​Hello everyone...

Thanks to all for voting and commenting on the previous story, Tu Hi Tu (Posted on 26- Dec- 2021)

Title inspired from the song Woh Humsafar Tha.

I'm back with another Professor – Student romance. Let me warn you guys, this Omkara is not that ethical and righteous towards his profession like Professor Oberoi from Mere Humsafar.

"Hello..."

Hearing the greeting, Gauri looks up.

"Is this seat taken?"

"No." Gauri replies with an inviting smile and removes her bag from the seat.

The girl smiles at her and sits down. "I'm Bhavya." she says as she extended her hand out.

Gauri shakes her hand. "Gauri."

"Are you an old student of this college?" Bhavya asks her.

"No... I did under graduation in Bareilly." Gauri tells her.

"Even I am new here. I was worried whether I would get friends here." Bhavya tells her excitedly.

Gauri smiles hearing that. soon, they were chatting about their course, class and college when they hear the class fall silent. They curiously look up and sees that everyone had started standing up. Realizing their professor has come they also stand up.

"Sit down." Omkara says. "I'm Omkara Singh Oberoi, I'll be teaching you Mathematics."

Seeing her professor, Gauri gasps in shock. Her heart beating fast against her chest.

"What happened?" Bhavya asks seeing that Gauri was still standing.

Gauri turns to look at Bhavya then she turns again to look at Omkara and sees him staring at her in shock.

"Do you know him?" Bhavya asks curiously.

Quickly recovering, Gauri sits down without saying anything.

Rest of the period, Gauri just stared at her book without even looking up once. Her heart beating fast in panic, never having imagined that life was going to throw this twist at her.

The moment the bell rang, Gauri starts to leave the breath she was holding, and starting to relax.

"Gauri!" Omkara calls her.

Gauri looks up at him in panic, her heart beats increasing tenfold.

"Come with me." Omkara tells her and walks out of the class.

Gauri quickly hurries behind him. she sees him waiting for her and she walks towards him.

"You were supposed to call me." Omkara furiously reminds her.

"Please not here." Gauri worriedly requests him as she looked around.

Omkara looks around and sees that some students from the class were curiously looking at them. Omkara turns to Gauri and tells her, "After class, meet me at the car park."

Gauri nods. Omkara walks off.

Gauri walks back to the class and sees Bhavya curiously looking at her.

"Do you two know each other?" Bhavya asks her.

"My family knows his family." Gauri honestly tells her.

*********

Gauri worriedly walks to the car park and sees him waiting by a car and he looked furious. She could understand why he was furious and she couldn't fault him. he had explicitly told her to call him once she had got to Mumbai and she didn't, and she didn't know why she didn't call him.

"Get in." Omkara tells her as she reached near the car and sits in.

Nervously, Gauri gets inside the car. Without a word, Omkara starts the car. They drive in silence for a while and then he stops the car in an isolated area.

Without saying anything, Omkara gets out of the car and Gauri also gets out. Omkara walks around the car to where she was and stops in front of her as he stared at her.

Gauri worriedly gulps as she looked at his chest, too scared to look at his face.

"Why didn't you call?" Omkara asks her angrily.

"That..."

"It's been a month!" Omkara angrily reminds her. "I was going to file a missing person case!"

Gauri looks up a him in shock. "What?"

"I sent you off in the middle of the night and you promised to call in a few days! Then you just disappeared. I couldn't even reach you on your phone. What the hell was I supposed to think?" Omkara asks her angrily.

"I was busy settling down." Gauri lies.

"Settling down." Omkara mutters as he looked away. "So you just forgot?"

"I'm sorry." Gauri whispers.

"You joined my college and still you didn't remember?" Omkara asks her as he turned to her.

"I didn't know you worked there." Gauri replies looking down.

"What?" Omkara turns to her in shock.

"I knew you were a professor but I didn't know where you taught." Gauri explains.

"Hmmm."

"I got scholarship in this college... so..." Gauri stops as she looked at him.

"So, what now?" Omkara asks her.

"Erm..."

"Where are you staying?" Omkara asks her in a gentler tone.

"College hostel."

"What about your boyfriend?" Omkara asks her in confusion.

"Erm... erm..." Gauri panics as she gulped.

"Where is he?" Omkara asks again.

"Bengaluru." Gauri lies.

"What?" Omkara stops in shock. "He left you here alone? Doesn't he know you are new to the city?"

"He has work... he is working there. and I am staying in hostel."

Omkara sighs as he ran his hand through his hair. "I can't believe, he left you alone."

"I'm fine. He made sure that I am well settled." Gauri lies.

"And he doesn't care that you live like this?" Omkara asks her.

"I am really fine here..."

"Not that." Omkara cuts her off.

"Then?"

"About us." Omkara tells her in exasperation. "You were supposed to call me so we could file to annul our marriage."

Gauri gulps hearing that.

"Don't you know there is a time limit to apply for annulling a marriage?" Omkara asks her in exasperation.

Gauri shakes her head in reply.

Omkara closes his eyes and shakes it in exasperation. "Gauri, you were forced to marry me, so we can get our marriage annulled instead of divorced." Omkara explains to her in a calmer tone.

Gauri nods in yes.

"I've spoken to our lawyer, all the papers are ready, you just have to sign them and we can file it." Omkara explains to her.

"Okay." Gauri agrees.

Omkara nods and looks away thoughtfully. Then he asks gently. "Did your family find you?"

"Ma knows I am here. Nobody else knows."

"Okay... come, I'll take you to hostel." Omkara tells her as he walked to the car.

"I'll go from here." Gauri tells him.

"Get in, Gauri." Omkara tells her.

Gauri walks to the car.

"You are not using your old phone number?" Omkara asks her as he got inside.

"No... I didn't want my family to track me using that."

"Give me your number, I'll fix an appointment with the lawyer and let you know."

Gauri quickly tells him the number.

"This is a landline number?" Omkara asks confused.

"I don't have mobile. That is hostel number."

"Why don't you have a mobile?" Omkara asks her shocked.

Not knowing how to tell him that to save the meager money she had, she had decided not to buy a mobile. "I didn't buy." Gauri replies.

They drove in silence. Omkara stops the car in front of a mobile shop.

"I'll come now." Omkara tells her and gets out of the car.

Few minutes later, he comes back and hands her the mobile and sim. "Here."

"What is this for?" Gauri asks confused.

"Keep it."

"I don't want."

"You'll need it. keep it." Omkara insists.

"I can't take it."

"Gauri..." Omkara turns to her in a serious tone. "Till our marriage is annulled, you are my wife. And it is my responsibility to make sure that you are safe at all times."

Gauri gulps hearing that, her eyes fill up and she takes the mobile and sim.

"note down my number." Omkara tells her and starts to tell her his number.

"I've your number." Gauri tells him.

"You said you threw your phone away." Omkara says confused.

"I memorized your number." Gauri tells him then because she wanted him to know, she tells him as she looked at him, "Because I knew, in this city, if I needed help, you are the only one I could turn to for help."

Omkara's breath gets caught in his throat hearing that. then having nothing to say, he nods.

*********

At night, Gauri was getting ready to sleep when she gets a message from Omkara.

Gauri... our lawyer is out of the country for two weeks. Is it okay if we wait for two weeks before we file for annulment or do you want me to look for another lawyer? We have five months to file for annulment.

Reading the message, Gauri's heart starts beating fast. Then she types the reply to him. we will wait.

You sure? Your boyfriend will be fine with it?

Gauri gulps reading his message then she quickly replies with a lie. Yes. I'll tell him.

Okay then.

**********

Omkara was having breakfast with his family. Seeing that everyone was there, he informs them. "Gauri is in my class."

"What?" Tej turns to him angry. "That shameless girl is here? In your college?"

"She is my student. And she is not shameless." Omkara tells his father with a frown.

"Student! Get her thrown out of your college." Tej tells him angrily.

"What the heck, Dad?" Omkara asks his father in anger.

"Did you forget what she did? People are still asking us where your wife is!"

"Tell them we are getting our marriage annulled!" Omkara tells him.

"I can't believe that I got my Om married to that girl!" Dadi says sadly.

"I can't believe that you were friends with people who would beat up a girl and force her to marry whoever they wanted." Omkara replies.

"You are defending her, Om." Jhanvi accuses him.

"I told Gauri to leave, Gauri didn't run away. So stop blaming her."

"What kind of girl abandons her husband and runs off with her boyfriend?" Dadi asks in disgust.

"Dadi! Gauri and I am still husband and wife. So, till we get our marriage annulled, don't forget that you are speaking of my wife!" Omkara warns her then turning to look at everyone else, he says, "Even, you all."

"Om, relax... they are concerned." Anika gently tells him to calm down the situation.

"I understand and they should understand Gauri's situation too."

"Om, they won't say anything bad against Gauri." Shivaay promises him in a bid to appease him.

Tej sighs furiously and gets up and walks off.

*********

Seeing Omkara heading towards her, Gauri stops in her path.

"I was coming to see you." Omkara tells her.

"Yes? What happened?"

"Nothing... I wanted your boyfriend's number."

"What?" Gauri asks her heart skipping a beat.

"Why are you panicking? I just want to talk to him." Omkara asks her confused.

"About what?" Gauri asks him worriedly.

"Just to tell him about the annulment. I don't want to be a problem between you two." Omkara tells her.

"It's okay. I already told him, he is fine with it." Gauri quickly tells him.

"Still it will be good if I also spoke to him."

"No... there is no need for that."

Seeing her behave so restlessly, Omkara frowns and asks her, "Why don't you want me to talk to your boyfriend?"

"Why should you?" Gauri asks him back.

Seeing her like that, he frowns suspiciously and asks her, "What is your boyfriend's name?"

"Huh?" Gauri asks in shock as she tried to think of a name.

"Your boyfriend's name?"

"Arjun." Gauri says the first name that came to her mind.

"Arjun what?"

"Kapoor!" Gauri replies without thinking.

"Arjun Kapoor?" Omkara asks her not convinced.

"Not the actor. Another Arjun Kapoor." Gauri replies faking a chuckle.

"Obviously." Omkara agrees.

"Okay. I've class." Gauri says and turns to leave.

"What does he do?" Omkara asks her.

"Huh?" Gauri turns to him wide eyes.

"Where does Arjun Kapoor work?"

"Erm..."

"You don't know?" Omkara asks her frowning.

"I know... why wouldn't I know?" Gauri asks him as she tried to brainstorm and think of a company that operated in Bengaluru.

"So?"

"Erm... Infosys!" Gauri tells him excitedly in relief. "He works in Infosys."

"As?"

Gauri's eyes widen in shock.

Omkara expectantly looks at her.

"Programmer?" Gauri asks him worriedly.

"You are asking me?" Omkara asks her back.

"No... no... I'm telling you. Arjun Kapoor, works in Infosys Bengaluru as a programmer." Gauri tells him in a single breath.

"What programmer?"

Gauri frowns hearing that. "I don't know. I didn't ask! If you want, I'll call him and ask him."

"Okay... call." Omkara tells her.

"What?" Gauri stops in shock.

"Call him and ask." Omkara tells her in a challenging tone.

Gauri frowns at him and tells him. "He is busy at work. I'll ask him when I call him later. Now, even I've class. Even you have class. Go to class!"

"It's free hour for me." Omkara says shrugging.

"I don't have free hour!" Gauri glares at him and turns and walks off.

"Where were you?" Bhavya asks seeing Gauri hurrying in.

"What all types of programmers are there in Infosys?" Gauri asks Bhavya hurriedly.

"What?" Bhavya asks confused. "Why?"

"I've to know!" Gauri tells her.

"Just google!" Bhavya tells her.

***********

The moment Omkara's class got over, Gauri runs behind him.

"Omkara!" Gauri calls him as she ran behind him.

Omkara stops, so does the few students around them and curiously look at her.

Realizing everyone's eyes on her. Gauri bites her tongue nervously and says, "I mean, Professor Oberoi."

Omkara walks towards her, noticing couple of students looking at them, he asks them with a frown. "What?"

The students shake their heads and quickly hurries off.

"Yeah?" Omkara stops in front of Gauri.

"Professor Oberoi, you asked..."

"What's with the Professor Oberoi?" Omkara cuts her off shocked.

"You are my Professor." Gauri replies confused.

"Before that, I am your husband." Omkara reminds her.

"But no one knows here." Gauri tells him in shock.

"So?"

"If they hear me call you by name then..."

"Then they hear." Omkara replies with a shrug.

"I don't want anyone to know." Gauri worriedly whispers to him.

"Gauri, we are married and that is our truth. We can't deny it, no matter what. And we've no need to hide it also. We got married in front of hundreds of people. Half the college here knows that I got married. I don't know how many know whom I married or that we are not together. The truth is it doesn't matter to me."

"It matters to me." Gauri whispers to him as she looked down.

Omkara sighs and tells her, "I'll not go out of my way and tell anyone that you're my wife but I'll not deny also if someone asks me."

Gauri nods realizing that he won't budge from his stance.

"Anyway what were you saying?" Omkara asks her.

"You asked what programmer Arjun is." Gauri reminds him excitedly.

"Power programmer?" Omkara asks her.

"How did you know that?" Gauri asks him, shocked out of her wits.

"That is the first search result on google when you search for "Infosys Programmer." So, I just guessed." Omkara replies with a shrug.

"I called him. I didn't google it." Gauri quickly tells him worriedly.

"Obviously." Omkara replies and walks off.

***********

Gauri was walking towards the bus stop when Omkara's car stops near her.

"Gauri!" Omkara calls her as he lowered the window.

Gauri turns to the car and noticing him, she bends down to speak to him.

"Where are you going?" Omkara asks her.

"For work."

"Work?" Omkara asks her confused.

"I got a part time job in a call center. Going there."

"Okay... get in, I'll drop you."

"It's okay. I'll take a bus."

"Get in, Gauri." Omkara tells her as he leaned down and opened the door for her.

Gauri gets in.

"Where do you work?" Omkara asks her as he drove the car.

Gauri tells him.

"How come you're working in a call center?" Omkara asks her curiously. "Is that the field you want to specialize in?"

"No... I was just looking for a part time job and this fits with my schedule."

"Do you want me to check if we have any openings at our company for you?" Omkara asks her.

"No... no." Gauri quickly says shaking her head.

Understanding why she wouldn't want to work there, he doesn't press much.

"Why didn't you join your business?" Gauri asks him curiously.

"I'm one of the directors. In fact, I'm heading for the board meeting now." Omkara tells her.

"Oh. I didn't know that." Gauri whispers.

"I'm not as involved as Shivaay and Dad. But I do hold 1/3rd of the share."

Gauri nods and asks him curiously. "You like teaching?"

"It's my passion."

"So, your family didn't have a problem with you not joining Oberoi industries?"

"It's my career and my choice. They have no say in that." Omkara replies to her surprised.

Gauri nods as she looked out sadly.

"Dad keeps telling me to buy our college."

"Buy the college?" Gauri asks shocked.

"Yeah, it is actually up for sale. They are going through some financial problems but I can't manage everything." Omkara tells her.

Gauri nods hearing that.

"What about you?" Omkara asks her.

"I want to do something in the education industry. I don't want to be a teacher, maybe something else. I want to make sure that everyone gets a chance at education." Gauri tells him.

"That's nice." Omkara tells her smiling.

Gauri smiles seeing him smile then she couldn't help the blush that spread on her face, she quickly looks away.

Seeing that, Omkara asks her casually. "How did you meet your boyfriend?"

"Er... college... he was my senior."

"Okay... so, how is Aryan doing?"

"Fine." Gauri replies with a smile then she quickly adds, "But very busy with work."

"But I thought your boyfriend's name was Arjun." Omkara reminds her.

Gauri's eyes widen in shock. "I've a friend called Aryan. I thought you were asking about him."

"Oh!"

"Arjun is also very busy with work." Gauri quickly tells him. then she adds, "Super busy."

"So busy that he doesn't get much time to call you."

"Yes!" Gauri says latching onto that option.

"Obviously." Omkara mutters as he stops the car in front of her workplace.

"I'll come and pick you up." Omkara tells her as she was about to get down.

"Why?" Gauri asks him shocked.

"What time will your work get over?" Omkara asks her.

"8."

"Okay... if incase board meeting isn't done by then; I'll send our driver."

"It's okay. don't bother, I'll go back to hostel by bus." Gauri tells him.

"No, I'll come or driver will be here." Omkara insists.

"Why are you doing all this?" Gauri asks him helplessly.

"Because you're my wife." Omkara reminds her with a frown.

"But we are getting our marriage annulled."

"Till then you're my wife." Omkara reminds her.

Gauri nods hearing him and starts to get off.

"Gauri..." Omkara calls her.

Gauri stops and looks at him.

"We might not remain married for long but don't forget you're still my wife. And you've all the rights of my wife." Omkara tells her.

"Why?" Gauri asks him softly, her heart filling up.

"It might have been forced on you, but when I made those vows, I meant every single one of them." Omkara tells her.

Gauri's eyes fill up hearing him. gulping, she quickly hurries out of the car.

***********

Gauri smiles as she hurried to the car park seeing Omkara waiting for her.

"Hi." Gauri says happily as she sat in and buckled her seat belt.

Omkara smiles at her as he started the car. It has become their routine. He would drop her at her work and then after that he would pick her up and drop her back to her hostel.

"Sorry, I'm late. I was talking to Ma." Gauri tells him.

"How is she doing?" Omkara asks her.

"She is doing good. Just worried for me."

"Hmm.... Did your grandparents find out about you?" Omkara asks her.

Gauri shakes her head in negative. "I am as good as dead to them now."

Omkara angrily looks at her hearing that.

"I'm not hurt." Gauri quickly tells him. "It doesn't matter to me now."

"Hmmm."

"Anyway, Ma is happy for me." Gauri tells him happily.

"Does she know about Arjun?" Omkara asks her.

Gauri's smile drops hearing him. "Yeaah."

"Sorry, I meant Aryan."

Confused Gauri thinks on what was her fake boyfriend's name.

"Sorry... I don't know why I mess up your boyfriend's name." Omkara tells her.

Confused, Gauri looks out the window as she tried to remember whether she told her boyfriend's name was Aryan or Arjun.

"Gauri?"

"It's okay, I understood whom you meant." Gauri tells him.

"Okay."

"Anyway let's not talk about him." Gauri tells him.

"Okay."

"Let's talk of something else."

"You got scholarship, right?" Omkara asks her.

"Yes." Gauri replies smiling proudly.

"Mugging up, huh?" Omkara asks her with a grin.

Gauri frowns hearing that. "You don't think I'm smart?"

"Oh you're too smart for me." Omkara replies laughing.

Gauri turns to him in shock. "Why are you laughing? What is so funny?"

Omkara shrugs as he chuckled. Frowning, Gauri hits him on his shoulder.

"Stop laughing!"

Omkara continues to chuckle.

"Why are you laughing at me?" Gauri asks him frowning angrily as she hit him. "Stop it!"

Omkara stops the car and chuckling he informs her. "Your destination, Madam."

Seeing they reached, Gauri tells him angrily as she grabbed her stuff. "Don't come to pick me up! I'll go by myself."

Omkara chuckles as he watched Gauri walk away furiously.

***********

Gauri comes out after work and looks for Omkara's car. Not seeing his car, she stops and waits for him to reach. She takes her mobile and she was about to dial his number when she remembers how they had parted. She keeps her mobile back in her bag. She starts to walk off then she stops. She knew, he would come.
Gauri stays there and waits for him. two minutes later, she feels a flash. She turns to look at the direction and sees a black car flashing at her. Omkara's car was white.

The car again flashes at her.

Gauri quickly takes her mobile and dials Omkara as her heart beat fast. She looks around worriedly as she looked if people were around.

"Yeah, Gauri?" Omkara answers the phone.

"Omkara, where are you? there is a car flashing at me!" Gauri worriedly tells him.

"You only told me not to come." Omkara reminds her.

"What?" Gauri stops in shock. "You are not coming?"

"You only told me not to come." Omkara reminds her.

"How will I go now? I have to walk past that car to get to the bus stop." Gauri worriedly asks.

The car again flashes at her.

"He is flashing at me again." Gauri tells Omkara now getting angry at the creep's audacity.

"Okay, then ask him to drop you to the hostel."

"What?" Gauri asks him in shock.

"Maybe he is offering you lift."

Gauri turns to glare at the car. "It is you in the car! Isn't it?"

Omkara starts laughing.

Gauri furiously walks to the car and opens the door.

"I thought you told me not to come." Omkara laughs at her.

"Fine! I'll go by bus!" Gauri says furiously.

She turns to walk off, when Omkara grabs her and pulls her in. Gauri yelps in shock as she turned to glare at him.

Omkara grins at her. Gauri frees her hand from him and turns and looks out the window ignoring him.

"Oh biwi naraz hogayi." [Wife got angry] Omkara cheekily says.

Gauri scowls at him.

Chuckling Omkara starts the car.

They remained silent for a while. Noticing an ice cream truck, Omkara pulls up next to it.

"Ice cream?" Omkara asks Gauri.

Gauri turns her face away pissed.

Shrugging Omkara turns to the vendor and tells him. "1 vanilla."

Hearing that Gauri turns to him angrily.

The vendor hands Omkara his ice cream. "Madam, for you?" he asks Gauri.

"Chocolate." Gauri tells him as she glared at Omkara.

Omkara cheekily chuckles.

Gauri scowls at him. Omkara pays the vendor and gets out of the car. "Let's go for a walk."

Gauri follows him as she licked on her ice cream cone. Omkara walks to a tree and stops and smiles at her. Gauri ignores him and enjoys her ice cream.

"You are such a baby." Omkara cutely teases her.

Gauri glares at him.

Omkara lovingly keeps his hand on her cheek and asks him. "Did you get scared?"

Seeing him being so sweet. Gauri nods in yes.

"Sorry." Omkara tells her.

"It's okay." Gauri replies, forgiving him.

"I thought you would get irritated. I didn't think you would get scared."

"I didn't recognize the car, otherwise I would have realized." Gauri tells him.

"It's Shivaay's car."

"You purposely brought it to irritate me."

Omkara chuckles. "You only told me not to come."

"But I knew you would come."

"And I knew you would wait." Omkara tells her smugly.

"I was going to get you to hit him when you come." Gauri tells him.

Omkara laughs hearing that. "If anyone troubles you for real, I'll hit him." Omkara promises her.

"I know." Gauri replies with a smile.

"How?" Omkara asks a little surprised.

"You vowed to protect me." Gauri reminds him with a smile.

Omkara smiles as he leaned to the tree.

"How is your ice cream?" Gauri asks him.

Omkara points his ice cream cone at her. Gauri leans towards him and shyly licks the ice cream.

"How is it?" Omkara asks her.

"Mine is better."

Omkara suspiciously looks at her. Gauri offers her ice cream to him.

Omkara tastes it. "Yeah... you're right."

Gauri smiles. "You want this?"

"No, you've it."

"No, you take it." Gauri tells him as she took his ice cream and offered him her ice cream.

"You sure?"

"Yeah, Om."

Omkara smiles hearing her call him Om. he takes her ice cream and they have it.

"What's time?" Gauri asks curiously as she held Omkara's hand and turned it to check the time. "It is getting late. My curfew is at 9:30." Gauri tells him hurriedly.

"Let's go."

They were walking to the car when Omkara gently calls her. Gauri curiously turns to look at him.

"Did you mean any of it?"

"What?" Gauri asks him confused.

"Our wedding vows." Omkara asks her softly.

Hearing his question, Gauri sadly looks at him. "I don't know." Gauri confesses to him.

Omkara nods and starts to walk off. Gauri quickly holds his hand. Omkara turns to look at her.

"You don't have to hold on to those vows, Omkara." Gauri tells him gently.

"I made those vows with my free will. I'll uphold them." Omkara tells her.

Gauri helplessly looks at him, her eyes filling up.

"You might not have meant those vows, Gauri but I know this." Omkara tells her as he moved towards her.

"What?" Gauri asks him as she looked into his eyes.

"That you consider me your husband." Omkara tells her as he looked into her eyes.

Gauri gulps as the tears threatened to spill. "We are getting our marriage annulled." Gauri reminds him in a whisper and walks off towards the car.

***********

Two days later, Gauri comes out of her workplace and spots Omkara's car immediately. She happily hurries to the car. Every time she sees Omkara wait for her, it made her happy.

"Hi." Gauri says happily and stops in shock seeing his serious face.

"hey." Omkara replies as he started the car.

"Is everything okay?" Gauri asks him in concern.

"Yeah, all fine." Omkara replies.

"You look upset." Gauri tells him.

"It's all fine, Gauri."

"Please tell me, Om." Gauri requests him as she held his hand.

Omkara stops the car to the side. "Everything is fine." Omkara starts.

"But?"

"Nothing... it is just that, I was just thinking."

"Thinking?" Gauri asks confused.

"Lawyer called."

Gauri's heart breaks hearing that. "Oh."

"We have to meet him in court tomorrow. I'll pick you up from hostel at 10."

Gauri nods as her heart slammed against her chest.

Omkara leans towards the back seat and brings forward a file. "I've signed it. you go through it and sign it."

"You went through it, right?" Gauri asks him softly, trying her best to control her tears.

"Still you go through it." Omkara tells her. "We are filing for annulment, so you won't get any alimony. But if you want anything..."

"I don't want anything." Gauri quickly cuts him off as she looked at him with tear filled eyes.

"I was just telling you what the lawyer told me." Omkara quickly tells her.

Gauri nods as she looked down at the file. "I don't want anything."

"I know." Omkara tells her gently as he started the car.

***********

Gauri keeps looking at the unopened file as her heart screamed out in pain. Leaving the file on the table, she opens her cupboard and takes out the pouch she had safely kept. She opens it and takes out her mangal sutra. She lovingly caresses it and breaks down into tears.

***********

They were walking towards the court when Gauri notices a bench.

"Can we sit there?" Gauri asks him.

Omkara checks his watch and tells her. "Our turn is in ten minutes."

"Just 5 mins." Gauri requests him.

"Okay." Omkara nods and walks with her to the bench.

They sit down.

"Did you want to talk?" Omkara asks her when she remained silent.

Gauri nods as she looked down. "I don't have a boyfriend." Gauri confesses softly.

"I know." Omkara replies.

"How?" Gauri turns to him in shock.

"Because I am not dumb." Omkara replies with a frown. "And now you don't act dumb, Gauri. I know you knew that I realized that there is no Arjun."

Gauri guiltily looks down. "Why didn't you ever ask me?"

"It doesn't matter whether you had a boyfriend or not. The truth is that you were forced to marry me. your boyfriend's truth was not going to change that you didn't want to marry me." Omkara explains.

"Why didn't you ask me the reason then?"

"You lied when I asked you once." Omkara reminds her.

"You assumed that I was in love with someone else." Gauri tells him.

"Gauri, when I came to our bedroom on our suhag raat, you were crying and you had marks of beatings on your hands and face. I understood you were forced and the first thought that came to my mind was that you loved someone else. I didn't accuse you, I asked you." Omkara reminds her offended.

"You said if I loved someone else you would free me from this marriage." Gauri tells him as tears spilled from her eyes. "I wanted to escape so I lied."

"Why?" Omkara asks her.

"I wanted to study." Gauri tells him. "I wanted to get a job."

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

"marriage is the end for education and career."

"What nonsense? Even I am married, that is not stopping my career." Omkara tells her exasperated.

"It is not the same for a guy and a girl." Gauri tells him in shock.

"Why does it have to be different?" Omkara asks her. "Your career is your professional life. your marriage is your personal life. why can't they both co-exist?"

"People expect a girl to sacrifice her career and education for family."

"Gauri, I am a Professor. I know the value of education and career!" Omkara tells her in shock.

"Ma wanted to be a doctor." Gauri tells him. "She was studying medicine when she met Baba on her second year. He promised her that he would support her in her education and career. But after marriage, any function, ritual at home, she was asked to take leave. Then when she got pregnant Baba told her to stop her studies and concentrate on me. he told her after I was a little order, she could continue with her studies. she agreed. Every time, she asked him about restarting her studies, he would say "Let Gauri be a little older." Then Baba passed away when I was 5 and my grandparents refused to let her study. All her life, if she wants something then she has to beg them and get their approval."

Omkara looks away disturbed hearing that.

"When your family called about the marriage, Ma and I told my grandparents that I want to study. They refused to fund my education and lied that I didn't get scholarship. I had no other option than to agree for the wedding. The day before our wedding I found out from my teacher that my scholarship was approved. Ma and I fought with my grandparents and I told them I want to study. They refused and when I told them I was going to tell you that I didn't want to marry you they hit me and stopped me from coming to you."

"Gauri, if you had told me that after our marriage also I would have told you that I will never stand in the way of your education and career. And I will never let anyone stand in the way." Omkara tells her.

"I want to make my career." Gauri tells him as she looked at him.

"And us?"

Gauri hands him the annulment petition. Omkara takes it from her and curiously looks inside and sees that she hadn't signed.

"You didn't sign?" Omkara asks her, feeling hopeful.

"I don't know why." Gauri tells him.

"What do you mean you don't know?" Omkara asks her confused.

"I don't know." Gauri tells him. "My career is important."

"And us?" Omkara asks again.

"I promised Ma that I will make my career first." Gauri tells him.

"So, do you want to go ahead with the annulment?" Omkara asks her hurt and angry.

"When I told you that I was forced to marry you, you were so furious. At first, I thought you were angry at me then I realized that you were angry for me. You wanted to confront my grandparents and I had to plead you not to do it. then you wanted me to leave immediately as you didn't want me to stay with you even for a day and cause any kind of misunderstandings between my boyfriend and me." Gauri tells him as tears spilled from her eyes.

Omkara listens to her with a confused frown and when she didn't say anything further, he asks her, "What are you trying to say?"

Gauri shakes her head in negative in reply.

Exasperated Omkara asks her, "Do you want us to go to the court room and file the petition or not?"

Gulping Gauri looks down helplessly.

Omkara seeing that takes the papers and tears it. "I don't care if it is one month or a year. I don't care if we have to get divorced. Till I am sure that you don't want me, we will not end this marriage." Omkara tells her.

Hearing that, filled with relief and joy, Gauri jumps towards him and hugs him tight.

Omkara couldn't help smile, he hugs her. "Take your time and decide."

"Thank you." Gauri tells him happily.

Omkara smiles at her.

"Why do you want to stay married to me?" Gauri asks him softly.

"I married you because I liked you." Omkara tells her with a sweet smile.

"Really?" Gauri asks blushing happily.

"Remember, Shivaay and Anika bhabhi had come to stay at your place for some work?" Omkara asks her.

"Yes." Gauri nods.

"When Dadi told me about you, I was worried that if it didn't work out, I didn't want it to affect Dadi's friendship with your dadi. So, I had asked Shivaay and Anika Bhabhi to get to know you and see whether we would work out."

"They came home to spy on me?" Gauri asks shocked.

Omkara chuckles. "Not exactly. Anyway, they really liked you and they told me you were preparing for elocution competition and I had come to your college that day. I heard your speech on the importance of women's education and I liked your views and thoughts. So, I told Dadi to proceed."

"You were there?" Gauri asks shocked, her eyes widening in surprise.

"Yes." Omkara tells her smiling. "I tried talking to you before the wedding but you were nervous and reserved, I thought you were not used to speaking to men like that."

Gauri's smile drops and she looks down guiltily. "I was so worried about my studies that time."

"I understand." Omkara tells her reassuringly.

Gauri smiles hearing that.

"Let's go." Omkara tells her.

**********

Just as Gauri reached her hostel room, Vasundhara calls her.

"Hello, ma." Gauri happily answers the call.

"You sound happy." Vasundhara says happily. "Did you file for annulment? Did the lawyer say when you will get the marriage annulled?"

Hearing her question, Gauri's smile drops and she worriedly tells her. "We didn't file, Ma."

"What? Why?" Vasundhara asks shocked.

"We've decided to take our time and decide." Gauri tells her worriedly.

"Decide what, Gauri?" Vasundhara asks her shocked and getting angry. "File for annulment before Omkara changes his mind."

Gulping worriedly, Gauri tells her. "I love him, Ma. I want your blessings. I want to go to Om."

"Have you gone crazy, Gauri?" Vasundhara asks her angrily.

"Please, Ma. Today, he asked me but I didn't tell him that I want to be with him because I wanted you to bless us first."

"No. I won't allow this." Vasundhara tells her sternly. "I'll not let you ruin your life like this."

"Om is not like Baba, Ma. He cares about my future."

"Gauri, you are getting blinded by your love."

"No, Ma. After everything, he still cares for me." Gauri tells her crying softly.

"After what, Gauri? you were forced to marry him!"

"He helped me even when you couldn't." Gauri points out to her.

Vasundhara gasps in shock. "You know what all I went through for you."

"I know, Ma. I am not belittling you." Gauri quickly tells her guiltily.

Vasundhara takes a calming breath and tells Gauri, "I am not going to let you make the same mistakes that I did."

"I am not, Ma. Om is not like Baba. You know how he always takes me to work and picks me up from there. he is so supportive."

"Your father did more than that and he promised me the world, Gauri."

Gauri helplessly sighs.

"Gauri, forget this marriage and Omkara. you have only one responsibility and that is to yourself. Finish your studies and get a job. Once you stand on your feet, marry whoever you want. If it is Omkara, that time I won't stop you. but not now."

"I'll concentrate on my studies and get a job." Gauri promises her.

"Good, Gauri." Vasundhara says in relief.

"But I won't forget Om. As long as Om wants me, I won't forsake this marriage."

"Gauri..."

Gauri cuts her off. "Don't worry, Ma. I'll wait for your blessings."

**********

Seeing that his whole family had taken their seats at the breakfast table, Omkara decides that this was as best a time as any to inform them about Gauri.

He clears his throat and everyone curiously looks at him.

"Gauri and I won't be getting our marriage annulled now." Omkara informs them.

"What?" Tej asks angrily.

"What do you mean by that, Om? You said you were filing for annulment." Jhanvi asks him shocked.

"We've decided to give our marriage a chance." Omkara informs them.

"I won't allow it." Tej says angrily.

"If you forgot, Dad then Gauri is my wife. We don't need anyone's permission."

"She ran away! She humiliated us in front of the whole world." Dadi reminds him.

"She was forced to marry me. and I asked her to leave. How many times do you want me to repeat it?" Omkara asks her angry.

"Wait a minute." Tej says confused. "What about Gauri's boyfriend?"

"There is no boyfriend. There never was one."

"What do you mean?" Tej asks frowning in confusion.

Omkara quickly tells him.

"She thinks we would stop her from studying further?" Jhanvi asks offended.

"You should understand, Mom. Gauri has been most influenced by her mother. What her mother went through, it has scared her." Omkara explains to her.

"But how can she assume such things? have we tied Anika to the house? Even Anika is a working woman."

"None of this matters. We don't want anything to do with that girl or her family." Tej says.

"You are speaking of my wife." Omkara tells him angrily.

"No, Om. because of her we were humiliated in front of family and friends. It is my mistake that I suggested her for you." Dadi says sadly. "I shouldn't have kept friendship with them. after that day, I ended all relation with them and have told them clearly that Gauri will not be a party of our family."

"Those people don't deserve your friendship. But Gauri is not among them. she is a victim of their atrocities." Omkara tells him.

"Enough. We won't accept her." Tej says furiously and gets up and walks off.

Jhanvi and Dadi follows him.

Shivaay turns to Omkara in exasperation. "Is it necessary to have these conversations when we sit down to have our food?"

"Shivaay!" Anika turns to him in shock.

"What? I'm hungry." Shivaay tells her.

"You sit and eat!" Anika tells him pissed and turns to Omkara and sees that he was about to leave the table. "Om..."

Omkara looks at her.

"Only you've seen what she went through. They don't know. All they know is what happened the day after your wedding when guests had come to see your bride and she was missing. The humiliation they all went through when we had to cancel the reception." Anika gently explains to him.

"That doesn't mean they hold Gauri responsible for everything." Omkara argues.

"Om, you bring her home. Let them get to know her. once they get to know her, they will accept her." Shivaay tells him.

"I doubt Gauri will come here. I feel she is nervous about meeting you all."

"But she will have to meet us one day, right?"

Omkara nods.

"Bring her home one day. they might not accept her immediately but eventually they will."

"But if they insult her..."

"They won't. they know insulting your wife is insulting you. they will never do that." Anika tells him.

**********

Later Omkara was walking into his department building when he notices Gauri standing by the entrance. He smiles at her and she hesitantly smiles at him.

"What happened?" Omkara asks her.

Gauri shakes her head and asks him, "Did you tell your family about what we decided?"

"Yes."

"And?" Gauri asks worriedly.

"They are not happy." Omkara informs her.

"Oh." Gauri sadly looks down.

Omkara keeps his hand on her cheek. Gauri looks up and he sweetly smiles at her. "They will come around."

"Did you tell them that I don't have a boyfriend?" Gauri asks him eagerly.

"Yeah, I told them everything."

"And what did they say?" Gauri asks him worriedly.

"They were offended that you think they would interfere in your career and studies."

Hearing that, Gauri's eyes fill up and she quickly looks down.

"Gauri?" Omkara calls her name in concern. He looks around and notices that there were students around and a couple of them were watching them curiously.

"Come with me." Omkara holds her hand and leads her to an empty class room.

Omkara closes the door and asks her, "What happened?"

"Nothing." Gauri lies.

"Gauri, before you used to lie to me and I didn't say anything because we were going to end our marriage but now, we are trying to make this work. So, don't lie to me and don't hide anything from me." Omkara tells her.

Hearing him, Gauri moves towards him and hugs him. resting her face against his chest, she tells him. "I trust you, Om."

Omkara hugs her and asks her gently, "Why are you sad about that?"

"Not about that."

"Then?"

"I asked Ma whether I could go with you but she didn't agree." Gauri tells him sadly.

"We are married, Gauri. we don't need anyone's permission." Omkara tells her.

"I want Ma to give us her blessing. She never wanted us to get married."

"But we are married now and she will have to accept it."

"She said after I get a job she will give us her blessing."

"So, we stay like this till then?" Omkara asks her.

"I'm all Ma has. She is worried for me. she went through so much for me." Gauri tells him as she worriedly looks at his face.

Omkara doesn't say anything to that.

"All she wants is to see me settle down."

"Gauri, your career is a part of your life and your marriage is also a part of your life. I don't understand why you think you have to sacrifice one for the other."

"Ma doesn't want what happened to her, to happen to me also."

"It will not happen to you." Omkara tells her fed up. "I'm promising you that."

"I know. I trust you, Om. I want Ma to give us her blessing."

"And it is not going to happen any time soon." Omkara says giving up.

"All she wants is that my future be secure and in my hands. That is all she ever wanted. And I told her I want to be with you. I know that hurt her a lot. I feel so selfish." Gauri guiltily confesses to him.

"Gauri, you were being honest with your mother, not selfish!" Omkara tells her in exasperation.

Gauri nods. "I don't want to hurt her."

"Anyway, I told you it is your decision." Omkara tells her.

Gauri smiles at him feeling relieved.

Omkara smiles at her then remembering he tells her, "Shivaay suggested that you come home and meet my family."

Gauri's smile drops in worry.

"I'll be there with you." Omkara promises her as he cups her face. "I want to try clear up the misunderstandings my family has regarding you."

"I'll come." Gauri tells him with a gentle smile.

"Let me know when you are free." Omkara tells her with a smile.

"Weekend I'm free after work."

"Okay." Omkara smiles at her. "Now, you go to class. Your class will start soon."

"Okay." Gauri smiles at him.

*********

"What is happening between you two?" Bhavya asks Gauri in a whisper the moment Omkara had left class after the lecture was over.

Gauri turns to Bhavya in surprise.

"The way you two look at each other is..." Bhavya suspiciously stops.

Gauri blushes and informs her. "He is my husband."

"WHAT?" Bhavya shouts in shock.

"Sshh..." Gauri quickly says as she looked around but nobody seemed to care about the loud question.

"When did you guys get married?" Bhavya asks in an excited whisper.

"A month before college started."

"Whaat?"

"I'll tell you after class." Gauri tells her chuckling.

*********

One day, Omkara walks into Gauri's classroom and as usual he looks for her. she smiles at him but he stops taken back seeing her face all puffed up.

Frowning in concern, he walks towards her. "Are you okay? you look sick." Omkara says as he kept his hand on her forehead to check her temperature.

"Yeah, I'm fine. I didn't sleep last night." Gauri tells him.

"Why? Oh for your test?" Omkara asks her curiously.

"Yeah."

"Test is over?"

"First hour."

"How did you do?"

"Good." Gauri tells him smiling happily.

"Nice." Omkara replies with a smile. Then walking back to his desk, he asks the class conversationally. "And how did you all do your test?"

The students who all were looking at Omkara's and Gauri's interaction all curiously and weirdly replies in monosyllable, still not able to understand what they witnessed.

*********

That Saturday, Gauri nervously walks into Oberoi mansion with Omkara.

"Don't worry. I'm here." Omkara reassuringly tells her as he held her hand.

Gauri tries to gather courage and smile.

"Hi Gauri." Anika cheerfully wishes her and walks towards her followed by Shivaay.

"Hi Bhabhi." Gauri gently smiles at her.

Anika happily hugs her. Gauri hugs her.

"Welcome home, Gauri." Shivaay tells her as he kept his hand on the back of her head.

"Hello Shivaay bhaiyya." Gauri politely smiles at him.

"Come and meet everyone." Anikha tells her and holding her hand, she leads her to where the rest of the family were sitting.

Gauri nervously looks at her in-laws and sees that they were clearly unhappy about her presence. She walks towards them and starts to touch Dadi's feet.

"no need for all that. sit." Dadi tells her.

Gauri nervously looks at Omkara, and he gestures her to the couch. Gauri walks towards it and he follows her there, and they sit together.

"I'm not happy about this." Tej says in a slight angry tone. "But Omkara is adamant. It is his life and he has taken decision. We are left with no choice."

"I'm sorry for what..." Gauri starts.

"You left because I asked you to leave. You don't have to apologize to them." Omkara cuts her off.

"You asked her to leave because you thought she had a boyfriend and you didn't want to cause problems for them." Jhanvi reminds him. "If she hadn't lied then we wouldn't have been humiliated."

"My wife lied to me and it doesn't concern anyone of you. it is between her and me, you don't have to speak about that." Omkara tells her.

"Om, please." Gauri pleads to him in a worried whisper. "Don't speak to them like this."

"Gauri, I don't know how are things done in your family, but in this family, we speak openly. Whatever is in our heart, we share it with all." Omkara tells her.

Gauri looks down and gently whispers to him, "That is your biggest blessing, Om. don't misuse it."

Omkara stops hearing that, realizing that Gauri always had to hold back when she spoke to her family and for her, being open with one's family was a blessing while for him it was something natural. Omkara turns to look at his family and sees them all sharing confused looks and they all seemed to notice it.

"Anyway, I just wanted to make something clear to you." Jhanvi tells Gauri.

"Yes?" Gauri worriedly looks at her.

"Whether you continue your studies or wants to work, it is your decision. None of us think we have any right to interfere in one's life like that." Jhanvi explains to her.

Gauri nods. "I understand."

"I already told Gauri that. Gauri is waiting for her mother's permission." Omkara explains to her.

"Anyway, I've office." Tej says as he stood up.

"Even I've some work." Jhanvi says as she stood up.

"I'm also busy." Dadi also says.

Gauri silently watched as they left.

"It's okay, Gauri." Anika tells her with a gentle smile.

"After what happened, this is nothing." Gauri tells her with a soft smile.

"Just give them some time." Shivaay tells her.

*******

"This is our room." Omkara says as he opened the bedroom door for her.

Smiling and blushing, Gauri steps in and looks around the room while Omkara closed the door.

"Like it?" Omkara asks her from behind.

Gauri shakes her head in negative. "Too masculine."

"I guess..." Omkara says as he hugged her from behind. "You'll have to come here to give the room some feminine touch." Omkara says and kisses her cheek.

Gauri blushing happily, looks at him. Omkara again kisses her cheek. Gauri turns and kisses his cheek then she hugs him tightly. "I love you, Om."

"I know, love." Omkara replies as he hugged her tight.

*******

One night, Omkara was sleeping when he wakes up hearing his mobile ring. Seeing that it was Gauri, he quickly answers. "Gauri?"

"I'm feeling sleepy, Om." Gauri tells him from the other end.

"Then sleep." Omkara replies shocked as he checked the time. "It's 1. Why are you up so late?"

"I've test tomorrow and I'm so sleepy."

"Then sleep."

"But I want to revise once more."

"Then do it quickly and sleep." Omkara says as he stifled a yawn.

Gauri yawns. "But I'll sleep off now. you talk to me for a few minutes then I'll wake up properly."

Cheekily grinning, Omkara tells her. "Next week I'm planning to give a calculus test for you all."

"WHAAAT?" Gauri shouts in shock.

"I thought surprise test, but now I changed my mind."

"Why this kolaveri di?" Gauri asks feeling upset and tortured.

Omkara chuckles. "I don't know what you think the meaning of kolaveri is, but whatever you thought it to be, it is not the right meaning."

"Torture." Gauri replies with a frown.

"It is not torture." Omkara tells her chuckling.

"But it feels like a torture."

"How is your sleep?"

"All gone, thanks to you!" Gauri tells him pissed.

"Ha... ha... see, now, go back to studying."

"Oh!" Gauri says in relief. "You lied about the test to make me lose my sleep?"

"No, that I am serious."

"grrr"

"Think, Gauri... if you were here, you could have gone through my stuff and found the question paper for the test." Omkara cheekily tells her.

"Why won't you give me the questions?" Gauri asks with a frown.

"I thought you were an honor student."

"That I am." Gauri replies pouting.

"Then study instead of dreaming of cheating." Omkara tells her. "Good night, Gauri."

"Bad night!" Gauri tells him pissed.

*******

as the class waited for Omkara to come, Gauri whispers to Bhavya. "Next week, we'll have calculus test."

"WHAT?" Bhavya asks in shock.

"Omkara told me." Gauri tells her dejectedly.

"What the hell did you do to piss him off that he decided to give a test?" Bhavya asks her exasperated.

"I didn't do anything. and he was planning to give surprise test." Gauri tells her.

"I'm tired of studying for exams every week." Bhavya says fed up then turning to Gauri, she instructs her. "You forget what your mother is saying. Shift to his house and just send me a photo of the question paper."

"Get lost!"

Just then Omkara walks into the class. Everyone stands up and wishes him.

"Good morning and please sit down." Omkara says then turning to look at Gauri, he asks happily, "How was your test?"

Gauri makes a face at him and looks away.

"Tough." Someone calls out from the back.

Omkara chuckles and says as he looked at the rest of the class. "Since you guys are having tests every week. Next week, let's have a calculus test."

Every groans and moans loudly in dread.

"Friday. Portions till what was taught yesterday." Omkara informs them.

*******

"I've a calculus doubt." Gauri tells Omkara in the car as he drove her to work.

"What?" Omkara asks as he looked at her and sees that she had her calculus text book open.

"Should I study this topic?" Gauri asks him as she pointed at one.

"Yes." Omkara replies smiling.

"Oh..." Gauri puts a small tick on the side. "And this?"

"Of course."

"Okay." Gauri puts a tick for that too. "And this?"

"Obviously."

"This too?" Gauri asks at the final topic.

"You must."

Gauri turns to Omkara in confusion and asks him "That is every topic. You're giving us a question from each topic? We won't be able to finish answering it in one hour."

"I'm not asking questions from all the topics." Omkara informs her with a smile.

Gauri scowls at him. "You won't even tell me the topics?"

"You wish, Gauri." Omkara tells her with a mocking chuckle.

Gauri scowls at him. "I'll make sure that even you are not able to sleep when I'm staying up at night and studying."

"You shift home, Gauri. and I'll stay up the whole night with you."

Gauri turns to him with a smile and seeing him giving her a sexy smile and all kinds of look, she realizes what he meant and she quickly looks away turning completely pink.

**********

One day, Gauri was looking for Omkara when she finds him speaking to the Principal in the corridor. She stands back as she waited for him to finish his conversation.

As she was waiting, Omkara happens to look her way and notices her.

"Sir, just a second." Omkara tells the Principal and turns to Gauri. "Are you waiting for me?"

Gauri nods in yes.

Omkara nods and turns to the Principal who was also looking at Gauri curiously. "Excuse me, Sir. I'll be right back. give me a minute." Omkara tells him and walks towards Gauri without waiting for a reply.

Gauri's eyes widen seeing that.

"What happened?" Omkara asks her.

Gauri looks at the offended Principal and turns to Omkara and whispers. "I'll wait. He is waiting for you."

"That's okay. what happened?"

Realizing he would not budge as he always prioritized her over everything else, she quickly tells him. "Anika Bhabhi called for the Puja at home on Sunday for Dadi's birthday. She wants me to go home."

"Yeah, I already told you right? whole family is going to be there."

"She wants me to stay there on Saturday night. She said since the Puja starts early in the morning it would be more convenient."

"Okay. I'll pick you on Saturday."

"I stay there?" Gauri asks worriedly.

"Gauri that is your house. Come stay there. I'm not going to expect you to stay on. That is your decision."

Gauri nods. "Anika Bhabhi wants me to go with her to a tailor as your mother is gifting both of us a dress for the Puja."

"Today?" Omkara asks frowning.

"Yes."

"What about your work?"

"She said she will drop me to work in time."

"Okay... so, I'll pick you up after work."

"Okay... now you go, Principal is waiting."

**********

Gauri nervously sat through dinner with Omkara's family as the elders remained silent, while Shivaay's full concentration was on his food and Anika and Omkara trying to talk to her.

"Thank you for the dress." Gauri tells Jhanvi seeing her getting up from the table.

"You're Om's wife." Jhanvi says in reply and then she walks off.

Gauri turns to look at Omkara and sees him frowning at his mother.

"I'm so happy that she accepted me as your wife." Gauri tells him in a whisper.

"What is there for her to accept? You are my wife." Omkara replies to her.

Gauri didn't say anything further.

**********

After dinner, Gauri was chatting with Omkara, Anika and Shivaay.

"We should sleep, we've to wake up early." Anika finally says checking the time.

"Which room did you keep my bag?" Gauri asks Omkara as she stood up to go to her room.

"What do you mean which room? our room." Omkara tells her frowning in confusion.

"Your... your room?" Gauri asks him in shock.

"Our room."

"I'm sleeping there?" Gauri asks feeling nervous and scared at once.

Anika and Shivaay awkwardly look at each other.

"When you've a room here why do you've to sleep in the guest room?" Omkara asks her confused.

"I'm sleepy. Shivaay, let's...." Anika starts to make her escape.

At the same time, Shivaay says "Okay, this is awkward."

Anika turns to glare at her husband.

"Let's go, Anika. Let them talk."

"Why do you've to make it so obvious?" Anika furiously whispers to Shivaay as she dragged him away from there

Gauri and Omkara watched them leave for a few seconds.

"Gauri, if you're not comfortable then you sleep in the guest room." Omkara tells her.

"I'll sleep in our room." Gauri tells him.

"You're sure?" Omkara asks her.

Gauri nervously nods. "I trust you, Om. I know you will not force me for anything."

**********

"What are you thinking?" Omkara asks Gauri as they lay facing each other on the bed.

"Ma." Gauri replies.

"Should I be offended?"

Gauri chuckles and shakes her head then sobering she tells him. "I didn't tell her that I'm staying here tonight."

"Why?" Omkara asks her frowning.

"She wasn't happy that I had come here before. If she finds out I stayed here, she is going to worry."

"Worry that I'm going to get you pregnant?" Omkara asks her.

"Maybe."

"And she thinks only if you stay here that can happen?"

"No... I'm just saying..." Gauri quickly says.

"Hmmm."

Gauri keeps her hand over his hand and holds it. Omkara interlocks his fingers with hers.

"Do you get angry with me?" Gauri asks him.

"I understand you, Gauri."

Gauri smiles hearing that.

"But at times, I wish that you would come out of the influence of your mother. This feeling of being indebted to your mother. Thinking that your existence is what ruined her life. Gauri, she was a second year medical student, she knew about precautions and how to avoid pregnancy. She became pregnant out of her own choice. She can't get away from all that happened in her life, by placing it over your head. you're not responsible for what happened to her and she shouldn't impose her fears and what happened in her life on you."

"I don't want her to be hurt, Om." Gauri gently tells him.

"I know, Gauri." Omkara tells her and taking her hand to his lips, he kisses it.

Gauri smiles at him.

**********

Gauri and Omkara were about to take their place for the puja.

"Wait!" Dadi tells Gauri frowning in displeasure.

"What is it, Dadi?" Omkara asks as Gauri stopped.

Dadi turns to Gauri and asks her. "Don't you know that a married woman should wear her mangal sutra and sindoor while sitting for puja?"

"Gauri doesn't wear them, Dadi." Omkara informs her.

"Gauri, I told you, you've to wear them." Anika worriedly whispers to her.

"I'm sorry, I forgot, Bhabhi. I brought my mangal sutra. I'll wear it and come." Gauri quickly tells her.

"I'll get it. Om, there is sindoor in the mandir, you fill her maang. Gauri, where is it?" Anika asks her.

"In my handbag."

"Okay." Anika hurries off.

"You're okay about wearing them?" Omkara asks Gauri.

Gauri nods.

Omkara walks to the mandir and gets sindoor and comes back to Gauri. he waits a few seconds and realizing, Gauri again nods in yes. Omkara fills her maang, and they couldn't help smiling happily at each other.

"Here." Anika says as she hurried to Gauri and handed her, her handbag.

Gauri quickly opens her bag and brings out her pouch and taking the mangal sutra, she offers it to Omkara.

Omkara takes it, Gauri smiles at him. Omkara smiling lovingly at her, keeps the mangal sutra on her neck. Seeing him struggling to hook it, Anika walks behind Gauri and moves her hair to a side and helps him hook the mangal sutra.

They hear a loud gasp and curiously turns to look and sees Jhanvi staring at Gauri.

"What's on your back, Gauri?" Jhanvi asks her, her face white as a ghost.

"What?" Gauri asks as she touched her back.

Anika curiously looks down her backless dress and gasps in shock.

Unable to control his curiosity Omkara looks and the blood drains from his face seeing what looked like an iron box burning on her back.

"Gauri?" Omkara whispers in shock.

Gauri looks at Omkara in confusion.

"Did your grandparents do this to make you agree to marry Om?" Anika asks her in shock.

Hearing the question, Gauri realizing, quickly puts her hair behind covering her back.

"Is it true, Gauri?" Jhanvi asks her in shock.

Gauri worriedly looks at Omkara and sees him watching her holding his breath.

"Om..." Gauri gently calls him as she tried to hold his hand. "It doesn't hurt now. It stopped hurting that I forgot about it."

Omkara quickly holds her hand and walks off to their bedroom.

**********

"Why didn't you tell me this, Gauri?" Omkara asks her as he turned to her, his eyes filling up.

"You were so angry when you saw my face that day, and I just wanted to leave that time..."

"They hurt you like this to make you marry me?" Omkara asks her.

"To make Ma agree." Gauri confesses.

"I'm going to kill them." Omkara says furiously.

"They don't matter to me." Gauri tells him as she cupped his face. "Only you matter to me."

Hearing that, Omkara closes his eyes, Gauri rests her face against his, understanding the pain he was feeling.

"Gauri..." Omkara whispers her name after a few minutes.

"Hmmm?"

"Can I?' Omkara asks her softly.

Gauri nods.

Omkara gently walks behind her, and moves her hair to the side. He gently runs his finger over her fading wound. He leans down and lightly kisses her there.

Gauri closes her eyes, feeling his lips on her skin. Nervous and excited, Gauri stood there breathless as he placed light kisses on her back. then she felt a drop of tear on her skin. She turns around and cups his face. Gauri gently takes his lips in hers and gently kisses him.

Omkara hugs her and pulls her closer to him and kisses her hungrily.

He kisses her cheek and then kisses her down her neck. Then he gently pulls her dress down her shoulder and kisses her shoulders.

"Do you want me to stop?" Omkara asks her against her skin.

Hearing his question, Gauri nervously grips his shirt as she breathed fast.

"Gauri?" Omkara gasps her name.

"Yes." Gauri whispers.

Omkara gently pulls up her dress and covers her shoulder. Gauri quickly hugs him tight.

**********

They join the rest of the family after some time.

"Gauri..." Jhanvi calls her name filled with concern and worry as she hurried to her followed by Tej and Dadi.

Gauri walks to her.

"I'm so sorry. Om told us everything. But don't know why we never thought from your side. Anika was right, Om saw it with his own eyes and we didn't, so we..."

"It's okay. you don't have to apologize." Gauri quickly tells her.

"It's our fault. We should have understood you." Tej tells her regretfully.

"I'm sorry. If I hadn't send Om's proposal, you wouldn't have gone through all that." Dadi tells her regretfully.

"Then I wouldn't have got Om." Gauri tells her then smiling she says, "and you all."

"You've us, Gauri." Tej vows to her.

Jhanvi quickly hugs her.

Gauri hugs her while she happily smiled at Omkara who was smiling seeing it all.

"Whatever you decide, Gauri, we will stand by you." Dadi promises her.

**********

Gauri and Omkara were snuggling as they half sat and half lay in the boot of his car. They had gone for a long drive as it was a day off for both of them.

"Mom called me today." Gauri tells him.

"She calls you almost every day, right?" Omkara asks her confused.

"She said that Dadi, Dad and she have decided to go see Ma and talk to her about us." Gauri tells him.

"Hmmm. I don't think it is going to make any difference to her."

"they said they will promise her that they will never interfere in my studies and career." Gauri tells him.

"She won't believe them." Omkara tells her.

"I know." Gauri tells him sadly. "I told her that but they still want to give it a try."

Omkara loudly sighs.

"I know it doesn't matter to you whether she gives her consent or not, it matters to me."

"I didn't say anything, Gauri." Omkara points out to her.

"I know you don't like it but I'm so happy that you are being so patient for me."

"I am not patient, Gauri." Omkara informs her with a frown. "I just want it to be your decision."

"Why you never forced me?" Gauri asks him softly.

"Because I know if I forced you, you would come home. Maybe you want me to force you so you can go against your mother." Omkara tells her.

Gauri thoughtfully looks away knowing somewhere he was right.

"But I will never do it." Omkara tells her. "How much ever it hurts me, I'll not do it?"

"Why?"

"Because your grandparents forced you to marry me. your mother is forcing you to stay away from me. if I also force you to do it... then I would be forcing my wishes on you like them. whatever you decide, I want you to take it all by yourself."

Gauri's eyes fill up and she hugs him. "No one, ever asked me what I wanted. Only you've asked me that. others have taken decision for me thinking they know the best."

"Nothing is more important than your happiness to me, Gauri." Omkara tells her.

Gauri smiles lovingly at him and they kiss.

**********

"Gauri!" Bhavya calls her as she ran behind her.

Gauri stops and turns to look at Bhavya and sees her running towards her in full speed.

"What happened?" Gauri asks her in concern.

"Do you know that Tanya from second year?" Bhavya asks her.

"No." Gauri replies.

"She is in my bus. She showed me a photo of you and Professor Oberoi hugging inside his car."

"What?" Gauri asks her frowning, her heart skipping a beat.

"She asked me what was going on between you both. since, you told me to keep your marriage a secret, I told her that you guys are family friends and knew from before college. She said that someone from her class forwarded it to her. I told her not to share it with anyone, but seems like it is spreading all throughout the college." Bhavya informs her worriedly.

"Oh my God, I've to find Om." Gauri worriedly says.

"Yeah. Do something otherwise there will be too many gossips about you guys in college." Bhavya warns her.

Gauri nods and was about to her hurry to the staff room when a peon comes to her.

"Principal is calling you." he informs her.

**********

Shitting bricks Gauri enters the Principal's room and sees Omkara already seated there. she signs in relief seeing him there.

"Gauri?" Omkara turns to her in shocked surprise. "What happened?"

Gauri worriedly looks at the Principal and then looks at Omkara. "I was asked to come here."

Omkara frowns hearing that. he turns to the Principal and asks him, "You called both of us here?"

"Yes." Principal replies as he angrily glared at them both.

"Is there a problem?" Omkara asks him frowning at him.

"This has been circulating in college. Do you have an explanation for this?" Principal asks as he pushed his phone towards them showing their photo.

Omkara frowns furiously seeing the photo. "Who took that?" Omkara asks him angrily.

"Do you've an explanation for this?" the Principal asks him angrily.

"Someone took a photo of our private moment and you're asking us for an explanation instead of taking an action against whoever took that?" Omkara furiously asks him as he stood up.

"Fraternizing between student and professor is against rule! Don't you know that?" Principal asks him angrily.

"Fraternizing? Student? Gauri is my wife!" Omkara furiously informs him.

"What?" Principal asks in shock.

"She is my wife!" Omkara informs him again.

"Why did you hide it from the management? Teacher student relation is not allowed here."

"Professor Khuarana's son is studying in this college."

"Parent child is okay."

"Husband and wife is not?" Omkara asks him angrily.

"it is the rule."

"I'm going to suspend her."

Gauri gasps in shock.

"What? How can you suspend her? is it a crime to hug one's husband?" Omkara asks furiously.

"A student and teacher cannot have any kind of romantic relation."

"Fine, then suspend me!" Omkara tells him.

"What are you saying, Om?" Gauri asks him in shock.

Omkara ignores her and tells the Principal in finality. "Gauri's education will not be interrupted."

Gauri gulps her sob hearing that.

"If I suspend you then it will affect the course and education of the students. In a month internals are starting. We can't have that."

"But interrupting Gauri's education is fine?" Omkara asks him furiously.

"Why didn't you tell us that she is your wife?"

"Because we were thinking of ending our marriage that time but changed our mind."

"You shouldn't have hidden this. I don't understand how she got admission here." Principal says confused and quickly pulls up Gauri's file. "This says she is not married." Principal says as he frowned in confusion.

Omkara turns to Gauri in shock.

"You told me that we would file for annulment so when I applied I said I wasn't married." Gauri worriedly whispers to him.

"Lying on her application. I can dismiss her for this." Principal informs him.

"I'm resigning." Omkara declares. "Now you've no reason to take actions against her."

"If you resign then we'll have difficulty finishing the portions before the exams for the students. That is going to cause more problems."

"I'm willing for any punishment or compromise that doesn't affect Gauri's education."

"I'll have to speak to the management. Keeping both of you here is against the rules. Let's see what they say."

"If it is either of us who is staying then it will be Gauri."

"It will be the management's decision. And let me warn you, they can very well decide to file a case against her for lying in her application."

Hearing that, Omkara stops in shock.

"Om, let it be. I'll look for admission in other college." Gauri tells him worriedly.

"You might lose your scholarship and that is going to hurt your mother. She will never give her blessing." Omkara tells her.

"It is okay. this is your passion. Don't resign. Please? We will find out another college for me. as long as I continue my studies, Ma won't be that angry."

Hearing her, Omkara thoughtfully looks at her for a few seconds then he takes his mobile and dials Tej.

"Hello, Om?" Tej answers the call.

"Dad... I've changed my mind. make an offer for the college." Omkara tells him.

Gauri gasps in shock while the Principal's eyes pop open.

"Okay, I'll have my manager call them." Tej says.

"Dad, make it happen. I'll explain it all later. This is for Gauri's future."

"Okay, I'm on it." Tej quickly tells him.

Omkara hangs up and sees the Principal staring at him. "Looks like you would be meeting the new management when you go to discuss about my wife's future."

Principal worriedly gulps hearing that.

"For now, save face and suspend me. the new management will change the rule about fraternizing between student and teacher. The new management will not interfere in the personal life of any student or teacher." Omkara tells him.

Omkara holds Gauri's hand and walks out of the room.

**********

"Om..." Gauri worriedly calls him.

"You okay?" Omkara asks her cupping her face.

Gauri nods. "I'm sorry, if I hadn't lied in the application form..."

"You wouldn't have got admission here and we would have ended our marriage." Omkara points out to her.

"But Om, this is your passion."

"I'll come back when we buy the college. If we don't buy it then I'll join another college."

"But..."

"Looks like I'll be forcing my decision on you." Omkara tells her gently.

"Your decision?" Gauri asks confused.

"You said your dream is to work in education industry so you can help everyone get education." Omkara tells her.

Gauri nods.

"What better way than be the owner of a college?" Omkara asks her.

"Me?" Gauri asks shocked.

"Maybe till you finish your studies we can ask Shivaay and Dad to help out. Once you finish then you can take over from them."

"That is big responsibility." Gauri worriedly tells him.

"Start preparing for it." Omkara teases her.

**********

Omkara walks into Gauri's class, holding her hand.

"I just need a minute." Omkara tells the Professor who was teaching.

"Okay.

He walks to the head of the class and holding Gauri, he tells them angrily. "I don't know who took our photo. If anyone forward that photo, then you will be facing legal charges. I don't care if you are an ace student or your father owns the whole country. You mess with my wife; you mess with me."

"Your wife?" Professor asks shocked while the students stares at them in shock.

"Yes, Gauri is my wife." Omkara loudly informs them. "Don't ever forget that. if you do, then I'll make sure that you never ever forget it again."

Omkara turns to Gauri and lovingly keeps his hand on her cheek. "I'll see you later."

"Where are you going?" Gauri asks him.

"To meet Dad and Shivaay. I might won't be able to come to drop you for work. I'll send the driver."

Gauri nods.

"Bye. Everything is going to be fine."

"I know." Gauri tells him smiling.

**********

Omkara comes out his bathroom after shower and stops seeing Gauri sitting on his bed.

"I was about to come to pick you up from the call center." Omkara tells her surprised.

"I didn't go for work." Gauri tells him as she stood up.

"Why? You never missed work." Omkara asks shocked.

Gauri walks to him and cups his face. "Today, I wanted to be with you."

Omkara smiles hearing that.

Gauri leans up and takes his lips in hers. Omkara pulls her closer and kisses her. Gauri's hand runs up his chest as she gently caressed it.

Omkara's heart beat increase rapidly feeling her innocent touch.

"Do you want me to stop?" Gauri asks him against his lips.

"No."

Gauri looks into his eyes and tells him, "I don't want you to stop."

**********

"Om?" Gauri softly calls him as they snuggled in bed.

"Hmmm?" Omkara kisses her on her forehead then cheek lovingly.

"I want to come home."

Omkara stops in surprise hearing that. "What about your mother?"

"It's my decision." Gauri tells him.

Omkara smiles hearing that.

"I want the whole world to know that we are married. I don't want to stay away from you."

"You were never away from me, Gauri." Omkara tells her lovingly.

Gauri smiles hearing that.

"Anyway, my family is going to meet your mother day after, we can wait till then." Omkara tells her.

"I don't want to wait." Gauri tells him.

Omkara smiles and tells her. "This is your home and I'm your husband."

"And I don't need anyone's permission." Gauri tells him smiling confidently at him.

**********

"You are going?" Anika asks seeing Gauri walk out.

"Anyway it is late, Gauri. go tomorrow." Jhanvi tells her.

"Yeah, Om, you call her warden and get permission for night out." Dadi tells him.

"I'm going to vacate my room." Gauri informs them.

"What?" Jhanvi asks shocked. "But Tej said they have come to a decision regarding the college. They are not going to suspend you, Gauri."

"Mom, Gauri is coming home." Omkara informs her with a smiling.

"Whaat?" Jhanvi asks excitedly as she stood up.

"Reaally?" Anika asks happily.

Gauri chuckles seeing them all excited.

"All the celebrations later. We'll come back soon." Omkara tells them.

**********

Gauri walks into her hostel room and before she started packing, she calls up her mother.

"Hello, Gauri?" Vasundhara answers the call.

"Ma... I wanted to tell you something." Gauri gently starts.

"What?" Vasundhara asks.

"I'm going home."

"Going home?" Vasundhara asks confused.

"Yes, Ma. I'm going to Om and my home."

"Gauri, what is wrong with you?" Vasundhara asks her angrily. "This is why I told you not to go to that house or talk to Omkara."

"Ma, today Om sacrificed his job for me." Gauri tells her and proceeds to tell her all that happened.

"Gauri, I understand he is very supportive but you just wait till you finish your studies and get a job." Vasundhara tells her.

"Ma, after what happened today, if you still need more proof to trust my husband then I don't care whether you trust him or not."

"Gauri, even your baba..."

"Om is not Baba. If Om turns out to be like Baba or Mom and Dad turn out to be like Daddaji and Dadi then I'll leave them and that home that day. I'll not abandon them in the fear of they might turn against me in the future. My education is my responsibility alone and I've a scholarship to finish my studies. My career is my responsibly and if someone stands in the way of it, that day I'll leave them, not before that." Gauri tells her sternly.

"You are getting blinded in love."

"You were blind in love, Ma. I'm not. I was convinced of Om and his family a long time back but I still respected your wishes. Not anymore. I'm going home. You take your time and give us your blessings when you are convinced. I'll not sacrifice my marital life for my career."

**********

Years later

Omkara looks through the small window and seeing that Gauri was alone, he opens the door and walks in.

"Let's leave?" Omkara asks her.

"Five minutes. I'll just finish this." Gauri quickly tells him as she busily looked through a file.

"Why can't you finish your work during official hours?" Omkara asks her exasperated as he pulled a chair and sat down.

"I was working only." Gauri tells him.

"You mean to say, if I take your phone and check your skype, there won't be a call to Mom that lasted way after lunch break was over?"

Gauri gives him an embarrassed smile. "He was looking so cute. I couldn't keep the phone."

"When is he not cute?" Omkara asks her back. "He looks exactly like me."

Gauri rolls her eyes.

"Get your work done quickly." Omkara tells her.

"Till then you look at these." Gauri tells him as she passed him her phone.

Omkara takes her phone and chuckles seeing their baby Arjun dressed up like a baby maharaja.

"Dad is really taking Ma's generations old connection to the royal family seriously." Omkara tells laughing.

"that is Ma's idea." Gauri laughs.

Omkara grins.

Few minutes later, they were walking out of the college.

"This is the last time I am waiting for you, way past work hours. Next time onwards, you call the driver." Omkara tells her as he walked to his car. "Or bring your car."

"Ma was right, after baby is born, husbands are never supportive." Gauri cheekily tells him. "Look at you so eager to get back home to see your son."

"Because I don't get to spend every half an hour on skype with my baby like you."

"You should learn to manage your personal and professional life equally, Om." Gauri smugly tells him.

Omkara scowls at her in reply.

*** The End ***

I hope you guys liked this story. I don't know how many could relate to this Omkara, Gauri and Vasundhara. I wasn't trying to paint Vasundhara's concerns wrong, all I was saying was Vasundhara forcing her fears onto Gauri without any solid reason was wrong.

Please do vote and comment

Lazy.