Gauri and Rudy looked at Anika, and Anika looked at them....her brain was trying to process the shock she had just received. 

Gauri: bhoojal?

Anika didn't say anything, her brain was stuttering for a moment, her eyes were taking in more light than needed and every part of her was on pause as her thoughts were catching up. 

Gauri got off the bed and kept her hand on Anika's shoulder.

Gauri: bhoojal? Bhoojal, say something please.

Anika: how are you here?

Gauri first went to the door and closed it just in case anyone decided to earvesdrop then she turned to Anika, saying: sit down, I will tell you.

Anika nodded, still recovering for the shock, as she sat down on the bed, she stroked Mira's cheek as she said: I want to know the entire truth.

Gauri: and that I will tell you. Anika, when Omkaraji kicked me out, a part of me knew that I couldn't part with Mira or him...even though Omkaraji hates me, I still love him and Mira deserves to have her mother with her. I knew that Omkaraji would love her but I couldn't leave her, I wanted my daughter to have her mother and if that required me to live in disguise then so be it.

Rudy: I helped her.

Anika: you did?

Rudy: I had to. She is my younger sister Bhabhi, I couldn't see my sister part with her child. We came up with the idea of Ketki when Om was looking for a nanny. 

Anika: so if Gauri is Ketki then what about those certificates and stuff?

Rudy: my friend made them. 

Anika: and when were you planning to tell us Gauri and Rudy that you were living as Ketki in this house?

Gauri: I don't know Anika...

Anika was now trying to process everything. She wanted to say something but words left her. 

Gauri: bhoojal?

Rudy: Bhabhi?

Anika: Om needs to know that Ketki is Gauri....

Rudy and Gauri: kya?

Anika: Gauri, he hates lies. You know for a fact that he hates lies. 

Gauri: bhoojal, please I beg you, don't tell him, please. 

Anika: I don't want to lie to my devar. 

Gauri: I know that lying isn't good, but please you would have to lie and disguise yourself if you was in my place right? Please try and imagine that if you was a mother and if you were in my situation, you would also do the same?

Anika was silent. If she was a mother, would she do the same....if only fate was kind to her. 

Anika: I can't imagine because I can't become a mother. Shivay is sterile. 

This time, Gauri and Rudy were shocked. Anika couldn't be a mother and Shivay couldn't be a father....that was unbelievable. They had both seen the way Shivay and Anika had cared for Mira, they were certain that soon the couple would be the one giving everyone the good news but fate had other plans. 

Anika: only me and Shivay know that he is sterile and now you two. No one else knows. 

Things started to make sense...Shivay was staring at the medicine cabinet yesterday with a blank face, maybe he was thinking about how he wished to have a child he could love and care for. It explained why Shivay and Anika were hesitant talking to Pinky that day. 

Gauri: bhoojal, I am so sorry to hear this.

Anika: I couldn't bear to tell anyone. It pains when you can't have a child. 

She started to cry, letting her walls break. Gauri hugged her and then Rudy also joined in the hug. Mira blabbered something. They broke the hug and Anika looked at the little girl.

Anika: you know that even if me and Shivay can't have a kid, at least Mira is here. 

Gauri smiled as Anika kept Mira in her arms and hugged her lightly, supporting her neck.

Anika: if I don't tell Om right now that Ketki is you Gauri, will you promise me that you will soon tell him the truth yourself? He will find out sooner or later.

Gauri was hesitant. She didn't know that once she told him the truth, he would kick her out and make sure that she would never see him or Mira again but maybe fate would plan something else for her. So she nodded.

Gauri: I will tell him the truth soon, I promise but please don't even tell bade bhaiya for now.

Anika: I won't. 

Gauri gave Anika a side hug. At least Anika would keep her secret for now but she had to figure out a way to talk to Om. She had to figure out a way to tell him the truth without being thrown out from his life, the Oberois' life and her daughter's life. 

The whole reason why she started the entire Ketki act was because she still wanted to be in Om and Mira's lives. They were her star and moon. They were her reason for being. After being pushed by life one too many times, God gave her Om and Mira....but Om didn't want her. 

Why did God put Om in her life when Om hated her so much and loathed her very existence?

...

Tej was in the place where he was staying at with someone,  a woman but you could not see her face. He was seen to be drinking what we call slow poison...alcohol. The woman figure just sat at her seat, watching him as he drank the whole bottle of bitter vile alcohol.

Woman: what happened? Will you tell me now?

Tej: that son of mine refuses to give me my granddaughter.

Woman: why do you even want her? She had middle class blood in her.

Tej: because last time...Shakti had Shivay first! Shivay was first and my sons....got nothing. This time....Mira, Om's child, my so called son's child....is first and I want to make sure that...that she takes over the Oberoi Empire. Her mother be middle class but father...father is upper class. She has Oberoi blood in her.

Woman: so let me get this straight, since now Mira is the first of her generation, you want to make sure she doesn't get influenced by anyone to choose any other career but business.

Tej: exactly!

Woman: so why isn't she here?

Tej: I went to get her twice and one time Om stopped me then second time today some stupid low class nanny stopped me.

Woman: ek minute? They have a nanny now?

Tej nodded.

Woman: oh god! Just goes to show that either Omkara or any of the Oberois can actually take care of a child!

Tej: really?

She nodded and her face was shown at last....Svetlana.

Svetlana: haan. They need a nanny just to take care of a baby! Even I can take care of a baby without any help!

Tej: now how to get Mira?

Svetlana: maybe you need to take her secretly without anyone knowing.

Tej: what do you mean?

Svetlana smirked as she spoke to Tej about what was bubbling up in that cunning twisted mind of hers. She spoke in a low whisper so no one else could hear but Tej.

...

Om was still with Shivay. Not a word exchanged between them. Shivay looked at his brother and said: do you think you might reach out to Gauri?

Om: I don't know...I don't even know where she is.

Shivay: do you want to reach out to her? Like at all?

Om: Shivay....my head is saying that no, I don't want to see that gold-digger. I don't want her to be part of my life or Mira's life...but my heart...I guess my heart says the same thing.

Shivay sighed...his brother was really in denial mode and he had to get out of it.

Shivay: I hope you know that the heart always disagrees with the head.

Om: everyone else's hearts may disagree with their head but not mine and I'm sure of it.

Shivay was quiet for a moment when Om got up to leave. Before he went through the door, Shivay said: If any part of your uncertainty is a conflict between your heart and your mind then follow your heart.

Om looked at his brother and said bluntly: I choose to follow my mind. The heart is weak but the mind is strong.

With that said, he left. Shivay kept his head in his hands, shaking it slowly. He started to think about how Om and Gauri would be like if Riddhima and Ishana didn't exist in his brother's life in the first place. Maybe Om would have been able to trust Gauri and give her what she deserved....love.

Meanwhile Om went up to his study and closed the door behind him. He sat at the chair of his large desk and looked at the ceiling.

Was it true that the heart was made to disagree with the head?

Was it true that when in doubt, follow your heart?

Was it true that maybe the heart was stronger than the mind?

He sighed as he stopped looking at the ceiling and looked at the desk, picking up what seemed like a notebook and a pen. He opened the notebook to a clean page. Once the pen nib touched the paper, words started to appear on it...words he may never have the courage to say aloud. Soon he was done writing something and kept the pen and the closed notebook aside.

Om got up and went to check on his baby daughter. He went into the room that Ketki and Mira were in to see that the nanny and the baby were with Rudy and Anika.

Om: is there some party going on that I should be aware of?

Anika: no not at all. Rudy, I need help with some cooking.

Rudy: sure Anika bhabhi, I will gladly come and help.

Gauri: nahi it's fine, I'll make it.

Anika: you could but Mira needs you.

Gauri gave a smile under her veil as Anika gave Mira to her then Anika and Rudy went to leave whilst Om went up to Gauri and Mira.

Om: how is her neck?

Gauri: she doesn't seem like she is in pain anymore. I guess the balm I used on her worked.

Om: that's good.

With a finger, he stroked Mira's chubby cheek, smiling at her.

Om: princess, I promise that daddy will make sure that no one will come hurt you again. This is your daddy's promise.

Mira smiled making Om's smile bigger. He loved this little girl to the moon and back. From the day that she was born, she stole his heart making herself his dil ki rani.

But Mira would have been able to come into his life if Gauri wasn't there and if Buamaa hadn't spiked their drinks that day....

They were both made to stay in one room on the insistence of Buamaa and Jhanvi. Jhanvi genuinely wanted the two to grow closer....well for Om to warm up to Gauri which he did not but Buamaa had other plans in mind.

Gauri and Om never shared a bed....Gauri slept on the recliner and Om slept on the bed. The only time they actually shared a bed was when Buamaa one night gave them both spiked juices. Gauri didn't had a few sips but Om did and it took 10 minutes for the juice to kick in with Om since he fainted.

Gauri: Omkaraji! Omkaraji, wake up! I think I need to call a doctor....

She was about to leave when Om at last got up and held her hand. She stopped walking and turned around to see Om actually touching her hand and then before she knew it, he held her, her back facing his chest. He brushed her hair away from her shoulder and neck, swiping it to another side then left open-mouthed kisses. As he kissed her neck a wave of pure pleasure ran through his entire body. Her rose scent was intoxicating. He turned her around, making her this time face him as he kissed his way gently up her neck to lips that tasted of cherry trying to get access to the inside of her mouth....

She tried resisting him but the juice effect soon kicked in, stealing her senses from her and allowing him access to the inside of her mouth. The scenery disappeared and the two were just lost in the moment.

(You guys know the rest, none of us here are that sanskaari)

He did feel guilty the next day when he saw Gauri sleeping next to him but he didn't let her see his guilt. He only showed her his hatred and sometimes his care when she hurt herself.

Buamaa was no longer in his life or anyone's life since Gauri found out that Buamaa only wanted Gauri to be pregnant so that she could give birth to a baby boy, another Ratan and Buamaa would take the baby from them.

But she didn't since Gauri exposed her and Om sent her to a mental asylum when she was trying to strangle Gauri since Gauri refused for a gender check. This all drama happened when it was Gauri's first month in the Oberoi Mansion.

He was glad that Gauri exposed Buamaa else that mad woman would have killed Mira. He still felt guilty up to this day for getting Gauri pregnant....he remembered that when they found out about her pregnancy, he was shocked. He was dumbfounded. At first he told Gauri to abort but she didn't and he was glad that she disagreed with him....

Mira: aah!

Om chuckled as he took Mira's small tiny hand and kissed it.

Om: kya hua princess?

Gauri: she was trying to get your attention because you was deep in thoughts.

Om: oh. I was just thinking how lucky I am to have the world's most beautiful princess as my daughter.

He rubbed his nose gently against Mira making her giggle. Gauri once again smiled at him...when she was living as herself, she used to take sneak peaks of Om being with Mira...it's true when they say that babies carry some kind of magic in them.

Om: Ketki, I'm gonna sleep with Mira but just in case, would it be okay if you sleep on the recliner.

Gauri nodded, she didn't mind sleeping on the recliner....as long as her husband and daughter were okay, she didn't mind anything....

...

It was night now. Mira was asleep with Om by her side. Gauri stayed sitting on the recliner, the veil off her face. She earlier kept the veil on her face when she heard the door opening when she was with Anika and Rudy....for now, she was hiding her identity especially from her husband. Only Anika and Rudy knew who Ketki really was and of course Mira knew, babies are quite clever. Well Mira was just genuinely clever.

Anika was right....for how long could she hide her identity for? One of these days some other member of the family would find out and eventually Om would get to know via word of mouth. Or one of these days, Om would find out himself.

She knew he hated lies.

She knew he hated her.

But she knew she couldn't leave Mira and him.

They were everything to her.

She wanted to be by their side since she loved them.

It's surprising what love can make you do.

Gauri to herself quietly: I'll tell you the truth soon Omkaraji but I am scared, I'm scared that you will toss me out of everyone's life.....you love Mira, I know that she is your everything but if you love her, then do you want her to get bullied for not having a mother? Do you want her to not feel the love of a mother? I know you had it tough. I know life has been unfair to you. I know that your father wasn't really there and your mother wasn't mentally there....I know that you want to be the father you never had but do you want Mira to grow up without a mother?

She laid down on the recliner keeping the veil over her face in case Om woke up in the middle of the night, sighing.

...

It was the next day now. The Oberois were freshened up. Breakfast had been made and it was also eaten. Now the Oberois were doing their own things. Om was with Shivay in the study whilst Gauri was with Mira.

Voice: I'm back.

The voice was so loud that all the Oberois heard it. Gauri felt this burning rage inside of her. Tej. The man who made her daughter feel pain. How dare he come back?

She saw a servant and quickly asked for her to stay with Mira whilst she went downstairs where the Oberois were already at....Om and Tej looking at each other.

Rudy went up to Gauri and said in a low whisper: where is Mira?

Gauri whispering: with one servant. How dare he come back?

Rudy whispering: exactly!

They looked at Om and Tej. Not a word said. Just painful silence until someone said something....

Om: what are you doing here again? After I told you to leave, after Ketki told you to leave...why? Why are you here again?

Tej: because I realise that I have failed as a father and really as a family member. Family is important to me and I want to make amends with my sons, my wife, everyone here.

Om started laughing, clapping his hands.

Tej: are you drunk?

Om stopped laughing, catching his breath as he said: me? Drunk? I should be asking you that question. The most selfish man in the universe wants to make amends with his family. You don't even care about family.

Tej: people change.

Om: really?

Tej: yes really. I want to. I know that I was a jerk and that I could have been a better me.

Om was about to speak when Jhanvi spoke: wow Tej. It took you 18 years to finally come around. I don't think you really made the decision to change. If you really cared then you wouldn't have broken us all!

Tej was about to speak when he smelt something. Not just him but everyone else smelt it.

Pinky: whys does it smells like....

Dadi: SMOKE?!

Precap: hospital

Hehehe....I know I am evil for leaving this chappy on a cliffhanger and for giving a boring chapter.

But.....bad news. We may have to say goodbye to Ketki the nanny soon. 😭😭😭😭

But....now we will get to see some surprises.

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