"There is a storm brewing at home Taadaka and you tell me that Omkara knows of our scheme? Why can't you be more careful?" Kalyani scolded her friend.

"I thought he will wait at the car. I was just about to leave from there when he heard us. Sheer bad luck."

"Fine, at least they are married now. You have taken their pictures right?"

"Yeah. I could manage a few after we came home. He is angry with me," Taadaka said with sadness.

"Omkara's anger is short lived Taadaka. It is difficult to control him once he is at peaks but he will calm down soon. Don't worry about it. I have other issues to worry about. Send me the pictures, I will ask Shivaay to speed up the marriage registration process," she instructed.

"Kalyani,...." Taadaka stressed doubtfully.

"What is it?"

"You are not repeating the same mistake you did with Tej and Jhanvi right? You were so adamant on them not taking divorce saying they still loved each other. Look at what that did to Omkara."

"I agree I was wrong then Taadaka but Omkara is not Tej. I trust my grandsons with my life. They will never wrong their wives. Mujhpe nahi to unpe bharosa rakho," Kalyani reassured when Taadaka heard a knock on the door.

"Seems like Gauri came, I will talk to you tomorrow," she said.

"Are you sure you cannot make Om stay for a bit longer, things are not okay at home and I doubt how he will cope if he comes back now. Shivaay also isn't home, he will be back by the weekend," Kalyani asked again.

"I tried Kalyani but he is adamant on returning," Taadaka confirmed and Kalyani sighed.

"Okay then, good night," she wished and ended the call.

Taadaka opened the door of her room and welcomed Gauri inside.

Her swollen eyes told her that she had been crying but the bright smile she had on her face was so contrasting that she doubted her observation.

"Are you alright?" she asked and soon chuckled when the latter hugged her happily.

"Kyaa baat hai? Itni khushi. Pata hota to pehle hi na karwadeti tum dono ki shaadi.( You seem to be so happy. Had I known earlier, I would have got you married sooner.) There wasn't need of so much drama then," she said and Gauri parted with a frown.

"Means?"

Damn... she should keep her mouth in check.

"Uh.. means.. Omkara wasn't agreeing to the idea right. I was talking about that. Anyways you are happy now that is all that matters to me. Come sit," Taadaka quickly said making her sit on her bed and settled beside her.

"Now tell me," she said in excitement.

"Tell what?"

"Your love story," she said making Gauri widen her eyes.

"You don't know?"

"Well, no one seems to know everything. Kalyani knows a few bits and Jhanvi knows a few. I want to know the rest," she asked with a smile.

"Daadi ji, but why now, everything is going good," she tried to refrain from recollecting memories which might dampen her mood.

"Why? I want to know the complete story. Won't you tell me?" she asked with a pout making her sigh.

"And yeah, tell me the truth even if it is bad."

"I didn't understand."

"Kalyani said Omkara was a bit wrong and you had minor differences."

Gauri raised her eyebrows at the statement.

"Minor differences?"

They were about to get separated.

"Yeah, was it a big fight?"

Gauri scrutinized her for a few minutes just to see if she was kidding and when she confirmed that the elder one genuinely didn't know, she smiled.

"I will tell you the story, you decide for yourself," she said and began her narration.

Halfway into the plot, the woman lost the excitement and began frowning. Though she avoided the gruesome details, by the time Gauri finished with a better version of the story, Taadaka was seething.

"I can't believe Omkara can do this. Is this your story?"

Gauri let out a shaky breath when she heard her say again, "Love story sunna tha mujhe, isme pyaar kidhar hai? Dikh raha to sirf Zulm and zyathi. Tune ab tak thapad kaise nahi maara? (I asked for a love story. Where is love in this? All I see is injustice and self-indulgence. Why did you not slap him till now?)"

"And what the hell were you insecure about? He is a lost case and you held onto him till now. He should be forever grateful. Samjhi tum?"

"We come from two entirely different classes of society Daadi ji. He would have been far out of reach had he not come to bareilly."

"Well, he came, you both met and you cannot undo it. If Shankar ji has decided that you are to be his wife, you are worthy of it. Do you doubt his decision?"

She shook her head in a no and she continued.

"Leave about what you think of this. If the people who are the closest to him, who know him forever say that you are the one for him, you shouldn't be questioning their judgement. All of them can't be wrong."

Gauri nodded her head with a smile.

"Did he change now or should I use a crowbar?" she asked making her gasp.

"Daadi ji, why to resort to violence? He seems to be improving."

"Meri bachi, you went through so much. This shouldn't have happened," she said patting her head. She began to regret blindly listening to her friend.

"Let us leave this here Daadi ji. You don't question him tomorrow. It will only lead to him felling bad about himself. I never wanted that. All I ever wanted was trust, love and respect. I won't get anything with him drowning in a pit of guilt."

"You decided to start on a fresh note and that is the reason I am keeping calm. But Gauri, in order to love someone you needn't lose yourself. Be the confident girl you were before you met Omkara," she advised and her smile dimmed.

"What is it?"

"I don't know if I am doing the right thing but ..."

"You want to do it," she completed getting a nod in response.

"That is because you love him. You better accept it instead of commanding of heart not to do it. The forbidden is always what we crave for. You have been putting fences and asking it to not love him and that is the very reason why you are too deep in the trench now."

"We cannot do anything about that Gauri. Just see that he doesn't take that love for granted. That is all you can do now. Instead of waiting for him to make things worse, you foresee things and act fast. You are not the girl who was forced on him now. You are his wife who he himself has accepted. You have the right to talk now."

"You should support him but you should be confidant to be of help to him. You cannot be hanging from a cliff yourself when you give him a hand. And if anytime this gets too much, you should ask for help. Omkara's insecurities are too deep rooted. You alone cannot handle everything."

"What if he decided to give up? I cannot lose him again. He has become so important to me that if he isn't happy, I cannot be," she started to put forth her worst fear.

"I understand. After I lost Haridas ji, I thought my life is over and that is forty years ago. Look at me now. I am happy now in my own world. Remember that women don't need men to keep us happy. We are self-sufficient. One can do without love but one shouldn't forgo respect for that."

"I feel so relieved after talking to you."

"I will always be there to talk. You just need to call me and I will pack my whip to come there," she said and she laughed aloud.

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Gauri was packing things the next morning when her phone rang. She remembered that she missed a call while she was in the washroom sometime back but having got work, it skipped her mind. Keeping her bag aside, she picked up her phone and gasped seeing the caller id.

Damn! does he know?

Oh God, please help me... she prayed before she answered it on the last ring.

"Hello," she warily said hoping he called casually to check on her.

"Now you decided not answer my calls?" came the angry voice and her hope evaporated.

"Dandi bhaiyya, I was..."

"Tell me what I heard is a joke. You did not marry him. Did you?"

"No, actually..."

"Did you marry him or not?"

"Yes bhaiyya but..."

"Are you crazy? Didn't I tell you they are plotting something and you will be the scape goat. I told you I will come with you."

"Listen to what I have to say Dandi bhaiyya."

"What will you say Gauri. There is nothing that is going to change this," he said helplessly.

"It is not that bad bhaiyya."

"You still didn't get it. This is a scam to tie him to you permanently. You told me you will get out of there in a few months but now there is no escape now."

Gauri didn't know how to talk him out of his anxiety. He was only worried and she thought to lie to him just so that he will be relieved of the stress.

"Dandi bhaiyya, it is not what you think. We married but it is only for a show. My plan still stays the same, I won't stay for long. Don't worry so much," she said just as Omkara walked in.

"It is hard to believe that. When are you coming back?"

"We will start in sometime. I promise I will come and talk to you before the week ends. Stop stressing over this. Okay?" she said, her back facing her husband who looked distraught.

"Call me once you reach Mumbai," Dandi said and ended the call.

It was Omkara's phone which rang next and he walked out, his brain already assuming the worst of scenarios. Gauri turned around listening to the ring tone but looking at him talking on the phone, she went back to her packing.

"You are not at home? What was the emergency Shivaay?" Omkara asked his brother.

"I will explain after I come. Can you not stay there until I come?" his brother answered.

"Why? I told you what happened yesterday. I want to have a word with our daadi. Don't know what else she planned."

"Is Gauri there with you?"

"She is talking..." he started but stopped and looked inside the room to saw her taking something from the cupboard.

"Yeah, she is here."

"Give the phone to her. I haven't talked to her since you both left."

"Okay," he said and turned around to walk to her to hand over his mobile.

"It is Shivaay. He wanted to talk," he said as she looked at him.

"Bade bhaiyya," Shivaay heard her voice and smiled fondly.

"How are you Gauri."

"I am good bhaiyya."

"Gauri, I am not at home. I had to travel and Anika offered to come with me," he informed.

"Oh."

"Come a bit far from Om," he said and she frowned.

Nevertheless, she did as told, taking a few steps away from her husband acting as if she was having a problem in listening due to a network issue.

"I cannot tell you everything now but the situation at home is bleak."

"What happened bhaiyya," she whispered.

Omkara could tell that there was something happening in the background by the way Gauri stiffened in her stance.

Though she tried to maintain her smile, it no longer held its brightness. So, when she finished the call and handed him the mobile he asked the obvious question.

"What is it?"

"Nothing," she lied with a smile.

His sour mood got bitter at the blatant lie. Still, he tried to keep his temper in check.

"Gauri, can you not lie to my face? I don't like it."

"He was asking if we could stay here until he came," she told a half truth.

"Mom was asking the same. What is happening there?" he thought aloud.

Gauri stayed silent though she knew the answer. He sighed after a few seconds and looked at the suitcase.

"Are you done packing?"

"Yeah, just a few minutes."

"I will send Raman to get it. Come down after you are done," he said and left after she replied with an okay.

Gauri stared at his back and did a small prayer. The coming days are not going to be pleasant and she was determined to stay by his side no matter what.

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End of vacation and return to the Oberoi mansion...

Let us see what is in store.

Votes and comments please.

Until the next update, signing off.. yours Soujanya.