The clock struck eleven in the night and Gauri turned restlessly on her bed mumbling a silent prayer to her Shankarji. Since the time her husband left in urgency, she had an uneasy feeling creeping her out.

It wasn't the first time that she was sleeping on their bed alone. In fact it was only yesterday that she properly slept in his arms. Otherwise, they always had a pillow barrier in between them which was an attempt at maintaining a respectable distance from her hot husband aka distraction.

Why is it being difficult today for sleep to pay her a visit? May be because they were having an intimate encounter before and she was too aroused to keep quiet and wait for him to return... or her irritation at the interruption... she had no idea.

Did he eat? Why didn't he call her? May be he was over working himself.

Throwing the blanket away, she sat up on the bead leaning on the headboard and took out her phone to dial his number. When the first call went unanswered, she waited for five minutes before she dialed again. This time her call was answered and she smiled.

"Omkaraji... did I disturb you?"

"Gauri?" answered a female voice and she frowned looking at the dialed number.

It was indeed her husband's number... then who answered it?

"Gauri.. are you there? I am Riya... Om is with me..."

"Are you at the office?" asked Gauri trying to hide her irritation after knowing the fact.

"No... I am at the hospital.. I had an accident this evening".

"Oh... are you alright?" asked Gauri... Must be something major that he was held back she thought worriedly.

"No...just minor scratches... Om was a bit worried you know... he is always very concerned" she said igniting the fire of jealousy and it had the desired effect.

"Okay... where is he now and why did you answer the phone?" she asked tartly.

"He is using the washroom... I thought you will be worried because you called twice so... I answered your call" Riya replied.

"Hmm... take care Riya... good night" said Gauri.

"Thanks Gauri.. should I ask him to call you back... he is tired you know...taking care of me Bechara... he hardly sat for an hour since the evening" said Riya and Gauri felt her eyes turn heavy, tears pricking them.

"No" she said keeping her voice normal "Let him rest... he will be back tomorrow anyways" she said and disconnected the call.

Gauri let the angry tears flow freely keeping the phone aside.

Who knows better than her... about the care and concern he shows for his loved ones... she has been the recipient since the last few months.

But she thought it was limited to her...and her alone apart from his family. No matter how selfish it may sound... she couldn't imagine her husband taking care of another woman...friend or not... specially when they had a romantic past.

At the hour of the night, all the things that her friends had told her about her relationship, her emotional and physical detachment from him rushed to the lobes of her brain, increase her insecurity along with her guilt.

As she fell on the bed lost and scared in her thoughts, a painful cramp hit her abdomen and she groaned in distress rolling over on the bed.

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Riya laughed aloud after she carelessly threw the phone aside, erasing the recent call list.

Good for her that Omkara was in the next room, accidentally leaving his phone behind. She planned to have a heartful talk with him after years when Rudra broke her hopeful trance. She was having a treat, reminiscing their past memories and filling her eyes with  love by just watching his ever handsome face when the younger sibling barged in calling her name in fake concern.

Since then, he and his brother were busy in checking mails on laptop rather than taking care of her. When their talks and rants were too much to her ears, she asked them to get out and work, to have a peaceful sleep.

They obliged too happily and she understood why Rudra who rarely talked business, rushed to the hospital to talk about deals and desktops.

It wasn't new to her that Rudra has his brother's back whenever trouble comes his way and she wasn't naïve to not understand who he thought was the trouble today.

Why Omkara resisted her so much she couldn't fathom. Does an arranged marriage change things that drastically? Born and brought up abroad and growing up in a broken family of divorced parents, she never respected the necessity of marriage nor understood the importance of it.

What is wrong if one choose to live with someone who they love without binding them for life... she often thought.

When she came to India and joined college, she instantly fell in love with the charming man of the college who reciprocated her feelings in no time.

They were attracted to each other and clicked instantly. As long as she could remember, their dating period was a bliss with Omkara being the attentive and caring boyfriend she ever had. But the importance he gave to his family and his idea to settle down with a marriage put her off.

When she knew things will get more complicated with him introducing her to family, she began backing off.. not that she didn't find his younger brother lovely, but his daadi and his older brother were old fashioned still holding on their age old beliefs.

Their break-up was exceptionally smooth when they in prompt decided they should respect each other's ideals and not hurt each other further which would result in bitterness. She flew back to states with his memories and man... did she miss him so much!!

She moved on to another man too quickly and regretted it way too much. She feared she was late in coming back to him to re-ignite the flame and she thanked her stars when he was looking for help.

Riya knew the post was way too low for her merit but she took up the opportunity only to stay close to him. Keeping her hopes high, she thought she could have him back when the very day he disappointed her badly introducing her to his wife.

She dug into the details and realized in glee that he had an arranged marriage which was merely a family responsibility... otherwise who marries a girl betrothed to them...when he barely knew her a month before marriage. She decided to check her cards again indirectly hinting him of her intentions and he always stopped her advances.

Now after knowing his wife's innocent and childish possessiveness over him, she knew she might have a chance if she made him realize her worth over a village belle who barely understood him. Coz if she knew, she would know that when Omkara is committed in a relationship he will be as loyal as a dove. A fact which she herself realized lately.

"What are you planning? A murder?" asked Rudra looking at her lost in thoughts.

"Yeah... guessed right"

"OMG... I hope it is not mine"

"Again right... I am in the hospital and you have to disturb my peace by bringing work here too... Om kaafi nahi tha ki yu added to the list of workaholics?"

Rudra laughed "The deadline is close and he needed help...I am actually helping you... otherwise he would have dragged you to the office to look over few files"

"Hmm... thanks I guess" she said with a smile and he returned it.

"Welcome... I came to take back his phone... did he get any calls?" he said taking the phone from the table beside the bed and Riya just shrugged her shoulders in reply.

"Okay... take rest... you will  be discharged tomorrow... I will take care of the formalities"

"Your brother? Where is he?"

"Umm... he went home" he answered.

"What? Why? It is quite late... and he promised me" she said a bit louder and Rudra frowned at the tone.

"What is there to be surprised? He was tired, sleepy and went home... simple"

Riya stared at him for a moment "I thought he would be with me Rudy" she said in a low tone not hiding her disappointment.

Rudra looked squarely at her "My brother is a married man Riya... you better stop expecting things from him"

"Are you scolding me?"

"No I am advising you... when you wish for things which are way beyond your reach you end up getting hurt"

"What if I still have them in my reach? Can I try then?"

"Do you know the beauty of a Mirage Riya?" he asked and she looked away to avoid the piercing eyes of the youngest Oberoi brother.

"It makes you blind..." he informed... "Blind with greed" he concluded before wishing her a goodnight and taking the couch to sleep for the night.

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Omkara entered his room sometime past one in the night. He knew he wouldn't be able to sleep without his wife in his arms no matter how much he told himself to wait for the next morning.

It was merely one night that he had her close to him and he restlessly craved for the same, every night forward.

He silently changed into his night wear not to disturb his wife's sleep and approached the bed to join her when he realized she wasn't completely asleep.

"Gauri?" he called touching her shoulder, as she moved time and again in the bed.

Gauri opened her teary eyes to look at her husband watching her in concern.

He came back... she happily thought trying to put up a smile but he understood the pain behind.

"Are you okay? What happened?" he said removing the blanket which fully covered her and was surprised to find her dressed in his shirt.

"Umm.. sorry..." she said when he looked at her in question "I am having period cramps... I had to change my clothes and I picked up your shirt which was the first thing I saw on opening the cupboard"

I was also missing you... she should have told... but she didn't.

"Ohh... Can I help?"

"No... I had the pain killer just sometime back... I guess it still needs time for the effect to start" she explained and he hummed getting beside her though he stayed at a safe distance from her.

Watching her dressed only in his shirt did certain things to him which she might be scared to hear if he ever told her. Reigning his mind into less dirty thoughts, he closed his eyes acting to sleep when his wife called him.

"Omkaraji"

He opened his eyes and looked at her "Yeah Gauri"

"Umm... can we just cuddle?" she asked hesitantly.

Omkara was surprised... he should be happy that she dared to ask but instead he mentally groaned preparing himself for a torturous night.

Nevertheless, he stretched his arms asking her to join and she moved closer to first hug him. As she breathed his scent in, she smiled in satisfaction wiping away her tears, tightening her hold and he gently rubbed her back. A few peaceful seconds later when she turned her head slightly to kiss his jaw, he fisted his hands turning rigid.

"What happened" she whispered noting the very subtle change and he muttered a 'nothing' closing his eyes, hugging her.

She loosened her hold to have a look at his face who still had his eyes closed "What is it?" she asked again softly caressing his cheek. He sighed heavily before opening his eyes, grabbing her face and kissing her squarely.

Gauri dived into his mouth without shame mating with his tongue in hunger never known before making it more difficult for her husband to command his hormones to damp down.

Her pain had numbed down considerably probably with effect of the drug setting in and she did not complain when she was pushed back on to the mattress with Omkara crushing her with his weight kissing her fervidly.

Somewhere between opening the bottom buttons of her shirt and touching her bare waist with his large hand, Omkara heard his wife moan his name.

What the hell was he doing??? He scolded himself and stopped kissing her breathlessly.

"Sorry" he said getting off her and she breathed a lungful of air though she clutched on to his collar preventing him to move away completely.

"No... I am sorry... you must have..."

"It is okay Gauri... I... it was just a snap of control"

Gauri smiled pecking his lips before she turned around such that he spooned her. Taking his warm hand, she placed it under her shirt over her belly.

"You are so warm...This feels heaven" she whispered.

He chuckled pulling her close and massaged her stomach before kissing her temple.

Gauri turned her head to kiss his cheek "Good night" she whispered before closing her eyes, her smile intact.

"Good night" he wished her back before he too gave in to a peaceful slumber.

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Hi guys... how are you... it has been a while... I know but...🤷‍♀️🤷‍♀️

I didn't know what to write here... I am just going with the flow for the moment...

You can put in your views via comments and do kindly vote...

Signing off...till the next update... yours Soujanya ...😇