Omkara was glad that they got over with the wedding, or the fake wedding as it transpired.
Finally, Tia and her motives were exposed to the family. Turned out that she was being used by her mother, Mrs. Kapoor, for some mistaken revenge. Tia ratted her mother out; all she wanted was to live peacefully with her husband, Robin, and their unborn child.
Shivaay and Annika forgave her for her misdeeds, but sent Mrs. Kapoor to prison. Omkara could never understand Shivaay's compromise with lies and deceit. He knew Annika bhaabhi forgave Tia because she was an empathetic and kind woman, and maybe because she understood Tia's love for Robin, and let them go.
Love. His brother was in love, though he wouldn't admit it openly.
Omkara smiled at the thought.
Well, at least he admitted openly to the world that Annika bhaabhi was his wife. At least, that issue was sorted between them. Now they won't pretend that Tia was Shivaay's wife, as they had been for three months.
Although the family had accepted Annika; Shivaay first out of spite, and then because of the complications that arose due to Tia's pregnancy, dithered from announcing the truth to the world.
Omkara was no one to speak in their private, yet public matters, but he didn't approve of this. He had once tried to talk to Shivaay about it, but the latter felt that much as he likes Annika, he can't see her as the mother of his children.
Pretty insulting thing to say about someone who was in fact his wife, but Omkara didn't expose Shivaay to Annika bhaabhi. Not because he wanted to protect his brother, but because he wanted to protect Annika bhaabhi from pain and humiliation.
He hope his brother sort out his issues fully. He really liked his sister-in-law and believed she was good for him.
Well, at least Shivaay had found the path to love, even if he was stumbling on it.
What about him?
He was condemned to live his life with the woman of his father's choice, whether he liked it or not.
Luckily for him, his father had been unable in the last few weeks to find a matrimonial alliance for him. It seemed his reputation preceded him.
*****************************************************
Tej frowned as he glanced over at the files before him.
He was growing old. Even though he was in his fifties, he worried about what would happen to his sons after him. Shivaay might try to assure him all he could that he loves and cares for his brothers more than anything, but Tej was no fool.
He had seen that look in Shivaay's eyes today, when they finally got rid of Tia.
He loved his wife, Annika.
Now that didn't make much difference to Tej, but knowing Pinky, he knew whether she likes Annika or not, she will accept her for Shivaay's sake, and soon start persuading them to have a child.
Tej's own children were behind Shivaay, even though he was the elder son, because Jahnvi had troubles conceiving. That caused the probably, the first crack in their relationship.
But he didn't want Omkara to be behind. His elder son hadn't proved much of an asset in business deals. But Tej wasn't going to back down. If not Om, then his heir would have to lead the future generation of Oberoi empires.
But a bigger worry for Tej wasn't who won the race for heir, but what would happen to Om after he and Jahnvi passed away, as was the rule of life.
Who will look after his interests then? Tej didn't trust Shivaay to do it. Once Shivaay had a family of his own, he would forget his brothers.
Tej worried for all his children. But he would come to Rudra and Prinku later, they were still young.
For now, his concern was to find a bride for Om. And that was proving tougher than he thought.
Everywhere he tried, there was only refusal.
It had been a few weeks since that scandal about Rudra's drunken marriage made the news. Since then no business family in Mumbai or Delhi, was interested in any matrimonial alliance with the sons of Tej Singh Oberoi. Omkara's image as the wayward son, who spent a considerable amount of time in rehab facility to wean himself from drugs, was already a point against him. On top of that, his image as an artist, and not having enough business acumen to handle the Oberoi empire, was also doing the rounds. Tej reluctantly admitted that his own image as a man who was unfaithful to his wife, was probably the biggest hurdle.
Even the lure of associating with one of the richest and most influential Oberoi families was not enough.
Tej started considering the idea of looking for a profitable alliance out side of the metropolitan cities. There was a chance that they wouldn't know about the infamous deeds of his family.
But even here, Tej saw a problem. His son might have agreed to marry the girl of his choice, but he would certainly never agree to marry her on false pretenses. If he knew Omkara well, his son would tell the girl, in fact, list out all the reasons why she should not marry him. Tell her all the dirty secrets. Omkara would never compromise on his honesty for anything.
Tej held his head and massaged his temples.
Maybe he should give this matter a rest, and concentrate on his work. There seemed to be interesting investment opportunity in Uttar Pradesh. Not the cream of real estate scenario, but it might come cheap.
Tej wondered if he should take Omkara with him. It was a good deal to start out with, nothing too big that he would feel lost.
Hmm..maybe he should talk to his son tomorrow.
************************************************
Gauri had a fitful sleep last night.
The entire time in the shop yesterday, she could feel someone's eyes on her. Someone all too familiar.
The presence of the kids and devotees, some of who knew her well, deterred that person. She was escorted home by a group of at least ten people. Everyone acted casually, like they were just strolling with her to have a chat. But she knew that her well-wishers intended to protect her from harm.
Why was she living like this? Free to move around, and yet a prisoner.
What was her crime?
She remembered the stories she heard as a kid, of princesses guarded heavily so that a monster would not snatch them. Eventually some prince came to annihilate the monster and take the princess away with him.
No prince to save her. Just herself, her parents and the kindness of her villagers.
Yet, no one could openly challenge the monster. No one could annihilate him.
Not even her.
Gauri hated this state of helplessness.
And she knew that even if by some miracle, a prince did come to rescue her, she could not go with him. Not even if she wanted to.
She got up from her bed and got ready for the day.
As Gauri was about to leave for her shop, a guard from the Haveli came to their home.
"Ghanshyam? What is it?" asked Gauri's father.
"Chhote Thakur, there is a problem" replied Ghanshyam.
Even though most of the servants and guards remained in the Haveli, after Durga Thakur left with his family, they still remained loyal to the family and cared for him.
"What now?" asked Gauri's mother fearfully.
"There is a party of businessmen coming from Mumbai this evening for some business deal. Bade Thakur wants to throw a feast to invite them. Since this deal involves family property, he has sent a message to you, Chhote Thakur, to be there at the feast. With your family" explained Ghanshyam apologetically.
"With the family? But if its only a business deal, then why my family should accompany me? Fine, tell him that I will come with Chhoti Thakurain" said Durga Thakur.
"I'm sorry, Chhote Thakur, but Bade Thakur has specifically asked for all three of you to be there" said Ghanshyam, hanging his head, in shame.
"That wretched man, that monster" said Gauri's mother.
"Ghanshyam, you may leave now" said Chhote Thakur.
Ghanshyam left, feeling sorry for the family.
"Will he never get tired?" asked Gauri, exasperatedly. "Because I am. Of hiding, of escaping, of fighting yet not being able to do anything. The only way I see out of this is..."
But her mother stopped Gauri.
"How many times I've told you not to think or mention such things? If we even harm a hair on Bade Thakur's head, the village will stone you to death. They wouldn't care that you were victimized, they wouldn't care about Bade Thakur's reputation, they would just care about establishing the rule of the society. They would blame you for everything, and punish you" said Gauri's mother.
"I'd rather be stoned to death, than live in fear like this every moment" said Gauri, just exhausted by her life.
"Don't say that, beta. Let us think about the problem at hand. I don't see a way out of this. You have to come tonight, but we will take precautions. As usual" sighed Chhote Thakur.
As usual, thought Gauri.
It wasn't enough that she lived in fear daily, that her uncle had to torment her now then.
When will all this stop?
*********************************************
Omkara was looking out of the window.
They had landed in Lucknow sometime, and were on their way to Bareilly. It was almost a five-hour long journey.
He didn't question his father's decision to invest in real estate in a small city like Bareilly. He was applying his common sense, but he knew his father was working on business sense, so he better not argue with him.
Not that he wanted to argue. He cared less if this deal came to nothing.
His father had asked, rather ordered him to accompany him, and Omkara agreed. Like he agreed to everything that his father said these days.
"We are almost there. I would like you to look through these files. It has details of the Thakurs from whom we want to buy the property" said Tej.
Omkara shrugged and took the files from him.
"Kali Thakur is hosting a feast this evening in our honor. He seems very taken with the idea of big businessmen from Mumbai coming over to buy his land. We might even get the property cheap" said Tej, his eyes sharp.
Omkara frowned. This Kali Thakur, was probably organizing a feast to impress them, poor man from a village, looking up to the city folk, while his father was preparing to defraud him of what was his due. He loathed business.
"Maybe the feast will cheer you up" said Tej.
Omkara gave his father a look that could freeze hell over. Tej knew he had crossed a line, and immediately looked embarrassed.
"My mother is still recuperating from the fire, thanks to your efforts. She hasn't yet started walking again. So, you will please keep your suggestions to yourself" said Omkara, contemptuously.
Tej had no grounds to argue, hence he kept his silence.
*****************************************************
The Bade Haveli was lit up, probably to welcome the guests.
There already seemed a party of big landowners, members from the Panchayat, and prominent families in the village, in attendance at the Haveli.
At the sight of Chhote Thakur and his family, they nodded and greeted the newest arrivals.
Gauri felt terribly exposed here. Any moment now, he would emerge.
It had been days, months actually, since the last encounter. She was tried hard not to shiver in front of the other invitees.
"Ah, my brother. I have missed you" came a sarcastic voice, from above, as they entered the main hall.
A chill ran down through her spine.
She should have been used to this by now. But how does one get used to this?
How does one get used to being forced to be in the same space with her stalker, her tormentor, her assaulter? The man who tried several times to....rape her?
Every time her Shankarji saved her, either in the form of some help, or giving her the courage to fight him.
Nine years....nine years had passed since the first time, her uncle almost succeeded in fulfilling his evil desires. Nine years since they left the Haveli, that fateful night.
Nine years since she has always been on alert and looking behind her back. Nine years since she has been forced into encounters like this, to face her enemy.
Gauri swiftly pulled the dupatta upwards to cover her face, and skulked behind her parents. Of course, that would not completely remove her from that monster's view, but at least she would feel little less exposed.
"How are you, Kali bhaiyaa?" said Durga Thakur, exasperatedly.
"How can I be, when my dearest brother, and his family, especially my naughty niece live away form this house?" said Kali, faking lament.
"We better talk about this some other time. Now we have guests to entertain, deal to make" said Durga Thakur evasively.
Gauri spied upon the assembled guests.
All of them looked embarrassed. There was no 'secret' in the village. Everyone 'knew' everything. Of course, they did. They knew what kind of lecher Kali Thakur was, how he didn't hesitate to prey even upon his own niece, they knew that's the reason Durga Thakur and his family left the Haveli, to protect Gauri.
But they never did anything about it.
It made Gauri's blood boil. How could people look away from the obvious truth like this?
She felt like shouting the facts to the whole world, but she knew for all her efforts, all she would get, is a punishment in the village square by the Panchayat, sentencing her to death at the most, and whipping in the least.
Why were women so helpless?
Gauri wanted to scream with all the rage flowing through her body.
But since she couldn't do that, she sneaked away from the gathering, careful to keep a distance between herself and that fiend who was her uncle.
******************************************
"Are you ready?" asked Tej.
Omkara nodded.
"Then lets go the Haveli. I can already see it all lit up" said Tej, as he looked out of the window of their guesthouse, or what the servant here had referred to as the outhouse.
Omkara wasn't the least bit interested.
What was the need for all this feast and everything? Just sign the deal and get done with it. But he was a guest here, so he wasn't in a position to argue and be rude.
The father-son duo, followed by a couple of servants, walked towards the Haveli. As Omkara entered the Haveli, he saw a tiny figure, a woman her head shielded with her dupatta, slipping out of the Haveli.
For some reason, he felt an unexplained panic, an urge to call her back, to shout at her to look out, but he suppressed it.
He didn't know why he felt like that. The girl was probably a local here, as much he could garner from her clothes, so what was he doing worrying about her?
He had to worry about bigger things this evening, like witnessing his first real estate deal first-hand.
Omkara shook his head, to clear all thoughts of the fleeing girl.