Hello everyone...

Thanks to all for voting and commenting on the previous story. Twin Series 5 : Bound By Destiny (Posted on 14.Feb.2024)

Haven't replied to the PMs... will do it soon.

I know, you all were expecting forbidden by destiny. But Manisha had asked me to write on a story idea, though this is not what she had asked, I just felt like writing this story. This is a light read with pretty much no drama....

And the story is farfetched and happens in an imaginary place. LOL And I don't know if you can call it a romantic story.

Trigger Warning:

Some might find the story very misogynistic, so please don't read, if you get easily offended.

P.S: the place in the story is a small village in Bareilly, not the whole of it.

P.S: the story is tooooo looooong.

Haven't proofread it

Gauri was leaning on the window looking outside. The scene down was bustling with activity. She enjoyed watching the people of the chawl. Their life was so different from hers.

"Gauri, your tea." Jhanvi says as she walked into the room.

"Thank you, Ma." Gauri says with a smile as she took the glass from her.

Jhanvi smiles at her and leaves the room. She always called her best friend's mother Ma and she treated her like a daughter. With more warmth than her step mother.

"What about me?" Priyanka calls out to her mother.

"I forgot about you. Should I make black tea?" Jhanvi calls back.

"You know, I don't like black tea." Priyanka grumbles.

Gauri smiles at Priyanka as she took a sip of her tea, then passed it to Priyanka.

Priyanka smiles and takes the tea and takes a sip. She passes the glass back to her. "I think milk is over." Priyanka whispers to her.

"She could have just told me." Gauri says as she passed the glass back after a sip.

"Royal bahu saying there is no milk?" Priyanka asks scandalized.

Gauri laughs hearing that.

"You had asked for milk tea and there was milk to make tea for you. So Ma made it." Priyanka tells her.

"I feel so bad." Gauri tells her.

"It's not new for us." Priyanka says as she finished the tea.

"There won't be tea for everyone else then." Gauri says softly filled with guilt.

"Arrey... don't fret. Ma doesn't have tea in the evening... Baba can't drink milk tea because he will throw up... milk doesn't mix well with alcohol... and bhaiyya... he is not particular about tea... he'll have whatever Ma gives him." Priyanka tells her as she went out to keep the glass.

Gauri sighs feelings relieved. The thought that she took Om's share of tea hurting her heart.

"Is your father's family really royalty?" Gauri asks as she laid on the bed next to her.

"Yeah, something like that." Priyanka says not really bothered. "My daddaji is well respected in the village... he is like a king there... our forefathers used to be like the rulers of small province... he says something and all... he keeps going on and on... I get bored listening to it."

Gauri chuckles hearing that.

"Feudal lords, I think they are that." Priyanka says.

Hearing the loud horn, Gauri quickly gets off the bed and runs to the window. She sees white Benz at the entrance. She sighs and waves at the driver.

"New car?" Priyanka asks her.

Gauri nods, disappointed. Her father had car craze and was always buying new new cars.

"You don't like the car?" Priyanka asks mistaking her disappointment was for the car.

"It is nice car." Gauri says as she sadly walked to the bed and grabbed her bag. She couldn't see Om today.

"Then why are you upset?" Priyanka asks her.

"I'm not." Gauri lies.

Priyanka was silent for a few minutes then she says softly. "Oh!"

"What?" Gauri turns to her curiously.

Cheekily grinning, she says. "You should have asked me. I would have told you, bhaiyya has extra classes today."

"Wha... what?" Gauri whispers in shock, her face going white. How did Priyanka realize that?

"You are so easy to read, Gauri." Priyanka laughs. "I figured it out long back that you are here to see him."

Gauri turns pink hearing that. "Do you think everyone knows?"

"You are too obvious, Gauri." Priyanka teases her.

"Om knows?" Gauri asks her softly.

Priyanka stops thoughtfully. "I don't know."

"Hmmm."

"I hope he doesn't." Priyanka says gently.

"Why?" Gauri asks curiously.

"Because if he realizes and he hasn't said anything... then it means..." Priyanka stops, not wanting to hurt her best friend.

Gauri nods understanding.

"Next time, you see him, you tell him." Priyanka advices her.

"What if he doesn't see me like that?" Gauri asks worriedly.

"Then you should tell him earlier the best, so he has that much time to start seeing you like that." Priyanka says with a wink.

Gauri laughs hearing that. "I'll."

**********

Gauri had just stepped out of Priyanka's place when she notices Omkara running up the stairs to their portion.

She comes to a halt seeing him. God, how she loved him.

Noticing her, Omkara smiles at her.

Every time they met, he always had a smile for her. And that would make her day.

She and Priyanka had become friends when they were in the same tuition class for their 10th board exam. She used to visit Priyanka's home often that time. But she had fallen for him, when she was in her 12th and used to come to their house for combined studies with Priyanka almost daily. Now, she was in 2nd year under graduation. And he was in his final year MBA. And she still loved him like she did almost 3 years ago.

"Your driver is getting impatient. Kids were trying to touch your car." Omkara tells her.

Gauri nods. Her driver acted a little snobbishly when he came here to drop her and pick her up. The kids always was awestruck seeing their fancy cars and he gets up worked up worrying that kids would scratch it. How much ever she tried to stop him, he complained that it was his duty to keep the car safe.

"Ma... I'm home!" Omkara calls out as he started to head inside.

"Om, your black tea is there on the stove." Jhanvi calls out as her phone started ringing.

Gauri quickly holds his hand to stop him.

Surprised and curious, Omkara turns to look at her.

Heart slamming against her chest, Gauri nervously looks at him.

"Gauri..." Omkara softly whispers as he looked at her hand on his.

Gauri nervously gulps. "Om..."

Omkara looks up at her, his eyes asking a 100 questions.

"I love you." Gauri tells him in a bare whispers.

Then she sees his face breaks out into a big smile, his eyes sparkle.

Gauri couldn't hide her joy seeing the happiness on his face.

"Gauri... I..."

"Om!" Jhanvi calls out in worry.

Hearing the worry in her voice, Gauri let goes of his hand, they both runs in.

"Ma... what happened?" Omkara asks her in concern.

"It was your Baba." Jhanvi tells him. "Your Daddaji had a heart attack."

"Is he okay?" Priyanka asks worriedly.

"Doesn't seem so." Jhanvi says in worry. "Tej will meet us at the bus station with tickets. Hurry up we have to leave now."

Omkara and Priyanka nods their head.

"Om, you go get an auto... we don't have time. I'll pack your clothes." Jhanvi tells him.

"Okay." Omkara says as he turns to run out leaving his college bag on the small coffee table.

"I can drop you." Gauri tells them.

"But Gauri, you'll get late." Jhanvi tells her.

"That is okay." Gauri tells her then turning to Omkara, she says. "You pack your bag."

"Thank you." Omkara tells her.

Gauri shakes her head. "Don't worry, nothing will happen to your Daddaji."

Omkara gently smiles at her.

Jhanvi and Priyanka look at each other in shock seeing the scene before them.

"Ma... hurry up." Omkara tells her as he ran to the cupboard in the corner of their living room to take his clothes.

**********

Her driver didn't say a word, but his expression and attitude said it all. He thought Omkara and his family were beneath them and didn't deserve to be in their car. But all of them ignored him.

Gauri vowed to get her driving license soon, so she didn't have to depend on this man to take her around. On an impulse, she had opted to learn manual gear and it was taking her forever to pass.

Gauri looks at Omkara who was sitting in the front, he was lost in thoughts. Gauri felt sorry for him, from Priyanka she knew that he was very close to their daddaji.

Soon they reach the station and they quickly get off the car.

"I'll bring the bags, you go find Baba." Omkara tells his mother and sister.

"Take care, Gauri. Thank you so much, Bacche." Jhanvi says as she hugged her.

"Everything will be fine, Ma." Gauri tells her smiling as she hugged her.

"Bye..." Priyanka says as she hugged her.

"Message me when you reach." Gauri tells her as she hugged her.

"I'll. Pray for my daddaji." Priyanka tells her and hurries off.

Gauri turns back and sees that Omkara had taken the three bags and the driver had closed the boot.

"We'll go?" Ajith, her driver asks her.

Gauri nods.

Ajith walks around the car and get in as Gauri never liked him opening and closing the door for her.

Gauri turns to look at Omkara and sees him looking at him.

Gauri smiles at him. And he smiles at her.

He walks to her and says, "After I come back...." Omkara says softly.

Gauri nods. "I'll wait for you." Gauri tells him happily.

Omkara smiles at her. "Bye."

He starts to walk off when he stops and turns to her. He adjusts the bag on his shoulder and asks her, "Prinku knows?"

Gauri nods.

"I'll be busy... don't know when I'll get free time." Omkara tells her. "If I get free time..."

Gauri nods.

"Can I get your number from Prinku?" Omkara asks her.

Gauri's face breaks into a big smile. "Yes."

Omkara smiles at her and leaves.

**********

At night, Gauri receives a message from Priyanka saying that they reached and would be heading to the clinic soon.

The next few days went by with no news of Priyanka and Omkara. Then about a week later, she got a message from Priyanka that her daddaji passed away.

Gauri quickly calls her.

"Hello Prinku..."

"Gauri..." Priyanka says with a sigh. "Daddaji passed away three days back... I couldn't inform you... here things are so hectic... people keep coming... have to take care of everyone."

"I understand." Gauri tells her.

"Anyway... I might come only after 2 weeks maybe. There are some rituals and prayers and all." Priyanka informs her.

"Okay.... How is Om?" Gauri asks her in concern.

"He is taking it very badly. He is very depressed."

Gauri's heart went out to him. She was about to ask Priyanka for Omkara's number then remembered that he had said he would call her when he was free.

"Everybody keeps calling him for everything." Priyanka says with a sad sigh.

"Hmmm."

"You didn't speak to him?" Priyanka asks her confused.

"No... he said he will take my number from you."

"He took it from me on the bus itself. He didn't call you all these days?"

"He said he will call once he is free."

"Ah yeah... he hasn't had time to sit down only." Priyanka says sadly.

Someone calls Priyanka and she had to hang up the call.

Gauri waited day and night for Omkara's call but it never came.

**********

"Prinku!" Gauri calls her excitedly seeing her in college after two weeks.

"Gauri!" Priyanka excitedly runs to her and takes her in a bear hug.

"I missed you!" Gauri tells her happily.

"I missed you too." Priyanka says happily.

Gauri leans back and looks at her excitedly. "Om is back?"

Priyanka's smile drops hearing that. "He didn't come."

"Why? When will he come?" Gauri asks her hurt. He said he will call her and he never did.

"He won't be coming." Priyanka tells her.

"What? But why?" Gauri asks her heart breaking.

"He has to stay there. He is in charge there. Daddaji chose him as his heir. From now on, he will stay there."

"What about his studies?" Gauri asks shocked.

"He won't be writing his exams." Priyanka tells her sadly.

"What about me?" Gauri asks her, her eyes filling up, and her heart slamming against her chest.

Priyanka guiltily looks at her. "He said he can't pursue a relation now."

"What?" Gauri asks as tears fell from her eyes.

"He said he is sorry but he is rejecting your proposal." Priyanka softly says, her eyes filling up seeing Gauri's pain.

A sob breaks out of Gauri, seeing that, Priyanka quickly hugs her.

**********

They never spoke of Omkara again.

The only time, Omkara was mentioned that year was by an offhand comment by Priyanka.

"Baba lost his job." Priyanka tells Gauri.

They were in Gauri's house. Gauri no longer visited Priyanka's house because it hurt her to be in that house now.

"Why?" Gauri asks her shocked.

"They caught him drinking during office time. They fired him." Priyanka tells her.

Tej was working as a security guard for a movie theatre.

"Oh what will you do now? Should I ask Papa for a job for him?" Gauri asks her.

Priyanka shakes her head. "No, bhaiyya told Ma and Baba to come back to Bareilly."

Told? Gauri frowns in surprise.

"He will be putting me in the college hostel. Once I am settled there, baba and Ma will go." Priyanka tells her.

Gauri nods. Wanting to ask more about Om but her heart still pained thinking about his rejection.

**********

It was the last day of their post graduation course. They had finished their last exam. Gauri looks for Priyanka among their friends and sees her bidding her bye to their friends.

"Gauri! I looked for you everywhere." Priyanka says as she ran to her.

"I was looking for you." Gauri tells her smiling.

"I've to go now." Priyanka tells her.

"Now?" Gauri asks her shocked. "But normally Bareilly bus is in the evening right?"

"Bhaiyya has some work here... so I am going back with him. He just called saying he is about to reach." Priyanka tells her.

Gauri's heart skips a beat hearing about Omkara. Her pain still raw.

"I will miss you, Gauri. You better keep in touch." Priyanka tells her as she hugged her.

Gauri nods as she fought her tears. She wasn't sure whether these tears were for being separated from her best friend or because of remembering Omkara. But then, did she ever forget him?

"Okay bye, Gauri... Bhaiyya said he has to get back soon." Priyanka tells her as she turned to run off.

"Can I come?" Before she could think, the words were out of her mouth.

"Yeah come..." Priyanka says as she turned and stops in shock seeing Gauri's face. Priyanka gasps. "Gauri.... Even now?"

Gauri gulps.

"Why?" Priyanka asks her in shock.

Gauri's eyes fill up. Because after she had told him her love, in that one hour, she had felt his love for her, she saw it in his eyes, and she had believed his love was as deep and sincere as hers.

"Why didn't you tell me?" Priyanka asks her softly. "You never mentioned his name."

"What is the use?" Gauri asks her softly.

Priyanka holds her hand and squeezes it. "Let's go."

"Don't tell him that I came to see him." Gauri tells her.

"I won't." Priyanka says.

**********

"He is here." Priyanka whispers to Gauri.

Curious Gauri look around the cars parked in front of the hostel and sees him leaning on a green vintage Range Rover.

Gauri almost trips in shock. He was no longer the boy she had fallen in love with. He was a man now.

Seeing them he stands up straight.

Gauri didn't think it was possible, but he looks taller now. He has build muscles. In a plain white kurta and jeans, he looked glorious.

He walks towards them.

There was a difference in the way, he carried himself. There was an aura... an aura of aristocracy.

"Bhaiyya..." Priyanka hugs him.

Omkara hugs her. "How was your exam?"

"Nice."

"We've to leave soon." Omkara tells her.

"I'll just get my bag." Priyanka says and hurries in.

They both watched Priyanka walk off.

Gauri turns to look at Omkara and she couldn't take her eyes off him. The change in him was so much. As her gaze went to his face, she realized that he was looking at her.

Her heart slams against her chest feeling his gaze on her. Slowly his eyes travel up and they lock with hers.

Gauri's heart skips a beat seeing the same love in his eyes that she had seen more than 2 years ago. There was a yearning in his eyes.

Gauri shakes her head, her heart was playing tricks on her. Omkara had decided that he didn't want to be with her.

"How are you?" Omkara asks her gently.

"Fine... you?" Gauri asks him.

"Fine." Omkara replies.

Gauri notices Priyanka hesitating at the hostel entrance, Gauri realized that Priyanka was giving them time to talk.

"Priyanka is here." Gauri points her out to Omkara, because suddenly she couldn't be with him. She felt like crying.

Omkara turns around and sees Priyanka.

"Let's go?" Omkara asks her.

Nodding Priyanka walks to them. Omkara takes her bag from her and as he walked to keep her bag in his car, Priyanka walks to Gauri.

She hugs Gauri tight and gently squeezes her. "My brother is an idiot."

"I know." Gauri replies as she hugged her tight.

"Bye." Priyanka says and turns and walks to their car.

Gauri looks at Omkara and sees him near the driver's side door. He lifts his palm at her, as in saying bye.

Gauri waves back at him.

Omkara gets in the car and starts to leave. As he drove by her side, he turns and looks at her.

Gauri just stood back and watched them leave.

**********

4 years later

"Gauri... we were thinking of fixing your marriage with Abhay." Harsh informs her at the breakfast table.

Gauri frowns hearing that. "I don't want to marry him."

"Why? What is wrong with him?" Harsh asks her shocked.

"Nothing is wrong with him." Gauri replies. "I just don't want to marry him."

"But Gauri, you're 25 years now." Nayantara tells her. "Shouldn't you be thinking of marriage now?"

Gauri's heart breaks thinking of marriage, she still couldn't forget Omkara.

"Gauri?" Nayantara gently calls her. "If you want to meet Abhay and speak to him, then that is totally okay. If you feel you are not compatible we will look for other proposal."

"I love someone. I can't think of marriage now." Gauri tells them.

"Who?" Harsh asks her.

"Just leave it, Daddy." Gauri tells him.

"No, I want to know." Harsh tells her frowning.

Nayantara keeps her hand on his then tells Gauri gently, "What Harsh means to say is that, if this boy is good then we would love to meet him."

"I don't want to talk about this." Gauri tells them.

"Who is it, Gauri?" Harsh asks her.

"I know... Omkara." Her 10 year old brother says giggling.

"Rahul!" Gauri turns to her brother in shock.

"Omkara?" Nayantara asks her son.

"I've seen his photo in di's room." Rahul tells them.

"Who is he, Gauri? What is Omkara doing?" Harsh asks her.

"I don't think I have ever met a friend of yours called Omkara. He has never come here, right? He is not from here?" Nayantara asks her.

"Can you two just stop?" Gauri asks fed up. "Omkara doesn't love me. Only I love him."

Harsh and Nayantara look at each other confused.

"Then why are you refusing to marry Abhay?" Harsh asks her after a minute.

"Because I don't love Abhay. I love Om!" Gauri says pissed and she walks off ignoring their calls.

**********

Hearing her mobile ring, Gauri answers it. "Please darling, can we meet?"

"No." Priyanka replies laughing.

Gauri groans. "Don't be a bitch! I really need a break."

"How about you take your break in Bareilly?" Priyanka asks her.

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

"I'm getting married." Priyanka informs her happily.

"What? Yesterday you said Ranveer's family refused." Gauri asks confused.

Priyanka was in love with her colleague and due to they belonging to different caste, his parents are refused to accept Priyanka, and because of that Priyanka's parents were against it.

"Yeah, bhaiyya told Ranveer that if he wanted to marry me then bhaiyya will get us married. Otherwise to stay the hell away from me. Ranveer said yes. Tomorrow evening is the mehendi. Day after the wedding. Ranveer is already there. I am just packing up to leave for Bareilly. You are coming." Priyanka says.

"Your parents agreed?" Gauri asks shocked.

"Bhaiyya decided, Gauri!" Priyanka points out. "Of course, so they agreed."

"Hmmm."

"You'll come right?" Priyanka asks her.

Gauri's heart slams against her chest thinking about meeting Omkara.

"Gauri... you never speak of him, but I know..." Priyanka gently says.

Gauri sighs.

"If it is painful for you then it is okay. Don't come." Priyanka tells her.

Priyanka was her best friend and has been with her forever. It was her big day, and she had to be there. And Omkara... maybe he didn't even remember her now.

"How are we going?" Gauri asks her.

"You'll come?" Priyanka asks her excitedly.

"Of course!"

"Bus."

"Babes... you'll be half dead when you reach home... then tomorrow function..."

"Yeah, I know. Ranveer wants the wedding soon. He is worried that his parents might find out." Priyanka tells her.

"We'll go in the chopper." Gauri decides.

"What?" Priyanka asks in shock. "Is that necessary?"

"Of course! And I can't wait to get out of here!"

"What happened there?"

"I'll tell you when I meet you. Let me pack now. And have to get the chopper ready."

Gauri hangs up and walks to her cupboard to look for dress for the function.

"Are you going because I told Daddy and Mummy about Omkara?" Rahul asks sadly as he stood by the door.

Gauri looks at her little brother then she ignores him and continues to look through her clothes.

"Gauri di... please don't go." Rahul tells her as he walked to her.

"I'm going for Priyanka's wedding." Gauri tells him.

"Are you angry with me?" Rahul asks feeling relieved.

Gauri turns to look at her brother and sees her worriedly looking at her. Gauri scowls at him and tells him, "I won't get you anything when I come back."

Rahul pouts hearing that.

Gauri ruffles his hair smiling, seeing that Rahul happily hugs her.

"I don't like Omkara." Rahul tells her.

"Why?" Gauri asks him. "You don't even know him."

"Because he doesn't love you." Rahul tells her angrily.

**********

"We'll have to walk a bit." Priyanka tells Gauri.

Gauri nods as she dragged her trolley bag.

"This is the only empty large space for the chopper to land." Priyanka tells her.

Gauri nods as she curiously looked around. Bareilly wasn't what she had expected. It was an under developed place but as they walk, she would see a hint of development.

"Bhaiyya built this." Priyanka says proudly as she pointed at the hospital.

Gauri looks at the hospital, it wasn't big as in city standards but it looked functional and well kept.

"When Daddaji died, we had only a small clinic." Priyanka tells her. "If we had gotten him to a hospital with better facilities maybe he would have survived."

Gauri nods.

"Ever since the hospital, the mortality rate has gone down so much." Priyanka tells her so happily.

"There is a school now. It was only till primary till Daddaji's death. Now it is higher secondary school. During Daddaji's time, the kids never used to go to school. But now, everyone goes to school. You know, now we have 100% literacy."

"Om is making everyone's life better here." Gauri says feeling proud.

"Yes." Priyanka says then she hesitates for a few seconds, then she says, "Sometimes I feel..."

"What?" Gauri asks curiously seeing her hesitate.

"That bhaiyya was able to do all this because he sacrificed you."

"He didn't sacrifice me." Gauri says softly.

"I think he still loves you." Priyanka tells her.

"Why do you think so?" Gauri asks shocked.

"Because he never lets me mention your name."

"That could mean anything." Gauri says shrugging.

"Or it could mean exactly what I told you."

"Why are you telling me this now? After all these years?" Gauri asks her.

"Because you are here. He is here. You should talk to him, Gauri."

Gauri thoughtfully looks away.

"Give it one final chance." Priyanka gently tells her. "What do you have to lose?"

Gauri nods realizing she had nothing to lose.

"And if it doesn't work out, you've to meet Abhay when you go back." Priyanka tells her.

Gauri nods.

**********

Everybody knew Priyanka. Every single person, stopped what they were doing and spoke to her. Everyone offered to carry their bags to Priyanka's house but they had politely declined. Everyone was excited for her wedding. And everyone spoke of Om bhaiyya.

They were walking off after speaking to yet another lady when "Didn't Om bhaiyya come to pick you from the bus stop?"

Gauri curiously turns back and it was the same woman they were speaking to she stops in shock because the lady was about 50 years.

"I didn't tell him I would be coming at this time." Priyanka replies.

"Does she look old or..." Gauri asks in a whisper.

Priyanka laughs hearing that.

"What?"

"He is Om bhaiyya for everyone here. Whether they are 7 or 70."

Gauri was amazed seeing everyone's love and respect for Om. She felt so happy seeing that. And proud.

They were walking when they hear a loud commotion. Curious they follow the sound and Gauri stops seeing a green Range Rover. Omkara was around.

She quickly looks around and sees a crowd. Both of them hurries to the crowd and squeezes their way in.

Someone turns around and notices Priyanka.

"Priyanka, he is from your groom's family." He informs her.

Gauri and Priyanka look at each other and pushes their way to front.

Gauri stops in shock seeing Omkara beating up a man.

She had never seen this avatar of him.

"Who is he?" Priyanka asks in shock, not recognizing the man.

"He came to threaten Om bhaiyya." The man standing next to her says with a smirk.

Priyanka runs to Omkara and holds his hand.

"Bhaiyya..." Priyanka calls him as she held him from back.

Omkara stops and turns to her surprised. "When did you reach? You were supposed to reach at night."

"I came earlier."

"How?" Omkara asks confused.

"Who is he? Let him go."

"Ranveer's relative. He came to threaten us." Omkara says as he turned around and held him by his collar and pulls him up.

The man looked closed to faint.

"Ranveer wants to marry Priyanka. And Priyanka wants to marry Ranveer. And they will get married. If you think you can come here and threaten and insult my sister..."

The man faints. Omkara leaves his collar and that man falls down.

"Priyanka..." Ranveer calls her as he came from the opposite side.

"Ranveer?" Priyanka says surprised finally noticing him. "Who is he?"

"My uncle." Ranveer says. Then looking down at his uncle, he says, "He really asked for this."

"How come you reached so fast?" Omkara asks Priyanka.

"Om bhaiyya... what should we do with him?" Someone calls out.

"Take him to the hospital. Then let him go." Omkara replies.

"What if he gets more people and comes back?" Ranveer asks him.

"I'll handle it." Omkara answers. "Prinku... you said there was no flight..." Omkara asks her confused as he looked around the ground.

"Here Om bhaiyya..." a kid runs to him carrying his sandals.

"Thank you, billu." Omkara says with a smile as he caressed his hair.

Gauri watched Omkara in shock. This wasn't the man she had known. He seems to be someone completely different. The Om she knew was soft spoken with a gentle disposition.

"Prinku..." Omkara starts as he turned to her and stops in shock seeing Gauri. "Gauri?"

"I came in her chopper." Priyanka finally answers pleased and smug seeing him being so speechless.

"Hey Gauri... I didn't see you." Ranveer says happily noticing her.

Breaking Omkara and Gauri out of their stupor. Gauri turns her gaze to Ranveer and smiles at him.

"Hi Ranveer.... Congratulations." Gauri calls out her gaze turning to Omkara.

Omkara walks to Gauri, his eyes piercing into hers.

"Hi Om..." Gauri says softly.

"Hi Gauri... I didn't know you were coming." Omkara says softly.

"Prinku is my best friend." Gauri says shrugging, though her heart was slamming against her chest.

He smiles at her, his eyes sparkling in joy.

And Gauri was a goner once again.

"Welcome to Bareilly." Omkara tells her smiling.

**********

Their house was a mansion.

Gauri stares in shock. It was like the haveli in movies. Gauri shakes her head, it was a haveli!

Jhanvi steps out of the house.

"Ma!!!" Gauri runs to her and hugs Jhanvi happily. "I missed you so much!"

Jhanvi hugs her. "Oh my God, Gauri... Prinku didn't tell me you were coming."

"Even I didn't know... I just found out today morning."

"You've grown so big, Gauri. You're a big girl now."

Gauri laughs hearing that. "Where is Baba?"

"He will be there somewhere." Jhanvi brushes off the topic. "Come, I'll introduce you to everyone."

Gauri nods. Priyanka had told her that her father's alcoholism has gone out of hand, and nowadays he just sat at home and drank from morning to night.

"My bag..." Gauri turns around and sees Omkara standing behind her holding her bag.

"I'll take it." Gauri starts to take it.

"I'll keep it in Prinku's room." Omkara tells her and heads inside taking her bag with him.

"Come, Gauri." Jhanvi tells her as she lead her inside.

Omkara lived in a joint family. Along with his parents, there was his dadiji, his two buas and their children. Their children ranged from age 5 to 30. Gauri found out that it is mainly the school going children that were staying there. Some where in college, some working and the rest married, and they all lived outside Bareilly. Everyone had gathered for the wedding.

Gauri had quickly got busy with Priyanka in the preparations.

**********

Gauri walks to the kitchen to see if they needed any help. She sees Kavita Bua filling juice in a tray full of glasses.

"Bhaujaai, have someone take this to the front." Kavita calls out loudly.

"Give bua, I'll take it." Gauri says as she walked to her.

Kavita looks at her shocked and says. "You're a guest here. You shouldn't be doing all this."

Gauri smiles at her and says, "I call Prinku's Ma 'Ma'. I'm not a guest here."

Kavita smiles hearing that and looks at Jhanvi. Gauri takes the tray and starts to walk out.

She hears Kavita whisper to Jhanvi. "Is she married?"

"No."

"She will be perfect for our Om." Kavita whispers to her.

Only if he also realized it! Gauri walks off, starting to get angry at Omkara.

**********

Gauri was walking around offering the guests the drinks when she feels someone's gaze on her. Curious, she turns back and sees Omkara standing with an elderly man. He was talking to Om but Om's gaze was on her.

Asshole! He realized that she caught him looking at her, but still he didn't look away.

Gauri looks away as she continued to offer the drinks around. Quickly she had run out of drinks, she hurries to the kitchen to get a refill. The second tray was already ready. She leaves the empty tray and takes the fresh tray and head out.

People just kept coming and coming.

Gauri realized that they were the people from around. Looked like every single human was invited for the wedding.

Once she had finished giving juices, she started collecting the empty glasses.

Gauri sighs furiously as she felt his eyes on her. She turns back and look at him, and sees now he was with a bunch of kids and they were chatting away while his eyes were on her.

She turns around and walks off.

Can't even bother to come and speak to her but can stare! God, she wanted to kill him!

Gauri was doing her third round with the juice, determined to ignore him completely.

She was walking back to the Haveli when she feels someone standing so close to her. She freezes in shock.

"Why do I get the feeling that you're trying to murder me with your eyes?" Omkara asks her in a whisper.

Gauri turns around glaring at him.

He had a mischievous smile on his face. His eyes tinkling.

"Because I get the feeling that you're trying to strip me with your eyes." Gauri tells him.

Omkara looks at her in shock. Then with a teasing grin, he asks back, "Was I that obvious?"

Gauri felt herself turn completely red. This wasn't the Omkara she knew. This Omkara is so confident and sure of himself.

Seeing her blushing, Omkara quickly steps back, feeling nervous.

Gauri looks at him in surprise seeing his reaction.

"Erm... when are you going back?" Omkara asks her.

He could have just slapped her instead. "Don't worry, I will be out of here soon after the wedding!" Gauri tells him and walks off.

**********

Gauri had just finished her bath and was getting ready for bed. Priyanka opens the door and walks in.

"What happened between you and my brother?" Priyanka asks her with a frown.

"Why?" Gauri asks her back.

"Because I just got an ear full from my brother." Priyanka tells her.

"Because you brought me here?" Gauri asks her softly.

"No, because I didn't inform him before hand." Priyanka says as she got on the bed.

"Why does he have a problem with that?" Gauri asks frowning.

"He muttered that he wasn't prepared." Priyanka says shrugging.

"Prepared for what?" Gauri asks confused.

"He just walked off when I asked him that."

Gauri couldn't make head or tail of Omkara's behavior.

"I think you rattled him." Priyanka says chuckling.

"I don't care!" Gauri says irately.

"What happened, sweetie?" Priyanka asks her gently.

Gauri sighs. "I was behaving like a jilted lover."

"Technically, you are a jilted lover." Priyanka points out.

"Yeah, I am. That asshole!" Gauri says getting worked up.

"What triggered all this?" Priyanka asks laughing.

"First Daddy and Nayantara aunty pressurizing me to marry Abhay. Then sometime back Kavita Bua was telling Ma that I will be perfect for Om. She just met me, and she realizes it! Why can't that bloody asshole realize it?" Gauri asks irately.

Priyanka grins.

"I am not going to pine over him, anymore!" Gauri declares.

Priyanka smiles. Finally, Gauri was dealing with her heart break. This trip would be good for her, either she will move on from Omkara or bring him to his knees.

**********

Early morning, Gauri steps out of Priyanka's room. She walks to the stairs and stops in surprise seeing a lot of the kids and men sleeping on the living room floor on mattresses.

Gauri smiles seeing that. She wished she had so many cousins like Priyanka and Om. It was so fun watching them all play around and joke. She had stayed up with Priyanka and had a gala time with her cousins last night, though Omkara wasn't around.

Feeling his gaze on her, Gauri looks around and sees him lying on one of the mattress and watching her.

He looked so handsome in his messy hair.

"Need something?" Omkara asks her.

Gauri shakes her head and starts to walk down.

"You are awake?" Jhanvi asks Gauri with a smile. "There is tea in the kitchen. Just ask Radhika Bua."

Gauri nods and starts to walk towards the kitchen.

"Om..." Jhanvi softly calls him so as not to wake others sleeping around.

Omkara sits up. "I'm awake." Omkara tells her.

"Ashok has come." Jhanvi informs him.

Omkara nods and walks to the main door. Leaning against the door, he stretches sleepily. "What happened, Ashok?"

"Om bhaiyya... you said you'll speak to sarpanchji for me." Ashok reminds him.

"Yeah, I remember." Omkara says yawning. "Just give me 10 minutes, I'll freshen up and come."

Omkara runs up the stairs to freshen up ignoring Gauri. Seeing Gauri watching Omkara, Jhanvi smiles at her and takes her to the kitchen.

"Don't know when was the last time, Om had a peaceful day." Jhanvi says with a sigh. "I don't even know, when he had come back home to sleep last night. And he was sleeping here."

"Why was Om sleeping here? What happened to his room?" Gauri asks curiously.

"Kavitha's daughter and her husband are sleeping in his room. Every room is full." Jhanvi tells her.

Gauri says smiling, "At such short notice, everyone had come."

"Yes, even we all were surprised." Jhanvi says happily.

"What are you both talking about?" Radhika asks curiously.

"That how everyone had come at such short notice." Jhanvi says as she pour Gauri's tea for her. Jhanvi hands it to Gauri.

Gauri takes it and starts sipping on it.

"Oh, yes. I was just thinking, if Priyanka's wedding is like, how will it be when Om gets married." Radhika asks excitedly.

Gauri quickly looks down hearing that. Feeling a little hurt hearing about them speaking of Om's marriage.

"Gauri... come here, bachi.." Dadiji calls her.

Gauri walks to the bed in the corner of the kitchen that was put for Dadiji to rest during the day time. Gauri sits next to her and smiles at her.

"Who all are there at your home?" Dadiji asks her.

"Daddy, my younger brother, Rahul and my step mother." Gauri answers her.

"Are they thinking of your marriage?" Radhika asks her.

God, subtlety wasn't their strongest point.

"Bua..." Omkara calls her from the kitchen door. "You shouldn't be asking personal questions." Omkara tells her.

"I was just..." Radhika says and stops as she smiled at Omkara embarrassed.

"Ma... I'm going out." Omkara informs Jhanvi.

"You don't want tea?" Radhika asks him.

"Ashok is waiting."

"Will you come for breakfast?" Jhanvi asks him.

"I should be." Omkara replies and leaves.

Gauri follows him out. Once she was sure, she was away from everyone's ear shot, she tells him, "They were thinking of proposing you for me."

Omkara continues on without stopping. "Ever since you stepped into my house, the number of times, you've been pointed out to me by everyone here is insane."

Gauri growls hearing that. How she wanted to kick him in the back side.

"So are they?" Omkara asks her.

"What?!??!" Gauri asks confused.

Omkara stops and turns to her. "Your parents... about your marriage."

"Yes." Gauri replies as she stared into his eyes. "And they have someone in mind too."

Omkara nods and turns to walk off.

"You don't care... do you?" Gauri asks him feeling hurt.

Omkara stops and looks at her. Then he quickly looks away, "If Prinku needs anything, ask her to call me."

Gauri furiously glares at him as she watched him leave. Why does he keep leaving her hanging like this?

**********

Gauri didn't see Omkara the rest of the morning. And then she had got busy with helping Priyanka get ready for her mehendi function.

"People are going to wonder whether you or me is the bride." Priyanka tells Gauri in shock.

Gauri uncomfortably looks at Priyanka. "This was the dress I had at home. I just picked them and came. And you didn't tell me you were going to be so simply dressed."

Gauri was wearing a heavy yellow color lehenga while Priyanka was wearing a simple but elegant looking saree.

"I assumed that whatever I wear today, it is going to get dirty, so I decided to wear this. "

"I should change." Gauri decides.

"No way! You look amazing." Priyanka tells her.

"But this is your special day." Gauri tells her.

"Gauri... darling... even if I wear a wheat sack because I am the bride, people are going to look at me only. You should just have a blast." Priyanka tells her.

"I feel overdressed." Gauri tells her feeling uncomfortable.

"You look amazing." Priyanka tells her then cheekily grinning, she says. "Maybe you'll get proposal from guys other than my brother."

"I don't want to talk about him!" Gauri declares.

**********

Gauri was feeling conscious with everyone's gaze on her. Only Priyanka's cousin sister had worn heavy jewelry and dress like her. So, Gauri didn't feel that out of place but still people were looking at her and it was uncomfortable.

The moment Omkara walked in, she noticed him. He had been out most of the day and then had got busy with the preparations for the function. Then just sometime back, he had gone inside to get ready for the function.

He was wearing a beautiful yellow kurta and white pant. He was looking so handsome. He looks around the crowd till his eyes finds her.

Gauri saw him take a sharp breath and then realized that he had stopped breathing. He just stared at her.

Someone comes and speaks to him, breaking him out of his daze. He looks away. Gauri walks off as she mingled with Priyanka's relative.

Gauri finally notices Tej sitting near the stage. She walks to him.

"hello baba..." Gauri says happily to him.

Tej looks at her and he frowns as he squinted at her.

"I'm Gauri." Gauri reminds him.

"Prinku's friend Gauri?" Tej asks her shocked.

"Yes." Gauri replies smiling.

"You've become so big." Tej says smiling. Then turning to the man sitting next to him, he says. "She is my daughter's best friend. Grew up in my house. Was just a tiny thing when she used to come home." Tej puts his hand way down, indicating Gauri was that small.

Gauri didn't know whether she should correct him that when she had become friends with Prinku she was in her teens. Then decided against it, she realized that Tej wasn't really in his senses.

"I noticed her. I was wondering who she is." The man says smiling.

"Gauri... Prinku's best friend." Tej says. "She was always in my house."

Gauri sighs feeling bad seeing that alcohol was doing this to him.

Tej chuckles. Gauri looks at him surprised seeing his whole body shaking in laughter.

"What is so funny, baba?" Gauri asks him curiously.

"I was thinking of Om." Tej says.

"What about him?" Gauri asks him.

Tej turns to the man with him and says, "Om always had his eyes on her. He tried to hide it, but I always saw it."

Gauri's heart starts slamming against her chest. Her cheeks heating up.

"Really?" The man asks as he grinned ear to ear.

"Yeah... just like now. Always watching her every move." Tej says pointing behind her.

Gauri curiously turns back and sees Omkara watching her from stage. Seeing her looking at him, he quickly gets of the stage and hurries to her.

Gauri watched as Omkara came to her in a hurry. He stops near her and holds her hand. "Gauri, Ma is calling you."

Before Gauri could react, Omkara pulls her away from there. She could hear Tej and that man laughing.

"Did Baba say anything?" Omkara asks her softly.

"What?" Gauri asks him wondering whether he was asking about what Tej had said.

Omkara turns to her and says sadly, "He is not like before. He is never in his senses. Sometimes, he can be really rude. If he has said anything to hurt you, I am very sorry."

"He didn't hurt me. He just kept saying that I am Prinku's friend." Gauri tells him.

Omkara nods in relief. "He always liked you, Gauri... but now he has no control over himself."

"Why did you let this happen to him, Om?" Gauri asks him, her eyes filling up.

"God knows, Gauri. I tried helping him. I did." Omkara tells her, his eyes filling up.

"It's okay, Om." Gauri quickly tells him, as he squeezed his hands.

Omkara nods as he looked away.

"Baba was saying, you always had your eyes on me." Gauri tells him.

Omkara looks at her in shock, then he turns to look at his father and sees his father watching them.

"We should talk, Om." Gauri tells him softly.

Omkara doesn't look at her. "I gave u my answer long back, Gauri." Omkara says and walk off.

**********

Gauri didn't speak to and look at Omkara the rest of the day. Next day morning, Gauri was lying on the bed not wanting to face Omkara when her phone starts ringing.

"Hello Daddy..." Gauri answers the call.

"Gauri... I was talking to Ajith and he mentioned that when he used to drop you to Priyanka's house, he had seen her brother. He said that boy's name was Om. Is this Om and the Omkara you mentioned the same?" Harsh asks her.

Gauri sighs. "Yes."

"They used to live in a chawl!" Harsh says angrily.

"Yes, Daddy." Gauri replies tired.

"Come back home this instant, Gauri. I'm sending the chopper." Harsh tells her.

"I will come tomorrow, Daddy. Today is Priyanka's wedding." Gauri tells him.

"You think I would get you married to those paupers?" Harsh asks outraged. "You'll not even stay there a second longer."

"Relax Daddy! Om has made it very clear that he feels nothing for me!" Gauri tells him then she couldn't help it, she breaks down. "You think I feel happy staying here when he keeps rejecting me?"

"Gauri..." Harsh whispers in shock. "Why are you doing this to yourself? Come home."

Gauri shakes her head as she wiped her tears. "Priyanka is my best friend. I owe this to her. I'll come tomorrow. Then I'll meet Abhay if that is what you want."

**********

After she had calmed down, Gauri goes down to meet the rest of the family, and Priyanka would be starting to get ready for the function soon.

Seeing the elders , his cousin sister and Priyanka, Gauri walks down to join them.

"Gauri, come." Jhanvi calls her with a smile.

Gauri walks down as she smiled at her. She notices Omkara walk in, she doesn't look at him. She didn't even care to look whether he was looking at her.

"You wanted something bhaiyya?" Priyanka asks him curiously seeing him staring at Gauri.

"Ah yeah..." Omkara shakes his head to clear his head. He turns to his cousin sister, "Swati, take your things from my room. Tonight you sleep either with Dadiji or Gauri."

"What? Why?" Swati asks confused.

"Prinku and Ranger are leaving only tomorrow. The men are going up to decorate my room for Prinku's suhaag raat. Hurry up, they will be coming now." Omkara tells her as he turned to leave.

"Why not Priyanka's room?" Swati asks confused.

"Because Gauri is using that room." Omkara reminds her.

"But she can sleep with Dadiji... so, Prinku can have her room for tonight." Swati points out.

Omkara asks her astonished. "Gauri is a guest here and you expect her to give up her bed?"

"No... but... what about Manish?"

"He will sleep with us in the living room."

Swati gasps in shock. "He is the damad of the family. How can you ask him to sleep here?"

Omkara frowns at her. "We are a family here. It is a family function. Everyone has to adjust, and that includes the damad of the house!"

"I'll sleep with Dadiji... I have no problem." Gauri quickly says, realizing that the whole issue could be solved if she just shifted rooms.

"See, Gauri will sleep there... Priyanka gets her room..." Swati says.

"Go and take your stuff from my room." Omkara tells her.

"But..."

"Stop arguing with him, Swati." Kavitha tells her daughter angrily.

"I am not arguing. I was just discussing." Swati says.

"Dadiji has arthritis, she sleeps without the fan. Gauri won't be comfortable there. You either sleep with Gauri or Dadiji." Omkara tells her.

"Gauri can also adjust. She goes around saying she is not a guest here."

Omkara takes a furious breath then he says. "I said go and take your stuff out of my room."

"Gauri said she will sleep with dadiji." Swati reminds him.

"Enough Swati!" Kavitha says angrily. "Om already told you his decision. Now, there won't be any more discussion! Go take your things from there or I will."

Swati turns to her mother in fury and screams. "You keep putting him on your head. This is why Baba left you!"

"Get out, Swati!" Omkara tells her furiously.

There was pin drop silence in the house.

Seeing Kavitha crying, Gauri goes to her and gently holds her hand.

"What?" Swati turns to Omkara in shock.

"After speaking to your mother like this, do you think you can stay in this house?" Omkara asks her furiously.

"Om!" Gauri calls him out loudly to stop him.

Omkara turns to look at her. Gauri gestures to Kavitha who was crying.

Omkara walks to her and kneels in front of her. He gently wipes her tears and takes her hand in his. "Bua... what do you want me to do?" Omkara asks her.

"But you already..." Kavitha says as she looked at Omkara.

Omkara shakes his head, "Tell me what do you want? What will make you happy?"

Kavitha looks at her daughter then she looks at Omkara. "Manish came all the way here for the function. Don't insult him and throw him out."

Omkara nods. "I won't."

"You take a room for them in the lodge. Let them stay there comfortably." Kavitha tells him.

Omkara nods his head. "Okay." He leans up and kisses her forehead. "Happy?"

Kavitha smiles gently. "I'm sorry, she shouted at you."

Before Omkara could say anything, Swati says furiously. "You don't have to apologize for me. This is my house too! I've equal rights as him."

"Why are you shouting at Om bhaiyya?" Swati's younger brother, Suresh asks her angrily.

"Om bhaiyya!" Swati scoffs. "I'm elder to him. Just because he is a boy, he became the head of the family! Does that mean, I've to listen to whatever he says?"

"You've to." Daddiji says angrily. "When Om speaks, he speaks for the family, he speaks for the villagers here. You'll respect and follow his decisions. If you can't do that, you can go to your father. No one will stop you."

"Keep worshipping him. One day, he will turn around and stab you all in the back. Don't come to me then!" Swati says.

"Everybody here knows what Om is and what you are, Swati. We know who is capable of what." Tej says as he stood at the door.

Omkara turns to look at his father. Tej walks to Omkara.

"Where is my money? Do I have to come looking for you everyday?" Tej asks Omkara.

Omkara takes money from his pocket and gives to him. Tej takes it and walks off.

"Baba... it is Prinku's wedding today." Omkara reminds him. "Please don't drink too much."

"I know!"

"He and his father can do whatever they want! But we can't" Swati says furiously.

"He is an addict! It is a disease!" Omkara tells her.

"I want my share!" Swati says.

"Have you gone mad, Swati?" Radhika asks her in shock.

"I will not live under your thumb." Swati tells Omkara.

"There is no share for you!" Omkara tells her fed up. "Get your things. Someone will take you to the lodge!"

Gauri follows Omkara out and sees him talking to someone. Once that man leaves, Gauri goes to Omkara.

Omkara turns around and sees her. He sighs.

"I said I will sleep with Dadiji. You could have avoided that whole scene." Gauri tells him.

"You're a guest here. We won't ask a guest to adjust for the family." Omkara tells her.

Gauri sighs.

"Is Prinku okay?" Omkara asks her.

"I'll talk to her."

Omkara nods. "I've work to do."

"Okay."

**********

"Are you okay?" Gauri asks Priyanka once they were alone in the room.

"I'm fine. She has been itching to bite bhaiyya's head off for a long time now." Priyanka tells her.

"It caused a dud with the festivities." Gauri tells her.

"Once the function starts, everybody is going to get busy, they will forget the incident." Priyanka tells her.

"I should have just insisted that I sleep with Dadiji." Gauri says, feeling guilty for the scene.

"You don't have to do that." Priyanka says then smiling, she says, "Bhaiyya didn't back down when it came to your comfort."

Gauri shakes her head. "Om couldn't have been any more clear that I was just a guest here."

**********

Priyanka's wedding went without a hitch. She had worn a heavy red color lehenga. Gauri was wearing a blue heavy lehenga. She had seen Omkara. He was wearing a formal shirt and a nice pant, looking very handsome.

Gauri could feel his gaze on her, she ignored it as she ignored all the curious gazes on her.

Gauri was speaking to Jhanvi when she feels someone's hand on her stomach.

Gauri curiously looks down and sees a baby girl.

"Hi.. did you want something?" Gauri asks the girl as she bends down.

The girl smiles at her. She had her front tooth missing. Gauri smiles even more seeing the adorable toothless smile.

"Are you going to marry Om bhaiyya?"

"What?" Gauri asks in shock.

"Sneha... your mother is calling you." Jhanvi tells her quickly. "Go see what she wants."

Sneha runs off. Gauri turns to Jhanvi in confusion.

"I don't know how... there is a whisper going around that you're Om's fiancé." Jhanvi whispers to her.

"What? How?" Gauri asks shocked.

"I don't know... few people came and asked me." Jhanvi tells her. "You just ignore." Jhanvi tells her as she patted her arms.

"Maybe because you were dressed like a bride." Priyanka whispers as they stood to take a photo.

"What?" Gauri turns to her frowning. "You only said it is okay."

"Yeah... but we don't know what people were thinking." Priyanka says shrugging. "Or maybe because you are most beautiful girl out here. So elegant like a princess, so fitting for their Om bhaiyya." Priyanka chuckles.

Gauri growls at her.

"Maybe it is the eye sex that you two have going on." Ranveer tells her.

"What?" Gauri asks shocked turning slightly pink.

"Or the way he keeps watching your every move." Ranveer tells her shrugging. "Could be anything."

"He does watch her a lot, right?" Priyanka asks him.

"He is very clear he is not interested." Gauri tells her, feeling her heart break.

"He is still looking at you." Ranveer tells her.

"I don't care." Gauri says fighting the urge to turn back and look. "What do we do about the rumor?"

"Ignore! Big deal there is a rumor. Tomorrow you are going back... you are not going to meet these people. Now, come.. take a photo with us." Ranveer tells her as he pulled her close and turned her around to take a photo.

Gauri smiles realizing that Ranveer was right.

**********

Next day morning, Ranveer and Priyanka left. The family had given Priyanka a teary farewell while Gauri had been chill because she and Prinku are living in the same city.

"Don't go without talking to bhaiyya." Priyanka whispers to Gauri as she hugged her.

"There is nothing left to talk." Gauri tells her. "I'm meeting Abhay tomorrow."

Priyanka sighs and walks to Omkara. He smiles at her and hugs her.

Priyanka hugs him tight as she fought her tears.

"Go, you will miss your flight." Omkara tells her.

She nods and starts to leave him, then she hugs him and whispers into his ears. "She deserves to know why, bhaiyya."

Omkara hesitates as he looked at her.

"She has loved you for the longest time, bhaiyya. If not anything, then respect that love. She has agreed to meet another man." Priyanka tells him.

Omkara turns to look at Gauri and sees that she wasn't there.

**********

Gauri was standing in the terrace as she watched Priyanka and Ranveer's car drive off. As the car drove out of the house, Gauri looks ahead and was amazed to see that, she could actually see the whole the village.

Hearing her mobile ring, she checks her phone and smiles seeing it was video call from Rahul.

"Hi my baby brother..." Gauri says smiling happily.

"Gauri di... you come back." Rahul tells her sadly.

"What happened, Rahul?" Gauri asks him curiously.

"I heard Daddy say that you were crying there. I don't like it that you're there. Come home."

"I'm coming today. Don't worry, I am fine." Gauri tells him with a reassuring smile.

"Gauri... how are you going? Should I arrange a car for you or will someone come to pick you up?" Omkara asks her as he walked towards her.

Gauri turns to look at him. "Chopper will be coming."

Omkara nods.

"Anything else?" Gauri asks him seeing him still standing there.

"Are you free now? Can we talk?" Omkara asks her gently.

"I'm talking to Rahul now." Gauri tells him dismissing him.

"Rahul?" Omkara asks softly then smiling he says, "Your baby brother? I have never met him."

"You know Rahul?" Gauri asks surprised.

"Of course, I know Rahul." Omkara says as he stepped forward and looked at the phone screen.

Omkara smiles at the chubby boy. "Hi, Rahul."

"I don't want to talk to you. I don't like you. You make my Gauri di cry." Rahul tells him angrily.

"Rahul!" Gauri sternly calls his name.

"You come back home, Gauri di."

"I'm coming. I'll see you tonight." Gauri tells him.

Rahul nods.

"I'll talk to you later." Gauri tells him as she cut the call.

"It was never my intention to make you cry." Omkara tells her softly.

"It doesn't matter." Gauri says shrugging. "I've to pack."

"Gauri... I want to talk to you... to tell you why." Omkara tells her.

"It took me a while, Omkara. But I figured it out." Gauri tells him angrily.

"What did you figure out?" Omkara asks her frowning.

"You don't live life king size here, Omkara. You're THE king here. Be it at home or outside. You are a king. Everybody bows down to you." Gauri tells him.

Omkara frowns hearing that.

"Your forefathers are royalties, right? They actually ruled this place, right?" Gauri asks him.

Omkara nods.

"You're royal blood. And I am just a normal person. If you marry me, then you won't have pure blue blood royal babies!" Gauri scoffs at him.

"You think I am that shallow? Is that what you think of me?" Omkara asks her furiously.

Gauri's eyes fill up and asks him. "What other reason do you have to reject me?" She pokes his chest. "What reason do you have to keep breaking my heart?"

Omkara holds her arms and pulls her close. He asks her angrily. "Do you think you're the only one living with a broken heart?"

"If our heart is broken then it is because of you, Om. I promised to wait for you and I did. It is you, who didn't come back." Gauri tells him as tears fell from her eyes.

Omkara leaves her and moves back. He turns around and looks down at nothingness.

"I was doing my MBA. I had a bright future ahead of me when I left you, Gauri." Omkara tells her. "That Omkara could dream of a life with you."

"What about this Omkara?" Gauri asks him as she walked to him.

"You're right, Gauri." Omkara tells her. "I do have a larger than life here. The power I have here... what I say become the law here. You can't imagine the power I've." Omkara tells her.

Gauri looks at him confused.

"And I'm neck deep in debt." Omkara tells her.

"What?" Gauri asks him in shock.

"When Daddaji was dying, he said he wanted to speak to me." Omkara says sighing. "There was Kavitha Bua's husband. Kavitha Bua is elder to Baba. There was Baba. Baba was getting addicted to alcohol. Daddaji had lost all trust in him. Kavitha Bua's husband was power hungry. And if he had power, he would destroy our village. So, Daddaji chose me as his heir. Kavitha Bua's husband left her because of it. But Daddaji didn't budge."

"I didn't want to be an heir. It meant, all my life, I've to live here. I wanted to complete my studies. I wanted to be with you. I begged Daddaji but he said, to refuse was not a choice. It was my responsibility."

"Did you think I wouldn't have come to live with you here, Omkara?" Gauri asks him sadly. "I would have come to the end of the world for you."

Omkara shakes his head.

"You think I live life king size? Daddaji and his father, lived life king size." Omkara gestures down to his village. "This all belonged to us. But every time someone came asking for helping, without even thinking whether they needed it, they would just give off a piece of land, a factory. They lived extravagant life. Spend above their means. And when that happens, the income reduces. So, to make up for that, they started selling their assets. Once the assets were gone, they started borrowing money from outside."

Gauri silently listens to him.

"In 2 generations, Gauri, we became from millionaires to this. Now, all we have is the house and the spices factory." Omkara says.

"Prinku never said anything." Gauri tells him in shock.

"She doesn't know. No one knows. Daddaji told me never to let anyone know that. Be it family or outsiders, no one should know. Because people looked up to us for help and we can't appear helpless to them."

"Om..." Gauri whispers in shock.

"Daddaji sponsored Prinku's and my education. I always wondered why he never gave us money for anything else. Why he didn't help us? Then I thought, it is because of Baba. Baba is highly qualified. He had a good job. But he got into alcohol. He started falling down. In the end he became a security guard. I thought Daddaji didn't give us money because he was worried that Baba will drink away that money. Only later, I realized that he didn't have money to give us. You asked me why I didn't help Baba... I put him in rehab four times, Gauri. Each time, he escaped from there. The last time, another man escaped with him. That man had been sober for 29 days. Rehab people found him and Baba passed out on the road the next day morning. The Rehab told me never to take Baba back there till Baba is ready to get treatment, otherwise more such people will get influenced by Baba. I couldn't have another life destroyed in my conscious. Baba kept getting worse. He started stealing from home to buy alcohol. Finally, I told him that I'll give him money everyday. He'll have to sit at home and drink. That has controlled him a little but it is not helping him. I know, I am losing Baba and I have never felt so helpless in my life."

Gauri holds his hand and squeezes it. She leans on his biceps and keeps her forehead.

"When I became in charge, it was so difficult. I was just 21 years old. Everyone saw an inexperienced boy. All the creditors started hounding me. I had to speak to all of them, promise and beg. It took them a long time to trust me. I am still repaying those debts, Gauri. At the end of the month, I am struggling to make ends meet."

"If you have money problem why did you leave me, Omkara? Did you think I won't help you? Or that I would leave you because you're in debt?" Gauri asks him.

"You needn't help me, Gauri. This is my burden to carry. And I knew you would never leave me because of debt. I understood it when I came to see you in your college. I realized that you still loved me."

Gauri frowns hearing that. "Came to see me?" Then she asks in shock. "When you came to pick Prinku?"

Omkara nods. "It was Prinku's last day of college. You two were going separate ways. There was a chance that you two would not keep in touch, and I felt that was my last chance to see you. So, I came to see you."

"Prinku told me you had come to pick her up. So, I came, just so I could see you."

"I understood that." Omkara tells her.

"How?"

"You wee not surprised to see me. And the way, you looked at me..." Omkara sighs.

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

"You've lived a life of comfort and luxury, Gauri. How could I take that away from you?" Omkara asks her.

"Money is not everything, Om!" Gauri tells him.

Omkara chuckles sadly, and says as he looked at her. "You can say that, Gauri because you've money."

"You are so cruel, Om." Gauri tells him hurt.

"Money is not just it, Gauri." Omkara says with a sigh as he looked away.

"Then?"

He gestures with a wave of his hand at the village down below. "Every single life there, I'm responsible for them. It is my duty to protect them and give justice to them. No matter who it is, I'm responsible for them. I've to make sure that they have everything that they need. Even if I don't have it, they should be having it."

"You?" Gauri asks softly.

"There is police here. Panchayat here. But they come to me. They have faith in us. Big or small, any issue, they come to me. And I've to be there for them. It has been like that since our family had been ruling over this province." Omkara looks at her and says helplessly. "Sometime, they need money... and Gauri, I've to give them money. Daddaji has said no needy person should leave our house empty handed."

Gauri nods. She had seen people come looking for Omkara. He had immediately left with them. Gauri sighs, if this was how it was when his sister was getting married, then what would be the case on a normal day?

"Being my wife means, she has to bear these responsibilities." Omkara tells her.

"What?" Gauri turns to him in shock.

"I'm struggling, Gauri. The weight of this responsibility, it is weighing me down. How can I put that burden on you?" Omkara asks as he looked at her.

"You rejected me because you think I can't handle the pressure of being your wife?" Gauri asks him angrily.

"It is not easy, Gauri. You will be responsible for all those people. If I am not there, then you have to be there for them. Find a solution for their problems. Protect them if need be. The women of this house, they slog in the kitchen from sun up to sun down because there are so many people here. There are people coming in all through out the day. If they come during meal time, I've to offer them meals. Other time, I've to offer refreshments. No one is allowed to leave here hungry, Gauri. They were rules set by my forefathers, I can't break them. I've to take care of the expenses of every member here. I've to take care of the education of the people in this house and in the village. And the truth..." Omkara looks at her with a helpless chuckle. "I can't even afford a maid for the house."

"So, you rejected me?" Gauri asks him.

"I couldn't bring you into this life, Gauri. You deserve better." Omkara tells him.

"Didn't it ever occur to you that it is my decision to make? How did you think that I won't be able to handle it?" Gauri asks him.

"It is not your cross to bear, Gauri." Omkara tells her then looking at her, he says, "You mean too much to me to make you go through that."

He starts to walk off.

"Do you think it is a burden for you?" Gauri asks him.

"It is my responsibility." Omkara tells her.

"Then why can't it be my responsibility and not a burden?" Gauri asks him.

"You don't have to carry this burden." Omkara tells her and walks off.

"Someone has to carry this burden. You're not going to stay like this forever. You'll get married one day, right?" Gauri asks him.

He doesn't answer.

"Answer damnit! Won't you get married?"

Omkara stops and turns to look at her. "The day I forget you, I'll get married." Then he turns around and walks off.

"You bloody fucking asshole!" Gauri furiously shouts at him.

**********

"Daddy... I love Omkara and now I know, even he loves me. I'll not meet Abhay." Gauri tells her father, later that night.

"Who is he?" Harsh asks her angrily. "He is a feudal lord, living in a dilapidated village. My daughter deserves the best!"

"He is the best for me." Gauri tells him.

"You're tired after your travel. Go, and sleep. Tomorrow you have to meet Abhay." Harsh tells her in finality.

**********

Three days later, Omkara and his family were getting ready to sleep when someone knocks on the door.

Omkara hurries to open the door while his family curiously watched on.

Omkara stops in shock seeing Gauri at the door.

"Gauri?" Omkara says in shock, his heart slamming against his chest.

"Gauri?" Jhanvi asks in surprise as she started to come to the door.

"Move!" Gauri tells Omkara as she pushed him out of the way and dragged two big suitcase inside.

"What are you doing?" Omkara asks shocked.

"I'm staying here from now on!" Gauri declares.

"What is she saying, Jhanvi?" Daddiji asks in shock.

"Gauri... what do you mean by you're staying here?" Jhanvi asks her in shock as she hurried to her.

"That I am staying here." Gauri tells her.

"Gauri..." Omkara calls her in a patronizing tone. "What are you doing?"

"Daddy forced me to meet that Abhay!" Gauri tells him angrily. "And today he went to fix an engagement date!"

Omkara sighs as he tried to hide his distress.

"So, I am staying here from now on!" Gauri declares.

"Oh you want Om to help you?" Daddiji asks understanding. "You could have just called, you didn't have to come here for that. But I don't know if your father will listen to Om. Your father is not from here. I don't think he will follow the rules of here." Daddiji says confused.

"I'm not here for his help." Gauri tells her shocked. "I'm here because I'm staying here from now on. This is my home now."

"How can you stay here like that, Gauri?" Kavitha asks her in shock.

"You should explain to your father that you don't want to marry that boy." Radhika advices her.

"He knows that!" Gauri tells her. "I told him that Om and I love each other."

"What?" Daddiji asks in shock.

"Why didn't you tell us, Om?" Jhanvi asks him surprised and happy. "I knew you both had feelings for each other long back... I didn't realize that you still love each other even today."

"He won't say anything because he thinks I can't handle being his wife!" Gauri accuses Omkara.

Everybody looks at Omkara and he ignores everyone and asks Gauri. "I explained everything to you, Gauri. Why won't you understand?"

"You think I can't handle being your wife, so I am staying here. I'll show you that I can handle the responsibilities of your wife. I'll prove it to you and then you'll fall on your knees and beg me to marry you!" Gauri tells him.

Seeing her so furious and hearing her, Omkara's lips turns slightly up as he tried to control his smile.

"Jhanvi, tell her that she can't stay here like this." Daddiji tells her scandalized. "What will we tell her parents?"

Tej who was sitting in the corner and drinking, tells his wife. "Make her understand and send her home, Jhanvi."

"I'm not going. I'm living here till Om comes to his senses." Gauri tells him.

Jhanvi gently holds her and makes her face him. "Gauri, you go back home. We'll come and speak to your father. We'll convince him."

"It is Om who needs to be convinced." Gauri tells her fed up.

"You can't force Om to accept you, Gauri." Kalyani tells her gently.

"It's his life too." Radhika points out.

"I won't go." Gauri tells them. "He has to see that I can fulfill the responsibilities that come with being his wife. I've to show him that I will be happy here."

"Gauri..." Jhanvi tries again.

"I'll stay here as Om's wife." Gauri declares.

"What?" Jhanvi shouts in shock.

"I'll stay in Prinku's room." Gauri quickly tells her. "And I will fulfill all the duties of his wife."

"You're being desperate, Gauri." Tej tells her angrily. "You can't force yourself on us like this."

"Baba... I love him and he loves me." Gauri tells him helplessly. "I can't give up without fighting for us. He has given up but I can't."

Tej stops hearing her.

"Gauri, you go back, we'll talk to Om and..." Jhanvi stops what she was going to say when she hears the door closing sound.

Everyone looks at the door and sees Omkara locking the main door. Everyone stares at him in shock. His decision was loud and clear to all, Gauri wasn't going anywhere, she was staying.

"Om..." Jhanvi starts in shock. "This will be a big problem."

Omkara tells his mother, "I owe this to Gauri." Then he looks at Gauri and says, "And I owe it to myself."

Gauri sighs in relief.

"Suresh..." Tej turns to his nephew. "Take Gauri's bag to Prinku's room."

Suresh nods and picks up one of her bag. He was about to take the other one, Omkara picks it from the floor. He takes the one Suresh was holding, and goes up the stairs.

"You can't support him in this." Jhanvi tells Tej. "Will we let Priyanka do this? ever?"

"Om has decided, Jhanvi." Daddiji tells her. "No one is allowed to question his decisions."

Everyone slowly starts to walk off, Jhanvi helplessly turns to Gauri.

"I love him, Ma and even he loves me, and he thinks by refusing to admit it, he is protecting me." Gauri tells her.

"I would be the happiest if you two get married. But staying here before marriage..." Jhanvi sighs. "I don't know... do whatever you two want."

Gauri smiles happily hearing that, she happily hugs her.

**********

Next morning, Gauri comes down and sees the ladies of the house busy in the kitchen. Seeing her, they look at her awkwardly without the earlier warmth. Gauri realized that it was because they truly didn't know how to react to this new development.

"Gauri, have your breakfast." Daddiji tells her.

Gauri nods.

"Kavitha..." Daddiji calls her gesturing to serve Gauri.

Kavitha quickly moves to serve Gauri her breakfast.

"Here, Gauri..." Kavitha passes her plate to her.

"Thank you, bua." Gauri says with a smile.

Kavitha smiles at her softly. Gauri walks to Daddiji and sits next to her on the bed and starts eating as she watched everyone hurriedly rushing through the kitchen.

Slowly one by one the children came to have their breakfast. They were ready for school. They were three children. Kavitha Bua's young son, Suresh. Then Radhika Bua's grandchildren, twins, Ketan and Keerthana. They were the children of Radhika's elder son. He and his wife had passed away in an accident few years back. Radhika Bua's daughters were still in college. Her husband had passed away almost a decade ago. Omkara was caring for all these people now.

Gauri notices the children looking at her and she smiles at them.

"Are you going to stay here from now on, Gauri di?" Keerthana asks her.

"Yes." Gauri tells her smiling.

Keerthana smiles happily.

"She is going to marry Om chachu." Ketan informs her.

"Really?" Keerthana asks excitedly.

Gauri laughs seeing her excitement.

"Three of you eat fast, Om is not home. So, you'll have to walk to school." Radhika tells them.

The kids quickly finishes their breakfast and hurries off to school.

"Where did Om go?" Gauri asks no one in particular.

"That Bhavesh had come for something. Om left with him." Radhika tells her.

Gauri nods.

**********

"For how long do you expect me to wait?"

Gauri hears Tej's furious shout.

Gauri comes out of the kitchen and sees Tej sitting in one corner of the living room. Omkara was standing opposite to him.

"Bhavesh had come. He had an issue with his neighbor. I went to solve it." Omkara tells him.

"I don't have time to listen to all your problems. Give me my money." Tej tells him as he started to stand up with shaky legs. "I've to go."

Omkara takes out a bottle and hands it to him.

Tej snatches it, falls back on his chair and pours the drink into a glass with shaky hands. Omkara watches for a few seconds then he turns to walk off when he notices Gauri. Then without saying anything to her, he walks off.

Gauri watches Tej as he sipped his drink. Once the alcohol went into his body, he relaxes and calms down.

Gauri walks to him. "Why do you always screen at Om, baba?" Gauri asks him softly.

"Because he has made me a prisoner here. I've to sit here and drink. I've to always go behind him for money. And he gives me little bit money. It is only enough to wet my throat." Tej says angrily.

Gauri knew that was not true, Tej was drinking through out the day.

"He cares so much for you, Baba." Gauri tells him.

"Just because you are going to marry him doesn't mean that you can rule me." Tej tells her.

Gauri kneels next to him and says, "I'm not trying to rule you. It pains me to see him in pain."

Tej looks at her and there was a radical change in him. He lovingly keeps his hand on her cheek. "I used to worry that you would break my Om's heart."

"Why?" Gauri asks shocked.

"You are so rich and we were poor when we were in the city. My Baba refused to help us. I could see how much he loved you. So, I used to worry that you would never love him." Tej tells her.

"I love him, Baba. Always have and always will." Gauri tells him.

Tej smiles. "I know." Then he tells her reassuringly. "Now he has everything but never feel insecure. If he is being stubborn now, it is because he is looking out for you. Not because he doesn't love you."

Gauri smiles hearing that.

"When I look at his eyes, I know what is in his heart. You are in his heart." Tej tells her.

Gauri was amazed seeing this conflicting attitude of Tej, one side, he would be screaming at Omkara and on the other side, he would be the first one to defend Omkara.

"Whom do you love the most in this world, Baba?" Gauri asks him softly.

"Of course, my Om." Tej tells her surprised.

Gauri smiles hearing that. "I thought so."

"My poor Om, because of me he had to take the responsibility of the family head. He was just a boy. He has stopped living his life. He is living for everyone else." Tej says sadly as he leaned back and took a sip. "And he hasn't said a word of complaint. He fulfills all the responsibilities whole heartedly."

"I know." Gauri says smiling.

"The people here doesn't love him because he is the leader now, he earned their love and loyalty. My Baba was their leader. He helped them when they asked for his help, but Om, he looks out for everyone. He doesn't see this as power, he sees this as his responsibility and that people here as his family. He is a true leader." Tej tells her filled with pride.

"He is the best son in the world." Tej says then looking at her, he says, "And he will be the best husband in the world for you."

**********

Much later, Gauri walks into the kitchen and sees Daddiji sitting on her bed peeling onions while Jhanvi, Kavitha and Radhika busy making lunch.

"Sit, Gauri." Jhanvi tells her as she smiled at her.

Gauri gets on the bed and leans against the wall as she sat next to Daddiji.

"Are you getting bored?" Radhika asks her.

Gauri shakes her head in no.

"The children will come by evening." Kavitha tells her smiling.

Gauri smiles. "Where is Om?"

"He went to the factory." Jhanvi informs her.

Gauri nods. She hadn't got a chance to speak to him since last night.

Daddiji giggles.

"What Daddiji?" Gauri asks her chuckling.

"Young love." Daddiji says, her body shaking in mirth.

Gauri laughs hearing that, slightly blushing. "Weren't you like this?"

"Me?" Daddiji asks in shock. "I saw Kavitha's baba's face after Tej was born." She exaggerates.

Gauri grins and slightly shoving her shoulder to hers, she asks, "So, where exactly were you looking?"

Daddiji gasps in shock hearing her, then turning to Jhanvi, she says, "Jhanvi, your bahu is so shameless."

Gauri turns to look at Jhanvi laughing and sees the three ladies were looking at each other silently laughing.

Daddiji shakes her head as she continued to peel the onions. Gauri simply sat back and watched them work.

"Radhika... here." Daddiji says as she passed the peeled onions.

Radhika takes it to the sink and washes it neatly, then she gives the onions to Daddiji. Daddiji expertly starts slicing it by holding it in her palm. Gauri looks on in amazement.

Wanting to know more about how things were, Gauri asks Daddiji. "Daddiji... when Daddaji was there, what were you supposed to do?"

"Cook food for the family. Take care of the children." Daddiji says.

"That's it?" Gauri asks her confused.

"What else?" Daddiji asks her back.

Jhanvi looks at Gauri and understanding what she was asking, she says. "When the women have any problems, they used to come to her. She used to tell Baba and he would solve it."

"Oh..." Gauri nods then curiously asks. "So, now who does the women go to?"

"They started coming to us but Om told them whatever the issue they should go to him directly." Jhanvi tells her. "Only when he is not around then they should come to us."

Gauri nods.

"At times, I feel Om is unnecessarily over working." Daddiji says.

"Why?"

"When Kavitha's Baba was ruling, they couldn't keep coming here like what is happening now. Every Saturday, from 7 in the morning till 12, he would be home, so they can come to him with their problems and he will take care of it. Saturday evening, if the panchayat or police had to speak to him, then they would come." Daddiji says. "He had his leisure time, not like Om. And he had kept aside his Saturday solely for them. Now, they come to him for every small thing. He is available to them all through out the day and night."

Gauri was surprised to hear that. Gauri lowers her eyes, as she thought that Om never said he ruled these people, he always used the words responsibility and protection, never rule. Daddaji ruled the people here, while Om worked for the people. Gauri sighs.

"But now he is the ruler. We can't question his authority." Daddiji says.

"Why? What if he is wrong?" Gauri asks curiously.

"He can never be wrong." Daddiji tells her shaking her head with a frown. "Whatever he says, we have to follow that. Before him, Kavitha's Baba, before that Sasurji. Before that his father and so on." Daddiji tells her.

Gauri nods understanding that the people here still had that king and the subject mentality.

"Leave all that. You convince him quickly. I want to see you both married." Daddiji tells her excitedly.

**********

"Bhaiyya agreed?" Priyanka asks in shock.

"Yeah." Gauri says happily as she stood in the terrace and spoke to her.

"Now, no one will ask you to go back." Priyanka tells her.

"I know." Gauri says smiling, still feeling joyous that Omkara had agreed and was doing a little bit for their love.

Gauri looks down and sees the green Range Rover driving through the uneven terrain towards home.

"How is everyone with you there?" Priyanka asks her.

"They are sweet and caring like they were last week." Gauri tells her as she watched Omkara get down the car and walk inside.

"Will you get bored there? Even I am not there."

"You know, I didn't come here to sit idle."

"What exactly are you supposed to do?" Priyanka asks her curiously. "How are you going to prove to bhaiyya?"

Gauri thoughtfully remains silent hearing that.

Then she asks, "How is married life?"

"Nice... Ranveer parents called to tell him that they disowned him." Priyanka tells her.

"How is he doing?" Gauri asks in worry.

"He is hurt but says his parents will come around." Priyanka tells her, then she says gesturing to Gauri. "Bhaiyya."

Gauri turns back and sees Omkara standing at the terrace door. She smiles at him and he smiles back. She looks at Priyanka and says, "I'll talk to you later."

"Okay, bye."

Gauri hangs up and turns to Omkara.

Omkara walks in as he says, "I looked for you everywhere."

"The range is strongest here." Gauri tells him.

Omkara nods as he walked to the railing and stood near her.

"Do you always come home this time?" Gauri asks him.

"No... I knew you were waiting... we didn't get a chance to speak." Omkara tells her.

Gauri smiles as she turns to look down, feeling happy and joyous.

Omkara also turns to look down.

Then chuckling she asks him, "Did you know, everyone here thinks that I hit the jackpot?"

"I know." Omkara grins.

"The King's wife." Gauri chuckles.

"I'm not a king." Omkara rolls his eyes, then he asks her, "Do you have a problem with them thinking that?"

Shaking her head, Gauri makes a click sound.

"Did Priyanka ask you about the reason?" Omkara asks her.

"Yeah... I just told her about the responsibility. Not about the debt."

"I never thought you would. I trust you, Gauri." Omkara tells her.

Gauri nods smiling.

"So, how is it going?" Omkara asks her.

"Nice... they are getting comfortable with this scandalous situation." Gauri laughs.

Omkara laughs.

"Omkara, I am not here to prove to you my worth." Gauri tells him. "I feel everyone thinks that. If ever I felt that I have to prove my worth to you then I wouldn't be here, Om."

"I know." Omkara replies.

"I'm here because I know you love me and just like how these responsibilities were thrust on you, you don't want to do that to me. I want to show that I can handle the same responsibilities that you are handling." Gauri tells him.

"Gauri... It is not easy... knowing that your every decision, every action could affect other people's life. It is a huge weight, Gauri." Omkara tells her.

"Heavy is the head that wears the crown." Gauri quotes softly.

Omkara sighs. "You've lived a luxurious life. Things were taken care for you, Gauri. Here you have to care for not just 1 or 2 people... hundreds."

Gauri looks at him and asks him gently, "When did you realize that your Daddaji was just all talks and show?"

Omkara grips the railing and says with a sigh. "Too quickly."

Gauri doesn't say anything.

"He enjoyed the way that these people bowed down to him. He felt large than life when he is able to give a verdict and have people follow them." Omkara tells her then turning to her, he says, "he helped them when they came begging him for help. He didn't do one thing to make their life better or bring any kind of development here."

"But you did, Om." Gauri tells him.

Omkara shakes his head. "I'm no where close to what my family should have done eons ago."

Gauri holds his hand.

"I can't blame my family also... they have always lived like that. They thought they were doing these people a favor. They didn't know what is to live without power. They didn't know what it is to be helpless. Gauri, in the city, I've lived on the other side of the spectrum. I knew what it is to go behind people asking for your right and to be cast aside. I saw myself in these people and I had to make their life better."

"Don't take it on yourself, Om. The government also should have done their duty."

"They don't care about this small village." Omkara says then he says. "the nearest police station is two village away. And the people here naturally considered us as the law. They only go to the panchayat when I am not here. The sarpanch and the panchayat have to get permission from us to do anything here. There is no law that is forcing them to do that, it is just how things have been done here for ages."

"You can change that." Gauri tells him.

Omkara shakes his head. "The first year I was in charge... they saw me as this little city kid... the things that had happened in that one year." Omkara shudders. "Every time I questioned them, they used to treat me like I didn't know better." Omkara looks at her and says, "Baba was in a better condition then. He told me that as long as I bend down to them and pleads for the people then I'll keep doing that forever. I've the power and authority to do things here and I've to remind them of that. And I started doing that."

Gauri smiles and tells him. "When I saw you that day, I felt that you had this aura around you of aristocracy."

Omkara chuckles. "It took me a while but I won the people's trust and once the panchayat and police realized that I have the support of the people here, they started taking me seriously. The people here would give their life for me." Omkara tells her then he looks at her and says with sincerity. "You should know this, Gauri."

"What?" Gauri asks curiously.

"I would give my life for them." Omkara tells her.

Gauri nods.

Omkara takes her hand in his and holds it.

"I was talking to Daddiji and she said that Daddaji had kept aside Saturdays for the people here." Gauri says grinning.

Omkara shakes his head. "The people were used to that. Any emergency they had, they will wait till Saturday to come to me. Sometimes, I would find out about it only after it gets worse. I had to drill into them that they had to come to me immediately when they need me. Not wait."

"Why did you tell the women not to go through your mother?" Gauri asks him.

"Can you believe that at the time Daddaji passed away, that women here wouldn't speak to men they were not related to?"

"What?" Gauri asks in shock.

"I have had women walk past me in the village who would be coming home to Ma with their issue. Then I've to come back home, and sometimes Ma would have already gone to sleep. It took me almost three years to make them approach me directly. I had to stop and make normal conversations with every woman on the road to make them realize that it is not a crime to speak to an unrelated man." Omkara tells her. "Now here, they have more freedom and to an extend their voice is heard too."

"And you did that, Om." Gauri says smiling proudly at him.

Seeing her so proud, Omkara leans towards her and kisses her cheek.

Gauri smiles as she blushed happily. Omkara moves back grinning.

"Was that your first kiss?" Gauri asks him blushing.

Omkara turns to her and asks her in shock. "Did you think I was waiting for you here celibate?"

Gauri turns to him, her heart filling with jealousy and fury then seeing his cheeky grin and the twinkle in his eyes, Gauri lightly hits him as she smiled.

Omkara holds her hand and pulls her close to his chest. Keeping her hand over his heart, he tells her. "You rule my heart, Gauri."

Gauri smiles happily as she looked at him. Her eyes filling with happy tears. He lovingly smiles at her. Gauri moves to him and hugs him. Omkara hugs her tight.

"I love you, Om."

"I love you, Gauri. Always have and always will."

Gauri laughs happily hearing that.

"Anybody can see us from down." Omkara says a few minutes later as he stepped back. Gauri moves back as she smiled at him.

They were silent for a few minutes lost in their thoughts and bliss.

"Daddiji didn't have much responsibilities other than household chores and being the medium between Daddaji and the women." Gauri tells him as she cutely frowned at him.

Omkara smiles.

"You think I can't handle that?" Gauri asks him.

Omkara shakes his head. "Gauri, what did I know about the people here? I used to come for vacation for a few days, meet them and go back. I had no idea of their lives here. Kavitha Bua has lived here her whole life. She is Daddaji's eldest child but she wasn't even considered because she is not a man. Baba had alcohol issue so Daddaji didn't claim him as his heir. There was Radhika Bua, even she was not considered. A barely 21 year old boy who had no experience or clue about things here was decided as the heir. Every one accepted it happily because I was the abled male progeny. They didn't care I knew nothing. Only they cared was I was a man and I was Daddaji's descendent."

"Women were in no way considered equal here. It is getting better but they don't believe that women are able leaders. And they have to change that mindset, Gauri. For that it has to start somewhere. And I realize that it has to start with me. Whomever I marry, she has to take equal responsibility of these people with me. People have to see that my wife is able to make the decision that I make and see it get done. That she can handle things just as easily as me. Even if I am not there, they can go to her. It might take them years but they have to realize that gender should not be how you choose a leader."

"When you decide to marry, who would you have married?" Gauri asks him.

"I would never marry anyone when you are in my heart." Omkara tells her.

"Like you said, after you move on from me."

"someone from here." Omkara says shrugging.

Gauri nods.

"These are my people, Gauri. Looking after them is my responsibility and not a burden. But for you, they are complete strangers. It will be a burden for you." Omkara tells her.

Gauri looks away hearing that.

"Why would you want to leave your good life behind and stay here?" Omkara asks her gently.

"Because I love you, Omkara."

"That shouldn't be reason enough to throw your life away." Omkara says looking away.

"I love you, Omkara. And I love all those people that you love and I love all those people that loves you. So, I do care about the people here. And I genuinely wish to better their lives." Gauri tells him.

Omkara looks at her unsure.

"I know it is not going to be easy but I want to do this. If not for anything, then at least so I know that I gave it my all." Gauri tells him.

Omkara nods then he curiously looks down and Gauri also looks down. They see two men entering through the gates.

"They are here to see me." Omkara tells her and turns to walk off.

"Om..."

Omkara stops and turns to look at her.

"I've some money..."

Omkara cuts her off. "I can't take that money, Gauri."

"For your information I used to work in Daddy's company and I used to get paid. This is my money, not Daddy's." Gauri tells him.

"I know." Omkara replies.

"How? You never let Priyanka mention me." Gauri asks him curiously.

"Your Facebook page." Omkara says shrugging.

"But you're not active on Facebook." Gauri tells him.

"I don't have time to be active on Facebook."

"But you've time to stalk me on Facebook." Gauri points out with a grin.

Omkara gives her a sexy smile and starts to leave.

"Om..." they hear Jhanvi calling him.

"Coming Ma." Omkara calls back.

"For a man who wants women to be treated as an equal, it is male chauvinistic of him to not take money from me." Gauri calls out to him.

Omkara stops and turns to her surprised. "If my wife is earning, I am in need of money and if she gives me money then I will definitely take it."

Gauri stops understanding and she says, "You think I might leave one day."

"I don't know, Gauri." Omkara says softly. "All I know is that I'll never force you to stay here just because we love each other."

**********

Next day, Gauri wakes up early and head to the kitchen.

"How come you are awake so early?" Jhanvi asks surprised as she cooked.

"Would you ask the same question to Om's wife?" Gauri asks her.

Jhanvi smiles hearing that.

"From now on, I am Om's wife. And you'll stop treating me like a guest." Gauri tells them.

Jhanvi, Radhika, Kavitha and Dadi looks at her in shock.

Frowning, Gauri asks them, "Do you want Om to say that and make it a rule here?"

Chuckling, Jhanvi lightly hits her hand. "Pagal."

Gauri grins and she turns to Dadi and says, "Daddiji, today rest for you, I'll do all the peeling and cutting."

"You know cooking?" Jhanvi asks her curiously.

"No, but I am very smart. I will learn quickly." Gauri boasts.

Everyone sweetly smiles at her.

**********

"How come you are home?" Gauri asks Omkara seeing him walk in.

"Inspector had called. He said he wants to meet me, he'll be coming here in a short while." Omkara tells her.

"He usually comes home like that?" Gauri asks him curiously.

"Not usually but it is not irregular too." Omkara tells her.

"Om, did you have lunch?" Jhanvi asks.

"No."

"Come then." Jhanvi tells him as she walked back into the kitchen.

"Did you have?" Omkara asks Gauri.

"Yeah." Gauri replies smiling.

"Come sit with me still." Omkara tells her as he took her hand and walked.

Smiling, Gauri walks with him.

"Wake up, sleeping beauty. I want to eat." Omkara says as he playfully tickled his grandmother.

Grumbling she rolls in the bed to give him space. "In all my years, none of the men of the house has eaten in the kitchen. And you are forever eating in the kitchen."

"I want to hear all the latest gossips." Omkara cheekily says as he walked to his mother to take his plate.

"The latest gossip is your almost wife." Daddiji cheekily says as she gave her back to him and closed her eyes to sleep.

Gauri grins as she sat near dadi.

"Ahaaan... and where are the gossip queens?" Omkara asks as he sat next to Gauri.

"Radhika is taking her shower and Kavitha on the phone." Jhanvi tells him. "You eat Om... I am going to call Prinku." Saying that Jhanvi walks off.

Omkara turns to Gauri and smiles as he started eating.

"How was your day?" Omkara asks her.

"Good... I cut the salad." Gauri tells him proudly pointing at the raw vegetables.

"Nicely cut." Omkara tells her cheekily.

Gauri hits his hand as she grinned.

"What about your work?" Omkara asks her curiously.

"I resigned when Daddy forced me to meet Abhay." Gauri tells him.

Omkara nods. "How is Rahul?"

"He is fine... missing me."

"Still angry with me?" Omkara asks her as he ate.

"A little because I am here because of you." Gauri tells him grinning. "Otherwise he is fine with you."

Omkara grins. "When he has holidays ask him to come and stay here with us."

"I already told him." Gauri tells him.

Omkara smiles. "And your parents?"

"Daddy is angry... keeps asking me to go back."

"Hmmm."

"He'll come around." Gauri tells him.

"And your step mother?"

"She is okay. She doesn't interfere much when it comes to matters regarding me." Gauri tells him.

Omkara looks at her as he studied her silently.

"What?" Gauri asks him curiously.

"Does that hurt you?" Omkara asks her softly.

Gauri shrugs. "No... she has always been like that. She is my stepmother... but not an evil one."

Omkara nods.

"I was always more friendly with your parents than her."

"Are you comfortable here, Gauri?" Omkara suddenly asks her.

"Yes." Gauri replies surprised. "I feel at home here, Om."

Omkara smiles hearing that.

**********

Omkara was with his family when the inspector finally reached.

Seeing the inspector all nervous, Omkara asks in concern as he gestured him to sit, "Is everything alright, sir?"

"Om bhaiyya, I am just here to clarify something. Not for anything else." He nervously says.

"Okay." Omkara replies confused. "What is it?"

Gauri looks at the inspector, she was surprised that the inspector seemed to be scared of Omkara, that was so crazy. Omkara was not the mafia and all.

"Commissioner had called..." he starts as he looked around and stops his gaze on Gauri.

Omkara turns to look at Gauri and she also looks at the inspector confused.

"You were saying..." Omkara prompts him.

"Erm... she is Gauri?" He asks Omkara pointing at Gauri.

"Yes." Omkara replies.

"How do you know me?" Gauri asks frowning.

Gulping he says, "I was told to escort you home."

"I'm not going anywhere." Gauri tells him. "I'm an adult and I can take my own decisions."

"Yes... yes... if you could give me your statement, I'll send them my report." He quickly says.

"Okay." Gauri nods.

"Om bhaiyya... I know you won't do anything wrong... but I've my orders and I just..."

"Om bhaiyya..."

Omkara looks up and sees Ashok. "What happened, Ashok?"

"Why is the police here?" Ashok asks curiously as he stood by the door.

The inspector goes completely white hearing the question.

Omkara quickly walks to him. "Nothing... just came to ask me something." Omkara tells him then he sees that there were two more people with him. "Why are you all here?"

"We saw the police jeep coming... just came to see everything was alright." Ashok explains.

"Everything is alright." Omkara says as he notices couple of people curiously walking in.

"They only come when there is a problem... but nothing happened around here. We didn't hear of anything." The man standing behind Ashok steps forward saying.

"He just came to clarify something, Kishore. You all go, there is no problem here." Omkara tells him, noticing more people were coming in.

"Clarify?" Kishore asks frowning. "He wants you to clarify something?"

"Why would he want you to clarify? Did someone say anything against you?" Ashok asks him getting angry at the possibility.

"He came to speak to me." Gauri tells them as she stepped forward. "He'll leave now. There is no problem here."

"Oh..." Ashok looks at Omkara. "We'll wait till he leaves, Om bhaiyya."

Before Omkara could reply, Gauri tells him, smiling. "There is no need for that." Gauri waves her hand. "It is nothing Om can't handle. You guys carry on."

They look at Omkara and Omkara tells them. "You all go."

"Okay, Om bhaiyya."

Everyone leaves. Omkara turns to look at Gauri.

"They would have got angry if they realized that the case was against you?" Gauri asks him in a whisper.

Omkara nods and he whispers. "They would have got violent."

"Thank you... if I didn't have direct orders, I wouldn't have even come." Inspector tells him in relief.

Omkara nods. "Next time, call me. We'll come there. Gauri, give your statement."

**********

"How could you file a false case?" Gauri asks her father furiously. "You know, I came here on my own."

"What do you expect me to do? Sit here and do nothing?" Harsh asks her angrily. "You better come back, Gauri. Don't make me come there."

"Even if you come here, I won't come back. And Daddy, please enquire about Omkara Singh Oberoi before you do anything idiotic again." Gauri tells him and hang up angrily.

**********

"I'm sorry for what happened." Gauri tells the family as she came back down stairs.

None of them say anything, as they looked at her a little upset.

"Daddy shouldn't have done that. He knew I came on my own."

Omkara walks in just then and he looks curiously at the scene.

Noticing Omkara, Dadi says a little upset. "Never has the police come here to question us."

"Daddiji... I apologize for my Dad..."

"Gauri..." Omkara calls her.

Gauri stops and turns to look at him. Omkara walks to her and stands by her side.

"Does anyone here have a problem with Gauri staying here?" Omkara asks them.

"Are you asking as the son of the family or as the head of the family?" Dadi asks him back.

"Whoever asks, shouldn't you have only one answer?" Omkara asks her back.

"As the head of the family, we've to follow whatever you decide." Dadi reminds him.

"And as the son, Daddiji?" Omkara asks her.

"You should have married her before she started living here. It is unheard of, Om that an unmarried girl living in a boy's house." Dadi tells her.

"It is unheard of for you." Tej points out to her. Then he says, "If Gauri hadn't spoken to those people, that Inspector wouldn't have left here in 1 piece."

"I don't have any problem with Gauri. I like her. I know she is a befitting bride for my Om." Dadi says heatedly. "All I am saying is that we could have avoided what happened, if Om had married her when she came."

"You all know the reasons why we are not married." Omkara says starting to get angry.

"What is the big problem? When your Daddaji was ruling, I was his wife and I handled it."

"You handl..." Omkara starts and stops when he felt Gauri hold his hand. He looks at her and she shakes her head.

Omkara stops realizing what he was going to say.

"What?" Dadi asks him confused.

Omkara shakes his head. "I love Gauri, Daddiji, and I will not gamble with her life and future. I've to be sure that this is what Gauri really wants, till then I will not marry her."

"Isn't this what Gauri wants?" Dadi asks him. "That is why she is here!"

"She is here because she loves me."

"She will manage, Om. We are here to help her." Radhika tells her.

Fed up, Omkara says. "It took me time to adjust when I shifted here from the city and I had difficulty handling the responsibilities. So, imagine how it is going to be for Gauri?"

"it is not the same for you and her." Kavitha gently points out.

"Please, just give her and me sometime!" Omkara tells them.

"People are going to start asking us why Gauri is staying with us... what will we say?" Dadi asks him.

"The truth. There isn't anything sinful to hide." Omkara tells her.

"How can we say..." Dadi starts.

"Jhanvi..." Tej calls his wife irately. "Take your mother-in-law and sisters-in-law inside."

**********

"Didn't sleep?" Omkara asks as he stood by the stairs looking at Gauri lying on the sofa with her phone.

"Not sleepy... you?" Gauri asks him.

"I looked for you in Prinku's room." Omkara tells her as he walked to her.

"What happened?" Gauri asks him curiously as she started to sit up.

"You lie down." Omkara tells her then he lifts her legs and sits on the sofa with resting her legs on his lap.

Gauri smiles as she looked at him.

"Are you okay?" Omkara asks her.

"About earlier?"

"Yes."

Cheekily grinning, Gauri tells him. "If you didn't realize Om, what they were saying, it pretty much looked like they were all on my side."

Omkara chuckles as he gently massaged her toes. "You do realize that we haven't actually spend time with each other in the last 6 years. We both have changed a lot."

"I do realize it, Om. I know you have changed a lot. There are so many changes that you don't seem like the same boy that I fell in love with." Gauri tells him.

Omkara sighs. "I know, Gauri. That is why I asked."

"But what I see is the more mature and profound version of the boy I fell in love with." Gauri tells him.

Omkara smiles hearing that.

"What about me?" Gauri asks him softly. Then frowning, she asks. "Why did you stop?"

Omkara chuckles and starts massaging her foot. "You are the same darling I fell in love with. A little more strong willed and a very fearless now."

Gauri smiles. "I lost you once, Om. I lived through that fear once. There is nothing more scary than that."

"I should have told you myself. I shouldn't have done it through my sister. You deserved that from me, but I was scared that if I spoke to you then I will not be able to stay strong. That time, it had been the debt that scared me to my core then as I understood and learned things here... it just kept adding to my reasons."

"You should have told me. I did deserve that." Gauri agrees. "But I understand, Om."

Omkara smiles.

"Daddy shouldn't have done that." Gauri tells him softly.

"Just like how he had no control over you coming and staying here, you have no control over what he does. Let it go." Omkara tells her.

"I tried to put the fear of Omkara in him... hopefully, he won't do anything silly again."

Omkara laughs hearing that. "Fear of Omkara..."

**********

Next two days went without a problem. But on the third day morning, the sarpanch and a few people from the panchayat had come to meet Omkara.

"Namaste, sarpanchji... you didn't tell me you were coming." Omkara says as he came down the stairs to meet his guest.

"There is an issue." Sarpanch says.

Omkara nods as Gauri brought tea for the guest and she serves them. They silently watches her while Omkara takes his seat opposite to them. After she finished giving them the tea, Gauri starts to walk off to the kitchen.

"Gauri." Omkara calls her.

"Yes?" Gauri turns to him.

Omkara turns his head, gesturing to the empty seat next to him. Understanding he wants her to sit there, Gauri sits there with a confused expression.

"This is Gauri." Omkara tells them. "And Gauri, this is sarpanchji..." Omkara makes the introductions. Once done, he asks them curiously. "How come you all are here so early in the morning? Is it regarding the pipes?"

"No..." Sarpanch uncomfortably says.

"Then?" Omkara asks.

Shifting in his seats, he says, "Yesterday we got a complaint."

"We didn't realize it... you see your name wasn't mentioned anywhere in the complaint." One of the men says. "Otherwise we wouldn't have even accepted the complaint."

"What complaint?" Omkara asks frowning.

"Is it my father?" Gauri asks them.

"Yes, he has complaint that his unmarried daughter is staying in our village. And he wants to take her back home." Sarpanch explains.

"I'm an adult, I decide where I stay." Gauri tells them.

"You've to come to the panchayat. We're helpless."

**********

"Daddy! What is wrong with you?" Gauri asks the moment she sees her father.

"You can't speak to your father." Omkara tells her.

"What?" Gauri asks confused.

"This is panchayat, Gauri. There are rules." Omkara tells her.

Gauri sighs as she stood next to Omkara and his family standing behind him except for Tej, who was home as Jhanvi feared that he would say something untoward and cause more problem.

"Are you doing a panchayat against Om bhaiyya?" Someone from the crowd had furiously asked.

Gauri looks around and sees that the crowd was getting really agitated, and the panchayat worried.

"No, we are not. He has nothing to do with this, this is between this man and his daughter." Sarpanch explains.

"What does he want?" Someone asks out loudly.

"He wants to take his daughter back home. As as unwed girl with no relatives here, his complaint seems legit." Sarpanch says.

"I'm an adult and it is my wish that I am staying here." Gauri tells him.

"How can we let you stay here like that?" He asks her back. "And he is your father and your guardian, you should go back with him."

"I'm under Omkara Singh Oberoi's protection, do you think you can send me back?" Gauri challenges the sarpanch.

Omkara turns to look at Gauri astonished with an expression that screamed, you just did not say that.

Gauri shrugs and whispers. "Sorry, I read too many historical romances."

Omkara laughs out loud and stops when someone pinches him from behind. He turns to look and sees his mother glaring at him.

"Is it true?" Sarpanch asks Omkara.

"Yes." Omkara says as he gave Gauri a look.

Gauri smiles.

"She is under his protection." Sarpanch tells Harsh.

The crowd agrees.

"I'm her father... how do you expect me to leave her here like that? She is not even married. She has no family here. Her only friend here, got married and left the village."

"I understand..." sarpanch starts.

The crowd mummers, Omkara immediately lifts up his hand and they stop speaking.

"You were saying..." Omkara says to the sarpanch.

"Er... er... I was saying, he is her father, he has a right over her."

"She is a 25 year old woman. She is capable of taking decisions regarding her life." Omkara tells them. "She is not going anywhere."

"Who are you to decide that?" Harsh asks Omkara as he marched furiously to him.

The crowd furiously shouting at Harsh, starts to march forward.

"STOP IT!" Omkara shouts angrily.

They stop as they turned to look at him.

"He is Gauri's father, he is my family and you'll treat him with respect!" Omkara tells them.

Nodding they step back, Harsh who had gone pale, looks at Omkara in shock.

"She is not just your sister's friend." Sarpanch says realizing.

"No, I love her and she loves me." Omkara tells him.

"Then why don't you just marry her? That will solve the issue." Sarpanch says happily.

"What issue?" Omkara asks him back. "If in place of Gauri, it was an unmarried man, would you have had this panchayat?"

Sarpanch shakes his head.

"You would have sent the father back saying the man is an adult. Why is it different for a woman?" Omkara asks him angrily. "You will say that you can't interfere in a man's life then what gives you the right to interfere in a woman's life?"

"No... that..." Sarpanch stammers. "She is under your protection. As long as she wants to stay here, she stays." He says quickly.

The crowd murmurs in agreement.

"Gauri, please just come home." Harsh requests her.

"I love Om, Daddy. I can't be happy with Abhay or any man you choose. I will not be able to love anyone else." Gauri tells him.

"Gauri, if you don't come back with me, I'll never come for you again." Harsh warns her.

"Om and I'll come to you, Daddy." Gauri tells him.

"He doesn't even want to marry you!" Harsh tells her furiously.

Jhanvi steps up and says, "Om is concerned that Gauri has had a different life, that she may not be able to adjust to our life and handle the responsibilities of being his wife, Gauri is staying here, so she can prove it to him, she is capable of doing both. Once he is convinced, he will marry her." Then she looks at the panchayat and says. "Gauri is not living in a house with just Om, she is living with his family too. So, you all can be rest assured that nothing immoral is happening."

The crowds agrees with what Jhanvi said.

"Gauri is staying here, in my house, if anyone has any issues with it, speak up now." Omkara says loudly.

The crowd mumbles saying that they had no problem.

Sarpanch, looks at Harsh and says. "She is an adult and she has chosen to stay here. We can't send her with you."

**********

"If it was few years back, no way in hell they would have let an unwed girl stay in an unwed man's house. If her father has come for her, then there wouldn't have even been a panchayat. She would have been packed off immediately." Priyanka tells Gauri.

"Hmmm."

"If they agreed even halfheartedly, then it is because of Om bhaiyya."

"I know." Gauri replies.

"You are sad that your daddy fought with you and left." Priyanka guesses the reason why she was moody.

"I know even if he opposes it, at the end, he'll give in. But it still feels a little bad." Gauri tells her.

"Don't worry, everything will be fine. First you handle bhaiyya then we can handle your father."

"Yeah."

**********

Gauri was coming down the stairs when she sees Omkara. Seeing her upset, Omkara walks to her and hugs her without a word.

"I feel sad that I hurt Daddy. And I am sad that Daddy doesn't care for my happiness." Gauri tells him as she snuggled him.

"He has dreams and apprehensions regarding his daughter, Gauri. You can't blame him." Omkara tells her.

"Am I a bad daughter?" Gauri asks him as she looked up at him.

"It would hurt any parent if their child go against them." Omkara tells her.

Gauri nods sadly.

"But then if he had supported you then you wouldn't have to go against him." Omkara reminds her.

Gauri nods and hugs him.

**********

Gauri realized that Omkara had kind of exaggerated, people didn't come to their house through out the day. Because Omkara was rarely home. He would leave in the morning and would come only by dinner time. Either, he had made the conscious effort to meet people outside so it doesn't tax the women at home or he is so swamped with work that he can get home only that late.

But they do have people coming to meet him at times, like now. Gauri thought as she took the water to the man. She gives him water and starts to leave to the kitchen to serve lunch for him.

"Gauri..." Omkara calls her.

Gauri turns to him and he gestures her to sit next to him. Gauri sits next to him curiously. Then Omkara had completely ignored her as he asked the man to speak.

The man's name was Sarang and he was here regarding a debt he owed, and Omkara promises to speak to the money lender to give him a little more time.

Gauri couldn't believe her ears, that man was looking so stressed and depressed because he owed someone 4000 rupees. He was on the verge of losing his hut because of that. Her heart goes out to him. And she couldn't help but ask, "Can I pay off your debt?"

That man looks at Gauri in shock then his gaze turns to Omkara.

Realizing that he was waiting for Omkara's permission, Omkara politely tells him, "if it is okay with you."

Sarang's eyes fill up and he nods in yes.

Gauri quickly runs up to her room and comes back with the money.

She gives the money to him. With trembling hands and tears running down his face, he takes the money. Then clutching the money in his hands, he folds his hands, thanking her.

Gauri gently smiles.

Sarang looks down at the money and he says in shock. "This is more."

"Keep it, you might need it." Gauri tells him smiling.

Sarang looks at Omkara and says, "You are very lucky, Om bhaiyya. She has a heart of gold."

Omkara stands up as he smiled. "I know."

Sarang smiles. "I'll go pay him the money."

"Sarang, lunch is ready. Please have and go." Gauri tells him as she hurried to serve lunch.

After setting the table, Gauri calls Omkara and Sarang for lunch. She fixes a plate with Tej's food and takes it to him.

"How many people are you going to give money and help, Gauri?" Tej asks her.

Gauri looks at him in shock.

"Your father might cut you out of his will, you left your work with your father. You've no income now. If you continue to help people with money, you might end up with nothing."

"He needed money more than me, Baba." Gauri tells him.

Tej nods. "I'm not blaming you. I have struggled without money. So, just telling you."

Gauri nods.

"You are my daughter. I don't want what I went through to happen to you also."

Gauri smiles.

Then proudly Tej says, "You don't worry, my Om will take care of you."

Gauri smiles and walks back.

As she was passing by the dining table, Omkara calls her. "Gauri... where are you going?"

Gauri turns to him confused.

"We are waiting for you. Sit." Omkara tells her as he gestured to the chair next to him.

Gauri was surprised that he had brought a plate for her too. She sits down and Omkara starts serving for her.

**********

"Are you upset that I gave money without asking you first?" Gauri asks Omkara once Sarang left.

"That is your money, Gauri. You felt like giving it to him. You gave. Where do I come in that?" Omkara asks her confused.

Gauri smiles then she tells him about her conversation with Tej.

"I can understand Baba... there were times, when he was in between jobs, we used to really struggle." Omkara tells her.

Gauri nods.

"But if I had money to spare then I would have given him the money." Omkara tells her. "He really needed it."

Gauri wraps her hand around him. Omkara smiles as he hugged her.

They were smiling at each other when she sees Omkara's eyes drops to her lips. She starts to move towards him when he steps back.

"Have to go." Omkara tells her.

Gauri scowls at him. "You can kiss me and also decide that you don't want to marry me."

Omkara gives her a look and leaves from there.

**********

"What did you do today?" Gauri asks Omkara at night, as they sat in the living room, Omkara was lying on the sofa with his legs on Gauri's lap as she massaged his foot.

"I was in the factory most of the day, few people had come to see me. Then I had a meeting with the panchayat. We need at least two public pipes, so we were discussing the funding for that."

"Are you giving the money?" Gauri asks him as she switched foot.

Omkara sighs enjoying the massage. "No, we do get government aids so we can use that. But it is not enough for everything."

"Hmmm."

"What happened here?" Omkara asks as he noticed her finger tip was covered with band aid.

"I cut my finger while cooking."

"Hmmm." Omkara takes his leg off her lap.

"What hmmm?" Gauri asks frowning at him.

Omkara smiles. "I just felt guilty. Now don't kill me."

Gauri scowls at him making him chuckle.

"If you feel so guilty then you might want to kiss it better." Gauri tells him cheekily.

"If I want?" Omkara asks her back grinning.

Gauri lifts herself up and crawls towards him as she lightly laid on top of him while he took her finger and kissed it.

Gauri felt the kiss all over her body, specially when she was lying on him like this. Her heart started beating fast and she could feel his heart beating. She looks at his eyes and sees him looking at her. His eyes filled with passion. Gauri's eyes drops to his lips and she nervously starts lean down.

"Gauri..." Omkara softly calls her.

"Hmmm?" Gauri looks at his eyes.

"Go upstairs." Omkara tells her, his heart slamming against his chest.

Gauri looks at him in shock, then she blushes.

"Gauri, be a good girl..." Omkara tells her.

Gauri softly laughs as she blushed.

"Go up." Omkara tells her grinning.

Blushing and laughing, Gauri gets off him, and she walks to her room, taking her sweet time as she kept turning back and looking at him.

Omkara grins as he watched her go up.

**********

Next day, Omkara was leaving in the morning, he had just dropped the kids to school and had come back to have his breakfast.

"Om..." Gauri calls him as she ran behind him.

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

"I'm coming with you." Gauri tells him.

"Okay." Omkara says then he tells her, "Today, mostly I'll be in the factory."

"That is okay." Gauri tells him. "Since, I got cut on my finger, I am slower than usual and Ma said I was slowing them down. So, not to work in the kitchen till my finger is healed."

"Does it hurt?" Omkara asks as he looked at her finger.

Gauri shakes her head.

**********

"I love your car." Gauri tells him as she got in.

Though his car was pretty old it was in mint condition.

"It's amazing, right?" Omkara asks her smiling. "Daddaji is a little like your father. He loves cars. He had three cars, I sold the other two. Only I drive here, so, we really don't need the other two. And I got some cash too."

"Ow!" Gauri laughs. It was a bumpy ride because they had roads only in certain areas.

"I've been trying to get proper roads here. PWD is taking their sweet time, can't blame them to, the public transport doesn't come inside the village, just till the out skirts. Then just a handful of us have car or two wheelers."

Gauri nods as Omkara drove through the narrow path in between the paddy field. Gauri notices three kids walking ahead of them. Gauri was about to point the kids out to Omkara when they stopped and curiously turned back hearing the car. They move to the side.

Omkara stops the car near them, and rolls down the window. "Why are you three not at school?"

"We are going to school." One kid answers.

"Om bhaiyya, can you drop us to school?" Another kid asks him.

"Get in." Omkara tells them as he leaned back and opened the door for them.

Excitedly, the three kids climbs in and sits on the seat laughing.

"Gauri, they are Aishwarya, Nihal and Pawan." Omkara tells her.

Gauri smiles at the kids. "Hello."

"And this is Gauri didi." Omkara tells the kids as he started driving.

"We know... you are going to marry her." Nihal says excitedly.

Gauri and Omkara look at each other smiling.

"What standard are you all studying?" Gauri asks them, as she turned in her seat to look at them and speak.

**********

After they dropped the kids to the school, they went to the factory. He took her around and showed the spices factory, and introduced her to the workers.

After that, he took her to the room that he used as an office. As he got busy with work, Gauri just explored around the room. As she was looking through the books kept there, she sees the accounts book. Out of curiosity, Gauri starts looking through them and in a few minutes she was engrossed.

"Are you bored?" Omkara asks her after a while.

Gauri shakes her head as she continued to look through them, her full concentration in it.

"Om bhaiyya..."

Omkara looks up and sees the man at the door. "Come, Ramu."

Gauri curiously looks and sees a man walk in. "Sit." Omkara tells him, and Ramu takes the seat opposite to Omkara. She turns her attention back to the book.

"Gauri..." Omkara calls her.

Gauri turns to look and sees Omkara standing up, he gestures her to take his seat. Confused, Gauri walks to him.

"What?"

"Sit." Omkara tells her frowning.

Confused, Gauri sits on his chair as she looked at him.

Omkara walks behind the chair and leans on the wall. "Tell me, Ramu."

"Om bhaiyya, I told you I was going to sell a portion of my land."

Omkara nods.

"We went for the registration and they are saying in one of the documents my father's name spelling is wrong, and they can't do the registration." Ramu tells him worriedly.

Omkara nods thoughtfully.

"They are saying that I have to prove that I am my father's son. I don't know what to do."

"Let me see. I'll call them up and find out what is to be done." Omkara tells him.

"Okay, Om bhaiyya." Ramu gets up and leaves.

Omkara takes the phone and dials a number.

Seeing him get busy talking to someone regarding Ramu's issue, Gauri gets up and walks back to the books and takes the accounting books and go through it.

After that call, he makes a few more calls and finally, Omkara calls up the sarpanch and gives him instructions then he calls Ramu and tells him to go to the sarpanch and then go to the revenue office with the sarpanch.

"Gauri..." Omkara hangs up the call as he turns to her.

"Sorted?" Gauri asks him curiously.

"Yeah... why do you wait for me to call you?"

"Call me?" Gauri asks confused.

"When someone comes, you come by my side." Omkara tells her. "You said you wanted to take responsibilities, right?"

"Oh." Gauri whispers, "I didn't realize. I'll keep in mind."

Omkara nods as he walked to his seat.

"Om... you need a better charted accountant." Gauri tells him.

Omkara gets up and walks to her. "Why do you say that?"

"There are lot of leaks in your expenditures." Gauri tells him.

"Hmmm." Omkara looks at the book though he couldn't find the leaks that she had mentioned. "You did your MBA in finance, right?"

Gauri nods. "If I can find it so easily, imagine what a good CA can do."

"Do you know someone?" Omkara asks her.

**********

Gauri was speaking to Rahul at night when Omkara joins her.

"Hi Rahul..." Omkara says as he sat next to Gauri.

"Hi jeeju." Rahul replies upset.

"What happened? Are you still angry with me?" Omkara asks him. "I really love your Gauri di."

"I know, Gauri di told me." Rahul mumbles as he looked down.

Omkara turns to Gauri and gestures to her what happened.

"He had a nightmare."

"Oh... are you okay, Rahul?" Omkara asks him in concern.

"Hmmm." Rahul looks at him and asks him, "Why can't you and Gauri di come and stay here?"

"I'm sorry, Rahul, I can't stay away from here. Why don't you come and stay with us?" Omkara asks him.

"Daddy won't allow." Rahul says sadly.

"Rahul, when your vacation starts, I'll speak to Daddy and ask him to send you here." Gauri promises him.

"Daddy is very angry with you. He won't send me."

"I'll speak to him, Rahul. You don't worry. He will agree." Gauri tells him smiling. "Now, you go sleep."

"Okay." Rahul cuts the call.

"Why don't you go home and stay there for a few days." Omkara asks her.

"Daddy will put me under lock and key." Gauri tells him.

"I thought you were under Omkara Singh Oberoi's protection." Omkara cheekily reminds her.

Gauri gives him a look.

"I'll bring you back." Omkara promises her.

"No... I am not going." Gauri tells him as she hugged him.

"Okay... as you wish." Omkara tells her.

"I feel like eating something." Gauri tells him.

"Didn't you have dinner?" Omkara asks her.

"I wasn't hungry."

"Okay come, you have dinner."

Gauri shakes her head. "I don't feel like having that."

"What do you feel like having?"

Gauri thinks for a few seconds and says. "Omlette."

Omkara chuckles. "Then go have that."

Gauri gives him an awkward look.

"Oh!" Omkara laughs. "You don't know to make?"

Gauri looks away.

"Come, I'll make for you."

"You know to make?" Gauri asks surprised.

"Yeah... come."

Gauri watched Omkara for a minute then she shoves him aside. "God, you're so slow."

Omkara looks in surprise as Gauri chopped the onions like a pro.

"You're fast." Omkara says surprised.

"The ladies in the kitchen are very territorial. I am still cutting vegetables only!" Gauri grumbles.

Omkara chuckles as he breaks open the eggs, and whipped it.

"What else you need?" Gauri asks as she cut the chillies also as Omkara had taken that also from the fridge.

"That's it." Omkara tells her as he mixed it and beat it nicely. Then he with the tip of his finger checks the seasoning of the raw eggs.

"Ewwwe. That is uncooked." Gauri tells him in disgust.

Omkara pours the eggs on the hot pan and turns to her, "Gauri, if I ask you to kiss me now, will you?"

"Will you wash your mouth?" Gauri asks him eagerly.

Grinning, Omkara shakes his head in no.

Gauri so badly wanted to kiss him, but the raw eggs... but it was just a drop... maybe...

Watching her, Omkara quickly says. "Time up. Check the eggs, I am going to wash my mouth."

"That is not fair, Om!" Gauri glares at him.

Omkara laughs as he left.

"You're a bloody tease, Om!" Gauri furiously calls out.

**********

Few days later, Omkara comes to Gauri.

"Need a favor, Gauri." Omkara tells her.

"What do you want, my king?" Gauri asks him in a sensuous voice as she walked to him.

Omkara was taken aback hearing that. Then with a slow sexy grin, he asks her, "You were not just into historical romance, you were into hardcore porn too, right?"

With a slight twist of her hips, slight thrusting out of her buttocks, a little lowering of her chest, Gauri looks into his eyes, with eyes blinking, she breathes out, "Yes, master."

Omkara steps back and says worriedly. "Okay, it is not funny anymore. It is out and out seduction."

Gauri straightens up, then pushing her chest forward, with innocent eyes, she keeps her fingers on her lips and says, "Oh my Lord."

Omkara's eyes immediately goes to her breast. Then he steps back even further. "I'll see you later."

Seeing him running, Gauri laughs loudly as she followed him. "Om, tell me, what do you need?"

Omkara stops and turns to her. "Will you behave?" Omkara asks slightly breathless.

"Yes." Gauri nods then she says, "Please don't mind me, I am just sexually frustrated."

Omkara gives her a look then he turns to walk off.

"Om... Om..." Gauri holds him and turns him.

She wraps her hands around his neck, as she hugged him. And that is when she felt it.

"Oh my, that is why you were running." Gauri says cheekily.

"Gauri... be a good girl." Omkara warns her.

"I want to be your bad girl." Gauri tells him sensuously.

Taking a deep breath, he tries to remove her hand.

"Om... Om... at least tell me this... is that a semi or full on hard on?" Gauri asks him.

"Let go, you shameless minx!" Omkara tells her, getting worked up.

"If it is a full on, I am a little disappointed and concerned." Gauri tells him worriedly.

"Oh for God sake! That is not even a hard on... just some stirring." Omkara tells her offended.

Gauri grins. "Really?"

Omkara shakes his head, though he couldn't control his smile and blush. He frees himself from her.

Gauri chuckles, and asks his retreating form. "What favor did you want?"

"Ah... yeah that..." Omkara turns to look at her then he stops in shock, completely clueless.

"You forgot?" Gauri asks grinning then smugly, she asks. "Did I make you forget?"

Omkara scowls at her and turns to walk off then remembering he turns to her. "Yeah... need a favor."

"Anything for my..."

"No flirting!" Omkara warns her.

Gauri smiles sweetly. "Okay, I'll behave. Tell me."

"A teacher from school resigned. They urgently need someone to finish the portions. It's English and computers, can you do it?" Omkara asks her.

"But I don't know to teach, Om." Gauri tells him.

"I know, love. If it was any other subjects then they would have somehow managed. They will help and guide you, Gauri. There is no-one here that is qualified to take this up." Omkara tells her.

"Hmmm."

"It is just till they can find a replacement." Omkara tells her.

"Hmmm. I've helped Rahul with his studies... that is the only experience I've." Gauri tells him worried.

"The other teachers will guide you, Gauri. By the way, you won't get paid."

Gauri frowns hearing that. "Why?"

"Because we give money, we don't take money from the people here."

Gauri gives him an exasperated look. "Another one of your daddaji's rule?"

Omkara nods.

"Omkara, it is not that I want to be paid. But this is not right."

"I know, Gauri... these things, Daddaji kind of drilled into me since childhood. It is the way of the things here." Omkara says helplessly.

"this is false pride, Om. Everyone's work should be respected. Everyone should be rewarded for their hard work, no matter who it is or who is paying them. Anyway, leave it. When should I go to school?"

"You'll try? If it is hard then you can quit any time. I told them that." Omkara tells her smiling.

"I'll try." Gauri tells him, nodding.

"Thank you." Omkara tells her smiling.

"You can thank me with a kiss." Gauri tells him, with a flirty smile.

Omkara blows a kiss to her and walks off.

"You're so not romantic, Omkara!"

"I'm just not horny, Gauri." Omkara calls back.

**********

First day, Omkara dropped Gauri along with Keerthana, Ketan and Suresh to school and in the evening, when she stepped out with them, she was surprised to see Omkara waiting for them.

"How come you are her?" Gauri asks him surprised.

"How was your first day?" Omkara asks her smiling.

"I've no idea what I taught.. I was shitting bricks at times... but it wasn't as bad as I expected."

Omkara chuckles. "Okay, you guys get in. I'll drop you home."

**********

Omkara was getting ready to sleep when he hears a knock on the door. He opens the door and sees Gauri standing there in a night shirt.

"I thought you slept." Omkara tells her as he gulped seeing her in her knee length night clothes.

"No, I didn't. Move."

Omkara quickly jumps forward and keeps his hand on either side of the door, blocking her. "Why?"

"What why? because you are here." Gauri tells him confused.

"Is this a plan to seduce me?" Omkara asks her skeptically. "Is that why you are dressed like this?"

"Puh-lease! I sleep without my bra. I am wearing my bra now. I'm as decent as they come!" Gauri says offended.

"Without bra?" Omkara gulps as he imagined her sleep without her bra... and her clothes.

"Yeah... I'm wearing one now! Move." Gauri tells him as she pushed him aside.

Omkara comes to reality. Even though, not very convinced Omkara steps aside.

Gauri walks in and that is when he notices two text books in her hand.

"What's that?" Omkara asks her.

"Today, I was reading, understanding and then explaining in class. So, I thought I'll prepare notes for the bigger classes. I was preparing notes in my room till now." Gauri tells him as she got on the bed and lies on her stomach as she opened the text and started reading.

Omkara's heart slams against his chest seeing Gauri on his bed. Hasn't he been fantasying about this ever since he shifted to this home? Then he sees her thighs. He gulps seeing her thighs. He couldn't take his eyes off it. Then he sees her carelessly scratching her calf with her toes.

He grabs the blanket and throws it on her.

"Thanks, Om. I think because you've your window open it is really cold in here." Gauri tells him as she continued to read.

Sighing, Omkara thanks his stars that Gauri was too involved with her work that she didn't realize the effect she was having on him.

"How was your day at school?" Omkara lies on his side next to her

"It was nice." Gauri tells him then she looks at him as she smiled. "They don't call me teacher."

"Then?" Omkara asks curiously.

Gauri smiles at him, happily. "The students call me bhaujaai because their Om bhaiyya is going to marry me."

"Really?" Omkara ask her with a smile.

"I don't know. Their Om bhaiyya is pretty dumb." Gauri cheekily tells him.

Omkara laughs.

"Do you want me to write notes for the other one?" Omkara asks pointing at the other text book.

"No... when I write notes then it kind of refreshes my memory. If you do then in class again I'll just have to read, recollect it and then explain." Gauri tells him. "

"How was your day?" Gauri asks him.

**********

"You are not liking your job at the school?" Priyanka asks her curiously.

"I'm."

"Then why are you so grumpy?"

"Your brother is so stubborn!" Gauri groans.

"Why? I thought things were going good between you guys." Priyanka says confused.

"He hasn't even kissed me!" Gauri tells her pissed.

"Erm... Should you be talking to me about that?"

"Oh please!" Gauri says exasperated.

Priyanka chuckles. "You know, you can seduce him."

"Oh my God! What a marvelous, brilliant, unique and original idea! You think I haven't tried it?" Gauri asks her irately.

**********

They were in his bedroom. Nowadays, they met in his bedroom at night to spend time together. Since, he couldn't trust her or himself, Omkara always left the bedroom door wide open so that at least he is forced to behave.

Gauri was lying on her stomach while he sat on her side and gave her a very platonic back massage.

"Now, my turn." Omkara declares.

"But I am writing notes." Gauri tells him as she turned to him.

"I'll read your text out loud to you, you tell me what notes to write. I've been massaging your back for half an hour." Omkara tells her.

"Fine... here. Read from here." Gauri tells him as she rolled to the side.

Taking the pen from her, Omkara takes her place as he posed to read and write. "I'll read?"

"Yeah start." Gauri tells him as she got on his butt and sat down.

"What are you doing?" Omkara asks shocked.

"Giving you a massage. Read." Gauri tells him as she kept her hands on his back.

Omkara was about to start reading, when Gauri leans down and starts pressing his shoulder blades.

"You're so stiff, Om." Gauri says as she leaned down on him, her breast a half a second brushing against him.

He feels her breath on him and he had goosebumps all over. "I don't want my turn... I don't want my turn." Omkara frantically says, as he pushed her off his body.

"What happened?" Gauri asks shocked then seeing his reaction, she gives a sexy, smug smile. "Really?"

"Go to your room." Omkara tells her as he jumped off the bed.

Gauri starts crawling towards him.

"Be a good girl, Gauri." Omkara warns her.

Sexily purring at him, Gauri says in a slutty tone. "But I'm a bad girl."

Omkara's eyes go wide and gulping, he stares at her.

Gauri crooks her finger at him. "Come here, master."

Omkara's mouth drops open then recovering, he shouts. "Ma..." and he runs out of his bedroom.

Gauri watched him run off, not sure whether she should laugh or pull out her hair.

**********

Gauri was in school one day, when she notices Omkara's car drive into the school compound. Curious, she walks to the classroom door wondering whether he had come to meet her or drop some students like that day. He gets down and opens the backdoor. She sees two students get down.

One was a senior girl and the other looked like a kindergarten boy. Gauri was about to walk back when she notices the girl hug Omkara. Omkara hugs her as he patted her head. Gauri smiles seeing that.

Omkara's attention was fully on the girl that he didn't notice the boy run towards the gate.

"Om..." Gauri shouts out loudly as she ran out.

Omkara looks at her and sees her pointing behind him, he turns back and sees the kid running. He runs behind him and grab him. The kid starts kicking and screaming.

"I want to go home!"

"You'll go home only after class, Vinay." Omkara tells him as he started to walk towards the class.

"No... I want to go home!" Vinay shouts in outrage and struggles and slides down Omkara's hands.

"What happened?" Gauri asks as she quickly held the crying boy.

"Stop crying." Omkara sternly tells him.

With a gasp Vinay stops crying as he hugged Gauri.

"You're going to class, Vinay." Omkara tells him as he knelt down.

"Om, what happened?" Gauri gently asks him as she lifted up Vinay in her hands.

"He got a kitten at home. And because of that for the last three days, he has been skipping school so he can play with the kitten. His father drops him to school and he runs back home. His father called me today." Omkara tells Gauri.

Seeing Omkara struggling to bring a glare to his face, Gauri knew, she has to handle this.

"Vinay..." Gauri gently calls him.

Vinay hides his face from Omkara.

"Vinay... what is your kitten's name?"

"Meow." Vinay whispers.

"What a cute name, Vinay?"

"I named him." Vinay tells her as he looked at her. "I want to go home. Meow is waiting for me."

"Vinay, you should go to class. If you don't go then Om bhaiyya will get angry." Gauri gently tells him. "You know what he will do if you make him angry?"

"Will he hit me?" Vinay asks scared.

"Never, Vinay." Gauri tells him shocked.

"Then?" Vinay asks relaxing.

"He will tell Meow to never ever play with you. If Om bhaiyya says that do you think Meow will ever play with you?" Gauri asks him.

Vinay pouts sadly then turning to Omkara, he tells him. "Don't tell him. I'll go to class."

Omkara nods as he hid his surprise.

Gauri and Omkara watched as Vinay ran to his class.

"For a second I thought he would laugh onto your face." Omkara tells her shaking his head.

"Oh you should see the ways, I have fooled Rahul." Gauri tells him smugly.

"Poor Rahul."

"What is the issue with the girl?" Gauri asks him curiously.

"Don't you have class?" Omkara asks at the same time.

"I do but the students have a test next hour, so they asked me whether they could study. I gave them free period."

"Ah... that was Pragati." Omkara tells Gauri as they walked to his car. "She turned 18 last month."

"18? And she is still in school?" Gauri asks surprised.

Omkara shakes his head. "Her parents pulled her out of school when she hit puberty."

"What?" Gauri asks shocked.

Omkara sighs. "It used to happen here a lot. She lost about 4 years. After I took charge, I made all the children go back to school. She called me today saying her parents fixed her marriage and told her not to go to school. I had a talk with her father. She will be coming to school regularly now."

Gauri smiles hearing that. "Prinku had said that because of you we have 100% literacy now."

Omkara nods. "The school had only very few students. In the beginning when I tried convincing them to send the children to school, they will come up with 100 issues. We started giving free lunch for the students here. So, most of the parents started sending their students here just because of the food. Then later, I ordered the parents that every child should be in school during school hours."

Gauri smiles, feeling proud of Omkara.

"Earlier so many people used to come to me with complaints saying that they were defrauded because they have signed documents without truly understanding what was written on it. I asked the school to have evening classes, and I made it mandatory that every uneducated person come to evening classes and learn to read and write." Omkara says then smiling happily he says, "You know, it helped a lot actually, the first year itself, two people saved themselves from being cheated because they had learned to read and write. The word spread, and everyone started taking education seriously."

"But only for boy children." Gauri says thinking of Pragati.

"Change is in the wind, Gauri. It just takes time." Omkara reassures her with a smile.

Gauri smiles hearing that. "Okay, you go. I'll see you at home. I've to check on the kids."

**********

Gauri was walking with Suresh, Ketan and Keerthana from school to home. They were talking as they walked when a bullock cart stops near them.

"Bhaujaai, come, I'll drop you home."

Noticing, the kids climbing in, she asks, "Thank you, bhaiyya. What is your name?"

"It's Bhola, bhaujaai." He replies.

As they were going, she gets a call from Omkara.

"Gauri, did you reach home?"

"I'm on the way. Bhola bhaiyya is giving us a lift."

"Bhola? Oh you shouldn't have taken it, Gauri." Omkara says softly.

"Why?" Gauri asks confused.

"Because I don't think he has any work that side of the village. He is going that side only to drop you."

"Oh... I didn't realize... he offered... should we get down?"

"No... it's okay... he might feel bad."

"Hmmm... why did you call?"

"Bimal should be there at home waiting for you. He needs some money. In my cupboard, top shelf left side, I've kept some money. Give him Rupees 1500." Omkara tells her.

"Okay... should I tell Ma? If he is already there." Gauri asks him.

"No... you should be the one to give it." Omkara tells her.

"Okay."

"I'll see you at home."

Gauri hangs up and turns to Bhola. "Bhaiyya, Om said you don't have to go towards our home. You shouldn't have taken the trouble. We would have walked."

"It is no trouble, bhaujaai. You are going to be Om bhaiyya's wife." He tells her smiling.

Gauri smiles hearing that. Lately, whenever she steps out, people stopped to speak to her like they did with Priyanka the first time she came here. And they showered her with more respect and love than they did with Priyanka.

When she had mentioned it to Daddiji once, she had replied proudly, "that is because they all know you have their Om bhaiyya's heart."

**********

Two weeks after Gauri had joined the school, she was called to the office.

"Bhaujaai, last month you worked here for two weeks, so, this is your salary for last month. Can you please count it and sign here?" The accountant asks.

Surprised, Gauri asks him. "But our family doesn't get paid for our services, right?"

"Om bhaiyya told the Principal that everybody needs to be paid for their work, even his family deserves it."

"Oh." Surprised and smiling, Gauri takes the meager amount and signs.

**********

"Why didn't you tell me that you spoke to the Principal?" Gauri asks Omkara as they lay on his bed.

"I don't know." Omkara tells her smiling. "I think I wanted to surprise you."

Smiling, she tells him. "I was pleasantly surprised."

Omkara smiles.

"Do you know that the people here adore me?" Gauri asks him.

"I know." Omkara says smiling.

"The love they have for you, they are showing me." Gauri tells him happily.

"That is not enough, Gauri." Omkara gently tells her. "They should love you for you."

Gauri's smile falters hearing that.

"And they do." Omkara tells her. "Sarang has been singing your praises to anyone who listens. Your students adore you, their parents know that. I've been hearing a lot."

Gauri smiles hearing that.

"Gauri, it is late. Go to your room." Jhanvi tells her.

Omkara turns to the sound and sees his parents at the door, he jumps off the bed while Gauri sat up in confusion seeing Omkara jump off.

Tej looks at Omkara. "The door was open and everybody saw you two together. Then why?" Tej slurs as he questions confused.

"Er... nothing..." Omkara stammers.

"What is there to hide?" Tej asks him as he swayed. "We all know that Gauri can be stubborn and persuasive. But we also know that you're strong willed."

Omkara turns completely red hearing that, while Gauri grinned.

"What are you saying? Giving me that bottle!" Jhanvi says as she snatched the bottle from him. "Come to the room."

"Gauri... I'll come in two minutes to check. Go to your room." Jhanvi tells her and drags Tej from there.

"I always told you to behave... see!" Omkara says as he turned to Gauri.

"Don't be stupid. We were alone every time I tried to seduce you. Baba is talking about marriage, and how I am trying to convince you." Gauri tells him as she got off the bed.

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

"You think they are going to be so chill if they know about it?" Gauri asks him as she wore her slippers.

"No." Omkara replies softly, realizing that it was his drunk Baba talking and nothing more.

"Okay, good night." Gauri leans up and kisses his cheek.

Omkara lightly pecks her cheek.

**********

One day, they all were having dinner.

"Radhika Bua..."

"Yes, Om?"

"You used to make designs for Prinku's dresses, right?" Omkara asks her.

"Yes." Radhika says smiling. "I made one for Gauri also, did you see?"

"She showed me." Omkara says smiling. "It was very nice. You really like doing it, right?"

"Yes. Why? You want me to do for you?" She asks jokingly. "I'll work on your sherwani for your wedding."

"Ashok has been trying to start a small business to sell customized saree and salwar materials. He'll sell it online. He needs someone to do handwork. I suggested you, would you want to do it?" Omkara asks her eagerly.

"What?" Radhika asks surprised.

"He will pay you also. Against each work you do and it will depend on the art or difficulty of the work." Omkara tells her.

"Pay? Why do I need money from him?" Radhika asks shaking her head. "I've lot of work at home." Then she asks scandalized. "How can we take money from the people here?"

"We don't need their money." Daddiji says frowning. "Your Daddaji will turn in his grave if he hears such things."

Omkara sighs.

**********

"If Radhika Bua takes this work, it will help you a lot, right?" Gauri asks Omkara as they lay in bed.

"I didn't ask for me, Gauri. I just wanted them to be independent. That they don't have to depend on me for anything." Omkara tells her.

"They don't realize that they are dependent on you. They think that it is your duty to take care of them." Gauri gently tells him.

"It is my duty, Gauri. I've to protect them. But if I am not there... I know, you'll be there for them but they shouldn't feel helpless. Earlier, because of Daddaji, I could never ask them whether they wanted to work and earn money."

"Prinku did."

"She was in the city. And nobody objected because I had supported her decision. But these people are here..." Omkara sighs.

"Om, you think they are slogging in the kitchen the whole day. I'v been in that kitchen, a little bit of planning, they don't have to be in the kitchen for more than a few hours a day. They are just used to spending the whole day in kitchen. Daddiji has her day bed in the kitchen, everybody just stays around in the kitchen because of that. They can actually go for work." Gauri tells him.

"Gauri... I can't force them to go for work. Whether to be a home maker or working woman, it is their choice. I can't interfere in that. I could have asked Baba to help but, you know how he is." Omkara tells her sadly.

"Om, you know what the problem is?" Gauri asks him as she sat up.

"What?" Omkara asks her as he sat up facing her.

"Your need to protect them." Gauri tells him.

"Gauri... it is my duty." Omkara tells her frowning.

"It is and you should but the problem is you are protecting them like children. They are adults, and treat them like adults and protect them when the need arises." Gauri tells him.

Omkara thoughtfully looks at her.

Irately, Gauri tells him. "How much more time do you need to realize that your Daddaji and his father were wrong on so many levels? Stop being stuck on what he has said and done."

"Gauri..."

Gauri cuts him off and says as she held his hand. "Om, you're the change here. But why do you always need to be pushed into that change?"

**********

Next day, Omkara calls his family for a family meeting.

Omkara looks at his parents, grandmother and his aunts, and says. "4,96,41012."

They look at him curiously.

"That is the debt that is still on us." Omkara tells them.

"What?" Tej asks in shock.

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

"How did you incur such a big debt?" Kavitha asks in shock.

"He didn't. This is the current amount, after what he has been paying off since he took over." Gauri gently tells them.

"How can we have debt?" Radhika asks in shock.

"Baba did this to you?" Tej asks Omkara, his eyes filling up.

Omkara nods. He asks them. "We owned most of the village, didn't it ever occur to you, why we now have only the factory and this home?"

"Kavitha's Baba said that he couldn't look after everything." Dadi whispers in shock.

Omkara shakes his head. He helplessly says, "When Swati asks for her share, what share should I give her? Other than a share in the debt, there is nothing I can give. I am barely making the ends meet each month."

"Why didn't you ever tell us, Om?" Jhanvi asks him in shock.

"Because Daddaji forbid me." Omkara tells her.

"So, you took this stress and suffered in silence?" Jhanvi asks, her eyes filling up.

Omkara doesn't say anything to that.

"I've gold. You sell it." Dadi tells him.

"Even I've." Radhika says.

"Even me." Kavitha says. "We'll sell it all and we might not be able to clear the full debt. But still..."

"No... no... that is an asset... you all keep it. It should go to your children. Not me." Omkara tells them.

"But this is not only your debt, Om."

"If I really need it, I'll ask." Omkara quickly tells them.

"Is that why you asked me to go for work yesterday?" Radhika asks him in shock.

"Whether you want to work or not, it is your choice, Bua. I will never ask you to work. But if you want to work then I'll do everything in my power to help you." Omkara tells her.

Radhika nods.

"But I'll say this, if you have an income of your own, then it is a relief for me. I'm not asking you to give me your salary. But it is a relief knowing that if I am ever in need of money, you'll be there to back me." Omkara tells them.

"I'm good with numbers... if you can get me a work somewhere, I can do it." Kavitha tells him lost in thoughts.

Hearing that, Omkara's eyes fill up.

"I'll take that work. Anyway, I love doing designs." Radhika says.

"Even I..." Jhanvi starts.

"Someone has to be home, bhaujaai." Radhika tells her.

Jhanvi nods and then she looks at Tej.

Tej sees everyone looking at him, he grabs his bottle and walks off.

"He can't help himself." Omkara softly tells them.

"You should have told us earlier, Om." Kavitha tells him.

"Did you think we wouldn't have helped you?" Radhika asks him, hurt.

Omkara looks at them without saying anything.

"He was protecting you all." Gauri tells them.

"When he was a wee baby, he used to come and hide under my blanket when there is lightening and thunder, and he thought to protect us?" Dadi asks offended.

Omkara chuckles as he smiled in relief.

**********

Very soon, they had fell into a new routine. With most of them going for work while Jhanvi, Tej and Dadi remained at home.

Gauri quickly noticed how Jhanvi was feeling depressed because she wasn't able to help out. Gauri suggested that Jhanvi start a cooking and gardening channel on YouTube, as that was one thing that she could do from home itself. And taught her how to take a video, edit and post it online. Then Gauri, Priyanka, Ranveer, Rahul, some of Omkara and Gauri's cousins and friends and some of the villagers, started sharing the channel on their social media pages, and slowly her channel was gaining popularity.

**********

One evening, Omkara had just reached home when he gets a call.

"It's from the hospital." Omkara tells Gauri as he answered the call. "Hello... yes, doctor... okay... okay... I'll come now."

"What happened?" Gauri asks Omkara as he cut the call.

"Krishna's father has been hospitalized. Doctor is saying, he needs to be shifted to a hospital with more facilities. I've to take him to the hospital in the city." Omkara tells her as he hurried. "I'll be late, Gauri."

"But Om, it is not safe to take in a car." Gauri tells him in shock.

"We don't have an ambulance, Gauri. We use all the funds for medicines and equipments and all." Omkara tells her then he gets another call. "Hello Krishna... the doctor called me, I'm just leaving home... oh... okay... don't worry." Omkara says as he turned and ran up the stairs.

Few minutes later, he comes running down. "Gauri..."

"Yeah, Om?" Gauri looks at him, she was telling the family about the call.

"Krishna doesn't have money for the hospital. Even I don't have money. It is the month end. I need some money." Omkara tells her.

"I don't think I have much cash. Let me check." Gauri tells him as she ran up.

"I've some money, Om." Radhika says.

"Even me." Kavita says.

Within minutes they had come with back with some cash.

Omkara takes the money in surprise. "Thank you."

"It won't be enough, right?" Jhanvi asks sees that it was very little money.

"Gauri might have." Omkara tells her. "Gauri!" Omkara calls out loudly.

"I'm coming." Gauri calls back.

"Here..." Tej says as he extended some crumbled change.

Omkara looks at Tej in confusion.

"It is the balance from the money you gave in the morning." Tej tells him.

"You keep it, baba. I won't have money to give you tomorrow." Omkara tells him.

"I don't want." Tej tells him as he put the money in Omkara's hand. "Tomorrow, you take me to the rehab."

"What?" Omkara whispers in shock.

"This time, I'll stay there. I won't run away from there. I won't be a burden on you anymore." Tej promises him.

Omkara's eyes fill up and he hugs Tej as he sobbed. "You were never a burden on me, Baba. I was scared I will lose you."

Tej hugs him tight. "You go."

Omkara nods and turns back and sees Gauri watching with tears running down her face. Everybody was crying.

Wiping her tears, Gauri walks to him. "I've only a little money here. We would need it if there is any emergency. You take my card. And bring some money for home too. Pin is 9043."

Omkara nods and takes the card.

**********

The next day, Tej was admitted in a rehab. The weeks went without any issues, and now Omkara started sharing everything with his family.

"You placed an order for an Ambulance?" Omkara asks Gauri in shock.

"Yeah."

"Why didn't you tell me?" Omkara asks her in shock.

"Didn't have time. I've to file my tax return. Ambulance is a donation, so I get tax deduction."

"Gauri, ambulance is not what we need the most. The village is too small, we can manage without an ambulance."

"I know, Om. But when you take a patient to the city hospital because he needs better treatment then taking him in car is too risky." Gauri tells him.

"That happens just couple of times a year, Gauri. We needed money for medicines, equipments, maintenance and all." Omkara tells her.

"I know." Gauri nods.

Omkara looks at her surprised.

"Om, I know in your mind, the priority for an ambulance is way at the bottom. But in my mind, it is pretty high. So, I just did what I thought was important." Gauri tells him.

Omkara sighs. "Okay. Whatever."

"By the way, I'm waiting for Anika to do some calculations."

"Anika?" Omkara asks confused, Anika was Gauri's CA, who now is Omkara's too.

"For donation to Oberoi Charitable Foundation, the school and hospital comes under it, use it for whatever you think is priority." Gauri tells him.

"Gauri, you are not making money like before." Omkara reminds her in shock.

"I'm not squandering my money, Om. That is why the CA is working on it." Gauri tells him.

Omkara nods then he says with a hopeful smile. "I'm thinking when Baba comes back, he can handle the charitable foundation."

Gauri smiles. "That will be great."

"23 days sober." Omkara says proudly and happily.

**********

Gauri was walking home from school one day when she notices black smoke up in the air.

"Oh God!" Gauri whispers in shock.

She hears a bike sound and turns back to check. She recognized the man, he was Manoj. She waves her hand to stop him.

"What happened, Bhaujaai?" Manoj asks her.

"What is that smoke? Do you know?" Gauri asks him.

"I'm going there. Devan's house caught fire." Manoj informs her.

"Oh my God... did someone inform Om?"

"Om bhaiyya should be there."

"Okay... I'm coming with you." Gauri says as she turned to the kids and handed them her bag. "You all go home. Tell ma I went to Devan's house."

Manoj looks at Gauri scandalized. Gauri hops on his bike.

"Bhaujaai..." Manoj says nervously.

"Go, Manoj... fast." Gauri tells him.

Having no option, Manoj starts the bike.

**********

As they got closer, she saw Omkara's car parked. Ignoring everyone's shocked look at her coming on Manoj's bike and she hurries to the crowd. The smoke was too much, and it was stinging her eyes. She quickly covers her nose and mouth with her dupatta.

"Om..." Gauri calls out to him as she saw him among the people as they tried to douse out the fire.

Hearing her, Omkara turns to her. "Gauri... don't come here. There is still fire."

"Is anyone inside?" Gauri asks him.

"No, we took everyone out. Fire engine is on the way." Omkara tells her as he grabbed the bucket someone came and handed to him, and heads to douse the fire.

"be careful." Gauri worriedly calls out to him.

She wasn't even sure, whether he heard. She runs to where the people were filling the water and starts carrying the water bucket back and forth.

Gauri was hurrying back with the empty bucket when she sees Devan's little daughter, faint. Dropping the bucket she runs towards her.

By the time, she got there, the crowd had gathered around her.

"Move! Give her breathing space." Gauri orders.

They quickly move aside. Gauri checks on the toddler, and quickly picks her up.

"We've to take her to the hospital." Gauri tells the mother.

"Somebody call Om bhaiyya." The mother says worriedly.

Gauri picks up the toddler and runs to Omkara's car. She places her on the back seat and asks the mother to get in. As she closed the door, she notices that the key was inside the car. She turns around and the person closest to her that she recognized was Bimal.

"Bimal, tell Om that I took the baby to the hospital." Gauri calls out to him as she got in and started the car.

**********

By the time, Omkara reached hospital it was more than two hours later. After speaking to the doctor, he went looking for Gauri and sees her sitting outside the observation with Devan's wife, Isha.

Omkara keeps his hand on Gauri's shoulder. Gauri turns to look at him and sees him looking at Isha.

"Isha, we spoke to the doctor." Omkara tells her.

Isha nods her head. "Bhaujaai took care of everything." Isha says and she notices her husband, she goes to him.

"Om bhaiyya, you go home. It is late." Devan tells him.

Omkara nods and turns to Gauri. "Come, Gauri."

"I'll come tomorrow." Gauri tells Isha.

"Thank you, bhaujaai." Isha hugs her.

Gauri hugs her and gently pats her.

Then she walks with Omkara.

"Doctor said it was stress." Gauri tells Omkara, lost in thoughts. "I got scared that she might have inhaled the smoke. She is fine but just for today, they want her to stay in the observation. They will discharge her tomorrow."

"I know." Omkara tells her as he put his hand over her shoulder and pulled her close.

**********

"How is the child?" Jhanvi asks when Omkara and Gauri reached home.

"Devashi is fine. Nothing to worry. It is stress." Gauri tells her.

"Thank God."

"We heard the house is completely gone." Kavita says in concern.

"It is." Omkara replies.

"Where will they stay?" Dadi asks in concern.

"Tonight they are staying in the hospital. From tomorrow, they will stay with Devan's brother till we can come up with a solution." Omkara tells them.

"You both look so tired." Jhanvi says. Then noticing Omkara and Gauri are covered in soot, she says. "Go and take a shower. I'll set dinner by then."

**********

Seeing Gauri walk into her bedroom, Omkara follows her. He sees her sit on her bed, lost in thoughts.

"What are you thinking?" Omkara asks her gently as he sat next to her.

"It was stress." Gauri tells him. "I got scared that she might have inhaled the smoke. She is fine but just for today, they want her to stay in the observation. They will discharge her tomorrow."

"I know." Omkara gently tells her.

"You know?" Gauri asks as she looked at him.

"You told me."

"I did?" Gauri asks surprised.

"Twice at the hospital, 4 times in the car, and now." Omkara tells her.

"Oh." Gauri looks down thoughtfully.

"Gauri..."

"Stress." Gauri looks up at him. "Doctor said it was stress."

Omkara holds her hand in his and tells her gently. "Gauri, love... if you feel like crying, then just cry."

Gauri quickly looks down as she gulped.

"Gauri..."

"Then you'll think I can't handle the responsibilities."

"Gauri, jaan, look at me." Omkara tells her lovingly.

Gauri looks up at him, eyes filled with tears.

"You didn't have to come there, but you came. You were helping to put out the fire. When you saw an emergency, you didn't stop to think, you acted without wasting even a single second. How will I ever think that you can't handle responsibilities?" Omkara asks her.

Tears drop from her eyes. "I panicked. I was so scared."

"You took charge, Gauri. And you did what you had to do." Omkara reminds her.

Gauri hugs him.

"Gauri, you don't depend on me. If you think something needs to be done, then you get it done. Whether it is to take a child to the hospital or order an ambulance that I think is not a priority. You do what you believe the people here needs." Omkara proudly tells her. "Words can't explain how much I love you, Gauri. How very proud I am of you."

Gauri hugging him tight, cries to let out the stress of the evening.

**********

Gauri had woken up earlier than usual the next morning. The truth was, that she couldn't sleep through the night. She was about to go downstairs to make tea for herself as she knew that none of the household would wake up this early. She was passing by the terrace when she hears some sound. Curious, she steps out to check. She stops in shock seeing Omkara working out with Indian clubs. He was just wearing a dhoti. She had never seen him in dhoti and he was looking so sexy.

"How come you are awake?" Omkara asks her as he kept his Indian clubs down.

"I didn't know you worked out." Gauri says as she looked at his chest.

Omkara snaps his fingers loudly.

Gauri looks up at his face.

"My eyes are up here." Omkara tells her.

Gauri walks to him. "You are wearing dhoti." Gauri says as her eyes dropped down his body.

"I wore it, Gauri. I know." Omkara tells her, loving the effect he was having on her.

"You never told me you worked out in the morning."

"At first it was no secret. Then I realized that it is better kept a secret." Omkara says with a grin.

"You are so hot, Om." Gauri tells him.

"Gauri, be a good girl." Omkara tells her, though he was grinning ear to ear.

Gauri not seeing his grin, runs her hand over his chest. Omkara stiffens feeling her touch. "I'm such a bad girl, Master. Maybe you should spank me." Gauri whispers as she kissed his chest.

With a groan, Omkara pulls her up and holds her up against the wall and hungrily kisses her.

He was kissing the life out of her and Gauri could only just hug him tight and try to match his vigor as she kissed him back.

Breathless, they part.

"Haan." Gauri sighs loudly.

Omkara grins as he looked at her passionately. He leans down to kiss her when she keeps her hand on his cheek. "Don't touch me." Omkara tells her.

"What?" Gauri asks confused.

"You can't touch me." Omkara tells her.

"Why?" Gauri asks in shock.

"You can't." Omkara tells her.

Gauri takes her hand down.

He leans down and starts hungrily kissing her neck.

Gauri moans as she closed her eyes in pleasure and titled her head to give him more access.

"I want to touch you." Gauri breathlessly says.

"No."

"I want to." Gauri says as she started touching his chest.

Omkara quickly moves back.

"Om!"

"No touching."

"Okay."

Omkara moves towards her and kisses her on the other side of her neck.

"Why, Om?"

Omkara kisses down her neck then looking into her eyes, he pulls her t-shirt down, her one boob comes into view. A hint of boob was peeking out of her bra. "Because then only you'll know the torment I went through while holding back." Omkara tells her.

"I didn't ask you to hold back." Gauri reminds him as she breathed loudly, her boob rising and falling.

"I don't care." Omkara tells her and the next second, his mouth was on her boob.

Gauri comes off the wall, moaning loading. "Om..." she hugs him and says. "Let's go to your room."

"No."

"My room."

"No."

"Here?" Gauri asks shocked.

Omkara shakes his head as he grinned.

"Then?" Gauri asks confused.

"You go to your room. And I go to my room."

"What?" Gauri shouts in shock.

Grinning sexily at her, he walks off.

"You are a bloody tease, Om!" Gauri calls out in fury.

Omkara laughs.

Gauri leans back on the wall, as she touched her lips. She sighs. His kiss had scorched her.

**********

Gauri was walking when she felt Omkara hold her hand and pull her in. He takes her behind the door and hungrily starts kissing her.

Gauri hungrily kisses him back.

"Someone will see." Omkara whispers to her as he hungrily kissed her.

"Let's go to my room." Gauri tells him as she kissed him.

"No." Omkara says as he stepped back.

Gauri glares at him then showing putting her thumb and forefinger slightly apart that it is almost touching, she says. "This close, I am to buying a vibrator."

"God, Gauri... you're so horny." Omkara says as he hungrily kissed her.

"I'm horny for you, Om." Gauri tells him against his lips. "Aren't you horny for me?" Gauri asks him.

Putting his forefinger and thumb like she did, he says, "I'm this close to taking you against this wall, even when I know, our first time should be special and it should be after we get married."

"Just take me, Master." Gauri moans.

Omkara moves back and looks at her. "This Master-slave thing that you do, is it really your kink or you joking?"

"Beginning I was joking." Gauri tells him grinning.

"And now?" Omkara asks her as he leaned to kiss her shoulders.

Gauri sighs as she enjoyed his kisses. "It is one of my fantasies."

"One of?" Omkara asks as he stopped kissing.

"You are a sports teacher and I am a cheerleader. Then I am a librarian and you a student. I am a princess and you're my royal guard. I'm your queen and you're my sex slave." Gauri starts listing out.

"Gauri, please stop talking." Omkara pleads as he rested his head on her shoulder, his heart slamming against his chest.

They remained like that for a minute, then Gauri softly calls him. "Om?"

"I just need a minute." Omkara whispers in a ragged tone.

Gauri grins hearing that. Then she says, "Maybe you should move away from me for that."

"I am not able to." Omkara helplessly says. "Just give me a minute."

"Gauri..."

Hearing Jhanvi calling her, she pushes Omkara off and starts to run out.

"Gauri... top." Omkara tells her hurriedly.

Gauri adjusts her top. "Okay?"

"Yeah."

"Gauri... your phone is ringing." Jhanvi again calls out.

"It must be Rahul." Gauri tells Omkara and runs out. "Coming, Ma."

**********

They were sitting down for dinner when they hear a knock at the door.

Omkara gets up and walks to the door. Gauri follows him.

"Om bhaiyya..."

Gauri and Omkara look at each for a second in shock, it was a kid's sound, and he was crying. Then they both run to the door. Omkara opens the door and sees two kids crying at the door. Keshav and his sister, Vidya.

"Keshav... Vidya...what happened?" Omkara asks as he knelt down and took the kids into his arms.

"Baba and dadi are hitting Ma." Keshav cries.

"Gauri..." Omkara turns to her and sees her run inside. Then she comes running back with his car keys.

"Ssshhh stop crying." Omkara wipes their tears, his heart slamming in worry.

"Om, hurry." Gauri tells him as she extended the key to him.

Omkara takes the key from her and picks up the kids.

"Om..." Gauri stops him.

Omkara turns to her.

"They should stay here." Gauri tells him as she picked up the kids from him.

Realizing he didn't know what he was going to find there, Omkara gives the kids to Gauri. "I'll bring your ma." Omkara promises them.

"Gauri, call sarpanch and police." Omkara tells her and quickly leaves.

Gauri quickly makes the call, then she takes care of the kids. Consoling them, feeding them and finally putting them to sleep.

**********

It was close to midnight when Omkara finally came with Meena. Seeing the battered up woman, Gauri's heart went out to her.

"Where is Keshav and Vidya?" Meena asks Gauri.

"They slept. They are fine, don't worry." Gauri tells her as she gently kept her hand over her hand and leads her to the kitchen where the kids were sleeping with Dadi watching over them.

"They will be staying here for a few days." Omkara informs everyone.

"Om, all the empty rooms have been closed all these days. It would be stuffy and dirty." Jhanvi tells him.

"Oh..."

"Tomorrow, I'll air out the room and get it ready. Meena can sleep in my room. The kids with Kavitha Bua and Radhika Bua." Jhanvi tells him.

"No, Ma... they have been through a lot. Don't separate them." Omkara says then noticing Gauri coming, he tells her. "Gauri, let Meena and her kids sleep in your room. You sleep with Ma."

"Okay." Gauri nods. "Ma, we have to change the bedsheets."

"I'll bring fresh sheets." Jhanvi tells her.

"Gauri, these are her tablets." Omkara gives her the medicine packet.

"You didn't have dinner, come. Sit in the dining table and eat. Meena is with her kids in the kitchen." Gauri tells him.

Omkara was having his dinner as he watched Gauri. "What happened? You seem lost."

Gauri shakes her head.

"Is it the domestic abuse?" Omkara asks her gently. "It has happened here before too, Gauri."

"How can some one do that to their wife?" Gauri asks shuddering. "Where is he now?"

"In the hospital under police custody. His mother is in the police station." Omkara tells her.

"You beat him up?" Gauri asks shocked.

"I walked in seeing he and his mother kicking her and a cloth shoved inside her mouth so she doesn't scream." Omkara shudders.

Gauri sighs feeling so disturbed.

"What will happen to Meena and her kids?" Gauri asks him. "How will we help them?"

"First get a restraining order against her husband and mother-in-law. Then get her a job. Help her get on her feet." Omkara tells her.

Gauri nods.

**********

"Om, bring Keshav up." Gauri tells Omkara as she carried Vidya to the bedroom.

Omkara picks up Keshav and follows Gauri to her room. They place the kids on the bed.

"If anything, just call me, Meena." Gauri tells her.

Meena nods.

Gauri and Omkara step out of the room. Gauri closes the door. Omkara takes her hand in his and goes to his room. He makes her sit on his bed and sits facing her.

"What happened? You are upset." Omkara tells her.

"I'm not upset. I was just thinking..."

"About what?" Omkara asks her lovingly.

"When they came, you were going to have dinner, but you just left leaving your food." Gauri says softly.

Omkara looks at her confused.

"The children knew they could come here for help and you would help them." Gauri says as tears rolled down her face.

"Gauri... why are you crying?" Omkara asks her as he wiped her tears.

"Even the children knew that they can come to you even at midnight and you would rush to help them. And you did, Om." Gauri says as she looked at him. "They have that trust in you, Om."

Omkara wipes her tears as he let her speak because he didn't understand what she was saying.

Gauri looks at him, "I feel so proud that I love you, Om." Gauri tells him crying. "I feel so overwhelmed." Gauri tells him as she sobbed.

"Oh, baby." Omkara hugs her tight.

"I love you so much, Om." Gauri tells him as she cried in his arms.

Jhanvi who had come to call Gauri, leaves hearing the conversation.

**********

Next day, Omkara and Gauri were surprised to find Tej back home.

"Baba, how come you are here?" Omkara asks him worried.

"I took permission and came. They believe I can handle it." Tej tells him smiling as he hugged Omkara tight.

Omkara hugs him. "I'm so happy you are back, Baba."

"I know." Tej replies then he moves to Gauri and hugs her.

"Gauri... can you go to the market and get some milk?" Jhanvi asks her.

"I'll go, Ma." Omkara says.

"No, Gauri will go." Jhanvi tells him.

"Yeah, I'll go. Give me the car keys." Gauri tells him.

"I'll come with you." Omkara tells Gauri as he gave her the car keys.

"Let her go, Om. You stay here." Dadi says impatiently.

Omkara and Gauri stop as they realized that the family wanted to talk to Omkara alone without Gauri's presence. They both look at each other.

"Go, Gauri." Jhanvi gently tells her.

"Should I be worried?" Gauri asks them in concern.

Jhanvi chuckles. "No, you go."

"When should I come back?" Gauri asks smiling in relief though curious.

"Half an hour." Tej tells her.

"Okay."

Omkara watches as Gauri drove off, he turns to ask his family what it was about and stops in shock seeing them glaring at him.

"What?" Omkara asks confused.

"When are you going to marry her?" Dadi asks him fed up.

"What?" Omkara asks in shock, realizing that his family has ganged up on him.

"I was a drunkard, but I knew that she was perfect for you. Why haven't you realized it?" Tej asks him angrily.

"You were worried about her handling the responsibilities, haven't you seen her handle it so well?" Kavitha asks him.

"Sometimes, better than even you." Radhika points out.

"Om, that girl has left her family and has been staying here for you for almost 6 months now. She became a part of our family and our village. What more do you want?" Tej asks him.

"We are going out, we'll come back late and when we come back we want to hear her say that you proposed her." Jhanvi orders him.

Unable to believe his eyes and ears, Omkara nods.

**********

"Where did everyone go?" Gauri asks curiously the house was empty except for Omkara and her.

"They went out. Ma made dinner for us. Come." Omkara tells her as he took her hand and led her to the dining table.

"What did they want to talk about?" Gauri asks as she took the seat Omkara had held out for her.

"I'll tell you, first let's eat." Omkara tells her.

"They took Meena and the kids too?" Gauri asks remembering.

"Yeah."

"Hmmm." Gauri decides to wait as Omkara wouldn't tell her what it is till he is ready. When he decides to be stubborn, he'll out do her too. Hadn't she seen it, when he had steadfastly tried to protect her by staying away, or how he didn't give in when she had been relentlessly trying to seduce him because he believed they should make love only after marriage.

They ate in silence, while Gauri waited impatiently and Omkara gathered his thoughts.

"Dinner done... tell me!" Gauri tells him.

"They were scolding me because I am taking forever to decide to marry you." Omkara tells her.

Gauri frowns hearing that.

Omkara chuckles. "I don't know what is wrong with them. Rahul calls me jeeju. The whole world calls you bhaujaai. Why they think like that..." Omkara says shaking his head.

Gauri smiles hearing that.

"Ever since you came, I've been trying, Gauri... but something or the other would come up." Omkara tells her disappointed.

"Trying what?"

"To save up to buy you a ring." Omkara tells her disappointed.

"Om, I don't need a ring." Gauri tells him in shock.

Omkara walks to her and kneels in front of her. "For years, I left you with no hope still you waited for me. You need all the best, Gauri. I should have proposed you properly."

"I don't need all that, Om. I know your heart and you know mine. Do you really think a ring matters to me?" Gauri asks him.

"I was wrong, Gauri." Omkara admits. "To make it perfect, I kept you waiting even more."

"We were together here, Om. I was with you. I wasn't waiting." Gauri tells him reassuringly then cheekily she adds, "Though the sexual frustration was a little too much."

Omkara gives her an exasperated look, "Do you truly believe that you were the only one who was sexually frustrated?"

Grinning, Gauri leans down and takes his lips in hers.

They part, Omkara removes the chain that he was wearing. "I don't want you to wait anymore, Gauri. This is a family heirloom. The head of the family wears this."

Gauri looks at him confused and he wears the chain on her neck.

"For me, you're my wife." Omkara tells her.

Gauri's eyes fill up hearing that, happy, she hugs him.

Omkara hugs her tight. "We'll get married officially whenever you want." Omkara tells her.

"Soon." Gauri tells him.

"Soon." Omkara promises.

Omkara leans back and grinning sexily, he says, "Let's go to..." he was about to say our bedroom when Gauri says. "Okay, I'll go pack."

"What?" Omkara asks shocked.

"We've to go convince Daddy. Tomorrow morning I'm going." Gauri tells him. "Please wash the plates. I'll go pack my stuff."

Omkara watched in shock as Gauri hurried off.

**********

"I thought you would stay here till marriage also." Omkara says as he stood by the door.

Gauri looks at him confused. "Of course I am staying. Tomorrow is friday, I'll take leave for one day. Convince daddy and come back by Monday. I have tons of portions to finish. Then there are lot of things to take care here."

"Oh... do you really have to go tomorrow? How about next week?"

Gauri looks at him and smiles softly. "I want to see Daddy, Rahul and Nayantara Aunty... I'm missing them. It is been so long since I saw them."

"Why didn't you tell me?" Omkara asks her softly.

"I was happy here." Gauri tells him smiling. "I've to ask Daddy to send chopper."

"You think he will?" Omkara asks her curiously.

"It is to go home, right? why wouldn't he?" Gauri asks him confused.

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

"Oh!" Gauri looks down thoughtfully.

"What? You don't want me to come? What if he doesn't let you come back?" Omkara asks her.

"Hmmm."

"I'll come with you, Gauri."

Gauri hesitates, and asks him. "Then will you let it slip to Daddy that we have been staying in the same room all this time?"

"What?" Omkara asks in shock.

"Daddy will agree but he might just need a push." Gauri tells him.

"You're so evil, Gauri." Omkara tells her in shock.

Gauri shrugs. "I just don't want to waste time in convincing Daddy."

"I'm not going to lie for you, Gauri." Omkara tells her as he walked to her.

"Then you don't come." Gauri grumbly tells him.

"But then I can make your lie the truth." Omkara tells her.

"What?" Gauri asks confused.

Omkara picks her up and walks to his bedroom.

"What is up with you?" Gauri asks confused.

Omkara kicks his door shut and places Gauri on the bed and hotly tells her. "I'm your husband. And wife, I want my wedding night."

Gauri felt her whole body come awake. "Yes, master." Gauri says as she leaned up to kiss him.

Omkara steps back. "Gauri, I promise we'll get to your master/slave thing. And your Queen and sex slave too. All of those... and my pizza delivery boy, heiress and pub bouncer and all."

"That is your fantasies?" Gauri asks surprised.

"Yes." Omkara says as he leaned to take her lips in his. "But tonight, I just want to make love to my wife. Make love to the love of my life."

Gauri kisses him. "Even I want to make love to you, husband."

**********

When it came to convincing her father, Gauri didn't mince words. Omkara found it out the hard way.

In the end they drove to Gauri's house, and Tej was in charge till they got back.

Harsh watched as Gauri and Omkara walked in.

"Hi, Daddy." Gauri says as she ran to him and hugged him.

Harsh pats her on her back, though his eyes were on Omkara. "So, you decided to come back?"

"We are here to get your permission to get married, Daddy." Gauri tells him.

"My permission?" Harsh asks her as he looked at her. "I thought you didn't need my permission."

"Don't make it so hard, Daddy." Gauri whines like a baby.

"Did you make it easy for me?" Harsh asks her.

"Gauri, I think I should speak to your father." Omkara tells her softly.

"Why should I speak to you?" Harsh asks him back.

"Fine! Don't talk. Listen to him!" Gauri says fed up. "Anyway I've to make a pharmacy run. I'll be back soon."

"Are you sick?" Harsh asks in concern.

"No, to get a morning after pill!" Gauri tells him and walks off.

Omkara's mouth drop open hearing her outrageous statement. He had turned completely red.

Harsh smirks at Omkara. "Your mother had promised me that she will take care of Gauri, and I never asked but she had said that you two were sleeping in two different rooms."

"When did she say that?" Omkara asks shocked.

"After panchayat. She had come to see me." Harsh tells him.

"She didn't lie." Omkara tells him.

Harsh nods.

Then remembering their last night, and the break they took on their way here... twice, Omkara confesses. "Gauri didn't lie also."

Harsh murderously glares at him. "Sit."

Omkara sits opposite to Harsh as he took his seat.

"if my daughter thinks that I would let her marry a wrong man just because she slept with him, then she doesn't know me well." Harsh tells Omkara.

"I really love her. And she loves me. I'll always keep her happy." Omkara promises him.

"I said wrong man." Harsh reminds him.

"What?" Omkara asks confused.

"When Gauri calls Rahul, I've been listening to her conversation. I understood that she really missed us but she was truly home there." Harsh tells him.

Omkara smiles hearing that. "She was."

"I don't believe that I can take her from that and put her in another house and expect that would be a home for her like your home was." Harsh says.

Omkara smiles hearing that, realizing that they had Harsh's consent. "Why didn't you speak to her all these days?"

"Did she speak to me?" Harsh asks back.

Omkara grins. "She got your stubborn nature."

"My daughter." Harsh shrugs though proudly.

"Om jeeju!"

Omkara turns back and sees Rahul running towards him. Omkara gets up and hugs him.

"When did you reach? Where is Gauri di?" Rahul asks him excitedly.

"She just went out." Omkara tells him.

"She went out without meeting me?" Rahul asks heartbroken.

"She will come now." Omkara tells him. "She is just being silly."

"She is always silly." Rahul agrees.

"But where did she go?" Nayantara asks curiously.

"To blackmail me, she wen to get a..." Harsh starts.

"Nothing!" Omkara shouts realizing that Gauri dint just inherit her father's stubborn nature, much more.

"Prinku!" Omkara says in surprise noticing his sister and Ranveer. He walks to them and hugs her. "How come you are here?"

"Gauri messaged saying she was coming home. We came to give moral support. But you guys should have been here hours ago. Why were you late?"

"Er... we took breaks in between." Omkara says as he hugged Ranveer. Then turning to Harsh, he says. "So you were expecting us?"

Harsh nods. "I need to talk to you in private."

"Sure."

"RAHUL!" Gauri shouts excitedly as she ran in.

"DI!" Rahul runs to her and hugs her.

"Where did you?" Rahul asks her angrily.

"Got it?" Harsh mocks her.

Gauri looks at Harsh in confusion then at Omkara.

"he doesn't care about that, Gauri." Omkara tells her.

"Daddy, I love Omkara and I'll marry only him." Gauri stubbornly tells him.

"I gathered as much." Harsh says in a dismissing tone and turns to Omkar. "COme."

Omkara looks at Gauri and sees her staring in confusion. He smiles at her happily.

"You agreed?" Gauri asks happily.

Harsh gives her a look.

"Oh Daddy... I love you so much!" Gauri shouts as she ran to him and hugged Harsh.

Harsh couldn't hold on to his disgruntled face and hugs her.

"Thank you so much, Daddy."

Harsh leans down and whispers into her ears. "I heard good things about him."

Gauri looks at his face and says so happily. "Just give him a chance, Daddy, you'll love him."

**********

"Why it took you so long to realize that my daughter can and will handle all the responsibilities?" Harsh tells Omkara as he sat down in his study and gestured Omkara to sit opposite him.

"It was not handling. It was about forcing those responsibilities on her. I wanted to be sure this is what she wanted. Because being my wife, means she has no choice but work for the people." Omkara explains.

"She has a heart of gold. Did you think she wouldn't do everything in her power to help your people."

"My people." Omkara points out. "Till it becomes her people, it is a burden. The weight of it is too heavy. I didn't want what I went through to happen to her also."

Harsh looks at him confused. "I don't get it. You were all alone when you took charge. But in her case, you are there to share the responsibilities and burden. It is not the same as it was with you."

"I think I just wanted to protect her. She never had anything to prove to me. I just didn't want her to regret marrying me."

Harsh nods. "I know, she told Rahul that."

Omkara nods.

"I've had people do a complete background check on you."

Omkara nods softly.

"I believe I know things about you that even you don't know, now." Harsh boasts.

"Whatever you want to know, you can ask me. I'll be honest to you." Omkara tells him.

"I know about the money your family owes." Harsh tells him.

"As the head of the family, that debt is my responsibility." Omkara tells him.

"You won't be paying them anymore."

"You paid off my debt?" Omkara asks outraged.

"I didn't pay it off. I bought it. You'll pay it to me from now on." Harsh tells him.

Frowning, Omkara asks him. "Why?"

"From what I have heard of you, I know you won't let me pay off. And I can't tolerate the thought of my daughter owing people money. So, this is the solution."

Seeing Omkara unconvinced and uncomfortable, Harsh says. "It is the best of both worlds. Let it be. We'll come up with a repayment plan."

Omkara nods.

"Gauri is a teacher there, I believe. Is that what she is planning to be from now on?" Harsh asks Omkara.

Omkara shakes his head. "She knows she is good but she doesn't enjoy it much. This is only till the end of this academic year or till we get a replacement. After that, she is looking at her options."

"She can join back here."

"But she'll be there." Omkara reminds him.

"I'm planning some investments there." Harsh tells him.

Omkara sits up, every bit the leader of his people, and he says. "We'll have to discuss about those. I need to know exactly what you are planning. If I am convinced that it is good for my people, then you'll have my permission and support."

"Of course. But that meeting is for another day. With my team, your people, and of course Gauri." Harsh tells him.

Omkara nods, relaxing. "Why do you want to invest there? For Gauri?"

"You're a good leader, Omkara. You really want the best for your people. You want to bring in a lot of development there. And my daughter lives there. So, I will always do what I can." Harsh tells him.

Omkara nods thoughtfully. "I'll do anything that will be beneficial for the people."

"Good. But let me tell you honestly."

Omkara nods.

"You are a capable leader. You want the best for your people. You care for them and are willing to do anything for them. Your MBA in human resource, I guess do come in handy. But I've been going through your finance for the last 6 years."

Omkara couldn't hide his astonishment wondering how he did that.

Shaking his head, Harsh says, "But when it comes to finance, you do leave a lot to be desired."

Grinning, Omkara tells him. "Gauri says my finance management is disappointing."

"She was being very kind, she might love you more than I imagined."

Omkara bursts out laughing hearing that. God, his father-in-law was a lot like his wife, he adored him already!

Harsh smiles as he stood up, indicating the meeting over. "I do suggest that you let Gauri handle all the finance aspect, or even Tej, he used to be good before alcohol got to him, if I say so myself."

**********

Seeing Omkara and Harsh walk in, Gauri runs to him excitedly. "Did you know that Daddy, Rahul and Nayantara Aunty are coming with us. So they can meet everyone there and fix a wedding date?"

"He just told me now." Omkara tells her smiling.

Gauri hugs Harsh. "I love you so much, Daddy."

Harsh smiles and hugs her.

"I am assuming that you want the wedding to be in Bareilly." Harsh asks Gauri and Omkara.

"Yes, Daddy. Everybody there are waiting for our wedding." Gauri tells him.

"It's their Om bhaiyya and bhaujaai's wedding. The people there wouldn't let them have it in any other way." Priyanka tells him smiling.

Harsh nods then he tells Omkara. "Since you are having it at your place, we get to plan the wedding."

Omkara nods realizing that Harsh wanted to give a grand wedding for his daughter, but knowing that he couldn't afford to have a grand function, Harsh was taking care of it, demanding it as his right.

"Gauri... this..." Priyanka asks confused as she took the locket on her chest in her hand.

Gauri smiles.

Priyanka turns to Omkara and says grinning. "Swati didi is going to lose it."

"If she has a problem, she can deal with me." Omkara arrogantly says.

Crossing her fingers, Priyanka prays, "Please let me be there."

Omkara chuckles as he lovingly shook her head.

"Bhaiyya, you are staying with us, right?" Priyanka asks him.

Omkara looks at Gauri and sees her shaking her head at him as she glared at him. He looks at Harsh and sees him watching Gauri.

"Erm..." Omkara looks at Gauri.

Shaking his head, Harsh declares as he walked off, in a giving up tone. "We've dogs and night watchmen here. You're going to be dead by morning if you try to sneak in. You stay here only."

"Oh my God, Harsh, keep quiet. What are you saying?" Nayantara asks embarrassed. "He just keeps talking nonsense. You ignore him." Nayantara tells Omkara and Priyanka.

Omkara bursts out laughing hearing that.

Everyone except Gauri and Harsh looks at him in shock and confusion.

"Leave it, wife. You call that wedding planner you mentioned, we've to plan a quick wedding otherwise the Oberoi heir is going to be illegitimate." Harsh tells her.

Nayantara, Priyanka and Ranveer look at Omkara and Gauri awkwardly.

"You did it!" Priyanka finally says as she looked at Gauri.

"Did what, Gauri di?" Rahul asks confused.

Seeing Gauri's eyes go wide, Omkara laughs even more.

"I knew it!" Ranveer declares. "I won, pay up!" Ranveer tells his wife.

Priyanka glares at her brother. "I thought you would stay strong."

"You two were laughing at my misery?" Gauri asks outraged.

"Er... Harsh..." Nayantara runs off hearing the conversation then turning she holds Rahul's hand and drags him with her.

"No man can resist for too long!" Ranveer smugly tells her.

"Actually, he did." Gauri tells him. She takes the chain and says. "I'm his wife."

Omkara grins as he pulled Gauri close.

"So, I won!" Priyanka declares.

Ignoring her, Ranveer cutely tickles Gauri's cheek. "Oh you poor you, we men would say anything to convince you."

Gauri frowns hearing that.

"And to convince ourselves." Ranveer cheekily adds.

Gauri turns to Omkara and sees him laughing, then he looks at her winks.

**********

They were married in less than two months. It was a grand wedding with everyone they knew attending. And like an icing on the cake, Priyanka had invited Ranveer's parents for her brother's wedding and they had come. Even though, they had kept to themselves during the function and had been serious throughout, everyone knew it was a good beginning.

**********

8 years later

Omkara walks to Hiten and his wife, and their 7 years old son, Hriday.

Omkara leans down and asks him gently. "Why are you not going to school, Hriday?"

"I don't want to go." Hriday replies as he tried to hide behind his father.

Omkara feels his daughter leaning on him, but he doesn't look at her, his attention fully on Hriday.

"The last few days, he has been crying so much, I just didn't have the heart to force him to go. He says, everyone makes fun of him in school. That is why I called you." Hiten tells him helplessly.

Omkara nods and asks lovingly. "Who makes fun of you, Hriday?"

"Everyone." Hriday replies.

"Even the teachers?" Omkara asks frowning in anger.

"No."

"Your classmates?" Omkara asks gently.

Hriday nods in yes.

"I'll tell them not to make fun of you." Rithwika says as she stepped forward.

Omkara couldn't help smile at his daughter.

"And I'll be your friend, and if anyone makes fun of you, I'll hit them." Rithwika promises.

Hriday looks at Rithwika through tear filled eyes.

Omkara smiles hearing his daughter. At 4, she acted every bit like an heir. When she was born, he had announced that she is his heir. It had shocked the people, but he had ignored that and didn't let anyone challenge him. Rithwika was by his side when she was not in school. It was his way of molding both the people and Rithwika. For the people the idea that his daughter might lead them in the future and for Rithwika, to know and understand the responsibilities and duties. So she won't be in a state of shock like he was, if she ever decides to take up the position of family head.

He had announced her his heir, though, Gauri and he were always clear that ultimately it would be Rithwika's decision whether she wants to take up the role. Even when his son was born, Omkara made it clear that Rithwika is his heir, and the people now, accepted her as the heir who would be their guardian one day.

"They call me dumb." Hriday says softly.

"Why?" Rithwika asks frowning.

"Because I am stupid. I am not able to read and write." Hriday cries.

Omkara frowns hearing that and he gently holds his daughter, silently telling her to let him speak.

"You are in 2nd standard, right?" Omkara asks him gently.

Hriday nods his head. "I don't want to go to school. I am stupid."

"You are not stupid, Hriday." Omkara tells him as he held him. "And no one will call you stupid. I'll speak to your classmates." Omkara promises him.

"I can't read and write. I can't understand anything. I am stupid." Hriday cries as he hugged Omkara.

Omkara gently rubs his back. "Okay, then don't go." Omkara gently tells him.

"But Papa..." Rithwika starts frowning at him.

Omkara puts up his hand to stop her. Then turning to Hiten, he mouths to his, his notebook.

Hiten takes one out from Hriday's bag and gives it to Omkara. Omkara flips through the book and sighs.

"Go inside, Hriday." Omkara tells him as he gave his book.

Hriday runs inside.

Omkara turns to Hiten. "I feel he has learning disability. I can't be sure. We need to get him tested. Gauri will coordinate with you."

"Learning disability? Like Taare Zameen Par?" Hiten's wife asks in shock.

"Possible. Let's see. Don't worry. We'll sort it out." Omkara tells him as he picked up his daughter. "She is getting late for school. Gauri will call you."

They nod worriedly.

**********

"You know, if he has dyslexia we would need a qualified teacher for him." Gauri tells him as they walked in home with Rithwika running ahead of them.

"We'll hire one." Omkara tells her.

"Mamu!" Rithwika calls out loudly.

"Rahul?" Gauri asks surprised as she hurried in and sees her brother with her new born son. "My son is two months old and finally you got time to come and see him."

Rahul grins at her as he hugged her. "You talk as if I was at home these two months."

Omkara grins as he hugged his brother-in-law. Rahul had gone to UK to do his degree. Omkara smiles seeing how much Rahul has grown up, he had shed his baby fat though he still had his boyish looks.

Omkara hugs Rahul while Gauri picked up her son from Rahul.

"Did you miss Mama, Vijju?" Gauri coos at him.

"You could have just named him Vijju itself instead of Ranvijay."

"Why you have problem with that name?" Gauri asks him frowning.

"Too long." Rahul tells her as he picked up his niece and threw her in the air.

Gauri ignores his banter and asks him. "When did you come? Why didn't you tell me?"

"I came here directly. Daddy and Mummy will be coming later today." Rahul informs her.

"What? Why didn't they tell me? I've to get there rooms ready." Gauri says.

"Gauri, relax... your father had told me." Tej informs her. "Everything is taken care."

"Why didn't you tell me, Baba?" Gauri asks shocked.

"I'm not a tattletale, Gauri." Tej cheekily tells her.

Gauri gives him a look.

"Rahul wanted to surprise you." Tej finally tells her.

**********

Way past midnight, Omkara walks into their bedroom and sees Gauri putting Ranvijay in his crib.

"Everyone slept?" Gauri asks, hearing Ranvijay's cries, she had come up to feed him.

"Yeah, Rahul wasn't letting anyone sleep. I think, he plans to change our sleep cycle to his timings than he changing to ours." Omkara tells her chuckling.

Gauri laughs. "It is so nice to have everyone here. If I knew, I would have asked Priyanka to come with the kids."

Omkara gives her a look. "Gauri, it might be easy for you to take an international flight on whim. Not for everyone else."

Gauri grins, Priyanka and Ranveer had shifted to Canada for better prospects.

"Are you sleepy?" Omkara asks her as he ran his finger on her arms.

Gauri grins. "What do you have in mind?"

"You know, downstairs, I was thinking of the time you had stayed here before the wedding, and how you used to try to seduce me." Omkara says grinning.

Gauri chuckles. "Master?"

"No!" Omkara says shaking his head. "You are the princess and I'm the body guard who has vowed to protect your chastity."

"God, Om." Gauri groans. "How long has it been? Before Vijju? And you want me to seduce the hell out of you?"

"Come on, you can do it, my princess?" Omkara sensuously says as he moved away from her.

*** The End ***

I have no idea, who all read till the end... I feel the story was more preachy than romantic.

The whole story was created because I wanted to write the scene, where Gauri picks up her bags and comes to stay in Omkara's house. Hope this story wasn't too preachy or too boring for you guys.

Please vote and comment.

- Lazy