"Why are you feeling shy Bhavu... this is our house... our dining table... look at the yummy parathas" Omkara said taking an ample piece placing it near Bhavya's mouth while she sat tightlipped glancing at Gauri who seemed to burst out anytime soon.

"Aree...itna kya soch rahi hoo... kuch nahi karegi.. muuh kolo (what are you thinking so much... she won't do anything...open your mouth first)" whispered Omkara and she shook her head worriedly.

"Bhavya...please...for me..." he said in a low tone only heard to the person sitting next him and this time Bhavya complied making him grin and place the piece of food into her mouth.

"Waah... jiju... itna pyaar... you should feed us too.. we are Bhavya's best friends" said Reshma catching on to the game and Omkara smiled widely agreeing to the request.

"Of course beautiful ladies" he said asking them to come near taking another piece of paratha and stretching his hand.

For the next half an hour, the table was filled with laughter and fun with people engaging in flirty comments, playful conversations. All except one stood in utter silence not speaking a word except serving people food.

"Gauri beta... everyone ate.. you too sit and eat... I will serve the rest" said Gayathri coming to the table.

"I am not hungry daadi... itna pyaar dekhke na... mera peet bhar gaya hai...(seeing all the love here... my stomach has become full)" she said looking directly at her husband who smiled at her innocently.

"Gauri... you cannot tolerate hunger... come sit" said Gayathri and Gauri turned to the elderly woman with a glare.

"I said I don't want to eat... is that so difficult to understand" she whisper yelled before placing the curry she was serving on the table and left the place in anger.

"Gauri... Gauri... wait" shouted Gayathri and followed her grand daughter.

Shivaay glared at Omkara "Are you satisfied now? What was the need to irritate her? What are you even doing?"

"I was just trying to bring out a reaction"

"And you succeeded... she left"

"That is what I don't understand... if she is sad she runs away, if she is angry also she runs away and even if she is happy and blushing she runs away... isse to award milna chahiye....(she deserves an award) saying the best runner slash escaper" Omkara quipped while the girls giggled.

"But jiju... you don't know Gauri di's stubbornness.. she won't eat for the day... we are feeling bad that because of us..."

"Don't worry ladies... when she is hungry she will eat" he said and then diverted them by starting a new conversation making them temporarily forget about their angry cousin.

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"Gauri... what is this childishness... how will you not eating anything decrease your anger... Damaad ji was just pulling your leg... you are over reacting" said Gayathri trying to pacify her grand daughter.

"Yeah Gauri... Omkara must be doing it in fun... what did your stomach do to deserve punishment?" asked Geet.

"I know bhaabhi... he is doing it intentionally... he knows I don't like it when he behaves like that with other woman... then why does he want to irk me?"

"How do we know... you ask him Gauri"

"I won't... and you both leave... I wont have lunch... you make your damaad ji eat" she said turning to her grand mother who sighed giving up.

"Chalo... Geet... let her starve for now... she will come running into the kitchen by evening asking food... we have to take care of other things too in addition to handling my grand-daughter's tantrums" said Gayathri in a scolding tone taking Geet along with her.

In not more than ten minutes, Gauri began to regret her decision. Her grand mother was right... what wrong did her little stomach do deserve such retribution?

But what to do? She was sure if she went there to have lunch, he will start with his flirting game again and no matter how much she told herself, her heart burnt with jealousy to see him feeding her sister and her friends...

Hell... he never fed her like that... why is he doing it? she thought clenching her hands and muttering curses.

"Ohh... someone seems to be too angry... I wonder who the poor guy is who is the victim of your curses" said Omkara who sat beside her and she moved away creating distance not bothering to look at him.

"What are you cursing me Gauri... I should be prepared before I go out tomorrow and something falls on me hitting my head... should I wear a helmet?" he tried to joke and she did not laugh.

Omkara sighed "Look... I brought you Tehri, aloo tikka and kofta curry... I thought you like them" he said raising the plate he was holding and her stomach rumbled to her embarrassment.

Omkara laughed loudly before picking up the spoon and placing it before her mouth. She looked at him and the spoon still in contemplation.

"Hmm... I think today I fed all the young ladies of the house... you are the only one left... eat eat... I have other works to do" he said and she frowned turning away.

"I don't want... you can go fed those whom you flirt with" she said and he smiled.

"You look gorgeous in sarees" he said and she scoffed "You noticed it now?"

"Now I can't tell you what all I notice in you... can I? You would blush and again runaway" he said leaning towards her and she tried hard to hide her blushing cheeks.

"Eat Gauri... I know you are hungry" he said and she turned to him fully facing him before opening her mouth widely asking him to feed her.

He smiled and calmy fed her for the next fifteen minutes until her stomach was full.

"Uhh... I couldn't bring the sweet dish here... come down and eat" he said getting up and she held his hand stopping him.

"What is with all the flirting? You know I don't like it" she calmly asked.

He sat down again keeping the plate aside "You never had a problem when I talked nice to Richa" he said.

"Yes... because she is my friend and I know her"

"And you don't know Bhavya? You don't know her friends?" he asked in confusion and she stared at him questioning herself.

True... it wasn't the first time he was nice to her friends... though he didn't outrightly flirt with them like today.

"What changed in these months after we got married that you became a jealous and possessive wife?" he asked her clearly and this time she knew the answer.

"What changed Gauri" he asked again when she looked at the cemented floor of the canopied terrace with great interest.

"Umm... let us go downstairs daadi must be waiting for me" she said instead and stood up from her place.

Omkara roughly pulled her hand making her land in his lap with a soft gasp as she clutched on to him for support.

"Why won't you say the words Gauri?" he asked in a soft whisper caressing her cheek and she closed her eyes leaning into his touch.

Looking at her melting so easily to his caress, he groaned loudly before pulling her face to his level and taking her lips into a searing kiss... something he craved to do since the day before.

Gauri opened her mouth in no time and the kiss turned steamier than intended, the couple quenching their thirst for each other in the most basic of needs. Omkara's hand brushed against her bare waist sending jolts of current to her body igniting an inflammable passion in her and switching off all the buttons of propriety.

It took the couple a few more minutes, to realize their mistake of making out in broad daylight on the house terrace where anybody can barge in on them and they pulled away from each other reluctantly.

Gauri was still catching her breath when she heard her husband rasp.

"I want to hear you say the exact words to me... until then... be prepared to bear the consequences of your silence" he said and gently pecked her lips.

Lifting her off his lap, he got up, hurriedly dragged her downstairs with him to the safety of a bunch of relatives fearing he changed his mind and give in to his temptation.

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"Hello...Shivaay... how is it going? Did they talk?" Anika asked in eagerness.

"He pulled the jealousy card on her today... and she is angry at him, putting on a hunger strike" Shivaay summarized the events one by one, making his girlfriend laugh.

"Great" she said as her laughter subsided.

"He is already in problem because of the jealousy thing... I don't understand why he still wants to irk her with the same reason"

"Wrong... Riya was only a tip of the iceberg... their main problem is Gauri's inability to communicate... by blatant flirting Omkara thought he could spite her and try bring out the angry wife who would claim her right on her husband, at least in the house where she knew she had support... but sadly she fled even today" Anika explained and Shivaay grasped the meaning.

"Oh... then what can we do to bring out that reaction?"

"I don't know may be you can remove her inhibitions? Gauri is from an orthodox background... moulded since childhood... may be once that inhibition is gone, she might confess and Omkara will get to know the real her"

"How do we do that Anika"

"Frankly speaking, years of habits is going to take at least a few months of grooming for her to be outspoken and valiant but since we just want Omkara to realize the extent of her love, so that he could give her the necessary support, we must resort to temporary means"

"Don't speak in puzzles... say the thing you want me to do"

"UUmm.. just get her drunk"

"What??"

"Yeah... we just need her to confess right? Rest everything Omkara will take care"

"But... here? There is a function happening here... how can we.."

"Chill chill.. I am not talking of now... only when the coast is clear.. I mean after the function.. you were going to stay for a day or two right? May be then" she said and Shivaay hummed.

"Right... the engagement is day after tomorrow... at the bride's place.. which is about a thirty minute drive from here I heard"

"Okay... we will plan something after that... till then let Omkara try his ways and you help him" she said and Shivaay smiled nodding a yes.

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Okay... this is a small update... but it is still a double update...

Why??.... because I was pleasantly surprised....

The rest of the stories with which the book is ranked is beyond surprising for me....they are my favorites... ❤❤

SORRY for the grammatical mistakes as this is not edited and typed fast coz I wanted to give you the update as a reward....

Thanks again for the response....

Have a pleasant weekend... good night.

Signing off... yours Soujanya ❤