Dinner had always been a comforting routine, where the three of them—Omkara, Gauri, and Anaya—gathered to share stories from their day. But tonight, the air was different. Gauri’s hands trembled slightly as she placed the last dish on the table, trying to mask the turmoil in her heart with a forced smile.

“Anaya, dinner’s ready!” Gauri called out, her voice unusually strained.

Anaya came bounding in with her usual energy, her eyes lighting up at the sight of her favorite dishes. “Maa, daal makhani! You always make the best!” she exclaimed, climbing into her seat.

Omkara took his place at the table, but Gauri noticed the distracted look in his eyes. He was physically present, but his mind was miles away, grappling with questions that had no easy answers. Gauri had seen him like this before—lost in thought, wrestling with something he couldn’t quite articulate.

“So, what else did you learn in school today, Anaya?” Omkara asked, attempting to focus on their daughter, but his tone lacked its usual warmth.

“Papa! We learned about dinosaurs! Did you know that the T-Rex had tiny arms?” Anaya said, her enthusiasm a small flicker of light in the otherwise heavy atmosphere.

Omkara smiled, but it was fleeting. “Really? That sounds interesting,” he replied, but Gauri could tell his thoughts were elsewhere.

The silence that followed was suffocating. Normally, they would chat and laugh, sharing little moments of joy. But tonight, Omkara’s preoccupation was too obvious to ignore. He kept glancing at Gauri, as if he wanted to say something but couldn’t find the words. And Gauri… Gauri was struggling to keep her composure, her appetite nonexistent as her thoughts spiraled.

She had made a decision—she was leaving everything to Omkara this time. For three years, she had loved him with every fiber of her being, knowing all too well that he might never feel the same. She had fought for this marriage, had given her all, but now… now she was exhausted. Emotionally, she was at her limit. And with Vaishnavi back, the uncertainty of it all was too much to bear.

Omkara noticed that Gauri hadn’t touched her food. Concern etched across his face, he spoke up. “Gauri, you’re not eating. Are you okay?”

Gauri forced a smile, one that didn’t reach her eyes. “I’m fine, Omkara. Just not very hungry tonight,” she said, hoping he wouldn’t press further.

Omkara’s concern deepened, but he didn’t push further. His own thoughts were a mess—on one hand, he was trying to figure out why Vaishnavi had returned, and on the other, he was worried about Gauri, who was clearly not herself.

The next morning, Omkara woke up with a sense of dread. He knew what he had to do, but that didn’t make it any easier. As he got dressed, as he got down to the hall, he glanced at Gauri, who was quietly sipping her tea at the kitchen counter.

The usual warmth of their morning routine was absent. Gauri’s movements were mechanical, as if she were simply going through the motions. Omkara hesitated for a moment, then walked over to her, taking a deep breath.

“I’ve decided… I’m going to meet Vaishnavi today,” Omkara said, his voice steady, but his heart heavy with the weight of his words.

Gauri’s hand stilled on her cup, the tea suddenly feeling too hot against her fingers. She had known this was coming, had prepared herself for it. But the reality of hearing him say it out loud still sent a jolt of pain through her chest. She swallowed hard, trying to keep her voice neutral.

“I see,” she replied, her tone flat, devoid of any emotion.

Omkara watched her, searching her face for any sign of what she was truly feeling, but Gauri had always been good at hiding her emotions. He wanted to say something to reassure her, but he wasn’t sure how. How could he, when he himself was so uncertain about everything?

The silence between them grew, stretching into an uncomfortable distance. Omkara cleared his throat, trying to find the right words.

“I… I don’t want you to worry. I just need to understand why she’s back,” Omkara explained, though he wasn’t sure if he was saying it for Gauri’s sake or his own.

Gauri nodded, though her eyes remained fixed on the countertop. “I know,” she whispered. “But I should get going. I’ll be late for work.”

Omkara’s heart sank as he watched her turn away. He wanted to reach out, to pull her into his arms and tell her that everything would be okay, but he couldn’t. Not when he didn’t believe it himself.

“Gauri…” he started, but she was already halfway out the door.

“I’ll see you later,” she said, her voice tight, before she disappeared down the hallway.

Omkara stood there, the knot in his chest tightening. He knew this meeting with Vaishnavi could change everything, and the fear of what it might mean for his relationship with Gauri was almost paralyzing.

As Gauri drove to the office, her mind wandered back to a time when life had been simpler, before all the complications of adulthood had weighed her down. She remembered her first year of college, a time when she had felt so utterly lost.

Her parents had passed away in a tragic accident just before the semester started. The grief had been overwhelming, consuming her every thought. She had moved through those days like a ghost, barely existing, just going through the motions. And then, one day, as she sat alone in the college canteen, everything changed.

She had been staring blankly at her food, the noise of the crowded room fading into the background, when a shadow fell across her table. She looked up, surprised to see Omkara standing there, his usual confident smile on his face.

“Mind if I sit here?” he had asked, his tone light, almost teasing.

Gauri had been too stunned to respond at first. She had seen Omkara around campus, and knew of his reputation as the charming, artistic type. But she had never expected him to notice her, let alone want to sit with her. She had nodded shyly, her heart racing.

She couldn't deny even if she wanted to, she had now become a charity case of the college, a student who couldn't even afford her own fees. Although she was thankful for the college to step up and help her because of her excellent performance in the past two semesters, the people in the college had somehow started treating her different, as though she was nothing .. and now that Omkara was finally talking to her, she felt a sense of normalcy and she held onto it.

Omkara had sat down, casually leaning back in his chair as if he owned the place. “You know, I’ve seen you around, but I don’t think we’ve officially met,” he said, his eyes twinkling with mischief. “I’m Omkara.”

She had introduced herself quietly, still unsure why he was there. But then he had started talking, asking her questions, making her laugh with his playful banter. He had flirted with her, but it had been gentle, more about bringing a smile to her face than anything else. And for the first time since her parents’ death, Gauri had felt something other than pain.

That day had marked the beginning of their friendship. Omkara had become her first real friend in college, the one who had helped her navigate the darkest days. He had been her light in a world that had seemed so overwhelmingly dark.

But now, as she sat in traffic, Gauri couldn’t help but wonder if that light had been nothing more than an illusion. She had fallen in love with him so deeply, had given him everything she had, but she wasn’t sure if he would ever truly be hers.

Later that evening, Omkara returned home, his mind buzzing with everything that had transpired during his meeting with Vaishnavi. But he wasn’t alone. As he walked through the front door, Vaishnavi followed closely behind him.

Gauri, who had been sitting on the couch, looked up in surprise. The sight of Vaishnavi standing beside Omkara sent a chill down her spine. Her heart pounded in her chest, her mind racing with a thousand questions. What was she doing here? Why had Omkara brought her back to their home?

“We need to talk,” Omkara said, his expression serious, almost apologetic.

Gauri felt her throat tighten, her mind struggling to process what was happening. She glanced at Vaishnavi, who looked equally tense, her eyes filled with an emotion Gauri couldn’t quite place.

“What’s going on?” Gauri asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

Omkara hesitated, unsure of how to explain the situation without making things worse. But he knew they couldn’t avoid this conversation any longer. Whatever this was, they would have to face it together—no matter how painful it might be.

As Gauri’s eyes locked with Omkara’s, she knew that the answers to her unspoken questions were coming. And she wasn’t sure if she was ready to hear them.

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