It has been a day since the fight and Shivaay was in the office his eyes on the papers before him while his mind in chaos... His sister didn't talk to him since the incident, distancing herself from everyone and looking at the phone... She even refused to eat until he pleaded her last night... saying he will not eat until she does. He thought removing Omkara from her life will be the solution to all the problems... seems like the guy had his claws too deep into her that she looked broken and lifeless without him.

How did he not see before that his sister is being snatched away from him... he should have been more careful...he thought cursing himself. His thoughts were interrupted when Anika barged inside the cabin giving a feeling of dejavu.

Why are people barging on him these days?

"Now what?" he asked tiredly looking into the file again and not sparing her a glance.

The next moment the file was snatched from him and thrown on the couch beside him making him look at her.

"What do you think you are doing... have you gone mad?" he asked angrily.

"That is supposed to be my question... tadibaaz bagad billa.... utho apni jagah see(get up from your place) and come here" she ordered while he raised an eyebrow defiantly.

"Really? Who do you think you are to order me around... know your f*** place... tell me why you are here and then get lost... you don't know me" he said in a chilling tone and Anika seemed to grasp the threat. However, she acted unaffected before she came to the point.

"You must be very happy that you finally got what you wanted" she said and he looked at her frowning.

"Vahi... jo aapne kiya....(The trouble which you created).... separating Omkara from Gauri" she spelled out angrily and he sighed.

"Yes... I am incredibly happy... anything else??"

"How could you be so unaffected?? For a person who loves his sister so much you seriously are ignorant to her pain.... Do you even know what they are going through??"

"My sister and her feelings are genuine.. she is in pain I realize...but that is what is good for her... she will get over your friend and his schemes in no time"

Anika rolled her eyes "Come have a look at Omkara and you will know if he loved your sister any lesser... Mr. Shivaay... naam khuun khandam sab kuch nahi hota hai... (name and lineage is not everything) when you love someone... these things won't matter.. Omkara loves Gauri.. any blind person can see it..."

"And I should believe you... a liar? Someone who doesn't follow professional ethics?" he taunted.

"Hey bhagwan... galati ho gayi humse maaf kardo... ( Oh God... forgive me for my sin) will you taunt me for my entire life for that one mistake of mine??? One mistake and you judge me and my work ethics Shivaay... don't you think you are too prejudiced?"

"I have seen hundreds of people of your class committing the same mistake.... I am not the one to be fooled"

"Aree.... thik hai... galati meine kiya... Omkara ko kyun dosh de raha hai...(okay... let us say I am at fault... why are you blaming Omkara too?) you don't know him at all"

"He is your friend... isn't he...you obviously did what you did to help him"

"Yes... but without his knowledge... he doesn't know that I'm keeping things from him... I just wanted to give them time to open up and realize their feelings.. they liked each other from way before"

"You can't be serious... they knew each other from five days before I met my sister... bloody five days... how is it love?? It was just an attraction which was prolonged because your friend wanted to cash it. He went behind my back like a spineless idiot, putting me in the dark all this time ... he made my sister lie to me"

"And your sister is what a nursery child?? Doesn't she have an opinion on what is going on?? Is Omkara the only one at fault here?"

"Dare you blame Gauri... she is just a pure heart... My sister can forgive her guardians who tortured her throughout her life ... she trusted that Daksh and was about to elope with him putting her life at risk... I am afraid of that innocence Anika.... that is what Omkara is taking to make use of" Shivaay said.

"Put logic into this...you will know why I don't have a good opinion on him... Gauri has underwent too much abuse since she was a child... she faced all her problems alone... now when your friend pops up to help her she will obviously get attracted to him... if your friend really didn't want to take advantage of her , he should have stayed away.... why didn't he do so Ms. Anika? If he was a man of self esteem... as you say... why didn't he put her at a distance after knowing her status."

"Your one tracked mind.... I feel like hitting you with a bat.... shayad kaam karna shuru ho jayega tab (perhaps it will start working then)... Gauri is a matured girl and she knows what she wants...Think of it this way Shivaay... Gauri didn't love Daksh ... she trusted him.. yes...but that is because she had no other option left to get away from that forced marriage.... She wanted to defend herself even though she is all alone... she had to take someone's help and so she found Daksh handy... She is not the damsel here and she doesn't need you always to protect her... she is a fighter... don't you know??"

When he remained silent she continued "If Omkara really wanted your favour if he is really after your wealth he wouldn't have waited for two years... he would have married her long back and Gauri would have agreed to it too... he wouldn't have come here yesterday to argue with you over your recommendation for his promotion.... doesn't that alone make him better than people like Ajay?"

"I don't want people better than Ajay... My sister deserves nothing but the best" said Shivaay adamantly.

Anika sighed "Aap chahe duniya ke saabse khubsurat Aamir khadani ladka dundke lao aapne behen ke liye... par aap kya sure ho sakte hai ki vo usse utna hi pyaar karegi jitna vo Omkara se karti hai?? (You can bring your sister the richest, most handsome guy from a royal lineage... can you be sure that she will love him as she loves Omkara?) Can you be assured that she will be happy with that person?"

"If name and lineage is everything which decides a person's character or is responsible for a person's mistakes didn't your father wrong your mother? is he not responsible for your sister's spoilt childhood? What reason do you give for his mistakes?"

"Omkara is a man of self-respect Shivaay... if he is taking advantage of her as you said... he wouldn't have asked Gauri to choose between you and him... now that she choose you... he is too broken to fight back... if he doesn't marry your sister because of the stunt you played yesterday... not him... you and your sister, both will lose the chance of being with a person such as him" she said taking her friend's name proudly... "Your blood, your status and your lineage combined will not measure his character and personality Mr. Shivaay... I hope you realize that before it is too late.." she said and walked to the door to get out of his place.

Just before leaving, Anika turned to him for one last time "Not only him... I know Gauri loves him the same way... if she does not get him... you might lose your sister too... She might live for you but not with life in her... better you keep that in mind" she said and walked out in him while he was left to his own thoughts.

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"Hey bhagwan.... two days...just two days I went home to check on papa and you made such a big mess" exclaimed Rudra on the phone with Anika, Veer and Omkara.

"Rudy... no one is in a mood to relive the whole thing... please leave things as it is... Omkara doesn't want to discuss this" said Veer in all sarcasm repeating his friend's words.

"Achaa... why?? Mahashay ko gussa ayya... dil tuut gaya? (Did his majesty get angry... did his heart break?)"

Anika who looked at Omkara who was too silent and scolded, "Rudra this isn't funny"

"This is funny... di... you don't understand... it is funny that he asked Bhabhi to choose between the two people she loved... it is funny that he still didn't realize what she might be going through now... obviously he mustn't be answering her calls... Am I correct?" asked Rudra when Omkara looked at the phone angrily.

"Why will she be unhappy?? She chose whom she loves more......her brother... she sent the message loud and clear Rudy.. I don't have anything to talk to her" said Omkara.

"This is the reason I don't want to get into a relationship Anika di... you like a girl make her your girlfriend only to show your right on her... she should only love you.. only choose you to leave all the other relationships behind... O... you sound like an immature kid who has been denied ice cream" said Rudra making Anika and Veer smile.

"We did expect such reaction from Shivaay.... didn't we?... or did you think the moment he comes to know about you two sneaking behind him... he will be immensely happy and marry his sister to you the very next moment?" asked Veer surprising Anika as well as Omkara.

"Bhaiyya... I am proud of you... you proved that you are my brother... Finally, someone with logical thinking" appreciated Rudra.

"Exactly what I said" Rudra continued "At the first sign of tension, this guy already gave up on my Bhabhi"

"Damn you Rudra... I am not the one who gave up... she chose her side"

"Then why is she calling you? Break up song gaane ke liye?? Didn't you think she might have an explanation? Why did she do so? Did you listen to what she has to say O?" Rudra countered making Omkara go mute.

"You didn't think of her situation nor did you think of your feelings.. you say you love her...and you didn't even give her a chance to explain herself... I am almost convinced that Shivaay is right... you are merely in attraction... because people in love don't act like arrogant fools... they consider their partners choice and if possible... if they have a genuine reason... forgive them too.... aisa nahi ki ek galti kiya aur rishta tood diya... (not that they make one mistake and you break off the relationship with them)"

"Rudra is right Om... you should have at least let her give an explanation... you didn't answer her calls nor did you allow us to talk to her" said Anika when Omkara angrily got up from his place and left the room.

"He is too angry and hurt to consider her feelings Rudy" said Veer looking at the door through which his friend exited.

"You are being unempathetic to him Rudy... he had been rejected a lot of times and Gauri doing the same thing will take a toll on him" said Anika supporting her friend.

"Di... I know... but if I support him, he will miss someone like Gauri Bhabhi... I will talk to her and know why she did that... about O...Let him calm down first... he will realize... and if he doesn't... hum hain na... hum sambhal lenge (we will take care of it)" said Rudra and the duo agreed smiling.

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Gauri checked her phone again hoping against hope that she got a notification of a call or message from Omkara. It has been two days since she talked to him and one day since she tried pleading her brother to let her go to him. She knew she hurt him...and she cursed herself for it...but in that moment it seemed to be a safer option.

She knew her brother and she knew Omkara... she knew who better she could rely on forgiving her. Her brother loved her but his ego would not have allowed him to forgive her if she had left with Omkara. He would hate Omkara even more for taking her away from him. Omkara on the other hand has always understood her on many levels or so she thought... she knew it was momentary anger which caused him to make such a mess. Once he calmed down and realized what he had done, he would be guilty of getting her away from the only family she had but then it would be too late.

She tried to call him to explain her side of the story but seems like she expected too much understanding from him. He is a man and for a man his ego comes first before everything. Doesn't it? she mused bitterly. Maybe she should allow him to calm down before she tried calling him again.

A minute after, her mobile rang with Rudra's name flashing on it and she answered the call smiling.

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"Don't worry Bhabhi... you did the right thing... but you didn't know about O's past... he has gone through this before and he is obviously hurt" said Rudra after hearing to Gauri.

"I am sorry Rudy bhaiyya but if only he gave me a chance..."

"You will get it... how can I let you too separate... that is impossible when you have me on your side" he said making her tension partly clear.

"What do we do? He is not ready to talk bhaiyya"

"Keep him aside for a moment... did you talk to your brother? If he doesn't change... nothing will come out of you talking to O Bhabhi" Rudra advised.

"He is adamant Rudy bhaiyya... no matter what I say... he is hell bent on believing what he wants to believe" said Gauri helplessly.

"Okay... first let us deal with your brother.... Then we can pacify your angry man... wait for two days Bhabhi"

"Why two days?"

"I am in Bareilly Bhabhi... In order to come to Mumbai... I need to do the booking now" explained Rudra and Gauri smiled.

"I think I have to ask a chopper as a gift for my birthday bhaiyya... have a good sleep tonight and be ready for a ride early tomorrow... you have my brother to deal with while I have a certain jatadhari to lure" she said smirking.

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Okay... I thought i will update tomorrow after completing this but somehow i am not in the mood...

things will settle down... this is just a filling chapter.

The next will be the last shot...

I will update it soon... only when I write something good enough as to not disappoint anyone

Till then.... Signing off.. yours Soujanya.