That's what my big baby wants! "Ragini said in her dreamy voice.
" Let me see him once. I want to ask him for myself. I did not kill Dadi! Anika said.
" I know, of course, you didn't kill Shivaay's Grandma. "
Ragini smiled and walked closer to her, and stood straight in her face and looked at Anika with a smuggled face.
There was a street in front of the house. On the other side of the street there was a jungle. It was hard to tell what exactly Ragini was up to, taking her to the back side of the mansion where there was a wild forest.
Hearing her words, Anika felt like something was off. She followed Ragini hurriedly and asked, What do you mean?
Of course, you didn't kill Dadi, you were knocked out by me, so, how could you possibly have done that?
Anika stared her eyes wide at Ragini, So.... It's you!"
" Hush..."Ragini put her fingers to her lips, smiling constantly.
" So, it really was you! You witch, Dadi was so good to you. Why did you...?
" Good? Hmph.. Good my foot! " Ragini interrupted, chuckling. " If it were not for that old lady, the wife of Shivaay Singh Oberoi would have been me instead of you. That old lady has known me since I was a little girl. She never liked me. She should have died a long time ago!
" You are so treacherous. I will go and tell them.
Ragini didn't fret at all as Anika turned away. She smiled coldly and said, " You think he will believe you?
Anika paused in her way and stayed where she was.
" It was the same when you tried to tell Shivaay and others that I had hurt myself, and I don't have any stalkers. No one believed you.
Anika quickly turned around, looking at Ragini incredulously.
Ragini utterly enjoyed the look on her pale face and said, " And, it was the same when you said you did not try to hurt me, no one believed you.
" What do you mean ragini? Realization suddenly flashed into Anika's mind. " It was you!
" That's right, it was me. Ragini snorted. " But so what? Everything happened in your life, it was my way to punish you by coming in between me and my Shivaay. I did everything so you got out of Shivaay's life and I can become his wife. I did everything to make you both separate, but actually I don't have to do much hard work. You know why? Because Shivaay always hated you Anika! He loathes you because you are an orphan, he hates you because you don't have any name, lineage, class or even status. That's why he never introduced you in front of the whole world, because he felt ashamed to be with you,
I don't have to make so much effort to take you out of Shivaay's life but,
" I have his child... I am pregnant.
As the soft whisper reached her ears, Ragini froze.
She looked at Anika carefully, and now she noticed that Anika was covering her stomach protectively. In a brief second, Ragini was suddenly seized with rage.
How could that girl with no class have Shivaay's child?