Gauri mentally kicked herself. All this while, she and Jahnvi conversed about so many things but Gauri didn't bother confirming her surname. If only, she had known Jahnvi's surname, she would have known that Jahnvi is Omkaraji's mother. Oberoi, Jahnvi was an Oberoi. For the first time in her life, Gauri hated that she wasn't educated enough. She was so enamored by Jahnvi's palace, that she didn't bother seeing the nameplate adorning the entrance of her mansion. Why? Because it would take her some time to read what was written. Well, thanks to Jahnvi, she was completing her education. Oh, the irony!
She thought back to what Jahnvi told her about her family and what happened between her husband and son. Gauri could totally imagine Omkaraji sacrificing everything for his mother. Now she understood why he stayed away from his brothers, with his maternal grandparents. Why Bade bhaiyaa told him that Omkaraji was sensitive, that he had been betrayed before. Although Gauri suspected that there was something more to the history of betrayals, than just being shunned effectively by his father. But she didn't want to pry.
For now, she just felt sympathetic towards the man who left his ambition to join business, for the sake of his parents' failed marriage. Jahnvi auntyji didn't mention what passion Omkaraji had though? What career did he give up exactly?
More pressing questions than these was, why and where was Jahnvi aunityji taking Gauri? Something big had happened, but what could Gauri do in all this?
They reached Omkaraji's maternal grandparents house. It took them time because Omkaraji lived on the other side of the city, away from his family.
"Come Gauri." said Jahnvi, leading the way. Gauri felt awkward to be showed way to the house she had been to, twice, but she didn't say anything. Omkaraji followed his mother, without giving her a glance.
Gauri sighed and followed. She entered last and saw Omkaraji looking daggers at a man.
"Mom, what is he doing here? Who invited him here?" asked Omakraji, growing angrier by the second.
"Om, listen.." said Jahnvi, pleadingly
The man turned to look at Gauri, and raised his right eyebrow slowly, taking in her shabby clothes, and countrified appearance.
"So, this is the girl behind whom my son has been gallivanting the entire North India?" he said, mockingly.
Gauri realized that this must be Omkaraji's father, Jahnvi auntyji's unfaithful husband, who abandoned her. Gauri didn't want to get involved in a family feud, but she refused to be insulted. She opened her mouth to object to this man's words, but before she could say something, someone else intervened.
"Don't you dare say a word against her, standing as you are at my mother's parents' house and not the Oberoi mansion." said Omkara, with a threat in his voice.
Omkara felt resentful towards Gauri at the moment, but Mr. Oberoi had no right to insult her, or anyone, for their origins. He could see the prejudice in Mr. Oberoi's eyes, judging Gauri for her lower economic class origins. Omkara had always hated this elitist attitude, and criticized it, in both Shivaay and his father. For whatever questionable things Gauri did, she could be no worse than Mr. Oberoi, Omkara decided.
Tej looked like he would want to give a cutting reply, and opened his mouth to do so, when Omkara's grandfather stepped up.
"Enough. Enough of this. This is my house, and no one raises their voice here except me. Tej, you least of all. Have some shame, standing in my daughter's house after all that you've done to ruin her and Omkara's life, you dare to question his life choices?" asked Omkara's Nana, sternly, but devoid of intense emotion showing on his face. He gestured to Jahnvi to continue.
"Om a....a problem has arisen. But before we get to that, how do you know Gauri? And where and why did you both disappear for three days?" asked Jahnvi.
Omkara hesitated looking at Gauri properly since she entered his house. Should he reveal what happened in Bareilly?
"Uff! Jahnvi, isn't it obvious? She is Chulbul!" said Omkara's Nani, stumping both Omkara and Gauri into silence.
"How did you know?" said Omkara and Gauri, at the same time, while Omkara's Nana looked flabbergasted.
"Who is Chulbul?" asked Jahnvi and Tej.
"Oh, looks like half the people know half things. Chulbul is Omkara's new friend, while Gauri, I assume, is your new friend, isn't she Jahnvi?" asked Nani. Omkara looked annoyed to be reminded of how he had been cuckolded by Gauri, while Jahnvi was still looking surprised.
"Of course, I knew the first time I saw Chulbul. This was no boy, this was a girl! And then that day, when I came to visit Jahnvi in the hospital with OmRu, I saw her rushing by, I realized that she looks familiar, where had I seen her before? And it struck me! Of course, it was Chulbul. Tell me girl, did you know that Jahnvi is Omkara's mother?" Nani asked Gauri directly.
Gauri shook her head, looking ashamed and foolish, that she hadn't figured out Jahnvi and Omkara's connection.
"So...Omkara already knows Gauri, only as Chulbul, while I know Gauri as who she really is?" asked Jahnvi slowly.
Nani gave a patronizing smile to her husband, to whom she had confided her suspicions about Chulbul being a girl, and who had promptly dismissed it, blaming it on her old age.
"Maine dhoop mein baal safed nahi kiye (My hair didn't turn grey in the sun)" said Nani smirking, while Nana looked irritated at being defeated like this.
"And why did you both disappear?" asked Jahnvi. She was anxious to know what had transpired in the last three days.
"Oh Jahnvi! Why are you being so slow today, my dear? Isn't it obvious? Don't you remember how besotted Om was in the hospital? Its obvious he went to meet Gauri next day, and when he found out about Gauri's little joke with Chulbul, I assume they had a lover's quarrel, and Gauri left to her city in a huff. Don't you remember the time when you got so angry with Tej over a minor issue that you came to stay with us for a week? Tej had to make up for it by standing outside our door from morning till night, until you finally let him inside on the eighth day. You wouldn't know this Om beta, this was before you were born." said Nani.
In one minute, she managed to embarrass all the people standing there. Jahnvi felt nostalgic for that lost time, and then acutely ashamed to think of that time so fondly, whereas Tej felt conscience-stricken thinking of those lovely memories he had ruined with his own hands due to his irresponsible actions. While Tej and Jahnvi looked at floor abashed with their feelings, Nana gave Nani an admonishing glance. On the other hand, Omkara and Gauri were nothing short of horrified that their unexplained absence was spun into this fairytale romance, when what had actually happened was the completely opposite. Gauri recovered from the shock first.
"Naniji, with due respect, its not like you are thinking. My mother met with an accident, back in my city, Moradabad. So, I rushed to see her. And Omkaraji came to help me, with...with money for the operation." explained Gauri. Well, at least half of it was true.
She's telling a half-truth again. She's lying in front of him, but Omkara didn't contradict her, because he didn't want to launch into a whole explanation about Kali Thakur and the village and everything.
"So, you are using my son as an ATM?" asked Tej sarcastically.
"Shut up, Mr. Oberoi. I told you not to say a word against her." said Omkara.
"Yes, Tej. Not everyone is like you, looking for his profit. If Gauri wanted to take advantage of anyone, then she had me to fool. All these years of abuse at your hands, had made me weak. I could have easily fallen prey to any con she planned. Instead she helped me recover and rebuild myself again. And my son is not a greedy businessman, he always helps people, whom it is in his power to help. Without looking for what he will get in return, unlike you. So, don't taint everyone with your words." said Jahnvi angrily.
"This is getting us nowhere. I suggest we all sit down. Time is less. Jahnvi, tell Omkara about Svetlana's demands." ordered Nana quietly.
"Om, while you went missing, Svetlana demanded to marry into the Oberoi family. She can no longer wait for your father to be free of me, so she gave us an option between you and Rudra. I spoke to Soumya and Rudra, and they are okay with the leaked footage of their wedding being used to convince Svetlana that Rudra is not an option. So obviously the next was you...." said Jahnvi, looking keenly for Omkara's reaction.
Omkara was stupefied to learn of all that has transpired in the three days. Before he could say something, Gauri intervened.
"I'm sorry, but what's it got to do with me? And why do you have to accept the demands of this....Sultana?" asked Gauri.
Jahnvi answered the second question first. "Svetlana has something, a video of Om, which she is using as a leverage. And about where you come in, we....we actually thought something similar to what...Nani said just moments before...." Jahnvi couldn't meet Gauri's eyes.
"You want to use Gauri... as my wife." said Omkara, quietly, as he got up and went to his room, slamming his door shut.