Thanks to all for voting and commenting on Because You Are Mine and showing the lovely support and encouragement for it. Thank you so much.

hakuna_matata_03 had asked whether a story with the lead couple being engaged since childhood and knowing about their engagement was my story. It was not, but I was kind of intrigued by the idea and thought of writing something on that. and this is the story I came up with.

I really wanted to write a short One shot like, I used to write earlier. So this is a pretty small story, it is not even a story, rather random musings.

Ready for the morning, Gauri was walking to the kitchen. Since her college exams were over, she was free nowadays and she had been lazing around her house and meeting up her friends whiling away her time. feeling an itch on her ring finger, she looks at her finger and scratches her finger around her engagement ring.

She has been engaged to Om since she was 4 years old and he, 10 years old. He is her father's best friend's son. And it's been 19 years since their engagement. She fidgets with her tight ring. Lately, it has become so tight that it was starting to pain her but she didn't want to remove her ring just yet. She was about to reach the kitchen when she overhears her mother talk to her father.

"Did you see the newspaper?"

She could make out her mother was irritated. She wondered what could be in the newspaper.

"Yes. Did Gauri see it?" she heard her father ask.

"She hasn't woken up yet."

"You tell her, before she sees it." Her father tells her mother.

"Okay. You remove the paper before she sees it. I don't want her to see the photo."

Curious, Gauri hurries to the living room before her parents spots her. She takes the newspaper and runs out of the house. Finally, reaching her usual place where she meets her friends, she starts going through it. Then she spots the news on the Page 3 section of the paper. Her eyes widen in shock seeing the news.

Omkara Singh Oberoi dating Ridhima Kapoor?

There was a photo of Om standing with actress Ridhima almost hugging her. she was leaning on his chest while he held her. it was a photo clicked at the party he had attended the previous day. she quickly starts reading the news and it had mentioned how the powerful businessman Omkara Singh Oberoi had been dating Ridhima Kapoor for months now and there would be a wedding announcement soon, revealed an unnamed source close to the happy madly in love couple.

Gauri takes her mobile to call Om.

"GAURI!"

Gauri turns to the sound and sees her best friend, Anika come running to her, holding the same newspaper. Along with her, even Ragini was there. Gauri mentally sighs seeing Ragini.

"I saw." Gauri informs her.

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

Gauri nods.

"Did you talk to jeeju?"

"Not yet." Gauri replies.

"It was just a matter of time." Ragini tells her in fake sympathy.

"Stop it, Ragini." Anika scolds her.

"This is not the first time it is happening. Every time he and his family make up some story and convince your father. This time, it is with photo proof."

"Photos can be lying too. You can morph photos." Anika argues vehemently.

"Yeah right!" Ragini scoffs. "You should realize, Gauri. your wedding was fixed by your parents. He doesn't need to or have to fulfill that promise that was given on his behalf by his parents without even consulting him. The earlier you realize that the better."

"Mind your own business, Ragini." Anika tells her angrily.

"No, I care for her. I don't want her to get hurt. After all he is the super-rich and famous Omkara Singh Oberoi, who can have the pick of the women like this Ridhima Kapoor for example. She is an actress. And you.... Gauri, he is born and brought up in Mumbai while you have always lived in Bareilly. He would want to marry someone from his social status and stature. And even if he married you, it would only be a compromise and he wouldn't truly be happy with you."

"Just because she doesn't say anything to you doesn't mean you should talk crap to her." Anika tells her angrily.

"I care for her. if he is not happy with her then how will she be happy with him? And Gauri deserves better than a cheating husband."

"I need to make a call, Ragini. If you will excuse me." Gauri tells her politely hiding her anger.

"Call, Gauri." Ragini tells her, not making any moves to leave.

Sighing, Gauri looks away as she took her mobile and dialed Om's number. She hears the phone ringing and it was cut on the second ring. Her heart starts beating fast.

"He didn't answer?" Ragini asks seeing Gauri hanging up the phone and getting up to leave.

"I need to go." Gauri tells Anika.

Anika nods.

"Don't waste your life on him, Gauri." Ragini tells her in faking sympathy.

Gauri ignores her and runs home.

Gauri runs into her house and sees her father sitting in the living room. he looks up at her.

"You saw?" Harsh asks her softly seeing her holding the missing newspaper.

Gauri nods as she dropped the newspaper on the table.

"I was going to call Tej." Harsh informs her.

"It's okay. you don't have to call to discuss this, Baba." Gauri informs him and runs to the kitchen.

"Gauri, are you okay?" Nayantara asks her in concern.

"I am fine, Ma. I want to cook." Gauri tells her.

"Okay." Nayantara smiles at her as she caressed her cheek. then she leaves the kitchen.

Before starting to cook, Gauri takes her mobile and calls Om again.

**********

Omkara was very busy in a meeting, giving out instructions and blasting his employees every now and then when he hears his mobile ring. Irritated, he turns his attention to his phone and it flashes 'Gauri calling'. He cuts the call and turns his attention back to the meeting.

Couple of minutes later, he was in deep discussion when he hears his phone ring. In irritation he turns to cut the call when he notices the caller. Ridhima Kapoor Calling.

He hesitates for a few seconds, then he answers the call.

"Yeah?"

"Hello, Omkara... Ridhima here." Ridhima worriedly tells him.

"I know."

"Did you see the papers?" Ridhima asks him worriedly.

Omkara closes his eyes in irritation. He really had no time for this shit now. "I do read the newspaper."

"You've to do something, Omkara. My phone has been ringing since morning."

"There is nothing I want to do, okay?" Omkara tells her irately. "I am not going to give this any undue importance."

"I am seeing someone and I am supposed to meet his family this weekend. They are very conservative. They already have issues with me being an actress and this..."

"Ridhima, I have better things to do than answer to gossips. If you are so concerned about it, then deal with it." Omkara tells her sternly and hangs up the phone.

Dropping the phone on the table, he continues with the discussion.

**********

After finishing up all the meetings, Omkara was walking out of his office when his mobile starts ringing. He checks his phone and sees 'Gauri Calling.'

"Sir?" Mishra calls him.

Omkara turns to him as he came to a stop.

"Sir, we haven't made a decision on the proposal from the Bansal's." Mishra tells him as he ran towards him.

Omkara checks his watch and tells in irritation as he started walking. "I'm getting late. You come with me. we'll discuss it in the Chopper. The chopper will bring you back." Omkara tells him as he cut Gauri's call and slipped his mobile into his pants pocket.

"Okay, Sir." Mishra tells him as he hurried with him to the helipad. Then he started briefing in on Omkara with the proposal.

********

"When will you be back, Sir?" Mishra asks Omkara as Omkara got out of the chopper.

"Day after." Omkara replies as he took his mobile to call Khanna to get his location.

"Okay, sir. Bye Sir."

Without replying, Omkara walks to his waiting car while his driver took his overnight bag from his hand.

********

As the car came to a stop, Omkara gets out of the car leaving his suit jacket back in the car, his eyes on her, as she sat by waiting for him. It was a plot that belonged to his family for generations, with just the ruins of an old haveli that none of his family members thought it important to renovate or demolish. This is where they had always met for privacy.

Seeing his legs next to her, Gauri looks up happily and sees him. He sits down before she could stand up. He side-hugs her and kisses her cheek lovingly.

"I thought you were going to come from this side." Gauri tells him happily pointing at the direction she was facing.

"I know your every thought." Om whispers to her with a loving smile.

Gauri giggles happily. "Yeah right! I called you thrice."

"What have I told you about the time when I cut your call?" Om asks her.

"That you are trying to finish your work so you can get to me as soon as you can." Gauri tells him smiling.

"And you wasted 3 seconds of our time. I could have been here 3 seconds earlier."

"You are crazy." Gauri giggles.

Om chuckles.

"What if it was an emergency?"

"Have I ever not answered when you called for emergency?" Om asks her.

"No." Gauri smiles. "But how do you know when it is emergency and when it is not?"

"I have my ways." Om cheekily tells her.

Gauri makes a face at him. "I called to tell you that I am fine and you don't have to worry. If you were busy then not to bother coming to see if I am fine."

"Till I see you, I wouldn't believe it." Om tells her as he held her hand.

Gauri lovingly keeps her hand on his.

"She just reached the party seconds before me and she was about to slip. I just held her to steady her."

"I assumed as much." Gauri tells him smiling.

"I knew you wouldn't misunderstand. But I still had to see you."

Gauri smiles at him.

"Why wouldn't you let me handle that Ragini?" Om asks her frowning.

"How did you know?" Gauri asks him surprised. "Does Anika spy on me for you?" Gauri asks suspiciously.

"I have my spies all around you, love." Om tells her cheekily.

"One of these days, I am going to find your spies." Gauri challenges him.

"For years you haven't found even one. What are you going to find now?" Om teases her.

Gauri looks away making a face.

"They are there to keep you safe."

"You are not an underworld don or a King that you have to protect me."

"I am not." Om agrees. "But you are no less than a princess."

Gauri blushes hearing that.

"So, Ragini..." Om reminds her.

"We back on that?" Gauri asks sighing.

"Yes."

"She is just a jealous vicious girl. You are one of the most eligible bachelors of the country and she can't digest that you love me. she knows that you love me but she just can't accept it."

"All it would take me is a phone call, Gauri. actually, not even that."

"Whatever she says doesn't affect me, because I know you. she is just a jealous girl. And you are above her. she doesn't deserve your attention or thought."

Om shakes his head at her.

Letting go off her hand, Om puts his hand in his pocket and brings out a small tube. He takes her hand and opening the tube, he squeezes the cream on her ring finger. Massaging the cream onto her finger, he gently removes the ring.

"Give me your chain." Om tells her as he turned to her.

Gauri gives her back to him, as she pulled her hair to the side. Om removes the chain and carefully holds both ends. Then he slips in the ring into the chain, and it slides down and joins the other three rings in various sizes. Om puts the chain back on her neck and hooks it.

"It's pretty damn silly to wear the rings like this." Om tells her.

"I want them with me all the time." Gauri tells him.

"I know." Om replies.

Looking down, he starts tugging on his ring to remove it. It was so tight that it didn't budge. Gauri quickly snatches his hand and brings it towards her. she takes the tube that he had left on the ground between them and squeezes the cream on his hand.

"If only you showed yourself half the care that you show me." Gauri mutters irately.

"You are there to care for me." Om tells her smiling.

Gauri smiles and tries to remove the ring. It was still stuck. "This is so tight. You should have removed it earlier."

"You liked your ring so much. And yours weren't tight the last time we met."

"Still..." Gauri frowns as she put more cream for his finger. It took her a little struggle but finally she was able to remove it.

Om pulls out his chain from inside his shirt and removes it by taking it over his head.

"You don't have to wear it. You know." Gauri tells him as she watched him unhook it.

His chain was similar to hers but longer as he wasn't very comfortable wearing gold chains.

"You wear, I wear." Om tells her smiling as she put the ring in the chain and it joined the other rings. Hooking the chain, Om puts it back on his neck.

Om takes out the ring box from his pocket and opens it to show Gauri. there were two rings snuggling in the box.

"You wanted these, right?" Om asks her.

Gauri smiles as she caressed the ring. "Yes. Exactly these."

Om smiles and takes out the rings. Handing one to her and one he takes. He puts out his palm to her. Gauri keeps her hand on his palm. Om slips in the ring. Then Gauri puts out her palm for him, and he keeps his hand on hers. She slips in the ring. They look at each other smiling happily. Om moves to her and kisses her cheek. Gauri kisses his cheek. then she was about to touch her lips to his.

"Not here, Gauri." Om whispers to her.

Blushing shyly, Gauri hugs him. Om hugs her happily.

Hearing his mobile ring, they break apart.

"Sorry, I forgot to switch it off." Om tells her as he took his mobile out of his pocket.

Ridhima Kapoor Calling. Gauri sees the screen light up.

Om was about to cut the call when Gauri holds his hand.

"Anika is a big fan of Ridhima Kapoor. Next week is her birthday. Can you ask her for an autograph?" Gauri asks him excitedly.

Om sighs and reminds her in embarrassment. "Gauri, I am one of the biggest businessman of the country."

Gauri chuckles hearing him.

Sighing, Om answers the call and puts it on speaker.

"Hello Omkara?"

"Hello Ridhima... where are you?" Omkara asks her.

"I am home." Ridhima replies a little confused at the strange question.

"If in an hour one of my men come to your house with a photo of yours, will you autograph it?"

"What?" Ridhima asks shocked out of her wits.

"And can you address it to Anika and wish her 'Happy Birthday'?"

"Okay... sure... if you want I'll even make a video wishing her."

Om turns to Gauri and sees her smiling ear to ear.

"Thank you." Omkara tells her.

"But Omkara, you have to help me. my boyfriend's parents are having second thoughts about me. I love him a lot. And I want to marry him with their blessings. Please, just release a statement or something. My PR agency is taking care of it from my side. If you could also do it..."

"Releasing a statement is just going to make the media all the more determined. If you ignore it, it will die down in a week or two." Omkara tells her.

"Please, Omkara. I just don't want my name attached to anyone else's."

"Trust me, Ridhima. I have been there and the first time I did that, that rumor lasted for months. The second link up onwards when I ignored it, it died down quickly."

"But..."

"You are used to this. You know how all this works."

"That time, I wasn't in love or was going to get married." Ridhima helplessly tells him.

Om was about to say something when Gauri snatches the phone from him.

"Hello?" Gauri tells her.

"Hu... hello, who is this?" Ridhma asks shocked.

"Hi, I am Gauri, Omkara's fiancé."

"Fiancé?" Ridhima asks shocked.

"Yes. You don't worry, no one will ever connect you to Om. There won't be any more news or rumors surrounding him and you. I promise you." Gauri tells her.

"Oh... thank you." Ridhima replies still confused and not sure.

"I'll give the phone to Om." Gauri tells her and hands the phone to Om.

Sighing, Om takes the phone.

"Ridhima..." Omkara starts.

"Omkara, if you announce your engagement..." Ridhima starts to say.

Omkara cuts her off. "Gauri just made a promise to you." Omkara reminds her. "And I'll uphold it." Omkara vows.

"Thank you." Ridhima says relieved. "Okay then."

"Ridhima, wait..." Omkara quickly tells her.

"Yes?"

"I need a favor from you."

"Yes, anything."

"I want another autograph too."

"Okay."

"On a tissue paper."

"Tissue paper?"

"I don't care if it is used too."

"What?" Ridhima asks shocked.

Gauri hits her head in exasperation.

"Just address it as 'For Omkara's Gauri's friend, Ragini'."

Ridhima chuckles and asks, "Is she Gauri's bitchy friend?"

"Yes." Omkara replies and quickly hangs up.

"Ragini is vicious and petty." Gauri tells him in a disapproving tone. "And you are..."

"You wouldn't let me handle her. So, I have to be petty." Om shrugs as he scrolled through his phone.

"What are you going to do about the rumors? You can stop it, right?" Gauri asks him.

"Did you think about it before making the promise?" Om asks her.

"No."

"Then don't think about it now too. Consider it done." Om tells her smiling.

Gauri smiles hearing that.

Then he dials a number. As soon as the call was picked he tells the person on the other side. "There is a rumor in the media about Ridhima and me. I want it stopped this instant. No media, print or visual should have our names linked ever. Don't care what deal or blackmailing you have to do; I want it done."

"Why couldn't you do this in the morning itself?" Gauri asks him shocked after he hangs up. "That poor thing has been going through hell all day."

"I didn't want to waste my resources on such silly issues. There were more important works to be done in my office." Om replies shrugging.

Gauri takes a sharp breath, "Not everybody's in-laws are going to be understanding like yours."

"If her fiancé can't stand up for her to his parents then I think she should reconsider."

"we don't know them. we don't know their relation, their family dynamics. We shouldn't judge." Gauri tells him.

"Okay, love." Om gives in. "Let's go home. I am hungry."

They stand up together.

"You shouldn't skip your meals." Gauri tells him frowning.

"I knew I was coming here and I wanted to eat something that you cooked." Om tells her. "And I was so busy today, I didn't have time to drink even water."

"This is not done, Om." Gauri tells him frowning as she held his hand and started walking.

"Did you eat?" Om asks her.

"No."

"You didn't know when I was going to reach. You shouldn't stay hungry like that." Om tells her frowning.

"But I knew you were coming." Gauri tells him smiling as she wrapped her hand around his.

Shaking his head, they start walking. Since it was just a short distance to her house, they walk like usual. As they walked, Om listening to Gauri talk, he turns around to look for Khanna and his men, who have been tailing Gauri for years now, ever since he had been pegged as one of the most successful and richest businessman of the country. He sees them, following them inconspicuously.

"What happened?" Gauri asks him curiously.

Om shakes his head at her, he didn't want to snatch away Gauri's freedom by restricting her movements or treating her like a delicate doll in front of her friends by having her own personal security. So this was what he could do without her knowledge, as he knew if she realized that she had bodyguards then she would be really uncomfortable.

*******

"When I saw the news itself, I did suspect that you would be coming today." Harsh tells Omkara with a smile as they walked in.

Omkara smiles at him.

"When this kaamchor went to cook itself, I was sure that you were coming." Nayantara tells Omkara smiling happily.

"Om is hungry. You can talk after he has his food." Gauri tells her parents. "Come, Om." Gauri tells him as she led him to the kitchen.

They sat in the kitchen and had their food, feeding each other.

*******

At night, Gauri and Om walks into the one of the guest bedroom of her house. Removing the bedsheet, they start rolling the mattress.

"You can sleep here. I don't like that you are sleeping in the living room." Gauri tells him frowning.

"If I sleep here then I am going to be tempted to sneak you in or sneak into your room. Living room, at least I can stop myself by saying that if one of your parents comes out and find me missing then we would be in trouble." Om tells her.

Gauri blushes hearing him.

"Come here." Om tells her as he crooked his finger at her.

Blushing, Gauri leans towards him, and he leans towards her and takes her lips in his.

Sometime later, Om walks to the living room with the mattress while Gauri followed him with fresh sheets and pillow. They make the bed. Om lies on the bed while Gauri sat next to him facing him. With one hand pillowing his head while with the other, he holds her hand over his chest.

"How is everyone at home?" Gauri asks him.

"How are they?" Om asks her back. "You talk to them more than me."

Gauri chuckles. "Mummyji was saying that you are working too much now."

Om smiles and kisses her hand.

"Don't overwork like this, Om."

"Okay." Om smiles at her.

"Anika is going to be so excited when she gets the autograph and the video wish." Gauri tells him excited.

Om smiles as he lovingly caressed her cheek.

Ridhima had whatsapp-ed the video wishing Anika to Om earlier and someone had collected the autographs from Ridhima too. Now, when the chopper returned to pick him up, the autographs would be delivered to her.

"I want to see Ragini's reaction when she sees the autograph." Gauri giggles.

Om chuckles. "I don't know why you even entertain her."

"She is Anika's cousin. We can't ignore her."

"You can."

"I am not arrogant and ruthless like you." Gauri tells him.

Om laughs hearing that.

Feeling tired, Gauri lies next to him. They talked for a while about random things. The moment she slept off, he knew. He turns to her and lovingly kisses her forehead. Then he lay with her for a few minutes.

Realizing that her proximity was making his thoughts travel to dangerous territory, he sits up, and then carrying her in his arms, he stands up to take her to her room.

"She slept?" Harsh asks as he stepped out of his bedroom with his wife.

Omkara nods as he cradled her on his arms.

"I was talking to Tej, we should announce your engagement." Harsh tells Omkara in a soft voice, so as to not disturb Gauri.

"No, Baba. I'll not bring her out to the world till I am by her side always." Omkara whispers to him softly.

"You are taking it too far, Omkara." Nayantara gently tells him.

"How many times do you see my photo on the Page 3 in a month?" Omkara asks her.
"We understand that. But you can't always protect her."

"I can and I will. I will not have the paparazzi hound her like they hound me."

"Being your wife, she is going to be in the glares of the media. There is no escaping it." Harsh tells him.

"I know that but that time I'll be with her. not so far away like now." Omkara stubbornly tells him.

Realizing there was no use, Harsh sighs giving up.

"At least, these unnecessary link up rumors will stop." Nayantara tells him.

"How many baseless gossips are there about married men?" Omkara asks her in reply.

"Today I was worried that Gauri would be upset with the photo." Nayantara tells him.

"She knows me." Omkara replies. "Do you have any doubts on me?" Omkara was not one to beat around the bush.

"We trust you with our only daughter." Harsh tells him.

Omkara nods and was about to walk to Gauri's room when he stops and frowning he turns to Harsh. "Gauri was saying you are postponing the wedding for two years because of some dosh in kundali."

"Yes." Harsh replies.

"I don't believe in all that. neither does Gauri."

"We do." Nayantara tells him.

Omkara sighs. "There could be some solution to it. Some puja or something."

When they looked at each other unsurely, Omkara tells him, "Anyway I am here tomorrow. Please find out what is the solution, we will do it tomorrow itself. Whatever you need, it will be here tomorrow. In case you need more than one day, let me know, I will extend my trip. I want us to get married at least by the end of this year."

Harhs nods.

"It will be so sad to see her go away." Nayantara says feeling a little sad.

Omkara frowns at her and reminds her, "For 23 years, I have been staying away from her."

Knowing there was no way in winning against their futute son-in-law when the matter was their daughter, they both gave up.

********

Om gently places Gauri on the bed. He pulls the cover over her and gently tucks her in. he lovingly caresses her cheek. seeing her hair flying around, he tucks it behind her ear. He smiles at her sleeping form lovingly.

It had all started when he had come with his parents to meet the new born baby of his father's best friend. He had been fascinated with the new born baby. then they kept meeting every holiday for family trips. They would be inseparable then. When the time comes for them to part, they both would be heartbroken. They hated being apart and always waited for holidays so they could meet. Things took a turn when they had attended the wedding of a common friend of their fathers.

And he had rallied against their parents demanding that they get Gauri married to him. Gauri, who always followed his lead, had supported him. They had thrown such a tantrum for 5 continuous days, not listening to their parents' argument on a marriage being illegal and illogical. But they had stood their ground. Finally, they had come to a compromise that they would get them engaged and when they grow up they will get them married. Their parents convinced Gauri, and he did everything that Gauri told him to, so he gave in. and at the age of ten and four, they both promised to be with each other lifelong. Their parents half expected them to laugh off the engagement as a joke as they grew older but the years between then and now, had only made their conviction and vow, stronger and firmer.

They had exchanged their rings in the presence of their parents and his Dadi.

"From now on, you should take care of him, Gauri." his Dadi had said in a half joking, half serious tone.

At the age of ten itself, he was the egoistic, arrogant and madly in love, man that he is today. and he had frowned at his Dadi. "Gauri is small and I am big. I will take care of and protect my Gauri."

While their parents and his Dadi had chuckled, the one that mattered, Gauri, had beamed in joy.

"I will always protect you, take care of you and keep you safe, Gauri." he had vowed with a kiss on her cheek.

Om chuckles remembering that incident. When he was small, he remembered his dadi telling him about the story of a King whose life was in a parrot. People called him arrogant, ruthless and egoistic. He knew they were right. He was all that. but just like that King, even his life was in this innocent girl sleeping so peacefully in front of him. Om leans down and kisses her forehead.

"I love you, my jaan." Om whispers.

*** The End ***

I always wanted to write a story on a larger than life hero, a worldly ruthless and arrogant businessman whose undoing was an innocent village girl.

Hope you guys found this random incident from an engaged couple's life. Please leave your comments and vote.

- Lazy