Hello everyone...

How are you all?

Sorry for the long absence. I was traveling. Then I caught the flu then I was out of ideas.

Will reply to PMs soon.

Thanks to all for voting and commenting on the previous story. Abandoned Series 2 : Contract Wife (Posted on 16.Jun.2023)

This is a random story idea I got and I didn't have much time to work on the story, so, sorry if the story is too bleh. This is a write along as you go.

Fair warning, this story is about two egoistic people. And Omkara is an egoistic, arrogant alpha male. And just like how Omkara and Gauri love and accept each other as they are, you guys also do it.

Okay?

A quick question, I have a story idea, I don't know if I will write it, but just wanted to check with you all. It is kinda a love story between step siblings... is that a taboo relation for you all? Or chaltha hai types?

"It's perfect." Gauri says as she admired herself in the mirror wearing her bridal dress. "What do you think?" Gauri asks her mother as she looked at her.

"Beautiful." Vasundhara says as she smiled lovingly at her daughter.

"You have such an amazing figure, you would rock any dress." The designer tells her.

Gauri smiles feeling shy and embarrassed. "I'll change." Gauri says and goes to the dressing room.

After she had changed, Gauri was going to walk out of the dressing room when she hears her mobile. Gauri checks her phone and smiles seeing it is her fiancé.

How is it going?

Gauri smiles and replies. My lehenga came out amazing.

Wow nice! Send pics.

You can see me only at the wedding ;)

Hmmm okay.

So, where are you?

At home... what plans for tonight?

Gauri smiles, nothing as of now.

Can we go for dinner?

Sure :)

Ridhima will also be there.

Gauri's smile drops reading about her. How come?

She called. Wanted to meet you and she wants me to meet her fiancé.

But why? Gauri asks confused.

Why does his ex-girlfriend wants to meet her? Arjun after his break up, had reconnected with Ridhima couple of months back because of their common friends and now they were on friendly terms. But she couldn't understand why they wanted their spouses to be friends with them. Since she agreed she couldn't back out now and she didn't want to be that kind of a wife who wouldn't give her husband his space.

Just to meet. Pick you up at 7.

Okay. Gauri sighs as she slipped her phone into her jeans back pocket.

**********

"Hi!" Gauri says as she got in the car and hugged Arjun.

"You look amazing." Arjun says as he looked her over, appreciating.

"Thanks. You look great." Gauri says happily as she sat back.

"So... how come we are having this dinner?" Gauri asks him curiously.

"She had called up to invite us for her wedding. So, we got talking and she put this plan." Arjun tells her as he started the car.

"Hmmm... so, when is her wedding?" Gauri asks curiously.

"A day after us."

"So, the first function we ever attend together is your ex's wedding?" Gauri asks amused.

"Looks like it." Arjun says chuckling.

"She is marrying some big shot, right? It will be a grand wedding." Gauri says curiously.

"Oh yeah... she has been boasting about her multibillionaire fiancé. I think she wants to show him off that is why this dinner." Arjun tells her.

"Then why are we going?" Gauri asks shocked.

"Let her show off. I'll show off my super hot and sexy fiancé." Arjun jokes smugly.

Gauri frowns hearing that. She asks him softly. "Why?"

"What why?" Arjun asks confused.

"This need to show off in front of each other?" Gauri asks frowning.

"Nothing like that. It was just a joke." Arjun brushes it off.

Gauri wasn't appeased. She hesitantly asks him, "Arjun, you are over her, right?"

"Of course." Arjun tells her shocked. "I told you, we had a bad break up. It is a wonder that we are cordial to each other now."

"Hmmm." Gauri looks away.

**********

"Finally, we meet." Ridhima says excitedly as she hugged Gauri.

"Hi, Ridhima." Gauri says feeling a little awkward as she hugged her politely.

"I've been hearing so much about you from Arjun." Ridhima says as she slyly checked out Gauri.

"Isn't she the most beautiful?" Arjun asks as he kept his hand over her shoulder and pulls Gauri close to him.

"Yeah." Ridhima says with a fake smile.

Gauri felt uncomfortable seeing Arjun's smug smile and Ridhima's fake smile.

"Come, let's sit." Ridhima tells them as she led them.

"Shouldn't we wait for your fiancé?" Gauri asks curiously.

"Omkara is running late. We've booked the private dining area. We'll have complete privacy." Ridhima says.

Confused Gauri looks at Arjun wondering why they needed privacy and he shrugs.

"People are always troubling Omkara whenever we go out." Ridhima says.

Gauri nods understanding and sees Arjun rolling his eyes hearing that.

Gauri felt uncomfortable as she took her seat. Very rarely she had been to fine dining and this private dining was like over the top. She was feeling so conscious and she was someone who has always been comfortable in her skin.

Gauri politely smiles as she took the menu from the waiter. She opens the menu and looks through the menu.

"Order whatever you want, it is our treat." Ridhima tells them.

"We'll go dutch." Gauri says quickly.

"Oh please, it is embarrassing for Omkara." Ridhima tells her scandalized.

Just as the waiter left, Ridhima leans forward and politely tells Arjun and her, "Don't be shy. Order whatever you want. Order the most expensive items on the menu, it is cool."

Gauri and Arjun awkwardly nods.

"Sweetheart, what will you like to have?" Arjun asks Gauri.

"Sushi?" Gauri replies noticing Ridhima's face change.

"Wow! Even I was thinking that." Arjun says happily. "It's like one mind."

Gauri softly smiles.

Smiling, Arjun keeps his hand over hers.

"I'm thinking, lobster." Ridhima says.

Gauri and Arjun looks at her, and sees her watching them.

"Good choice." Gauri says politely.

"What about drinks?" Ridhima asks.

Soon, they had finalized their drinks.

Seeing Ridhima waving over a waiter to order, Gauri asks curiously, "What about your fiancé? Shouldn't we wait for him?"

"He might take time. He is so busy. He has an empire to look after. His grandfather is partially retired, his father is also planning to do the same. It is Omkara who is managing everything now." Ridhima says.

"That might be so hard." Gauri says sympathetically. "I'm half dead by the end of my work day."

"Being an heir is not so easy." Ridhima says arrogantly.

"Yeah, I guess." Gauri nods and she notices a man walking towards them. Seeing the aura with which he carried himself, she knew this is the man she has been hearing about. Omkara Singh Oberoi. "I think your fiancé is here."

Ridhima excitedly looks back and then seeing Omkara she excitedly gets up and hurries to him. She hugs him and Omkara casually hugs her back.

"You're late." Ridhima cutely complains.

"Told you I didn't have time today." Omkara replies.

Ridhima's face falls while Arjun and Gauri awkwardly looks at each other.

"They are waiting, come." Ridhima puts a smile on her face and holding his hand, she leads him to them.

Gauri politely stands up and seeing that Arjun follows.

"This is Arjun and his fiancé, Gauri." Ridhima says. "And you guys don't need an introduction, still, my man, the Omkara Singh Oberoi." Ridhima proudly introduces.

"Nice to meet you." Arjun says putting on a blank face as he extended his hand.

Omkara shakes his hand as he nodded.

He turns to Gauri and extends his hand to her, Gauri holds his hand, and was surprised at the solid hand shake.

They sit down. And Ridhima immediately holds his hand. "We've ordered our food. Why don't you order yours?"

Seeing the way, Omkara had took the menu, Gauri wondered whether he even realized that Ridhima was holding his hand.

They sat in silence for a few minutes as Omkara went through the menu while the others waited for someone to speak.
Gauri couldn't help it, her gaze kept going back to Omkara. There was something about him. He had a charisma that made it hard to ignore him.

Ridhima kept suggesting a few dishes to him, while Omkara simply nodded to each suggestion and in the end, ended up ordering something completely different.

Then they silently sat as Omkara tasted the wine and shook his head at the waiter. The waiter started making other suggestions then he had hurried off to get the one Omkara asked for.

Gauri was starting to feel super bored by then.

Omkara tasted the next wine and then nods in approval. "I'll have this."

Gauri yawns.

Everybody at the table looks at her. Gauri sits up embarrassed realizing that she had yawned so loudly. "Sorry, excuse me." Gauri mumbles.

Omkara checks his watch then looks at Gauri confused.

"She had a long day. Today was final bridal dress fitting." Arjun says sweetly smiling as he held her hand.

"Oh you got your dress?" Ridhima asks surprised.

"Yes." Gauri says smiling.

"When is mine coming?" Ridhima asks Omkara.

"I don't know. Mom is handling it." Omkara replies as he took his mobile to check his mail.

"I'm super excited and eager to see how my wedding dress will be." Ridhima tells Gauri.

"You haven't seen yours yet?" Gauri asks confused.

"His family is picking my bridal dress." Ridhima tells her proudly.

"But it is your wedding, so shouldn't you be deciding?" Gauri asks confused.

"I don't mind because I am sure it is going to be grand." Ridhima tells her beaming.

"What if you don't like it?" Gauri asks her confused.

"Oberoi-s never go wrong." Omkara replies.

Gauri looks at Arjun as her eyes widened in shock. Arjun also awkwardly looks at her.

"I'm sure of that." Ridhima tells him smiling.

"I find it so strange." Gauri being Gauri couldn't hold it in.

"Just because you find it strange doesn't mean it is not something unacceptable." Omkara tells her. Then he arrogantly adds, "And it is our family tradition."

"Tradition?" Gauri asks shocked. "In this age and time?"

"I can clearly see you have no traditions and values." Omkara says looking down at her.

Gauri scowls hearing that then she says, "if tradition and value means taking away a bride's choice and preferences and imposing your likes on her big day then I am better off without any tradition and values."

"Mind the way you talk to my fiancé." Ridhima scolds her frowning.

"Don't take that tone with my fiancé." Arjun tells her.

Gauri looks at Arjun and Ridhima in shock at the way things had turned around. She looks at Omkara and sees him watching her with a curious and thoughtful frown.

"What was your name again?" Omkara asks her.

"Gauri Kumari Sharma." Gauri replies. Then she arrogantly tells him, "You can call me Gauri."

"What else was I going to call you?" Omkara asks confused. Then he asks, "Why should I call you anything?"

Gauri scowls. "Then why did you ask my name?"

"Because you gave me something to think about." Omkara replies as he turned his attention back to his phone and typed away.

Gauri frowns confused. "What to think about?"

"I don't think you are that important that I should share my thoughts with you." Omkara tells her as he furiously typed away after reading the message.

"My fiancé is very important." Arjun says offended.

"Of course, to you." Omkara replies as he looked at him. Then he turns his attention back to his mobile and continues the back and forth conversation with someone.

Seeing Arjun furiously looking at Omkara, Gauri keeps her hand over Arjun and politely smiles at him. "Relax. It is just conversations and opinions."

"Food is here." Ridhima says relieved.

Seeing the four pieces of sushi, Gauri softly gasps.

"Not what you ordered?" Omkara asks confused.

Gauri shakes her head shrugging it off.

"She ordered sushi only." Ridhima answers.

"What happened?" Arjun asks Gauri.

"For the price, I thought there would be three times the quantity." Gauri says shaking her head.

"You're not used to fine dining, huh?" Ridhima asks with a smile that was equally friendly and equally mocking.

"Thank God, no!" Gauri replies.

"Why?" Ridhima asks confused.

"Why do you say that?" Arjun asks chuckling.

"If this is the definition of fine dining, then it is like we, going to robbers and telling them to rob us blind." Gauri jokes.

Arjun chuckles, Ridhima scowls and Omkara was offended.

"You pay for the ambience, the quality, the hygiene, the taste." Omkara tells her.

"Still not worth the money. I like getting my money's worth always." Gauri tells him.

Omkara looks at her for a few seconds irately then he looks at Arjun and says, "I'm sorry, I forgot." Then gesturing at Gauri, he says, "Congratulations."

Gauri glares at him then looking at Ridhima, she says, "Even I forgot, Congratulations, Ridhima."

Seeing the way, Omkara and Gauri were looking at each other, Ridhima to defuse the situation, keeps her hand on his and resting her head on his shoulder, she says, "Thank you, I'm so lucky."

Seeing that, Arjun holds Gauri's hand tight and says, "Actually, I am the lucky one. Isn't she the most beautiful?"

Gauri felt awkward and looks at Ridhima and sees her eyes flare up, seeing that, Gauri looks at Omkara to see if he noticed that and stops in shock seeing Omkara checking her out.

Then his eyes locks with hers, she couldn't look away. She felt captivated.

"Oh my God, it is so beautiful!" Ridhima gushes.

Breaking out of the trance, Omkara and Gauri quickly looks at her. Ridhima was looking at her phone.

"The dress is so beautiful, Omkara. Your mother just send me the designs." Ridhima tells him excitedly.

Omkara awkwardly nods as he turned to look at Gauri confused. Gauri also awkwardly looks at him then they both look away.

Recovering, Gauri asks smiling. "Do you mind if I see it?"

"Sure." Ridhima says as she passed the phone to her.

Gauri excitedly looks at the photo, and cringes. The dress was screaming money! God, it would weigh 10kg! "Looks so heavy."

"Amazing, no?" Ridhima asks excitedly as she took her mobile back.

Gauri politely smiles.

Seeing her expression, fed up, Omkara looks up as he loudly sighs.

Gauri looks at Omkara and sees him shaking his head exasperated.

"I love this, Omkara." Ridhima says excitedly.

"If you want any changes, just message Mom." Omkara tells her.

Ridhima nods excitedly as she looked at her dress.

Surprised, Gauri looks at Omkara realizing this was what she had made him think.

She looks at Arjun and sees him watching Ridhima with an inscrutable expression. She gently keeps her hand on his. Arjun looks at her and seeing her watching him, he smiles at her. He takes her hand to his lips and gently kisses it.

Gauri blushes.

She looks up and sees Ridhima watching Arjun. Then she sees her look at Omkara and he was again busy on his mobile. For a fleeting second, she sees disappoint on Ridhima's face.

Gauri felt sorry for her, for being married to someone like Omkara.

Clearly Omkara was not going to be an attentive, caring and romantic husband.

Guess, money can't buy everything!

**********

"How was your dinner?" Vasundhara asks her excitedly.

"Disaster!" Gauri says tired as she walked to her room.

"Why? What happened?" Harsh asks concerned.

"Arjun's friend and her fiancé were there. Couldn't connect to them." Gauri says dismissively.

"Oh." Vasundhara smiles as she followed her. "You know, how many of your father's friends I can't stand."

Gauri chuckles hearing that, then she thoughtfully looks away as she thought of Ridhima and then Arjun.

"What happened?" Vasundhara asks her.

"If there is something that is causing confusion in me, should I discuss it with Arjun, how ever illogical it is?" Gauri asks her mother curiously, unable to take a decision.

"Of course, you should."

"What if it makes me look stupid and narrow minded and possessive and silly?" Gauri asks her.

"What happened?" Vasundhara asks her confused and concerned.

Gauri looks at her mother, she always discussed everything with her parents and they always stood by her, but she was going to get married, and she realized that there should be boundaries now. Gauri lovingly smiles at her mother, "I think this should be just between Arjun and me."

Vasundhara nods understanding. "But discuss with him whatever it is. How ever small it is. There shouldn't be any distance between husband and wife."

Gauri nods.

**********

"I wanted to tell you something." Gauri tells Arjun over the phone that night.

"Yeah? What is it?"

"Actually, I wanted to ask you something." Gauri nervously says.

Arjun chuckles. "So, ask."

Taking nervous breath, Gauri asks him, "Are you really over Ridhima?"

"Of course, I am." Arjun says immediately. "I already told you that."

"But tonight, I felt like you were showing me off to her." Gauri gently tells him.

"I'm going to marry you. You're my fiancé, why can't I show you off?" Arjun asks her.

"I felt you were trying to prove a point to her."

Arjun was silent for a few seconds then he says, "She was showing of Omkara's money, so maybe I just wanted to show her that even I've someone better."

"Why? What is the need to prove it to each other a point like that?" Gauri asks him.

"I don't know... you know, our break up was pretty bad. We always brought out extreme emotions from each other.. so maybe because of all that." Arjun tries justifying.

"I don't know..." Gauri says still not convinced.

"Gauri... you and Omkara were bickering like a married couple."

Gauri couldn't really argue that point. They did bicker.

"But we know, there is nothing there. Just like that. Ridhima is my past. She has moved on and I've moved on."

"I feel Ridhima hasn't moved on." Gauri says softly, wanting to get it off her chest.

"What? Why do you say that?" Arjun asks her shocked.

"Because I felt it. In the way, she was looking at you."

"No... no... nothing like that." Arjun says agitatedly.

"Will it make any difference to you if she has?" Gauri asks him worriedly.

"We are getting married in 3 days. And that is all that matters." Arjun says agitatedly. "I've to go."

**********

He ran away!

With his ex girlfriend!

The one, she met for dinner just 3 days back!

Gauri didn't know what to do. Her mother was crying. Her father was furiously screaming. And she didn't even feel like crying.

She was blank.

Hearing her mobile ring, Gauri checks her phone and sees it is Anika.

"Di..." Gauri answers the call.

"Are you okay?" Anika asks her in concern.

"I don't know." Gauri says sighing.

"I want to come there." Anika tells her.

"No, di. Already it is a circus here, I don't want any more drama here." Gauri tells her.

Anika was her cousin sister, and she had eloped when her parents didn't approve of her boyfriend, ever since then, Anika has been the black sheep of the family. Only she, secretly kept in touch with her.

Anika sighs hearing that. "Just know this, Gauri. This is for your best. Imagine what would have happened if he had ran off after marriage, or he had an affair with her after marriage?"

"I know." Gauri says tired and slightly relieved. "I just hope my parents realize that soon."

Hearing the door bell, Gauri sighs fed up. "I wonder who it is. This place is crawling with people."

Gauri hangs up the phone and curiously looks out and stops in shock seeing Omkara with what she presumed to be his family.

God! She hadn't thought of him. He and his family were going through the same situation like them, and she hadn't thought of him even for a second.

But he did think of her.

Gauri felt small and touched realizing that.

She was about to go to speak with him when his grandfather demanded to speak privately with her parents.

**********

"Marry him?" Gauri asks outraged as she pointed at Omkara.

"Yes, Gauri. Tomorrow..." Vasundhara starts.

"How can you even say that?" Gauri asks her shocked. "I took 3 days to take a decision regarding Arjun and it was the wrong decision and now, you are asking me to decide to marry him in hours?"

"Gauri, people are going to say many things because Arjun abandoned you." Harsh reasonably says.

"And your solution is that I marry a random stranger?" Gauri asks him shocked.

"I'm not a stranger. The truth is you are the stranger to me." Omkara points out.

Gauri turns to him exasperated and says fed up. "You might be the richest guy belonging to this big and influential family. But there are people who can't be bothered about all that. And I am one among them. I didn't even know you. True I have heard about your family and business but I would have never recognized you in a crowd if we hadn't met for dinner that night!"

Omkara stares at her for a full minute then he says, "Good thing my family left. If they see you behave like a fishwife then they would have decided against this alliance. I know you are opinionated but remember you're going to be the Oberoi bahu, and you start behaving like one."

Gauri stares at him in shock then turning to her parents, she asks them in shock. "Did you hear that?"

"Gauri... calm down." Vasundhara gently tells her.

"He thinks that having an opinion makes me a fishwife! You expect me to marry someone like him?" Gauri asks in shock.

"I didn't mean that." Omkara says offended.

"You just did!" Gauri argues.

"Its the way you express your opinions that shows your uncivilized nature!"

Gauri gasps in shock. "I can't believe I thought you were here to share our pain."

"Pain?" Omkara asks confused.

"Our fiances ran away!"

"Humiliation!" Omkara corrects her.

"My God!" Gauri turns to her parents and tells them. "His fiancé ran away and he is only humiliated! He is not hurt! And you want me to marry him?"

"Even you're humiliated, Gauri." Harsh gently tells her.

"Yeah... maybe." Gauri admits. "But that doesn't mean I marry this emotionless prick!"

"Stop it, Gauri. Behave!" Vasundhara scolds her.

"I won't marry him!"

"You've to, Gauri. This is the best for your future." Harsh tells her.

"How is it better for my future to marry a random guy?" Gauri asks him.

"Not a random guy, the Oberoi heir." Omkara reminds her.

Gauri turns to him and tells him furiously, "Why don't you take your Oberoi empire and shove it up your ass?"

"Gauri!" Harsh furiously says.

"Papa, he or any tom, dick and harry is the same to me! I don't know him!every time he opens his mouth, he drives me mad!"

"You don't really care about my money." Omkara says a little shocked and amazed.

"I don't!"

Omkara thoughtfully looks at her.

"Gauri, it is not an easy decision for us too. But please understand, if you don't get married then this scandal will ruin your life." Vasundhara pleads to her.

"And what if this marriage ruin my life?" Gauri asks her back.

"Such a big family had come home asking for your hand, Gauri." Vasundhara tells her.

"So?"

"Enough, Gauri. This is the perfect solution." Harsh tells her sternly.

"How?"

"I noticed a lot of people here." Omkara says as he stood up.

"Yeah... so?" Gauri asks him confused.

"It is because your fiancé ran away, right? Your relatives and friends, I presume." Omkara says as he adjusted his cuffs.

"You don't have to rub it in." Gauri tells him.

"They are here because your fiancé ran away. Tomorrow it is going to be different." Omkara tells her.

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

"Tomorrow, it is going to be Omkara Singh Oberoi's fiancee eloped with Gauri Kumari Sharma's fiancee." Omkara tells her as he looked at her. "It won't be just the relatives and friends, it is going to be the press too. You won't be able to step out of your house."

Gauri gulps hearing that.

"So, stop behaving like an immature brat. Wake up and smell the coffee."

"People are going to forget about it in a few days." Gauri tells him. "And it is more humiliating that you're marrying me to save face. I'll be called a charity case."

"Oh please! I am Omkara Singh Oberoi! My team is already working on giving our marriage a fairytale romantic spin."

"What? How?" Gauri asks shocked.

"They are slowly spreading the rumor about how the Oberoi prince had fallen in love with the pauper Gauri Kumari Sharma, and fearing that my family will never accept you, we had planned this whole double marriage and elopement drama with our friends, Arjun and Ridhima."

"What?" Gauri asks shocked out of her wits. "Who is going to believe that?" Then remembering she shouts in outrage. "Prince? Pauper? PAUPER?"

Omkara shrugs. "My team will make sure it is believed by all."

Gauri turns to her parents and asks them, "Am I the only one, seeing this pompous ass' arrogance?"

Vasundhara and Harsh look at each other in concern.

Omkara looks at her parents and tells them. "We don't have much time, so you better give her a crash course on how to behave in the manner befitting that of the Oberoi Bahu."

Vasundhara nods in daze and Gauri gasps furiously in shock.

"Normally, we sent the bridal dress, but you didn't like the one Mom picked. If you want Mom will have another delivered according to your preference."

"She has her wedding dress." Vasundhara says dazed.

Omkara nods.

"I didn't agree to marry you!"

"I'll see you tomorrow then." Omkara says as he started heading out.

"No." Gauri scowls at him.

Omkara stops and looks at Gauri in her eyes. "And come on time for the wedding tomorrow, Gauri." Omkara tells her as he started to walk off. "And remember, whatever you do, now it reflects on me and my family too."

"So bad, you forgot to tell that to Ridhima!" Gauri venomously says.

Omkara stops and looks at her. Then says, "I know, it's been a hard day for you. So, I am letting you have the last word."

Gauri glares at him.

Then he smiles at her.

Gauri's breath gets caught in her throat seeing his beautiful and captivating smile.

"Consider it my wedding gift to you." Omkara tells her with a grin and walks off.

Gauri wanted to scream.

That asshole didn't even let her have the last word!

**********

"I can't believe that my parents are forcing me like this." Gauri cries as she spoke to Anika on the phone.

"Gauri, you get ready. I'll come and pick you up. You quietly leave from there."

Gauri shakes her head helplessly. "I can't do that to my parents. They will be humiliated again."

"But Gauri what they are doing is not right. I've been through this, the moment it comes about the society, they forget our happiness and only think about how they will face the society. "

"I thought my parents were different."

"They are not."

"I know." Gauri says then hesitating, she says, "I can't do it to him also. He'll be humiliated once again."

**********

Gauri furiously pulls her hand away from her father's hand, as he led her to the mandap.

"I know you are angry. But one day, you will realize this was the right decision." Harsh tells her guiltily.

"I'll never forget that you forced me into a marriage that I didn't want." Gauri angrily tells him.

Gauri sits next to Omkara and sees him looking at her.

He looked spellbound seeing her dressed up as a bride.

He was wearing an ethnic attire and he looked gorgeous. Gauri couldn't help but stare.

Hearing the priest giving instructions, they quickly come to their reality and looks ahead.

Gauri takes a deep nervous breath seeing the crowd. She couldn't imagine what they would be thinking about the change in bride.

She decided to ignore them all, and just mechanically followed the instructions.

And just like that, she became the Oberoi Bahu.

**********

After changing into her night dress, Gauri steps out of the dressing room. She sighs as she looked at the magnificent room. Every thing was larger than life here. Even her graha pravesh was too grand. She was pretty much buried with gifts.

Hearing the bedroom door open, Gauri looks and sees Omkara locking the door.

Omkara looks at her taken back and says, "You changed? I thought you were supposed to wait for me."

"Wearing my bridal dress and all?" Gauri asks him.

Unsure, Omkara nods.

Gauri shakes her head and walks off to the bed. "You watch too many serials!"

"I don't."

Gauri stops and turns to look at him and sees that he was serious. "I was being sarcastic!"

"Sarcastic?" Omkara asks confused then realizing he asks, "You were trying to insult me?"

Gauri gives him a pointed look.

"Why is watching serial an insult?" Omkara asks confused. "I know a few serial producers, they do make tons of money." Then he asks her shocked. "Do you know the amount we pay channels to play our advertisements during the serial prime time?"

Gauri gapes at him in shock. "I don't know and I don't care." Gauri tells him then shaking her head, she asks him confused. "And why does it matter whether I change my bridal wear or not."

"Isn't that how things are done?"

"You mean, traditional way."

"Yeah." Omkara shrugs.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I ruined your suhag raat dreams." Gauri says mockingly.

Omkara scowls at her.

"Don't know even why you would ask me this." Gauri mutters as she turned to walk to the bed. "What difference does it make what I am wearing?"

"Don't you know?" Omkara asks her.

Without turning to look at him, Gauri starts removing her slippers. "What?"

"What happens between a husband and wife, sweetheart?" Omkara whispers to her, from behind, his breath brushing against her ears.

Realizing he was standing right behind her and what he had said, Gauri shrieks and jumps away.

"WHAT?"

Omkara chuckles seeing that. "Relax, I was just joking."

"I didn't find it funny." Gauri tells him glaring at him.

"Yeah, you are right. It is not that funny." Omkara nods as he turned and started walking to the dressing room.

"Right!" Gauri says glaring at his retreating form.

"Yeah, what is so funny about something that is going to happen very soon." Omkara calls out to her as he closed the dressing room door with his foot.

"Asshole!"

And she hears him laugh.

**********

Hearing the knock, Gauri sleepily opens her eyes and sees Omkara getting up and walking to the door. Irately, she pulls the blanket over her head and tries to go back to sleep.

"What is it?" Omkara asks sleepily.

"Sir, the beautician is here."

Gauri hears what the servant said.

He has a personal beautician? No wonder, he looks a film star! Bade log!

"So early?" Omkara asks sleepily to no one in particular as he turned to Gauri. "Gauri, your beautician is here."

"My beautician?" Gauri asks shocked as she sat up.

Omkara l0oks at her confused. "Yeah."

"Why?"

"To get you ready."

"Ready?"

"We've the mooh dikhayi function. Forgot?"

"Why the beautician for that?" Gauri asks him.

"Because everybody is coming to see the Oberoi Bahu." Omkara reminds her.

Gauri irately asks. "Why isn't the Oberoi heir getting beautified then?"

"Today is your day, wife." Omkara cheekily tells her.

"Stop calling me that." Gauri orders him as she walked off.

**********

Jhanvi gently lifts up Gauri's head covering. Gauri looks up at her mother-in-law and sees her politely smiling at her. Gauri smiles back at her.

Jhanvi turns to her side and starts taking gifts and keeping them on Gauri's lap one by one. Gauri's eyes widen seeing various diamond sets, gold sets, clothes and lots of gift wrapped gifts.

Once Jhanvi was done, Jhanvi starts introducing the ladies that were attending the function. And as each was introduced, they started giving her gifts.

"Jhanvi, your bahu is so beautiful."

Gauri hears one of Omkara's aunt gushing.

Jhanvi smiles hearing that. "I know."

"Is it any wonder that Omkara fell so hard and planned all this?"

Gauri was surprised hearing that, these people actually believed that bogus story?

Jhanvi chuckles as she slyly shared a look with Gauri.

**********

After everyone had left, Gauri sighs in relief. She starts picking up the gifts that were given to her.

"What are you doing?" Jhanvi asks her.

"Taking these to my room." Gauri replies to her confused.

"There are servants for that. Leave it there. They will do it." Jhanvi tells her.

"It's okay, I'll do it." Gauri tells her.

"You are the Oberoi bahu, Gauri. You shouldn't be doing any menial jobs." Jhanvi reprimands her with a frown.

Gauri nods and leaves everything there.

**********

Gauri walks into the room and finds Omkara there. Noticing her, Omkara looks at her and stops in shock as he stared at her.

"Stop ogling." Gauri arrogantly tells him as she walked off to the dressing room.

The beautician had done an amazing job, she had never looked so beautiful.

Gauri was removing her necklace when Omkara opens the door and walks in.

Shocked, Gauri turns to him and tells, "You can't just walk in like that!"

Omkara stops amused and asks her, "You expect me to walk into my dressing room after knocking?"

"I could be changing!" Gauri tells him frowning.

"And there is a lock on the door, which you should be using if you didn't want me to see you change." Omkara tells her.

"I don't want you to see me change!"

"Oh you could have had me fooled!" Omkara mocks as he walked to the cupboard and opens it.

"Can you leave? I want to change!"

Omkara takes a jewelry box and walks to Gauri. He extends it to her.

"What is this?" Gauri asks confused.

"I was supposed to give you this when I lifted your veil last night." Omkara tells her.

Gauri takes it and opens the box. It was a heavy set but she fell in love with it instantly.

"Like it?" Omkara asks her softly.

Hearing him, Gauri looks at him and sees him waiting for her reply.

"Did you buy this for Ridhima?" Gauri couldn't help but ask.

Omkara frowns hearing the question. "Of course not! You're the Oberoi bahu. And Ridhima is a fickle minded coward who eloped."

Gauri didn't know what to say to that. She hears a knock at the door.

"It's nice." Gauri gently says.

Omkara nods and turns to leave then he says as he looked at her, "It matches your eyes."

Before she could say anything, Omkara calls out as he stood by the door. "Come in."

Hearing someone on the other side, Gauri curiously waits.

"Can the servant come in?" Omkara asks Gauri.

Gauri nods.

Omkara steps out of the way, and the servant comes in carrying all the gifts in a trolley.

Gauri stayed silent as the servant kept everything neatly and then left.

"Locker is in the last cupboard." Omkara tells Gauri. "Locker number is 2806."

"Your birthday?" Gauri curiously asks him as she walked to the cupboard.

"Of course not. Which fool keeps their birthdate as a password?" Omkara asks shocked.

Gauri looks away embarrassed. "What are these numbers then?"

"Just random numbers." Omkara shrugs and then asks curiously. "So, your password is your birthdate?"

"No." Gauri lies as she avoided eye contact.

Shaking his head, Omkara leaves the room. "You need better passwords, Gauri."

**********

"Aren't you getting ready?" Omkara asks Gauri curiously.

"For what?" Gauri asks him.

"Pagphere. You've to go to your house, right? Don't you've all these functions?" Omkara asks her confused.

"I'm not going." Gauri tells him dismissively. "I told my parents not to come."

"Why?" Omkara asks confused.

"I don't want to see my parents."

"Why?"

"You're asking that?" Gauri asks him shocked and angry. "They forced me to get married!"

"Stop being so stubborn. This marriage was the perfect solution to the mess we were in." Omkara tells her.

"Might be for you. Not for me! I didn't want to marry you."

"But you did!"

"They forced me! I was left with no choice."

"Not only you. Even me. So stop acting as the only victim." Omkara tells her sternly. "Anyway, get ready to go to your house. I'll come to pick you up in three days."

"I said I am not going."

"It's a ritual, Gauri. You've to do it."

"Oh my God, for a man of today, you're so regressive."

"There is nothing wrong in upholding the traditions and values. Don't forget you're the Oberoi bahu, you've a lot of responsibilities and you need to live up to them."

Gauri wanted to scream, helpless, she says, "I can never forgive them for forcing me to marry a man like you. You're so arrogant and dominating, they saw that, still they forced me."

"I'm the way I'm. And your parents saw the wisdom in this marriage unlike you."

"How can you be okay with this marriage?" Gauri asks him helplessly.

"It saved us all from humiliation. So, I am okay with this marriage." Then he says in a gentler tone. "Get ready, Gauri. I'll call your father and asks him to come pick you up."

Gauri looks away wanting to cry and scream.

Omkara seeing that says as a peace offering. "You go. I'll come and bring you back in the evening."

Unhappily, Gauri gives in.

**********

"How was your visit with your parents?" Omkara asks Gauri on their way back home.

Gauri shrugs in reply.

Seeing her showing attitude, Omkara takes out his mobile and gets busy on it.

They remained silent the rest of the way home.

The reach home, and they start to walk in.

"Gauri..." Omkara calls her.

Gauri turns to look at him.

"There has never been a divorce in our family. And there will not be one. So, it will be better for you and me, that you start accepting this marriage." Omkara tells her.

"If you can't live happily and peacefully with someone then divorce is the way to go. Compromising in your life for the greater good is good but sacrificing your life to avoid being tagged a divorcee is not good." Gauri tells him.

Omkara stops hearing her.

"Anyway, marriage is not a joke for me also. I don't take it lightly. But I need time to move on from the shocks that I went through in the last few days." Gauri tells him and walks off.

They walk in and finds Omkara's parents and grandfather waiting for them.

"Omkara, tomorrow's press conference is confirmed." Tej informs him.

"Good." Omkara nods.

"I say we cancel it. There is no need for that." Prithviraj says.

"We need to give a statement. Better you than any of us." Omkara tells him.

"I just don't understand how people are going to believe that you feared we would consider Ridhima a better choice than Gauri." Prithviraj says shaking his head.

Gauri was surprised hearing that.

"It is true, Omkara. Even today everyone was saying, why you had to do all this." Jhanvi tells him.

"They said that seeing how beautiful Gauri is." Omkara says.

Gauri's eyes widen hearing Omkara say that.

"Ridhima has the connection that Gauri didn't. Her uncle is a noted businessman. Her father though not a successful man, people know him. Ridhima's family is moderately known while Gauri's is not. So, people will believe." Omkara points out.

"A simple background check would show that Gauri belongs to a very good kandhaan. Better than Ridhima's." Tej reminds him.

"Yeah?" Gauri asks shocked. She didn't know her family was something big.

Omkara looks at Gauri in surprise."You don't know that? Both your father's and mother's family ties are pretty strong. Very prestigious. Not in the sense of money but in the sense of blood ties."

"Yeah?" Gauri asks shocked out of her wits. "How did you find out?" Gauri asks Omkara.

"When I realized that Ridhima ran off with your fiancé, the first solution I could think of was marry you. So, I had my people find out about you and your family."

"You did?" Gauri asks shocked.

Omkara shrugs and says, "I got all the details in a day's time. Your great grandfathers both on your mother's and father's sides were pretty powerful during their time."

Gauri stares at him in shock. "I had no idea about my family."

"How can you not know that?" Prithviraj asks her shocked.

"I didn't know." Gauri replies shrugging realizing why his family seemed okay with this marriage.

"What kind of behavior is that? You should know your family." Prithviraj says disapprovingly.

"Daddaji... tomorrow when you meet the press, act as if you approve of this marriage." Omkara starts.

"I approve this marriage. True, she is poor but she belongs to a very good family." Prithviraj says.

She was not poor. She belonged to upper middle class family!

"But behave as if you are acting in your approval. Then only people will believe that it was all a plan by me."

Prithviraj nods.

Omkara and Gauri walks to their room.

"What if they find Ridhima and Arjun?" Gauri asks confused.

"We'll find them before that." Omkara replies.

"And?" Gauri asks him worriedly.

"Pay them off to lie." Omkara says shrugging.

"That's it?" Gauri asks shocked. She had expected something else.

"What else?" Omkara asks her.

"I don't know." Gauri replies shrugging. "I thought you would be super mad at them."

"Oh revenge? You thought I would take revenge."

Gauri shrugs.

"My priority is you now. My priority is hiding from the world that I was ditched. They are nothing." Omkara tells her.

Gauri nods.

"And maybe, I should thank that Arjun for saving me from that fickle minded Ridhima. She is clearly not worthy enough to be Oberoi bahu."

Gauri rolls her eyes. Oberoi-s did think really highly about themselves!

**********

Gauri watches as Omkara got on the bed.

"How did you and Ridhima..." Gauri asks curiously.

Omkara looks at her. "Her uncle is a business associate. We were thinking of my marriage and that time someone mentioned Ridhima to my mom. Compared to us, she is a pauper, but Daddaji wanted someone with good family ties rather than someone rich."

"Why?" Gauri asks confused.

"Daddaji's father is a self made man. He was an orphan. Even Daddaji's mother. We don't know about our ancestors before them." Omkara tells her a little embarrassed.

"Shouldn't you all be proud that he is a self-made man?" Gauri asks confused. "You all are bearing the fruit of his hard work." Gauri tells him.

"True." Omkara agrees. "But what we needed was family ties. Mom is also from a pretty decent family. Nothing like yours. Yours go way back."

"Isn't that a little like racism?" Gauri asks confused. "You are choosing someone based on her family rather than her. You've to live with her, not her blood ties."

"People from good family will have those values in their blood."

"Says the man who called me a fishwife." Gauri reminds him.

"Isn't fishwife a racist word?" Omkara asks her with a teasing smile.

"You started it."

Omkara grins. "What about you and Arjun?"

"Matrimony site."

"So, why did you decide to marry Arjun?" Omkara asks her.

"Thought he was a nice stand up guy." Gauri says disgruntled.

Omkara chuckles hearing that. Then cheekily leaning towards her, he says, "I'm a nice stand up guy."

Seeing the way, he was being cheeky with her, Gauri couldn't help her blush. "In your dreams." Gauri tells him smiling as she slightly pushed him away, and turn to lie on her side, giving her back to him.

**********

"Do you have Schengen Visa?" Omkara asks Gauri the next morning.

"No... why?" Gauri asks confused.

"I was supposed to go for honeymoon tomorrow."

Gauri got pissed hearing that. She didn't like that he was supposed to go for honeymoon with Ridhima. Then realizing how she was being silly, Gauri shakes her head. "No, I don't. Why?"

"We should go somewhere. Anyway I had cleared my schedule for the honeymoon."

"Why?"

"For honeymoon."

Gauri's eyes widen and she panics. "Honeymoon? Why should we go?"

"Why else?" Omkara asks her back with a flirty smile.

"What?" Gauri screeches.

Omkara chuckles. "I'm kidding. I'm not ready for all that. Since, we have this whole fairytale romance, it would be weird if we don't go for honeymoon."

"I don't know who is believing these narratives you're spinning." Gauri says rolling her eyes.

Omkara takes his mobile and swipes through it. Then he turns his screen to show her.

Gauri looks in surprise as he kept swiping the pages which had articles about their love story.

"Your team is on over drive."

"Do you've any idea how many people are claiming to have seen us together? Knew about it long back? Was in on the plan? And not all of them are my people."

Gauri's eyes widen in shock.

"So, we'll go somewhere tomorrow." Omkara tells her.

"Where?"

"Do you've any particular place in mind?" Omkara asks her.

Gauri thinks for a bit and finally says. "Maldives."

Omkara nods as he called up his secretary to give instructions.

**********

"Gauri, the designer will come today at 10." Jhanvi informs her at the dining table.

"Designer?" Gauri asks confused.

"For your wardrobe."

"But I've my wedding trousseau all set."

"You need new clothes."

"They are all new ones."

"Designer is coming."

"Why waste money?" Gauri asks confused.

Jhanvi frowns. "You're the Oberoi bahu, you need to be dressed accordingly."

"I'm comfortable with the dresses I brought."

"Gauri, stop arguing." Omkara tells her.

"What?" Gauri turns to him in shock. "I'm not arguing..."

"Gauri, stop." Omkara tells her in a gentle stern tone.

Gauri looks away upset.

**********

"I decide what I wear!" Gauri tells Omkara the moment they stepped into their bedroom.

"Of course." Omkara replies to her.

"Your mother..."

Omkara cuts her off. "Why do you have to argue?" Omkara asks her again. "If she says something, then just listen. If you don't want to do it then don't. Do what you want."

Gauri stops in shock. "So, just get the clothes and not wear it?"

"If you like it then wear. If you don't then don't. Big deal!" Omkara says.

"Why waste money?" Gauri asks him.

"We've money. We can afford to waste it."

"Yeah because your Daddaji's father never wasted money." Gauri tells him disapprovingly and walks off.

Omkara stops in surprise hearing that.

**********

Gauri sighs as she watched Omkara work on his laptop.

Is this the honeymoon he planned with Ridhima also?

That guy has been working since the morning they landed. If he was not working on his laptop then he was screaming at people on his phone. And she was bored out of her wits.

**********

"Gauri, please stop kicking." Omkara sleepily mumbles.

Gauri opens her eyes and sees that she was lying like an arch with her leg on his legs. Gauri quickly take off her leg.

She watches as he slept. Apart from his breathing, that man hadn't moved an inch. How can someone be so elegant and in control even when they slept?

She moved around in her sleep like a trapeze artist.

God! Gauri groans as she pulled her blanket over her head and tried to lie straight.

**********

Gauri watched as Omkara got ready with his laptop. She tolerated it for a full day. She was not going to do it today! She had enough. She can't sit indoors and do nothing the whole day.

"I'm going out." Gauri declares.

"Where?" Omkara asks as he looked up from his laptop.

"Out. Somewhere. I am bored."

"Okay." Omkara replies as he got back to work.

Making faces at him, Gauri leaves the room.

**********

Gauri was walking around the hotel premise when her mobile rings. Gauri frowns seeing that it was Arjun calling.

"What do you want?" Gauri asks angrily as she answered the call.

"Gauri, you got married to Omkara?" Arjun asks her in shock.

"Why do you care?" Gauri asks him back furiously. "Where is Ridhima?"

"I'm sorry, Gauri. When you told me that she still loves me... Ridhima and I spoke and we realized that we still love each other... I didn't want to hurt you. I'm sorry. I was happy with you but..."

"I don't care. You could have told me the truth like a man!"

"I'm sorry, Gauri. But you married Omkara? I saw online that you both have gone to an undisclosed location for honeymoon. Is it true?" Arjun asks her.

"Get lost, Arjun!" Gauri says furiously as she cut the call and blocks him.

**********

"What are you doing here?" Gauri asks Omkara seeing him walking towards her.

Omkara shrugs.

Gauri couldn't help the smile realizing he had come looking for her.

"So, what are you doing?" Omkara asks her.

"Just walked around. I'm thinking what to do." Gauri tells him.

"What are the options?"

"Pool, spa, games, dolphin point etc."

"Ahaan." Omkara smiles.

Gauri smiles seeing him smile and she starts walking. Omkara walks with her.

"Arjun called." Gauri tells him.

"Why?" Omkara asks frowning. "Where is he?"

"I didn't ask." Gauri says shrugging. "He found out that we got married. He called me to ask me about that. He kept asking me."

"Was he in love with you?" Omkara asks her confused.

"Ours was arranged marriage. We were just getting to know each other."

"He was clearly smitten with you. The way he was ogling at you that day..."

"I think it was to make Ridhima jealous. To show her that he has moved on."

"Moved on?" Omkara asks confused. "Weren't they best friends?"

"What no? Ridhima was his ex-girlfriend." Gauri tells him shocked.

"Ex?" Omkara asks shocked.

"You didn't know?" Gauri asks him shocked.

"You think I would have come for the dinner if I knew he was her ex. Why did you come?" Omkara asks her shocked.

"Ridhima invited us for dinner."

"What?"

"So, you didn't know that Arjun was her ex?"

"Of course not! Why would I go to meet her ex?"

"You didn't even notice the way they were with each other?" Gauri asks him curiously.

"No. I didn't really notice them." Omkara tells her.

"What? How come?"

"I was distracted."

"Distracted?"

"I was intrigued by you."

"What?" Gauri shouts in shock.

Omkara looks at her and shrugs saying. "No one had ever behaved with me in the way you did."

Gauri grins hearing that. "You mean treat you like an equal?"

"Oh please you were looking down on me." Omkara chuckles.

Gauri laughs.

"It was infuriating, intriguing, strange, new, weird, confusing... I don't know..." Omkara says shrugging.

"Ridhima was kind of jealous when Arjun spoke to me. I felt she still had feelings for him, and told him that. He said, after I told him that, he spoke to her and they realized that they still loved each other."

"So, their solution was eloping? They couldn't tell us?"

"What would you have done if they told you?" Gauri asks him curiously.

"Called off the wedding. What else?" Omkara asks her.

"So, if they hadn't ran off, we wouldn't have got married."

"True."

"Hmmm."

"You're better off without him. Like I am better off without her." Omkara tells her.

"I know."

"Why are you so against our marriage?" Omkara asks her.

"I was forced."

"You know, it is not that bad being married to the Oberoi heir." Omkara tells her.

"Who knows?." Gauri says shrugging as she started walking off.

"Who knows?" Omkara asks offended.

Gauri stops and turns to look at him. "I don't know, maybe being married to the Oberoi heir is not a bad thing. Maybe it is."

Omkara looks at her irately.

"Do you know when being married to the Oberoi heir is not a bad thing?" Gauri asks him seeing that he didn't like her reply.

"When?" Omkara asks her frowning at her.

Gauri looks into his eyes and tells him, "When being married to Omkara is a good thing."

Omkara looks at her in shock then scoffing, he says. "It's the same."

"It is not. I married Omkara. I didn't marry the Oberoi heir." Gauri tells him.

Omkara looks at her in shock and confusion.

Seeing him like that, Gauri simply walks off.

**********

Gauri was watching the waves as she stood on the shore.

"I have always been the Oberoi heir. Ever since the day I was born." Omkara says lost in thoughts.

Gauri turns to look at him and sees him staring ahead.

"Always. The Oberoi heir." Omkara says thoughtfully.

"And it became your identity." Gauri says softly.

Omkara looks at her and says, "It never occurred to me that I could be anything other than that."

Gauri nods.

"As long as I can remember, I've been told how to behave, how to talk, who to be friends with, what to do, i am the Oberoi heir and I had to always live up to it." Omkara tells her.

Hearing that, Gauri felt sorry for him. Ever since her marriage, she has been called the Oberoi bahu and she didn't like it or like the responsibilities that came with it.

"You keep calling me the Oberoi bahu and I don't like it. I don't want to be lost inside that identity. I am more than a bahu. I just want to be Gauri." Gauri tells him.

Omkara nods hearing that. Then he says, "I didn't realize it. I was the Oberoi heir. Everyone around me treated me like that. I behaved like that. My wife is supposed to be the Oberoi bahu. And I just accepted it. And I expected you to be it."

Gauri nods. "Be thankful for the privilege of being the Oberoi bahu."

Omkara nods. "Everybody treated me like a Prince. The heir. And I just thought that was it. Nobody ever treated me in a way that was not befitting the Oberoi heir." Then he looks at her and says "Till you came."

Gauri looks at him and sees him looking at her in awe.

"First time, someone is making me wonder if I am not the Oberoi heir then what will I be."

"And?"

Omkara helplessly shrugs. "I just don't know."

Gauri didn't like seeing him so helpless. She liked him as the arrogant and over confident Omkara. So, she says cheekily as she patted him on his arms. "Don't worry, Omkara. Even if you are not the Oberoi heir, you'll be Gauri Kumari Sharma's husband."

Omkara looks at her in shocked surprise.

Grinning, Gauri turns to walk off. Omkara quickly holds her hand and pulls her towards him.

Gauri goes slamming onto his chest.

She looks at him in surprise.

Omkara gently runs his finger on her cheek.

Gauri felt goosebumps all over her.

"I believe, it is Gauri Omkara Singh Oberoi." Omkara tells her as he sexily smiled at her.

Gauri looks at him in shock, then her cheeks turns red as she blushed.

Seeing that, Omkara leans and gently kisses her cheek.

Shocked and surprised, Gauri looks at Omkara, and seeing him smiling at her, so happily, she couldn't control her blush.

Feeling happy and shy, Gauri hugs him.

Omkara happily hugs her.

**********

"She eloped?" Omkara asks shocked.

They were lying on the bed as Gauri showed him photos on her phone.

"Chachu forcefully made her meet a guy for proposal. That evening, Anika di left home." Gauri tells him.

"Your family would have been so humiliated." Omkara says.

"What about what they made her go through? Jeeju was not acceptable because he belonged to lower middle class family." Gauri says shaking her head.

"But still, she went against the family?" Omkara asks her disappointed.

"She had no choice!" Gauri argues.

"Not humiliating the family is a choice."

"How can you even say that?" Gauri asks him shocked. "The family was wrong."

"But the scandal."

Gauri shakes her head disappointed at him. "So, you would rather live with someone you don't love than have a scandal?"

"We did that, right?" Omkara asks her back.

"I didn't do it out of choice." Gauri points out to him.

"Why didn't you run off?" Omkara asks her curiously.

"I couldn't humiliate my family. I couldn't do that to you." Gauri hesitantly says.

"Me? You married me for me?" Omkara asks her shocked.

"The humiliation, the insecurity, questioning yourself when your fiancé abandons you at the alter... I went through the same. And I couldn't do that to you. I couldn't let you go through that once again." Gauri says as she looked at him.

"I...." Omkara stops feeling touched by her action. Then Omkara looks at her feeling guilty. "I married you for me and my family."

"I know."

Omkara holds her hand and says sincerely. "You're my wife, Gauri. You're my family now."

Gauri gently smiles as she held his hand. "And you're my husband, Omkara."

Omkara smiles hearing that. "You forgive me?"

"I don't know. I just want to move forward." Gauri tells him.

Omkara leans towards her and kisses her cheek gently. "Spoke like the true Oberoi bahu."

Furiously Gauri turns to scowl at him and sees him giving her a sheepish smile.

"It is going to take me a little time to shed all that."

"Hmph!" Gauri turns to her side and goes to sleep.

**********

"Have you been on jet ski?" Omkara asks Gauri at breakfast the next day.

"No."

"You want to go?"

"What about your work?" Gauri asks him.

"We're here for our honeymoon. I should spend time with my wife." Omkara tells her smiling.

Gauri smiles hearing that.

**********

"Go slow, okay." Gauri tells Omkara as she got on the back.

"If we go slow, it will topple over." Omkara tells her.

"You are kidding me, right?" Gauri asks him suspiciously.

"No, Gauri." Omkara tells her then turning to look at her, he says with a flirty smile. "Just hold me tight."

"You wish!" Gauri cheekily replies.

Chuckling Omkara starts and Gauri on reflex, quickly holds him tight.

**********

"That was fun." Gauri tells Omkara as they walked back.

"I'm glad you had fun." Omkara tells her smiling.

"Do you know why I wanted to come here?" Gauri asks him as she held his hand and walked.

"Why?"

"I'm a little scared of water. So, I always wanted to face that fear." Gauri tells him.

"You know swimming, right?" Omkara asks her curiously.

"I do but I am not an expert. I can manage but every new pool, I'm a little scared in the beginning. I learned swimming only very recently."

"I learned swimming when I was small. I used to have all these classes. Swimming, horse riding, golf, tennis, chess. I never had free time when I was small." Omkara tells her.

"As a part of being Oberoi heir?" Gauri asks him.

Omkara nods.

"Busy childhood."

"Yeah." Omkara nods then he says amazed. "You know, I've never had free time like this. Walking around, doing nothing. Having no idea what I am going to do next."

"You mean you've never loitered around."

"Yeah. Make use of every single second because time is money."

"Do you feel you are wasting your time now?" Gauri asks him softly.

"No." Omkara tells her smiling.

Gauri smiles hearing that.

"You know, when you think of it, this time is like an investment for our future life."

Gauri turns to him and gives him an exasperated look.

Omkara shrugs and says, "I'm tuned like that."

**********

Soon, they were back home and Omkara had got back to his work routine. Gauri's leave was also getting over and she was supposed to rejoin work in a few days.

"What is the need to work there? Join our company." Jhanvi tells Gauri.

"But I'm an interior designer." Gauri reminds her confused. "What will I do there?"

"You should learn just like I learned. I was a kindergarten teacher." Jhanvi tells her.

"But I like my profession." Gauri argues.

"Then start an interior designing firm. Don't work for someone else." Tej tells Gauri.

"Start a firm?" Gauri asks shocked.

"Gauri, you need to remember you're an Oberoi. We don't work for others. They work for us." Jhanvi reminds her.

**********

"What is it?" Omkara asks Gauri curiously seeing her furiously marching up and down their bedroom.

"I decide where I work. It is my career and I decide it!" Gauri furiously tells him.

"What happened?" Omkara asks her.

"I was telling Mom that I will be going back to work soon and she told me to join your company." Gauri tells him.

"And you don't want to?" Omkara asks her.

"Of course not! How can you even think that? I am an interior designer!"

"Okay then don't." Omkara says shrugging.

"They want me to start my own firm!"

"Yeah, that is a good idea."

"I decide that. If and when I want to start my own firm."

"What is wrong in having your own firm?" Omkara asks her.

"There is nothing wrong. One day, I will. Not now."

"Your are the Oberoi bahu, we've never worked for someone else."

Gauri furiously turns to him. "I'm Gauri!"

"I know... I'm just telling you what they are thinking. They will feel humiliated." Omkara reasonably tells her.

"What about you?" Gauri asks him as she looked at him.

"It doesn't matter what I think. It is your career and your decision."

"It matters what you think."

"I don't like that you're working for someone else." Omkara tells her. "But I also have realized that your thinking is different from mine."

Gauri looks at him and says, "I'm not doing it to humiliate you or your family. It is my dream to have my own firm."

"Then lets do that."

"No." Gauri shakes her head.

"You don't want to take my money?" Omkara asks her frowning.

"That is secondary, Omkara." Gauri tells him exasperated.

"Then?"

"I've a lot to learn. I need to make a name for myself in the industry. I need to be confident that I am ready. It is my whole career. I really need to be ready otherwise I might just ruin my career. I can't take chances. I need experience first."

Omkara nods. "I'll talk to my parents."

Gauri nods.

Omkara pulls her on to his lap. Blushing, Gauri wraps her hands around his neck.

"I appreciate that you bring all these issues to me instead of dealing it directly with my parents." Omkara tells her as he wrapped his hand around her waist.

"It is not that I can't deal with it. I've always seen my mother speak to my father when she has any issues with his family." Gauri tells him. "She says he knows to handle his family better than her."

"She is smart." Omkara chuckles.

Gauri smiles. "What will you tell them?"

"You're not going to like it." Omkara says grinning.

"What are you going to say?" Gauri asks laughing.

"It is going to be more humiliating when the Oberoi bahu starts a business and becomes a failure." Omkara cheekily tells her.

"You're sneaky." Gauri says chuckling as she kissed his cheek.

**********

Few weeks later, there was a party. Since, it was her first official appearance as Omkara's wife, Gauri was slightly nervous and excited.

By the time, she had reached home from work, the beautician and crew were waiting for her in the salon in Oberoi mansion.

Gauri went through with them about what she was wearing and how she wanted her make up to be.

"I want to wax my arms and legs too." Gauri tells them.

"Okay, lets get that done first then." The beautician gestures to her two assistants. "I'll attend to Jhanvi Madam in the meanwhile."

Gauri was in the middle of her waxing session when one of the girl asks her, "Madam, do you want to do bikini wax?"

Gauri was about to say no when she stops herself. She felt herself turn pink as she thought of Omkara.

She was ready to be intimate with her husband.

"Yes." Gauri says softly.

**********

Taking a deep breath, Gauri hurries. She was excited and nervous. She was so eager for Omkara to see her today.

Gauri blushes as she thought of how Omkara always stared at her. Today, he wouldn't be able to take his eyes off her.

"Looking nice." Jhanvi tells her approvingly.

"Thank you." Gauri says smiling noticing the whole family waiting for her. "Am I late?"

"No, let's leave?" Omkara asks her smiling as he extended his hand towards her.

Gauri smiles as she took his hand and expectantly looks at him. Just then, Prithviraj asks Omkara something, and he turns to speak to him as they walked out.

**********

Gauri sat on the bed disappointed while Omkara was changing in the dressing room. The whole night, Omkara had been so busy that he hadn't even noticed her. Prithviraj had ridden in the same car as them, and the whole ride they both were speaking on some business issue. Then at the party, even though they were together, Omkara had got busy with his business associates.

Never in her life, she had got dressed up for anyone. First time, she did for Omkara and he hadn't even noticed. She couldn't help feel insecure and neglected.

Omkara steps out of the dressing room and sees Gauri lost in thoughts.

"Penny for your thoughts." Omkara says with a sweet smile as he sat next to her.

Gauri looks at him, then disappointed she shakes her head as she started standing up. "I'll change and come."

Omkara holds her hand and pulls her onto his lap. "What happened, Gauri?" Omkara asks her lovingly.

Gauri shakes her head.

"Didn't you enjoy the party? Did something happen there?" Omkara asks her worriedly.

Seeing him worried for her, Gauri says softly. "It is not that."

"Then?"

Gauri nervously takes his hand in hers.

"What is it, darling?"

"Do you find me attractive?" Gauri asks him softly.

Omkara chuckles hearing that. "Why so suddenly?"

"No... I just..."

"I find you very beautiful." Omkara tells her. "You know that. Then what happened suddenly?"

"What about today?" Gauri asks as she gently plays with his fingers.

"Ah so that is it." Omkara says realizing smiling. "It's auditing time and its pretty hectic. So, I was busy with the discussion regarding that and then at the party I had to meet a lot of people."

Gauri nods.

"I was so busy I didn't even get time to ogle at my wife peacefully." Omkara tells her.

Gauri smiles hearing that. "Yeah right." Gauri chuckles as she started to get up.

Omkara holds her and pulls her back on to his lap. "You never cared about this before then what happened?"

Gauri shrugs.

"Tell me."

Gauri looks at him and then lowering her gaze, she says, "Because I did it for you."

"For me?" Omkara asks feeling happy and touched.

Gauri looks into his eyes and says, "First time I was going in public as your wife. In your circle. I wanted you to be happy and proud."

"Gauri, you're one of the most beautiful girl that I have seen up close." Omkara tells her.

Gauri blushes hearing that.

"But that is not the reason I'm happy that you're my wife."

"Then?" Gauri asks curiously.

"From the moment that I met you, you have affected me in a way that no one has. You've made me question myself, made me think, made me retrospect. Unlike others you don't care that I'm the Oberoi heir. You are only concerned about me. You don't let me have my way."

Gauri smiles hearing that.

"All my life, I've felt superior to others. But you've treated me like an equal. And nothing has been as liberating as that." Omkara tells her.

Gauri smiles happily hearing that. She lovingly caresses his cheek.

Seeing the way, she was looking at him, Omkara leans towards her and takes her lips in his. Gauri wraps her arms around his neck and kisses him back.

Breathless they part.

Seeing the way Gauri was looking at him, Omkara gently says. "Our marriage was so sudden. Let's not rush. We'll take it slow."

Understanding he wasn't ready yet, Gauri nods.

Omkara smiles seeing her being understanding. He lovingly caresses her cheek.

"I've never experienced this before. I just want to savor this. Take our time."

"There is no hurry." Gauri tells him smiling.

Omkara smiles and takes her lips in his and gently kisses her.

feeling his finger caress her naked back, Gauri shivers as she brushed against him.

Omkara kisses down her face and starts kissing her neck.

"I thought we were taking it slow." Gauri gasps as she gripped his hair.

Grinning Omkara leans back and looks at her. "That doesn't mean I can't kiss my wife." Omkara says as he ran his finger on her back.

"Maybe you should stop, husband." Gauri tells him as she kissed his lips feeling turned on like never before.

"Why?" Omkara asks cutely pouting at her.

"Because you can't have it both ways." Gauri cheekily tells him as she kissed his lips then getting up, she sashays to the dressing room.

**********

"Honey, I'm home!" Gauri calls out cheekily as she walked into their bedroom.

"You're late." Omkara grumbles as he walked to her.

"Meeting with the client went on and on. And if you hadn't kept messaging every five minutes asking when I will get home, I would have got home half an hour earlier." Gauri tells him as she hugged him. "How come you're early today?"

Omkara takes her lips in his and kisses her hungrily. "I thought I'll spend some time with my wife today."

"Awww."

**********

"Omkara, my friends wants to meet you." Gauri tells him one morning.

"I'm busy this week, Gauri." Omkara tells her.

"Hmmm."

"Next week, maybe?"

"Next week is good." Gauri says smiling.

"Okay. I'll ask my secretary to sent you my schedule for next week." Omkara tells her as he kissed her. "Bye."

**********

Sharp at 5 Omkara walked into the cafe surprising Gauri. The last time, they had met for dinner, he had been late. Gauri couldn't help her smile remembering how he was engaged to someone else then and she was engaged to someone else then. Now, they have come a long way.

"Hey." Omkara says as he hugged her.

"You're right on time." Gauri tells him impressed.

"I'm always punctual." Omkara tells her surprised. "Time is money, wife."

"That day, you were late. Our double date with Ridhima and Arjun." Gauri teases him.

Omkara chuckles. "I told her I had a busy day and I won't be able to come. She kept begging. She forced me to come."

"Come, I'll introduce you to my friends." Gauri says excitedly as she led him to her friends.

Gauri sat next to Omkara as he sat silently and her friends uncomfortably sat. They were acting a little nervous around Omkara, and Omkara was in his Oberoi heir mode, being reserved and answering to the point.

This was another boring dinner.

"Hi sir, can I take a photo with you?"

Hearing the question, Gauri curiously looks and sees a man standing next to Omkara.

Nodding, Omkara stands up, and poses for the photo.

"Thank you." The man says after the selfie and leaves.

Omkara sits back down and casually takes Gauri's hand in his under the table.

Remembering how Ridhima had mentioned that people troubled Omkara when he went out, Gauri asks him in a whisper. "Did you wanted to go to a more private place?"

"Would have been more convenient."

"Why didn't you say anything?" Gauri asks him feeling guilty.

"I didn't want you to scold me in front of your friends that we were asking the restaurant to rob us blind." Omkara tells her grinning.

"I wouldn't scold you." Gauri tells him smiling.

"Oh please, Gauri, when you get angry, you don't care who is around. You don't think, you just react." Omkara tells her.

Gauri chuckles embarrassed. "Thanks for coming." Gauri whispers to him.

"I wanted to see who my wife hangs out with." Omkara cheekily tells her.

**********

"Gauri, we've finalized the date for the event. It is December 15th." Omkara informs Gauri on the phone.

"Okay." Gauri replies.

"Make a note on your calendar. You've to be here at sharp 7." Omkara instructs her.

"It's two months away still I'll remember."

"Still make a note. You've to be here. I don't want any confusions."

"I am making a note." Gauri tells him as she pulled up her calendar. "It's a working day. Hmmm."

"Take leave if you have to."

"No... no... I'll manage." Gauri tells him. "I'll be there."

"Okay." Omkara smiles. "See you at home."

**********

"Why don't you go home and stay with your parents?" Omkara asks Gauri.

"I'll stay here." Gauri replies as she tried not to sulk.

"I'll come back only next week."

"I'm fine here."

Omkara walks to her and gently pulls her up. "I know you are happy with me then why can't you forgive your parents?"

"I trusted my parents to stand by me at all odds. They didn't. Trust once broken is not easy to repair."

"You can call them, Gauri. They are worried for you. They keep calling me asking about you. Everybody is happy with our marriage then why are you keeping them away?"

"I'll call them." Gauri tells him giving in. "But I won't go. It is not easy to forget what they did."

"You don't hold it against me. Then why them?"

"You were a stranger, they were my own. I had expectations from them, not you."

Omkara nods. "I wish you wouldn't be so stubborn, wife." Omkara tells her as he took her lips in his and gently kissed her.

"I'm the way I am." Gauri cheekily replies against his lips making him chuckle.

**********

The week away from each other, made them yearn for one another. The time away from each other, made them realize how much they have come to care for each other and is used to one another.

Unable to take distance, Omkara cut short his trip and come back a day earlier.

Gauri who had been waiting around, the moment she hears the main door unlock, she runs excitedly and seeing Omkara, she runs into his arms and hugs him. Omkara hugs her back.

"Hmmm I missed you." Omkara tells her as he hugged her tight.

"I missed you too." Gauri tells him.

"Not more?" Omkara cheekily asks her.

"So you missed me less?" Gauri asks him with a fake frown.

Omkara chuckles as hugged her.

Watching them hug, Tej asks Jhanvi confused. "You sure the bogus story that he spread is not the truth?"

"I have no idea." Jhanvi replies confused as she watched them hurry to their bedroom.

**********

Omkara and Gauri hungrily kiss each other as their hands explored each other's body.

"If you say we should take it slow, I might end up killing you." Gauri tells him as she kissed him.

"Even if I want, I can't slow down, baby." Omkara says as he hungrily kisses her. He starts pulling on her clothes as he says, "and you already killed me,love."

**********

Omkara and Gauri happily smiles at each other as they gasped for breath.

"Why did you make me wait for so long?" Gauri asks him curiously.

Omkara smiles as he lovingly caresses her cheek. "Because I have never experienced anything like this."

"Even me." Gauri tells him smiling.

"You made me run in circles. No one has kept me on my toes like you do."

Gauri chuckles. "And I thought I was so easy on you."

Omkara chuckles hearing that.

"I didn't want to rush. I wanted to take our time. I didn't give you time when we got married. I wanted us to go slow. Take every step when we were truly ready." Omkara tells her.

Gauri smiles.

"So, for how long did I make you wait?" Omkara asks her grinning.

"Too long." Gauri says dramatically.

"Since when?" Omkara asks surprised.

"Two weeks. That party night."

"Oh ho." Omkara says happily.

"I even got bikini wax." Gauri cutely grumbles.

"Oh baby. I've to make it up to you." Omkara says as he rolled on top of her.

And he did.

**********

"I hear Ridhima is back with her family." Omkara informs Gauri.

"Hmmm okay." Gauri replies shrugging.

"She is alone." Omkara tells her. "I think she didn't marry Arjun. What I heard was that they are not together."

Gauri looks at him in shock. "They broke up again? And they humiliated us..."

"It worked out for us. Why do we care?" Omkara asks her as he held her close.

"Yeah. That is true. Arjun had told me that their relation was very passionate. When they were happy then they were very happy and when they fought it was violent."

"Maybe they will get back together again. Who cares?" Omkara says. "Anyway, my people already paid both of them off to keep quiet about us. And to stay away from us."

"Does it matter?" Gauri asks him.

"If the truth comes out then it will be a blemish on Oberoi's now." Omkara tells her.

**********

Omkara looks at his watch as he tried to remain calm.

"Where is Mrs. Oberoi?" He hears someone asks him.

"She is on her way." Omkara replies as took his mobile. "Excuse me."

Omkara dials Gauri's number. And Gauri cuts her call.

Irately, he messages her.

Where are you, Gauri?

Just outside. Coming in.

**********

Gauri eagerly scans the crowd for Omkara. And she sees him angrily walking towards her.

"Hi!" Gauri says as she happily smiled at him.

"You're late." Omkara angrily whispers to her.

"I was..."

"Gauri, I told you that you were supposed to be here at 7." Omkara furiously whispers to her.

"I'm sorry, Omkara. It took me time to get ready and then the traffic." Gauri reasons with him.

"I know you don't care for being the Oberoi bahu but that doesn't mean you take it lightly. This is such a big event for our company and you should have been here first. The whole family was here except for you. Everybody was asking for you."

"It was a hectic day at office and then..."

"To hell with your office, Gauri. This is more important."

Gauri frowns hearing that. "Just like how your Oberoi business is important to you, my job is also important to me!"

"Please Gauri, don't compare that to this." Omkara scoffs.

"Don't belittle my work, Omkara."

Omkara takes a furious breath and says, "It is you who is ignoring your duties as an Oberoi bahu."

"I don't want to be an Oberoi bahu!"

"You're one and you need to step up and do your duty to the family and the company!" Omkara tells her.

"I'm your wife, Omkara. I'm your family's daughter-in-law. I am not the Oberoi empire's daughter-in-law!"

"You are living the privileged life of this empire's daughter-in-law! You have duties towards it."

"I was forced into this bloody privileged life. I didn't ask for it!"

"Just shut it, Gauri. Please shut your mouth and come and play the hostess that you are supposed to be!" Omkara orders her.

**********

Gauri furiously grabs her clothes from her cupboard and shoves her clothes into her bag. Hearing the door open, Gauri turns to look and sees Omkara walk in. He ignores her and starts unbuttoning his shirt.

"I'm leaving." Gauri informs him.

Omkara stops and looks at her frowning. "What?"

"I don't want this privileged life."

"Stop being silly." Omkara orders her.

Gauri ignores him and closes her bag. "I'm taking only those things that I brought with me. I don't want anything that is the charity of the great Oberoi empire."

"You very well know they are not charity. They are your rights." Omkara furiously reminds her.

"Oh please. I don't want your rights too." Gauri tells him as she started walking out.

"Gauri, if you leave then don't expect me to come behind you." Omkara warns her.

"Goodbye." Gauri tells him in finality and leaves.

**********

"What is this, Omkara? I got a message from Gauri saying she left home." Jhanvi asks Omkara next morning angrily.

"What nonsense is this, Omkara?" Tej asks him.

Omkara irately looks at his parents and grandfather. "She said she doesn't want to stay here anymore."

"Who leaves home like this? Go and bring her back." Prithviraj orders him.

"She left on her own. If she wants, she will come back."

"She is your wife and you don't treat marriage so callously."

"What happened, Omkara? You both were so happy together." Jhanvi asks him in concern.

"Nothing happened! And you all please just don't interfere." Omkara tells her angrily and gets up and walks off ignoring the calls of his parents.

**********

Omkara comes home in the evening and stops in shock seeing Gauri's parents with his family.

"Omkara, Gauri is not at her home." Jhanvi worriedly informs him.

"I told you all not to interfere." Omkara says in anger.

"This doesn't concern just you. It is a family matter." Prithviraj reminds him.

"She is your wife, Omkara. And she is missing now." Tej tells him angrily. "She is not answering any of our messages or calls."

"She is not missing! She left home!" Omkara furiously reminds him.

"Where is she then?" Harsh asks him.

"She said she doesn't want to stay here anymore!" Omkara tells him.

"What happened, Omkara?" Jhanvi asks him angrily.

"She fought with me and left! And that is all I know!" Omkara tells them fed up and then starts to walk off.

"Where is my daughter then?" Harsh asks everyone worriedly.

"If she wanted to come to your home then she would have." Omkara tells him irately.

"But where else could she have gone? We should check with her friends." Jhanvi says thoughtfully.

"I called her friends, she is not with them." Vasundhara says.

"Is there any other place she could have gone to?" Tej asks them.

"She is not a child!" Omkara reminds them irately.

"Don't you care that your wife is not home?" Harsh asks him furiously.

"She left! If she wants to be here then she would have stayed! She said she doesn't want to stay here anymore."

Hearing that, Vasundhara gasps softly and worriedly asks Harsh. "She was saying that Arjun and Ridhima had broke up. I had called him but he said she is not with him. But what if he lied? What if she went to Arjun?"

The fight with Gauri and the separation from Gauri, Omkara was in the worst of his mood and hearing that, he lost it. He furiously walks to his mother-in-law and says. "Next time, you slander my wife, I will forget you are her mother."

Seeing him so furiously, Vasundhara worriedly nods.

"Then where is she, Omkara?" Prithviraj asks fed up.

"She would be with her cousin, Anika." Omkara tells him furiously. "But I don't want any of you going there and forcing or begging her to come back. She left on her own and if she wants, she will come back on her on."

"Anika? But we are not in touch with her." Harsh says shocked.

"You are not. Gauri has always been in touch with her." Omkara tells him. "And now, you all just get off my back! My wife and I don't need mediators."

**********

Gauri furiously cuts the call seeing it was her mother. Her parents and in-laws were calling her back to back. She had half a mind to block them all.

Her parents had even come to Anika's house to meet her. And to ask her to go back to Omkara's. But she wasn't going back there!

"I think you should talk to Omkara." Anika gently tells Gauri.

"If you don't want me to stay here then I'll leave." Gauri tells her.

"You can stay here as long as you want, Gauri. But I can see that you are missing Omkara. Talk to him and sort it out." Anika advices her.

"I'm fine." Gauri lies as she looked away, hiding her anger, sadness, loneliness, frustrations from her cousin.

Anika looks at her husband for help. Seeing that, Shivaay simply shrugs.

Hearing her mobile ring, Gauri was going to cut the call when she notices that it is an unknown number.

"Hello?" Gauri answers.

"Gauri...."

"Yes. Who is this?"

"It's Arjun."

"What the hell do you want?" Gauri asks him furiously.

"Your mother had called. She told me that you left Omkara."

Gauri furiously takes a breath. "Why is she calling you for that?"

"She wanted to know whether you were with me."

"WHAT?" Gauri shouts in furious outrage.

"We should meet Gauri." Arjun tells her. "Ridhima and I am not together anymore."

Gauri was too furious that she couldn't even form a proper retort. "Don't call me again!" Gauri says furiously and cuts the call.

"Was it Omkara?" Anika asks her curiously.

"Hell no! My husband is not a bloody pervert!" Gauri furiously says as she dialed her mother.

"Hello Gauri?" Vasundhara answers the call in relief. "Why were you not answering..."

"Did you call Arjun?" Gauri furiously asks her.

"How did you..." Vasundhara asks her worriedly.

"How dare you? What do you think of me? Do you think that I am that type of a girl?" Gauri asks furious and hurt.

"No, Gauri. We forced you to marry Omkara and then you left him."

"YES! I left that house because I have issues with Omkara. My husband and I'll have thousand and one problems between us that doesn't mean I will give Omkara's place to someone else."

"Then why don't you go back home, Gauri?" Vasundhara asks her confused.

"I don't want to go back there!"

"Gauri, last time we spoke, you were so happy with him. He also loves you a lot. When he heard that I called Arjun, he scolded me for doubting you."

Gauri stops hearing that. "Omkara knows me and I know him." Gauri tells her softly.

"Then why are you staying away from him, Gauri?"

"It is between my husband and me." Gauri stubbornly says.

"We're worried for you, Gauri. I'll take you back to Oberoi Mansion, Gauri. I'll come now."

Gauri furiously takes a breath. "Please do me a favor! Stop worrying for me!" Gauri says and hangs up the phone.

**********

Days went by and Omkara and Gauri remained stubborn. Even though they missed each other and was miserable without one another, their ego didn't let them back down. And the ones who suffered the most were the people around them. Omkara and Gauri took out their anger on each other, on the people that were with them.

And Gauri had another problem. Arjun has been shamelessly calling her up and coming to her office, trying to meet her.

Slowly people were getting to know about the separation. A blind article had come on one page 3 regarding them. Which made the families all the more panicked and started pressurizing them.

**********

"Oh my God!" Anika groans as she checked her phone.

"My mother?" Gauri asks her as she looked through the dresses on the hanger.

They had come for shopping.

"It's been two years since I got married and no one bothered to call me. Your mother didn't care whether I was dead or alive. Now, your mother keeps calling me every five minutes. She is asking me to speak to you and make you understand. Force you if I have to." Anika complains.

"I told you to block her." Gauri tells her cheekily.

Anika shakes her head exasperated. "She is acting as if she doesn't know your nature. Convince you, it seems!"

Gauri scowls at her. "I'm going to try these." Saying that, Gauri walks to the ladies dressing room.

**********

Gauri was about to close the door when someone pushes his way in.

Gauri stumbles back and sees Arjun closing the door.

"What the hell, Arjun?" Gauri asks furiously seeing him.

"Gauri, I've been trying to talk to you for so long."

"Were you following me?" Gauri asks furiously.

"I was here and I saw you." Arjun tells her.

"Whatever it is, just get the hell out." Gauri tells him furiously.

"I'm sorry I ditched you, Gauri." Arjun tells her as he held her hand.

Gauri furiously pulls her hand back. "I don't care about that, get out!"

"I shouldn't have done that. I understood my mistake. Choosing Ridhima was the worst decision I made. I was confused when I realized that she still loves me."

"I don't care! Leave otherwise I will shout!"

"Gauri, I know you left Omkara. I'm not with Ridhima anymore. Once we had decided to be together, we can still..."

"GET THE FUCK OUT YOU ASSHOLE!" Gauri shouts furiously. "DI... SECURITY!"

"Gauri... stop shouting." Arjun says panicking.

"Get..." Gauri stops hearing a knock at the door.

"Madam... is there a problem?" A sales girl asks her.

Arjun turns white hearing that. Gauri pushes him out of her way and steps out.

"Who is that?" The sales girl asks seeing Arjun inside.

"What is the problem?" The manager asks as he hurried in.

"There is a man inside the ladies trial room." The sales girl informs him.

"Gauri... are you okay?" Anika asks her as she hurried to her.

Gauri nods as she glared at Arjun.

"What are you doing here? Come out." The manager orders Arjun. "Call security."

"Wait... wait... wait... she knows me." Arjun says worriedly.

"What?" Manager stops in shock and turns to Gauri. "Do you know him?"

"Yeah."

"Madam, this is not your home. And you have no..." manager starts.

"I said I know him. I didn't say I called him inside. He is my ex-fiance! He followed me inside." Gauri furiously tells him.

"Isn't it your responsibility to make sure no man enters the ladies trial room?" Anika asks the manager furiously.

"I'm sorry, Ma'am." The manager quickly says.

"Gauri, please... I know you are angry with me but..."

Gauri furiously slaps him.

**********

Hearing the mobile ring, Omkara takes his phone to check and sighs seeing it was Shivaay. He didn't want to speak to anyone. He was about to cut the call then he hesitates because Gauri was staying with them. He answers the call.

"Yes?"

"Omkara, you should come home." Shivaay tells him.

"Shivaay... don't interfere. Gauri left on her own. I'm not going to beg her to come back."

"Omkara, it is not that. Your wife needs you now." Shivaay tells him hurriedly.

"What happened? Is she okay?" Omkara asks as he jumped up and hurried out.

"There was an incident when she went for shopping." Shivaay tells him.

**********

"Is she okay?" Omkara asks as soon as Shivaay opened the door.

"She has been furious and screaming at us all." Shivaay tells him.

Omkara sighs hearing that. "So, she is fine."

"I don't know. Anika asked me to call you. She is saying Gauri is not fine." Shivaay says tired.

"Why? What happened?" Omkara asks worriedly.

"Gauri said she doesn't want to press charges. Anika is saying Gauri is not fine."

"Where is she?" Omkara asks worried and shocked.

**********

"He thinks that I am not staying in Oberoi Mansion now, so I left Omkara! Who the hell is he?" Gauri asks furiously as she paced.

Anika nods as she watched Gauri.

"He thinks I should give him a chance because I was engaged to him once?" Gauri asks Anika. "He thinks he can compare to my Omkara?"

"You shouldn't have let him off, Gauri." Anika says gently.

"That pervert is not even worthy of our time!" Gauri says furiously.

Hearing the door open, she stops and looks at the door and sees Omkara.

Seeing him after the horrible incident and seeing him after so many days, her anger gave into water works. Tears starts flowing down her face.

"You okay?" Omkara asks her as he hurried to her.

"As if you care!" Gauri scoffs and then contradicts herself by hugging him.

Omkara quickly hugs her. "It's okay, Gauri. I'm here."

Anika quickly leaves the room to give them privacy.

"I'm feeling so humiliated." Gauri tells him as she cried.

"Why, love? Why should you?" Omkara asks her lovingly.

"What made him think that he has the right to come into my dressing room?" Gauri asks him. "And the manager, thought I invited him to the dressing room."

Omkara takes a furious breath hearing that.

"He thought I will protect him when the crowd caught him!"

Omkara gently runs his hand over her back to console her.

"How did he think that he could get away with this? I'm Omkara Singh Oberoi's wife. I'm the freaking Oberoi bahu!" Gauri tells him angrily.

"Then why are you letting him get away with it?" Omkara gently asks her.

"If people find out about it then..." Gauri worriedly asks him.

"When did you start caring what people would think? And why should they think anything... Arjun is in the wrong." Omkara asks her confused.

"If this gets out then everyone will find out that Arjun and Ridhima had truly eloped." Gauri reminds him.

"That is why you are not filing a police complaint?" Omkara asks her shocked.

"Then people will know we lied."

"Just because of that, you can't let him get away with misbehaving with you. He invaded into your private space. He should be punished." Omkara tells her.

Gauri shakes her head. "We can't. It will affect the credibility of Oberoi's."

"Gauri, when did you start caring about that?" Omkara asks her shocked.

"I care! Even I am an Oberoi." Gauri reminds him. "I'm Oberoi bahu. I've responsibilities."

"You're saying that? You left home!" Omkara tells her shocked.

"Because you were acting as if I should be grateful for being an Oberoi." Gauri accuses him.

"What is wrong in that? Even I am grateful for being an Oberoi. We've a blessed and privileged life!"

"You all work hard for all this. Omkara, you have been working hard for this ever since you were a kid. The truth is ever since you were born!"

"Maybe... I was always raised with all this. I can't change my belief. Gauri, I forced you to marry me. But you stayed with me then. I screamed at you and you left?" Omkara asks her in shock. "Why?"

"You were talking down about my work. You felt my work is nothing compared to your Oberoi Empire. You screamed at me!"

"That is how I am. I am not going to apologize for being me." Omkara tells her.

Gauri looks at him pissed.

"Gauri, there are things in me, that I can't change. You know you have a bad temper, but have you been able to change it?"

Gauri shakes her head in no.

"My concern for the Oberoi name. My pride in it. It being a priority for me. Sometimes ignoring everything else in front of it. I know, it is a little overboard. But I can't change it. It is ingrained in my blood."

Gauri nods understanding. "But it comes across very arrogant, Omkara. As if my achievements are nothing."

"Gauri, I am very proud of you. I am so proud of you wanting to build a career on your own without my help. I am so proud that you never bowed down to family pressure and left your career. I'm so proud that my wife is a self made woman."

"Then why did you behave like that that day?" Gauri asks him.

"I was in a bad mood and was disappointed. I had told you how important that event was for us. I informed you months in advance and still you took it so lightly."

"I didn't, Omkara. I was planning to leave office early but due to some unexpected emergency, I couldn't get out in time." Gauri tells him. "I didn't do it intentionally."

Omkara nods accepting.

"When you wouldn't listen to my explanations and started showing so much attitude and arrogance, I felt bad."

"Am I the same man you married, Gauri?" Omkara asks her gently. "Didn't I change?"

Gauri nods hearing that.

"Why should I change completely for you to accept me? Why can't you accept me the way I am?" Omkara asks her hurt.

"Nothing like that, Omkara."

"You feel that I need to improve."

Realizing Gauri admits. "I am sorry. I guess I wanted you to be a better person but I forgot you are perfect the way you are." Gauri tells him as she sadly cupped his face. "I'm not used to this overbearing personalities. Maybe that is why."

Omkara nods. "We could have just talked about this back home. But you had to leave and make this big circus."

Gauri nods as she looked down.

"What now?" Omkara asks her.

"What now?" Gauri asks him back as she looked at him.

"You left on your own. I will not ask you to come back." Omkara tells her stubbornly.

Gauri frowns hearing that.

"If you want you can come back. I'll not ask you."

Gauri scowls at him.

Seeing that, Omkara says. "I am here so if you were to come with me now, I'll just let everyone assume that you came back because I asked you to. But I will not ask you."

Gauri furiously glares at him. "I don't need your charity!" Gauri tells him.

"Fine!" Omkara shrugs.

"That is my house too and I don't need yours or anyone else's permission to come back!" Gauri tells him furiously as she marched to the cupboard and starts packing her bag.

Omkara couldn't help grinning seeing that.

He walks to her and hugs her from behind. "What am I going to do with you?"

"The same thing I am doing with you." Gauri grumbles as she turned to look at him.

Seeing him grinning, Gauri couldn't control herself and she also smiles then chuckling they hug each other and hungrily kisses each other.

**********

"You're back." Jhanvi says happily seeing Gauri walk in with Omkara.

Gauri smiles as she hugged her.

"What kind of behavior was that, Gauri? You didn't even answer any of our calls too." Tej tells her disappointed.

"I'm sorry." Gauri tells them. "I am sorry, I ignored all your calls too. I knew why you were calling that is why I didn't answer the call."

"It is okay but next time, whatever issues, stay home and sort it out." Prithviraj tells her.

Gauri nods.

"Good thing you listened to us." Jhanvi tells Omkara. "Now, both of you go to your room."

Omkara and Gauri walk to their room.

"Tomorrow we'll file a case against Arjun." Omkara tells Gauri.

"It is okay. I don't want to deal with him again."

"But you can't let him off like that, Gauri. You give me hell if I do something that you don't approve and he is getting off free?" Omkara asks offended.

"I slapped him. That is enough for now. If he comes again then we'll deal with him accordingly." Gauri tells him.

"You did?" Omkara asks surprised and impressed.

"Yeah. I'm Gauri Omkara Singh Oberoi." Gauri reminds him as she put her hands around his neck.

Omkara chuckles. "I'll be seeing him tomorrow."

"Why?" Gauri asks frowning.

"Just to have a talk." Omkara says shrugging.

"Let it go, Omkara. He doesn't matter."

"Yeah, he doesn't." Omkara tells her as he hugged her. "But I still want to have a word with him."

"Okay... he was a pain." Gauri gives in.

Omkara chuckles as he kissed her.

"I am so happy to be back here with you." Gauri tells him as she kissed him.

"Then stay here and don't go anywhere." Omkara tells her as he kissed her back.

**********

Few years later

Gauri was on the phone with her mother as she put night cream on her face.

"Hmmm... let me see. Next week Omkara is going to be away. I'll come then." Gauri tells her.

Time heals all wounds and over time, Gauri's relation with her parents also improved and came back to normal.

Hearing the door open, Gauri looks and sees Omkara closing the door and locking it.

"Okay, I'll call you tomorrow. Good night." Gauri says as she cut the call. "Where were you? I was going to sleep." Gauri asks Omkara.

"Daddaji called me." Omkara tells her as he walked to her and sat next to her.

"All okay?"

"Yeah... he was saying, it is 3 years since we got married. He was saying it is high time that the next Oberoi heir is here." Omkara tells her.

"Even Mom has been hinting at it for a while. My mother started two years back. Anyway what did you tell him?" Gauri asks him surprised.

"What can I tell him before I speak to you?" Omkara asks her back.

Gauri nods and says thoughtfully. "It is a big responsibility. Everything will change. For a while our career will have to take a back seat."

"Yeah, true." Omkara nods.

"Are you ready for the next Oberoi heir?" Gauri asks him.

"I don't know about the Oberoi heir. But I am very ready for our baby." Omkara tells her smiling.

Hearing that, Gauri smiles. "Even I think I am."

Omkara smiles and kisses her.

"You've come a long way from Oberoi heir to Omkara." Gauri tells him grinning remembering what he had said.

Omkara chuckles. "But the journey I love the most is..."

Gauri curiously looks at him.

"The journey from being a random stranger to the love of your life." Omkara smugly tells her.

Gauri chuckles as she took his lips in hers. "And I love how pompous you are."

*** The End ***

Like the I said, it is write-as-you-go story. And I know, the end fight and all were too messy. But other than that, I hope you guys liked the story.

Please vote and comment.

- Lazy