Deep in my heart, I'm concealing Things that I'm longing to say
Scared to confess, what I'm feeling Frightened you'll slip away

- You Must Love Me, Madonna

Omkara stared at the tiny woman walking here and there checking the arrangements of ShivIka's sangeeth from time to time. Of course, she was the Queen in stressing oneself. He took slow strides towards the corner where his younger brother stood.

"Kya hua O? Bohot der se kisiko taad raha hai?" Rudra asks wiggling his eyebrows earning himself a whack on his head. "Shut up!" Omkara says and continued roaming his eyes around his chirraiyya. "Nahi, aapne hi to kaha tha ki aapko farak nahi padta" Though Rudra's statement made him conscious for a second, he didn't back out from the staring session.

That's when he noticed the guy walking beside her, talking to her with a flirty smile. His wife, who had no clue about the creep's intentions was freely replying to his questions. Does she have an idea about how beautiful she looks?

Clad in a Red heavy Banarasi lehenga, and her hair tied up in a bun, she looked breathtaking. Tiny strands of hair falling from the sides, and her annoyed expression added more beauty. All in all, his wife was looking like a fairy descending from heaven.

Wife; That was a term Omkara recently came into terms with. To acknowledge the petite woman whose life he had messed up, as his partner, his better half, was a thing Omkara took long time in. In fact, he had realized the significance of Gauri Sharma in his life. If she hadn't entered his life, he would've remained the Stone-hearted Omkara and if she left, he would return to the same.

Currently, he couldn't control himself from walking towards Gauri as the guy moved too close and she appeared visibly uncomfortable. Rudra immediately rushed to Shivaay with a gleeful smile, so that he doesn't miss 'anything'.

--------------

Gauri had seen her long-haired husband staring at her since the beginning. She tried engaging in a conversation with Anika but she was soon occupied by Shivaay. That's when, Mr. Abhimanyu Raheja, one of Shivaay's business associates, made an effort to talk with her. In a bid to avoid Omkara, she had pretended to be interested in whatever he was talking.

Now, who would've thought that he'd end up as a headache.

"So you're Omkara's wife?" Gauri nods with a smile mentally cursing her luck. "I must say you look very beautiful. Omkara is really lucky" he says and steps forward to which Gauri's smile dimmed. She took a step back but Abhimanyu wasn't showing any signs of leaving her alone.

"Thank you Mr. Raheja" both of them turn their heads as a manly voice interrupted the scene.

Gauri was taken by surprise when Omkara pulled her closer by the shoulders while replying Abhimanyu. She was calming her racing heart when Omkara's hand moved down her arm and rested at her elbow, caressing her in the process, setting the once cooled fire again aflame.

"I'm sorry to interrupt the conversation like that but it would be nice if you could leave us, alone" he said with a smile and a silent threat in his eyes.

Abhimanyu had heard about the rage of the Oberoi brothers. Especially the middle O-bro, right now glaring at him through that smile. He nervously smiled before retreating back to the crowd lest he would be awarded with may be a few punches.

--------------

Omkara was not afraid to love. He was afraid of not being loved back. Shivaay knew that better than anyone else. This very factor was the villian in his marriage.

But right now, to see the insecure Omkara, rightfully calling Gauri his wife, was quite a sight to behold.

Shivaay didn't realise he was smiling until he felt Rudra patting his shoulder. "Well, I didn't expect that!" Rudra said mirroring Shivaay's expression.

"Aap log un dono ki privacy ki tai tai phis mat kijiye!" Anika said and pulled both of them away before they could interrupt the lovey-dovey moment.

--------------

"Are you fine?" Omkara softly asks once they were alone. Gauri could feel her heart thudding fast at that. No, this was one of those beautiful dreams which would soon get tarnished. She moved away from his grip, her eyes cast on the floor.

"What will happen to me?" She asks back as she adjusted her hair. A frown appeared on Omkara's face at her question. "I saw what was happening" he replies and she looks up.

"I'm sorry that I left you alone" he says and her eyebrows arch in confusion. What's with him? She looked straight into his eyes, but unlike the other times, he looked back at her.

Her eyes held questions he never bothered to answer. Who was she for him? What role did she play? And, what was their relation? While she could only see uncertainties and scars in him. Was it too late?

(Please play the track now)

Suddenly, the music changed to a romantic one and all the couples moved to the dance floor. Even Tej and Jhanvi kept aside their differences for a while and chose to live the moment.

Gauri was about to walk to a corner when she felt him take her hand in his'. "Everyone is living the moment. Why can't we?" He says and led her to the floor all the while keeping his eyes hooked onto hers.

His hands went around her waist pulling her closer while she kept her hands on his chest. Their feets moved without interrupting each other as their eyes remained in each other.

"Eisa mat kijiye. Jaana mushkil ho jaayegi" she says as he twirled her. She landed back safely to his arms and he held her in a firm grip. "Jaana zaroori hai?" He asks back and her lips rose to a sad smile.

"Yes. Why should I stay here when our marriage was just an 'act'?" She asks and he remains silent. "Jawaab nahi hai na?" She says and he felt guilty for hurting her to this extent.

"You're the daughter-in-law of this house Gauri. You have every right to stay here" he says as they once again faced each other. A sardonic chuckle escaped Gauri's lips as she heard that. Her eyes sheathed with tears at his choice of words. He would never call her his wife.

"Mat jao Gauri" he says and their eyes met. She could still see the uncertainty in his eyes. No, she was not going to put her self respect on stake. Their bodies swayed and he twirled her again. Her back lands on his chest as his hands rested leisurely on her waist.

"Humare jaane ya na jaane se kisiko kya farak padta hai Omkaraji!" She sadly exclaims and his heart sunk. Why was he pushing her to more despair? Why can't he just, love her the way she loved him?

"Mujhe farak padta hai Gauri. Tum mere liye kya hai, yeh main nahi jaanta. Lekin itna to jaanta hai; tumhaare bina, main ek khoya khayaal hai. Tum woh dil hai, jahaan maine apna jagah dhoond liya" in the dim lit hall, even if the music was playing so loud, Gauri could hear those words above everything.

She looks at him and this time, there was no room for doubt. She knew, they had a long way to walk, a lot to talk, and many things to solve. But as he said, she chose to live the moment.

Omkara felt her going loose in his arms. Her stiff aura lessened and she melted, letting herself grow close to him. He knew, their new found affection for each other needed time to grow into the much broader definition of love. But right now, it was just their synchronised heartbeats and the happiness.

He twirls her for one last time as her smile turned into a beautiful one. Her hands slides down to his hands as they intertwined them in a silent promise. Suddenly she felt something cold slide down her finger and she averts her gaze to look at it. A ring now lay there, as a symbol of their reluctance to leave each other.

She smiles at him and he smiles back. A raw confession of untouched feelings, with silence playing the melody for them. His lips touch her forehead in a feathery light kiss and she close her eyes, as they chose to live the moment.

Hey all! Hope you all liked it. Do tell me your views. Criticisms are openly welcomed.

Sorry for the grammatical errors in hindi dialogues if any.

Got this idea from the scene where Om stops Gauri from leaving. It was so beautiful but the conversation ended abruptly which contradicted the emotional side. So, this is a different interpretation.

Thank you for reading 💛.

Stay safe💛. Be happy 😊💛.