Hi.. Happy republic day...to the Indian readers 😇😇😍

Okay.... before we proceed... I have to tell you... I was shocked with different ideas people came up with to kill Riya... also torture her ....

Guys🤣🤣 calm down... she is a non existant fictional charecter...

Take long deep breaths count numbers, do meditation or watch a nice sharukh khan movie... or do whatever that makes you smile.
😁👍

Now enjoy... and at the end.. tell me what you think... surely.
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Omkara was still looking at the door seething, his face utterly red with anger, when Rudra pulled him and made him sit on the chair. Going out for a moment, he brought back a glass of water and handed it over to his brother.

"Drink... calm down" he asked taking his hand and placing the glass of water in it.

Omkara closed his eyes in a sigh and took a sip before he got up from his place and began walking to the door.

"Where are you going O?"

"Gauri... she must be waiting for an explanation right? Come let us go home" he said and Rudra couldn't help but feel bad for his brother.

"O... you must have a hard weekend... first sit down and relax... rest everything can be taken care of later" Rudra said in a consoling tone making his brother frown.

"Rudy... Gauri...must have been hurt... how can I stay calm? Let us go" he said and Rudra stayed mum.

Looking at his brother's solemn expression, Riya's words came rushing back to him Did she flee already?

"Please tell me she is at home waiting for me to come to her and explain" he asked though he knew the answer was going to be quite the opposite.

When he got mere silence in reply, he sat down on his chair rubbing his face tiredly while Rudra squeezed his shoulder trying to comfort him.

"Gayathri daadi came two days back after you left for Berlin... she wanted to take bhaabhi for some function in the village... she waited for you until they took the car to the railway station and all this happened after that... Khanna informed me when he felt Gauri bhaabhi was moody"

Omkara didn't utter a word after that covering his face with his hands and Rudra silently sat beside his brother not knowing how he could make things better for him.

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"I told him to ask me for help...didn't I? Had I taken things into my hands; he wouldn't have to hire Riya in the first place" said Shivaay angrily "He had to do things on his own... isn't a brother supposed to help? Itna bada raita phailaya usne"

The elder and youngest brothers stood at two corners of their grandmother's room discussing the day's happenings while Kalyani sat on the bed, clutched her forehead worrying for her grandson.

"What is O's mistake if he wanted to be independent Shivaay bhaiyya" said Rudra not liking how his elder brother put the blame on Omkara.

"When things backfire... one has to take responsibility Rudy... he didn't have to stress so much"

"Exactly... this was his dream project and O took lots of pain to achieve it.. and when finally he had it in his hands, he is not happy" Rudra exclaimed.

The helplessness of not being able to do anything to help his brother out has been disturbing him since afternoon. Rudra turned to his grandmother in anger.

"You know what Daadi... all these 'love at first sight' 'marriage in one month' is good to read in books and watch in movies... In reality, when such things happen, life really sucks and O is an example" he said and Shivaay frowned at his brother.

"What does that mean Rudra"

"Are you acting blind? How often have you seen O happy after the marriage?"

"Rudy... what are you"

"No... enough bhaiyya... I always controlled myself not to talk bad about my sister in law whom my brother loved... but aaj nahi (not today)" said Rudra his voice raising by the second.

"I had seen him sitting silently, staring into abyss a hell lot of times, waiting for his wife to come home, spend time with him... I had seen my brother long for the happy life of a newly married couple... while she selfishly neglected him... Leave about me... Anika, Richa... everyone had seen how O has changed in this time"

"You tell me bhaiyya... have you not noticed him looking away from us to wipe a tear or two while he talked about how he missed her being herself with him?" Rudra growled angrily shocking both Shivaay and Kalyani.

"Aaaj itna bada issue hua hai(such a big issue happened today)... and instead of talking things out with him, she went home with her grand-mother... on top of that she is ignoring his calls..... What the hell is she doing?... You tell me and explain... why is she being this way... my brother doesn't deserve this torture"

Kalyani got up worriedly and locked the door fearing Omkara might come from his room, hearing Rudra's shouts and the matter would get worse.

"Rudra... keep quite... If Om comes down he won't like you talking this way about her" said Shivaay trying to calm his brother.

"Exactly... he won't tolerate a word against her even if it comes from his own brothers... Your Laadli Gauri ... heard something extremely vile... an accusation so disgusting about her husband from a person who is not at all important... instead of slapping her black and blue, she choose to cry and flee... Do you understand the difference here?"

"Rudy... Omkara and Gauri are two very different individuals... there is no rule that people who marry should have the same thought process... they react differently to different circumstances"

"Okay... I understand.. she is different... but humesha banda kya uska hi sune ... usko hi samjhe? (should a man always cater to her feelings?) O is effected too... he has feelings too... how can she ignore it like that... if you ask me...I think O should get divorced for good"

"Rudra..." scolded Shivaay while Kalyani angrily closed the younger one's mouth with her hand.

"Shub shub bolo khoteyaa... ye kya anaap shanaap bole ja rahe ho (Talk bout good things Rudra... what rubbish are you talking?)"

A soft knock on the door halted the argument and they looked at each other knowing who might be on the other end.

"Not a word should come out of your mouth" Kalyani warned Rudra in a harsh whisper before Shivaay opened the door to his brother.

"Om... come sit..." said Kalyani with a warm smile taking a seat on the bed as he walked in.

As he settled beside his Daadi, she caressed his hair kissing his forehead "Did you want anything?"

"No... I just... can I sleep here today Daadi... I ... I feel lonely in that room" he said looking at the bed.

Rudra furiously turned to Shivaay giving him a glare which said 'look-at-him... this-is-what-I-was-talking-about'.

Kalyani gave a fleeting glance at Rudra before settling back on the bed and leaning onto the headboard, asking Om to rest his head. Omkara smiled as he picked up a pillow, placed it on his grandmother's lap and rested his head on it, while Kalyani gently massaged his forehead.

Shivaay did understand what Rudra tried to say but he wouldn't blame Gauri or Omkara.... Their relation barely started to flower and it was too early to expect results.

One should be patient and determined to get through the tumultuous phase and not break off threads at the first sight of a problem. He knew Omkara was more matured than Rudra..., enough to know his hurdles, and his choices. He hoped his brother took the right decision... Needless to say they would support him in whichever path he chose.

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"Maa? Are you awake?" asked Shakti coming into his mother's room.

"Haa Shakti... what happened?"

"Gauri... seemed disturbed maa... was everything okay at her in law's house?"

"Yeah Shakti... they gelled well with her... you should have seen Shivaay support her when Rudra was teasing her with damaad ji's name... aur Kalyani ji has always been sweet" she said smiling and Shakti smiled still in doubt.

"But yes... she was moody since we boarded the train... I asked her but she replies with a 'nothing'... may be we are overthinking... or she is missing daamadji"

"No maa... ask her once again she might tell you"

"Why?? Why should I ask?? You could ask her yourself"

"Maa... you know I am bad at such things... we are good as we are... no need to add more emotion into the relationship... go ask her and tell me what happened" said Shakti and left her room making Gayathri roll her eyes at her emotionally detached son.

No matter how much he loved his daughter he barely ever talked to her and expressed himself. The only times he talked were to dictate his decisions on her life and his daughter often got irked at his that behavior.

He had been pestering her non-stop to go pay a visit to his daughter to see if she was alright and only when she called him back informing him of their journey back to village did he calm down.

Gayathri entered her grand-daughter's room without knocking and saw her sitting on the bed. Her back was pressed to the headboard, her knees flexed and hands clutching them close to her body.

Gauri was looking at her phone and wiping the tears off her face when she noticed her grand-mother's presence and panicked.

"Daadi... aap... what is it?"

Gayathri frowned as she neared her and settled on the bed "What is it Gauri? Are you crying?"

"No"

"Shut up... do you think I am blind?" she asked angrily making her stop her act and sob profusely.

Worrying, Gayathri gathered her sobbing grand-daughter in her arms and waited patiently till she let out her tears in peace.

"Gauri.. mera bacha... kya hua(what happened my girl)" she asked when she saw her becoming relatively calm.

"Please tell me... we will sort it out... whatever it is... Was Damaad ji angry that I took you away without asking him?"

"No daadi" said Gauri finding her voice "The thing is when I went to his office..." she explained all that happened during the day and the days before which led to her current state.

"How dare she" Gayathri hollered rubbing her grand-daughter's back.

"And you" she said parting from her and giving her a knock on the head "You are crying here instead of blasting off that girl? What did Damaad ji say?"

"He wasn't there... she said he was resting in her house"

"What do you think? Is he capable of such act?"

"I don't know... she said they were drunk" she whined helplessly "I feel nasty insects crawling up my body just imagining them together daadi... I feel like vomiting my guts out"

Gayathri sighed "You should have told me before... us ladki ka haath pair toodke uske muuh mein dabake aati mein...(I would have broken her bones and gagged her with them)...such a shameless brat... Girls and getting drunk... such horrendous up bringing.. what more can we expect"

"I don't know what to do Daadi"

"Damaad ji hasn't called you back? You should talk things out right?" she asked and Gauri bend her head avoiding her eyes.

"You are not answering his calls?" scolded Gayathri and Gauri hid her face in a pillow.

"I cannot talk to him... please don't ask me to... I don't feel like it"

"Gauri... ye kya tarika hai... what if he feels bad? At least answer the call"

That thought did cross her mind but she tried not to think about his thoughts since she was too involved in her own emotions. She did what she did every other time... ignore him and get on with life thinking he will understand her eventually.

"I need time" she said.

"Relationships need communication to continue... if you don't talk... it would land you in a bigger soup than the one you already are in" warned Gayathri.

"I promise, I will talk to him when I am ready Daadi... I will sleep for now... it is already late" she said and readied herself to sleep while Gayathri sighed before getting up. Bidding her a good night, she adjusted the duvet and walked out of the room to inform her son of the nasty episode.

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"Om... come home for lunch... you can work later" said Shivaay on the phone.

It has been five days since the incident and his brother didn't yet talk about it. The first two days, they asked him if Gauri answered his calls and when they saw the defeated look on his face, they realized she did not. Not to work him up further, they too stopped asking him about her... hoping time would settle things.

Omkara on the other hand busied himself in work trying to divert his mind. He tried calling her until two days back, when he stopped attempting to communicate. He couldn't help the bitterness that filled his heart.

Why should it always be him to make an effort? Why couldn't she take a step towards him?

He was worried what she must have gone through and felt when Riya filled her mind against him while she doesn't give a thought on his mental being.

If anything, this incident was a wake-up call for him to realize his worth in her life... Did she want him or not... did she plan to stay with him or not? Did she really love him in the recent days or was it just jealousy that made her open up to him.

If she loved him... she should know that she was hurting him by staying mute. Shouldn't she know that he would never leave her side no matter who comes in between?

"Yeah coming Shivaay... I will be there in half an hour" he answered his brother.

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"Om... Gayathri ji has called this morning" informed Kalyani as she served food for her middle grandson.

"Hmm" came the response and she looked at Shivaay who gestured her to continue.

"It is Gauri's cousin's engagement in a few days.... She invited us"

"Hmmm" said Omkara bringing another spoon of food into his mouth.

"I think you should go" his grandmother told him, ready for a scolding while he stopped eating and stared at her "I am busy daadi... you and Shivaay can go.. I will handle Shivaay's work until then"

Kalyani sighed and looked at Shivaay "Om... it will be a change... you have been working tirelessly.. take a break"

Omkara threw the spoon on the plate with a loud clang and Kalyani softly gasped taking a step back. She knew Omkara's respect towards her and also about his temper when things get out of hand.

He never raised his voice before her but if he did it meant there is no stopping him and this time her daughter in law managed to scratch him enough to bring out the worst from his inside.

"Look Shivaay... I am not going after her this time" Omkara said in finality and Shivaay sighed.

"But Om..."

"Tell me one thing" asked Omkara and his brother looked in question.

"Am I at fault for any of this happening?"

"No Om"

"Don't you think Shivaay... if she cannot call me to ask me things directly after Riya spoke non-sense to her, shouldn't she at least let me talk?.... hear me out?"

"I know Om... but..."

"If she wants me to be there... ask her to call me... I am fed up of her silence in my life" he roared before he stormed off from the place.

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Omkara was skimming through the files sitting in his office cabin, as his mind kept going back to the lunch conversation the previous day.

Should I go?

No... you had enough... getting her rejections time and again.

But what if she felt bad?

Let her be... she should know what it would be like to get ignored.

But I am missing her....

Shut up and read the file... sadly, you not only have a frustrating personal life but also a business to run.

Omkara's mind-heart talk was interrupted with the shrill ring of the landline. He switched off his mobile to ignore the calls from his brother and grand mother coaxing him to go to Bareilly. He gave strict instructions to his staff to not disturb him and took refuge in his cabin.

Then who is calling him? Shivaay won't pester him in office too... would he?

"Hello?" he answered the call angry at the interruption.

"Sir... sorry... I know you asked me not to disturb you but Shivaay sir told me this is important" said his new secretary.

"Okay.... Transfer the call" he instructed and grabbed another file from the huge pile in front of him.

"Hello, Omkaraji?" came the voice and his hand halted mid-air.

Shaking his head in a no, he answered "Hello?"

"Hello Omkaraji... I... I am Gauri" she confirmed and he hummed after a few seconds.

"H... how are you?" she asked and he fumed at her.

Like seriously??

"Omkaraji are you there?"

"What is it Gauri? why did you call?" he asked in a cold tone.

"Can you come to my cousin's engagement?"

"No... I am busy... Is that it?"

"Please?" she asked and his heart melted too soon, his brain scolding him for it.

When there was silence for more than a minute, Omkara's mind-heart war continued.

"Please Omkaraji..." she asked again and he took a deep breath shutting off all coherent thoughts.

"Okay" he said finally and she thanked him.

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Let me know your views...on

1. RUDRA
2.GAURI
3.OMKARA

Vote and comment..

I have been an incredibly good girl giving you daily updates since three days... a Hattrick...😇😇

But do not expect the same now...
🙊

I will update the next part in a few days...unless some miracle happens and I get pleasantly surprised with the number of votes or some engaging comments compelling me to write early.

Signing off... yours Soujanya.