Previous Story Secret Admirer (Posted on 13-Dec-2022)

This story idea was suggested by user10031682

Haven't proofread.

It was like any other day in his life. He woke up early in the morning. Checked his official mails and replied to them. Read the news. Had breakfast in his study while he worked. Went to office. Then he got immersed in his work.

And he had no idea that by the end of the day, his life was going to change forever.

"Sir..."

"Come in." Omkara says without looking up as he continues to read the report.

Gauri takes a deep breath and informs him nervously. "Sir, the representative from Sehgal's replied."

Omkara frowns and looks up, hearing the hesitation in her voice. "And?" He asks in a threatening voice.

"They rejected our..." Gauri nervously starts.

"Why would they reject our proposal?" Omkara asks angrily. "Did you send the exact proposal I had told you to?"

"Yes, sir. I did."

"Then why would they refuse?" Omkara asks furiously. "Get him online for me."

"Sir, he said that he can't divulge much. He hinted that it is an internal thing. And they are holding on all projects for now." Gauri quickly tells him.

"I said get him online for me." Omkara furiously repeats.

"Yes, sir." Gauri says hurriedly as she turned to leave the office.

"Gauri next time, don't make me repeat myself." Omkara warns her.

"Sure, sir." Gauri nods worriedly. Then she stops and looks at him. "Sir?"

"What is it?" Omkara asks her irately.

"I need to leave early today." Gauri tells him.

"Do you even want to work here?" Omkara asks her.

Gauri bites down her fury. She worked as hard as him there. She went the extra mile because she got this job through a recommendation from his mother. Their mothers had met at a common friend's house warming party and had hit it off instantly and became good friends. So, she always did the extra bit in order to prove to him and her that she deserved this job.

Gauri takes a calming breath and informs him. "It is a family thing, sir."

"Is someone dying?" Omkara asks her.

"No." Gauri replies shocked.

"Then after office hours." Omkara tells her in a dismissing tone and gets back to work.

**********

Gauri keeps the receiver down hearing Omkara speaking to the representative from Sehgal Group. She takes her mobile and dials her mother.

"Are you on your way, Gauri?" Vasundhara asks her.

"No, Ma. Sir said I can't leave early." Gauri informs her.

"He did?" Vasundhara asks shocked and confused.

"Yeah, Ma... can you reschedule the meeting to the weekend?" Gauri asks her.

"Let me see."

"You told them that I want to work after marriage, right?" Gauri asks her.

"Yes, I did."

"And you told them about my work timings too, right?" Gauri asks remembering what had happened 2 minutes ago.

"I doubt your husband will have a problem with your over demanding boss." Vasundhara cheekily says.

"You are talking as if it is a done deal." Gauri says rolling her eyes.

"From my side, it is." Vasundhara says excitedly.

Gauri shakes her head in exasperation. "You send me the link of his profile, I want to check it out."

"This proposal is not from the matrimony site. He is my friend's son."

"Which friend?" Gauri asks confused.

"Suspense." Vasundhara says excited.

"Ma, you are acting like a hormonal teenager!" Gauri says exasperated.

Vasundhara chuckles hearing that.

"Which friend?" Gauri asks confused, then she asks worriedly. "Is it that Ajay? Ma, he is a creep."

"Of course not." Vasundhara replies offended. "I have other friends."

"Then whom?"

"I said, surprise."

"All I can think of is Jhanvi Aunty... but Sir has no plans to get married for the next 100 years." Gauri says rolling her eyes. "Which other friend of yours has marriageable aged son?"

Vasundhara grins cheekily.

"You'll see when you meet him. No more questions."

"Fine, ma! You are acting as if the moment I see him, I am going to fall into his arms!" Gauri says exasperated as she hangs up the call.

**********

"Hi, Gauri."

Hearing the excited greeting, Gauri keeps her mobile on the table and turns curiously. Seeing Jhanvi, Priyanka and Rudra she smiles happily as she stood up. "Hello."

"How are you, beta?" Jhanvi asks lovingly.

"I am good, Aunty." Gauri replies then in a slight whisper she informs her. "Your son, not so good."

"Bad mood?" Jhanvi asks in concern.

"Very."

"As always." Rudra cheekily says.

Jhanvi glares at her younger son.

"I'm not coming. You guys go." Rudra tells her.

Jhanvi shakes her head and walks off. Priyanka excitedly smiles at Gauri and follows Jhanvi to Omkara's cabin.

"So, what's up, darling?" Rudra asks Gauri as he sat on the chair opposite to Gauri.

"You seem very excited today." Gauri replies smiling as she sat opposite to him.

"Just simply." Rudra says cheekily grinning as he shrugged.

"Even Priyanka was giving me weird smiles." Gauri replies confused.

"Why is bhai in a bad mood?" Rudra asks her.

Gauri sighs and informs. "We had been trying to get an opening with Sehgal group. It was rejected."

"Big deal!" Rudra rolls his eyes.

Gauri shakes her head at Rudra in disappointment. "He worked so hard for it."

"Awwww you feeling sorry for bhai?"

"Even I worked hard!"

"You know, after studies, I am dreading joining here. He is going to drive me to an early grave by over working me."

"You can work elsewhere too." Gauri points out.

"He will feel bad." Rudra tells her softly.

"Awww you feeling sorry for your bhai?" Gauri teases him.

"He is a typical angry young man. But he has a good heart."

"Today, he asked me whether someone was dying when I asked him whether I could leave early." Gauri tells him.

"What? He asked that?" Rudra asks shocked.

"Yeah!"

Rudra starts laughing hearing that.

"Why are you laughing?" Gauri asks him shocked.

"It's his funeral!" Rudra informs her howling.

**********

"I don't want to get married now! How many times do you want me to tell you that?" Omkara asks his mother.

"Next month you are turning 30 and I want you to marry before that." Jhanvi tells him.

"What does that have to do with marriage?" Omkara asks her shocked.

"What does business have to do with marriage?" Jhanvi asks him back.

"Ma, I can't afford any distractions now."

"Wife is not a distraction. Wife is a companion and a support." Jhanvi tells him.

"Like Papa was to you?" Omkara asks her back.

Hearing him, Jhanvi goes quiet remembering her horrible marriage.

Seeing that, Omkara regretfully stands up and walks to her. "I didn't mean that, Ma."

"Your father didn't value marriage. That doesn't mean marriage is a burden." Jhanvi tells him softly as she looked away.

"I'll meet her, Ma. I won't promise that I will marry her." Omkara tells her wanting to make up to his mother for his cruel words.

Jhanvi smiles excitedly. "Really?"

"Yes." Omkara smiles gently seeing her happy. He would move heaven and earth for her happiness.

"Okay, then come let's go." Jhanvi says excitedly.

"Now?" Omkara asks shocked.

"Yes."

"Ma, I have work. Not now." Omkara replies as he walked back to his seat. "After office hours."

"But, Om..." Jhanvi starts and stops hearing her mobile ring. Noticing, it was Vasundhara, she quickly answers the call. "Hello..."

"Jhanvi, Gauri said that Omkara didn't give her permission to leave office early. He doesn't know it is Gauri?"

"No..."

"What to do now?"

"What?" Jhanvi asks shocked as she looked at Omkara.

Omkara curiously looks at his mother. "What?"

Jhanvi shakes her head and quickly makes new plan. "After office hours, Om has agreed to come." Jhanvi informs her.

"I'll change the reservations and inform you."

"Okay, I'll inform Gauri also. I'll meet you all at the restaurant then."

"Okay." Jhanvi hangs up the call and looks at Omkara.

"So, it is confirmed, after office, we are meeting the girl and her family."

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

Jhanvi and Priyanka waited for a minute, till they realized that Omkara was not going to ask any details about the girl he was supposed to meet. Fed up, they leave.

**********

"Where are you taking me, Ma?" Gauri asks her mother in shock as she tried to catch up with her mother, who was practically running, holding her hand.

"To the toilet."

"I don't want to go."

"For you to change." Vasundhara informs her exasperated.

"Oh." Gauri follows her as she looked at her office attire. She wished she could have gone home and freshened up. Sighing, she follows her mother.

Gauri washes her face and retouches her make up. Then turns to take her dress from her mother.

"Saree?" Gauri asks shocked seeing her mother holding a saree.

"Yes."

"Ma, you know, I am not used to wearing sarees. What if I feel uncomfortable in it?"

"I only brought this, Gauri." Vasundhara tells her.

Gauri takes the blouse and the skirt and goes to the toilet to change.

"Blouse is the perfect fit." Gauri says surprised as she came out after changing. "How did you manage that?"

"I'm your mother." Vasundhara smugly says.

"Now, come here. I'll drape the saree for you."

**********

Omkara stops surprised seeing the girl with his mother and Priyanka. "I think I have seen that girl somewhere. Do I know her?" Omkara asks Rudra in confusion.

"You've seen her. She has come home a couple of times." Rudra informs him.

Confused, Omkara looks at the elderly man with the girl and his eyes widen in surprise. "Isn't that Gauri's father?"

"Yes." Rudra replies cheekily.

"And she is Gauri's sister, right?"

"Yes." Rudra replies with a grin.

"I'm here to see Gauri's sister?" Omkara asks confused.

"WHAT? NO! You're here to see Gauri!"

"Gauri?" Omkara turns to him in shock. "My assistant, Gauri?"

Grinning cheekily, Rudra informs him. "You're not leaving your office. So, we thought, why not bring your office home."

"Huh?"

Rudra slightly pushes him. "Jokes later, they are waiting for us."

Reeling from his shock, Omkara walks to the table, towards Harsh, who was smiling at him."

Hello." Omkara politely smiles at him.

"Hello, Omkara." Harsh says smiling.

"Hi, jeeju." Bhavya says excitedly.

Omkara turns to look at his mother in shock, then slightly embarrassed, looks at Bhavya. "Erm... hi.... Erm..."

"Bhavya." Rudra whispers to him.

Omkara nods then he asks Rudra in a whisper as they sat down. "You guys didn't fix the wedding, right?"

"It's fixed in all of our hearts." Rudra jokes.

"Even Gauri? She didn't even tell me that we are..." Omkara asks confused out of his wits.

"Oh she doesn't know."

"Damn!" Omkara sighs then noticing Harsh looking at him. He politely and awkwardly smiles at him.

They were speaking as they waited for Gauri when his mobile rings. "I've to take this. Excuse me." Omkara says and walks off to answer the call.

**********

Omkara hangs up the call and turns to head back in when he notices Gauri walking towards him. She was in a saree and she looked exquisite. Seeing her, his breath got caught in his throat.

"They are here." Vasundhara informs Gauri noticing Omkara's family sitting with her husband and younger daughter.

Gauri nods nervously as she brushed her hair behind her ear and looked up. Her eyes meets Omkara's. She stops in shock seeing him there.

"Sir?" Gauri whispers softly as she walked to him. "What are you..." Gauri's eyes widen seeing his family sitting with hers behind him.

Gauri stumbles in shock realizing that he was the prospective groom.

Omkara quickly catches her. "You okay?" Omkara asks her.

Gauri nods in shock as she turned to look at her mother and see her grinning.

She turns to look at Omkara and realizes that she was in his arms. Her eyes widens as she remembers her words from mere hours ago. The moment I see him, I am going to fall into his arms!

"Erm..." Omkara waits for her to steady herself.

"Your funeral." Gauri whispers in shock.

"What?" Omkara asks confused thinking he didn't hear her properly.

"Your brother was not joking." Gauri whispers still in shock.

"About?" Omkara asks confused.

"Ahem."

Hearing Vasundhara, they both look at her, and she awkwardly looks back at them.

Realizing, he was still holding her, and realizing she was still in his arms, they both jump back in shock.

"Let's..." Vasundhara gestures to their family who were watching them amused.

Omkara and Gauri nod and they follow Vasundhara.

**********

Omkara takes his seat next to Rudra. The moment, he kept his mobile on the table, Rudra quickly picks it up and passes it to Priyanka. Priyanka passes it to their mother. Omkara turns to his mother to get back his mobile and Jhanvi glares at him and points with her eyes to sit tight. Then she puts the phone on silent. Omkara was about to stop her from doing that when she glares at him and he sits back.

Gauri looks down to hide her laughter seeing the exchange. How much ever strict, goal oriented and short tempered he was, when it comes down to it, he was a Momma's boy.

"Even though, they know each other and meet daily, they would want to talk now." Jhanvi says.

Soon, Omkara and Gauri had stepped out to the balcony of the restaurant to talk.

"Rudra was saying you didn't know it was me." Omkara tells her as he turned to her. Then he quickly looks away, Gauri was looking too beautiful and it was distracting him.

"You knew?" Gauri asks him shocked.

"What?"

"That it was me."

Omkara gives her an exasperated look. "If I knew it was you, do you think I would have wasted time by all this?"

"Waste time?" Gauri asks confused.

"We could have talked in office only." Omkara says shaking his head.

"Hmmm." Gauri rolls her eyes. "You would have given me an appointment."

"Obviously."

"I thought you didn't want to get married anytime soon."

"My mother wants me to get married." Omkara informs her. "There are a lot of things that I want to achieve in the business front... you know that."

"Yes. I was surprised to see you here. I never thought it would be you." Gauri tells him.

"Even I was surprised to see you." Omkara replies then he thoughtfully says, "Our family seems to think that we would be good together."

"My parents are so excited."

"Even my family."

Gauri nods.

"I work for you... our families know each other... so, I guess, you know all there is to know about me... and I think I know you..."

Omkara nods. "You know me pretty well, I guess. The only thing you don't know..." Omkara stops as he hesitates.

Gauri curiously looks at him and sees him restless. She was about to tell him that if he was not comfortable then he doesn't have to share, but she stops as she knew they were there to talk and take a decision. So, she patiently waits.

"No one knows this... we never talk about it." Omkara hesitantly says as he looked ahead. His gaze on the tree across from them. "My father, he left us for another woman."

"I thought he was no more." Gauri says in shock.

"He is as good as dead to us. We are not in contact with him. He has another family. After he left us, we came to this city so we could have a fresh start. I was in college then. Rudy and Prinku in school." Omkara tells her.

"I'm sorry." Gauri tells him.

Omkara shrugs. "You should know, before you take any decision."

Gauri nods, understanding this is why he was so protective about his family.

"I don't know how ready I am for a marriage. All I can promise you right now is that if we get married then I will be loyal to you and will never humiliate you in anyway." Omkara tells her as he looked at her.

Gauri nods understanding it was because of his father, that he was making such a promise to her.

"Is there anything else that you want to talk about?" Omkara asks her.

Gauri shakes her head in no.

**********

Omkara was in his room as he thought about his meeting with Gauri.

He was not ready for marriage. He had a lot to achieve professionally before he could think about marriage.

An image of Gauri in saree flashes through his mind.

How did I not realize how beautiful Gauri was?

Focus, Omkara! His mind screamed at him.

Shaking his head, he thought of marriage.

What was the pros of marrying Gauri?

Ma loves her.

Even Rudy and Prinku.

Even Gauri loves them. He had seen how she treated them like family... always.

Gauri looked beautiful in saree.

Focus, Omkara!

Okay.... Cons of marrying Gauri.

Interruption in work.

But Gauri already works in office. Like Rudy said, marrying Gauri means, more time to focus on work because Gauri would be home! No, delaying till next day for important work! That way, things won't get complicated for me, and Ma, Rudy and Prinku are also happy.

What other cons?

Gauri looked so sexy today.

FOR GODSAKE, CONCENTRATE OMKARA!

**********

Marry Sir?

He is so short tempered. He is angry all the time.

That is because of his father. Her heart whispers to her.

He is a workaholic. He has no time for a wife.

But he is a family man. Her heart again whispers.

He loves his family. Who better than me knows what all he has done for his family. Always taking care of every small detail of his family members.

He is not sure how ready he is for a marriage.

That is because of his father. And he promised to be loyal. Her heart reminds her.

And he is damn hot!No arguments there.

**********

Next day, Gauri was a little nervous when she reached office. She had no idea what he had decided. She looks at his closed cabin door knowing he was inside. He always reached before her.

Taking a deep breath, she was about to switch on her laptop, when she notices the sticky note on her screen.

Meet me.

Heart slamming against her chest, Gauri nervously walks to the door.

"Sir?"

"Come in, Gauri." Omkara says as he looked up at her. Then he stands up and walks towards her.

Gauri closes the door and meets him mid way.

"I thought about it." Omkara tells her.

Gauri nods nervously.

"I feel, we can make this work." Omkara tells her.

"You do?" Gauri asks softly as a small smile slipped through.

"Yeah... but I haven't told my family yet... in case, you decide otherwise."

"Even I didn't tell my family... as I was not sure..." Gauri tells him.

"So?" Omkara asks.

Gauri smiles shyly and nervously. "Yes."

Omkara smiles hearing that and he nods.

"Great."

"Yeah." Gauri agrees happily smiling.

"I'll inform my family." Omkara tells her.

"And I'll inform mine." Gauri tells him.

"Great..."

Gauri didn't know what else to say and she looked at him. Even he had no idea what to say.

"Okay... you can get back to work." Omkara finally tells her and walks back to his seat.

For a second, Gauri was shocked, then she turns around and walks out. He is not going to be a romantic husband.

Well, no surprises there!

**********

By evening their families were excitedly planning their wedding. While Gauri had got involved in the planning, Omkara had let his family decide on everything.

At night, Rudra was watching TV when Omkara comes to the TV room.

"Rudy..."

"Yeah, bhai?" Rudra turns to him as he put the TV on mute.

"Tomorrow, sharp 11 come to my office. I already told Prinku and Ma." Omkara tells him and turns to walk off.

"What happened? Is there any work?" Rudra asks curiously.

"I'll inform my staff about Gauri and my wedding. It will be good, if you guys are there."

"Why?" Rudra asks confused. "They will obviously find out when you invite them for the wedding."

"I want them to find out about this through us than somewhere else."

"Why do we have to be there?" Rudra asks still not convinced.

"So, they won't assume we were having an affair."

"Who cares what they think?" Rudra asks still not understanding.

"I don't but it might affect Gauri. Gauri was appointed over more experienced candidates because Ma had asked me. Even though Gauri has proved that she is deserving, people still remember that she got through recommendation. So, when they find out that we are getting married, I don't want them to assume anything wrong about Gauri. So, be there." Omkara tells him and walks off.

Rudra couldn't help smile seeing that Omkara was starting to care for Gauri.

**********

Next day, Omkara had informed his staff about their wedding. As their wedding was supposed to take place soon, everybody got busy with the wedding preparation.

Gauri and Omkara met at the office daily but they had continued to behave like Boss and secretary. They never spoke to each other outside office, even if by chance Omkara called her, it was for official work only.

They were in office and Gauri had just finished making note of all the works that Omkara wanted her to do for the day and had briefed him on his schedule for the day.

"That's it." Omkara tells Gauri as they wrapped up the meeting.

Gauri stands up to leave when Omkara quickly says. "Gauri..."

"Yes, sir?"

"I forgot. I need to get clothes for the wedding." Omkara tells her.

"What?" Gauri asks confused.

"Wedding clothes. For the functions." Omkara reminds her.

"Yes?" Gauri looks at him confused.

Omkara looks at her confused for a few seconds then he tells her. "Take care of that."

"You want me to finalize your wedding attire?" Gauri asks him shocked.

"Yeah, Ma wants me to wear Indian. Not suits. So, you finalize a designer and the costumes. And fix an appointment to take my measurement."

"Me?" Gauri asks shocked.

"Who else?" Omkara asks her back confused.

"Bride and groom doesn't see each other's dresses before wedding."

"Why? Superstition?" Omkara asks shocked.

"No... you know... surprise..." Gauri tells him weirdly.

"What if you don't like what I pick and you end up being shocked and disappointed?" Omkara asks her back.

Gauri looks at him in shock. "So, what about you being shocked and disappointed when you see my dress?"

"You look beautiful in sari." Omkara replies shrugging.

"I am wearing lehenga." Gauri awkwardly tells him.

"Oh... you will look beautiful." Omkara awkwardly shrugs.

Gauri takes a deep breath then she asks him. "If you were marrying someone else, would you ask her or me to finalize the design?"

Omkara looks at her feeling trapped.

Gauri raises her eyebrows at him.

"You." Omkara uncomfortably replies.

"So, it is not about me being "shocked"."

"Erm... how about you finalize three designs each and I'll pick one from each?" Omkara asks her.

"Fine!"

God, she is bossy.

Gauri turns to leave and stops and looks at him. "Are we color coordinating?"

Omkara looks at her surprised. And asks, not sure, "Do you want to?"

Gauri looks at him confused then she shrugs as she was not sure.

Omkara also shrugs.

Sighing, Gauri turns and leaves.

**********

Soon, their wedding day reached, and they had a beautiful wedding.

After grahapravesh the family had various rituals and games planned for them. Omkara and Gauri silently took part in all the fun activities.

As Omkara and Gauri sat opposite to each other, Priyanka drops the ring into the vessel filled with milk and rose petals.

"You've to win, darling." Rudra tells Gauri as he sat beside her.

"Stop flirting with her, idiot! Call her bhabhi!" Priyanka tells him.

Cheekily grinning, Rudra looks at Omkara and he was casually looking at them.

"What should I call her, bhai? Do you mind if I call her darling?"

Omkara looks at Gauri and Gauri looks down feeling shy and nervous.

Omkara looks at Rudra and tells him, "She is your bhabhi, Rudy."

"Ooo possessive... huh?" Priyanka teases him.

Omkara rolls his eyes hearing that.

Gauri blushes as she looked away.

"Okay, bhabhi... start." Rudra tells her.

Gauri smiles and starts searching for the ring in the milk. Seeing that, Omkara also starts.

Gauri finds the ring.

Hearing everyone cheering for her, Omkara looks up and sees Gauri holding the ring. Seeing her happily smiling, he smiles at her.

"Bhabhi is going to be the boss at home." Rudra excitedly says making everyone chuckle.

Smiling happily, Gauri offers him the ring and Omkara takes her hand in his and slips in the ring.

"Congrats." Omkara tells her.

"Thank you, sir."

"Sir?" Rudra shouts out in shock. "Did you forget that he is your husband and not your boss?"

Everyone starts laughing.

Gauri and Omkara looks at each other, embarrassed.

Omkara looks at Rudra and tells him, "She called out of habit."

Rudra quickly stops realizing that Omkara didn't like that he had made fun of Gauri.

**********

Finally, they were taken to his bedroom. Amidst all the teasing, Omkara closes the door feeling embarrassed and awkward. He turns to look at Gauri and sees her looking at him nervously.

He also felt nervous."Erm... Ma asked us to wake up early tomorrow for some puja. Why don't you sleep?" Omkara asks her.

Gauri nods and goes to the dressing room to change. Earlier, Priyanka and Jhanvi had taken her to the room to help her settle.

"Omkara..."

Omkara turns back hearing her call him and stops seeing her standing at the dressing room door, wearing a night dress.

He gulps, she looks so beautiful.

"I am done, you can go in." Gauri tells him.

Omkara nods and starts to walk to the dressing room then he stops and tells her, "Rudy didn't mean to embarrass you earlier."

Gauri smiles, "I know. He was just having some fun."

Omkara gently smiles.

"Okay, you sleep. I have kept the alarm."

Gauri nods.

After Omkara closed the door to the dressing room,she turns to look at the bed. She stops wondering which side of the bed was his. Then noticing the chargers plugged in on the right side of the bed, she walks to the left side and gets on that side of the bed.

Few minutes later, Omkara comes out of the dressing room after changing. He sees Gauri lying on the bed, he nervously stops for a few seconds. Gauri looks at him and noticing that, he walks to his side of the bed.

Gauri nervously watches as Omkara got on the bed. Omkara looks at her as he laid down.

It felt weird to be on the same bed as the other.

Wanting to break the ice, Gauri says finally, "It was a nice function."

"Yeah, it was. Everyone was happy." Omkara says smiling.

"Yeah."

"What is your sister doing?" Omkara asks her curiously.

"First year B Pharm... why?"

"I think she has a crush on Rudy. Every function, she was around him." Omkara tells her chuckling.

Gauri chuckles in wonder hearing that. "I didn't notice. And she didn't tell me also."

"Might me just silly crush." Omkara says shrugging. "Anyway, they are young."

"Yeah." Gauri smiles.

They remained silent for a few minutes then Gauri asks him, "Did you like your dress for the function?"

"Yes." Omkara smiles.

"Were you surprised or shocked seeing my dress?" Gauri asks him teasingly.

"You looked beautiful." Omkara tells her softly.

Gauri blushes hearing that.

Seeing that, Omkara couldn't help it, he softly holds her hand. Gauri shyly holds him back.

**********

Hearing the alarm, Omkara quickly wakes up and turns to his side to check on Gauri and sees her frowning in sleep. He smiles seeing her like that.

He turns to the side table and turns off the alarms. He turns back to wake up Gauri when he sees that she was awake and squinting at him.

"Good morning."

"Good morning. Is it time to wake up?" Gauri asks him sleepily and starts to yawn then worrying about her morning breath, she quickly closes her mouth and sits up.

"Yeah. Do you want to go in first?" Omkara asks her as he sat up.

Not wanting to be late on the first morning in her new home, Gauri decides to get ready first. "I will go first."

"Okay."

**********

The rest of the day, they had spent in taking part in various rituals and meeting with visitors who had come to meet the new bride.

By evening, they were so exhausted, that Gauri had slept off the second her head hit the pillow while Omkara took care of a few important official tasks before hitting the bed.

**********

Hearing the alarm, Gauri groans as she turned to look at her husband.

"Is there a puja today also?" Gauri asks sleepily.

"We've office today." Omkara reminds her as he switched off the alarm.

"Who goes to office a day after their wedding? My khadoos Boss didn't even give me leave." Gauri sleepily grumbles as she pulled the blanket over her head to sleep.

Omkara looks at her in shock, not sure whether she was joking or serious. "Gauri?"

"Ma, 2 mins!" Gauri growls.

Omkara couldn't help chuckle realizing that Gauri was still half asleep. He gets off the bed, and goes to freshen up.

**********

"Gauri... wake up." Omkara shakes her awake, half an hour before it was time for them to leave.

"What? What happened?" Gauri asks as she sat up.

"Wake up... We'll be late for office. Get ready." Omkara tells her.

Gauri sleepily scratches her hair. "What time is it?"

"6:30."

"WHAT? My office time is 9." Gauri says as she starts to fall back on the bed.

Omkara quickly holds her and makes her sit. "But I leave at 7."

"What are you going to do there so early?" Gauri asks as she fought sleep.

"Work. Come on, get ready."

Gauri closes her eyes sadly.

Wondering whether she had gone back to sleep, Omkara starts to shake her awake, when loudly sighing, Gauri throws the blanket off her and gets out of the bed.

**********

Gauri stood in front of the mirror as she looked at herself in the mirror. Her mangalsutra was not going with her office attire. She decides to not wear it as it looked very odd with her dress. She removes her chain.

"Gauri?" Gauri turns and sees Omkara watching her.

"It is not going with my dress." Gauri explains to him.

Omkara looks at her confused then looks at her hand to see the mangalsutra. He shakes his head and looks at her. "We are getting late."

"Oh... sorry." Gauri hurries to the cupboard to keep her mangalsutra securely. Then she quickly picks a silver chain and runs to Omkara.

"Omkara, just clip this." Gauri tells him as she turned her back on him and pulls her hair to the side, keeping the chain on her neck.

Omkara securely locks the chain for her.

"Let's go?"

"Yeah... I'll just get my bag." Gauri tells him.

**********

Gauri looks at Omkara and sees him busy on his laptop. She tries to look out the car window but she was still so sleepy. She tries stifling her yawn.

She would be sleeping at her home even now. Gauri sadly sighs.

Then she couldn't help it and she yawns loudly.

Hearing her, Omkara turns to look at her and just then, Gauri moves towards him and keeps her head on his shoulder.

"Sleepy?" Omkara asks her softly.

"Yeah. Wake me when we reach." Gauri tells him as she yawned and closed her eyes.

**********

"This way." Omkara tells Gauri, seeing her turn left.

"Going to wash my face." Gauri tells him and walks off to the left while Omkara turned right to his office.

Gauri washes her face and then going to the pantry, she makes coffee for herself. Then drinking it, she walks to her table. The caffeine helped her in focusing. She switches on her laptop and checks her mails and immediate work.

Once she was ready with all the updates for Omkara, she heads to his cabin. She was about to knock on the door then she stops, he is her husband now! She opens the door and walks in.

Omkara looks up in surprise to hear someone walk in at that time.

"I didn't hear when you knocked." Omkara tells her confused.

"I didn't knock." Gauri informs him as she walked to the table and sat down opposite him.

"Ah... okay." Omkara nods.

"You've a call with..." Gauri starts.

"Awake now?" Omkara interrupts her.

"Yeah. Had coffee." Gauri tells him.

Omkara nods with a soft smile. "Okay... carry on."

They were in the middle of the discussion when they hear the door open. Gauri curiously looks up wondering who comes so early to office other than her husband.

Omkara nods at his driver who had quietly walked in and kept the bag on the side table.

Noticing, Gauri, he informs her, "I've kept yours on your table. Should I bring it here?"

"What is it?" Gauri asks confused.

"Breakfast." Omkara informs her.

"Breakfast?" Gauri turns to him surprised.

"Ma sends breakfast." Omkara tells her.

"Ah... you go, I'll take it." Gauri tells the driver.

Once the driver left, Gauri turns to Omkara and he quickly resumes the discussion.

"I'm hungry... We'll eat?" Gauri asks as she collects her things after the meeting is done.

Omkara looks at her surprised. Then he nods. "Yeah, sure."**********

After leaving her stuff on her table, Gauri comes back with her food. She was about to take Omkara's food when she notices it missing. She turns to the table and sees the bag on the table while he read something on the laptop.

Realizing that is where he usually ate, Gauri takes her previous seat and starts opening her food container.

Seeing her do that, Omkara opens the food container while his eyes were still glued to the laptop screen.

Gauri sighs seeing him working even then.

"You're disrespecting food." Gauri tells him.

Omkara stops and looks at her confused, "What?"

"Take a five minute break to eat your food." Gauri instructs him.

"This is important." Omkara tells her.

"It can wait five minutes." Gauri glares at him.

Omkara looks at her in shock and says, "You're not scared of me anymore."

"You're my husband, why should I be scared of you?" Gauri asks him back.

Omkara grins hearing her. Then he tells her, "You didn't have to be scared of your boss too."

"I wasn't scared. I was weary." Gauri cheekily informs him.

Omkara chuckles hearing that.

Gauri smiles seeing him happy. "You look very nice when you smile. Why don't you smile more often?"

Omkara stops in shock hearing her, then slightly blushing he turns his gaze to his food. "I don't know."

Gauri grins and she starts to eat when she stops. "Wait a minute, the driver dropped us off and he went home and came back with our food?"

"Yeah." Omkara replies.

Gauri looks at him in shock. "I could have come with him!"

"Why?" Omkara asks confused.

"So, I could have slept."

"You slept in the car."

"I wanted to sleep more." Gauri glares at him.

"We got so much work done now." Omkara reminds her shocked.

"By sacrificing my sleep."

"We achieved so much." Omkara cheekily reminds her.

Gauri scowls at him. "I'll come with our food from tomorrow onwards."

Omkara sighs, giving in.

**********

"Let's leave?" Gauri asks as she opened the door at exact 6.

Omkara checks his watch. "I've some more work."

"How long will you take?"

"Maybe 2 hours." Omkara says thoughtfully.

"Bye... see you at home then." Gauri tells him and turns around and leaves.

Omkara sat still in shock for a few seconds seeing the ease with which his wife had abandoned him.

**********

He usually heads to his study once he gets back from work. But tonight, he heads to his room. He opens the door and finding it empty, he disappointedly stops. Then leaving his laptop bag on the couch, he goes looking for his wife.

Hearing laughter, he follows her sound as a small smile broke out on his face. He stops at the entrance of the TV room and sees Gauri with Rudra and Priyanka. Gauri and Rudra were playing Wii Tennis.

Omkara smiles seeing Gauri laughing and jumping around as she competed with Rudra, oblivious to his presence.

Feeling someone's gaze on him, Omkara averts his gaze, and sees Priyanka smiling at him. He softly smiles at her, then deciding not to disturb them, he goes off to his study.

**********

"You are home?" Gauri asks excitedly as she opened the study door. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"Just a sec." Omkara says on the phone and turns to Gauri and tells her sternly. "Gauri, I'm on a call."

"Sorry." Gauri says softly, feeling a little upset. She quickly closes the door and leaves from there.

Gauri decides to wait for Omkara in their bedroom while Omkara gets busy with his work.

**********

"Gauri..." Jhanvi knocks on the door.

"Yes, Ma." Gauri quickly opens the door.

"Come down for dinner." Jhanvi tells her.

"What about Omkara?" Gauri asks her.

"He said he has some calls. So, I sent him his dinner. He'll have it in his study. He usually eats in his study only."

"Okay."

**********

Gauri lay awake on the bed waiting for Omkara. Hearing the door open, she curiously looks at him wondering whether he was still pissed that she had disturbed him or he was sorry that he had scolded her.

"Gauri... tomorrow first thing in the morning, I want you to draft an email to Mr. Mehta. I've mailed you the pointers for the mail."

Gauri nods.

"And accept the invitation for the Investors meet. Sehgals are going to be there. So, I've decided to go. I might get to meet them there. Book my tickets and hotel." Omkara tells her.

"Okay."

Omkara walks off to the dressing room.

Gauri watches him as he closed the door. She felt a little disappointment creep in her. She didn't know why, she was feeling like that. She couldn't fight this disappointment that her husband didn't inform her about his travel plans. Omkara was informing his personal assistant about his travel.

Gauri wanted to smack herself for feeling like that. She knew she was being silly but she just couldn't shake that feeling.

**********

"It's the weekend. Can we go out?" Gauri asks Omkara that Sunday excitedly.

"I've some work, Gauri. Why don't you go with Rudy and Prinku?" Omkara asks her as he got busy on his mobile.

Gauri sighs disappointed, losing her interest in going out.

**********

Things were going like that for the next few days. Gauri being a new bride was craving for the attention of her husband while Omkara was unaware of it and had got immersed in his work.

**********

Gauri comes running, hearing her mobile ring to the living room. Just as she reaches the phone, it stops ringing.

"Hi sweetheart... long time, no news."

Confused, Gauri hurries hearing Rudra's voice, wondering who had called her.

"How come you are not coming home nowadays?"

"Great... so, I'll see you this weekend. How are uncle and aunty? Say hi to them." Noticing Gauri, he says, "Bhabhi is here, I'll give the phone to her." Rudra extends the phone to Gauri. "It's Bhavya."

Smiling happily, Gauri takes the phone from him. As she spoke on the phone with Bhavya, she could make out that Bhavya was too happy and excited. She was even giggling as she spoke of how Rudra had invited her home.

Gauri realizes that Omkara was right. Bhavya did have a crush on Rudra.

After hanging up the phone, Gauri turns to Rudra.

"Hey Rudy..." Gauri sits next to him.

"What's up, Bhabhi?" Rudra asks her with his usual smile.

"I wanted tell you something." Gauri hesitantly starts.Seeing her hesitating, Rudra tells her with a smile.

"You're my sister, bhabhi. You can tell me anything. You don't have to be so formal."

"Erm... you know... I think... Bhavya likes you." Gauri gently tells him.

Rudra grins hearing that.

"Do you..." Gauri hesitantly starts. "Rudy, I know you are very friendly and you flirt with every girl. Bhavya doesn't realize that. If you don't feel anything for her and you flirt with her, it might lead her on."

Rudra nods hearing that.

"I'm not stopping you from talking to her or anything. I'm just asking you to be careful."

"I understand, bhabhi." Rudra tells her. "I find her very cute. I like her, bhabhi."

Gauri smiles hearing that.

"But I'm not going to start anything with her." Rudra quickly tells her, seeing her smile.

"Why?" Gauri asks, confused.

"There is time... right now, we both are young. She is really young. She has her studies and career. I've my studies then I've to join the office. I don't want any distractions. Till then I prefer Bhavya and I remain friends. And when the time is right, and we both can think of marriage, if she still feels the same for me and I feel the same for her, then we'll take a decision together."

Gauri couldn't help her smile. "You're your bhai's brother."

Rudra sadly smiles and says, "I like being bhai's brother than being my father's son."

Hearing that, Gauri gently squeezes his hand, realizing that just like Omkara, even he has been deeply scarred by their father's action.

Rudra has been so affected by the actions of his father that he believes that if he dates someone and doesn't make a lifelong commitment to that person then he would be like his father.

**********

"Omkara..." Gauri calls him as she walked into his study.

"Busy, Gauri." Omkara tells her as he worked on his laptop.

"But I want to talk to you, Omkara." Gauri tells him wanting to talk to him about Rudra, so Omkara can talk to Rudra and maybe help in clearing that misconception.

"Gauri, this is important. It is work." Omkara tells her frowning.

"But, Omkara..."

"Don't disturb me, yaar." Omkara irately tells her.

Upset, Gauri turns around and leaves.

**********

Late at night, Omkara walks into his room and sees Gauri lying on the bed.

"Slept?" Omkara asks her as he came and sat next to her.

Gauri turns to look at him sadly.

"What happened?" Omkara asks her as he gently kept his hand on her cheek.

Gauri shakes her head.

"Tell me, Gauri. Is it because I didn't talk to you early?"

Gauri sadly averts her gaze.

"You know, that is the time when I can speak to people from other continents. It is all important for our business." Omkara gently tells her as he caressed her cheek with his thumb.

"Are you happy you married me, Omkara?" Gauri asks him.

"Of course, Gauri." Omkara tells her in shock. "Why do you think that I am not happy?"

"Because you didn't want to get married now." Gauri reminds him.

Omkara lovingly smiles at her and reminds her, "But to marry you was my decision, right?"

"You are so busy always. You've no time for me." Gauri tells him softly.

Omkara looks at her in shock. "Gauri, I spent the most time with you. Full day, I am with you."

Gauri looks at him in confusion. Did he think working together was spending time with her?

"I rarely see Rudy and Prinku during the weekdays."

"But not like that, no? You don't talk much to me."

"I'm always talking to you. Yeah, maybe, when you come that time I am not able to talk to you due to work. It's just that I am busy with so much work. You know about my work commitments."

Gauri nods.

Omkara smiles as he leaned down. "Don't overthink."

Gauri smiles seeing him smile at her.

Omkara leans up and kisses her forehead.

Gauri blushes at the unexpected kiss.

Seeing her smiling happily, he wanted to kiss her again. He kisses her on both her cheeks. Then he starts to kiss her lips when Gauri shyly looks away.

Seeing her happily blushing, Omkara kisses her on her cheek, realizing that she wasn't ready for more intimacy at present.

Smiling, Omkara happily sits back. Gauri happily smiles at him.

"Come, lie down." Gauri tells him patting on his side of the bed, because she was feeling shy and excited with the way he was looking at her.

Smiling, Omkara jumps over her and gets on his side.

Happily, Gauri turns to look at him as she lay on her side. Omkara also lies on his side as he faced her.

"So, what did you want to talk to me about?" Omkara asks her.

"It's about Rudra." Gauri tells him and shares with him about her conversation.

"What do you want me to do?" Omkara asks her curiously.

"I feel he thinks that if he dates someone and then decides that they are not compatible then he will become like your father."

"If he doesn't want to date anyone right now then it is his decision, right?"

"I know. I am not saying that he should date around. What I am saying is that you've to explain to him that sometimes, you realize that you are not compatible and ending a relation doesn't make you an evil person. What your father did was wrong, and as long as he doesn't intentionally hurt people or wrong someone then it is not wrong."

Omkara nods. "Okay I'll talk to him."

**********

"Where is Gauri?" Omkara asks his family noticing they all were seated for breakfast.

It was the weekend and he had decided to join his family for breakfast.

"She told the maid that she is coming. You sit." Jhanvi tells him.

"You guys start. Let Gauri come. I'll make a call in the mean time." Omkara tells her and walks to the side to make the call.

"Sorry, I was talking to Ma." Gauri says as she joined everyone at the table. Then turning to the maid she asks her, "Did you send Omkara's breakfast to his study?"

"Sir is here only."

"He is?" Gauri asks surprised as she looks around.

"He is on a call." Priyanka informs her.

"I'm surprised he decided to join us." Gauri excitedly tells Jhanvi.

Jhanvi, Rudra and Priyanka smiles seeing her excitement.

"You start he'll come now." Jhanvi tells her as she passed the food.

Gauri takes the food and serves on the plate next to hers for Omkara.

"Is this gobi paratha?" Gauri asks curiously.

"Yes. What happened?" Jhanvi asks seeing Gauri's reaction.

"I don't like gobi."

"Sorry, I didn't know." Jhanvi says regretfully. Turning to the maid, she asks her, "Is there any food from yesterday?"

"Chicken curry is there." The maid informs her.

"I don't want chicken in the morning." Gauri says as she stood up. "I'll check what else is there in the kitchen and come."

Gauri goes off to the kitchen and Omkara comes back in that time.

"Gauri didn't come?" Omkara asks surprised deciding go and check on her.

"She is in the kitchen." Priyanka informs him.

Omkara nods and takes the chair with the empty plate.

"That is yours. Gauri served that for you." Jhanvi tells him pointing at the plate with the gobi paratha.

Confused Omkara takes that plate and asks, "Why didn't she serve for herself?"

"She doesn't eat gobi." Jhanvi informs him. "She has gone to the kitchen to check if there is anything else for her."

Omkara frowns in displeasure hearing that and he turns to the maid. "Why didn't you make something else for Gauri?"

"Sir... I didn't know that madam doesn't eat gobi."

"It's your job to know." Omkara tells her angrily.

"Om... don't scold her." Jhanvi quickly tells him shocked at the way he was scolding the maid. "You know, I decide the menu. I didn't know that Gauri doesn't like it. I'll talk to Gauri and find out what she likes and doesn't like, and always have an alternative for her."

Omkara nods then he was about to go to the kitchen to check whether Gauri has something else to have for breakfast.

"Prinku, I took your cornflakes." Gauri says as she walked in with a bowl.

"No problem, bhabhi."

Gauri smiles seeing Omkara, and sits next to him. Omkara smiles at her and then passes the cut fruits to her.

Gauri picks the ones she likes and mixes with her cornflakes.

"You are a fussy eater." Omkara teases her seeing the way, she was picking certain fruits only.

Gauri cheekily grins at him.

**********

Gauri was with Rudra and Priyanka as they were chatting about random things when Omkara comes there.

"Gauri..."

"Omkara..." Gauri smiles happily seeing him. "Come, sit with us."

"Gauri... come with me." Omkara tells her and walks off.

Excited to have her husband sort her out, Gauri excitedly and with a slight blush follows him.

Her smile remained on her face till they reached his study.

"You don't have your laptop here, no, Gauri?" Omkara asks as he walked to his seat.

"No." Gauri replies feeling disappointment and depression fill her realizing that he had called his personal assistant and not his wife.

"Use my iPad. From tomorrow, bring your laptop home." Omkara tells her.

"For what?" Gauri asks as she disinterestedly took his iPad.

"To take down the minutes of the call."

Gauri sighs and nods as she got prepared to work.

**********

As days went by, Gauri couldn't shake the feeling that Omkara didn't want a wife. He had no need of a wife. All he needed was a personal assistant. And she was feeling depressed with that thought.

She considered herself to be a realist, and hadn't expected a romantic and lovesick husband. But she did expect a husband, and Omkara was not a husband.

She knew that to save her marriage, there were some hard decision that she needed to take, and even though she prepared for it, she hoped that it didn't come down to that.

**********

"Gauri... it is Prinku's birthday next week." Omkara tells Gauri as he wrapped up the meeting.

Gauri excitedly smiles realizing that it was for the birthday gift. "What are we getting her?"

Omkara smiles seeing her excitement. "She has been using the same phone for a while now. I was thinking a new phone."

"Great." Gauri tells him happily.

"Just find out which one she wants. And order it for her." Omkara tells her.

"Okay." Gauri says as she stood up then she jokes, "Even I am using the same phone for 2 years now."

Omkara chuckles hearing her. "Buy one then... you've the card I gave you."

"I was just joking. It's been just two years... I feel it is too soon." Gauri tells him, as she had been planning to change her phone only next year.

"Buy Gauri." Omkara insists. "My gift to you."

"And I've to buy it?" Gauri asks him frowning.

Grinning cheekily, Omkara says. "I'll have my assistant order it. In fact I'll mail her now itself."

"No need! I'll just order!" Gauri tells him pissed and walks off while Omkara chuckled.

**********

"Why is he always working like this, Ma?" Gauri asks Jhanvi one day.

Jhanvi sadly sighs, "I wished that after he get married, he would stop being so hard on himself and live a little. But he is still so over worked. His goals... his aim..." Jhanvi sadly stops.

"I've been thinking that maybe I should stop working with him." Gauri tells her softly.

"Why? What happened?" Jhanvi asks her shocked.

Feeling ashamed to admit her insecurities, Gauri says, "I feel like I am also overworking."

"Ah." Jhanvi softly smiles. "Did you talk to him?"

Gauri shakes her head in negative.

"Why?"

Realizing her reason was the same as Rudy's, she says sadly. "He will feel bad."

Jhanvi smiles lovingly at her. "But you've to tell him what you are feeling."

Gauri nods. "I'll. Till then, just keep it with you."

"Okay." Jhanvi promises her.

**********

Omkara quietly opens the door as he knew Gauri would have slept by now. He had been researching about one company that he was planning to take over that he had lost track of time and it had got really late.

He walks to Gauri, and sees her in deep sleep. Smiling he covers her quilt properly on her and leans down and kisses her on her forehead. He smiles because as usual, Gauri slept through it.

**********

"Hello, Mr. Smith."

"Stop shouting Omkara." Gauri growls in her sleeping.

"Gauri, I am on a..." Omkara starts to tell her.

"Sshhh... stop.. sshh." Gauri sleepily says as she rolled over in her sleep.

Omkara couldn't help grin.

"Mr. Oberoi?"

Omkara turns to the screen and he still couldn't stop smiling. "Can I call you in two minutes? My wife just kicked me out of our bedroom."

"Ha.. Ha.. Sure."

**********

Gauri and Priyanka were home when Gauri hears barking. Shocked, Gauri looks up and sees a dog running towards her.

Screeching loudly Gauri jumps up on the couch while Priyanka excitedly gushes seeing the puppy.

"Whose dog is this?" Priyanka asks Rudra noticing him coming behind the puppy.

"My friend's."

"Why is it here?" Gauri asks freaking out noticing the dog running towards her.

"Are you scared of dogs, bhabhi?" Rudra asks laughing seeing Gauri freaking out.

"Yes, keep it away from me." Gauri screams seeing the dog jumping onto the couch. She jumps off and runs to the dining room and climbs on the dinning table screaming for her dear life.

Rudra bursts out laughing seeing that as he followed the dog and Gauri to the dining room. "He doesn't bite, bhabhi. He just wants to play with you."

"Keep it away from me, Rudy." Gauri screams seeing the dog run towards her.

"Bhabhi, relax..." Rudra says in between laughter.

"Gauri, what happened?" Omkara asks as he hurried in hearing her screams.

"Take that dog away!" Gauri screams freaking out.

Omkara quickly catches the puppy and picks him up. "Where did he come from?"

"Hold him." Gauri screams as she jumped off the table and ran to their bedroom for her dear life.

"Bhabhi got scared..." Rudra informs Omkara chuckling.

"Gauri was terrified and you were laughing?" Omkara asks him furiously.

Hearing his question, Rudra becomes silent.

"Why did you bring this dog here?" Omkara asks furiously.

"My friend was going out of town for three days and he wanted someone to watch Ghost." Rudra tells him worriedly.

"And you would just bring him here?"

"We all love dogs, bhai."

"Not Gauri." Omkara furiously points out to him.

"I didn't know." Rudra guiltily says.

"You should have checked with her before you decided to bring him home."

"I can't take him back now, bhai. My friend left already." Rudra worriedly tells him.

"Then you'll keep him in your bedroom."

"He needs to run around, bhai."

"He can run around inside your room."

"But bhai..."

"This is Gauri's home, Rudra. She doesn't have to adjust according to the dog. The dog will have to adjust to her comfort." Omkara tells him in finality.

Rudra nods realizing that his brother will not budge when it comes to bhabhi.

**********

"Gauri... you okay?" Omkara asks her as he walked into their bedroom.

Embarrassed, Gauri tells him. "When I was small, a dog bit me. Ever since then, I'm terrified of them."

Realizing that Gauri was embarrassed to talk about it, Omkara walks to her and hugs her. "It's okay."

Gauri hugs him and tells him, "I know it is silly but I can't help it."

"It's okay.... And Rudra has agreed to keep the dog in his room."

"I should feel bad for the dog but I feel relieved." Gauri confesses to him.

Omkara chuckles hearing that.

"Thank you for taking that dog away from me."

Omkara in reply hugs her tight and gently nuzzles his nose on her shoulder.

Gauri hugs him tight, feeling shy and excited.

**********

Noticing, Gauri sitting in the sitting area, Omkara decides to sit with her and work, incase Ghost manages to escape from Rudra's bedroom.

"Bhabhi..." Rudra calls out to Gauri as he poked his head out of his bedroom.

"Yeah?"

"I've put Ghost on a leash. I'm taking him out to the garden. He needs to take a leak." Rudra tells her.

Gauri nods as she quickly put up her feet on the couch as a precaution.

"He is on leash. Don't worry." Rudra tells her and comes out, leading Ghost out.

Gauri watches with bated breath as Rudra took Ghost out. "I'll inform you before I bring him back." Rudra calls out to her.

"Okay."

"Incase, he tries to come near you. I'll catch him." Omkara promises her.

"My hero." Gauri says with fake eyes fluttering.

Omkara chuckles seeing that.

**********

Few minutes later, Omkara was curious and keeping his laptop aside, he gets up.

"Where are you going?" Gauri asks him curiously seeing him head out.

"To see Ghost." Omkara tells her and walks out.

Omkara comes out and sees Ghost happily running around while Rudra stood back and watched.

Seeing Omkara, Ghost runs to him. Smiling happily, Omkara kneels down and holds Ghost by his neck. Ghost happily jumps on him while Omkara laughing happily seeing his excitement scratches him softly.

"I knew you would love him." Rudra says smiling lovingly at Omkara.

Omkara smiles. "He is so adorable."

"Bhabhi was scared that Ghost would bite her, he just wanted to play with her and I was telling her that. I wasn't making fun of her." Rudra gently tells him.

"I know. I shouldn't have screamed like that at you but when I saw Gauri so scared..."

"I know, bhai." Rudra replies smiling as he knelt next to Omkara and watches Omkara playing and pampering Ghost.

"Why you never got a dog after Pumpkin?" Rudra softly asks him.

Remembering their old family pet, Omkara stops sadly. "Don't know."

"Do you feel like getting one now?" Rudra asks seeing the way Omkara was enjoying with Ghost.

"Can't get now." Omkara tells him chuckling.

"Why? Bhabhi will kick you to the dog house?" Rudra teases him.

Omkara bursts out laughing hearing that.

Gauri watches as Omkara laughed and played with the dog. She smiles seeing him like that. She had never seen him so relaxed and happy.

Not even with her. Her heart whispered. Gauri felt a little depressed realizing that.

**********

Gauri had skipped dinner and gone to bed. She hears Omkara come in but acted as if she slept.

Omkara gets on the bed and he moves towards Gauri and hugs her.

Feeling him hug her, Gauri turns to him in surprise and shock.

"Didn't sleep?" Omkara asks surprised.

"Just about..." Gauri lies.

Omkara moves closer to her and hugs her.

"What happened?" Gauri asks him as she gently caressed his cheek.

"Nothing."

"What happened?" Gauri asks him in concern. "I saw you with that dog. You were so happy then."

"We had a dog." Omkara tells her sadly. "Pumpkin."

"Pumpkin?" Gauri chuckles softly.

Omkara smiles. "Prinku named him."

"He died?" Gauri asks him gently.

"Maybe... possibly."

"You don't know?"

"He was Papa's." Omkara tells her.

"Oh."

"I used to look after him. Do all his duties."

"Hmm." Gauri gently runs her hand on his arms.

"When Papa left, he took Pumpkin with him." Omkara tells her sadly.

Gauri squeezes his hand, feeling his pain. "You might miss him a lot."

Omkara was silent for a minute then he tells her softly. "I don't know what hurt more."

"What?"

"That he took Pumpkin away from us or that he even took Pumpkin with him but left us." Omkara tells her, his eyes filling up.

Hearing him, her heart breaks and she quickly hugs him. Then she gently kisses him on his cheek, wanting to calm him. Omkara hugs her tight as he fought his tears.

**********

Things were going like that when one day, Gauri finally lost it. Once again, Omkara had made her work at home with him because he was flying out for the investor's meet.

Gauri had enough. Whole night, she contemplated on her decision and in the morning, she had made up her mind. So, she woke up early.

"You're up early?" Omkara asks surprised seeing her get up as he got ready to leave for office.

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

"Yeah? All okay?" Omkara asks her.

"I'll just wash my face and come." Gauri tells him as she headed to the bathroom.

"Come fast. I've to leave in a bit." Omkara tells her then he tells her, "Since you're up, why don't you come to office with me now itself?"

"2 mins."

Omkara frowns seeing that Gauri was in a serious mood.

Few minutes later, Gauri comes out of the bathroom.

"All okay, Gauri?" Omkara asks her in concern.

Seeing his concern, Gauri hesitates to share her decision with him.

"Gauri?"

Taking a deep calming breath, Gauri informs him. "I am resigning, Omkara."

"What?" Omkara stops in shock, frowning at her. "What do you mean you are resigning?"

"I don't want to work with you."

"Why?" Omkara asks her in shock. "Everything was fine, then what happened so suddenly."

"Everything was not fine." Gauri tells him.

"What do you mean?"

"You expect me to work for you at home too."

Omkara looks at her confused. "That's an advantage of marrying you, Gauri."

"Advantage?" Gauri asks him in shock, her heart breaking a little, realizing that her fears were not baseless.

"I mean... it helps with work." Omkara explains in confusion seeing her shock.

"Helps with work?"

"Yeah... you are here... things can happen faster..."

"You married me because you'll have a personal assistant at home too?" Gauri asks outraged, hurt and shocked.

"Gauri..." Omkara hesitates seeing her reaction. Hearing from her mouth that, it felt wrong. "It's not like that."

"Then?"

"Gauri..." Omkara starts to hold her hands in his and Gauri furiously jerks it away.

"Don't touch me."

"Gauri... it is not like that.... I wasn't ready for marriage... and when the proposal happened, I was thinking of the pros and cons... and this was one of the reasons." Omkara gently explains to her.

"You didn't want a wife." Gauri tells him softly as he eyes filled up. "You wanted a personal assistant so you would continue working uninterrupted."

"No, Gauri... it is not like that." Omkara says in pain seeing her pain, though, in his heart he knew, somewhere it was like that.

"Just leave, Omkara." Gauri tells him unable to even look at him.

"Don't say that, Gauri."

"Just leave me alone, Omkara." Gauri angrily tells him.

"Listen, Gauri... that time.. I don't know..."

"I said leave!" Gauri furiously tells him.

"Gauri..."

Hurt and heartbroken, Gauri tells him as she fought her tears, "You promised me that you would never humiliate me. I am feeling humiliated and used now."

"Please don't say that, Gauri." Omkara says filled with regret and guilt, his eyes filling up.

"Just leave, Omkara. Just go. I just don't want to see you right now."

Helpless, and ridden with guilt, Omkara leaves. The moment he left, Gauri burst into tears.

**********

Hours later, Gauri had made her decision and she goes to talk to Jhanvi when she notices Rudra with her. Noticing her, Jhanvi invites her to join them. She hesitates for a few seconds then she decides to go ahead and inform Jhanvi about her decision in front of Rudra. She walks to the couch and sits near her.

"Ma..."

"Everything alright, Gauri?" Jhanvi asks her in concern seeing the sadness on her face.

Gauri shakes her head in no.

"What happened, Gauri?" Jhanvi asks her worriedly.

"I'm leaving, Ma." Gauri tells her as he eyes filled up.

"What? Why?" Jhanvi asks her in shock.

"Bhabhi?" Rudra worriedly holds her hand. "Aren't you happy here?"

"I'm going." Gauri tells them.

"Why?" Jhanvi asks her again. "Did Om say something?"

"He doesn't need me." Gauri says as she tried to hold in her sob.

"What nonsense, Bhabhi?" Rudra asks her shocked. "He cares so much for you."

"He doesn't." Gauri tells him as she gripped her fingers tight to handle her emotion better.

"Gauri, did you have a fight with Omkara?" Jhanvi asks her gently. "Fights are normal in a marriage..."

"Ours is not a marriage, Ma." Gauri tells her helplessly.

"What do you mean, Gauri?" Jhanvi asks her shocked.

"Omkara just wants a personal assistant. He doesn't want a wife." Gauri tells her sadly.

"You're his wife, Gauri." Jhanvi reminds her adamantly.

Gauri shakes her head. "You know... from the moment I decided to marry Omkara, I started seeing him as my life partner and my husband, and I've treated him and cared for him like that. But even today, when Omkara looks at me, all he sees is his personal assistant. Not his wife."

Jhanvi gently says, "I can understand why you are feeling like that. He is always working. He has put too much pressure on himself that he is not giving you the time you deserve."

Gauri shakes her head and was about to argue when Jhanvi continues.

"I don't know whether he told you about his father."

"He did. When we spoke that day at the hotel. He told me he left you and he has another family now." Gauri gently tells her.

"It is true. He left us for a younger and rich." Jhanvi tells her.

Gauri turns to look at her in shock hearing that.

"He was fed up of the 9 to 5 job and the monthly EMIs. He said he deserved better. He left us for a rich lifestyle." Jhanvi tells her sadly.

"That is why Omkara is so obsessed with business. He is putting himself through so much. He is working day and night." Gauri whispers in shock.

"Yes. He has got it into himself that he needs to give us everything that his Papa said we didn't have. How much ever we tried telling him that it is him that matter to us and not these riches, he doesn't understand." Jhanvi helplessly tells her.

"It feels like he is on a race with Papa in his head." Rudra sadly tells her.

"That is why he didn't want to marry and he doesn't need a wife." Gauri says sadly.

"Gauri, we all have seen how much Omkara cares for you." Jhanvi tells her.

"No." Gauri stubbornly whispers.

"He is always so conscious about you." Rudra tells her.

"I don't think so." Gauri replies.

"What if I prove to you that he cares for you?" Rudra asks her.

"What? How?" Gauri asks confused.

"Just do what I say for today." Rudra tells her.

When Gauri looked unsure, Rudra requests. "For bhai, bhabhi."

Gauri nods.

**********

"First things first. Call your HR and tell her that you won't be coming for a few days and hand over the immediate work to someone else in office." Rudra tells her.

"I don't think she will agree to do that in such short notice." Gauri tells him.

Rudra gives her an exasperated look. "You are not asking her, you are telling her. You are bhai's wife!"

"I'm starting to forget that." Gauri says depressed.

"Don't act so helpless." Rudra tells her with a frown then smiling he says, "Even if you forget, bhai won't forget."

Gauri shrugs not convinced.

**********

"Movie?" Gauri asks as she cut Omkara's call.

He has been calling her since he left for office and she had been ignoring his calls.

"Yeah, we are going for a movie. Then we'll chill somewhere." Rudra tells her.

"What? Why?" Gauri asks confused.

"Because we are going to go missing!" Rudra excitedly declares.

**********

"Maybe I should answer his call." Gauri says worriedly.

Her mood had calmed down considerably and now, she felt bad rejecting Omkara's call.

"No." Rudra sternly tells her. "Put your phone on silent, movie is starting."

"But I told Richa to call me if she needs any help." Gauri tells him, HR had assigned Richa to assist Omkara till Gauri got back.

"There won't be any emergency." Rudra tells her as put her phone inside her bag after he slide the silent button to off.

Gauri sighs as she sat back to watch the movie.

She couldn't concentrate on the movie as her mind kept going back to Omkara. He was still calling her as she could see it on her watch every time he called her.

"We should go." Gauri tells Rudra when it was interval.

"No." Rudra stubbornly says.

"Ma messaged, Omkara had called her to talk to me. She told him that I wasn't home and that she has no idea where I am." Gauri says as she read the message Jhanvi sent her.

"It is okay." Rudra tells her. "He even called me. I didn't answer."

"I feel bad doing this to him, Rudy." Gauri tells him softly. "What if he gets worried?"

"Then it means he cares for you." Rudra points out to her.

"I don't know, Rudy." Gauri whispers feeling helpless and confused.

"You had asked Bhai to talk to me." Rudra reminds her.

Gauri nods.

"He told me what you told him."

"K."

"Few days back, he came to me. And he told me that after a long time, he spoke about Pumpkin. To you."

"He did." Gauri replies, remembering one of the few times, he had sorted her out as his wife.

"He said, that day he spoke to because you had asked him to, though he didn't truly understand what it was that you had asked him to talk to me about."

Gauri turns to him in shocked surprise. "What?"

"Then after he shared his pain with you, he said that, even with us around, he never realized that he was very lonely. But with you, he realized that he has a companion and support. He finally understood, why Ma always insisted that he get married. He told me, if Bhavya and I like each other, then I shouldn't hesitate because everyone needs a companion. That is the reason, I asked out Bhavya."

"Why he never said all these to me?" Gauri asks sadly.

"After Papa left us, he took on the role of our protector. He never showed his pain to us, but was always there to protect us from every pain. It is like, he has forgot to express his love. Maybe he is scared because he used to be Papa's pet and self-proclaimed Papa's best friend."

"Why didn't you all tell me all this?" Gauri asks hurt feeling.

"Maybe we all accepted that he is aloof but he loves us and lives for us." Rudra regretfully tells her. "We learned to accept Bhai as how he had become."

"I'm going, Rudy." Gauri tells her as she stood up.

**********

Receiving Jhanvi's message that Omkara had come home looking for Gauri, she decided to go home instead of office to meet Omkara. Rudra still stopped her from answering Omkara's call.

"Where could she have gone, Ma?"

The moment she walked in, Gauri hears Omkara's panicked voice.

"She didn't tell me." Jhanvi lies.

"I spoke to Ma, she said that she hasn't spoken to Gauri." Omkara worriedly says.

"You told Vasundhara that Gauri wasn't home?" Jhanvi asks worriedly, wondering whether Gauri's family was panicking.

"No, I didn't want to cause them worry. She thought, it was a casual call." Omkara says worried. "I am calling the police. If something happens to her..." Omkara stops unable to finish that sentence.

"Omkara..." Gauri softly calls him.

Omkara turns around hearing her, and Gauri stops in shock seeing his panic stricken face.

"Gauri." Omkara says in relief as he hurried to her and hugged her tight.

Gauri hugs him, feeling overwhelmed seeing his concern for her.

"Why did you go off like that?" Omkara asks her as he looked at her. "Whatever it is we could have talked, right?"

"I had handed over all the work to Richa." Gauri tells him because she just had to be sure.

"What? Who Richa?" Omkara asks confused. "The Admin?"

"Yes. She is replacing me for the time being."

Omkara looks at her in utter shock then he reminds her in exasperation. "You were missing, Gauri!!!"

"I was with Rudy."

"What?" Omkara asks shocked as he looked at Rudra. "You were with him."

"Yes, we went for a movie."

"Movie?" Omkara asks shocked. "Gauri, I was going crazy here. I thought..."

"What?" Gauri asks softly.

"After the way, you were angry in the morning... I..." Omkara hugs her tight. "Please don't stop talking to me. If you don't want to work with me, then it is okay. Just don't stop talking to me."

"I won't. I am sorry, I scared you." Gauri tells him as she hugged him tight, feeling guilty for scaring him and so happy to see that she mattered to him.

Gauri gently pats him. "You go... you have to leave in a few hours."

Omkara nods. "I've to pack." Omkara tells her then he holds her hand and asks her, "You are fine, right?"

"Yes." Gauri tells him gently smiling.

"Gauri, before I leave, we should talk." Omkara tells her.

"Yeah. I'll come now." Gauri tells him.

Omkara nods and starts to leave.

"Sorry, bhai. We scared you." Rudra tells him.

"At least you should have informed me that she was with you." Omkara tells him.

Rudra nods confused.

Omkara walks off and Gauri excitedly turns to Rudra. "Thank you."

Confused and concerned, Rudra turns to Gauri and asks, "Didn't he realize that even I was missing?"

Grinning ear to ear, Gauri tells him rather smugly. "No."

**********

Omkara was in his dressing room packing when Gauri runs to him and happily hugs him.

Seeing her happy, Omkara turns to her and hugs her happily. "You are so happy." Omkara says surprised.

"Can I come with you?" Gauri asks him excitedly.

"But you said you are resigning." Omkara tells her confused.

"But I saw the invite, you can bring someone with you. I'm coming as your wife." Gauri tells him.

Seeing her so happy, he smiles lovingly at her. "Okay. Book your ticket..." Omkara stops then he says "You pack your bag. I'll ask Richa to make arrangements."

Gauri chuckles hearing that. "Okay, husband."

Omkara leaves to make the call while Gauri opened her cupboard to pack her bag. Noticing, the saris that her mother insisted that she buy, Gauri picks one. She smiles remembering how Omkara had mentioned that she looks beautiful in sari.

**********

"I'll be busy. Will you be bored?" Omkara asks her in concern as they walked into the room.

"You go when it is time. I'll come a little later." Gauri tells him.

"Okay. It is just informal dinner tonight. The meet is tomorrow. Come, when you feel like it." Omkara tells her.

After Omkara left, Gauri searched YouTube to find a video that would help in guiding her to wear the sari.

**********

Gauri walks in to the crowded area as she scanned for Omkara. She finds him talking to someone. Happy and excited she walks towards him.

As he finished talking, Gauri gently keeps her hand on his shoulder. Omkara immediately turns around and seeing her, his face breaks out into a smile.

Then noticing her, looking exquisite in sari, his breath gets caught in his throat. "You look..." Omkara says as he sighs.

Gauri blushes as she happily smiled at him.

Omkara smiles then remembering, he says regretfully, "I've to meet a few people."

"Go." Gauri tells him.

"What will you do?" Omkara asks regretfully.

"I'll just entertain myself."

Omkara nods. "If you need me then..."

"Yeah." Gauri nods then she asks curiously. "Did you get a chance to talk to Sehgal or their representative?"

"I tried but he said that project is on hold and he wasn't interested in discussing with me." Omkara says dejectedly.

Feeling offended on his behalf, she asks him, "Is this project that critical? Can't we try something else?"

"It is, Gauri." Omkara tells her.

Gauri nods.

**********

Gauri watched as Omkara got busy talking to one person after the other. Even after forty-five minutes, he didn't make any moves to end the night and be with her, Gauri decided to push it a little.

She walks around as she looked at all the people. Finding a really hot guy, sitting by the bar alone, she goes to him.

"Hi." Gauri says with a smile.

The man frowns as he turned to her.

"I'm Gauri." Gauri says with a smile as he turned her gaze to check on Omkara.

Just then Omkara turns to look at her. He frowns seeing her with a guy.

Grinning excitedly she turns her gaze back on the stranger.

"Listen, I am not..."

"Can you talk to me for a few minutes?" Gauri asks him eagerly.

"Why?" He asks frowning.

"I want to make someone jealous." Gauri tells him as she slyly looked at Omkara to check if he was still looking at her and sees him still watching her.

"Whom?" He asks as he turned to look at where Gauri was looking.

"Don't look." Gauri quickly tells him. "It's my workaholic husband."

"He is here on work." He reminds her.

Realizing that Omkara was still watching her, Gauri fake laughs and replies. "He is always working."

Seeing Gauri overacting, he chuckles. "He is watching?"

Laughing, Gauri tells him. "Yeah... he hasn't looked away."

"Don't you feel any guilt from distracting him from work?" He asks laughing with her.

"Not even a bit. He is overworking himself. He is a family man but he is busy working hard for the family that he has no time for family." Gauri tells him chuckling.

"My father was like that." He says softly.

"Oh." Gauri stops smiling.

"Laugh..." he says immediately as he laughed.

Gauri laughs. "Will he think us mad for simply laughing like this?"

"He has no idea that we have no idea what we are talking about." He laughs.

"True." Gauri laughs. "He is frowning." Gauri says seeing Omkara getting angry.

"Then let's dance."

Before Gauri could say anything, he had taken her hand and led her to the middle of the room and started ball dancing with her to the random instrumental music that was playing.

"Everybody is staring." Gauri says feeling awkward for dancing.

"Smile, Gauri. Act as if you are having the time of your life."

"I just wanted Omkara to look at me, not the whole party." Gauri says feeling very conscious for being the only people to dance there.

"Relax, Gauri." Then he says chuckling. "Looks like more people want to make Omkara jealous."

Gauri turns around and almost stops in surprise to see two other couple dancing.

Gauri laughs.

"I was invited for your wedding, sorry couldn't come."

"You and Omkara know each other?"

"Kinda."

"What's your name?" Gauri asks curiously.

"Aditya."

"Sehgal?" Gabri almost misses a step.

"You know me."

"I don't want to dance with you." Gauri says as she stopped. "Omkara has been trying to work with you and your father for so long and you haven't given him the time of the day."

"It is not personal."

"Omkara is an amazing businessman." Gauri tells him offended.

"It is not professional too."

"I'm going." Gauri says as she started to leave.

"Omkara is coming." Aditya informs her as he pulled her back and started to dance.

"Leave..."

"Can I dance with my wife?" Omkara asks as he stopped next to them.

"Sure." Aditya says as he stepped back. "I had a great time, Gauri." Aditya says with a smile and he walks off.

"I didn't know he was..." Gauri starts and stops in shock, when Omkara wraps his hand around her waste and pulls her close to him.

Feeling his hand on her naked waist, having her chest so close to his and being so close to him, having him look at her with so much intensity, Gauri stops breathing.

Omkara sways and Gauri follows his lead as he held her close to him.

Gauri couldn't fight her temptation and she leans to him, and gently kisses his cheek.

Omkara stops feeling her kiss. He looks at her and Gauri gently pecks his lips.

Omkara grips her waist tightly.

Understanding, what they both wanted, Gauri whispers to him. "Let's go."

**********

The moment the lift door closed, they turn to each other and hungrily starts kissing.

"Gauri... you are really ready for this, right?" Omkara asks her in between hungry kisses.

"I'm your wife and you're my husband." Gauri tells him as as she hungrily took his lips in hers.

Hearing the door open, they both part. Then holding hands, they run to their room, excited and happy.

**********

Gauri snuggles to Omkara's arms as they lay spent.

Omkara smiles and hugs her tight. Gauri lovingly cups his face and places gentle, loving kisses all over his face.

"Today has been a very strange day." Omkara says amazed and happy.

Gauri chuckles. "I know."

"Started off with you being angry with me and now..." Omkara says amazed. "This is not a dream, right?"

"Have you ever had such mind-blowing dreams?" Gauri asks him cheekily.

Omkara chuckles, "Never."

"It was beautiful, Om. More than I had ever expected." Gauri tells him.

"It was, Gauri." Omkara says as he kissed her.

Gauri smiles happily. they were looking at each other, happily in bliss. In between placing gentle, loving and sometimes hungry kisses.

Hearing his mobile ring, Omkara grabs his mobile. Gauri groans loudly.
"I'll hang up quickly." Omkara promises her as he answered the call. "Hello?"

"Hello Omkara, Aditya here."

Omkara frowns hearing that.

"Yes?"

"Sorry to call you this late."

"It's okay."

"I had a great time talking to Gauri today."

"Hmmm."

"I have been going through few issues and that is why the project had been on hold. Meeting Gauri, I feel that I should talk to you and maybe see the project is feasible. How about we meet for breakfast tomorrow? At 8? I've few back to back meetings from 9 and then I'm flying out in the evening. Won't be here for the full meet. So, only time is breakfast tomorrow."

"Sure, I'll meet you for breakfast."

"Great. See you then." Aditya says and hangs up.

"Who was it?" Gauri asks Omkara as he hung up.

"Aditya Sehgal. He wants to meet for breakfast tomorrow."

"That is great." Gauri says excitedly. "I didn't know it was him." Gauri tells him. "I've only seen his father's photo. Not his."

"You were flirting with him." Omkara says in a small possessive voice.

Gauri chuckles and tells him. "I wanted to make you jealous."

"What? Why?" Omkara asks shocked.

"So, you would forget work for a few minutes and spent time with me."

"Gauri..."

"Omkara, working together is not spending time together."

Omkara stops hearing that.

"I used to feel so insecure that you didn't need a wife because the very rarely you talked to me for something else other than work." Gauri tells him.

"Gauri, that is not true. I'm working so hard for you all." Omkara earnestly tells her.

"But what is the use of all this riches and comfort, if we don't get to share it with you?" Gauri asks him.

"I am there with you all."

"No, Omkara. You are not. You are rarely there. You are so busy working that you don't realize that you are not giving your family your time." Gauri tells him.

"Gauri..." Omkara wanted to argue but somewhere he knew he didn't give his family his time.

"Do you know that I almost left you today?" Gauri asks him sadly.

"What?" Omkara asks her in shock, his heart breaking the thought of her leaving him.

"If it wasn't for Rudy and his grand missing drama, I wouldn't have believed that you cared for me as a husband cared for his wife. I used to feel like your personal assistant even after marriage."

"Gauri, you are my wife. The most important person in my life." Omkara tells her in shock.

"We had an arranged marriage and we thought we knew each other, but there were things that we didn't know about each other. Like, how I didn't know that you never expressed your feelings... and how you never realized that I would want you to be a little expressive towards me."

"It was not my intention, Gauri. I didn't mean to hurt you. You should have told me."

"I guess, I was heart broken and embarrassed and ashamed." Gauri confesses.

"I'm sorry, I made you feel like that. You are my wife and from the moment we decided to get married, you've been my family."

"I understand that now."

Omkara regretfully says, "Maybe, when you became my life partner, I guess, I assumed my dreams were yours too. I shouldn't have kept that expectations on you like that."

"Your dreams are our dreams, Omkara." Gauri says cupping his face. "But our life is not just achieving goals. We need to live our life together, right?"

"I'm sorry, Gauri."

"I'm sorry, I didn't share my feelings with you, Omkara." Gauri tells him. "I'm sorry, I didn't put my foot down. That I let you continue to be my boss."

"Not anymore."

"I know, Omkara. Now, I don't feel insecure. I am not scared to share my feelings with you." Gauri tells him smiling.

**********

Omkara gently kisses her forehead and Gauri quickly comes awake. Omkara moves back in shock.

"Good morning." Gauri says. "Why are you looking like that?"

"You woke up." Omkara says surprised as he kissed her.

"What do you mean?"

"You never woke up before."

"You kiss me?"

"Always. Before going to sleep and before leaving for work."

"And you never told me?" Gauri asks shocked.

"Should I have told you?" Omkara asks confused.

"Yes, then I would have felt nice."

"Oh... okay then... ever since the first time I kissed you, I've kissed you every night and every morning." Omkara tells her.

Gauri smiles. "What else you do?" Gauri asks then frowning, she asks in shock. "You didn't leave? You have meeting with Aditya Sehgal, right?"

"I cancelled it." Omkara tells her.

"Why?" Gauri asks shocked.

"Because we are leaving in an hour from here." Omkara informs her.

"What? Why? What about the event?"

"It is high time, that I spent uninterrupted time with my wife. We are going on honeymoon." Omkara tells her.

"Where?" Gauri asks surprised.

"Since we didn't bring our passport with us. I'm thinking Nainital. But I am open to suggestions." Omkara tells her.

"Really?" Gauri asks excitedly.

"Yeah. And I promise, my phone and laptop will be off through out."

"You don't have to do that." Gauri says smiling.

"I want to." Omkara says smiling.

"But Aditya Sehgal... you've been trying so hard." Gauri says gently.

"You said you were thinking of leaving me. I can't think of a life where you are not part of, Gauri."

"I'm not going to leave you, Om." Gauri reassures him.

"Papa was trying to get that project. That is why I was behind this project." Omkara tells her. "I didn't want him to get it. It would have been a big deal for his company"

"Then why are you not going for this meeting?" Gauri asks finally understanding why Omkara had been so desperate behind this project.

"Because I realized that I have been obsessed in trying to be bigger than Papa." Omkara says regretfully.

"We'll go after the meeting."

"No, Papa doesn't matter. Only you do. For you, I'll let go off anything else. You don't leave me."

"And here I thought, my husband was not romantic." Gauri says smiling.

"I don't think I am." Omkara says confused.

"It means a lot to me that you would do this for me. You don't have to do this."

"I want to." Omkara tells her. "I was about to call Aditya Sehgal and tell him that."

"But Om..."

"Please let me do this, Gauri."

"Okay."

**********

"What did he say?" Gauri asks as Omkara hung up the phone.

"He said we can meet in two weeks." Omkara tells her.

"He did?" Gauri asks surprised.

Omkara nods and sits down. "Govind Sehgal is not keeping well. He has Alzheimer's. Aditya Sehgal has been busy with his father's treatment. That is why Aditya Sehgal has put the Projects on hold."

"Oh. He did say his father was like you." Gauri says. "I thought he passed away with the way he said that."

"Hearing about me from you, reminded him of his father. That is why he decided to meet me." Omkara tells her.

"Oh."

"Anyway, another thing I wanted to ask you."

"What?"

"I understand you don't want to work as my assistant anymore."

"If you promise to give your wife her time, then I'll reconsider." Gauri tells him smiling.

"That I promise." Omkara tells her smiling.

Gauri smiles.

"So, if I promise to not neglect my wife then will she consider joining as Director in our company?"

"What?" Gauri asks surprised.

"Think about it." Omkara tells her smiling. "And you okay about Nainital?"

"If I say no?"

"Then we'll go wherever you decide."

"Really?" Gauri asks grinning.

"Oh yes, from now on, I'm going to live by the age old rule of mankind."

"And what is that?" Gauri asks chuckling.

"That wife is boss."

*** The End ***

I hope you guys liked this story. It's been a while since I wrote anything, and I had tried writing this story as a Drabble, but it got long.

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- Lazy