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

This is a small story, that has been in my mind for (6+) years now, it was actually a story idea requested by someone, unfortunately I can't remember who it was, she had asked me to write a story where the hero and heroine are married because of a business deal by their parents. This is that story.

I just wanted to let you all know that since Ramadan is starting, I would be taking a break from writing, so this could be my last story before Ramadan starts.

Curled up on the couch, Gauri looks through her phone gallery for her wedding photo. Finding one where they both were facing and smiling at each other, she stops in surprise, she doesn't even remember taking this photo. She selects that.

1 year. 12 months. 52 weeks. 365 days. All gone in the blink of an eye. I still remember the day you proposed me for marriage and I can honestly say with the confidence and love that I had said yes then, it is as strong as ever, even today, or maybe more. I could marry you a hundred times and more. Thank God, we are going to be together for our next 7 births.

The moment she posted it, wishes started pouring in from all over the world. She kept on liking all the posts wishing them and asking them for their anniversary plans and what they gifted each other. Some asking her to post more photos of theirs in Dubai. She ignored all those calling them fake couple, PDA couple and general abuses. She just scrolled through it when she sees a reply from her husband.

Is he up? Gauri curiously wonders as she looked at the bedroom door. then she curiously looks at what had he replied.

7 births is too less for me, I want more with you, sweetheart.

Gauri likes the post and replies with a kissing emoji. Even before she had posted her response there were people gushing about their love and fairytale romance. With a sigh, Gauri started liking all the posts.

She hears the door open and looks up to see her husband step out.

"Are you ready to go?" Omkara asks her.

"Yeah." Gauri replies as she grabbed her bag and mobile.

"Let's go then." He replies then as an afterthought, he tells her, "Oh happy anniversary."

"Happy anniversary to you too." Gauri replies as she took out her sunglasses from her bag.

**********

The moment they reached Dubai Mall, they split up. She went for her shopping and he went for his shopping.

Gauri was looking through Versace handbags when she heard notifications. She quickly checks her phone and sees it were still the comments. The most asked questions were their plans and what they were gifting each other. Sighing, she turns to the salesman with a polite smile.

"Can you take a photo for me, please?"

"Sure, Ma'am." He replies with a smile.

Gauri turns on the camera of her phone and hands him the phone. Then she holds the bag with both her hand and smiles excitedly for the photo.

"Thank you. and please bill it." Gauri tells him.

She forwards the photo to Omkara.

I'll post that as your gift for me?

She walks to the billing section to pay for the bag. Just as she finished swiping her card he replies.

Cool.

Need a photo of you with the gift I am giving you. Gauri messages him.

Few minutes later, she gets a message from him. it was just a photo. She looks at the photo. It was him smiling with his wrist near his face. watch? Gauri zooms the photo to see that he had bought an AP watch. She quickly replies.

Okay.

Now that done, they both continued with their shopping.

********

Gauri walks into the restaurant and finds Omkara's table. He was looking through the menu. She dumps her shopping bags on the seat and sits down. Omkara curiously looks up at her by then she was already engrossed with her menu. He gets back to the menu while the waitress came over and introduced herself. They soon place their orders and once done, she got busy with her phone and he with his.

When the food came, Omkara waits for Gauri to take a photo of their food. Once done, they got busy having their food.

Hearing his mobile buzzing, Omkara curiously looks at his phone to see a message from Ridhima. He checks her message.

Hi Omkara :).

Hi.

How are you?

Good. What's up?

Need about 6 photos. And post it only at night.

Okay.

Omkara looks up at Gauri and informs her, "Ridhima just messaged, needs 6 photos and asked you to post it only at night."

Gauri looks through her mobile.

Ridhima handled their PR. She was one of the few people that knew the reality of their marriage. Their marriage was a business deal between his and her father. The merging of two powerhouses through marriage. Though the world thought theirs to be a love marriage, the truth was it was a just a business deal that their overbearing fathers stamped on them. they knew from the beginning about the reality of their marriage, had got married because they both were not strong enough to oppose their fathers.

Ever since their marriage had been announced, they had become the sensation "Rikara" because they were a good looking couple and they had pulled in too many fans that their fathers noticed it quickly. Soon, they were the faces of their business. They were now powerful social media influencers. And Ridhima practically dictated how to conduct their so called marital life.

"Ridhima messaged..." Omkara repeats again.

"I am looking through the photos." Gauri replies.

"Okay."

Gauri sighs, she couldn't stand that Ridhima bitch for two reasons. One, that she decided on where they went, what they did and how they behaved with each other. And secondly, Ridhima had the hots for her husband, she had noticed it in the way, Ridhima always ogled at him and the lingering handshakes. Since, Ridhima knew the reality of their marriage she had been relentlessly perusing Omkara forever now. Ridhima knew that it was she who handled their social media page but all instructions were sent to him instead of her.

"I need one m0re photo." Gauri tells him.

"Do you want me to come there?" Omkara asks her as he looked up from his food.

Gauri thinks for a few seconds and tells him, "I'll come there. light is better there." she moves to sit next to him and hands him her phone.

Omkara puts his hand over her shoulder and pulls her close to him and both smiling widely takes the selfie.

"Good?" Omkara asks her.

"Yeah." Gauri replies as she checked the photo and moves to her seat.

"Can we go to the hotel after this? I am tired." Omkara asks her.

"Okay." Gauri replies, she will continue her shopping the next day while he went for his meetings.

One of the reasons Dubai was picked for them was they had business here and their fathers thought it was a good idea to combine business with their anniversary celebration.

They were going to be here for 9 more days, she had time to finish her shopping.

Gauri forwards the gift photos, their lunch, the one they took while in the taxi to the mall and the one they took just then to Ridhima for approval.

*******

They were walking into their hotel room when Omkara's mobile buzzes. Gauri dumps all the shopping bags on the floor in a corner. Omkara also does the same while he checked his message.

Omkara, what kind of photos are these? Please take a romantic photo.

"Ridhima is asking to take a romantic photo." Omkara informs her.

Gauri sighs and opens her camera while Omkara walked to her.

"Why does she message me with all these instructions?" Omkara mutters in irritation.

Gauri stops herself before she gaped at him. she wasn't really sure whether he was acting to hide the obvious way Ridhima was trying to throw herself at him or that her husband really had no idea of her intentions.

"Cheek kiss?" he asks as he came and stood behind her.

Gauri nods as she positioned the camera so both are visible. Omkara hugs her from behind, his face next to her cheek. then she felt his lips on her cheek. both look at the camera while she smiled and he kissed her cheek. Gauri takes the photo.

She checks the photo while he stopped kissing her cheek and looked at the photo all though while still hugging her.

"Okay. it's good." Gauri tells him as she forwarded the photo to Ridhima.

She feels him move closer to her, his body touching hers, then she felt his lips on her neck, kissing her.

Gauri carelessly throws the phone on the couch and turns around in his arms. Omkara moves away feeling her turn, then when she was face to face with him, he takes her lips in his and they hungrily start kissing each other. Stripping each other and hurrying to the bedroom while they continued to kiss.

*****

Breathless, Omkara rolls off his wife. He lies back trying to catch his breath. He turns to look at his wife and sees her staring at the ceiling as she breathed heavily.

Very early into their marriage both had found that the only time they truly communicated with each other was when they had sex. They communicated so well that he knew the needs of her body better than he knew about his body's and she knew his. when they touched each other, it was amazing and magical. Neither of them knew, why it was like that and neither questioned it. They just went with it.

When one wanted sex the other never refused. It was kind of a silent agreement between them. they rarely talked to each other, the truth that they were forced into each other's life was something that was crystal clear to both of them. So, they didn't talk to each other unless necessary, but they somehow have come to lot of silent agreements like these.

Omkara gets up and walks to the bathroom to take a shower.

******

Omkara was busy working on his laptop while Gauri was playing on her mobile. Omkara's mobile buzzes and he checks his phone. It was a message from Ridhima.

Why is there no photo of anniversary cake?

"Ridhima wants an anniversary cake photo." Omkara informs Gauri.

Gauri sighs loudly as she held her head. then she gets up and walks to the phone to call room service.

"Hi... today is our anniversary and I was hoping to get a chocolate cake with Happy Wedding Anniversary Rikara written on it." Gauri says on the phone. "Thank you."

Gauri walks back to the couch as she furiously messages Ridhima.

Can you give all your instructions and demands at once? Stop giving last minute instructions.

And a minute later, her mobile buzzes and she sees that it was a message from Ridhima. Closing her eyes in fury for a second, Gauri checks the message, she knew if Ridhima has messaged her then it was to snub at her.

I am sorry, Gauri. I thought you knew that an anniversary cake is a staple on every normal marriage and anniversaries. I'll keep in mind from now on that I need to tell you all that.

"Bitch." Gauri mutters as she closed her phone.

******

Gauri sets the camera to take the video of them cutting the cake. Once done, they feed each other and hugs each other as they wished each other happily. Gauri eats the cake as she looked at the video when she feels him lips on the corner of her lips.

"I got my periods." Gauri tells him as she looked at him.

Omkara nods and moves back. Then tapping on the corner of his lips he tells her, "You got cake on your lips."

Gauri tries to lick it off with the tip of her tongue. Seeing that, Omkara moves towards her and licks it off, his tongue brushing against hers. Gauri wraps her hand around his neck, careful to keep her cake smeared fingers away from him and hungrily kisses him.

The physical need between them was something that neither truly understood, and it was a silent agreement between them that they wouldn't ponder on it.

Breathless they part. Then without a word he got busy with his laptop and she went to wash her hands.

*********

Gauri looks at the mirror as she got ready for the bed. She sees the hickeys on her neck and chest. She had noticed the hickey that she had given him on his chin. They always ended up giving each other hickeys. It was never intentional but they never bothered hiding their hickeys. The only time they were truly with each other was when they had sex and those hickeys were a result of those. In between all the fake PDA, gifts, romance and romantic words, the only true thing between them were these hickeys and it was something they both had silently agreed on, not to hide the only true thing in their marriage. And because of that they were even nicknamed the hickey-couple by their fans.

Gauri lies on the bed and without a word she closes her eyes.

"Do we have to see a doctor?" Omkara asks her curiously.

"For what?" Gauri asks then guessing she tells him, "it has just been a month, sometime it will take more time."

"Okay." Omkara replies and closing his eyes he goes to sleep.

They have been trying for a baby since a few weeks. It was actually their fathers' decision that it was time for the Oberoi-Sharma heir. And they both without any discussion or talks had simply stopped using condoms.

**********

After finishing her packing Gauri was lying on her bed browsing the net on her phone when she notices an Ad for Abu Dhabi Big Ticket, curious she clicks on it.

By the time, Omkara got back from his meeting, Gauri had slept. Remembering that they had an early morning flight the next day, he starts to pack his suitcase.

Gauri opens her eyes and sees her husband sleeping next to her. she checks the mobile for time and sees she had half an hour more before they had to wake up to get ready. She rolls to him and starts nibbling on his ear lobes, her hand going inside his t-shirt as she gently caressed him. she hears him mumbling something. She grazes his chest lightly with her nails.

"Don't you have your periods?" he asks sleepily as he looked at her.

"Got over."

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"We have just half an hour before we have to start getting ready."

Without a word, Omkara pulls her over him and kissing her, he starts removing her nightdress.

**********

Omkara had promptly gone to sleep after they had taken their obligatory photo in the flight. Gauri quickly uploads the photo.

Our second mini-honeymoon over. Thank you for this wonderful time, darling. You are going to be so busy with work now, I am missing you already.

Gauri could never sleep in a flight so, she simply looked out the window as she put the music on the in-flight entertainment.

"Good morning, Mrs. Oberoi." The air hostess tells her with a smile.

Gauri smiles at her then proceeds to answer her as she took her breakfast order.

Looking at the chart, noticing that they were a couple, she asks Gauri politely, "Would Mr. Oberoi be having his breakfast, Madam? Would you like to place his order?"

Gauri was at a loss for a few seconds, will he be having breakfast? She had no idea. She gently shakes him awake, "Omkara?"

"Hmmm?" Omkara opens his eyes as he looked at her curiously.

"She is asking whether you would be having breakfast."

Omkara nods as he turned to the airhostess as he took the menu card.

*******

Seeing the airhostess pass by, Gauri calls her. she stops with a smile as she politely enquires what she wanted.

"Do you have any more of those chocolate cake?" Gauri asks her.

"Sorry, Ma'am. That cake was in too much demand today; I just gave the last one." She informs her with a regretful smile. "Can I get you the apple pie instead?"

"No, it's okay. thank you." Gauri replies with a smile.

Omkara was about to offer Gauri his cake when he hears a voice.

"If you don't mind, you can have my cake."

Frowning, Omkara turns to his left and sees a man sitting on the aisle seat leaning forward to look at Gauri.

"I didn't open it; I'll have the apple pie instead. You can have this." He tells her with a smile.

"It's okay. I am good. Thank you." Gauri replies.

"You sure, sweetheart?" Omkara asks her.

Gauri frowns a little hearing his question and then recovering she says, "Yeah."

"Seriously, I don't mind having the apple pie instead." The man insists.

"You sure?" Omkara asks him before Gauri could reply.

"Positive." He replies smiling.

"Great." Omkara says he took the cake from him. then turning to Gauri, he says, "Here sweetheart, you can have my cake." Then he gives her the cake from his tray.

"Thank you, sweetheart." Gauri replies as she started eating Omkara's cake.

Omkara opens the cake he took from the man and starts eating the cake. Then turning to him, he politely smiles, "It is really yum. That was very kind of you to give me your cake, thank you."

"Welcome." The man replies not really understanding what had happened.

Gauri looks out the window so she wouldn't start chuckling. This was something that they had silently agreed on, they would always keep the façade of a deeply in love couple in front of the world.

********

Seeing her bag on the baggage belt, Gauri looks around for Omkara, when she doesn't see him, she starts to take the suitcase. She bends a little then stretching her hand she waits for her baggage to reach near her.

"Let me help you."

Gauri curiously turns and sees the man from the flight. "It's okay. my husband is coming; he has gone to get a trolley."

"No worries, I'll help you. is it the blue one?" he asks her.

Seeing that it was almost near them, Gauri nods. "Yes."

The man bends and grabs the bag. He staggers a little because of the weight, but he sets it down. "Is there any more?"

"Thank you." Omkara says before Gauri can reply.

Gauri and the man turn back to see Omkara stand behind them with the trolley.

"Thank you." Omkara tells the man as he with his eyes points at the trolley, silently asking him to keep the baggage in the trolley.

The man keeps the suitcase on the trolley.

"Thank you." Omkara smiles at him. then noticing Gauri bending down to grab the other bag, he asks the man with a polite smile, "Thank you for getting my suitcase. Can you please get hers too? It is the black one."

"Sure." The man replies while Gauri glanced at Omkara.

Omkara was looking at the conveyor belt.

"Is it that one?" the man asks.

"Yeah." Omkara replies.

The man gasping keeps the suitcase on the trolley.

"Thank you so much." Omkara tells him with a smile.

"Thank you." Gauri also tells him.

"It was my pleasure." The man says with a smile. Then offering his hand looking at Gauri, he says, "I'm Abhimanyu Raheja."

Omkara leaning over his trolley, quickly shakes his hand. "I'm Omkara Singh Oberoi. Nice to meet you."

"Nice to meet you." Abhimanyu says then he turns to Gauri, "and you are..."

Omkara tightens his hold on Abhimanyu's hand. "What was her name? you see, I call her sweetheart, that I forgot her name." Omkara tells him chuckling as he shook his head, "It's okay, you can call her Mrs. Omkara Singh Oberoi."

Gauri was about to mention her name when she heard Omkara say that. she quickly shuts her mouth. Another silent agreement between them was that no matter what they will not say anything that would contradict the other in public.

"Sweetheart, driver is here. We are getting late. Let's go." Omkara tells her.

Gauri nods. "Bye." She says and turns around and walks with Omkara.

Omkara puts his hand over her shoulder while she kept her handbag in the trolley.

Omkara takes his mobile with his other hand while Gauri pushed the trolley. "Shoot... there is no charge on my phone. Gauri, can you please call the driver?" Omkara asks her.

"Yeah." Gauri takes her mobile from her bag to call the driver.

******

Noticing Dandi wheeling in both the suitcases, Gauri tells him. "Just leave mine here, and keep Omkara's in the dressing room."

Before Dandi could ask her which was hers, Gauri had walked to the dressing room to the bathroom.

"The blue one is hers." Omkara informs, seeing Dandi looking at the bags in confusion as he plugged in his phone to charge.

Dandi smiles at him as he kept her suitcase there and went to keep Omkara's in the dressing room.

Omkara goes to freshen up and get ready for office while Gauri started unpacking her suitcase.

Grabbing his stuff, Omkara left for office, neither he informed Gauri about it nor she enquired about him.

*******

Evening, they walked in holding hands at their belated wedding anniversary party. They cut a grand cake, then dancing together opening the dance floor for all, then holding hands, they walked around the whole party, meeting and greeting all the guests.

Once done, they split up as she went to meet her father while Omkara had gone to meet some business associates.

"How are you, Papa?" Gauri asks her father smiling.

"Good. How do you like the party?" Harshvardhan asks her smiling.

"very good." Gauri lies with a straight face.

"I was sure you would love it. After all you are my daughter." He tells her beaming proudly.

Gauri politely smiles.

"This party is going to be the talk of the town. Do you know who all are here?" Harshvardhan asks and goes on an excited chatter regarding it.

Gauri nodded and smiled at appropriate intervals without paying much attention. Her father was a workaholic who couldn't see beyond his business and the empire and dreams he wanted to create and achieve.

"Look at how Omkara is talking to them." her father points out to her. "He has them hanging on to his every word. I chose the perfect husband for you."

"Yes, Papa." Gauri replies as she looked at Omkara. She could see that her father was telling the truth, that those people were hanging on to his every words but his smile... his smile looked like those fake smiles that he had whenever they took photos. It was not his true smile, those smiles that reached his eyes.

"Are you talking about my son?" Tej asks as he joined them smiling proudly.

"Yes. Omkara is the perfect man to take our business forward." Harshvardhan tells him.

"Thanks to me. I molded him like this. Every step of the way." Tej proudly boasts.

Harshvardhan pats Tej's back.

"I was so sure he would crack the deal in Dubai, and he did." Harshvardhan excitedly says.

"Ah nice." Gauri replies.

"You didn't know?" he asks curiously.

"I didn't ask him." Gauri sheepishly tells him, the truth was she didn't ask because she wasn't even aware that the meetings he had were to broker a deal.

"You should show more interest in the business, Gauri. you don't have to join, but be a support for him. Don't be like his mother." Tej tells Gauri with a frown.

Gauri nods as she looked down.

She had been raised without a mother. Her father had single handedly raised her. And she was made to believe that she owed her life to him, so she followed all his instructions to the T. While Omkara was raised by a dominating father and a very submissive mother, who had taught him that to maintain peace at home, he should let his father have his way. And Omkara did that. it was something she had deduced from the numerous interactions between his parents and him.

"I see my friends, excuse me." Gauri replies and walks off without waiting for a reply.

*********

Gauri was chatting with her friends when she notices Omkara with their fathers. From his frown, she could make out that whatever was happening he wasn't happy about it. She didn't even wonder what it could be, it would definitely be some business related talk. Excusing herself from her friends, Gauri quickly walks to them.

Gauri links her hand through his, and says, "Dad, Papa, please excuse us.... Sweetheart, come... you didn't meet my friends."

"Sorry, sweetheart, I forgot." Omkara replies and they walk off.

They walk into the crowd and quickly gets lost in it.

"Can they see us?" Gauri asks him.

Omkara turns around to look and tells her, "No. you are good to go."

"Okay." Gauri replies and walks off to join her friends while he went to meet his friends.

It was another thing between them, that they would save each other from their fathers.

***********

Gauri was looking for Omkara as she was hungry. To keep up appearances they had to eat together. As she looked around, she sees him talking to a beautiful woman. She sees that she had her hand on his chest in a flirty manner. Gauri frowns as she walked to them.

"Hi." Gauri says as she wrapped her hand around his arms.

"Hey. Where were you? I have been waiting." Omkara tells her as he kissed her temple.

"Sorry, sweetheart. I was chatting with my friends." Gauri tells him with a smile. "I'm hungry, can we eat?"

"Sure." Omkara smiles as he turned to the woman.

"So, she is your wife?"

"Yes. Gauri. And Gauri meet Svetlana. She is the wife of one of my business associates." Omkara tells her.

Gauri smiles. "Hi."

"Hi." Svetlana says then turning to Omkara, she lightly keeps her hand on his arms and gently runs it along his arms, "We need to finish our talk."

"Oh Svetlana, please have some mercy on me." Gauri dramatically tells her.

"What?" Svetlana asks her confused.

"My gummy bear, is so sensitive here. He feels that he is cheating on me if he even talks to a lady. And here you are so innocently touching him, and now, he is going to think that he needs to prove to me that I am the only person in his world. And he is going to do it all night long. Please, girl, have some mercy on me." Gauri says as she took Svetlana's hand off Omkara's arm with a grin.

This was another silent pact between them, they would never let another person flirt with their spouse.

Svetlana turns a little red as she realized that Omkara Singh Oberoi's wife had very sweetly declared war.

"Now, sweetheart... don't do that." Omkara tells her.

Gauri turns to look at Omkara and sees him smiling.

"You are painting me as a monster."

"Oh, sweetheart." Gauri turns to Svetlana and tells, "trust me, Svetlana. He is harmless. He can get it up only for me."

"Now, don't go spilling my secrets to the world." Omkara tells her chuckling.

Gauri chuckles then she cutely tells him. "I am hungry. Come."

"Can we leave now?" Omkara asks her as he curiously looks around.

"I meant food, you naughty." Gauri tells him as she playfully hit his chest.

"Oh. You might have had your dinner. So, we will go have our dinner. Bye, Svetlana." Omkara tells Svetlana.

"Bye Svetlana." Gauri tells her cheerfully.

***********

Omkara was taking his shower that night when he hears a knock on the door. opening the shower cubicle, he stretches out and unlocks the bathroom. Gauri walks in and closes the door. she starts removing her clothes. Omkara extends his hand to her once she was naked. Gauri takes his hand and walks into the shower cubicle.

Gauri lathers up the shower gel and rubs it on his arm and chest. Then she looks at his face and sees him watching her.

"Nowhere else." Omkara tells her.

Gauri pulls him under the shower to wash off the soap.

It was something she did, whenever someone flirts with him, she would wash it off him. she didn't know why she did it, and he never questioned her.

They hug each other, as they stood under the shower, taking each other's mouth.

Unable to wait any longer, Omkara lifts her up and anchoring her against the wall he enters her.

"I am tired and sleep deprived. Otherwise I would have taken up your challenge." Omkara tells her as he thrust into her.

"What challenge?" Gauru asks him moaning in pleasure.

Omkara smiles at her, a true smile that reached his eyes, and tells her, "All night long."

*******

Couple of weeks later, Omkara was working in his office when his secretary walks in.

"Sir, your PR agent Ridhima Kapoor is here. She doesn't have an appointment. Should I send her in?"

Omkara frowns and taking his mobile, he quickly messages Gauri.

Are we supposed to meet Ridhima today?

No.

She is here.

Why is she coming to meet you alone? Tell her to take an appointment and meet us at home later.

Okay.

"Tell her to take an appointment and meet us at home." Omkara tells her.

"Okay, Sir."

Two minutes later, his mobile rings. Omkara answers it noticing Ridhima calling.

"Hello?"

"Omkara, there are some things we need to discuss." Ridhima tells him in an urgent tone.

"Take an appointment, Ridhima. I'm busy now." Omkara tells her and was about to hang up.

"It's pretty urgent, Omkara."

"Call, Gauri. she is at home; I am sure she can make time for you." Omkara tells her and hangs up.

*********

Three days later, Gauri and Omkara were sitting opposite to their fathers in Oberoi house, while Ridhima and her co-worker sat to the side.

"You are bringing this up now?" Tej asks furiously.

"I tried meeting Omkara but he was busy." Ridhima explains.

"And I told you to contact Gauri." Omkara reminds her.

"I couldn't get through to her." Ridhima explains.

"I didn't get any call from you. and that shouldn't even be an excuse. If you didn't get me on the phone, then you could have come home, called on the landline, WhatsApp-ed me, messaged me, mailed me, even send messages on Instagram or Facebook. You didn't do any of that." Gauri tells her frowning.

"What excuse do you have for waiting for three days?" Harshvardhan asks her.

"And Ridhima, your first point of contact always has to be Gauri. she is the one who is handling all the social media pages." Omkara tells her. "It is true that Gauri doesn't like you and thinks you are incompetent, that doesn't mean you don't do your job."

Gauri turns to Omkara in shock wondering when he had picked on her dislike for Ridhima, but then she had never hid her dislike for her from anyone.

"And does it really matter if we are not trending?" Omkara asks their fathers. "This happens. When new people come along, people tend to follow them. So what if this Ruvya are trending?"

"You both are the face of our business and you always have to be trending." Tej tells him angry.

"What can be done now?" Gauri asks quickly to defuse the situation.

"We have to do some major damage control." Ajay, Ridhima's colleague says.

"And what would be that?" Omkara asks him.

"We need to make you both viral." Ajay tells them.

"We can throw a party. Call all the big shots." Ridhima cuts him off.

"I don't have the time for a party now." Omkara replies.

"What other options?" Harshvardhan asks her.

"Erm... we could do some small event... or maybe an orphanage visit or some kind of medical campaign."

"These are things, that need time for planning. I want a quick fix." Tej sternly tells her.

Ridhima bites her lips nervously.

"I pitched one idea that Ridhima didn't like." Ajay says.

"That won't do." Ridhima quickly says.

"Let's hear it." Harshvardhan says.

"We could make their viral video." Ajay says.

"Tik tok?" Gauri asks frowning.

"No, if we need an overnight viral then it would have to be a smooching video or such." Ajay explains.

Gauri frowns hearing that.

"It won't happen." Ridhima says in a dismissing tone.

Omkara turns to Ajay and smiles, "Excellent idea."

Ajay smiles while Ridhim gaped.

"Get a nice cameraman and crew. Good lighting. Bring them over tomorrow. Gauri and I will have sex, they can record the whole thing, let's get it viral." Omkara says in a furious tone.

Ajay gulps seeing the fury on Omkara.

Gauri notices Ridhima looking at them in shock. What the heck? Did she think they were a couple who never had sex? Did she think that they only made out for those hickeys? Is that why she was so obviously pursuing Omkara? Thinking he is sexually frustrated? Or that he has been discretely having affairs on the side?

Gauri felt like laughing because Ridhima was the reason they had started having sex. Right after their marriage, even before they did, their fathers had noticed how Rikara had a fan following and had hired Ridhima to make Rikara a brand. Till then Gauri had been posting couple of their photos on social media like every other photos that she did. Ridhima had noticed that none of the photos had them being romantic with each other. It was Gauri's birthday and Gauri never celebrated her birthdays because her mother had died in childbirth. Ridhima had kept suggesting on throwing a birthday party for her and their fathers had agreed, but it was Omkara who had put his foot down and declared that Gauri would not be forced to celebrate her personal loss. The first time, her husband had stood up for her and it was then that they had kind of become a team.

So, finally a compromise was reached that Gauri and Omkara would have a private birthday cake cutting of Gauri a week after her birthday while they cashed in on 'Gauri still missing her mother who she never got to meet ever' during her birthday week. Ridhima then suggested that they cut the cake and have a lip lock photo as there were never a photo of them kissing. Omkara and Gauri both had freaked out and opposed the idea, which on hindsight Gauri realized that might have fed into Ridhima's delusions regarding Omkara. Finally, they had agreed to take a photo of them pecking on each other's lips.

And when after cutting the cake, they had nervously touched their lips with each other's, they had both been shocked with the spark and fire that touch had caused in them. shocked and tempted, they went with the flow and consummated their marriage that night, three months after their wedding.

The next day, they had come to a silent agreement that they will not post the pecking photo, they instead had posted a photo of them hugging each other. And the whole world had noticed the hickeys on their necks and faces, and they were christened as the 'Hickey-couple' and most trending.

Maybe Ridhima might have assumed to avoid kissing each other they might have come up with the hickey idea, what bullshit?

"I told him not to suggest it." Ridhima says breaking Gauri out of her thoughts. "I told them you will not do it."

"ARE WE PAYING YOU TO GET THESE SHIT IDEAS?" Omkara furiously asks them.

"Kissing video?" Harshvardhan thoughtfully says.

"It's not like you don't kiss. After all you are the hickey-couple." Tej says with a shrug.

"FUCK, DAD! DO YOU EVEN REALIZE THAT YOU ARE PIMPING OUT YOUR SON AND DAUGHTER-IN-LAW?"

Gauri keeps her hand on Omkara and he closes his eyes and tries to calm down.

"We don't hide our hickeys because it is our choice and our wish." Omkara explains as he stood up. "We are done here."

"We are not done." Tej says.

"We are." Omkara says as starts to walk off.

Gauri stands up to leave.

"Sit down, Gauri, we need to find a solution." Harshvardhan says in a stern tone.

Gauri turns to Omkara and sees him waiting for her.

She looks at her father and father-in-law and sees them glaring at her. she turns to Ridhima and tells her, "We are paying you to do your job. If you can't do it, then tell us so we can cancel your contract and find someone who can do the job efficiently."

Then she turns around and taking Omkara's hand they both leave.

They lock the bedroom door and turn to each other. Without a word they hungrily start kissing each other. It was another silent pact of theirs, every time they stood up against their fathers then they had to celebrate it, no matter how small or insignificant the issue was to begin with.

*******

Hearing her mobile ringing, Gauri checks her phone and sees an UAE number. She curiously answers the call.

"Hello?"

"Hello, this is Khalil calling from Abu Dhabi Big Ticket, can I speak to Gauri Omkara Singh Oberoi?" a man with heavy Arabic accent asks.

"This is her." Gauri replies confused.

"Congratulations, you are the winner of Abu Dhabi Big Ticket." He tells her.

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

Omkara walks into his bedroom in the evening. He notices Gauri sitting on the couch lost in thoughts. He frowns seeing her like that.

"All good?" he asks her.

Gauri looks up at him in shock. When did he come?

"Did Dad or Papa say anything?" Omkara asks with a frown as he walked to her.

Gauri shakes her head in negative. "Something happened."

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

"When we were in Dubai, I saw an Ad for Abu Dhabi Big Ticket and for fun, I bought a ticket." Gauri tells him.

"And? You won?" Omkara asks smiling with surprise.

"Yes." Gauri tells him still in her shock.

"How much?"

"12 million Dirhams."

"What?" Omkara asks shocked.

"Yeah. I checked the draw video, my name was announced." Gauri tells him.

"Wow, congratulations." Omkara tells her smiling. "So you have to go to Abu Dhabi?"

"Yeah. Will you come with me?" Gauri asks him.

"Hmmm?" Omkara thoughtfully looks.

"I don't know how to handle all the formalities." Gauri tells him a little worriedly.

"It's not that. I'll come. I was just thinking if I have any important work that I have to handle before we leave." Omkara explains to her.

"Okay." Gauri smiles. "And please don't tell Papa or Dad."

"Sure." Omkara nods. "They will ask you to invest in shares and business. Don't tell anyone before you decide what to do with the money." Omkara advices her.

Gauri nods in reply. "It was always my dream to start my own fashion brand." Gauri tells him smiling.

"Ah you did fashion designing, right?" Omkara remembers curiously.

"How did you know?" Gauri asks surprised.

"I heard you mention to someone." Omkara replies. "Let me know when you want to go. I'll arrange everything."

"Okay." Gauri replies with a smile.

*******

A week later, Omkara and Gauri walk into their hotel room after their visit to the bank. Finally, the funds have been released and on Omkara's advice she had send some money to India while she retained some in UAE.

Walking to the bed, Omkara falls on the bed. Gauri leaves her bag and stuff on the table and walks to the bed. She lies next to him. feeling her next to him, Omkara turns to look at her. Gauri also looks at him. Omkara rolls to her and takes her lips in his.

"Omkara." Gauri whispers against his lips.

"Hmmm?" Omkara stops as he looked at her.

"Today... go slow." Gauri tells him as she ran her hand up his chest.

Omkara takes her lips in his and slowly starts kissing her lips.

*****

Gauri was in their hotel room the next day while Omkara had gone for a meeting. That evening was their flight back to India. Hearing her mobile buzz, Gauri checks her mobile and sees that Ridhima had messaged. Sighing, Gauri checks the message.

What is it Gauri? you haven't posted anything in the last one week. Ruvya are trending number 1 now. please don't blame me if you can't do your part.

Gauri sighs and replies.

Had been busy. And you were supposed to get back to us with a new plan.

Yeah, since the kissing video is out of question, I was thinking that you and Omkara can have a public spat, the video I can make it viral. Then after a few days, you both come out and say that it was just a minor marital dispute and that your love is as strong as ever etc etc.

Reading the message from Ridhima, Gauri stops in shock wondering how low they have to stoop to be trending.

*********

"Ridhima had messaged. I told her to message you." Omkara tells her as he walked in.

Gauri sighs as she looked at him.

"What happened?" Omkara asks as he walked to her. "What did she say?"

Gauri takes the chat with her and passes the mobile to him.

Omkara sits next to her as he read the message from that day. "Why the fuck is she acting so bossy with you? does she not remember that we are paying her?" Omkara asks frowning furiously.

"Read the rest." Gauri tells him.

"Public spat?" Omkara frowns. "What kind of nonsense is this?"

"I am done, Omkara. I can't do it anymore." Gauri tells him tiredly.

"We are not doing this." Omkara agrees with her.

"Not this." Gauri tells him pointing at the phone.

"Then?" he asks her curiously.

"Us. this marriage. I can't do it anymore."

"What? What are you saying?" Omkara asks her shocked as he turned to her.

"I want divorce." Gauri tells him.

"What?" Omkara asks in a shocked whisper, his heart skipping a beat.

Gauri's eyes fill up and she tells him, "This is not a marriage, Omkara. This is something else."

Omkara looks down as he didn't know what to say. She takes his hand in hers.

"Ever since forever, I knew that I would be married to someone for a business deal. And I had accepted it. But when I was married to a man who had married me because his father wanted to advance his business, I don't know... something just broke in me. I think even when I knew my marriage would be a business deal, I had hoped it to be a marriage. Ours is no marriage in any way. A third person tells us how we should behave with each other, how we should talk to each other. We have never even talked to each other."

Omkara looks away realizing she was right.

"I cannot take any more of others deciding on my life. right now, I have money, I can find freedom from this fake life and I want to live my life the way I want it. I don't want Papa or Dad or Ridhima telling me how I should live my life. I just want to be myself. please?"

Omkara sighs hearing her as his tongue licked his dry lips.

"We have been married for more than a year now, and we have never ever had an argument or a disagreement. This is not a relationship, Omkara. It is something else."

"You have to accept it, Omkara. There is nothing in our marriage. It is all fake. the only true thing in our relation is sex and we can't live our life with just that. we have been trying to have a baby, and can we honestly bring a baby into our life where we ourselves are not in control of? A life that is going to be controlled by its grandparents? We are not happy and we shouldn't make our baby go through that. please, Omkara. I want divorce. I just want to breath freely, live my life the way I dreamt of."

Omkara sighs and gets up, "We should get ready otherwise we are going to miss the flight."

*******

Omkara takes the suitcases from the conveyor belt and keeps it in the trolley.

"You are coming home, right?" Omkara asks her.

Gauri nods her head in reply. "I've to get my stuff."

Omkara nods.

They walk into their room together. Omkara closes the door and turns to Gauri. noticing she was walking to the dressing room, he softly calls her.

"Hmmm?" Gauri turns to him.

"Are you planning to go back to your father's house?"

"You'll give me divorce?" Gauri asks him softly.

Omkara nods in yes.

"Thank you." Gauri tells him smiling.

"You are right. this is not a marriage. I don't know what marriage is, but this definitely is not one." Omkara tells her.

Gauri sadly smiles at him. "Papa... he will not let us get divorced. I'll stay with a friend or somewhere else till I can get a place for myself."

"If that is the case, then stay here. Find a place, start your work on your business. Once you have all that ready then we will tell our family." Omkara tells her.

Gauri's eyes fill up and she walks to him. she hugs him. "Thank you, Omkara."

Omkara hugs her, feeling an unknown pain in his heart.

*********

Omkara was about to leave for office and he stops near Gauri and tells her, "We have to find a real estate agent to find a house for you. then you have to have a business plan model. You would be needing a legal advisor too, we can't use corporate lawyer, our fathers will find about it immediately."

Gauri nods. "I had made a business model before our wedding. Papa had rejected it. I still have those. I can rework that."

"I don't know anyone in fashion industry on a friendly level to get advice for you, do you have someone to help you?"

"One of my friends is assisting a designer now. maybe I could ask her for help."

"If she is good, offer her a position too." Omkara tells her and starts to walk off. then stopping near the door, he looks at her, "Bye, I'll see you in the evening."

"Bye." Gauri tells him smiling.

*******

Gauri was looking online for an agent when Omkara messages her the details of an agent. Gauri quickly calls up the agent and speaks to her. she had only three demands, she wanted a one-bedroom apartment, an open kitchen and a view of any kind of waterbody.

The next day Gauri got busy with meeting her friend and then going with her agent to find an apartment. She had found a sea facing apartment which she had immediately fell in love with. Even though the agent wanted her to sign on the dotted lines immediately, Gauri didn't want to take that step without consulting Omkara first.

"I found an apartment." Gauri informs Omkara in bed that night.

Omkara turns to her in shock, his heart skipping a beat. "Ready to occupy?"

"Yes."

"So, you are leaving soon?"

"I was hoping if you could come and see it." Gauri hesitantly tells him.

"Why me?" Omkara asks confused. Then before she can answer he tells her, "Sure, I'll come."

*******

"What the heck, Gauri? open kitchen?" Omkara asks shocked.

"Yeah, what's wrong?" Gauri asks confused.

"You are forever eating fish. The apartment is going to smell of fish." Omkara tells her.

"There is that hood on top of the stove and I can light candles and air fresheners."

"Yeah, it would be nice mixture of candles and fish smell in here." Omkara tells her in exasperation.

"I can open the windows."

"Mosquitos!" Omkara puts up his hands.

"It won't be that bad, Omkara."

"Be practical, Gauri." Omkara tells her then turning to the agent he asks, "Don't you have any other options?"

"I like the view and apartment also." Gauri tells him.

"Do you have anything in this building with a closed kitchen?" Omkara asks the agent.

"Yes, there is one here."

******

"I like this." Omkara tells Gauri.

Gauri looks around a little dejectedly.

"What?" Omkara asks her.

"I like the other one more." Gauri tells him.

"I'll give you two a minute." The agent says and walks out.

"I wanted open kitchen." Gauri tells him after the agent had left.

"Why?" Omkara asks not understanding.

"I don't know. I like the idea of an open kitchen. Everything nearby." Gauri tells him.

"Okay, fine... if that is what you want." Omkara shrugs.

"But you are not happy." Gauri says softly.

Omkara chuckles, "You are going to stay here. Why should it matter whether I like it or not?"

Gauri shrugs, "I want you to like it. I don't know why."

Omkara looks at her for a few seconds then sighing he says, "I liked the view, the apartment, the location, the layout. I didn't like the kitchen. Are you good with that?"

Gauri smiles hearing that. "I can live with that."

Omkara smiles, "Did you negotiate the price?"

Gauri nods, "I got 2.5% discount."

"2.5%?" Omkara asks her.

"Yes."

Shaking his head, he walks out to the agent. "We are happy with the open kitchen one but we are not happy about the price."

Gauri looks at him in shock wondering whether he even knew what the price was? oh he is a businessman, he would be looking at the discount percentage and the profit, not the actual price.

*****

After the back and forth with the agent regarding the price, finally, Omkara let Gauri sign the dotted line.

"Can you drop me to the mall?" Gauri asks him on their way back. "I need to buy things for the apartment."

"I'll come with you." Omkara tells her.

"Don't you have work?"

"I've but..." Omkara shrugs.

Gauri looks away feeling a little sad, they were going for shopping together for the first time and it was at the end of their relation.

"How do you like it?" Gauri asks as she sat on the bed.

"Looks good."

"What are the mattress options for this bed?" Gauri asks the salesman.

"Comfortable?" Omkara asks her as he watched Gauri sit on the bed.

Gauri lies on the bed. "yeah." Gauri replies. "Do you want to see?"

Omkara lies next to her. "Nice."

"Better than our mattress, right?" Gauri asks him softly.

Omkara looks at her and smiling a little sadly, he nods.

Gauri holds his hand, she wanted to cry just then.

"This is for the best." Omkara tells her softly.

"I know." Gauri replies. She sits up to distract herself otherwise she would definitely end up crying. "We'll take this."

Omkara sits up as he took his wallet. "When can we expect the delivery?" Omkara asks him as he took his card to make the payment.

"We can deliver it tomorrow, sir."

"Great." Omkara says as he passed him the card.

"What are you doing? I'll pay." Gauri tells him.

"This is my housewarming gift for you." Omkara tells her.

"You don't have to do that." Gauri tells him.

"I want to do it."

"Thank you." Gauri tells him softly.

Gauri then had picked a furniture set and dining table, then few necessary items for her apartment which would be delivered along with the bed set.

"Why are you doing all this for me?" Gauri asks him as they drove back home.

"Doing what?" Omkara asks her.

"Helping me like this."

"I respect you a lot, Gauri. you had the courage to do what I never had to do." Omkara tells her softly. "And we are a team."

Gauri smiles hearing that.

******

The next day, after setting up Gauri's apartment, Omkara and Gauri come back home.

"Mom... we wanted to talk to you." Omkara tells Jhanvi as he walked into her room with Gauri.

"Yes, tell me." Jhanvi tells them smiling as she walked to the couch.

Omkara and Gauri sit on the couch opposite to Jhanvi.

"Why do you two look so serious? Is there any problem?" Jhanvi asks them worriedly.

Gauri nervously looks down.

Omkara takes a deep breath and tells her, "We have decided to get divorced."

"What?" Jhanvi asks shocked.

"We can no longer be in this relation, Mom."

"But why?" Jhanvi asks them.

"because this is not a marriage. It is a business deal." Omkara tells her then he goes on to explain to her why they had come to this decision.

"Mom, we have catered to all of Dad's demands. That was our decision. Let Gauri live her life the way she wants." Omkara tells her.

"We have to make sacrifices in life, Om. sometimes we need to make adjustments to maintain peace at home." Jhanvi tells her.

"Not all the time, Mom." Gauri interjects before Omkara can say anything. "I am sorry, Mom. It is because of you that Omkara has sacrificed all throughout his life. You were submissive to Dad and you made him also like that. what peace and happiness are you talking about? Are you at peace? Are you happy? Because I can assure you Omkara is neither at peace nor happy. Even I am not. The only one who is at peace and is happy is Dad. By giving in to all his demands, you have made him all the more dominating and demanding. If he is acting entitled, then it is because of you."

"Gauri..." Omkara softly calls her name to make her stop.

"Sorry." Gauri murmurs.

"I understand what you are saying. You are right. it was my fault that Tej is like this. But Om... Gauri... you don't give up on a marriage like this." Jhanvi tells them. "You need to fight for your marriage."

"There is nothing in this marriage to fight for." Omkara softly tells her.

"Isn't Gauri a part of this marriage? Aren't you a part of this marriage? Aren't you both worth a fight?" Jhanvi asks them.

Omkara and Gauri nervously looks at each other as their hearts started slamming against their chests.

"I knew that your marriage was farce. I have never even seen you both talk to each other unless at a party or really necessary." Jhanvi tells them.

"We know, Mom." Omkara tells her.

"But I have noticed something else too."

"What is it?" Gauri asks softly.

"That you both share a bond that is beyond my understanding." Jhanvi tells them. when they remained silent, curiously looking at her, she continues, "Do you think that I never noticed how one of you would run to rescue the other from Tej and Harsh? That you both would never let another person raise their voice at the other. That how you support each other in public. that when one makes a decision then the other accepts it without a question. That you both treat each other as equals in your marriage. That you both are one against the whole world?"

Omkara and Gauri look at each other thoughtfully.

Jhanvi chuckles sadly, "You both are talking about getting divorced but you both are still one team."

"We have made our decision, Mom." Omkara tells her softly.

"Think again, you both." Jhanvi requests them with teary eyes.

*********

"Why did you both ask us to meet you?" Tej asks grinning widely.

"Have you both come to give us the good news that our heir is here?" Harsh asks excitedly.

Omkara and Gauri looks at each other in shock, wondering how clueless their fathers could be, did they look happy and excited?

"No." Gauri tells them.

"Then?" Tej asks frowning, his smile dropping.

"We have decided to get divorced." Omkara informs them.

"WHAT?" Tej shouts in fury.

"Did you just say divorce?" Harsh asks in fury.

"Yes." Omkara calmly replies. "We are no longer interested in carrying on with this farce of a marriage. We'll be filing for divorce."

"WITH WHOSE PERMISSION?" Tej asks furiously.

"It's our marriage. We don't need anyone's permission." Omkara tells him.

"LIKE HELL YOU DON'T." Harsh says furiously.

"Don't you dare raise your voice at Omkara, Papa." Gauri furiously tells him.

"How dare you talk to me like that?" Harsh asks her furiously.

"Don't you dare talk to her like that." Omkara furiously tells him.

"Shut up, you don't talk to Harsh in that tone." Tej furiously tells Omkara.

"And you don't talk to Omkara like that!" Gauri furiously tells him.

"What the fuck is happening here?" Tej asks feeling completely lost, they are asking for divorce still were fighting for each other.

"We are filing for divorce. Gauri is moving out tomorrow." Omkara tells them in finality.

"Where will you go, Gauri? you can't come to my house." Harsh tells her.

"Gauri bought a flat. She will be staying there from now on." Omkara informs her.

"What the heck? Who gave you permission to make such big decisions?" Harsh asks her angrily.

"She is an adult and she doesn't need anyone's permission." Omkara tells them in finality as they stood up.

"You do this, you won't get a penny from me, Gauri!" Harsh tells her angrily.

Gauri smiles at him, "I don't want your money, Papa. I am a millionaire."

"What?" Harsh stops in shock. "How?"

"I'll miss you, Papa." Gauri tells him softly.

********

"So, you are shifting tomorrow?" Omkara asks her in bed.

"Yes."

They were silent for a while, both lost in thoughts.

"Will you get married again?" Omkara asks her softly.

"I'm not thinking about a marriage now." Gauri tells him feeling sad at the question. "And you?"

"No." Omkara replies.

"Why?" Gauri asks him softly though the thought of him marrying someone else hurting her.

"This one time was enough." Omkara tells her.

Gauri looks away.

"I didn't mean you. I meant everything else."

"I know." Gauri tells him then turning to look at him, she tells him softly. "I don't regret you, Omkara."

"And I don't regret you, Gauri." Omkara tells her as he turned to look at her.

They looked at each other for a while, then they move closer to each other and hugs one another. Eyes filling up, Gauri hides her face on his chest. Omkara kisses her forehead as he fought his tears. And for the first time in their life, they went to sleep hugging each other.

*********

"So, it's all set." Omkara says as he looked around the flat.

Gauri nods. "Thank you, Omkara."

Omkara smiles at her. "I should leave then."

Gauri smiles at him.

"If you need anything call me." Omkara tells her.

Gauri nods as she walked to him and hugged him tight. "Take care, Omkara."

"Take care, Gauri." Omkara hugs her tight. "I'll call you once I finalize a lawyer."

"Okay. take care of Mom." Gauri tells him.

"hmmm okay."

*****

After Omkara left, Gauri got busy with her flat. Setting up and adjusting everything, trying to keep herself distracted so that she didn't think about Omkara. Omkara went to office and tried to stay busy with his work but his thoughts went back to Gauri.

At night, Omkara walks into his bedroom. The moment he stepped in, he looked around for Gauri even though he knew she wasn't there. sighing sadly, he walks to the washroom to shower. Everywhere, he looked he remembered Gauri. with a heavy heart he went to bed. He twisted and turned on his bed unable to sleep, unable to get Gauri out of his mind. He lies on his side and looks at her side of the bed. Closing his eyes, he extends his hands hoping to feel her there. when his hand touched the cold bed, he sighs sadly, his eyes filling up. He takes her pillow, hugging it, he tries to sleep.

Gauri lies on the bed. She turns to look to her side, where he normally slept. She touches the bed then unable to fight herself, she burst into tears. Crying, she goes to sleep.

*********

Hearing the doorbell ring, Gauri opens the door and finds Omkara at her door.

"Omkara?" Gauri says with a surprised smile, relief rushing through her seeing him.

"I wanted to talk to you." Omkara says as he stepped in.

"Yeah?" Gauri asks as she closed the door. she started to walk to the couch.

"You said there is only sex in our marriage." Omkara tells her.

Gauri stops and turns to him to listen to him.

"There is one more thing in our marriage. And that is honesty."

"Yes." Gauri agrees as she smiled, they had honesty in their marriage.

"I am here because of that honesty." Omkara tells her. "Last night, I couldn't sleep. I missed you."

Gauri's eyes fill up hearing him.

"Please come back home." Omkara requests her with teary eyes.

Tears starts spilling from her eyes. "I knew I would miss you, Omkara. But I never thought that I would miss you to this extend."

"Come back home, Gauri." Omkara tells her again.

"I can't, Omkara." Gauri tells him. "Yesterday, the whole day, without you, I was miserable. But for the first time in my life, I felt I was free. I could do what I wanted. I could think what I wanted. I didn't have to take the photo of my food before I could eat it. I could wear whatever I wanted. I could behave the way I wanted. I could be myself. I was miserable yesterday, and for the first time, I had the freedom to be miserable, I didn't have to put on a fake smile to show the world that I have the perfect life. now, I know what true freedom is. I can't go back to that cage, Omkara."

Omkara helplessly looks at her. then he walks to her and Omkara cups her face and tells her, "I don't understand what you are saying, because I have never experienced freedom in my life. I want you to have it. Now, you have it, don't give it up."

Gauri hugs him and bursts out crying. "I am sorry, Omkara. I am sorry."

Omkara hugs her as he gave into to his tears.

********

Hearing the door bell, Gauri hurries to open it, wondering whether Omkara had come back. She opens the door and finds her father instead.

"Papa?" Gauri says with a surprised and worried smile. "I didn't think you would come."

"Come with me." Harsh tells her in a stern tone.

"Where?" Gauri asks shocked.

"I am taking you to your house."

"This is my house now."

"This is not. Your house is your husband's house. don't make a scene, just come with me."

"I won't, Papa. I have made my decision."

Harsh furiously holds her hand and drags her out of her house. ignoring Gauri's protests and struggle to free herself.

*****

Omkara walks into his room and finds Gauri lying on the bed, face down. His face breaks out into a smile as he ran to her.

"Gauri... you are back?"

Hearing him, Gauri looks up at him. seeing the tear stained face he stops in shock.

"What happened?" Omkara asks her as he knelt down next to her.

Gauri hugs him and cries.

"Did someone forcefully bring you here?"

Gauri nods as she cried.

"Dad?"

"Papa."

"Stop crying." Omkara tells her as he wiped her tears. "Why do you have to cry when I am here?"

"he is not going to let me live in peace." Gauri tells him crying.

"I'll not let that happen." Omkara promises her. "Come with me."

Omkara and Gauri step out of the room to find Tej, Jhanvi and Harsh.

"Where are you taking her?" Tej asks him.

"I am taking Gauri back to her house."

"This is her house." Harsh tells him.

"This is not her house."

"This is her house and she is the bahu of this house." Tej tells him sternly.

"And you both are going to stay married." Harsh tells them.

"We are not, tomorrow we are filing for divorce." Omkara tells them.

"Stop acting crazy!" Harsh tells him angrily.

"Give them some time and space, Tej." Jhanvi softly tells him.

"You don't say anything. you have spoiled him. see what he is doing now." Tej tells her furiously.

"Stop it, Dad!" Omkara tells him furiously.

"You're the one who molded him, Dad." Gauri reminds him.

"Keep quiet, Gauri!" Harsh angrily tells her.

"We are leaving." Omkara tells them.

"Did you forget that you are the face of our business? That it is pertinent that you both stay married?" Tej asks him.

"I don't care." Omkara replies.

"How the hell don't you care? Did you forget the money that is riding on you both?" Harsh asks him.

"I just don't care. we want our life back." Omkara tells them.

"You both are going to stay together in this house and that is final." Tej warns him.

"If you don't stop interfering in our life then I am going to the media and I am telling them what you made us do for the last one year. I will tell them how Rikara was all a farce. An act for your business advancement. Let's see how you both take a beating to your credibility and goodwill when everyone finds out the truth."

"You wouldn't dare." Tej tells him in shock.

"I will, so don't challenge us." Omkara tells him.

"Why don't you understand that we can't let you both divorce?" Harsh asks them in exasperation.

"We don't want to hurt you. we just want to live our life the way we want." Gauri tells them.

"What is wrong in this life? what are you lacking?" Harsh asks her. "Tell me and it will be here."

"Freedom, Papa."

"Freedom? You live the most privileged life. you are truly blessed and lucky. What all sacrifices didn't I make you to give you this life?" Harsh asks her.

"And I have made enough sacrifices to repay you for those. So did Omkara. Not anymore."

"This ends here. Now." Omkara tells them.

"We can't let you do that. you are ruining our whole business plans." Tej tells them.

"If that is the issue then we'll come to a compromise." Gauri tells them.

"What compromise?" Harsh asks.

Gauri looks at Omkara and sees him watching her. she looks at him and says, "We will file for divorce after a month. You will have time for a month to find your new face for your business."

Omkara nods at Gauri, agreeing to her. then he turns to their fathers.

"That is all that we are willing to give you." Omkara tells them.

"Did you forget that this is your business too?" Tej asks him angrily.

"I haven't but I am confident to take the business forward without any faces or brand ambassadors."

"Fine! One month. You won't file for divorce. Gauri will stay here till then." Harsh tells him.

"Agreed on divorce. Gauri stays in her house, no discussion on that." Omkara says. "Take it or leave it."

Knowing they had no option they give in.

"But not a soul should know about your divorce plans till we announce it." Tej tells him.

"For a month." Omkara agrees. "Come, Gauri."

"Papa has my house key." Gauri tells him.

Omkara extends his hand to Harsh silently asking him to hand over the keys. Harsh takes the keys from his pocket and gives it to Omkara.

*******

"Are you okay?" Omkara asks her as they stood in her living room.

Gauri nods.

"Okay then, you take rest. I'll leave."

"Did you have dinner?" Gauri asks him hurriedly.

"No."

"Then have with me."

Omkara nods.

"Did you start looking for a cook?" Omkara asks her as he ate from the take out box.

"No. I am thinking of learning cooking."

"But you will be starting your work soon, right?"

"Yes, it will take a while to have it running. So, I thought, cooking will keep me occupied otherwise."

Omkara nods.

"Take care." Omkara tells her as he walked to the door.

"You also take care. don't fight with Dad too much. It upsets Mom."

"Okay." Omkara nods.

They hesitantly look at each other wondering whether they should hug. Then Omkara steps forward and hugs her.

"Will you come tomorrow?" Gauri asks him as she snuggled into his arms.

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

"It would be nice to see you." Gauri whispers to him.

"Then I'll come."

Gauri smiles and leaning up, she kisses his cheek. Omkara smiles at her.

"I was thinking of getting a car." Gauri tells him.

"Nice idea."

"I just don't know which one to get. I want to get Benz or BMW, but I don't know which one to get."

"We can go tomorrow if you want. Test drive and decide."

"That would be great." Gauri smiles at him happily.

*******

The next day, Omkara and Gauri, went for test drive and had decided on the car. The new car would be delivered in 3 days. After that they had dinner from out and Omkara dropped Gauri to her flat and went home. The moment they were alone, they started missing each other and felt miserable.

*************

Mid-morning, Gauri opens the door to find Omkara.

"Hi." Gauri says surprised seeing him.

"I just didn't know where else to go." Omkara hesitantly tells her. "Can I sit here and work? They both are driving me crazy." Omkara asks her.

"Sure." Gauri tells him smiling as she opened the door for him.

"Thanks." Omkara tells her relieved. He walks to the couch and settles with his laptop.

"I'll have to go out in the afternoon to meet Anika to discuss about the business. Will you be okay? or do you want me to stay here?" Gauri asks him.

"you don't mind if I stay here without you?" Omkara asks her.

"Why would I mind?" Gauri asks him smiling.

Omkara smiles. "I'll be fine."

Gauri smiles at him.

"How will you go?" Omkara asks her. "Should I drop you?"

"Anika will pick me up."

"Okay."

Gauri was making coffee in the kitchen. As she waited for the milk to boil, she curiously looks up at Omkara. He was busy working. Suddenly, it felt so married life like. If they were some people else, born to different parents, then maybe they could also have had a normal marriage. The pain of loss and losing him, hitting her hard. She gulps sadly. Just then, he looks up at her. maybe seeing the sadness on her face or maybe he just understood what she was thinking that he sadly smiles at her.

"Coffee." Gauri tells him as she offered him the mug.

"Thank you." Omkara says as he took the mug from her.

Seeing him keeping his laptop aside, Gauri asks him, "Are you taking a break?"

"Yeah."

"Then come, we'll sit in the balcony." Gauri tells him excitedly.

Omkara gets up and follows her.

The sofa chair was a little small to accommodate both of them comfortably, but they still squeeze in. Gauri snuggles into his arms as she looked at the sea.

"It's nice, right?"

"Hmmm." Omkara replies as he kissed her forehead.

"I always sit here to have my coffee in the morning."

Omkara looks at the sea... the waves... and there was only word in his heart and mind. "Peaceful." He softly whispers to her.

"Yes." Gauri replies with a sigh.

Omkara silently watches the waves, as he held Gauri in his arms. His hand gently rubbing her upper arms.

"I can't leave home, Gauri." Omkara tells her gently.

Gauri nods in reply.

"Mom will be all alone there. she won't come with me. and I can't leave her there alone with Dad."

Gauri turns to look at him. "I know."

Omkara sadly smiles at her.

"I really wish, Omkara... I wish that I realized what I felt for you before I realized what freedom was." Gauri sadly tells him.

"I know." Omkara tells her as he kissed her cheek.

Gauri kisses him on his cheek.

Omkara sat back to work. Gauri walks to the drawers and take the spare key.

"Here." Gauri tells him as she offered the key to him.

"What's this for?" Omkara asks confused.

"If I am not home and if you feel like coming here, then you don't have to depend on me."

Omkara smiles and takes the key. "Thank you."

"Come and go as you please, don't bother to ask or check whether I am home." Gauri tells him.

"Okay." Omkara smiles at her.

*******

Few days later, Gauri walks out of the bedroom in the morning and stops in shock to see Omkara sleeping on the couch.

She walks to him and smiles seeing him sleep. it felt so calm and fulfilling to watch him sleep, she felt a little pinch in heart realizing that in the one year they were married she had never done that. she wanted to caress him but she knew that would wake him up. So, she just walks to the kitchen.

Gauri takes the ready to mix pancake powder and starts to make the batter. She still hadn't got into full fledge cooking as she had been busy with Anika and then evenings, Omkara would come over. At that time, she didn't want to waste time in the kitchen, so they ordered from out.

As she made the pancakes, she looks at Omkara and sees him watching her.

"Good morning." Gauri tells him smiling.

"Good morning. I came last night." Omkara tells her as he sat up.

"Fought with Dad?"

"Couldn't stay there." Omkara nods and tells her.

"You should have come to the room."

"I did think of it, then realized that it wouldn't be a good idea."

Gauri looks down feeling a blush creep up her face. ever since their night in UAE, they haven't been physically active. And she realized that just like her, even he was missing that physical intimacy between them.

"Freshen up and come. breakfast should be ready soon." Gauri tells him.

Omkara nods and grabs the bag he had brought over. He walks to her bedroom to take a shower.

********

That weekend, Gauri had some shopping so Omkara had joined her.

"HEY!"

They hear an excited greeting. They both stop and curiously look to the sound.

"Rikara!"

Gauri looks at the familiar face and smiles, "Bhavya, right?"

"Yes. So nice to meet you." Bhavya says as she hugged her.

Gauri hugs her.

"Rudra! Come see who is here." Bhavya calls out as she looked inside the store.

Rudra curiously comes out and sees them. "Hi." He says with an unsure smile.

"Don't you recognize them?" Bhavya asks him.

"I know them but..." Rudra says a little embarrassed.

"Rikara!" Bhavya tells him excitedly.

"Oh yeah! I am so sorry." Rudra says smiling. "Bhavya keeps taking about you both. she is such a big fan."

Omkara and Gauri smiles politely.

"I am Rudra." Rudra says as he held out his hand.

"Omkara." Omkara says as he shook his hand. "And this is my wife, Gauri."

"As if we don't know." Bhavya says rolling her eyes.

"Sorry, she is a fan girl." Rudra says a little embarrassed.

"No worries." Gauri says chuckling then turning to Omkara she tells him, "And you know them."

"I do?" Omkara asks surprised.

"They are Ruvya."

"Oh, I am so sorry. I didn't recognize you guys." Omkara says.

Gauri smiles knowing that Omkara didn't recognize them because he hadn't seen their photos yet. She had checked them out after that day with their fathers when Ruvya were trending, now she didn't know who was trending.

Rudra just chuckles.

"We should take a photo." Bhavya says excitedly.

Soon they were posing for a selfie.

"If you haven't had lunch, please join us." Rudra politely invites them.

*******

Omkara and Gauri smile as they watched Bhavya take photos of their food.

"How come you aren't taking the photos?" Bhavya asks them curiously. "You guys haven't posted any new photos in a while now."

"Of lately, we would rather be Omkara and Gauri, instead of Rikara." Gauri tells her in reply.

Gauri turns to look at Omkara and sees him looking at her. they smile at each other happily as they looked at each other. They hear the camera sound and they turn to look at Bhavya and sees her looking at her phone.

"This is an amazing photo." Bhavya says as she showed them her phone. "You should definitely upload it."

Omkara and Gauri look at the photo and smile seeing them looking at each other smiling happily. maybe the rarest of the rare photo of theirs which showcased their true emotion.

"I will send you the photo. Do upload it." Bhavya tells them.

******

Even though Gauri didn't want to upload anymore of Rikara photos, she felt it would be rude to Bhavya not to upload that photo. So that night, she uploads the photo, thanking Bhavya for the candid photo. Then she also uploaded the photo with all four of them, tagging Ruvya.

"I've uploaded the photos Bhavya took today." Gauri tells Omkara who was lying on the couch busy on his mobile.

"I was just about to ask you to upload it, it would have been rude otherwise. She is a sweet girl."

"Yeah, even I was thinking the same. Maybe you could suggest them as the new face for business."

"Yeah. I'll talk to Dad." Omkara replies.

Gauri was reading the comments to the photo. Most were going gaga over their photo, asking them to post more often, saying that they missed them, while some dissed them for being the fake, PDA couple. Gauri just ignored those comments. As she was reading the comments, she saw a comment.

First time, I am seeing them looking genuinely in love and happy with each other. God bless.

Gauri felt her heart heavy realizing that they were people who could differentiate between genuine and fake emotions even in photos.

"Did you read the comments?" Gauri asks him.

"No. I stopped reading them ages ago. Why do you ask?" Omkara curiously looks at her.

Gauri shakes her head in reply.

Few minutes later, she hears him sigh. She looks at him and sees him watching her. there was so much yearning and love in his eyes. She knew it was mirroring in her eyes too.

Omkara sits up. "I should leave."

Gauri wanted to ask him to stay but before she could gather the courage, he left.

Gauri kept rereading that comment, because it not only spoke of her love for him, but it also spoke of his love for her. she deleted all those comments that were attacking that person for having an agenda against Rikara and their true love. seeing some people had liked the comment, she curiously checks it and sees one of the person who had liked it was Omkara Singh Oberoi.

*******

"What happened?" Gauri asks Omkara as soon as he walked in, he looked irritated.

"What else?"

"Dad or Papa?" Gauri asks him as she held his hand.

"Both." Omkara tells her tired.

"I am sorry you have to handle them every day." Gauri tells him feeling guilty because it was her decision to get a divorce and he has been protecting her from all, while he was being attacked by their fathers every day.

Omkara sighs, "They somehow found out that I meet you daily and we are together whenever we get free time. they are asking why we are being adamant on getting a divorce if we are practically living together."

Gauri looks down having no idea what to say.

"I had no answer." Omkara whispers to her. "Maybe I should just stop coming here."

Gauri hugs him feeling her heart break and panic set in.

Omkara hugs her tight. "I just don't know what I am supposed to do."

"You do whatever gives you happiness, Omkara." Gauri tells him as she hugged him tight.

"I wish I could do that." Omkara whispers to her. "I am all Mom has. If I leave that house, she is going to be all alone. Dad doesn't even talk to her and when he does it is to demean her. I'm her only relief."

"I know."

"But I don't feel like going away from you." Omkara confesses softly.

"Then don't go." Gauri whispers to him. "Let them say whatever they want."

Omkara sighs as he kissed her temple.

"I made dinner." Gauri excitedly tells him after sometime.

"Seriously? From scratch?" Omkara asks excitedly.

"Yes." Gauri excitedly says.

"Wow." Omkara smiles excitedly.

"You sit, I'll serve." Gauri tells him, holding his hands, she leads him to the dining table.

"The roti is a little out of shape and a little burnt." Gauri tells him nervously.

"That's okay." Omkara says smiling.

Omkara takes a piece roti and takes the cauliflower curry and puts it in his mouth. He quickly looks down as he tried to push it down his throat

"How is it?" Gauri asks him excitedly.

"Hmmm."

"Tell me." Gauri insists.

"Didn't you taste it?" Omkara asks her curiously as he avoided looking at her face.

"No, I wanted you to taste it first because I cooked for the first time."

"Uh ho."

"How is it?"

"you eat it."

"Tell me, did you like it?"

"hmmm."

"What? Just say what do you think." Gauri insists.

Omkara sighs and says, "Gauri, I'll eat it but please don't make me lie to you."

Gauri gasps in outrage. "That is such a cruel thing to say." Gauri says angry and eyes filling with tears.

"Please don't cry, Gauri. I'm eating it, right?" Omkara asks as he worriedly looks at her.

"You are eating it as if it is a big sacrifice you are making for me!" she accuses him angrily.

Omkara looks at her gulping unable to lie.

Gauri gasps in outrage. "You are so cruel! I made it for you with so much love!"

"I'm eating it." He justifies again. "I'm sure with time you'll improve."

"I can't believe you are being so ARRGH!" Gauri stops outrage.

"I'm sorry, Gauri. I don't want to lie to you." Omkara helplessly tells her.

"Is it so horrible?" Gauri asks him hurt.

Omkara gives her a sad smile and shrug.

Gauri tastes a bite. "This is horrible!"

"It's okay. let's eat it. You made it for the first time."

"No!" Gauri says as she grabbed his plate and dumps the food in the garbage.

"Don't do that." Omkara tells her as he hurried behind her.

"I suck! It is horrible! I am the worst cook ever!" Gauri says sadly as she walked off to her bedroom.

"Gauri... come and eat." Omkara lovingly says as he lay next to her.

"I don't want. I am not hungry." Gauri tells him sadly.

"Don't be a baby. come and have your food." Omkara tells her sternly.

Gauri turns to glare at him.

"Please." Omkara says quickly cowering.

"I don't want. You eat."

"I eat all that by myself?" Omkara asks in dread.

Gauri gasps in outrage.

"I meant I eat by myself?"

"I know what you meant!" Gauri tells him upset. "You could have been gentle and supportive!"

"I was doing that!" Omkara tells her offended.

"Like now?" Gauri asks him angrily.

"You are blowing it out of proportion!"

"Fine! Don't talk to me then." Gauri tells him sadly.

"Can you hold on to one mood? Either be angry or upset. Stop being all over the place!" Omkara says shocked seeing the pendulum behavior of hers.

"Get lost, Omkara! I am not eating! You order something and eat! Or you eat the horrible food I made with so much love for you! do whatever you want!"

"Fine then!" Omkara replies pissed at her. he gets up and walks off the room, slamming the door shut.

******

By morning, Gauri was feeling silly and guilty for the way she had behaved. Omkara was being sweet and loving like always and she just blew it out of proportion. Wanting to make it up to him, Gauri quickly freshens up and decides to make some nice breakfast for him. her heart knew that he wouldn't have left last night.

She opens the door and finds the couch empty. She quickly looks to the balcony and sees the door closed. She was a little sad that maybe he had left last night because she had behaved really horribly. Then she hears a sound from the kitchen and turns to that direction and sees him cooking.

"Good morning." Omkara tells her smiling. "I made breakfast for you."

"Why?" Gauri asks him as she walked to him.

"I criticized your cooking so I thought I would give you a chance to criticize my cooking."

"You didn't criticize." Gauri tells him guiltily looking down.

"You didn't eat dinner, so I cooked for you." Omkara tells her smiling.

"Did you have dinner?"

"Yes."

"What?"

"Burnt rotis and something that looked like cauliflower curry." Omkara cheekily tells her.

Gauri embarrassedly pouts at him. "I'm sorry. I was rude last night."

"It's okay." Omkara tells her smiling.

"I didn't know you cooked." Gauri says seeing that he was making pancakes and had scrambled eggs.

"I have never cooked in my life. scrambled eggs I got recipe from net."

"Thank you." Gauri says smiling.

"Let's eat?" Omkara asks smiling.

"This is heavenly." Gauri savors the taste as she had the eggs.

"Thank you." Omkara grins happily. "Why don't you try the pancakes?"

"These pancakes are so yum." Gauri gushes eating them.

"Thank you." Omkara says smiling.

"You bought a new mix? Which brand is it? I'll buy that from now on."

"I didn't buy. It was in your cupboard. There was a half opened packet." Omkara tells her.

"But this tastes amazing, not like when I make it." Gauri says shocked. "Did you get the recipe from net and made it? Give me the recipe, I'll use that from now on."

"No, I used the recipe at the back of the box."

"Did you add any secret ingredient?" Gauri asks shocked.

"No." Omkara replies smiling proudly.

"Then how is it so different from mine?" Gauri asks him confused.

"What can I say, Gauri?" Omkara dramatically sighs then he takes a bite and smiles. "Amazing, no?'

Gauri glares at him. "You are gloating."

"What to do, Gauri? I think I have magic in my fingers." Omkara gloats.

"It is my fault that I made food for you!" Gauri says angrily.

"Now, don't show anger on this yummy food." Omkara tells her.

"Of course not! I am hungry!" Gauri replies as she stuffed herself with the food.

Omkara chuckles.

"But how did you do it?" Gauri asks helplessly confused.

"What can I say? I am a born chef." Omkara says putting up his hands cheekily.

Gauri glares at him.

*******

Gauri was waiting outside the café for Omkara to pick her up after her meeting with Anika. Anika had picked her up from her apartment, so Gauri hadn't brought her car with her.

"Hello, Gauri."

Gauri curiously turns to the sound and frowns seeing the man from the flight.

"You..."

"Abhimanyu Raheja." He says smiling.

"Oh yeah... how do you know my name?"

"That day I heard someone say Rikara while you were leaving. I got curious and they told me all about you."

"Ah okay."

"So, how are you doing?"

"Good." Gauri says in a disinterested tone.

"Seriously, how are you? I've been hearing so many rumors." He says as he held her hands.

"What rumors?" Gauri asks as she freed her hand from his.

"That you and your husband are separated. And you left home."

"Whatever... I have to go."

He holds her shoulders, "I can understand, how it is for a girl in such situations."

"Take your hands off me. and my husband is coming for me." Gauri tells him angrily as she pushed his hands off her.

"You are misunderstanding me; I just want to share your pain." He says as he held her elbows.

"Leave me, asshole!"

Suddenly, he was yanked back. Abhimanyu turns to look at the intruder and Omkara plants his fist on his nose, breaking it.

"Omkara, let's go." Gauri tells him as she held him back.

Omkara furiously pushes him down. "Stay away from my wife! If I see you anywhere near her, I bloody castrate you!" Omkara says as he kicked him.

"Please, let's just go." Gauri says as she dragged him off.

"Are you okay?" Omkara asks her in the car.

Gauri nods her head. "I am fine. Let's go home."

**********

They walk into her flat. Gauri looks at Omkara, he was upset.

"I am fine. Don't worry." Gauri tells him smiling.

"That asshole, how dare he?"

"Forget it." Gauri tells him cupping his face.

"Hmmm."

"I'll shower and come." Gauri tells him.

Gauri was standing under the shower when she hears the soft knock on the door.

"It's open." Gauri tells him, her heart slamming against her chest.

She had a feeling he would come and she didn't lock the door. Omkara opens the door and steps in. Omkara gulps seeing her naked after a long time. he nervously walks to the shower cubicle.

"Your clothes will get wet." Gauri tells him.

Omkara shakes his head as he stared at her.

Gauri quickly turns off the shower so that he doesn't get wet. Omkara takes the shower gel and lathers it up. He gently soaps her shoulders and then elbows while Gauri watched him silently. Omkara looks at her and she puts out her palm and then the back of her hand. He soaps them then he just soaps her whole hand. Omkara looks up at Gauri.

"Nowhere else." Gauri tells him.

Omkara turns on the shower and washes her hands. Once done, he steps back and walks out of the bathroom.

*******

Gauri comes out of her room after her shower and sees Omkara standing in the balcony. He had his right hand on his hip while he was restlessly running his left hand through his hair. Gauri walks to him and without a word, hugs him from behind.

"I shouldn't have done that." Omkara whispers to her restlessly breathing hard.

"I never really understood why I did it." Gauri tells him as she rested her cheek on his back. "Now I understand. All we had was that. And I couldn't even think of some other girl having that kind of intimacy with you. that intimacy you are only supposed to have with me. no one else had the right to touch you. that is why you did that, right?" Gauri asks him.

"Hmmm." Omkara agrees then he turns around to face her. "But I don't have that right, anymore. We are getting divorced." Omkara tells her sadly.

Gauri cups his face and reminds him, "I am still your wife and you are still my husband. Only you have that right, Omkara. And only you will ever have that right."

Omkara leans down and takes her lips in his. Gauri hugs him as she kissed him hungrily.

Slamming the bedroom door shut, they stumble to the bed as they kissed and stripped each other. Gauri gets on the bed and holding his hand she leads him with her.

"Omkara." Gauri worriedly says his name.

"What?" Omkara stops as he looked at her.

"Do you have condoms?"

"Condoms?" Omkara asks shocked. "Do you think I walk around with condoms? Heck woman! You think I am sleeping around now that we are getting divorced? I am always with you if not in office!" Omkara tells her offended.

"It is not that." Gauri tells him though smiling at the way he was getting offended.

"Then what?" Omkara asks then seeing the look she was giving him, he realizes, "I'll go get condoms."

"I waited too long, I don't want to wait any longer." Gauri tells him as she kissed him.

"Me too"

"Just pull out in time, okay?" Gauri tells him as she looked at him.

"What if I can't last long enough to pull out in time?" Omkara asks her worriedly.

"You and not last? You are the prolonging king." Gauri tells him with a sexy smile.

"Did you just talk dirty to me?" Omkara asks surprised.

Gauri chuckles then she pulls him towards her, "Make love to me, Omkara."

********

"Do you want me to leave?" Omkara asks her softly once they both had calmed down.

Gauri quickly rolls to him and hugs him. "No..." then she asks him softly, "Do you want to leave?"

"No." Omkara replies as he turned to face her and hugged her. "It is just that we are normally..."

"Why we never cuddled and talked after that?" Gauri asks him feeling a little sad at the loss.

"I don't know." Omkara replies with regret as he kissed her shoulders.

"I missed this." Gauri tells him.

"Even I missed this."

Leaning up to look at her, he softly asks her, "Has things changed?"

Gauri shakes her head sadly, "I can't come to that house."

Omkara nods. "That is a hell." He admits.

Gauri hugs him. Omkara lies back as he hugged her.

"I wish I could come back there and stay strong against them. but they will keep interfering and there will not be any peace and freedom." Gauri confesses to him.

"I know."

"I can't think of raising a child in that house."

"I don't want another Omkara."

Gauri looks at him and asks him softly, "You don't like working for your father, right? I have noticed that even though you work hard and is really good, you were never truly happy with your achievements."

"I wanted to be a writer." Omkara tells her.

Gauri sighs sadly as she hugged him. just like how her father had dismissed her dreams of being a fashion designer, his father had dismissed his dreams.

"You can still be one." Gauri tells him.

"Ever since you started working hard for your dream, I've been thinking. Wanting to write but I am not getting the time." Omkara tells her softly.

"I wish you could find time for yourself, Omkara." Gauri tells him as she kissed his cheek.

"I wish I could find more time to be with you." Omkara whispers to her as he looked at her.

Gauri felt her eyes fill up. "Omkara, can we go on like this?" Gauri asks him softly.

"Like what?"

"Not get divorced. I will stay here. Like now, you split your time between your home and here. Stay there and here."

"For how long, Gauri?" Omkara asks her softly.

Gauri sadly gulps then without saying anything she hugs him.

Omkara hugs her as he kissed her forehead.

********

Gauri was getting ready in the morning to meet Anika. Noticing the hickey on her neck, Gauri takes the concealer and starts covering it up.

"Gauri, cover up mine too." Omkara tells her.

"This is not the same skin tone as yours, so it won't blend well." Gauri tells him.

"That's okay. just cover it up as much as you can." Omkara tells her.

Gauri smiles as she made him sit and starts to covering up his hickeys. Like how they had agreed silently to not cover up their hickeys, now they have without speaking about it, decided to cover it up.

Because now, they had more than sex in their relationship.

*********

Gauri walks into the flat to get nice aromatic smell and foul smell at once.

"What is this smell?" Gauri asks gaging seeing Omkara busy in the kitchen.

"You are the one who wanted open kitchen. Ab bhug tho." Omkara replies.

Gauri frowns at him.

"Like you said, candle, hood and balcony door open."

"What are you making?" Gauri asks him wanting to change the topic because smell was too much making her want to throw up and she couldn't let him know that and have him go told you so!

"Fish." Omkara proudly tells her.

"Fish?" Gauri asks surprised and excited.

Leaning on the counter he asks her cutely, "Can we please get a maid to clean the fish and chicken and all. Please it is disgusting."

Gauri chuckles. "Did you clean it?"

"No, your maid came to clean the house. I asked her to clean it for me. the YouTube videos were so disgusting."

Gauri grins.

"By the way, I am not a fish person, but this is amazing." Omkara tells her smugly.

"You act as if you are some masterchef!"

"Awww don't be jealous, Gauri. it is not your fault that you are an awful cook." Omkara tells her lovingly.

Gauri glares at him.

"Taste it." Omkara takes a little and offers her.

Gauri moves back with the smell. "All the smell mixed together, it is awful."

"I don't feel it that bad. Maybe I have been here for a while." Omkara replies then he closes her nose. "Now, open your mouth."

Gauri opens her mouth and Omkara feeds her.

"Hmmm. Yum."

"I knew it." Omkara smirks. "Go freshen up and come. we'll eat then."

Gauri looks at him with a flirty smile, "Aren't you dirty?"

Omkara grins sexily as he removed the apron.

*********

"How come you were early today?" Gauri asks Omkara as they snuggled in bed.

"Papa had come to office."

"Hmmm and?"

"They were talking figures."

"Huh?"

"I had asked them to consider Ruvya. They were talking about the loss that such a shift would cause. Blah blah blah."

"And?"

"And what?" Omkara asks tensing up.

"What else did he say?" Gauri asks curiously feeling his body tense up.

"I told them that their one-month time period is ending shortly. So, they should start worrying about how to announce our divorce instead of all this. That reminds me, Ridhima messaged. I didn't check the message. I'll check it. You come, let's have dinner then." Omkara says getting up from the bed.

*********

"Ridhima wants to meet us tomorrow. Where should we meet her?" Omkara asks her as he looked at the phone.

"We'll go to her office."

"When should we meet her?" Omkara asks her as he started typing into the phone.

"11?"

"Okay."

Omkara was reheating the food when Gauri moves to him.

"What happened?" Omkara asks as he moved away in the pretense of checking on the rotis. "By the rotis are a little hard, I am still working around the consistency for it."

"What did Papa say?"

"Just leave it. I am hungry, let's eat."

Gauri holds his hand to make him face her. "You have never hidden anything from me. now don't start."

Omkara sighs as he helplessly looked at her. "He said that if we get divorced then he will get you married to someone else."

Gauri scowls in fury hearing that. "Did you bang his head to the wall for saying that?"

"I thought you won't forgive me ever if I did that." Omkara tells her grinning.

"I would have been angry and I would have eventually forgiven you." Gauri replies cheekily.

Omkara chuckles hearing that.

Gauri moves to him and hugs him sadly, "What did you tell him?"

"I just left. I was too disgusted to stay there." Omkara tells her as he hugged her.

Gauri looks up at him and asks him, "Do you think I would marry someone else even if he forces me?"

"No." Omkara replies with a gentle smile.

Gauri smiles.

"I have started believing that we are going to be having a lifelong affair after our divorce." Omkara jokes a little sadly.

Gauri sadly smiles as she hugs him.

******

"Hi Omkara. So good to see you." Ridhima says as she walked to him with a smile as she extended her hand for him to shake hands. "Come in, Gauri." Ridhima says as an afterthought.

"Good to see you too, Ridhima." Gauri replies as she quickly grabbed her hand and shook.

Ridhima gives Gauri a look. "Heard about your divorce. Some marriages are not meant to last... huh?"

Gauri gives her a tight smile in reply while Omkara frowns hearing that.

"Please sit." Ridhima says as she moved to the chair next to Omkara.

"So your fathers asked me to speak with you regarding how to announce your divorce." Ridhima says. "I know that you guys had nothing in your marriage and that is the reason you are getting divorced. But you see, Gauri, we can't reveal that as a reason. So, we need to come up with another reason."

"Just say irreconcilable differences." Gauri tells her.

"Yeah, even I was thinking the same." Ridhima agrees.

"So, we just came here to discuss something that we could have done over the phone in a minute?" Gauri asks her shocked.

"Wait a minute, Gauri." Omkara says softly then turning to Ridhima he asks her with a frown, "Who told you there was nothing in our marriage?"

"No one has to tell me. I know, I have been seeing you guys for a while."

"It is not your place to judge and make assumptions." Omkara tells her.

"I am sorry, Omkara. I didn't mean to hurt you. I can understand what you are going through." Ridhima says as she held his hand.

Omkara looks at his hand were she had kept her hand and then utterly confused he turns to Gauri.

Seeing his confusion, Gauri tells him in exasperation, "YES! She is hitting on you! how dense are you to not see that?"

"What the fuck?" Omkara says in disgust as he shrugged off her hand. "Is that why she has been messaging me instead of you?"

"Yes! What did you think?"

"I thought she was scared of you." Omkara replies shocked.

"Oh please!" Gauri mutters. "She has been snubbing me forever in her pursuit of you."

"What nonsense? I am just trying to be a good friend to you, Omkara." Ridhima says quickly.

"We are not friends! You work for us!" Omkara points out to her.

"Yeah, I know but outside work we can be friends, right? I always considered you a good friend." Ridhima asks as she started to keep her hand on his again.

"Listen bitch!" Gauri says pissed seeing her going to touch Omkara again.

Ridhima looks at Gauri in shock.

"If you forgot then let me tell you, he is still my husband! So stop panting after him."

"What the hell, Gauri?" Ridhima asks offended. "Are you going to let her talk to me like that, Omkara?"

"Ssshhh, Ridhima. I am listening to my wife." Omkara says as he looked at Gauri. "Please continue, Gauri."

Gauri felt a smile slip through her lips at his antics realizing that she had been holding it up inside her for months now.

Gauri turns to Ridhima and seeing her, the smile turned to anger and she says, "I know you have been wondering, so let me tell you point blank, my husband is damn good in bed. But unfortunately for you, he is loyal."

Ridhima turns pink in humiliation.

"There has only been Gauri Omkara Singh Oberoi in his life and there will only be Gauri in his life. EVER. So, stop your desperate act. He is not going to even look at you. hell, girl! You were so desperate that you never realized that you were irritating him with your constant messaging!"

"Okay, we are leaving." Omkara says as he stood up.

"What? I am not done!" Gauri says offended.

"We are." Omkara declares as he held her hand and dragged her out of the office.

"Omkara!" Gauri calls him to stop him as he led them to the lift.

They get into the lift and the moment the door closed, Omkara pulls her close to him.

"What the hell, Omkara? I was just warming up!"

"Do you have any idea how turned on I am seeing you go all territorial on me?" Omkara asks her as he hungrily pulled her close to him and kissed her.

"that bitch had it coming." Gauri tells him as she kissed him.

"I don't think I can wait till we get home. Can we just do it in the car?" Omkra asks her too horny.

"I have to give you a bath. That bitch was all over your hand." Gauri tells him.

Hearing the door open they both stop and turn to see Ridhima looking at them with her mouth open in shock.

Omkara looks at the keypad and sees that he had forgot to press the floor key.

They quickly part. Ridhima gets into the lift. Seeing that, Omkara quickly pulls Gauri and makes her stand in front of him to hide his erection.

"Going home?" Gauri asks her seeing her handbag.

Ridhima ignores her as she pressed for the floor. They remained silent as the lift took the down. Ridhima was stepping out of the lift when Gauri stops her.

"Ridhima." Gauri gently says her name.

Ridhima turns to her frowning in hatred.

"You are one of the reasons that we never realized our true feelings for each other. Our emotions were buried deep under all those fake romances and fake relation you guys made us portray that we never realized that we loved each other. That we didn't realize that we had a relation other than the fake one. I know you were doing your job and we shouldn't hold it against you. we are not, but next time, look deeper before you force someone to do something."

Ridhima continues to look at her though not in hatred.

"We love each other. Don't waste your time on him." Gauri tells her softly.

Ridhima looks at Gauri in confusion then her gaze moves to Omkara for confirmation.

"I don't think I owe you any explanations but still, I have no life without her." Omkara tells her.

Ridhima nods and leaves quickly.

"Why didn't you tell her anything before itself like you normally do?" Omkara asks her as they walked out of the lift.

"Because she pretty much knew the reality of our marriage." Gauri explains. "I could lie to a Svetlana who knew nothing about us, but if I did that with Ridhima, she will know that I was lying and it would be humiliating."

"I'm sorry, I didn't realize what was happening. I thought she was communicating with me because she was scared of you." Omkara tells her.

Gauri chuckles.

*********

Hearing the buzz, Gauri checks her phone to see Omkara had messaged her.

Gauri, I'm leaving office.

Okay... see you soon.

I was actually thinking of going home and seeing Mom. Haven't seen her in three days.

Are you staying there?

No, I'll come there later tonight. have dinner, I'll be having with mom.

Okay.

Taking a deep nervous breath, Gauri keeps the mobile on the side and takes the scan report. Having realized that she hadn't got her periods yet, she had gone to the doctor and found out she is pregnant.

********

Omkara walks in and finds Gauri waiting for him.

"Sorry, I am late. I ran into Dad at home." Omkara tells her as he hugged her. "We had a shouting match, don't ask." Omkara mutters as he took her lips in his.

"We have to talk." Gauri tells him.

"Tomorrow, now I need some tender loving care." Omkara tells her as he hungrily kissed her.

"Good night, Gauri." Omkara whispers to her as he kissed her forehead.

"I wanted to talk to you. we'll do it tomorrow, now." Gauri yawns as she hugged him.

"Okay." Omkara replies smiling as he kept her hand on his stomach, pulling her close to him.

Gauri takes off her hand in her sleep.

Omkara keeps her hand again on his stomach, and she takes it off again.

When it happened for the third time, he frowns. All these days, they have been sleeping with her hugging him, and now he couldn't sleep without her hand on him.

Omkara sighs in exasperation seeing her keep her hand on her stomach once again.

What is with her and her stomach? Is she hungry? Does she have stomach pain? But she doesn't have her periods now. her period is in... fuck! What is the date today? Omkara quickly grabs his mobile and checks the date. 21? Our anniversary was on the 15th and she had got her periods then... she missed her periods? Oh God! Gauri is pregnant?

"Gauri... Gauri.... wake up, love." Omkara shakes her gently.

"Omkara, I want to sleep." Gauri mumbles to him.

"Gauri... are you pregnant?" Omkara asks her unable to wait till the next day.

"Yes... we'll talk and take a decision tomorrow." Gauri replies to him in her sleep as she turned to sleep on the side giving her back to him.

Heart slamming against his chest, Omkara hugs her resting his hand over her hand which was resting on her stomach. He realized that finally, the time had come for them to make a strong decision about their life.

**********

Gauri wakes up alone in her apartment. She looks around for Omkara and sees that he had left. Gauri sighs, she had hoped to talk to him in the morning. Now, she will have to wait till he got back in the evening to tell him about the baby.

Noticing that he had made breakfast for her, Gauri walks to the dining table and removes the food cover. He had made spinach omelet, seeing a note near her plate, she takes it.

There is smoothie in the fridge.

No time to make lunch, only made rice, please have it with left over vegetable curry from yesterday.

(please don't go egoistic now, and cook anything.)

Have tons of work today. I'll see you in the evening.

We will talk when I get back and take a decision.

p.s: if you don't remember, I figured out about the baby last night.

Gauri stops in shock, he knows about the baby? she wanted to tell him. idiot, always have to be a smarty pants about everything!

********

"How are you?" Omkara asks her as he walked in that evening.

Gauri smiles at him as she walked to him. he hugs her then he takes her lips in his and gently kisses her.

"You didn't cook, right?" Omkara asks her.

"No! I didn't feed your baby any of my bad food." Gauri replies in exasperation.

Omkara grins as he caressed her stomach. "I'll make us dinner."

"We can order." Gauri tells him.

"I am loaded." Omkara tells her as he showed her the grocery bags he was carrying.

As Omkara quickly whipped up stir fried vegetables and fish, they told each other how they had figured out about the pregnancy.

*******

"In UAE?" Omkara asks her curiously as they got settled on bed.

"Not sure. Doctor said 5 weeks."

"I pulled out and went through all that trouble when you were already pregnant?" Omkara asks shocked.

"Is that what you want to discuss now?" Gauri asks him shocked.

Omkara chuckles as he turned to face her.

"All these while, I have been pregnant." Gauri tells him smiling in amazement.

"I know." Omkara smiles at her. then turning serious, he asks her softly, "Have you taken a decision?"

"About what?" Gauri asks him turning serious seeing his face.

"About moving back to my house." Omkara tells her.

"No, Omkara. I'll not ever go back there now." Gauri tells him. "I'll not raise our baby in that toxic environment."

Omkara sighs hearing her.

"It is you who have to take the decision, Omkara." Gauri points out to him. "You need to decide, whether you want us to be parents or co-parents."

"Gauri..."

********

The next day, Omkara and Gauri walk into his house to find his parents and her father waiting for them.

"Why did you ask to meet us all here?" Tej asks them.

Gauri walks to Jhanvi and hugs her. since she had left, she hadn't met Jhanvi, just kept in touch through calls and messages.

"How are you, Gauri?" Jhanvi asks her smiling.

"Good, Mom. And you?"

"Good." Jhanvi replies to her. "I miss you."

"Enough with the dilly dallying. What is it that you want to talk to us about?" Tej asks them.

"Sit, Gauri." Omkara tells her as he guided her to the chair.

Then Omkara ignores Tej, and he walks to Jhanvi, making her sit, he kneels in front of her.

"We are not getting divorced, mom." Omkara tells her.

Jhanvi smiles happily, "I am so happy, Om. I am so happy, Gauri. I've been praying hard for you both." Jhanvi tells them with tear filled eyes.

"Excellent." Harsh declares.

"I knew you both would come to your senses." Tej agrees.

Omkara continues to ignore them and tells Jhanvi with a smile, "You are going to be a grandmother."

"Really?" Jhanvi smiles excitedly as she started to get up to go to Gauri. Omkara quickly holds her to stop her.

"This is the best news ever." Tej says excitedly.

"We should have a party." Harsh tells him.

"Of course, we should."

"I'm moving out, Mom." Omkara tells his mother.

"What?" Jhanvi asks in shock.

"What do you mean by moving out?" Tej asks furiously.

"Please can you both keep quiet for some time?" Omkara asks them in exasperation. then without waiting for a reply, he turns to his mother holding her hand he tells her, "All my life, I have been suffocating in this house. the only reason I stayed on was for you. I know you are suffering here and I am the only reason that is making you bare all this. But I can't do this anymore, Mom."

"You sacrificed all your life for me. all my life, I was looking for a home and even when I found it, I stayed on here for you. because I know life is going to be so hard and lonely for you without me. I want you to come with me but you won't and I can no longer stay here. I know I am being selfish. But I can't help it. We'll not raise our baby in this house. Gauri needs me and I need her. I've wandered all my life. it has been a long journey but it is time I go home and my home is where Gauri is. I'm sorry, Mom. I am choosing my wife and our baby over you."

Jhanvi nods through her tears, "I understand, Om. I am sorry, I was also a reason that you suffered so much. Thank you for thinking for me and I don't think you are being selfish. If I did what you are doing, life would have been much better for both of us, isn't it?"

Omkara gently smiles at her with tear filled eyes.

Jhanvi cups his face and kisses his forehead, "It is going to be difficult without you, but I'll manage. You take care of Gauri, your baby and yourself. Just come and see me whenever you can. And I'll also come and see you all whenever I can."

Omkara kisses her hands. "You know, we will."

Jhanvi smiles then she walks to Gauri and hugs her. "Take care of him and make sure he takes care of you both."

"He will." Gauri tells her smiling then she hugs her tight and says crying. "All my life I was yearning for my mother and I found her when I met you. please come with us."

"I'll always be there for you, Gauri. but it is time, you and Om build your life together away from all this."

"You both are not going anywhere." Tej tells them.

"We are." Omkara tells them.

"That is our heir, don't forget that." Harsh tells him.

"We don't have any heir. All we have is our baby. and we are going to raise a baby not an heir." Omkara tells them furiously.

Taking his mobile, he starts taping on it. Then looking at them he informs, "We want a peaceful life and that will be possible only if we keep you both at a distance. So, I have sent you my resignation."

"You can't resign." Harsh tells him furiously.

"I just did."

"You can't turn your back on the business." Tej tells him. "This is not only yours, it is your baby's too. It is his legacy."

"When the baby grows up and if they want to they will come to claim your so called legacy. If they don't want to then they won't. it will be their decision, no one else's!" Omkara declares.

"Gauri, come help me pack." Omkara tells her.

********

Omkara and Gauri walk into their flat.

"How do you feel?" Gauri asks him.

"Freedom." Omkara smiles at her.

Gauri smiles happily as she hugs him. "Your cupboard has been waiting for you since I moved in. let's go fill it up." Gauri tells him excitedly.

Omkara holds her hand and stops her.

"What?" Gauri asks him smiling.

"Gauri, I am going to ask you again what I asked you last night." Omkara tells her.

Gauri chuckles hearing him. "You are crazy."

Omkara goes on his knees and holding her hand, he looks up at her, "Gauri Omkara Singh Oberoi, I realize my home is where you are and I want to come home along with that I want to pursue my passion for writing. So, will you promise to look after our baby and me while I find my footing again?"

Gauri laughs happily, "Yes."

"Think long and hard, I am high maintenance." Omkara reminds her.

Gauri chuckles, "I'll put you on a leash."

Omkara cutely pouts, "I want a Sugar Mama who would spent on me without a thought."

"I'm younger to you and you are not penniless."

"But it is nice to live off my wife."

"Okay, I'll." Gauri promises him.

Omkara stands up and hugs her happily. "Now, let me payback my Sugar Mama in kind before we unpack." Omkara tells her as he kissed her passionately.

**********

One and a half year later

"So what time are you coming?" Jhanvi asks over skype.

"Maybe in 2 hours." Omkara replies as he sautéed the vegetables.

"2 hours?" Jhanvi pouts.

"I'm cooking lunch now. then I need to give Kanan his milk. Drop off Gauri's lunch then I'll drop Kanan there."

"Why can't you drop Kanan here first?"

"Because that will make me late for my meeting. Gauri and I am going for dinner, so you will have ample time with Kanan before we come to pick him up." Omkara tells her.

"Okay."

Omkara tastes the food and couldn't help boast. "This is amazing, Mom. I'll bring you some when I drop Kanan there."

"Maybe you should write a recipe book after you publish your novel." Jhanvi tells him.

Omkara grins, "Last night even Gauri was grudgingly telling me that. she is so jealous of my cooking."

"Because you are forever gloating. As if no one else knows to cook other than you in this world." Jhanvi tells him.

"Well, both my wife and my mother doesn't know." Omkara smirks.

"You know what, I don't want to taste your food. Don't bring it."

"I know you want to. And you'll regret if you don't get to try it." Omkara teases her.

Jhanvi rolls her eyes, "It is a wonder that Gauri hasn't asked for a divorce again."

"She can't live without me." Omkara tells her in a dismissing tone.

Jhanvi shakes her head.

"How is your husband doing?"

"I told him Kanan is coming today and he was asking what time and all. I think he is planning to come to spent time with him." Jhanvi tells him smiling. "Maybe Harsh will also come."

"Make sure they don't talk business to my poor son." Omkara says as he grabbed the box to pack Gauri's lunch.

Jhanvi chuckles. "They are too busy pampering him."

Omkara smiles hearing that.

"Do they call you even now?"

"Oh yes. Begging me to come back."

Jhanvi shakes her head.

"I am really not interested, Mom. I am happiest in my life now." Omkara tells her gently.

"I know." Jhanvi smiles.

"Okay, Mom. I'll see you soon." Omkara tells her as he finished packing the food.

********

"Hey!" Omkara says happily as he walked into Gauri's cabin.

"Hi." Gauri smiles as she walked to Omkara and kissed him. then she kisses her son who was securely sitting on the baby Kangaroo bag.

"Are you nervous?" Gauri asks Omkara as she took her lunch from him.

"I might not be working but I was a businessman, I know my way around a negotiation." Omkara tells her.

"Why won't you let me read your book?" Gauri asks him pouting.

Omkara grins.

"At least tell me what it is about. What genre it is?"

"I don't know the genre." Omkara tells her.

Gauri frowns hearing that. "Don't make me call your publisher."

Omkara chuckles and kisses her on her lips, "I'll see you after the meeting."

Gauri pouts.

"Finalized the title."

"What is it?" Gauri asks excitedly.

"The Long Way Home."

"The Long Way Home?" Gauri repeats smiling. "Home? Is it our story?" Gauri asks in shocked excitement.

"That is why I don't want you to read it. Because you lived it." Omkara tells her grinning.

"I want to read it." Gauri requests him excitedly.

"Maybe if you please me nicely, I'll let you read it." Omkara says in a flirty tone.

Gauri rolls her eyes.

"See ya." Omkara tells her smiling. "And today's food is awesome."

Gauri rolls her eyes again then she kisses Kanan and then Omkara.

She watches them leave with a smile. She looks at the lunch he had packed for her smile excitedly. That man knew how to cook. Only if he wasn't so full of himself!

Gauri happily walks to her desk. She was a successful designer now. her brand was 'Rikara' though she had hated 'Rikara' she couldn't forget what 'Rikara' gave her and Omkara. Even though they still had some fans, they kept their life private, especially Kanan.

Omkara had took his time in writing his book while he took care of their home and baby. to kill time, he had even started a YouTube channel called 'A Proud Homemaker' with his recipes and had become a YouTube sensation. He had already been a sensation when he had walked out of the Billion Dollar Businesses and decided to be a homemaker and writer. Then after his YouTube channel, he had become a sensation that surpassed 'Rikara', and Omkara had embraced the adoration and love because he was getting that for being himself and not being a mirage or a fake.

Gauri smiles as she hugged the lunch box that he had so lovingly made for her. they were truly happy now. they felt at peace and free. They were finally home.

*** The End ***

Alenwalker9 had asked me to write a story similar to Ki&Ka, and as I was writing this story I felt that this story was heading in that direction, so I hope you are happy with my version of Ki & Ka.

I hope you guys liked this story. Please vote and comment

- Lazy