Gauri had only 30 minutes left until the work day would come to an end. She had worked tirelessly on this dress for hours and to know that it's fate was to be ruined by another made her feel very bitter. Even though she did not put forth 100 percent of her passion into the dress but it was still her creation. Feeling a bit sadden about it's future Gauri ran her soft fingers across the embroidery that her Boss had praised earlier.

"Could he be Dilpreet?" Gauri thought to herself.

His height, hair, and even his voice reminded her of Dilpreet but why would her Boss conceal himself? He didn't seem like the type to be infatuated with someone like her. In her mind he was a very professional person and for a busy man like himself he wouldn't have time to parade around incognito. However, that smell of ginger a while ago has been bothering her .

"What if he was Dilpreet? Why me? No. Can't be. Can not. Absolutely not."

As she was busy contemplating about her new found suspicion Dilpreet's words started to sink in. "Gauri....if...I mean..when you find out who I am....would it weigh more than the feelings you might have for me?" Did he fear that he was someone too high for her to reach? If so then he was right because things would become to burdensome.

Gauri started to feel her chest tighten as she let out a long sigh.

"Tired already?"

Gauri's brows furrowed as she heard Riddhima's voice.

"Hard work will always make one tired."

When she saw Riddhima walk into the fabric room with her 4 inch black heels she could see the woman's eyes glaring at her dress that was half way to completion.

Riddhima couldn't believe how much progress Gauri has gotten in just one day especially after what happened over the weekend. This just made her even more spiteful as she circled around the stunning dress.

"You are truly something Gauri. Here I was thinking that you would need me to help you after what had happened Saturday."

Riddhima did not try to hide her sarcastic smirk as she continued to remind Gauri of that night.

"Did you know everyone at lunch was asking me what happened. I tried to say your friends had come just in time to save you but as you know I was too busy fending for myself to actually know what happened. So don't be sadden if you hear some very distasteful rumors about yourself. Who knows how far that man really got with you....."

Riddhima was waiting to see Gauri's expression of pain and hurt but when she saw how compose Gauri was her hatred grew even more. "Did this woman not care about her reputation?! She had to be faking. There is no way a village girl like her would not be effected by these type of rumors."

Gauri found it very amusing to see Riddhima being so vexed with her lack of interest in the so-called rumors about herself.

"You don't have to pretend in front of me Gauri. We are both women here. If you need someone to lean on I will be there for you. After all...us women should always stick together. I will try my best to correct the rumors but....you know how these rumors goes...the more you try to deny them the more people tend to believe them. If things get too stressful I can tell Ms. Jhanvi...."

"No need."

Riddhima clenched both her fists when she saw the smirk on Gauri's face.

"Words that come from those I do not care about will not effect me in anyway. Ms. Jhanvi can see for herself if these rumors has any effect on my work."

This time it was Gauri who was circling around her own dress and even running her fingers up and down the silky fabric.

"What do you think about the dress so far? Even the Boss had made a comment about how impress he was with my embroidery. As he is someone I regard as important to my career...his words meant a great deal. You can even say he gave me the much needed motivation to finish this dress on time. So how can I let rumors from the mouths of people I don't see become an obstacle?"

"What do you mean from people you don't see? You see them everyday." Riddhima angrily pointed out.

Gauri didn't hide her soft condescending chuckle this time. "My eyes might reflect what is in front of me but still...I see nothing."

Riddhima was fuming inside as she was unable to get under Gauri's skin but now was not the time to lash out and she knew she had to calm herself down. However, the thought that Omkara stopped by to praise her work made her want to just run over and rip the dress into shreds!

"Well....I just came by to warn you. My offer still stands if you want me to talk to Ms. Jhanvi for you."

"No need. Thank you for your concern. I am quite capable of speaking to Ms. Jhanvi if need be. You should not regard me as so weak Riddhima...the shock might be too hard for you to grasp later on."

Riddhima glared at Gauri for her threatening words but in the end she left without saying another word. Gritting her teeth as she let her heels thud down the hallways Riddhima's eyes grew colder and colder with each step. "Let's see who will shock who!"

Seeing Riddhima's unsatisfied retreating back made Gauri smile to herself as she continued to pick out the fabric and threads she needed at home. As she continued to neatly placed the items in her bag Gauri noticed that she had only 5 more minutes till she would see Dilpreet outside waiting for her.

"Hmm...The Boss usually leaves at 8PM...with it being only 5PM....how could it be him?"

As she started to walk out the doors of the company she could already see Dilpreet waiting for her beside a new car. It was a simple white 4 car sedan.

"You bought a new car?" Gauri asked as he opened the passenger door for her.

"It was time to get a car. More convenient."

His eyes were always warm whenever he looked at her while his voice was always filled with consideration for her well being.

"I hope you didn't buy it because of me Dilpreet."

"Well...then I will not tell you the reason why."

Her cheeks flushed as he closed the passenger door. Thankfully he had to return to the driver's side so it was easy for her to turn her face the opposite way.

When Omkara sat in his seat he noticed Gauri's bag that was placed by her foot.

"You are bringing those home?"

The thought that she was going to work at home too made him quite unhappy.

"Oh...yes. I need it for my dress."

On their way back to Gauri's house Omkara wanted to talk more so he decided to ask about work.

"Did everything go well at work today?"

"Ah...yes. My Boss came to see me too."

Gauri purposely took this time to observe Dilpreet at the mention of her Boss.

"Your Boss?"

Though he sounded like he was intrigued but deep inside Omkara was happy as a bee swimming in honey.

"He praised my work."

"Really? That is great. He sure has a good eye then."

"He was quite impressed with my embroidery."

Gauri suddenly picks up her bag to pull out a roll of silver thread.

"I can't wait to work on it some more at home."

By this time Omkara was too happy to realize the small trap that he was about to fall into.

"Silver? Don't you need gold thread?" Omkara asked.

"How would you know I need gold thread instead Dilpreet?"

Coincidently they were at a stop light so she could see his dark brown eyes tremble a bit as he stared at her.

"I just assume gold was very popular."

"Oh? For a moment I thought you had seen my dress at work somehow. Funny I had used gold thread to embroider the leaves at the hem of the dress only today....."

"See....I knew gold was popular." Omkara quickly chimed in.

"How was the ginger chicken today? Did you end up smelling like ginger all day? I had to rinse out my mouth with tea in order to rid of the scent. If not I would be afraid to even talk to anyone since the smell of ginger is so strong."

He could feel his heart pound profusely against his chest at the sound of her provoking tone. "Did she figure it out?" Omkara then quickly turned his head to the side to blow out some air from his mouth. "Shit...it smells like ginger!"

Gauri could see him flustering and a faint smile appeared on her face.

"What is wrong Dilpreet?"

"Nothing. The ginger chicken was very delicious. As for if I smelled like ginger all day...I do not know....no one was ever close enough to me to tell me."

"Are you sure....you did not come close to anyone today?"

"Besides you ....no one."

"Ah....I see."

At that moment they had arrived at her house but Gauri still wanted to be sure if her suspicion was right or not. But when she was about to speak she could see him quickly lean in towards her. His eyes were always so deep that she felt weak every time he came too close and this time was no exception.

"Do...I...smell...like...ginger?" His deep soft warm voice brushed against her lips while her hands clenched tightly on the strap of her seatbelt. Suddenly her quest to find out his true identity evaporated into thin air.

"You...do."

With his thin mask being the only thing separating their lips Gauri wanted to pull away but the way he was looking at her stopped her. Eyes that wish for her to tell him she knew but there was also a fear that lingered behind those alluring gaze. "Did her eyes tell him the same?" Gauri wondered as she unknowingly let her hand brush against his mask. His gentle hand grabbed hers and pressed it against his face.

"If you are not ready to be mine....do not pull it down."

Her eyes shook as he pressed his warm lips upon hers. It was as if his mask was nonexistent as the heat engulfed her entire body.

"I will not pull it down then...."

His eyes did not show any sadness but instead it was her who felt a sense of relief. As much as she wanted to know the truth there was a part of her that was not ready. She had too many things on her plate to let her heart distract her now. The more she looked at Dilpreet who was still looking at her lovingly the more she felt the sting in her heart. She didn't know why...but deep down she knew...her heart was already yelling out his name....he was Omkara Oberoi. The question now was "should she reject him when he was still Dilpreet...or as Omkara Oberoi..."

Omkara could feel her distancing herself from him with eyes that were withdrawing it's warmth. In a panic he gently lifted up her chin.

"Do....you know who I am?"

**Hope you guys enjoyed this update. Do vote if you did 😊**