If You Loved Me (completed)

Chapter 7

“IT was the same place where her life changed forever, in her village, just on the shore, and the wet sand under her bare feet, she can feel it, it's the same sand grains that scratched her body and soul, just like it's the same fear in her heart that she felt when she was running home the first time and she met Shivaay and Veer

Why she came here again? She asked herself but found no answer to her question

Her eyes widen in her fear and she looked around her, it's even darker than the first night, she can't see anything.

Except...

There is a man coming towards her, she can see silhouette of a man approaching her

She has to run, but she can't run, her legs are frozen, she can't move them.

"HELP “she screamed

But no one came to her aid as the man approaching closer, she screamed again and again, and then she froze and waited

And for her heart relief, it was Shivaay ..Just him , coming to her with a wide smile

She smiled widely and tried to run towards him , but her legs are frozen to the ground .

"Shivaay" she called him so he can come to her faster but for her surprise he just stopped in his place and smiled as three other silhouette came from behind him , she can see they are holding knives and raising them up ready for to stab him

She screamed in fear "SHIVAAAAAY, NOOO"

The three men approached to him and she can see their faces now ..They were "Rudra, Veer and Surya"

She screamed "HEEEELP ,SHIVAAAY , RUN , LOOK BEHIND YOU"

But Shivaay just stood in his place , as she froze in hers and they kept approaching as their Knives just getting closer and closer to him .

"SHIVAAAAY , SHIVAAAAAAY , SHIVAAAAAAAAY ""

He looked at her and his smile vanished and he screamed "WAKE UP "

And that is when she wake up, sweat covering her all body and she shivering between his arms, as he was shushing to sooth her .

Shivaay : it was a nightmare , you are okay ..You are okay

She clutched on his shirt and closed her eyes hard trying to calm herself as he said ..

Shivaay : you are okay , no one will hurt you, I promise

Anika in low tone: can ...c...can you sleep on the bed too ? Just for tonight

Shivaay eyes widen for a moment then he nodded yes hard and pulled the pillow off the floor and put it on the bed as she closed her eyes just as she between his arms and holding on his shirt and both leaned on the bed with her in his arms and she whispered .

Anika : promise me they won't hurt you

Shivaay looked at her confused as she looked at him then he nodded faintly

Shivaay : Was I the one getting hurt in your nightmare ?

Anika looked at him and nodded faintly and he smiled widely and hugged her tighter and caressed her hair .

Shivaay: so all this fear was for my sake ? Okay then I promise no one will hurt me or you ..It's just a nightmare, you gone through a lot ..Just close your eyes

Anika : I ruin your life and put you in my troubles, when you are my savior ..It's terrible

Shivaay : who told you that ? Maybe you are the one who saved my life , at least now I have someone that cares for me ..At least now I have purpose to be alive , because and for Anika

Anika smiled and said : from where you get all this kindness?

Shivaay took a deep breath and then said ..

Shivaay : you better go to sleep, wife ..we have a busy day tomorrow and I won't show mercy on you (then he raised eyebrow and said teasingly) you think I am kind ,you don't know me , I am very cruel towards laziness

Anika smiled and said : even that I don't believe, but I am sleepy so I will sleep

And she closed her eyes and the minute she did, she drifted in deep sleep and his smile vanished as he looked at her and caressed her hair , then with the side of his finger he touched her cheek that was still bruised but better and he whispered ..

Shivaay : how can anyone with a heart or not ..Be cruel towards you ? And why I care for you so much ?

And he closed his eyes and leaned his cheek over her hair and drifted in sleep as well .

The next morning ..

Anika opened her eyes on a faint knock on the door, only to find herself still between his arms, as he was still deeply sleep, she smiled faintly and untangled his hand from around her as careful as she can so she won't wake him up, then got out of the bed and went towards the door and opened it, only to find a tray of breakfast in front of the door .

She smiled and pulled the tray inside then put it on the table and sat on the chair and pulled a piece of toast and was about to bite it, but for her surprise there was a folded paper between the toasts ..She looked at it a bit confused then opened it and started to read what is written inside .

" CONGRATULATION ON THE MARRIAGE, ANIKA ..BUT DON'T THINK THAT IS IT "

Anika flinched and gasped then looked at Shivaay who was still deeply sleep, and she opened the door and put the tray of the food out to be picked up then looked around and found no one standing there and she didn't think or felt herself as she wear her shoes and ran down stairs and reaching to the reception she ran towards the receptionist and said in panic

Anika: a breakfast came to room 309, who served it ?

The receptionist looked at his computer then he shook his head and said..

The receptionist : the room is not "breakfast included "and you didn't order any!!

Anika angrily: what you mean, then why there was a breakfast tray on my door, who brought it then?

(ME , IT'S ON MY TREAT, ROOM 306 )

Anika heart fall from the sound that came from behind her and she looked behind only to find Surya standing, her eyes widen and her heart fall in her feet and she was about to run upstairs, but he held her arm and the receptionist said ..

The receptionist : is there a problem ma'am ?

Surya whispered to her : if you don't want your dear husband hurt , you will not make a scene , I just want to talk with you ..I am not a lone by the way , you know my friends and what they can do for my sake

Anika swallowed then she shook her head hard to the receptionist as he said ..

Surya : I am her brother

The receptionist looked at her as Surya pulled her towards the guest couch and pushed her down so she sit and she pulled her arm from his clutch .

Anika : DON'T TOUCH ME

Surya : its smart from you that you didn't wake your dear husband ..but I seriously hoped that If he was the one who read my note and came down , then I would have taken my right from him and soothed my heart

Anika : what you want from me ,Surya? And how you know my place ?

Surya smiled and said : does it matter how I found your place , Anika ? I thought you will ask me what I am planning to do after finding you and the man you cheated on me with .

Anika angrily : I didn't cheat on you , you are the one who left my hand when I needed you the most but think what you want to think , I don't care ..Just stay away from me , have some honor ,I am a married woman

Surya took a deep breath and said : Anika, I am still in love with you , no matter how much I tried to forget you , I can't ..You know you love me too , let's just run from here , from everyone ..You don't know how your life is going to be with him , you don't know him , but you know me , you dreamed with your life with me for years

Anika angrily: I was stupid little girl (then she took a moment and said) you know I didn't met him before? And you know I am not like what you and your mother said on me in the village and now you want me back ? When I stopped loving you ? When I became a wife of another man? I think we are done talking , now stay away from me Surya, it's for your own good not mine.

And she walked away and went towards the elevator and the minute she entered the elevator and it closed , she sat on the floor and put her hand over her chest , and prayed that this will be it ..She knows Surya, he is not a criminal, he will just go after what she said to him, but ...!! Why he came in the first place, and threatening her by hurting Shivaay ..It's not like him ..So does she really know him ?

The elevator opened on the third floor where her room is and for her surprise Shivaay was just standing in front of the elevator, fully dressed and ready to go

She gasped and froze in her place as he looked at her surprised and said ..

Shivaay : I thought you went to your room, I was going to check out and then knock at your door , I didn't know you were down !!

Anika swallowed then said : I........I was taking a walk (then she said worried) can we just go from here, please. I hate it here

Shivaay nodded and said : I just closed the phone with a real estate agency ..We have a good house offer, small and in a calm neighborhood as we want, we will just go to have a look on it

Anika nodded hard as the elevator door closed but he put his hand to stop the door then entered and helped her up and pressed ground floor button

Shivaay : you are okay , right ?

Anika nodded hard and held on his hand tight as he whispered ..

Shivaay : can you just forget everything that scare you or sadden you ..Just pretend we are normal people who starting their normal life, can you do that ?

Anika smiled and nodded as he squeezed on her hand and they both went downstairs to the reception so they can check out .

After an hour ..

Anika and Shivaay were looking around the house that was so small, that Anika felt it's just built from her childhood drawings .

It was only two bedrooms and tiny living room , kitchen and bathroom ..It needed furniture and a lot of cleaning and painting ..It wasn't really ideal but ..

Anika : I love it

Shivaay smiled widely and said : you do ? Me too

Anika nodded yes hard and said : I never loved a place as much as I love this place

Shivaay nodded and said : great ,we will take it then

Anika smiled widely and the real estate man took Shivaay ID but looking at it his eyes widen and said ..

The real estate agent : Singh Oberoi ?!!!!As the family of ....

Shivaay interrupted : NO ..It's ..It's nothing like that

And he looked at Anika who was confused as he said ..

Shivaay : why don't you look around as I finish the papers with the owner

Anika nodded faintly as Shivaay took the real estate agent away and Anika looked around and imagined where she will put everything in its place, and imagined herself everywhere , in the kitchen cooking and in the living room and everywhere ..It will be heaven, her little heaven and she will be the lady of house.

Anika chuckled happily and ran to the kitchen and touched the kitchen sink with her hand and felt to hug it ..Her own kitchen sink , in her own kitchen ..Where she will cook for Shivaay his favorite food and ..

And that when her smile vanished , she wasn't thinking of cooking her favorite food anymore , she want to cook his favorite ?!!!

Anika to herself : what is wrong with you , Anika ?

Shivaay came from behind her and said ...

Shivaay : it's ours. I signed the contracts

Anika looked at him then smiled widely as he said ..

Shivaay : okay now I have good news and bad news ..What you want first ?

Anika bit her lower lip and said : the good news, I guess

Shivaay smiled and said : the good news is that we won't spend that much money for the furniture

Anika smiled widely and said : really and why is that ?

Shivaay : now it's time for the bad news (then he said in low tone) because I spend the money I saved for the furniture on the house , it's a bit expensive than what I thought and I can't spend much more money on the house, and the rest of the money will be for the business and other stuff needed. So that is why we can't spend much money on the furniture !!!

Anika covered her lips with her hand and looked at him with wide eyes as he chuckled nervously and said ..

Shivaay : we can afford pillows if that makes you feel better and we got a cleaning kit for free ..I just found them in the bathroom

.

Anika chuckled and said sarcastically : a pillow and cleaning kit .. Lucky us , what more can we need ?

Shivaay rolled his eyes and said : now I really feel like a husband , what I can do to make you happy, I don't know

Anika chuckled as he chuckled too and she said ..

Anika : start help me in the cleaning the reception and let's see if I can find something we can eat in the bags. Come on , hurry up , and don't be lazy

Shivaay chuckled and nodded as Anika pulled his suitcase and opened it and found some crisps and snacks and then her eyes fall on the photo album

She thought to open it but then she decided it's his privacy so she pulled the snacks and went to the reception again and said ..

Anika : SHIVAAY , I ONLY FOUND..

But she burst into laughter seeing him with rolled up pants and bare feet and dusty face as he struggling to wipe the soapy water he filled the floor with

Shivaay angrily: can you just stop laughing and help me ?

Anika laughed so hard that she held her belly and said ..

Anika : you look so funny , I can't stop laughing. When you did all this ?

Shivaay frowned and held some of the water from the bucket and throw them on her and she gasped and her smile vanished as he chuckled and said ..

Shivaay : now I see what is funny about it

Anika pouted then pulled the wiper from him as he chuckled and smiled widely and pulled a bag of the snacks to eat but for his surprise she held some of the foamy water and throws it on him and he frowned as she chuckled and he said ..

Shivaay : don't start a war you can't finish, I am warning you

Anika chuckled but her chuckle soon turned to a look of fear when the door knocked faintly and Shivaay went to open the door but she held his hand and shook her head and he patted on her hand and went towards the door and opened it but for Anika relief it was a woman holding a pie plate .

The woman : hi , I am your neighbor here ..I thought to welcome you to the neighborhood (then she smiled widely and said) you are living here by yourself, sir? It's okay you can just knock at my door if you want anything or any help.

Shivaay was about to answer but for his surprise Anika ran fast towards him and pulled the plate of the pie and said with wide fake smile ..

Anika: Anika , the wife ..Thank you so much , we feel welcomed already

The woman smile vanished as Anika pulled Shivaay hand and said ..

Anika : honey, come in or you will have a cold (then she looked at the woman and said) you should join me for tea when I have furniture, but now I do not so excuse us ..Thanks so much for the pie

And she closed the door as Shivaay looked at her with wide eyes and said ..

Shivaay : what was that ?!!

Anika : what ? I thanked her for the pie and I was really nice ..You can't say I wasn't

Shivaay tighten his eyes as she took a piece of pie and took a bite from it , then she frowned and said ..

Anika : that is not even good , I can't eat from that

Shivaay tighten his eyes more to her as she looked at him then she took back the wiper and continued wiping as the door knocked again and Shivaay opened the door again as Anika was focusing on wiping and her sudden feeling of anger towards the woman.

But Shivaay didn't find anyone on the door, he just found a flower bouquet , he looked at it surprised and said..

Shivaay : what is that ?

Anika looked at him and her breath stopped seeing bouquet of daisy flowers , her favorite as Shivaay read the card loud .

" I FORGOT TO TELL YOU THAT YOU LOOK REALLY BEAUTIFUL WITH THAT BLUE DRESS , MY LOVE ..HOPE THE FLOWER WILL SAY ENOUGH"

Shivaay looked at Anika with wide eyes as Anika blood froze in her veins and said ..

Anika : its Surya .....(Then her eyes flooded with tears ) listen to me .. He came to the hotel and I couldn't .....I told him to go away , I told him I don't want to see him again, I swear

Shivaay angrily : YOU MET HIM ?(then he shook his head and said) what he told you and you listened to it (then he held her shoulder and said looking at her eyes ) I love you Anika? I can't live without you ? The idea of you loving another man makes me mad ?

Anika tears flow more as he felt the words he said on Surya's tongue as if it's on his , he didn't understand why he is so angry , he didn't understand also why he want to hug her seeing her tears but he couldn't help his anger and the fire burning his heart, he just said ..

Shivaay : WHY YOU HID THAT FROM ME ANIKA ? WHY ?(then he took a step back and said) but why to tell me ? I am not your real husband ..What between us is not real , it should have been him not me, right?

Anika looked at him with teary eyes and said ..

Anika : if I was in love with him or thought it should be him my husband , I would have chosen death than betraying my heart choice (Then she cried harder and said)but I chose to be with you , Shivaay ..I was. I was .. Just scared, he said he will hurt you ..And I don't want anyone to hurt you

Shivaay face soften as she put her hand on her chest and sobbed harder ..

Anika: it hurt so much that you think of me like that ..for some reason I handled my family doubt on my character , I handled that from my whole village but I can't handle you think of me like that , stranger (then she wiped her tears and said ) I am sorry for everything and I am still grateful ..I will always be but maybe it's time for me to go

And she turned and opened the door of the house and walked away as Shivaay looked at her going with shock from all her words and more shocked of all her tears and the strong feeling of loss and pain he just feel

As Anika just walked away with no propose or aim ..Feeling lost and heartbroken like she never felt before but for her surprise suddenly she found herself pulled and hugged so tight to a kind chest that was beating so hard and she just closed her eyes and sobbed as he said ..

Shivaay : just like that ? You left without turning back ..What about the floor ? who will clean the mess? Don't say me !!!

Anika chuckled and looked up to him as he smiled widely for her chuckle and said ..

Shivaay : I never doubted you , don't say stupid stuff like that again ...and I am sorry that I hurt you like that , never again

Anika : he knows where we are , what we will do ?

Shivaay looked behind her and took a moment and said ..

Shivaay : I will tell you what you will do ..You will forget all that , like it never happen and don't worry about that Surya for even one second and walk and don't look back , not even for a second , okay ?

Anika nodded with a faint smile as he wiped her tears and said .

Shivaay : I think I will take from the money and buy you many dresses, what to do ? I have to pacify my wife (then he raised an eyebrow and said) happy wife , happy life , right ?

Anika chuckled and said : why are you so kind to me like that ?

Shivaay smile lessened then pushed her softly towards the house and said ..

Shivaay : remember ? Don't look back , my wife

Anika nodded and did that without questioning him, she never thought he really meant it but she just did that , she didn't want to look back , but he really meant it ..He didn't want her to look back , because behind her on the street there was a taxi standing the whole time and he noticed it ..He walked towards it without the one who siting notice and he looked inside and chuckled faintly and then for passenger surprise , Shivaay just leaned on window with crossed arms and said with wide smile..

Shivaay : you must be Surya , I saw you on the train

Surya flinched as he smiled widely and said ..

Shivaay : thanks for the flowers , but unfortunately I am not a fan of daises so my wife had to throw them in the garbage where they belong, but it's appreciated gesture , Although it should have been me who send the flowers for you as a thank you for turning your back to her and gifting me such a bless

Surya blood boiled and he frowned as Shivaay smile vanish and said in scary tone ..

Shivaay : a bless that I will fight for even for the rest of my life and will never let someone like you hurt even one hair from her hairs ..It was a nice try really , but I am not as stupid or a coward as you , I will never give up on Anika ..Stay away from me and my wife , boy ..It's for your own good

And he walked away few steps towards the home as Surya screamed to him and said ..

Surya : YOU KNOW SHE DON'T LOVE YOU , SHE JUST MARRIED YOU SO YOU CAN SAVE HER

Shivaay stopped and his eyes fall on his house window as Anika was eating a piece of the pie hungrily and looked around in worry that he might see her and think she likes it and he couldn't help but chuckle on her Antics then he felt it and understood why he was running behind her when she was getting out of the door , why he did this all for her , why he can't handle her tears or can sleep unless he makes sure she is okay , why he exist in this life it's so clear to him .

He turned and said strictly ..

Shivaay : but I LOVE HER and that is enough for me to destroy you if you thought of hurting her again

And he turned and walked back to their new house , feeling his heart beats getting louder as he getting closer to her , he meant every word he said ...HE LOVES HER