Previous story : Unakkena Venum Sollu/ Tell Me What You Need posted on 2– Jun – 2021. Some of you had some questions regarding that story and I have tried to answer it, please check at the end of that story to see them.

Thanks to all for voting and commenting on the previous story.

Note

For a change, I decided to have Anika as Omkara's sister instead of Priyanka in this story.

Will reply to PMs soon.

Gauri and Ridhima walk into the coffee shop and they quickly spots Omkara waving at them with a smile.

"I'll come fast." Ridhima tells her.

"No problem, take your time. College office will be open till 3 today." Gauri tells her with a smile as she walked off to a table.

Ridhima gently smiles at Omkara as she walked to him.

Omkara hugs her with a smile. "I missed you." he tells her.

Ridhima smiles at him in reply.

"I've ordered your Mocha." Omkara informs her as they sat down. "So, how is everyone at home?"

"Good." Ridhima replies nervously.

"Why is Gauri with you? Do you have to leave fast?" Omkara asks curiously.

"Yeah... we have to go to the college to collect our certificates. We have to submit at our offices." Ridhima tells him.

"Yeah, Ani told me that Gauri also got placement through campus interviews. Same company?"

"No, different. She said she was going so I thought I'll go with her."

"Oh okay. I could have taken you."

"Yeah..." Ridhima starts and stops when the waiter brings her drink.

"If you had told me Gauri was coming, I would have brought Ani too." Omkara tells her as Gauri was Anika's best friend, and Ridhima was their friend.

Ridhima drinks from her cup without replying.

"Okay, what is it? You seem nervous." Omkara asks her with a gentle smile.

"That Omkara..." Ridhima nervously starts.

"Did your parents find out about us?" Omkara asks her as he held her hand. "Don't worry, I'll talk to my parents and we will come meet your family soon."

Ridhima takes her hand away from his. "I'm sorry, Omkara."

"What happened?" he asks with a confused frown.

"I tried. My parents aren't agreeing."

"Ridhima, I will come and talk to them." Omkara tells her reassuringly.

"This whole month I have been trying to convince them." Ridhima tells him as her eyes filled up.

"What issue they have?" Omkara asks as his heart started beating fast in pain.

"They don't want me to marry a middle class guy." Ridhima whispers to him.

Omkara stops in shock hearing that.

"There was this proposal. I am sorry, Omkara. I had to agree for it."

"What?" Omkara whispers in shock hearing that. his heart breaking.

"I am sorry, Omkara. I had to do it for my family. I tried fighting them for us but they are adamant. And this proposal, I just didn't have any reasons to say no. I'm very sorry."

"So, this is it for us?" Omkara asks her softly as his eyes filled up with tears.

"I'm very sorry." Ridhima whispers to him. "Please forgive me, Omkara."

"Why didn't you tell me that this was happening at your house for last one month?"

"I thought I could handle it and I thought I could convince my parents. I didn't want to worry you."

"You should have told me, Ridhima. We can still talk to your parents."

"There is no use, Omkara. Next week is my engagement."

Omkara sighs in pain as he looked away.

"I've to go. Gauri is waiting." Ridhima tells him as she stood up.

Omkara follows her out.

"You guys done?" Gauri asks curiously smiling as she stood up.

"Yes." Ridhima replies.

Seeing Omkara's eyes filled up, Gauri asks in concern. "Is everything alright?"

"Let's go." Ridhima tells her.

"No, what happened?" Gauri asks then moving towards him, she asks him gently, "Are you okay?"

Omkara nods, not knowing what to say.

"What happened?" Gauri asks in concern as she looked at Ridhima and Omkara in confusion.

"Let's just go, Gauri." Ridhima tells her sternly.

Gauri looks at Omkara and asks him gently, "Are you going to be okay?"

"I'm fine." Omkara replies. "You guys carry on."

Gauri nods and takes her mobile while she collected her things.

"What are you doing?" Ridhima asks seeing her dialing.

"Calling Ani."

"Don't." Omkara quickly tells her.

Ridhima quickly snatches her mobile. "What the hell is wrong with you, Gauri?"

"He is upset, shouldn't I inform his sister?"

"He is not a kid." Ridhima tells her angrily.

"Gauri, please don't interfere. I'll talk to Ani when I get home." Omkara politely tells her.

Gauri nods but still unsure of whether she should leave him like that, she turns to Ridhima and tells her, "Why don't you stay with him then? I'll collect your documents, just give me an authorization letter."

"There is no need for all that."

"Can't you see he is upset?" Gauri asks her in shock.

"I am not a baby. please just let me be!" Omkara tells her in an angry tone.

Gauri turns to him in shock, wondering if she had overstepped.

Seeing her looking at him upset, Omkara felt even more bad, she was being caring towards him and he was being rude to her. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean it like that. thank you for your concern."

Gauri nods. Then she tells again, "Ridhima, I can collect your documents, you be with..."

"We broke up, okay?" Ridhima tells her at her wits end.

"What?" Gauri turns to her in shock. "What do you mean by you guys broke up?"

"We broke up. Now, can we leave?"

"You dumped him?" Gauri asks her in shock, finally realizing why he was upset and why she was in a hurry to get away.

"You don't understand." Ridhima tells her.

"Did you bring me with you, when you were going to dump him?" Gauri asks her in anger.

"Gauri..." Ridhima starts.

"You know what I went through and how could you bring me with you?" Gauri asks her in shock.

Omkara curiously looks at her wondering what she was saying.

"How can you compare what happened with you with this?" Ridhima asks her in shock.

Gauri looks away having no answer because she had no details.

"My parents won't agree for this relation. So, I had to agree for another marriage." Ridhima reasons with her.

Gauri turns to her in shock. "And you say, it is not the same?"

"What the hell, Gauri?"

"Aren't you dumping him for someone else?" Gauri asks her.

Omkara looks at Ridhima in shock hearing what Gauri had said. His heart breaking a little wondering whether it was Ridhima who had chosen someone else over him or her parents.

"It is not the same. I couldn't say no. I couldn't counter argue with my parents. The guy was from a good family, well settled and my parents loved him. I didn't have any reason to say no."

"Your love for Omkara wasn't reason enough?" Gauri asks her shocked.

"I'm leaving." Omkara tells them in a whisper, unable to handle the pain.

Ridhima nods and asks Gauri, "Can we leave?"

"I am not coming anywhere with you, Ridhima. We are no longer friends."

Omkara stops hearing Gauri.

"What?" Ridhima asks her shocked. "Have you gone crazy, Gauri?"

"You know what I went through. You know my pain and still you are giving that kind of pain to someone else?" Gauri asks her as her eyes filled up.

"You won't understand, Gauri. there is no use explaining to you." Ridhima tells her furiously as she walked out.

Omkara and Gauri watched her leave. Then they turn to look at each other.

"I should go." Omkara tells her softly.

Gauri nods. "Take care."

"Thanks." Omkara replies and starts to walk off then stopping he turns to her, "Please don't end your friendship for me."

"I cannot be friends with her again." Gauri tells him softly.

Omkara sighs and then walks out.

********

3 months later

Omkara was sitting in his room as he thought of Ridhima. He hadn't met or spoke to her after that day. he was finding it hard to get over her. he had loved her sincerely and had wanted to marry her. but looks like, her love wasn't that strong for him. He knew she had got engaged, Ani had told him. like Gauri, even Ani had stopped talking to Ridhima.

Hearing a knock at the door, he walks to the door and opens it to find his father.

"I wanted to talk to you." Tej tells him.

Omkara nods and opens the door wide for him to enter.

"What happened to you?" Tej asks him as he walked in. "So, what if that girl left you? She didn't deserve you."

"Ani told you?" Omkara asks him in shock.

"I don't know the details and I didn't ask. I don't even want to know who the girl is. If she left you then you are better off without her."

Omkara looks away having nothing to say.

"Jhanvi and I were thinking of your marriage." Tej gently tells him.

"What?" Omkara turns to him in shock.

"We understand you are in pain and you are feeling lonely. You need a companion to share your pain."

"I don't want to get married now." Omkara tells him.

"We were thinking of Gauri. Ani's friend." Tej tells him.

Omkara was surprised by hearing that.

"Ani said she knows everything and she would be an ideal partner to you."

"Marriage is not the solution." Omkara tells him. "Gauri is a nice girl but I don't want to marry anyone now."

Tej sadly sighs, "Just think about it once more."

Omkara nods.

********

Few minutes later, Omkara opens his bedroom door again and this time to his sister.

"If it is about marriage then I don't want to talk about it." Omkara tells her sternly.

"I just wanted to talk to you. please?" Anika pleads him.

Omkara sighs and steps aside. "How many times do I have to tell you that you don't have to feel guilty about it? When you brought Ridhima home the first time, you didn't know that I was going to fall in love with her or this was going to happen."

"But I still feel guilty." Anika tells him sadly.

"Is that why you are trying to get me married to Gauri now?" Omkara asks her in exasperation.

"You are depressed, bhai." Anika softly tells him. "You are not like before."

"And marriage will solve it?" Omkara asks her without arguing because he knew he wasn't like he was before.

"I feel Gauri can help you move on." Anika tells him as she sat on the bed.

Omkara scoffs in reply.

"I don't meet her like I did when we were in college but whenever I meet her or talk to her, she always asks about you."

Omkara turns to his sister in surprise hearing that.

"She understands the pain that you are going through because she went through the same pain."

"She did mention something like that, that day." Omkara tells her softly.

"Or maybe worse than what you are going through." Anika tells him softly.

"What do you mean?" Omkara asks her as he sat next to her.

"She was in a relation with Arjun. He was our senior." Anika tells him. "He cheated on her and dumped her."

"Oh." Omkara says softly as he looked down, his heart going out to Gauri, now understanding why she had reacted like that.

"In a lot of ways, she still hasn't recovered from it. I thought, you could help her heal her heart and she could help you. you understand each other's pain. You both can be each other's companion."

Omkara thoughtfully looks away.

Seeing him thoughtful, Anika tells him, "But bhai, if you are that type of a guy who thinks that wife's virginity is your birth right then you can forget this whole thing. Gauri is not a virgin."

"What?" Omkara turns to her in shock.

"She is my best friend and you are my brother. I don't want one to be the reason for other's pain. So, I am telling you now itself."

Omkara was still reeling from what Anika had told him. he had always belonged to the old school of thoughts where sex came after marriage. even with Ridhima things hadn't gone beyond kisses. But now, hearing about what Gauri went through, it suddenly felt like none of that mattered. What mattered in a marriage was a good companion who could share your pain and be your anchor when you are drowning. And right now, it seemed that he wasn't the only one who was drowning.

Sometime later, Omkara knocks on his parents' bedroom door. his mother opens the door.

"What happened, Om?" Jhanvi asks him in concern.

Omkara looks at his mother and then his father who was standing behind his mother, "I would like to meet Gauri and talk to her."

********

"I was shocked when Ani suggested our marriage." Gauri tells him hesitantly.

"Even me." Omkara admits.

They had met at a restaurant alone to talk.

"Ani told me that she told you about me."

"She did."

"Still I want to tell you." Gauri tells him.

"I don't want to know anything." Omkara tells her.

"But I want to tell you." Gauri insists.

"Gauri, your past doesn't matter to me."

"I am what my past made me." Gauri tells him.

"If telling about it hurts you then I don't want to hear it. But if it eases your pain then, I will hear it." Omkara tells her.

Gauri nods. "Arjun was our senior. We started going out on his last month of college. We were together for about a year."

Omkara nods.

"Six months into our relation we started..." Gauri gulps as she looked down.

"Gauri, I understood. You really don't have to talk about it." Omkara tells her gently.

"I really loved him." Gauri tells him as she looked at him with tears in her eyes.

Omkara leans over and keeps his hand over her hand.

"One day, he came to me with full of regret and guilt. There was this office party and he got drunk. And he slept with his colleague, Richa." Gauri tells him as she wiped her tears with her free hand.

"I forgave him." Gauri tells him.

Omkara squeezes her hand tight.

"Things went back to normal after a few days. But then I started noticing that he was lying to me. he wouldn't answer my questions and I started realizing that there was someone else in his life. we started fighting and one day the fight went out of hand and I confronted him about my suspicion and he told me he was cheating on me and wanted to end things with me and be with Richa."

Hearing her story, Omkara's heart went out to her. his pain was nothing compared to what she had gone through. She loved that Arjun so much that she even forgave his cheating and he ended up dumping her instead of valuing the gem that she is.

"I thought he really loved me. I don't know why he felt he needed to... maybe he thought Richa was better than me.... that I wasn't good enough for him..."

"Gauri, he is an asshole who didn't deserve you. stop thinking that you weren't good enough. He isn't good enough for you." Omkara tells her realizing her insecurities.

Gauri couldn't help smiling hearing that. "You are exactly like Ani."

Omkara smiles hearing that, feeling proud of his sister for standing up for her best friend.

"You know everything about my relation with Ridhima." Omkara tells her. "I don't have anything to tell you that you don't know already."

Gauri frowns hearing that, everything I know... does that mean... "You both never...?" Gauri asks softly and hesitantly in shock.

"No."

"You...?"

"Never."

"Then why are you marrying me?" Gauri asks him shocked out of her wits.

"It doesn't matter to me." Omkara tells her.

"But... why?" Gauri asks him shocked.

"I used to think that sex should be after marriage." Omkara gently tells her.

Gauri goes pale hearing that.

"Not anymore."

"What do you mean?" Gauri asks him softly.

"I realize that it doesn't matter. It is not going to change anything in our life. marriage is more than that. When my family told me to get married, I thought marriage is not the answer to a heartbreak but when Ani told me what you went through, I realized that what you and I need are someone who would understand us and share our pain. I feel we can be each other's companions and humdard more than anything."

Gauri thoughtfully looks down.

"The truth is, I have been depressed ever since and it is now affecting my family. I don't think anyone can understand what I am going through more than you and I can understand what you are going through. Together we can build a life for us."

"Will you be able to love again?" Gauri asks him. "I don't know if I can."

"I am not looking for love now. All I am looking for is a partner who can be my friend and with whom I can build a life and family with."

Gauri slowly smiles hearing that.

*********

Since both Gauri and Omkara didn't want to have an engagement the family decided to directly conduct their wedding. Their marriage was fixed to happen in two weeks.

"hello." Omkara says as he joined Gauri, his family and her family for their wedding shopping.

Everyone greets him.

Gauri smiles at him.

"Sorry, I am late." Omkara tells her as he joined her.

"It's okay. We finalized my dress." Gauri tells him.

"That's nice."

"Do you want to see?" Gauri asks him curiously.

"I thought the bride and groom aren't supposed to see each other's dress before the wedding." Omkara tells her curiously.

"What difference does it make?" Gauri asks him curiously.

"I don't know."

"If that is the case then why are you both shopping together?" Anika asks curiously.

"Because you insisted." Gauri points out.

Anika rolls her eyes. "Come bhaiyya, we need to get your dress now. Gauri's is a pink, red and blue dress. So, we need to find a matching color one." Anika tells him and walks off to the men's section.

Omkara turns to Gauri and smiles at her seeing Anika's antics. Gauri also smiles at him.

"Do you want to come?" Omkara asks as he stood up.

Gauri nods and follows him.

"I like these two." Omkara decides as he picked two sherwanis and showed them. "Which one should I go with?"

"I like this." Gauri picks one sherwani.

"I prefer this." Anika tells picking other one. "What do you think, bhaiyya?"

Omkara looks at Gauri and Anika, and they were looking at him as they waited for his decision.

"Maybe you can ask everyone else too." Gauri tells him realizing that he wasn't sure which to pick.

"I really like this one though." Anika tells him.

"Well, you aren't my bride, Ani." Omkara replies as he dropped the one Anika liked and asks to pack the one Gauri picked.

Gauri blushes slightly hearing that while Anika cheekily grinned at her.

"You don't have to select that because I liked it. You should pick the one you liked best." Gauri tells Omkara a little softly away from everyone else.

"I liked both." Omkara tells her.

Gauri nods.

"We are going to be partners, so I want both of us to take decisions together."

Gauri smiles hearing that. "Okay."

******

Both the families had decided to have dinner together and they had gone to a restaurant. Once they had placed their orders, they were waiting for the food while they talked amongst themselves.

Gauri looks at Omkara and sees him talking to his and her fathers. She takes her mobile and keeping it under the table she messages him. they have been mostly messaging each other in the last few days. They just message each other with casual enquiries and updating each other on their that day's plan, nothing more than that.

Omkara takes his mobile hearing the buzz and seeing it is from her, he curiously looks at her for a second and sees her watching him. he quickly checks the message.

I want to tell you something.

Omkara thoughtfully looks at her for a split second then he casually asks her, "Gauri, do you want go for a walk?"

For a second, everyone looked at them in silence. Then they all smiled at each other with her mother gently telling her to go while Anika gaped at her brother in shock.

"Yes." Gauri replies and she quickly gets up.

They were walking outside the restaurant.

"What happened?" Omkara asks her.

"I wanted to tell you something."

"Hmmm?"

"When I told Ani, she was pretty mad at me and screamed at me. I don't know how you are going to take it." Gauri worriedly tells him.

Omkara smiles at her, "Better than Ani."

Gauri couldn't help chuckle hearing that.

"Ani seems to be pretty chill now, so I know it is not anything serious." Omkara tells her smiling.

"I tried calling Ridhima." Gauri confesses as she looked at him.

Omkara frowns hearing that. he curiously looks at her without saying anything.

"A couple of times, Ani and I have come with you two when you were on dates, now we are getting married, so, I thought I should tell her that."

"I thought you were not friends with her anymore." Omkara tells her confused.

"We are not. But I don't want her to think that I stole you from her especially when we are not friends because of you." Gauri explains.

"You are not stealing me from her. she left me." Omkara points out to her.

"But I still feel it would be better if she found out from either of us."

"Hmmm... I haven't spoken to her after that day."

"Even me. she didn't answer my calls. Now I am not getting through. I think she blocked me."

"Blocked you?" Omkara asks shocked.

"Maybe she already knows." Gauri tells him with a shrug. "Ani was pissed. She said we didn't owe her any explanations."

"I agree with Ani. But if you still feel that you should tell her..." Omkara takes his mobile and offers her. "I don't think she has blocked my number yet."

Gauri looks at his mobile for a few seconds then she looks at him. "If you feel that we don't owe her an explanation then we don't."

"If you feel like telling her, then do."

"We are going to be partners. We take decisions together." Gauri reminds him.

Omkara smiles hearing that.

*********

Days went in a blink of an eye, and they were married.

Omkara walks into his bedroom and finds Gauri sitting on the middle of the decorated bed. He turns around and locks the door. he walks to her and he could see that she was nervous and gripping her hands together.

"Hi." Omkara says softly as he sat opposite to her.

"Hi." Gauri whispers softly as she looked up at him.

She sees him sweetly smiling at her and her nervousness slowly left her. she smiles back at him.

"Are you okay, here?" Omkara asks her.

Gauri nods in reply.

"It was a nice function, right?" he asks her.

They both had wanted to go for a court marriage but their parents had remained adamant on a proper marriage function. And they had a very small and intimate wedding with just their close relatives and hand full of friends.

"It was." Gauri tells him smiling.

"You are happy, right?"

"Yes. And you?"

Omkara takes her hand in his. "Yes."

Gauri keeps her other hand over his hand feeling happy.

"Omkara..."

"You should call me Om, Gauri." he tells her.

"Om..." Gauri says with a smile.

"Yes, Gauri?" he asks with a smile.

Gauri chuckles hearing that.

"You were saying?"

"This relation is not what we both had wanted and had dreamt of, and everything happened so fast too. But I promise, that I will my try to be the best wife for you."

"I married you because I believe you are the perfect partner to me." Omkara tells her.

Gauri nods.

"And I promise that I will try my best to be the best husband and a friend to you." Omkara promises her.

Gauri smiles hearing that then she jokes, "I want to say that I will be your best friend but Ani will kill me."

Omkara laughs hearing that making Gauri also chuckle softly.

"You don't have to tell her. it will be our secret then." He tells her smiling happily.

"Yes." Gauri smiles hearing that.

"We'll sleep?"

"I want to change first." Gauri says as she started to get off the bed.

"That is the bathroom." He points the bathroom to her.

Gauri taking her night clothes goes to change while Omkara quickly changed in the bedroom.

Gauri comes out of the bathroom and stops in shock seeing that he had changed. Then without saying anything, she walks to her suitcase to keep her wedding dress.

"This cupboard is for you." he tells her as he opened one of the cupboards for her. "Ani and Ma had got some clothes for you and have kept them in it."

"That was sweet of them." Gauri says smiling as she touched the clothes neatly kept in the cupboard.

"Ani was saying that since there wasn't much time, your trousseau would take time to be delivered."

"Just few dresses actually." Gauri explains. "Party wears and casuals."

Omkara nods, "If you need anything let me know."

"Okay." Gauri smiles.

*********

"You are going to be okay, right?" Omkara asks as he got ready.

"Yes." Gauri smiles as she sat on the bed while he walked around the room getting ready. "Ani has taken leave for a week just like me. So, I'll be with her mostly."

Omkara regretfully looks at her, "The work load is too high, I couldn't take more leaves now."

"I understand, Om." Gauri tells him smiling. "It is not a problem."

"Thank you." Omkara replies smiling, he was feeling really guilty, it was the third day of their marriage and he was already going back to work.

"Om..."

"Yes?" Omkara looks at her curiously.

"Shut up."

He chuckles hearing that.

"Okay, I am ready. You coming down?"

"Of course, I am hungry. I was waiting for you." Gauri tells him as she jumped up from the bed and walked out of the room.

"You should have told me you were waiting for me." Omkara tells her as he caught up with her on the stairs.

"I thought you would be done now... you'll be done now... I didn't know you were such a beauty queen who would take forever to get dressed." Gauri tells him.

Omkara chuckles hearing that.

"Good morning." Gauri cheerfully wishes everyone.

They all were smiling as they looked at Omkara chuckling.

"What?" Omkara asks curiously seeing them all smiling.

"Come, breakfast is ready." Jhanvi tells him as she walked to Gauri and lovingly kissed her forehead.

Gauri curiously looks at her surprised at the gesture. Tej lovingly caresses her head and follows Jhanvi.

Anika walks to Omkara and leaning on tip toes, she kisses him on his cheek. then turning to Gauri, she pulls her close to her, "Come, let's eat."

Gauri curiously turns back to look at Omkara and sees him smiling as he followed them.

After a long time, he was able to give joy to his family, they were happy seeing him happy and they knew that Gauri was the reason he was smiling now.

**********

By the time, Omkara got back home from work, it was night. Gauri who had been in touch with Omkara during their short engagement was aware of his work timings.

"How was your day?" Omkara asks Gauri as he served for himself.

"Good... Full day we were watching Netflix." Gauri tells him.

Omkara chuckles hearing that. "She slept?"

"Yeah, Ani slept after we had dinner. Ma and Papa went to sleep just few minutes before you reached, I told Ma that I will give you your food." Gauri tells him.

Omkara looks at her regretfully. "There is too much work load."

"I know." Gauri tells him smiling.

"I wanted to be busy after Ridhima, so I asked and took on three projects."

Gauri nods understanding. "It is nice that you had work to keep you distracted."

Omkara nods. "And now I am overloaded."

"You shouldn't over work, Om. Can't you ask your boss to relieve you from one project?" Gauri asks him worriedly.

"It's my responsibility, Gauri." Omkara tells her.

Gauri nods understanding.

"I am sorry, I should be spending more time with you." Omkara regretfully tells her.

Gauri smiles and keeps her hand on his, "We have our whole life for that. I don't want you to take too much stress."

Omkara smiles and tells her, "I do enjoy work."

Gauri smiles hearing that.

They were lying on bed ready to sleep.

"Gauri..." Omkara softly calls her.

"Yes?" Gauri turns to him curiously.

Omkara turns to her and asks her gently, "How did you keep yourself distracted?"

Hearing the question, Gauri stops breathing for a second, remembering those horrible days. "Nothing." Gauri whispers softly.

Omkara's heart break hearing the heartbreak in her voice.

"At first, Ani and our friends were there but for how long could they keep consoling me. Ani started getting furious seeing me sad that I started fearing that she would do something stupid."

"Stupid?" Omkara asks confused.

"like send goons after Arjun." Gauri tells him with a soft smile.

Omkara couldn't help smiling hearing that. "She should have or at least told me."

"You would have bashed him for me?" Gauri asks him surprised.

"Of course, you were my sister's best friend." Omkara tells her and then he gently adds, "What he did to you was cruel."

Gauri sighs loudly hearing that.

"After that?" Omkara gently prods.

"I stopped mentioning him and tried to put on a smile on my face. I think she knew that I was acting happy and she let me be." Gauri tells him. "I just kept it all in me. I couldn't share it with anyone and acted as if I am fine. And slowly, I started being less unhappy. I tried telling myself that I will be fine without him. that I had a life without him and I can still have a life without him. but when I was alone... it all came back to me and I couldn't..." Gauri stops as a sob escaped her.

Omkara quickly moves towards her and without a word hugs her. "You are no longer alone, Gauri. you'll never be alone again." Omkara whispers to her.

Hearing him say that, Gauri burst into tears and cries into his chest. Omkara held her as she cried her heart out then he continued to hold her as she whimpered on his chest and then she had slept off in his arms. Once, she had slept, he had watched her sleep as he vowed to himself that he would take care of her and would keep her happy till he breathed his last.

********

"Are you okay?" Omkara asks her as he cupped her face, the next morning.

Gauri nods her head as she smiled at him.

Omkara hugs her. then he feels Gauri wrap her hands around his waist as she rested her face on the crook of his neck.

"Did I ruin your sleep? You had a long day and I..." Gauri asks him.

"No, you didn't." Omkara cuts her off.

Gauri smiles hearing that.

Every time he thought of the pain that she went through, his heart broke a little, he had no idea how she bore it all. He didn't go through half of what she went through and he had a hard time breathing at times.

********

"Do you feel like seeing her?" Gauri asks Omkara one night.

Understanding that she was talking about Ridhima, he replies, "Yes."

Gauri nods understanding.

"There are some questions that I want answers to. These months, these questions it kept festering in me that..." Omkara helplessly stops.

"That you lost confidence in yourself." Gauri whispers softly.

Omkara takes her hand and squeezes it gently understanding she was talking about her own experience too.

"Was it all a lie? Was any of it real?" Gauri whispers as she looked at him.

"Do you want to meet him?"

Gauri looks away and then she shakes her head in no. "I am scared of his answer."

"You shouldn't. he didn't deserve you. and he should be the one who should be scared of facing you."

Gauri sadly smiles hearing him be offended on her behalf. "My pain is nothing compared to yours."

"What?" Omkara asks her in shock hearing her say something so absurd.

"I had some inclination that something was wrong. Even before it ended, I started getting a premonition... but for you... it happened suddenly. You had no idea it was going to end. You weren't prepared for it. You didn't expect it."

"True." Omkara whispers then he adds, "I didn't expect it. I had no idea that she was going to end things, but Gauri, however it was, Ridhima did show some decency and respect. He didn't give you either. He betrayed you in the worst way and continued to do that, and might have continued on if you hadn't confronted him."

"He would have." Gauri agrees softly.

"I didn't go through the kind of pain that you went through." Omkara tells her.

"You didn't come out of it unscathed."

Omkara nods.

"Why didn't you try to meet her after that?" Gauri asks him curiously.

Omkara shrugs in reply. "I guess, I didn't want to seem desperate."

"Closure, is important, Om."

"I know." Omkara agrees.

********

Things were going in a comfortable pattern for Omkara and Gauri. they were getting more comfortable with each other and as days went on, they talked less of Arjun and Ridhima, and were talking more about each other. Everyone around them were noticing the positive changes in them and both of them seemed happier than they were before their marriage.

"Wow! That is a small book." Omkara says with a smile seeing Gauri with a big book.

Gauri smiles hearing him. "I've been reading rave reviews about it. They even have a television show on this book."

"If it was me, I would have watched the show." Omkara tells her.

"It seems half the things in the book isn't there in the show." Gauri tells him.

"So, how long have you been reading this?" Omkara asks seeing that she was almost done with the book.

"A week now. I read after coming from office and before you get home. I'm almost done, and it is too interesting to be put down. So, I thought I'll finish it today."

"Okay, you read then." Omkara tells her smiling.

They were silently sitting with Gauri reading the book and Omkara busy online.

"OH MY GOD!" Gauri says in shock.

"What happened?" Omkara asks her in concern as he turned to her.

"They just killed the hero." Gauri tells him in shock.

"Oh that's it?" Omkara asks chuckling in relief.

"That's it? I was rooting for him and they just killed him." Gauri tells him pissed.

"Oh."

"For a week, I've been rooting for him and just like that he was killed!" Gauri tells him getting angrier by the second.

"Gauri, I didn't kill him." Omkara thought it important that he point it out to her.

Gauri scowls at him. "If the author thinks that he can lure me in by killing off my favorite character to read the rest of the series then he is wrong!"

"Don't read it, Gauri." Omkara quickly says realizing that his wife had a temper and a pretty bad one at that.

"Then how will I know who will become the king?" Gauri asks him in exasperation.

"Wikipedia." Omkara answers her immediately.

Gauri scowls at him furiously and tells him in anger, "I hate spoilers."

Omkara helplessly looks at her. "Maybe watch the series, then."

"And watch my favorite character be killed?" Gauri asks him in shock.

"There is no winning with you, Gauri." Omkara finally says.

Gauri stops realizing that she was taking out her disappointment with the book with him. she sighs and helplessly says, "I am upset that he was killed."

"Awww coming here." Omkara tells her as he opened his arms for her.

Gauri moves to him and hugs him. Omkara wraps his arms around and hugs her. he gently runs his hands over her back to console her. feeling her snuggle into his arms, his hands slows down as his hands ran up and down her back sensuously. Feeling his gentle touch, Gauri snuggles into his arms as her hand gently ran over his chest.

A few seconds later, Omkara realizes that he was caressing her, that he stops in shock. When he stopped, that brought her out of her trance and she realizing that she was feeling up his chest she stops nervously. Breathless they both remained like a statue for a few seconds then they both move back nervously. Looking at each other, realizes that they both had a moment and they both had royally ruined it.

"I think I'll sleep." Gauri whispers nervously as she moved back.

"Yeah, me too." Omkara whispers nervously.

********

Gauri was waiting with her clothes to take her shower while she waited for Omkara to finish his. Gauri was feeling a little nervous after what had happened between them. even though it was momentarily and unintentional, it had disturbed her and she was feeling nervous and awkward in facing him. hearing the door open, she nervously gets up.

Gauri nervously smiles at him and he awkwardly smiles back at her.

"I'll take my shower." Gauri softly says to him and hurries to the bathroom.

As the bathroom door closed, he sighs dejectedly. What happened the previous night was a little awkward and the strangest thing was he had no idea why. He knew and he knew that even she knew that they would be physically intimate one day, then why was what had happened the previous night suddenly made them nervous and uncomfortable? He hated being uncomfortable around her. she was his wife and friend, actually his best friend. Shaking his head, Omkara starts getting ready.

Hearing the door open, he looks through the mirror to see Gauri come out after her shower. They awkwardly smile at each other then went on with getting ready for office.

"I'm leaving." Omkara tells her.

"Okay, have a nice day." Gauri tells him as she looked at him.

Omkara awkwardly looks at her as he hesitated for a few minutes, normally he would hug her before he left and today he felt nervous.

"Okay, bye." Omkara says and leaves.

"Bye." Gauri says as she watched him walk off. she sighs after he left, she felt a little sad that they didn't hug like they normally did. She turns around and continue to get ready for office when she hears the door open. Curious she turns around and finds her husband at the door.

"Did you forget something?" Gauri asks him.

"Yes." Omkara replies and he walks to her and hugs her.

Feeling happy and a slight blush creeping up her face, Gauri shyly hugs him.

Omkara steps back and smiles seeing her blush a little. He chuckles softly. "Okay, now, I am going." Omkara tells her.

Gauri chuckles happily hearing that. "Bye. Have a nice day."

"You too. I'll see you in the evening."

Gauri smiles as she watched him walk off.

********

"Hey..." Omkara says with a smile as he looked at Gauri who was sitting with Anika and watching TV that evening.

"Hey." Gauri says with a smile as she stood up and walked to him. "How come you are early?"

"Early?" Anika asks surprised. "You know his work timings is till 6, right?"

"But he normally comes home later than now." Gauri replies.

"Work got over early today." Omkara answers.

"That's nice. Go freshen up and come. today you can have dinner with all of us." Gauri tells him smiling.

Omkara nods, he starts to go to their room then he stops and asks her, "Do you want to go out?"

"Out?"

"For a driver." Omkara tells her. "We'll come back before dinner."

"Okay." Gauri says smiling then she turns to look at Anika and asks her, "Ani, are you coming with us?"

Anika looks at Gauri and then at Omkara. Omkara quickly shakes his head at Anika from behind Gauri.

"No, you guys go. I had a long day." Anika replies.

"Okay." Gauri answers then turning to Omkara she tells him. "You go get ready and come. this episode should be over by then."

"Okay." Omkara replies then he smiles at Anika.

********

They were walking on the beach talking.

"You know, on our last day of college, my friends and me, we decided to party." Omkara tells Gauri with a smile.

Gauri smiles hearing that.

"It was such an awesome time. exams over and everyone got a job, and we decided to party hard. We went clubbing the whole night and then once all the clubs closed, we came to the beach and had a blast here. And we passed out right here." Omkara tells her chuckling.

"All of you?" Gauri asks chuckling.

"Yeah. First and last time. the hang over was horrible." Omkara tells her shaking his head as he chuckled softly.

"Only once?" Gauri asks surprised.

"Yeah."

"Ha ha... we did it after every semester exam." Gauri tells him.

"What?" Omkara turns to her shocked. "Every semester?"

"Not the last two... after Arjun... before that." Gauri tells him.

"Wow." Omkara says as he looked ahead at the thought of Gauri partying.

"It was such a wonderful time. we used to have a blast. Once we even..." Gauri starts and realizing what she was telling him, she bites her tongue.

"What?" Omkara asks her curiously as he turned to her.

"Nothing." Gauri says quickly shaking her head. "Old stories. Leave it."

Omkara was surprised and a little shocked with the way she was changing the topic. It felt strange. She never shied away from talking about Arjun before. They had complete transparency when it came to Arjun and Ridhima... then why? And realization was immediate. "When you said we, you didn't mean Arjun and you."

"No!" Gauri says shocked.

"You mean..." Omkara starts and Gauri quickly cuts him off.

"Don't act as if you know. She will kill me."

"You and Ani?" Omkara asks shocked. "But how? When?"

Gauri grins at him.

"How come we never found out at home?" Omkara asks reeling from the shock.

"D'oh, we are not stupid!"

"How did you guys do it?" Omkara asks shocked.

"She would say she was staying over at my place and I would tell my parents that I was staying over at her place." Gauri tells him grinning.

"And you guys used to stay out the whole night?" Omkara asks her shocked.

Gauri nods with a grinning. "We used to get shit drunk and do shit things."

Omkara shakes his head in shocked disbelief thinking Gauri like that. as he thought about it, he started realizing that Gauri was actually an outgoing person who lived life and enjoyed life till that Arjun had happened. Omkara felt anger rising in him realizing that Arjun not only broke her heart and screwed up her self-confidence, he had taken a part of Gauri with him.

Gauri holds Omkara's hand as she thought of their old wild days. "I feel like doing that once again."

He smiles hearing that. "With me or with Ani?"

"I have such a loose tongue when I am drunk, so definitely..."

He cuts her off, "Definitely with me then."

"No way! With Ani."

"No, with me. even I want to see crazy as shit Gauri." Omkara tells her.

"You wish!" Gauri laughs hearing that.

Omkara smiles seeing her laugh. "By the way, what were you going to say earlier?"

"What?" Gauri asks him.

"that once you and Ani even..."

"Ah that." Gauri grins and tells him, "We even went to Bengaluru once for one night."

"Oh My God! You girls were seriously out of control!"

Gauri laughs hearing that.

********

"How was your drive?" Anika asks Gauri the next day.

"It was nice." Gauri tells her smiling.

"You are happy with bhai, right?" Anika asks her softly.

"Yes." Gauri says with a smile. "He is amazing."

Anika smiles hearing that. "Even he is very happy with you."

"He told you?" Gauri asks feeling elated and happy.

"No, I can see it."

"You can't see I am happy?" Gauri asks curiously.

"I can."

"Then why did you ask me that?"

Anika cheekily grins at her, "Because I like to talk about how I saved both your lives."

Gauri scowls at Anika then grabbing her cushion, she starts hitting Anika, both laughing happily.

********

"Another book?" Omkara asks curiously as he settled to sleep.

"Felt like reading." Gauri answers.

"The cover looks scary." Omkara tells her seeing the book cover.

"It's horror."

"Wow! You like horror stories?" Omkara asks her.

"I like horror and thrillers." Gauri tells him.

"So, how is it?" Omkara asks her.

"If the heroine was a little good then the book would have been amazing."

"Why? She is not nice?" Omkara asks curiously.

"She is such a TSTL!" Gauri says in exasperation.

"TSTL? What is that?" he asks confused.

"Too Stupid To Live."

Omkara chuckles hearing that.

"The amount of creepy things and sounds in her house, if she had a little bit of intelligence, she would be changing house by now or at least, investigating. She is just ignoring it and staying on." Gauri says in exasperation.

Omkara grins and tells her, "At first I thought you were a patient person, but I am starting to see that you have no patience for anything."

"You think I am being impatient? You should see me in office." Gauri arrogantly replies.

"Aren't you still on probationary period?" Omkara asks her curiously.

"Yeah." Gauri replies.

"And your boss is cool with it?" Omkara asks shocked.

"He hasn't seen the real me yet. Only my line manager has seen the real me. he had been having it coming it for a long time."

"Long time? you have been working there for only 7 months, right?"

"Yeah." Gauri nods.

"I really don't want to get on your bad side."

"You don't." Gauri arrogantly tells him.

Omkara rolls his eyes as he chuckled though his thoughts went to Arjun, he wondered how Gauri had let him go scot free for what he did.

While Gauri got busy with her book, Omkara had a hard time distracting himself from what that asshole Arjun did to Gauri. finally, to distract himself, he moves closer to Gauri and starts reading the book with her.

Gauri curiously turns to look at him.

"Felt like reading." Omkara tells her.

"Will you understand? I am halfway through."

Omkara shrugs. "I don't have the patience to read the full book."

Gauri grins and turns her attention back to the book.

Omkara starts reading and within the first paragraph he was getting scared. He had no idea how nonchalantly Gauri was reading the scary shit.

"Aren't you getting scared?" Omkara asks her.

"Ghosts aren't real." Gauri replies with a shrug.

Omkara shakes his head and continues to read.

"I'll turn the page?"

"No, I am not done!" Omkara tells her as he read with a frown. "Why the hell is she not running out of that house?"

"TSTL!"

"Of the highest order!" Omkara declares.

"I am really hoping that the ghost would kill her and she becomes a ghost."

"Is it the same author like your other book?"

"No." Gauri says sadly. "Nobody was safe in that story, this one, how much ever of a TSTL she is, she is going to survive. And come out the hero in the end!" Gauri says in disgust.

Omkara chuckles then he was too scared to even smile reading the story.

Gauri was a fast reader and Omkara was a slow reader. Gauri finished both the sides while Omkara would have reached the second paragraph. Soon, Gauri was bored of waiting for him to finish, and Omkara was too curious to see what the heck was haunting that house that he couldn't stop. Waiting for Omkara to finish, Gauri had slept off falling on his shoulder. The moment she slept off, Omkara was shit scared to read the book, it suddenly felt like watching a scary movie all alone in the theater.

He closes the book and makes Gauri lie down properly. He also settles to sleep.

Five minutes later, he was twisting and turning in bed, trying to get the scary images out of his mind and every random sound was scaring the shit out of him. he turns to look at Gauri and sees her sleeping peacefully. How the hell can she sleep like that after reading that scary crap? He felt jealous seeing her courage.

Unable to sleep, he moves closer to her and hugs her to get some courage. Omkara was about to settle on her pillow when Gauri turns around in his arms. Omkara stops wondering if he woke her up. He wished she had woken up, then he can sleep peacefully knowing she was awake and watching over him.

Gauri turns to face him and then leaning up with a smile she kisses his cheek shocking Omkara out of his wits.

"I love you, Mama." Gauri tells him in her sleep and hugging him, she continues to sleep.

All scary thoughts left his mind immediately and it was filled instead with Gauri. he touches where she had kissed him and he couldn't help the smile and a slight blush. He wanted to kiss her then but he didn't want his first kiss to her when she was sleeping. Gauri snuggles into his arms. Smiling, he hugs her as he went to sleep.

********

As he sat in his office, Omkara couldn't get that innocent kiss out of his mind. he wanted more, and not anything innocent.

Omkara looks at the pile of work that he had to finish but instead of getting back to work, his thoughts went on to Gauri. he wanted to see her. finally, shutting off his laptop, he decides to head home knowing Gauri would have reached by now.

His mother opened the door for him. he immediately heads to his room to meet Gauri. he was disappointed to see their room empty, sighing he decides to freshen up before he went to look for her.

**********

"Hello!" Gauri excitedly opens the door and walks in then stops in shock seeing Omkara without his shirt and quickly turns around. "Sorry... Ma told me you had reached early, so I came to see you."

"Relax! It is just my shirt. I still have my pants on." Omkara tells her laughing as he grabbed the towel and draped it over his shoulders, though feeling elated seeing that she had hurried to meet him when she found out he was home.

Gauri gasps in shock.

"You can turn around now."

Gauri turns to him and relaxes seeing him decent.

"I don't understand why you are acting like this." Omkara tells her as he walked to her.

"What do you mean?" Gauri asks confused.

Omkara wraps his hands around her waist and pulls her closer.

"Om!" Gauri gasps in shock.

"One day you'll have to see me without all of these too."

"Whaa... what?" Gauri asks in shock turning pink.

Omkara kisses her cheek in reply. "Later, wife. Need a shower now." he tells her and walks off while Gauri stared at him in shock, and as what he had said and did sunk in, she turned completely red with blush. Happy and excited, Gauri runs out of the room.

*******

"You look happy." Anika says with a smile noticing Gauri smiling happily.

Gauri happily hugs her feeling happy.

"What happened?" Anika asks happily laughing seeing her so happy.

"I am happy." Gauri declares to her.

"And who is the reason?" Anika asks her with a teasing smile.

Gauri laughs happily then noticing the rain she says excitedly. "It's raining."

Anika chuckles seeing her excitement.

"Come, let's go out."

"No, I am not coming." Anika tells her.

"I am going then." Gauri declares and runs out to the rain laughing happily.

"Where is Gauri?" Omkara asks Anika.

Anika points out Gauri who was happily twirling around in the rain and playing to Omkara.

"She is going to fall sick." Omkara says in concern as he started to go out.

Anika quickly stops him by holding him back. "Let her be, bhai."

"She will fall sick." Omkara tells her again though he stopped.

"After a long time, I am seeing my best friend." Anika tells him smiling.

Omkara stops as he looked at Anika then he turns his gaze to Gauri and watches Gauri.

"that bastard did really hurt her so bad." Anika tells him softly.
Omkara nods having heard extensively from Gauri what all had happened to her.

"She had lost her confidence in herself. She had become insecure."

Omkara sighs sadly hearing that.

"Gauri... she was so different before. Not scared of anything or anyone." Anika tells him then turning to him, she asks him with a chuckle, "Did you know, compared to her, I am a sweetheart?"

"What?" Omkara asks chuckling at the absurd question.

"Sometimes Gauri can be so savage that... I could be considered a saint considered to her."

Omkara looks at her surprised.

"How do you think we became best friends? We were the bitches!" Anika proudly tells him.

Omkara chuckles hearing that then sobering he asks her softly. "Why did she let him off after what he did to her?"

Anika shrugs sadly, "I don't know. Maybe, when the one you trusted the most betrays you then it just..."

Omkara sighs and looks at Gauri and sees her happily playing in the rain as she tried catching raindrops.

"If she is smiling now, it is because of you, bhai." Anika tells him.

Omkara turns to look at her and sees her eyes filled with tears. Omkara gently smiles at her as he side hugged her.

"Thank you." Anika tells him as she kissed his cheek.

"Thank you for Gauri." Omkara tells her.

"Because she is the reason for your smiles." Anika guesses with a smile.

"She is starting to feel like the only reason." Omkara tells her.

"What a thing to say to your only adorable, darling sister?" Anika asks in an offended tone.

Omkara chuckles then turning to look at Gauri, he calls out to her, "Gauri, come inside, you are going to fall sick."

"Om, come here." Gauri calls him smiling excitedly.

"What? No! you come inside."

"Don't be like your sister, Om. come here!" Gauri tells him hands on her hips.

Shaking his head, he runs out then grabbing her hand, he drags her back inside, ignoring her disappointed protests.

"You are dripping wet!" Omkara says seeing her soaking wet. "Come and dry yourself." He says as he led her to their bedroom.

Omkara grabs a towel and starts drying her hair as she shivered hugging herself.

"God, Gauri, you are such a child at times." Omkara lovingly scolds her as he wiped her hair.

Gauri happily chuckles hearing that. "I am so happy today."

"Why?" Omkara asks her as he stopped and looked at her face.

Remembering his kiss, Gauri blushes as she shrugged.

Seeing her blush, Omkara grins happily and wraps his hands around her waist and pulls her closer.

Gauri's eyes widen when he hugged her like that. "What happened to you?" Gauri asks a little nervous and a little excited.

"Someone kissed me." Omkara tells her cheekily.

"WHO?" Gauri asks furiously, ready to murder.

Omkara stops in shock seeing her possessive fury and tells her, "If you hadn't said, I love you, mama, then I would be asking you that?"

"What?" Gauri whispers in shock hearing that. "Did I..." Gauri turns pink.

Omkara kisses her cheek then he kisses her cheek again and again.

"That many?" Gauri asks him in shock.

"No, just one."

"Then... why did you...?"

"Why? I shouldn't?" Omkara asks her back as he gently rubbed his nose with hers.

Gauri blushes hearing his question.

Seeing her blush, Omkara gently pecks her lips. Gauri blushes even more making him peck her again. then he feels her kiss him lightly. He pulls her closer to him and takes her lips in his, and they kiss hungrily.

*******

"Where is Om and Gauri? Aren't they getting late for office?" Jhanvi asks at the breakfast table.

"Maybe they are still sleeping." Tej guesses.

"Ani, just go check, otherwise both of them will be late for office." Jhanvi tells her.

Anika nodding, goes to check on them.

"Bhai? Gauri?"

Hearing Anika's voice, Omkara opens his eyes with much struggle. "Gauri..." Omkara croaks with great difficulty.

Gauri groans.

"Bhai? Gauri?" Anika knocks on the door. "Aren't you going to office?"

Omkara with great difficulty drags himself out of the bed and walks to the door. hearing the knock again, he says, "Coming." and he opens the door as he leaned on the door tiredly.

"What happened to you?" Anika asks in shock seeing him.

"I am not feeling good. I think I've fever." Omkara tells her.

Anika touches his forehead. "Yeah. What about Gauri?" Anika asks him as she hurried to check on Gauri.

"She is burning up." Anika says in concern. "I'll go get Ma, she will have medicine."

Omkara walks to the bed and checks on Gauri.

"I feel sick, Om."

"You have fever. Even me."

"Oh, you should rest. Come lie down." Gauri tells him and pulls him towards her.

Anika and Jhanvi walk into their bedroom and stops in shock seeing Omkara and Gauri snuggling on one corner of the bed. They both awkwardly look at each other wondering whether they should leave or take care of them.

Noticing them, Gauri tells them, "Om is sick."

"Gauri is also sick." Omkara informs them.

"We know!" Anika informs them exasperatedly as she walked to them. "Now, get away from each other."

*******

"How are you both feeling?" Anika comes to check on them in the evening.

"Okay." Omkara replies tiredly.

"Better." Gauri replies half dead.

"You can't even lift your head up." Omkara points out.

"You are so cranky." Gauri grumbles.

"You both make the worst sick ever!" Anika declares.

"She is the worst caregiver!" Gauri tells him.

"She isn't even a caregiver." Omkara tells her.

"My God! You two!" Anika tells them in exasperation.

"Stop disturbing them, Ani." Jhanvi tells her with a frown as she walked in with their soup. "Om, Gauri, have your soup."

"I am not hungry." Gauri moans.

"You should have your food, Gauri." Omkara tells her as he turned to sleep.

"Even you."

"I'll have later."

"Such fussy people!" Anika declares.

"Ask her to leave!" Gauri says.

"Get out, Ani." Omkara says.

"FINE!" Anika declares as she left irately.

Once she left, Jhanvi looks at Gauri and Omkara, "You two." Jhanvi says shaking her head.

"Our only entertainment." Gauri tells her with a half laugh and half sleepily.

Jhanvi chuckles. "Sit up and have your soup."

Seeing that they were going to refuse she tells them sternly, "You have to have your medicines too, sit."

"What soup is it?" Gauri asks her as she sat up.

"Vegetable soup."

"Vegetable?" Omkara groans as he falls back on the bed.

"I made mutton soup for you." Jhanvi tells him exasperated as she pulled him up.

"Why two different soups?" Omkara asks her as he took his bowl from her.

"because Gauri doesn't eat mutton." Jhanvi tells him.

"Why did you trouble yourself, Ma? I would have had mutton soup." Gauri tells her feeling touched.

"Because my child was sick." Jhanvi tells her offended.

Gauri's eyes fill up hearing that. "You are like Mama."

Jhanvi smiles as she caressed her cheek.

Omkara smiles and side hugs Gauri making her blush and smile happily.

*******

By next morning, Omkara and Gauri were feeling slightly better.

"You guys are not going to office today, right?" Anika asks them as she brought their food.

"No." Omkara answers as he helped Gauri sit up.

Anika gives them their food and curiously says, "I can understand how Gauri got fever. But bhai you were not even in the rain for a minute, how did you get fever?"

Omkara and Gauri look at each other, Omkara cheekily grinning while Gauri blushing a little.

"Such weak immunity, Ani." Gauri says shaking her head sadly.

"You gave me fever." Omkara points out to her making her blush.

"Who asked you to run out in the rain?" Anika asks him.

"He was worried I would fall sick. Now look at him." Gauri says chuckling softly making Anika also chuckle and Omkara gives Gauri a look.

After Anika left, Omkara turns to Gauri and tells her, "First kiss and you ended up giving me a fever."

"How can you be sure it is from the first? You were on a roll."

"And you were not?"

Gauri blushes hearing him. Seeing her blush, Omkara with a grin crooks his finger at her.

"You mad?" Gauri asks him in shock as she moved towards him. "We both are half dead here."

"Then why are you coming close?" Omkara asks her with a smirk as he took her lips in his.

*******

Couple of days later, Omkara walks into their bedroom and stops in shock seeing Gauri reading another big book.

Noticing him staring at her, she quickly says, "Okay... don't judge me. I couldn't control myself. that author is too good; I really want to know who gets the throne."

Omkara cheekily grins at her "I was just wondering how you can read such big books with so much interest. I had no idea you started reading the second book."

"Oh." Gauri bites her tongue.

"So, how is your favorite character doing this time?" Omkara asks her grinning.

"I am too smart for the author. No favorite characters this time on!" Gauri declares arrogantly.

"Good for you." Omkara tells her then he softly adds. "and for me."

Few minutes later, Omkara comes ready for bed. "Let's sleep?"

"DAMN IT!" Gauri declares as she closed the book furiously.

"What?" Omkara asks shocked.

"I have a favorite character!" Gauri tells him pissed.

"Oh no!" Omkara whispers as he gets on the bed next to her. "Let's pray for your favorite character's long life."

Gauri scowls at him making Omkara grin. "If something happens to him..."

Omkara chuckles as he took the book and kept it aside. "Leave the book."

Gauri blushes as she moved close to him.

"For now, I want to be your favorite character." Omkara whispers to her against her lips.

Gauri smiles and whispers as she took his lips in hers, "You are."

Omkara grins against her lips hearing her as his hands went to her clothes.

*******

"Hmmm... I think we should take off today." Omkara says against her lips.

Gauri chuckles against his lips. "Go. You'll be late."

Omkara sighs as he hugged. "I don't want to go."

Gauri laughs as she pushed him to the door.

"Bye." Omkara sighs as he halfheartedly left.

*******

Anika had dragged off Gauri to watch Netflix in the evening.

"Gauri... I'm feeling sleepy." Omkara finally had enough of waiting for his wife.

"Good night, bhai." Anika says with a wavy of her hand as she concentrated on the TV.

Omkara scowls at her, and then turns to Gauri who was grinning at him shyly. "Let's sleep?" Omkara asks her with a suggestive smile.

"You go, we are watching." Anika tells him in a dismissing tone making Omkara glare at his sister.

Gauri grins seeing him glaring. Omkara flicks his head, gesturing her to come.

Gauri stretches her arms up and yawns loudly. "We'll watch it tomorrow, Ani, I am also feeling sleepy."

Seeing her over acting, Omkara bursts out laughing.

Gauri scowls at him for laughing at her. then glaring at him, she declares, "You know what, I am not that sleepy, we will finish this tonight."

"Awesome." Anika smiles.

Omkara scowls at her and she scowls back.

"Come, Gauri. I'm really sleepy."

"Then go sleep by yourself." Gauri replies.

"That is no longer fun."

Gauri turns pink hearing him say that so loudly in front of his sister.

Anika looks at him and Gauri in confusion. "What's up with him?"

Gauri shrugs.

"Did you watch some scary movie in office, bhai?" Anika asks him. "Why do you watch it when you can't handle it?"

Omkara rolls his eyes as he walked to Gauri and sits next to her.

"What?" Gauri asks him.

Omkara shrugs as he got under her blanket and settled next to her.

Gauri was watching the series trying to ignore the fact that Omkara was snuggling up next to her. then she feels his hand on her breast. She turns to look at him in shock and his thumb sensuously rubs her nipple, bringing it to life.

"Behave." Gauri whispers to him.

"Come." Omkara whispers to her.

Gauri looks away as she pushed his hand off and tied her hands on her chest, protecting her breasts from him.

Omkara with a smile softly kisses her cheek and a second later, she feels his hand on the waist band of her short.

Feeling his hand slide under her short, she shouts in shock, "OMKARA!"

"What?" he innocently asks her.

"what happened?" Anika asks.

Gauri realizing that she had the undivided attention of Anika, tells her husband, "Stop pulling the blanket."

"I was just getting comfortable."

"Go get comfortable in the room."

"You come."

"I am busy."

Omkara sighs as he sat back. Once he was sure Anika was sure engrossed in the serial, he whispers to Gauri, "Come, Gauri."

"No." Gauri replies in attitude. "You laugh some more."

"Don't make me carry you out of here." Omkara warns her.

"You won't dare."

"I will. Whole day, I have been waiting for you."

Gauri couldn't control her blush and smile, "You were?"

"Yes." Omkara smiles. "And you?"

"Yes." Gauri tells him blushing happily.

"Let's go."

"Ani, you watch. I am going to sleep."

Anika takes the remote and switches off the TV. She gets up and walks off as she muttered, "Thank you. it was excruciating and embarrassing to watch bhai beg."

Omkara and Gauri watches Anika walk off in shock. then they turn to look at each other and seeing each other's expression, they burst out laughing.

*******

That weekend, Omkara had a colleague's wedding to attend, and he and Gauri went for it.

"Are you getting bored?" Omkara asks her in a soft whisper.

Gauri shakes her head in no with a smile. Omkara smiles and holds her hand lovingly.

"Do you think we should have had a grand wedding like this?" Gauri asks him as she looked at the bride and groom.

"It is not going to make you any more or less of mine. And we aren't going to be any more or less happy with each other." Omkara replies with a shrug. "Do you think we should have had one?"

Gauri shakes her head in negative "I was thinking what is the use of this grand a function. I can bet you that there would be at least 30 people here that neither the bride or groom know, they would be here because of some connection to someone connected to the bride or groom."

"Obviously, isn't every Indian wedding like that?"

"I liked our wedding. Only people that were close to our heart were there." Gauri tells him with a smile.

"Even me. but they might like a wedding like this. Who are we to judge?" Omkara asks her as he pointed at the bride and groom.

"Yes, I shouldn't come to their wedding and start nitpicking. And the truth is that the bride and groom don't know me, they don't even know I exist in this world. I'm here because I am connected to you." Gauri tells him a little embarrassed.

Omkara chuckles, "I was about to point out that to you."

Gauri chuckles as she looked around and stops in shock. For a second she thought she saw Arjun.

"What happened?" Omkara asks her curiously.

"I thought I saw someone I know." Gauri says in a soft tone, her heart slamming against her chest.

"Why don't you go check?" Omkara asks her.

"It's okay." Gauri says shaking her head.

"Go, my Boss is calling me, I'll just go see what he wants." Omkara tells her.

Gauri nods and watches Omkara walk off.

Gauri for a few seconds contemplates on whether to check if it was indeed Arjun, then she decides against it, even if it was him, what was the use? What was she going to talk to him?

So, Gauri remained where she was and was watching Omkara chat with his boss.

"Hi." Arjun says gently.

Hearing his voice, Gauri's heart skips a beat and she turns to the sound to find Arjun stand next to her.

"Long time." Arjun says with a gentle smile.

"What are you doing here?" Gauri asks him.

"The bride is Richa's cousin." Arjun hesitantly tells her.

"No. what are you doing here? Next to me." Gauri clarifies.

"I saw you and I thought I would just... how are you, Gauri?" Arjun asks her.

"Happy." Gauri replies and doesn't bother to ask him how he was doing, because she realized that she didn't care how he was doing.

"I had heard that you got married. Was that your husband?"

Gauri nods.

"Anika's brother, Omkara Singh Oberoi, right?"

Gauri nods with a frown wondering how he knew all that, half her friends didn't even know she was married as she hadn't invited them all to their wedding, only when she spoke to them did she inform them about their marriage.

He was about to say something then looking behind her, he says, "Okay, I'll see you later." And he walks off making Gauri frown all the more.

"Sorry, it took time." Omkara says as he joined her. "Who was that?"

Gauri shakes her head and turns to him. "Is it time to leave?"

"It is not, but if you feel like leaving then let's go." Omkara tells her.

"Let's go then." Gauri tells him.

After bidding their bye to the groom, Omkara and Gauri leave.

As they were leaving, Gauri notices Arjun watching her, she ignores him and turns to Omkara. "What was your boss saying?" Gauri asks him.

"They are considering me for promotion." Omkara informs her.

Gauri smiles happily hearing that, "That is awesome."

Omkara smiles seeing her joy, "Nothing is finalized yet... let's see."

"I am sure you'll get it." Gauri tells him confidently.

Omkara smiles hearing that.

*******

They were in bed, and Gauri was thoughtfully drawing patterns on his chest, her thoughts going back to her meeting with Arjun.

"Om... I want to tell you something."

"Tell me."

Gauri moves closer to him and hugs him tighter.

Feeling her do that, Omkara hugs her tighter, "Was that Arjun?"

"Yes."

"Why didn't you tell me then?"

Gauri looks up at him and tells him, "I know how much you hate him. I wasn't sure what you would do to him if you realized it was him."

"Broke his leg or two."

Gauri smiles hearing that, she leans towards him and lovingly kisses his cheek.

Omkara smiles at her, "I wasn't 100% sure it was him, otherwise I would have."

Gauri smiles and hugs him tight.

"So what was he saying?"

"He knows that I got married and I got married to Ani's brother and he knows your name too."

"So, he is keeping tabs on you?"

"Don't know. The bride is Richa's cousin."

"Hmmm. Are you okay, love?"

Gauri shakes her head in negative. "Seeing him, I remembered all that happened after our break up. You know, not just me, he had hurt everyone around me. my parents and my friends. Papa and Mama knew that I was unhappy. They kept asking me what had happened but I couldn't tell them." Gauri looks at him and asks him sadly, "what could I tell them? knowing, would have hurt them more. And I was so hurt and ashamed of myself that I couldn't bring myself to talk about it. I was such a fool that I couldn't see the reality and what was happening. How could I tell them that I was so blinded that I lost touch with reality?"

Omkara cups her face and lovingly kisses her cheek, "I know, love."

"Papa and Mama suffered a lot, worrying about me. you know, there were nights, when Mama would come and lie with me, and hug me when she thinks I am sleeping. I would be awake but I would act as if I am asleep so I don't have to talk about it all. I knew she was hurting and still I would keep silent." Gauri guiltily tells him.

"You were just protecting them, Gauri." Omkara tells her reassuringly.

Gauri nods and hugs him, "Thank you for coming into my life, Om. I don't know what would have happened to me if you hadn't come into my life. I might have withered away."

"You saved me, Gauri. you gave new meaning to my life." Omkara tells her. "I have no life without you."

Gauri looks at him and tells him with tears filled eyes, "Please don't ever leave me, Om. I'll die without you."

Omkara lovingly smiles at her, "It is a battle for me, every day to leave you and go to office in the morning, Gauri."

Gauri chuckles happily hearing that.

*******

Next day, Omkara was getting ready while Gauri was taking her shower when Gauri's mobile starts ringing.

"Gauri, your phone is ringing." Omkara calls out to her taking the phone and stops seeing Arjun Calling.

"Who is it? Just answer." Gauri says as she opened the bathroom door and poked her head out.

"Arjun." Omkara informs her.

"Don't answer." Gauri says frowning. "Just cut the call."

Omkara gives her a look and answers the call. "Hello?"

And Arjun quickly cuts the call.

"He hung up."

"Good." Gauri declares.

Few minutes later, they were getting ready when Gauri's mobile buzzes. "What is his problem?" Gauri mutters furiously.

"Arjun?" Omkara asks her curiously.

"Yeah, he sent a message."

"He seems desperate, what did he say?"

"Hi Gauri, I wanted to meet you. when can we meet?" Gauri reads it out for Omkara.

Omkara thoughtfully looks at her and sees her irately throw the phone on their bed.

"Aren't you replying?"

"Why should I?" Gauri asks him frowning.

"You should meet, Gauri." Omkara gently tells her.

"What nonsense? I don't want to meet him." Gauri tells him getting angry.

"You should, Gauri."

"He doesn't matter to me, Om."

"He does. You are still scared of facing him. there is still bitterness in you for what had happened. You still blame yourself for it."

Gauri looks away as she thought of it.

"You are scared of meeting when it is he, who should be scared of facing you."

"I don't care, Om."

Omkara holds her shoulder and tells her, "You need closure, Gauri."

"Why does it matter?" Gauri asks him.

"Because it does." Omkara tells her as he took her mobile and offered her.

Gauri takes her mobile and types into it.

"Take Ani with you." Omkara tells her as he walked to the door.

"Why?"

"To make sure you don't cheat." Omkara cheekily tells her.

"Don't you trust me?" Gauri asks him shocked.

"Not in this."

Gauri gasps in outrage. "You really think that I would not meet him and lie to you that I met him?"

Omkara grins at her. then turning to look out the door, he calls out loudly, "Ani!"

"Omkara Singh Oberoi!" Gauri furiously calls him, hands on hips.

Omkara turns to her and tells, "That bastard hurt you really bad, so, I just want to make sure you have back up."

"You think I can't handle him?" Gauri asks offended.

"It is for my peace of mind." Omkara clarifies. "I would have come, but the way he had ran off seeing me, I don't think he has the balls to talk to you with me around."

"Hmmm."

"Ani!"

"What?" Anika asks as she opened her bedroom door and stepped out.

"Come here."

"You come here!" she replies offended.

"Come here!" Omkara insists.

"This better be important, I've office." Anika says irately as she stomped towards her brother.

"I don't love you so much that I am desperate to see your face every morning." Omkara replies. "Of course, it is important!"

"what?" Anika growls at him.

"Just go with Gauri today to..."

"I work in a different office!" Anika reminds him in exasperation.

"How are you best friends with my wife with such low IQ?" Omkara asks her shocked.

Anika scowls at him. "Her IQ is worse than mine, she proved that by marrying you!"

"You got us married!" Omkara points out then before she could say anything, he says, "She is going to meet Arjun, you go with her."

"What the hell?" Anika shouts in fury. "Why the hell are you going to meet him?"

"I am not going; I am being forced!" Gauri tells her.

"How dare that asshole? His nerve to force you to..." Anika furiously starts.

"Do you really think that prick has that kind of power over her to force her for anything?" Omkara asks her in exasperation.

"Then which asshole is forcing her?" Anika asks him furiously.

"You are staring at him!" Omkara tells her in exasperation. "Do you really think that anyone else can make Gauri do something that she doesn't want to do other than me?"

"Me!" Anika replies offended.

"You wish!" Omkara scoffs.

"She is my best friend!"

"She is my wife!"

"Seriously?" Gauri asks the brother-sister duo in shock. "You two imbeciles are fighting over that? Now?"

"Imbecile? What does that mean?" Anika asks confused.

"You should read, sister!" Omkara tells her in a superior tone.

"You can just say truthfully that you don't know, you don't have to act." Anika tells him.

"Stupid!" Omkara tells her.

"You, moron!" Anika calls him thinking he was calling her a stupid.

"TSTL." Omkara says shaking his head in disappointment.

"What?" Anika asks confused.

"I had enough!" Gauri declares. "I'll message you when and where when he replies." Gauri tells Anika then turning to Omkara she kisses his cheek. "Bye, if I listen to any more of this then I will have to leave for office without breakfast."
Gauri leaves as Omkara and Anika started arguing again about Gauri meeting Arjun.

*******

"He is already here." Anika says in hatred noticing Arjun waiting for them.

Gauri looks at where she was looking and notices Arjun looking at them, he was looking at Anika in shock.

"You sit there." Gauri tells her as she pointed at a different table.

Anika nods as she glared at Arjun. "I will either kill that bastard or my own brother for this."

"To hurt my husband, you'll have to go through me first." Gauri tells her.

Hearing that, Anika smiles at Gauri, "Go, make us proud."

Gauri chuckles hearing that and walks to the table Arjun was sitting.

"Why did you want to meet?" Gauri asks him without any preamble.

"I had tried calling you but your husband picked the call." Arjun hesitantly says as he stood up. "Did I cause any problem for you?"

"What do you want, Arjun?" Gauri asks him as she sat down.

"Why is Anika with you?" Arjun asks her.

"What do you want?" Gauri asks him again irately.

"Gauri, I really don't want to create any problems in your marriage. that is not my intention."

Gauri disinterestedly looks away.

"But why is Anika here? Did your husband send her with you to spy on you? Is everything fine between you and him?"

Gauri looks at him and reply chuckling, "Yes. He was worried that I wouldn't meet you and lie to him that I met you. so, he sent Ani to make sure that I meet you."

"He knows about us?" Arjun asks her in shock.

"He knows about our relation much better than you ever did."

Arjun looks away in guilt.

"Why did you want to meet?" Gauri asks him.

Arjun looks at her and tells her softly, "I miss you, Gauri."

Gauri watches him for a few seconds and realizes that her husband was right, she needed closure, just like how he had always wanted closure with Ridhima. She asks him, "Did you ever love me, Arjun?"

"I did, Gauri. I still do." He tells her passionately. "I still think of you. our time together, our love..."

"Then why wasn't I enough for you?" Gauri cuts him off.

"Gauri... I am sorry for that."

"Why, Arjun? How did you easily choose someone else over me? how did you so easily ruin what we thought we had?"

"I am sorry, Gauri, it happened."

"After all this time, don't you think I deserve the truth?" Gauri asks him offended.

Arjun helplessly looks at her.

"Tell me, Arjun."

"Richa felt exciting then... adventurous... spicy... and we were..."

"We were?" Gauri asks him frowning.

"It's all in the past, right?" Arjun asks her hopefully.

"I was boring and mundane." Gauri finishes for him.

"I am sorry, Gauri." Arjun tells her regretfully. "I still love you, Gauri. don't you think of me?"

Gauri gets up and walks off.

"Gauri?" Arjun calls her but she ignores him and walks off.

"Done?" Anika asks her as Gauri reached her table.

Gauri nods.

"Let's go then." Anika says knowing that Gauri would want to share whatever happened with Omkara first before she shares it with her.

Gauri nods.

"Gauri, please wait..." Arjun calls her.

Gauri closes her eyes trying to control her temper.

"Let's go." Anika tells her.

"No." Gauri replies, then opening her eyes, she takes out her mobile and unlocks it and hands it to Anika. "Take a video."

Then she turns around and walks to Arjun who had stopped a few steps away from them.

"I do think of you, Arjun." Gauri answers his question.

"Even I do, Gauri." Arjun tells her smiling lovingly.

"Since the moment I realized that I love my Om, I keep thinking of you, wondering how the hell did you convince me that I love you or how the hell did I believe that I love you. because if what I felt for you was love then what I feel for Om is nothing short of worship." Gauri tells him.

Arjun's face goes pale hearing that.

"And I have this desperate need to not disappoint him. and I know, if I don't do this then he is going to be disappointed in me and I can't have that."

"Do what?" Arjun asks her in confusion.

"This is not going to hurt you as much as it had hurt me when you had walked all over me and left me broken. But still, I will be satisfied with this because I am not greedy like you."

Gauri slaps his right across his face shocking him. before he could react, Gauri bends her knee and hits him on his manhood real hard making Arjun howl in pain as he fell to the ground.

"Please be satisfied with this, Arjun. Don't call me again." Gauri tells him and walks off.

Gauri grins seeing a wide eyed, grinning ear to ear, proud Anika.

"Let's go?" Gauri asks her.

"I love you." Anika shouts at her as she hugged her making Gauri laugh.

"I am so glad I got to witness that than Bhai."

"You got it on video, right?" Gauri asks her as they walked out.

"Yes, lucky for you that by the time, I got your video recording up and running, your cheesy worship line was over."

Gauri laughs hearing that.

"Don't know how he will be if he hears that, already he is so arrogant and boastful about you"

"Let him be." Gauri tells her grinning, "He is lucky to have me."

Anika looks at her in amazement. "Finally my best friend is back." Anika says jumping excitedly.

"Thank your brother for it.... Wait let me rephrase, thank my husband for that."

"You are no better than him." Anika mutters.

*******

After meeting Arjun, Gauri had gone to her house as she wanted to meet her parents while Anika had gone back to their house. now that she had completely put Arjun and the issues behind her, she wanted to see her parents and spent some happy moments with them like before.

"You look so happy." Vasundhara says lovingly as she caressed her cheek.

"I am, Mama." Gauri tells her smiling.

"I am so happy. Even Harsh." Vasundhara says smiling in relief and joy.

"I caused you so much worry, didn't I?" Gauri asks her sadly.

Vasundhara smiles at her understandingly, "You might have had your reasons for not sharing it with us."

"I did, Mama." Gauri tells her.

"But now, you are happy, right?"

"Yes. Very." Gauri tells her smiling.

"We are so happy that you got someone like Omkara. He is the reason that we have our old Gauri back." Vasundhara tells her as she hugged her happily.

"Yes." Gauri agrees then she adds, "And Ani too. She convinced Om and me that we are perfect for each other."

"And us too." Vasundhara tells her.

Gauri smiles hearing that.

Few minutes later, Omkara had come to pick Gauri from there. since, Harsh hadn't come back from work, Gauri and Omkara had decided to wait to meet him.

"So, how did it go?" Omkara asks her when Vasudhara had gone to make dinner and they were alone.

"It went well." Gauri tells him smiling.

Omkara smiles, "You got all your answers?"

Gauri nods as she took her mobile, "Nothing was wrong with me. he is the one who couldn't be happy and satisfied with what he had. when he was with me he wanted Richa and now he has Richa, he wants me."

"What the hell?" Omkara asks furiously.

"I took care of him." Gauri tells him as she passed him her mobile.

Omkara curiously takes her mobile and plays the video.

"Wow..." he says when he sees the slap and then he sees the second attack. "Wohooo" he shouts in excitement as he sat up. Then he plays it again and burst out laughing seeing it.

"Did I make you proud husband?" Gauri asks him.

"Hell yeah!" Omkara tells her as he turned to her kissed her soundly on her lips. "And you just made me all the more crazy about you."

Gauri chuckles hearing that.

"You know, we have only made love in our room... why don't we make love in your room here?" Omkara asks her as he kissed her hungrily.

"What about Mama?" Gauri asks him, feeling excited and nervous.

Omkara winks at her in reply.

Laughing, excitedly, Gauri grabs his hand, "Come."

*******

"It's our college reunion, will you come with us?" Gauri asks Omkara.

"Do you want me to?" Omkara asks her.

"Obviously, and you haven't met all my friends and most of them still don't know that I am married."

"Okay, I'll come." Omkara tells her smiling.

"But, Ridhima could be there." Gauri gently tells him.

Omkara thoughtfully nods. "It's not a problem, Gauri."

*******

After meeting Gauri's friends, Omkara and Gauri were standing together and chatting.

"You should be with your friends." Omkara tells her pointing at her friends standing in a circle along with Anika, chatting and joking around.

"You will be bored."

"I'll be fine. Lot of girls here, I'll be entertained." Omkara cheekily tells her.

Gauri scowls at him.

"You go." Omkara tells her chuckling.

"After that, I am definitely not going." Gauri declares making Omkara laugh.

Gauri grins seeing him laughing.

"GAURI!"

Hearing Anika call her, Gauri and Omkara looks at her friends.

"Come here, we are taking photo." Anika tells her waving her over.

Gauri turns to look at Omkara and he says with a smile, "You go."

"Will you be fine?" Gauri asks him.

"Yeah, I liked that sandwich, I'm going to get one more piece." Omkara tells her.

"I'll come soon." Gauri promises.

"Don't worry about me, love. I'll be fine." Omkara tells her smiling.

"Yeah, I know, so many girls here." Gauri says rolling her eyes, making him chuckle.

Omkara walks to the food counter and he stops and curiously looks at Gauri. He watches with a smile as Gauri posed with his sister and her friends for the photo, smiling happily and joking and teasing each other.

"Why are you here, Omkara?" Ridhima asks him from behind.

Frowning at the question, Omkara curiously turns around his heart slamming against his chest. "What?" Omkara asks her.

Shaking her head disappointedly at him, Ridhima asks him, "Why are you here, Omkara?"

"Ridhima... I..." Omkara starts and stops in confusion trying to figure out why she was asking him such a question.

"You are here to see me, aren't you?"

"What?" Omkara asks her shocked. "I knew you would be here but..."

"What we had was amazing, Omkara... but it is over now." Ridhima cuts him off.

"What we had was kind of good." Omkara agrees. "Amazing is what I have..."

"Omkara, I know it is difficult for you to forget me. trust me, I still think of you and I would always love you but this is not right. you can't use your sister and come to my college reunion to see me." Ridhima tells him in exasperation.

"Will you let me..." Omkara starts to explain.

"Got your sandwich?" Gauri asks with a smile as she stopped next to Omkara then noticing Ridhima she stops in shock. "Sorry, I didn't notice you guys were talking."

Ridhima nods.

"I tried calling you." Gauri tells her.

"You had decided we were no longer friends. Now, I'll decide if and when I want to be your friend." Ridhima replies.

"I don't want to be your friend." Gauri clarifies.

"Yeah, right!" Ridhima rolls her eyes. "Ever since people found out about my engagement they have been flocking me like birds."

Ignoring her, Gauri turns to Omkara and tells him, "I just came to check whether you were bored."

Omkara who had been gaping at Ridhima turns to Gauri. seeing his shock, Gauri couldn't help but smile.

Omkara smiles seeing her smile.

"He isn't bored. If you could just excuse us, we were in the middle of something." Ridhima tells Gauri.

"Yeah, sure." Gauri replies. "Om, I'll be with Ani."

"Do you have anything important with her?" Omkara asks her.

"No." Gauri replies.

"Then stay." Omkara tells her as he offered her his hand.

"Sure?" Gauri asks him.

Omkara nods. Gauri smiles and takes his hand.

"You guys are friends now? And did you call him Om?" Ridhima asks shocked.

"Friends?" Omkara asks with a smile. "Yeah, you could say that she is my best friend."

Gauri shakes her head at him with a smile. "Ani will kill you."

Omkara chuckle then turning to Ridhima, he clarifies, "Gauri is my wife, Ridhima."

"What?" Ridhima asks in shock.

"You should have answered her call. She called you to inform about our wedding." Omkara tells her.

"You got married?" Ridhima asks him in shocked whisper, her eyes filling up.

Gauri and Omkara awkwardly look at each other seeing her tears.

"What the hell?" Anika asks furiously seeing Ridhima with them.

"Ani, stop." Gauri quickly tells her.

"How dare you come in front of my brother after what you did?" Anika asks Ridhima furiously.

"We were just talking." Omkara tells her.

"Talking? You mad?" Anika asks him angrily. "We are leaving!" Anika furiously decides.

"What?" Omkara asks her with a frown.

"We are leaving! Let's go." Anika says and furiously holding Omkara's hand she drags him out.

Not wanting to create a scene, Omkara and Gauri follows her.

*******

"What the hell was that?" Omkara furiously asks Anika as soon as they reached home.

"After what she did, do you even have to ask me that?" Anika asks him in shock.

"I wanted to talk to her!"

"WHAT THE HELL? How can you talk to her? You can't talk to her!"

"I don't need your permission to talk to her!" Omkara tells her angrily. "I don't need anyone's permission to talk to her or anyone else. As long as my wife has no issue with it, I don't give a damn what others think about it!"

"You are with him on this?" Anika asks Gauri angrily. "Did you forget his condition when she left him?"

"Make her understand, Gauri!" Omkara tells her tiredly.

"Make me understand?" Anika asks him furiously. "You make him understand, Gauri!"

Gauri looks at Omkara and Anika, and sees them both looking at her expectantly.

Gauri turns to Omkara and tells him, "Ani feels responsible for what happened with you and she is concerned. She loves you and is worried for you."

Omkara sighs and looks at Anika.

"And Ani, Om is not a child. He can handle himself. And Ridhima no longer holds the power to hurt him." Gauri gently tells her then holding Omkara's hand, she reassuringly tells her, "And I am there with him. I'll not let anything hurt him. I'll take care of him."

Anika nods giving in. she walks to Omkara and hugs him. "I hate that bitch for what she did to you."

Omkara hugs her and reminds her with a smile, "It's because of her that Gauri is with me now."

"Oh please, it is because of me!"

Omkara and Gauri looks at each other and grin.

*******

"You okay?" Gauri asks Omkara as she hugged him.

"Hmmm... I was kind of expecting to meet her there."

"She looked heart broken when she found out that you were married." Gauri tells him.

"I saw." Omkara replies.

"Did you feel bad?"

"A little that she is sad."

"You don't have to feel bad."

"I am not so cold hearted like you and Ani." Omkara tells her with a grin.

Gauri chuckles, then turning serious she reminds him, "Your heart break was much worse than hers."

"No matter what, you are never going to forgive her." Omkara chuckles.

"Will you ever forgive Arjun for hurting me?" Gauri asks him back.

"Never." Omkara says getting angry.

"Same!" Gauri replies.

Omkara smiles hearing that. Omkara leans down and takes her lips in his. "Then show me some love."

*******

Gauri was in her office when Omkara calls her.

"Hi." Gauri says with a smile.

"Hey... how is it going?"

"Good... was just about to leave. What's up?"

"Ridhima messaged."

"Haan... what did she say?"

"Just a Hello." Omkara informs her.

"Hmmm."

"If I ask her whether we can meet do you think she would think more into it?" Omkara asks her.

"It's not our problem what she thinks. You just ask. Anyway, you wanted to talk to her. see what she says." Gauri tells him.

"Okay... and yesterday she did act like she didn't want to talk to me." Omkara points out.

"Yeah, but today she is saying messaging you. finding out you got married might have given her a jolt."

"Hmmm... I'll message her." Omkara says and quickly sends her a message.

"Okay done." Omkara says. "Anyway, leave all that. I think I'll also come home now."

"But isn't your final project handover next week?" Gauri asks him confused.

"It is... but I want to take a break. Let's go out somewhere."

"Okay." Gauri says smiling.

"Just you and me, okay?" Omkara tells her.

"Okay." Gauri says with a chuckle. "And Ani said she would be a little late in coming home today."

"Ah okay. see you soon."

*******

Jhanvi opens the door for Gauri.

"Hi Ma." Gauri hugs her with a smile.

"How was your day? I was about to call Ani, your friend is here." Jhanvi informs her.

"Friend? Who?" Gauri asks curiously to the living room and notices Ridhima sitting there.

Noticing her, Gauri walks to her and asks her confused. "Ridhima, how come you are here?"

"I am here to meet Omkara." Ridhima clarifies.

"Om?" Jhanvi asks confused. "Isn't she Ani's and your friend?"

Gauri nods in reply.

"Omkara should be home by now, right?" Ridhima asks Jhanvi.

"He reaches late. He has some projects, so nowadays he comes home only at night." Jhanvi tells her.

"Oh." Ridhima smirks as she looks at Gauri. "he used to love to stay at home before. Now, he seems to..." Ridhima shakes her head.

"Is everything alright?" Jhanvi asks Gauri in confusion as she looked between Ridhima and Gauri.

"Everything is fine, Ma." Gauri tells her with a smile. "And Om would be coming shortly. he is on his way."

"Oh okay. then you sit with her, I'll get something to drink." Jhanvi tells Gauri and quickly goes to the kitchen.

Gauri walks to Ridhima and sits opposite to her, "You shouldn't have come here. Ani wouldn't like it."

"I'm here because Omkara wanted to meet." Ridhima tells her arrogantly.

"Om told you to meet him here?" Gauri asks her not believing her.

Ridhima takes her mobile and quickly shows her the message.

Gauri curiously looks at the screen. To Ridhima's Hello, Omkara had replied with a Can we meet?.

"He didn't ask you to come here. You should have coordinated with him before coming over like this." Gauri tells her frowning.

"He asked me to meet." Ridhima repeats irately.

"I know. Do you really think I wouldn't know what my husband is planning? He told me before he messaged you." Gauri tells her irately.

Ridhima turns a little embarrassed realizing that Gauri was aware of Omkara's message to her. "So, you guys tell each other everything... huh?" Ridhima asks her, "Does he know about Arjun?"

"How is that any of your concern?" Gauri asks her with a frown.

Ridhima shrugs, realizing that Gauri was back to her bitchy self like before.

They hear the doorbell.

"Gauri?" Jhanvi calls her from the kitchen.

"I'll get it, Ma. It is Om." Gauri calls out to her as she hurried to open the door.

"Hey!" Omkara says with a smile then seeing her expression, he stops with a frown. "What happened? Is she coming with us?"

"Ani hasn't even reached yet." Gauri says rolling her eyes. "Ridhima is here."

"Ridhima?" Omkara says with a confused frown as he followed Gauri to the living room.

"Hello Omkara." Ridhima says with a smile as she stood up seeing him.

"What are you doing here, Ridhima?" Omkara asks her shocked.

"You only said you wanted to meet." Ridhima reminds him, her smile dropping a little.

"Yeah, but you didn't say anything. we should have fixed a place and time. you shouldn't have come over like this." Omkara says frowning.

"When you said you wanted to meet..." Ridhima says, no longer smiling.

"Yeah, but Gauri and I have made plans. we are going out." Omkara informs her.

"Oh." Ridhima says disappointed as she looked at Omkara and Gauri.

"It's okay, Om. you guys talk." Gauri tells him.

"But Gauri..." Omkara starts to refuse.

"We will go after that. anyway, this isn't going to take time." Gauri says with a general gesture in Ridhima's direction.

Ridhima turns pink with Gauri's attitude regarding her and her relation with Omkara.

"You sure?" Omkara asks Gauri softly.

"Yeah." Gauri replies smiling then she gently tells him. "You guys go upstairs. If Ani sees her, I really don't know how she is going to react. I don't want Ma to find out."

Omkara nods. "We'll go to the terrace, Ridhima." Omkara tells her and gestures her to go with him.

*******

"How are you?" Omkara asks her as they stepped into the terrace to break the ice.

"How are you?" Ridhima asks him.

"Good." Omkara tells her smiling. "Happy."

"How could you get married, Omkara?" Ridhima asks him sadly, her eyes filling up.

Omkara was shocked at the accusatory question. "What do you mean?"

"You forgot me."

"You left me, Ridhima." Omkara reminds her.

"So, you would punish me like this?" Ridhima asks him. "Don't you love me anymore?"

Frowning angrily, he asks her, "Did you forget that you are talking to Gauri's husband?"

"Gauri?" Ridhima scoffs in disgust.

"Yes, who used to be your friend once." Omkara reminds her angrily.

"Great friend she was! she stole you!" Ridhima furiously says.

"Stole me?" Omkara asks her in shock. "I was no prize! I was a broken man! She picked up the broken pieces that you had left behind and made me whole again!"

"I was helpless!" Ridhima furiously argues.

Omkara looks at her and shakes his head. "You were not. You had a choice and you chose another man."

"It was my mistake. I'll leave him, Omkara." Ridhima earnestly begs him.

"What?" Omkara moves back in shock.

"I thought I can live without you but seeing you with Gauri... I can't, Omkara. I can't see you with her."

"Have you gone crazy?" Omkara asks her in shock.

Ridhima moves to him and cups his face, "Nothing has changed, Omkara. I know that. we can be how we were before."

"Everything has changed, Ridhima." Omkara tells her as he removed her hand from his face.

"No, it hasn't. otherwise why would you ask to meet me?" Ridhima asks him.

"For closure." Omkara tells her.

"Closure? What closure?" Ridhima asks him back.

No longer wanting to have any more conversation with her, he says, "It was a mistake, Ridhima. You should leave. We don't have anything more to talk about."

"You love me, Omkara. I know you do." Ridhima tells him.

"I don't, Ridhima. I love Gauri." Omkara clarifies to her. "You should leave." Omkara says and starts to walk back.

Omkara was about to step out when "Omkara!" Ridhima calls him.

Sighing, Omkara turns to her and stops in shock seeing her stand on the terrace wall.

"What is wrong with you?" Omkara asks her furious and scared seeing her do that.

"I know you love me. and I love you. I'll break my engagement, Omkara. I don't care about money anymore. All I care about is you. I love you. please take me back."

"I am married!" Omkara furiously reminds her.

"But you are mine!"

"I am not yours!" Omkara tells her. "The truth is I am no longer mine... or my family's... I only belong to Gauri. she is my life."

"Stop it, Omkara. I know you are saying all that to take your revenge on me. I lost, Omkara. Please, tell me you love me." Ridhima cries to him.

"Please step down." Omkara tells her.

"Say you love me otherwise I'll jump. I swear I'll jump." Ridhima tells him.

"Don't!" Omkara tells her in panic, then turning around, he screams, "GAURI! GAURI!"

"Stop saying her name!" Ridhima furiously tells him.

"Just come down, Ridhima. Please don't do anything stupid." Omkara says then not able to handle the panic, he screams, "GAURI!"

"Gauri! Gauri! Gauri! more than my name, you've said her name since you came!" Ridhima furiously tells him.

"Om?" Gauri comes running.

"Gauri... Ridhima..." Omkara points her out in panic.

"What the hell, Ridhima?" Gauri furiously asks her. "Have you gone crazy?"

"You made me crazy! You stole him and brainwashed him!" Ridhima furiously accuses her.

"You mad?" Gauri asks her furiously as she started walking to the wall.

"Don't come near me!" Ridhima warns her.

Gauri moves away from her but walks to the wall as she kept her eyes on Ridhima.

"Ridhima, just come down." Omkara tells her. "Please don't be stupid. Don't do anything stupid."

"Then say you love me, Omkara."

"I told you I love Gauri." Omkara earnestly tells her.

"I love you too." Gauri nonchalantly replies.

Omkara turns to her and sees her curiously looking down to the ground. "Seriously, Gauri?" Omkara asks her in exasperation.

"Seriously, Omkara?" Gauri asks him back as she looked at him. "Your first I love you to me, is to her?"

"Your first I love you to me, is to the ground?" Omkara asks her back.

Gauri shrugs then she looks back to the ground.

"You are crazy." Omkara tells her unable to control his smile.

Gauri chuckles a little.

"OMKARA!" Ridhima furiously calls him.

Omkara turns to her tiredly. "Ridhima, Gauri..."

Ridhima furiously cuts him off. "One more time you say her name, I'll jump!"

"Jump." Gauri tells her.

"Gauri!" Omkara shouts her name in shock.

Ridhima turns to look at Gauri and sees her looking down thoughtfully.

"You won't die, Ridhima." Gauri says in a calculative tone as she tried to judge the damage looking at the depth to the ground. "This is just first floor. You will break a leg or two. Might become a cripple." Gauri says then finally she looks at Ridhima in the eyes and tells her, "Even then, Omkara would still be my husband."

Ridhima stops in shock hearing Gauri.

"You will end up in the hospital. Om would still be my husband. Maybe you can get him arrested for abetment of suicide. It is another thing that you'll also go to jail for attempted suicide. Anyway, even if Om goes to jail, he will still be my husband. And I'll wait for him. when he comes out of jail, I would still be his wife. We would restart our life together from this point again. and I would still be his wife and I would always be his wife." Gauri tells her.

Ridhima goes pale hearing that.

"Anyway, even if you don't go to jail, and he also doesn't go to jail, then also I would be his wife. And Ridhima, what if you get a permanent scar or two on your face?" Gauri asks her. "You would need plastic surgery to get back your spotless skin. And you, me and Om, we all are middle class people, we won't be able to afford the best surgeon who can do a good job on an ugly scar. Then you would have to go to your fiancé to get you the best surgeon. But then, how are you going to explain to him how you fell. We won't lie for you. so, you will have to tell him that while being engaged to him, you threatened and tried to blackmail a married man to marry you, who you had dumped, so you could marry him for his money. I doubt he is going to want to be with you after that." Gauri tells her.

Omkara watches in amazement seeing that Gauri, that his sister had told him about. Seeing the savage Gauri, he fell in love with her all over again.

"So, in the end, you would have scars on your face, might be crippled, might lose the rich fiancé and Omkara would still be mine. Take my advice, come down." Gauri tells her calmly. "And just act as if this didn't happen."

Having no other option, Ridhima comes down, defeated and ashamed.

"Go home, Ridhima. My husband and I have plans." Gauri tells her in a dismissing tone and starts to walk off.

"Ridhima..." Omkara gently calls her.

Ridhima and Gauri both look at Omkara curiously.

"I wanted to meet you because ever since you left me, I had been wondering whether you ever truly loved me, whether whatever happened between us was genuine. After I married Gauri... I wanted to meet you because I have been thinking what if you left me because I had gone wrong somewhere. What if, a fault of mine is the reason you chose someone else." Omkara stops and looks at Gauri, "I trust Gauri the most in this world. But still there has been this fear in me." Omkara turns to look at Ridhima and continues on, "I survived when you left me. but Gauri... the truth is, I have forgot my life that had no Gauri in it. I no longer know how to live without her." Omkara looks at Gauri and with tear filled eyes, he tells Gauri, "If Gauri thinks of leaving me then I'll die."

Gauri smiles at him with all her love and tells him with tear filled eyes, "Then you are going to have a very long life, Om."

Omkara smiles hearing that. then turning to Ridhima, he tells her in finality, "Now, I know, it wasn't my fault. You loved money more. And there is no place for you in my life. we'll never meet after this, Ridhima."

"Please..." Gauri tells Ridhima as she extended her hand towards the door, silently asking her to get out.

Ridhima walks out and Gauri and Omkara follow her.

Ridhima was walking down the stairs when Anika notices her.

"What are you doing in my house?" Anika furiously asks her.

"Ani reached." Gauri tells Omkara tiredly as they followed Ridhima down.

Omkara chuckles and cups her face, "You okay, love?"

Gauri nods and asks him, "And you?"

And that was the last straw for Ridhima. "I am the one who was going to give up my life for you and you are asking her whether she is okay?" Ridhima furiously asks him.

Gauri tiredly closes her eyes and says, "Ridhima, I don't think Om can make it any more clear to you that you mean nothing to him now."

"You think you are his everything?" Ridhima asks her furiously.

"I know it." Gauri replies.

"What is happening here?" Jhanvi asks curiously as she came out hearing Anika and Ridhima.

"It's nothing, Ma." Gauri quickly says. "Ridhima is leaving."

"Yeah, get out." Anika tells Ridhima.

Jhanvi curiously looks at them. "Isn't she your friend?"

"Was." Anika replies.

Jhanvi frowns hearing that and then glaring at Ridhima, she asks, "Is she the one who hurt my son?"

Realizing that now, his family knew what she did, Ridhima goes a little pale.

"Why didn't you all tell me that it was her?" Jhanvi asks them angrily. Then turning to Gauri, she asks her, "Why didn't you tell me, Gauri? you should have told me. I wouldn't have let her into our home if I knew."

"Om wanted to meet her, Ma." Gauri tells her.

"Meet her?" Jhanvi asks angrily. "Why, Om? How can you insult your wife by calling your ex-girlfriend home?"

"He didn't call her. she came by herself." Gauri quickly clarifies.

"Gauri knows everything, Ma." Omkara tells her. "And I would die before I insult Gauri in anyway."

"Still this isn't done, Om." Jhanvi tells him shaking her head in disappointment.

"Ma, it was necessary." Gauri tells her.

"Gauri... Gauri... Gauri... you all are so blinded by this bitch!" Ridhima says in hatred.

"Talk of my wife with respect, Ridhima." Omkara furiously tells her.

"Respect? This slut?" Ridhima asks him in disgust.

"Shut up, Ridhima." Anika furiously tells her while Gauri worriedly looked at Jhanvi who was glaring at Ridhima.

"You want me to respect her, who had been whoring herself out to a man for months." Ridhima asks Omkara in disgust.

Anika furiously slaps Ridhima hearing that.

"Gauri was in love." Omkara furiously reminds Ridhima. "And she was betrayed. She didn't sell herself for money. That's what you did. And everyone here knows, who the real whore is. Now, get out."

Anika furiously drags Ridhima out.

Omkara turns to Gauri, and sees Gauri run back upstairs.

*******

"Gauri..." Omkara follows her to the room.

"Om..." Gauri turns to Omkara with tears running down her face.

"Why are you crying, Gauri?" Omkara asks her hurt as he walked to her and hugged her.

Gauri hugs him and starts crying into his chest.

"You haven't done anything wrong, Gauri. you were in love. Why are you crying?" Omkara asks her, his heart breaking seeing her tears.

"You know that and I know that..." Gauri tells him.

"Then what is the problem?" Omkara asks her.

"Ma..." Gauri says as she broke into loud sobs.

"What about her, love?"

"What will she think? What do I tell her? How will I face her?" Gauri asks him.

"Like how you were all these days. And it is not her place to think about what happened in your life before we got married. You don't have to tell her anything."

"Gauri... Om..." Jhanvi gently knocks on the door.

Omkara opens the door while Gauri wiped her tears.

"Yes, Ma?" Omkara asks her.

"You go down. I want to talk to Gauri." Jhanvi gently tells him.

"Why?" Omkara asks her with a frown.

"Go down, Om." Jhanvi tells him again.

"You go." Gauri tells him.

Sighing Omkara walks off.

"Tej is home, don't go in front of him." Jhanvi calls out to Omkara.

"Why?" Omkara asks her confused.

"Just don't." Jhanvi tells him and turns to look at Gauri.

Gauri nervously looks down as she gripped her hands together worriedly.

Jhanvi walks to her and holds her hand.

"Come sit with me." Jhanvi tells her as she led her to the bed and sat down.

"Ma... what Ridhima said..."

"I know it is not true, Gauri." Jhanvi tells her smiling.

"No, Ma..." Gauri looks at her to explain.

"Om was right, Gauri. you were in love and Arjun betrayed you." Jhanvi gently tells her.

"You know?" Gauri asks her in shock.

"Yes."

"How?" Gauri asks her shocked.

"Ani." Jhanvi reminds her with a smile.

"But she didn't tell me that..."

"Because I told her not to tell you... she said you never shared it with your parents and I thought you would be uncomfortable if you knew Ani told us."

"When did she tell you?" Gauri asks her shocked.

"When Om had refused to marry you, Ani had insisted that you were perfect for him. that time, we asked her why she thought so, and she told us everything."

"You knew since then?"

"Yes, after hearing what you went through, we knew she was right, only you could understand Om's pain. So, I told her to tell Om everything and if he had no problem with your past then why should we have a problem with your past. Even he has a past. All we wanted was him to be happy again and you gave us our son back, Gauri." Jhanvi tells her with a smile.

Gauri smiles in relief hearing that.

"Your past is what made you both the perfect life partners for each other. Don't be ashamed of it." Jhanvi tell her.

Gauri nods hearing that.

They hear Tej's furious voice and Jhanvi sighs shaking her head. "I told him not to go in front of Tej and when has he ever listened to me?"

"He always listens to you." Gauri defends her husband.

Knowing she couldn't do her motherly fuzz in front of her daughter-in-law who lived in the same house as her, Jhanvi amends, "He listens to me only rarely."

"Most of the time." Gauri argues.

"Not as much as I want him to." Jhanvi says.

Gauri chuckles hearing that. "What happened to Papa?" Gauri asks her curiously.

Jhanvi embarrassedly smiles at her. "I accidently told Tej what happened and he has been furious since."

"Oh, what is he saying?" Gauri asks her worriedly.

"He was screaming at Ani how random people can come into our house and insult our bahu like that. how did Om and Ani let that happen?"

Gauri couldn't help smile hearing that feeling so blessed to have such loving family.

"I'll go tell him that it wasn't their fault." Gauri tells her and hurries out.

Seeing her running down the stairs, Tej hurries to her.

"Are you okay, Gauri?" Tej asks her in concern.

"I am fine, Papa. It wasn't their fault." Gauri tells him.

Tej hugs her and warns both Omkara and Anika, "Make sure this doesn't happen ever again."

Omkara nods in yes.

"What did I do?" Anika asks in confusion. "I was against them even talking to her."

"Have better friends. Both my children are such poor judge of character." Tej mutters and walks off.

"Even your darling bahu was her friend." Anika calls out to her father in outrage.

"Now, blame her!" Jhanvi angrily scolds Anika and walks off.

"How did I become the villain?" Anika asks Omkara in shock. "You, I can understand. Why me?"

Omkara shakes his head and walks to Gauri and hugs her. "What did Ma say?"

"She knew." Gauri tells him smiling.

"Even Papa seemed to know." Omkara tells her confused.

"Ani." Gauri tells him.

"Why did you let that bitch off easily?" Anika furiously asks Gauri.

"I didn't know you had told Ma, I was worried about what she would think... if I knew she knew then I would have dealt with her."

"You are happy, right?" Omkara asks her ignoring everything.

"I have the best husband, best friend, best parents and best in-laws, how can I not be happy?" Gauri asks him with a smile.

Omkara smiles and hugs her.

*******

"We should go partying like we used to." Anika tells Gauri.

"Even I feel like going." Gauri tells her smiling.

"We should. We will tell everyone here that we are going to stay with your parents for one night as we want a girls' night together and go." Anika tells her excitedly.

"What about Om?" Gauri asks her confused.

"Only you and me! ever since you guys got married, I feel like the third wheel." Anika tells her frowning. "And he will faint if he finds out you and I drink."

"We were supposed go out." Omkara tells her from the door as he scowled at her.

Gauri cheekily smiles at him.

"You guys go." Anika tells them. "Tomorrow night, Gauri and I are going to her house."

"Why?" Omkara asks her confused.

"We want a girls' night together." Anika tells him.

"Even I want to come." Omkara tells her.

"Are you a girl?" Anika asks him back.

"But I want to see drunk Gauri." Omkara insists.

"What?" Gauri whispers in shock.

"What?" Anika asks him in shock then turning to Gauri, she asks her in outrage, "You told him?"

Gauri turns to her husband and angrily asks him, "What is wrong with you? it was supposed to be a secret!"

"Oh, I thought I am your best friend was the secret." Omkara replies.

"WHAT THE HELL?" Anika asks furiously.

*******

3 years later

Gauri walks in with Omkara carrying their daughter with Anika and Shivaay following behind.

"They are here." Jhanvi calls out to Tej as she hurried to take her granddaughter in her arms.

Gauri and Omkara watch with a smile as Tej and Jhanvi pampered their daughter, Suhani.

"Vasundhara was upset that you decided to come here from the hospital instead of going there and staying there as planned." Jhanvi tells Gauri with a grin.

"Gauri wanted to come here, Ma." Omkara replies.

"Yeah, because you wouldn't stop begging." Anika replies in a mocking tone.

"I didn't beg." Omkara tells her offended.

"It was nothing short of begging with the way you kept pestering her about how you can't stay without her, and office was too far from her house so you couldn't stay there." Anika says. "Such cringe worthy desperation."

"Control your wife, Shivaay." Omkara tells him with a frown.

"Have been trying for a year now to do that." Shivaay replies defeatedly.

Gauri chuckles hearing them.

"You don't have anything to say?" Omkara asks her.

Gauri shrugs and says in attitude, "I am here because I wanted to be with you, husband."

Omkara smirks at his sister hearing that.

"People should learn from you on how to say such desperate things in such bitchy attitude." Anika says in shock.

*** The End ***

I hope you guys liked this story. please vote and comment.

- Lazy