Omkara~

Awkward silence prevailed as Vikram Thakur and I stood in silence, in the garden area of my house.

"You love Gauri?" Vikram Thakur spoke breaking the silence.

I stood looking at him stunned not knowing what to say.

"Do you love, Gauri, Mr. Oberoi?" Vikram repeated his question again.

"Yes."

Vikram sighed.

"If you love her, what were you doing with that girl in your office?"

"It was a misunderstanding." I explained, "I never even thought of hurting, Gauri. Hurting her was the last thing, I ever wanted, I love her..." I trailed off realising whom I am talking with.

"What do you know about, Gauri, Mr. Oberoi?" Vikram questioned. "That she is a good employee, happy go lucky girl with a good heart?"

"If that's what you know about, Gauri and if that's what made you fall in love with her, then you don't know anything about her or what she had been through."

"What are you talking about?" I asked confused.

"She was 18 years old when she was forced to get married to me by my own father." Vikram Thakur sighed looking at the empty space in my garden.

"What?" I asked shocked.

"Yes, she was forced into this marriage by my father." Vikram said looking at me, "What else can a 18 year old, orphaned girl can do when she asked to either clear a huge debt or marry the man, who was not of her choice."

"She married you cause, she couldn't clear the debt?"

"Yes, my father was a cruel man that he purposefully made that proposition and forced her into this marriage. She was helpless."

"Why didn't you denied the marriage then? How can you marry her against her wishes?"

Vikram let out a humourless laugh, "Did you think, I would have married a helpless girl, who was 8 years younger than me, just like that." Vikram asked, " I tried to convince my father to let her go, but he threatened to disown me if I didn't marry her, I was still trying to stand up on my feet that time, I couldn't cross my father's word and I got married to her."

"You are lucky to have her in your life. " I said with a heavy heart.

"Yes, I am but that doesn't lessen my guilt, Omkara." Vikram said sadly, "Every time, I look at her, I feel like a monster for snatching a happy life from her, for being spineless man, who couldn't even stand against his father's wrong deeds."

"She deserves more, Omkara." Vikram said looking at me, "She deserves everything in this world to keep her happy and I am not the one for that."

"What do you mean?" I asked confused.

"When I was 24 , I got into a motor cycle accident that caused trauma to my spine and spermatic tubes, I can't father a child Omkara." Vikram chuckled sadly.

"I am sorry." I said not knowing what to say.

"Don't be, I enjoyed my life to the fullest, being the only son of the great Kali Thakur has its own perks, But Gauri was not that fortunate, she didn't even experienced anything in her life, she was bounded by the relation of marriage."

"Does... Does Gauri know about your condition?"

"Yes, after a few days of our marriage, when we shifted to Mumbai away from My father, I told her about my condition and how I couldn't give her a complete marriage life. I even asked her to divorce me and get married to a nice person. But she denied, she said that she doesn't want to leave me, that too when she knows about my condition."

"Never once in these 4 years of our marriage did she regretted marrying me, in fact she never shied away from telling that she was a married woman, it was me, who asked her to disclose her marital status cause I want her to enjoy her life without any relations pulling her down and also because of the possible threats from my rivals, if they know that Gauri is a Thakur, they would harm her. She tried several times to let you know about her marital status but I was the one who stopped her from that. She's such a pure and good soul,Omkara. A good woman that everyone wishes to have in their lives"

"But, I can't be happy when the guilt eats me everyday for spoiling a innocent girl's life, Omkara. That's why I am here, to ask you to marry Gauri and give her a happy and complete life she deserves."

I was too shocked to react, I was happy knowing that I still have a chance to have Gauri, in my life and on the same time I am feeling sad for Vikram Thakur.

"But, what about Gauri? What about her opinion?"

"She loves you, Omkara and I am happy that she does. But she was worried about me, for once in her life, I want to give her a choice to choose something from her own will."

"I need time to think."

"I know it's all overwhelming and confusing for you, I will take a leave now, I will be waiting to know your decision." Vikram left patting my shoulder and I turned around and saw Samar and Ishaana looking at me.

"Omkara," My mom said sitting beside me near the pool. "I got to know everything from Ishaana."

"Yes, Omkara, it's sad that you had to face all these things." It was my dad.

"We are feeling sad for what you and Gauri had faced but remember one thing, life can be cruel to people sometimes, we can only blame the situation not the person. Gauri is one such person, who succumbed to the cruel game of life." My Mom said.

"Yes. Omkara, love is never easy, it needs a lot of struggle and determination for one to win the game of love. I know you still loves Gauri and we all love her too. Don't let any reason be greater than your love, Omkara." My Dad patted my arm.

"I don't know, whether she loves me or not. I am afraid of the rejection, I can't bear that pain if she rejects me." I voiced out my fears.

"Don't let your fears stop you, Omkara. I am sure, she loves you, I can see that in her eyes. Go and speak with her." Ishaana spoke.

"Yes, go clear the misunderstandings between you guys and confess your love for her, I am sure, she will accept your love." Samar encouraged.

I stood up and thought for a while and then began to walk out side of my house.

"Omkara, where are you going?" Ishaana questioned.

"To bring home, The One, I Love."

The next chapter will be the last chapter of this story.