"Come one Gauri. Tell me about your trip, you can make coffee later," Anika sulked, making her sister in law laugh.

"Weren't you the one who wanted it in the first place Bhaujai? Now that I started making it, we can talk while doing work," she said.

"But you are talking a word per hour. Tell me properly, how did you two, who went to bring the kuldevta murti for starting our wedding rituals end up getting married. Kitna exciting kahani hai and you are speaking with no eagerness at all," she said in annoyance.

"There is nothing romantic to it bhaujai. We were stuck and Taadaka daadi gave the only way out to save Kamlesh kaaka from disgrace. We had to do it. The only thing good out of it was that Omkaraji didn't start to hate me," Gauri explained making Anika frown.

"You are not happy about it?"

"I wasn't prepared for such a thing."

"Yeah, but are you not happy about it?"

Gauri pondered over the question for a moment. Sure that she didn't want to get married in such a way but she has never been in regret since her husband accepted her.

"I am happy Bhaujai. Very much," she said and Anika grinned widely before embracing her.

"Then nothing else matters. I am happy if you are happy," she said and placed a kiss on her temple.

"So, now tell me the other details," she asked parting.

"What other details?"

"Don't play dumb. You said Om accepted that he likes you."

"So?"

Anika rolled her eyes and said, "Budhu... didn't you both spend the night together? Things should have happened right?"

Gauri still looked confused for a second before realization came to her with a bang.

She gasped before she turned red making her sister in law tease her more.

"Tomato huh? Where did you reach? Level one, two or all the way?"

"Bhaujai! What are you saying?" she whispered in outrage looking around the kitchen to see if anybody heard them.

"Just shut up, will you? Nothing as such happened."

"Why?" came the next question.

"Ye kya sawal hai. Why matalb? It didn't happen that is it."

"Not even kiss?"

Gauri turned away to pour the coffee into the mugs not wanting to answer when she was pestered again.

"Gauri!"

"No bhaujai," she lied with her fingers crossed.

"How can that be possible Gauri, Om seems to be quite taken by you. I don't believe this."

"Uhh... but it is what it is. He is ..ummm, shy may be?"

"Then you could initiate."

"What are you saying Bhaujai, aise kaise mein..."

"Then nothing happened?"

"No."

"Sachi?"

"Haa, sachi."

"Disappointment, that is what I am feeling right now. Lalitha ji's story was far more exciting," Anika said making a face and her sister bit back a smile.

"Leave about me, tell me about your trip. Bade bhaiyya took you to Goa right?"

Anika scoffed before she replied, "My life isn't happening. That is the reason I was asking you to see if yours is any better. Tadibaaz Billu ji doesn't care about anything except work. You know how he is. Also, the trip was only for two days. We had to rush back because of that chantomai kahiki."

Gauri's face dimmed and her sister asked in concern.

"How is Om now?"

"Better than yesterday. He is hurt," Gauri said feeling bad out him.

Anika noticing the later's mood drop quipped, "No problem, I am sure he will be okay with a kiss. You both just have to let go of your kanjoosi."

The blush returned with a vengeance just as the mother in law walked in.

Jhanvi didn't feel bad when she saw that her daughter in law's eyes which usually held respect and love towards her had a hint of anger in them. Instead, she was elated that his son had found someone who would think of his feelings first.

"Done with the sister's bonding?" she asked with a smile, gently caressing Gauri's head who faked a smile while Anika grinned widely.

"If I didn't know better, I would have assumed you both to be long lost sisters catching up on the few days you didn't see each other," she commented.

"Gauri is like my sister maa ji, I missed her," Anika agreed and she smiled back.

"Shivaay was searching for you Anika. Did you tell him that you would get him coffee?" asked Jhanvi.

"Oh God, I forgot about him. I told the staff to go and give him his kaali coffee before I pulled Gauri to the kitchen. Didn't he get it yet?"

Jhanvi shrugged her shoulders and Anika muttered something before going out to search for the house help to which she assigned the task.

Having found privacy, Jhanvi initiated the talk.

"You are angry at me?" Jhanvi asked his son's wife who remained silent.

"I am happy that he got someone to care about him Gauri."

"He will not be happy if he loses someone who used to care about him maa ji. You know how important you are to him. Didn't you tell me that you will think of him first?"

"I did and I slapped him only because he shouldn't fall into trouble. Not because he was disrespecting Tej," she informed.

"Why are they here maa ji?"

"Svetlana blackmailed Tej saying she should stay here for a few days."

"Oh?"

"We have to stay silent until we know what she wants."

"What is she blackmailing with maa ji?" she asked the obvious question.

"She has a video with her and Tej. It shouldn't come out," she lied easily.

Gauri closed her eyes, disgusted with the extent her opponent could go to get what she wants.

"Are you okay maa ji?" she asked, her voice filled with concern.

"I have seen worse Gauri. Don't worry about me. Just support Om, that is all I ask of you," she said caressing her cheek.

"I will maa ji," she said and Jhanvi happily nodded her head. She had no doubt that her daughter in law will keep her promise.

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

"Om?"

Shivaay and Rudra were worried looking at his brother's distraught look as they entered his room.

Omkara looked up at his brothers and stood up from his bed.

"Are you okay?"

"I am fine Shivaay," he reassured but they knew better.

"I will solve this, don't worry about Svetlana's threat," Shivaay said.

"Hmmm, I know you will."

"Then what are you worried about O?" asked Rudra.

Omkara sighed as he answered, "Gauri."

"What about her?"

"The video Svetlana has, what if she..."

"She will not believe her over you," Rudra took his sister in law's side and Shivaay couldn't help but agree.

Omkara stayed silent and their anxiety spiked.

"Tell us the whole thing Om."

"Dandi is not happy about our marriage Shivaay. I don't know if she lied to him but she did say that she will leave when things settle down," he confessed.

The brothers exchanged worried glances and tried to comfort him again.

"She will not O. We know..."

"She already has enough reasons to leave me and if she meant her words, I don't want to give her another reason Shivaay," he spoke in dread.

"We will not let her leave Om."

"And make her stay against her wish? What good will it do to anybody?"

"O, you are thinking too much."

Omkara sighed not knowing what to do. He wanted to tell them that he was overthinking because she has become too important to lose. That he will not make it alive if he had a heart break then but he didn't want to worry them more.

Shivaay patted his shoulder while Rudra pulled his brother into a hug.

"Everything will be okay O," he said and his brother hummed.

"I don't understand why that woman decides to blackmail Bade papa now," Shivaay wondered aloud.

"You sent her to the jail right? How did she get out?" Rudra asked back, parting form the hug.

"Who else? Mr. Oberoi must have got her out with influence."

"No Om, it is not Bade papa. When Rudra told me that Svetlana made an entry after I left for my client meet, I enquired with the officials. She was given a bail, the evidence against her was proven circumstantial and everything has been managed so carefully that I began to doubt if she has any help from outside," Shivaay informed.

"Things were kept under wraps and I couldn't get any information on who helped her. One name however slipped by chance in the enquiry. My private investigator told that she had a visitor during her stay there. Someone named Jaivardhan Dhokle," he said.

"When I asked him to dig further, he told me that the man worked for us in Kalyani mills as the production manager. On the night of the incident, he was assumed to be dead along with other workers."

"What? Then how did he come there? Does it mean he survived that incident?" Rudra asked.

"It might also mean that someone used his name so that we will not be able to trace him back," Omkara said.

Shivaay nodded in agreement.

"Exactly Om and to think that someone used a dead man's name to meet Svetlana who is our rival is what made me worried. Something is happening behind our backs which needs to be stopped."

"What did chote papa say about him?"

"He lied that he doesn't remember the name. I can tell that from his voice. I don't understand why he did so but I am determined to get something from him today when I ask him in person."

"I asked a favor from the police commissioner. He said he will assign someone to enquire if that person has visited the jail any other time when Svetlana was imprisoned."

"The assigned person said that he will get back to me, must be on his way to the mansion."

Rudra sniggered at that statement making Omkara frown.

"Do we know him?" Omkara asked when he found his brother trying hard not to laugh at his expense.

"Great, is he the only police officer without any work?" he asked and his brothers couldn't control any longer and burst out in laughter.

"Karan is a good investigating officer Om, I like how he works," he said earning a glare.

"Why does Gauri have brothers who seem to like the very person I dislike?"

"What is your problem with him. He is a fine guy."

"I don't like him and you know the reason," Om said.

"I will ask him not to flirt with Gauri form now."

"Like he would listen," Omkara scoffed when his brother's phone rang.

"Seems like he is here," Shivaay announced.

"Where is Gauri?" Omkara asked in panic.

"In the kitchen probably," Rudra barely finished when his brother rushed downstairs.

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

"Hi people, did you miss me?" Karan asked walking into the kitchen.

Anika and Gauri looked at him with a smile and he grinned back.

"Tsk Tsk, with the sindhoor and mangalsutra, you really look like your pati's parmeshwari now," he quipped looking at Gauri who rolled her eyes at him.

"Shivaay was waiting for you, he must be in Om's room," Anika informed.

"I just called him. He must be coming down and I thought to say a hi to you pretty ladies before I get into serious work," he said.

"Gauri?" Omkara's voice sounded, making them turn around.

"Yes Omkaraji?" she responded watching him coming with his brothers right behind him.

"You are supposed to talk to Shivaay. What are doing here?" Omkara asked reaching them.

"Why? I came to say a hi to Gauri," he said.

Omkara looked at his brothers who zipped their mouths close and tittered.

"You greeted them alright. Now go and get back to work."

"Excuse me?" Karan said raising an eyebrow.

"Isn't it important to discuss things?"

"Of course, but before that, let me give Gauri something."

"Give what?"

"A wedding gift man. She married you, didn't she? She deserves an award for it but I could only manage a small gift," he said only to infuriate him.

Omkara glared at the man before him as he took out a packet from his bag and handed it to his wife.

Gauri took it with a smile and said, "Thank oo."

"Aww, cutie," said Karan and opened his arms to hug her but Omkara who expected the move, pulled his wife to him.

The gang hollered with laughter and Karan made a face at his enemy.

"Such a killjoy you are."

"If you are done, we can move to our study," he said and the former huffed, walking away with the other two.

Gauri looked at her husband who still held her close to him while he watched Karan move out of their sight.

He then turned, to see Anika watching him with a teasing grin while his wife looked on in surprise.

When she thanked like that, her innocent 'thank oo' tone always melted his heart. He wasn't a person to publicly show affection but lately, he had been making a lot of exceptions for his wife.

Smiling at Gauri, he planted a kiss to her cheek emitting gasps from both the ladies, before he bid a bye to join his brothers.

Gauri gulped but continued to stare at Omkara's back, not wanting to look at Anika.

She knew her husband booked her, as she heard her sister in law say in an accusatory tone, "Achaa, What did you say earlier Gauri? About the kiss."

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

Bingo!

Missed me fellas? 😁😁

Hope you liked the chapter... I was planning to update this tomorrow but I got messages from people who never talked before, asking for an update... Since this is written, I thought to not disappoint them.😇😇

See you in the next update... which is not tomorrow yaar. Last week I was in isolation after covid duties, so I had time to write. I resumed regular duties from today so I can only manage an update twice or thrice a week.😑😑

So, don't wait for me tomorrow. 🤐🤐

Until next time, signing off...yours Soujanya.

Please don't forget to vote and comment.