Dil Bole Rikara: Rikara Shots Collection

Dil Boley Oberoi (Epilogue)

Should I tell you a secret?
I was going to update regardless of how many people commented because I am seriously fickle and if I don't update today I'll end up rewriting it again (the third time I would do it for this chapter). But thanks for letting me know you guys are actually looking forward to updates and don't just watch it because you have to.

That being said, this chapter was rewritten and hasn't been edited even once. So, if you feel like a few things happen too suddenly, it's because I couldn't make myself to write the transition in a better way. I'll be working on re-editing whenever I get the time.

Now, onto the end of the Rikara journey.

Epilogue:
Of Lost Love&Love Lost

Twenty years later..

He kicked the stone with a force he wished he could use on that stupid old man.

Unbottoning his suit jacket, Kavinash Singh Oberoi tried to remember the last time he had felt as lost as he did today. Probably ten years ago, when he appeared in front of Omkaara Singh Oberoi's office threatening the man into adopting him. A small laugh left him as he slumped his shoulders and decided to let go of his anger upon the onslaught of memories. He could hate himself now but his fifteen year old self was still far worse. That stupid boy literally forced his way into a rich family because he wanted to show the world what he had in him.

And Kavinash knew he had loads of potential within himself. Why then, could he not crack this simple deal?

The leaves crunched beneath him as the trees shed more of their wastes onto him. Some might think this was a good weather, but for Kavinash Omkaara Singh Oberoi, this month was the worst. Life has its way of bringing you down after you rise too high. And that's what humans call fall. It's kind of depressing how most people enjoy the fall and death of so many leaves.

He sighed as he extended his right hand towards his assistant, ready to hate himself all over again as he stared at the papers of doom. The quotation that made him loose an ordinary deal to a very small company. Some might say that this was too small of a loss to lament over but Kavinash didn't rise from a lost boy in the dirty dark streets  of underground Mumbai to the CEO of Oberoi Corps by making mistakes and hiding them behind excuses.

His assistant hesitated before informing him, "Mr. Oberoi called."

"Dad?" He asked as he took the file from his assistant and started walking back to where he had parked his car.

"Rudra sir."

"Why?"

"He wanted to remind you that it's the thirteenth of October."

Kavinash stopped, turning to his assistant in disbelief. He opened his phone and sure enough, the words on the screen told him that it was that day of the year. The day that sees the death anniversary of someone he could never meet but was connected to. How could he let such an important date slip his mind?

"Has he gone to the memorial?"

"Omkaara sir is still at home."

"Goddamnit." Kavinash cursed as he speeded his steps thinking of the amount of pain his father would be in.

Ritisha smiled as a dry leaf fell on top of the page she was reading while walking on a less frequented alley. Strong blows of wind knocked the leaf back down and she couldn't help but bend down to retrieve the fallen leaf. Fall was nature's way of teaching you to always change for the better she believed. And this leaf had definitely appeared in her life to signal a change for the better. As she moved to stand up with the yellow leaf, she failed to notice a man hurrying towards her.

Kavinash stumbled over a piece of rock in his hurry to get to his car and cursed.

"It's nice to meet you too. And I am definitely not hurt by the kick to my chest either. Thanks for asking!" The rock who turned out to be a woman crouching on the ground retorted with a cheery voice.

"What are you doing ther-" he stopped mid sentence when he saw the book kept in front of the bent over lady. An ironic smile settled over his face as he read the title. "How to Love an Oberoi."

The story of Omkaara Singh Oberoi and Gauri Kumari SSarma. The reimagining of their love story that turned his sensible father into an arrogant, heartless and blind fool of a character while Gauri's bold, vibrant colours were dulled into a monotonous grey of an  adarshwadi wife who was as good as a doormat.

"No wonder you forgot to look where you stand. That book has enough bullshit to blind you forever."

The woman smiled as she stood straight and extended her hand to him, "It's nice to meet you, my dearest and first hater."

"Hater?"

"What are your opinions about the writing of the book that hasn't even been released yet?" She asked with a grin that caught him off guard. Did she know him? Is that why her smile seemed so familiar?

"I don't need to wait for the book when I've already seen the script for the web series and heard the opinions of the actor."

"You seem to be concentrating on what others say too much. But it was nice to meet my first anti-fan." She smiled and took her hand back as she realised he wasn't into meeting someone politely.

"You are the faceless writer?" His eyes widened. What a coincidence to stumble into the prey that he has been chasing for eons.

"The one and only." She curtsied dramatically.

"How do you write such filth?" He blurted as he wished that the woman would turn down the charm. She was seriously giving him dejavus he didn't need.

"The same way that you walk with your eyes closed and hate on a book you haven't even read yet." She answered as she bent down to retrieve her book.

"Yet? I would never ever read that."

She smiled despite the words he threw. "Well, that puts us in a difficult situation. Anyway, I hope you end up enjoying someone's books some day. It was nice to meet you in this bright daylight. Ciao!"

"Wait!" Kavinash grabbed her hand as she moved past him. "I need your name."

He couldn't let go of the woman who tarnished his family's name and ruined his cousin, Shivansh's debut web series. The writer who made a joke of Omkaara Singh Oberoi and made a strong woman like Gauri appear like a  hopeless, good for nothing playtoy would have to pay.

"Ritisha."

"Why would you tell your name to someone you don't even know?" He asked shocked at the stupidity of the woman. He wasn't concerned about her safety but damn this woman couldn't really have remained faceless for so many years by giving out information like this.

"But you seem so familiar. Maybe I know you from another lifetime." She laughed alone as he gave her a wierd look. Did she feel the wierd familiarity too? Did they really know each other?

"No wonder your books turn out to be shit with that overactive imagination. And why are you laughing even when I curse you?" Of course he didn't know her. He was just getting the chills from her smiles because she smiles too damn much.

"My book? That reminds me of why you seem familiar. You're just like Omkaara. Blindly angry at the world for something we didn't do." She shrugged as she gave him a once over.

Is this what an insect under a  microscope feels like? Completely bare even though there are layers still covering him.

"And you're just like Gauri. Can't even defend your own book!"

"That's an honest compliment coming from you. Sometimes I smile because people like you don't do enough of that. And other times, I smile to show you that you can't bring me down with your meaningless misdirected rage. Today, I'll smile because I found a hater who thinks I am like Gauri Sharma."

"You can never be Gauri Kumari Sharma." He said already irritated because of her positivity. Shoving his phone in her hand, he said. "Now, keep this phone. I'll call you."

"Hein?" She finally dropped her smile as she gave the expression 'gaping fish' a new look.

"I don't like repeating things."

"And I don't like not understanding the sequence of events. Why would I take your phone?"

"Because if I ask for your number you can lie."

"And what makes you think I won't drop this 'more expensive than my apartment lease' gold studded phone onto this 'nature's beautifully decorated rangoli of leaves'?"

"You can do it. My assistant with pregnant wife and dying mother will just be fired then."

"WHY WOULD YOU DO THAT?!"

"Because we have unfinished business and I've got things to take care of. I'll call you." He dismissed her with a wave of his hand as he proceeded towards his car.

"Wait! Where are you- how can you? Hello!?" She screamed behind him and he almost smiled. He had plans for this lady and they were the worst kind.

****

The door screeched as Kavinash entered his father's studio. The paintings all around were variants of coloured. All of them had a single inspiration and face. The smile on the paintings reminded him of a certain girl who he had vowed to ruin but he didn't think anything of that.

Omkaara was sitting on the desk in the corner looking at the sun with a lost look. Kavinash pulled the office chair near the desk and sat beside him.

"How are you?"

"Worse than yesterday." His father sounded dead inside and he hated not being able to solve this.

"Why don't you just go to the memorial once? For closure?" He pleaded knowing he wouldn't listen. He never did.

"I didn't say anything to the living. Why would I disrespect death by saying it to a pile of dust?"

"It's for the sake of your own life. It's been twenty years. It wasn't your fault."

"Of course it wasn't. But our circumstances were all on me."

"Stop blaming yourself. You couldn't have done anything to stop death."

"Blame? Don't you blame yourself too? Why do you do it?"

"I blame myself for killing people. I was the one who held the gun that fired the bullet. I've killed two people, Dad. How can I not blame myself?"

"Everyone has told you that you were conditioned to do it. You fired the bullet because you were startled. But does that stop you from punishing yourself by not going to find her?"

"I don't want to find her. If I did, no amount of guilt would've held me back."

"You're scared that she would never forgive you. You're scared that she would hate you."

"Even if I feel that way, why do you want to turn this conversation on me?"

"Because that's exactly how I feel. I- I don't want to end that chapter of my life. Because even if it is by pain, I want to be connected to that death body who I loved but could never say the words to. You don't want to meet your first love again  because you don't want her to hate you. I don't want to see the dead body either. It will make things too real."

"You're going to ruin yourself like this. It's been twenty years and you still refuse to face the truth. You being like this isn't going to bring back the dead."

"But it can keep me in a life where I was only ignoring the love, where the person I loved was still alive."

"Dad.."

"I wish she didn't leave."

"I wish I had met her before she did." Kavinash sighed as he let his father change the subject. Anything to stop him from crying again.

"Without her, breathing hurts. A lot."

"Seeing you like this is kind of pathetic but I'd be lying if I said I don't feel the same."

"If other people hear you two talking, they might think Gauri Bhaabhi isn't on a two week business tour but forever gone to the heavens." Rudra joked as he closed the door behind him and deposited the takeout boxes on the desk.

"Don't dare to talk about her death. You know I got the scare of my life, twenty years ago when I thought she was shot."

Twenty years earlier..

Gauri could see death looming over her in the form of the gunman who held a gun to the side of her forehead. She searched the crowd for him. He wasn't downstairs. Which meant he was coming to rescue her.

Her Jatadhari. He definitely had a saviour complex. And he also knew how to royally mess up her plans.

Arjun had fallen for a Gauri Sharma in the college and told his family that he wanted to marry her. To surprise the said Gauri, he kept shut about the marriage proposal that his mother had sent to the only real Gauri Sharma in Bareilly.

When they met on the day of the arrange marriage date, they cleared the misunderstandings and Arjun found out that his Gauri was an orphan who arbitrarily used the Sharma surname. Gauri Kumari SSarma took that confusion and misunderstanding as Sankarji's approval for Omkaara and her relationship and planned to go to Mumbai to love the marriage proposal into him.

On the night of the sangeet, she found out that Arjun's Gauri was actually Garvita on a mission. She helped Bhavya and Garvita by giving her statements about tyranny of Kaali Thakur and the secret officers were almost done with their jobs. The rest was for the law to decide.

But the afternoon before the wedding, Bhavya called her and pleaded for her to help Bhavya in switching the bride because Garvita's life was in danger. So, Bhavya sat down on the mandap in a veil ready to take on the threat when Jatadhari ruined it all.

And that brings us back to the situation she was currently in. In the clutches of death. The gunman started his countdown.

Three. She struggled against him using every inch of her body to fight him. Elbow, knees and legs, she tried to hit all of him.

Two. He tightened his hold on her and turned them so that she was now situated facing the hallway and they were bent over the balcony railing with the enraged shouts of people asking him to stop behind them. He planned to jump to death after shooting her.

The door to her left opened and she snapped her eyes to meet Omkaara's terrified ones. Her eyes misted up as she was reminded of the last time she thought she was going to die.

'I want to see him happy before I die.'

Guess the see him part was coming true in the worst possible way.

She tried to smile despite her tears. For him to have a good last memory of her.

She really was Sankarji's favourite, wasn't she?

The gunshot echoed in the marriage hall and Gauri's head felt the splashes of liquid as her body felt heavier than ever.

But how can your head be stained red with a shot? She moved her hands and found that she hadn't felt any pain or lost any limb (not that you could loose a limb from a bullet in the first place). But her body still seemed heavy.

Because of the dead weight of the gunman's body on hers, she realised with panic.

"You mustn't ever turn your back to a police officer if you're a criminal." Bhavya's senior, Dandi declared as he put his gun back in. It wasn't difficult to put a bullet through the gunman's head because Gauri was a head shorter and the target wasn't too far away.

Omkaara was onto Gauri in a moment. Cupping her face, caressing her cheeks and repeatedly patting down her body to ensure himself that she was still here. He hadn't lost her.

She let him pull her into a tight hug as tears of relief flooded out. Her hair felt a little wet and she realised that he had felt it too. The scary thought of being parted forever had pained him too.

She smiled. They would be alright. Because as long as she was alive, there was loads of time to make up.

"I love you. Marry me."

Or maybe they didn't need an entire lifetime for that.

"Wha-"

His fingers came back to cup her face as he tilted back to look into her eyes as he declared, "I can't wait for the perfect moment or settings. Let's just get married today. I can't lose you."

Her eyed teared up again as she put her hands on his on her cheek. As she stood with red on her face and his arms around her waist, she finally knew what home meant. A place where chaos dulls into white noise and all that remains is warmth.

"I am here and I will be here for a long time. So, don't worry." she stopped to slip her arms around his waist and rest her head on his chest as she whispered the words. "I've finally found a reason to fight."

"So, let's just get married."

She laughed. "Never thought you'd take a one-eighty on the marriage thing."

"I can't lose you because of another marriage drama. So, let's just get married for real and end this one."

"You won't lose me because I'll always come back to you."

"Promise on your Shankarji."

"I swear on my Sankarji."

"If you're done making up, please bring the victim down so that we can record her statement." Dandi shouted making Gauri realise that she just became the most shameless girl to ever exist by hugging a man in front of a crowd.

She reluctantly started to pull away when Omkaara tightened his hold on her and shouted over her head, "We'll come to the police station for that. This woman just promised that she isn't leaving me anytime soon."

++++

Rudra chuckled remembering the aftermath of that day. "I still remember how you refused to let Bhaabhi breathe for the rest of the day."

"Well, excuse me if I wanted to protect the love I almost lost because of my stupidity." Omkaara defended with a smile as the memories momentarily taught him how to breathe again.

"You didn't even let her go to the washroom alone."

"I might have overdone it just a bit."

Kavinash rolled his eyes. "Honestly, you guys make me sick with that lovesick attitude."

"Well, if I weren't so in love with Gauri, you wouldn't ever be adopted. So, count your blessings."

"I would've found something else to blackmail you with."

"I wouldn't have played nice either, Kavin. I would've got you packed and left you on an island or something. The man I became for the few months between my mother's suicide attempt and meeting your mother were the worst of me. And if it weren't for her, I wouldn't have been half this soft."

"You know this is why your love seems a little too much sometimes. You would've grown as a person no matter what. If not for Maa, you would've evolved into someone else, yes. But that doesn't mean you would've been worse than you are now."

"You wouldn't understand. Not until a single smile gives you the strength to go through the day and a single word gets you do hooked that you end up thinking of a single thing throughout the day with a smile."

Kavinash rolled his eyes as he tried to hide the fact that he was momentarily stunned. He hadn't just thought of that faceless writer had he? It was just a coincidence because she was the only person who smiled so damn much. Yeah, that was it. He would never ever join the word love with a stupid joker who smiled that wide for all twenty four hours of the day.

"You know O, the thought of my rude nephew smiling is kind of off though. He would probably curse her in his mind if he couldn't concentrate on deals because of her." Rudy quipped as he spread out the table.

"Mutton biryani!" Omkaara exclaimed as he started to gobble it up directly from the container. "I swear I love Gauri but soemtimes I regret marrying a vegan."

Rudra and Kavinash chuckled as Kavinash took a plate for himself. He usually lived in his office for ninety percent of the week. So, he could sneak non veg whenever he wanted but his father no longer needed to come to the office because all of his shares were now handled by Kavinash. So, the poor Jatadhari only ever got to taste nonveg when Gauri was on a business trip for her jewellery store.

Rudra was about to comment when his phone rang. "Kavin calling."  He looked at his nephew with confusion.

"Did you lose your phone? Why is your phone calling me?"

Kavinash choked on his Biryani as he remembered who had his phone. Hastily, he plucked the phone off Rudra's hands and picked up the call as he muttered. "This is my assistant. He has it."

On the other side, Ritisha laughed. "So, I am your assistant now? Is that why you gave me this phone? Because we have business that involves me changing my gender?"

"I told you not to call me."

"And I asked you a question. But I know conversations don't work that way with you."

"I'll call you later. I have other matters to attend to."

"If you're being this uncooperative don't blame me for doing something silly."

"You pull silly stunts all the damn time."

"Says the guy whose known me for less than two hours."

"What does that say about your personality? That a stranger can find out just how screwed in the head you are? I am hanging up."

"I LOVE YOU TOO!" Ritisha screamed just before he cut the call. It was loud enough for his father and chaachu to hear and do a double take.

Kavinash facepalmed. This woman really wanted him to hate her.

"Who's that? My bahu?"

"Or another one night stand? But why would a one night stand have your phone? And you said you'll call her later."

"She's none. She's just a psycho."

"Fine don't tell me. I'll just ask your assistant."

"He wouldn't open his mouth if he wants to live anymore."

"That means there is something that you want to hide. Why hide love?"

"It's not love."

"Then why did you lie? Why pick up the phone?"

"I- I just wanted to tell her to stop calling and disturbing chaachu."

"Well, would you look at that! Kavinash Singh Oberoi being considerate? When did it occur last? On the thirty first of February?"

"Arre O! Love changes a person. Didn't he say something about growing as a person just a few minutes ago. Aww, my pyaara bhateeja. I also fell in love at twenty four. Let me give you some tips."

"I DON'T LOVE ANYONE! Can you guys stop?"

"Oh my mata! I know that look. Look at him, O. Don't you remember where you've last seen this expression!"

"Oh my! Isn't this the same expression that Shivaay had when he told me that he couldn't see Aanika as the mother of his children?"

"And look where they are now. A twenty year old actor and a thirteen year old painter that call them Mumma And Dada."

"Stop it you two. Stop irritating me. I am leaving. Don't call me even if you need me."

Kavinash stormed towards the door pulling it open and taking one step forward before crashing into a table. That moved and talked.

"Ahhhh! Why do you like kicking me so much?"

Ritisha. That dratted woman would probably follow him to hell just to kneel over and get knocked down by him again.

"Why do you like laying on the ground that most people use for walking?" He mumbled as he dragged her up by using her elbow.

"I was picking up this cufflink which I am now sure is yours because it stung my shoe." Ritisha told him without her cheery tone as she finally got up from her position on the ground.

"Why are you here?"

"I love your house. It's got this mix of elegance and humility at the same time. And the windows, those are the best part-" And her cheery voice was back.

"Why are you here?"

"Oh right. You don't do polite conversations. Stupid me!"

"I am not going to ask again. Why are you here?"

"What are you going to do if I don't answer?"

"This." He said as he took her wrist and started dragging her back to the door of the house.

"Hey! Chill please. I was just asking out of curiousity. I'll tell you why I am here. Hey!"

"You lost the time for that. Now, out."

"I really didn't want to use this card but, you forced me so..." She trailed as she turned back towards the door to his father's studio and shouted, "I HATE YOU, KAVI! YOU CAN'T EVEN INTRODUCE ME TO YOUR FAMILY. IF YOU KEEP THIS ON, I AM BREAKING UP WITH YOU!!!"

Kavinash momentarily stunned by her loud voice got to his senses and quickly put his hand on her mouth, effectively shutting her up but failing to contain her failing arms.

To control her movements, he pushed her against the nearest wall and held her mouth in his grip as he glared down at her. She stopped struggling for a second, looking up at him with wide eyes. She was definitely beautiful, he found himself thinking as he leaned down to pick away a strand of her hair that was falling over her cheek. She looked taken aback for a second but she leaned into him nonetheless, going on her tiptoes and - butting her head against his nose.

Kavinash stumbled back with the unexpected hit and turned the other way to bend over and control the pain in his nose. Carefully tilting his nose, he ensured that it wasn't broken before turning to teasing little minx with rage. Only to find her gone.

He turned around and found his father and uncle looking at her in amazement as she smiled brightly and greeted them. He stomped towards her  and grabbed her wrist again, ready to throw her out successfully this time.

"What do you think you're doing?" Omkaara asked his son with a raised brow.

"Taking her out." His grown son whined. This was the first time Omkaara had heard him whine ever.

"Kavinash, don't scare O's new assistant."

"Assistant?"

Omkaara watched with careful eyes as Kavinash gave his new assistant a questioning look. Omkaara was sure that there was something going on here that Gauri would most likely be very happy to hear.

Ritisha smiled big as she extended her hand to Omkaara. "Hello sir, I apologise for that scene. Your son is just a very irrational person who refuses to hear my side of the story. And the things that I  shouted were a lie too. I just wanted to get your attention before he threw me out."

"Why do you want to be my father's assistant?" Kavinash cut in before his father could reassure his new assistant that he didn't mind the drama.

"To find the love of my life again."

"You love my nephew?" Rudra jumped with excitement. It's been too long since he last played cupid for someone.

"Uh, I was kind of talking about Omkaara sir's paintings but your nephew is definitely a bonus!"

"Wait! How am I a bonus?"

"Who was taking about you?"

"You just said that chaachu's nephew aka me is a bonus."

"Oh, you stupid narcissist. I was talking about your father and uncle's joint nephew."

"Shivaansh? You like Shivaansh?"

"Who doesn't?"

"He's at least three years older than you."

"How old do I look to you?"

"With that five foot minus one inch height, kindergarten would be generous."

Ritisha glared at him and he internally cheered. Finally, something that made her smile disappear.

"I am only a year younger than you, I will tell you that."

"Then, you're four years older than Shivaansh. Stop liking him."

"So? I look like a kindergartener na?"

"No. You look old. So old that I am afraid you are the cat lady who killed her cats because she was tired of being lonely for all fifty years of her life."

"How did you even become a successful businessman with those pathetic arguments?"

"I am a businessman not a lawyer."

"But you need arguments to haggle."

"Haggle? I am not a vegetable vendor."

"Well Oberois own lots of farms so, you indirectly are one."

Omkaara and Rudra gave each other that look. And so, the Ishqbaazi starts again.

"Did you ever think that a girl would make Kavi lose his tactical mind?"

"Well, I didn't dare to be that optimistic but this girl is definitely something else."

"Mark my words. She is the Chulbul Bhaabhi to our chota Omkie."

"I didn't fight this much with her, okay!"

"Are you forgetting that you crushed her shop the moment you two met?"

"Fine. But I love her a lot more now."

"You'd have to provided that you guys had an amazing honeymoon in Vaishno Devi."

"Don't remind me of the days I almost considered divorce."

"Bhaabhi, isn't very romantic is she?"

"You really want to discuss my sex life, Mr. Thief?"

"I told you the outfits were for a Halloween party!"

"Pray tell me what Halloween party happens in February."

Kavinash's assistant came running and panting before Rudra could change the subject. Kavinash took one look at the poor twenty year old panting his lungs out and immediately drove into a lecture, "How could you be so irresponsible? I told you to make sure she got home fine didn't I? Is this-"

"Let the poor man breathe, Kavinash/Kavi!" Ritisha and Omkaara scolded at the same time as Omkaara walked to relax Kavinash while Ritisha walked to the poor assistant with a glass of water.

The glass of water was thrown on the floor as Omkaara ran the other way, towards his studio as soon as he heard the assistant's broken words, "Ga-ah-ree ma-uh-m is ba-ckh."

Omkaara raced to his studio, quickly stuffing the Mutton Biryani into the take out bag and shoving it down his table. The door opened when he was still bent under the table, frantically trying to shove the packet into another dimension by the sheer force of his will.

"Om?" Gauri called as she wondered just how hurt her husband was to cry under his table. She walked around the table ready to comfort him when he got up with the biggest grin he has sported since the birth of the last Oberoi, Ruvya.

How hurt he must have been to cover up his tears with that big of a smile?

She walked ahead to hug him only to be pushed back by him. Gauri gaped at him in surprise as her mind repeated all of her actions to figure out why he pushed her away.

Omkaara gulped as he tried to find a chewing gum lest Gauri make him open his mouth and smell the amazing amount of mutton in his breath.

"I know you're hurt, Jatadhari. But why are you pushing me away?" She asked with confusion that was cute until he realised that he would've to answer her now.

He shook his head and dug his hands into his pockets wishing for God to bless him with a chewing gum.

Gauri's confusion faded and anger took its place. "Why are being like this? It's been twenty years since his death and you still push me away everytime I try to get through to you."

Omkaara nervously shook his head as he contemplated between jumping out of the window, opening his mouth or bearing the Gauri Mata's anger while keeping his mouth shut, which would be a viscous cycle of her shouting and him being quiet which would only enrage her more.

Either way, he wasn't getting any for the next week at the very least.

"I know you're hurting Jatadhari but please let me in. Please don't suffer like this anymore. I'll try my best to comfort you but you need to open up for that." Gauri said with tears crowding up her eyes as she thought of how much she wanted to help her husband.

The tears did it. He couldn't just see her hurt over something that wasn't even true. So, he pulled her into his arms as he pressed kisses into her hair all the while reassuring her, "I am fine, Gauri. It doesn't hurt that much anymore."

Gauri hugged him tighter for a second before her nose tingled with that disgusting smell. The smell of a poor animal's demise.

She pushed him away as she glared up at him. "Mansahari Jatadhari!" She screeched as she let her eyes roam the room for evidence of his crime.

"Mansahari? You know I gave up meat for you, Gauri. It must've been Kavin. I hugged him today."

"Don't dare to blame my poor baby. Everyone knows Kavi only hugs me and that too when I have been away for longer than a month."

"Which reminds me how was your business trip?" Omkaara stalled again as he blocked her path to the table.

"Don't change the subject. You said you'd quit for real the last time."

"I did. Gauri, I swear on Rudra!"

"Look at you shamelessly scapegoating your brother. I am disgusted, Omkaara."

"Waise, didn't you miss me? I missed you a lot." Omkaara stalled and leaned in to distract her, which looking back was the worst course of action because Gauri could now clearly smell the mutton in his breath.

"Get away. Don't even think of touching me for another year or so." She screamed in his face as she pulled back and stormed out of the door.

"Gauri!! It's already been ten days of your business trip. And you had your periods the week before. Hey! Don't torture me please."

"God! You rabbits in heat. Keep it in your pants will you? At least, try not to make it so obvious to your young and innocent son!" Kavinash groaned as they passed him.

"Arree Gauri!" Omkaara yelled suddenly hit by an awesome idea. "Kavinash just had a one night stand with this girl and I think he is in love with her! Gauriiii!"

"WHAT THE ACTUAL FUCK, DAD?"

"LANGUAGE!" Reprimanded Gauri from some far off corner of the Oberoi hallway as she retraced her steps to come face to face with the girl her son was supposedly in love with.

"I am not in love with her!" Shouted Kavinash again as he took few steps away from the crazy woman who was still smiling.

Ritisha turned to him with tears in her eyes. He gasped. How could someone to from smiling to that! What an evil actress! Ritisha diminished the distance between them as she questioned, "How could you say that, Kavi? When you spent your morning trying to convince me that you were in love with me?"

"He did what?" Gauri roared as she narrowed her eyes on the asankaari chirotha who dared to call himself her son.

"Rii!" Exclaimed Ritisha as she went over to his mother and hugged her. Sobbing dramatically, she told his mother, "I am really in love with your son but looks like he inherited the commitment phobia from your husband."

"Achha?" Gauri drawled as she gave Kavinash the glare. The glare that made him wish a fate worse than death for the woman sobbing dramatically on his mother's shoulder.

"You know I decided to forget the fact that he was non-vegetarian to love him but he is the most shameless chirotha ever. He actually had the gall to shove mutton into his father's mouth in front of me. He really mustn't love me."

"Don't worry, Darlin'. These Oberoi men do everything in their power to make us hate them. We just need to hold strong and then straighten them up."

"How? Can you show me?"

"Watch me!"

Gauri got out of the hug and determinedly walked to her Jatadhari. Tossing her hair back, she got on her tiptoes and kissed Omkaara on his cheek before pulling back and dragging the dazed man out of the room by his collar.

Kavinash waited until Gauri was out of the room before turning his magnanimous glare on the shortie who was grinning up at him. "What do you think you were doing just now?"

"Being a good assistant and assisting my boss."

"By pushing me into a cliff!"

"You want me to save you?"

"Ha! Never in a hundred years!"

"Well, then should I do what my mother in law taught me?"

Kavinash choked on air at her words. The look that she was giving him right now was something that gave him ideas that were better not uttered. Rudra took one look his nephew choking to death with a simple suggestive remark and decided that he had better things to do than watch his nephew fail at flirting and remind him how awful he must look to others when he was looking at Bhavya like this. Ah! Oberois really are pitiful in love.

"You wouldn't be able to even reach my chin with that height!"

"Should I try?"

"I am taller than my father and you are shorter than my mother. The action can't be repeated." Kavinash stated to distract his tongue from speaking "Yes please," instead.

"That's why I like your cousin. He's shorter, hotter and cuter. And he has blue eyes!" Ritisha's eyes turned dreamy as she executed a drama worthy sigh.

"You wouldn't ever have him after the stunt you just pulled."

"Well, your mother knew what I was doing. She and I are besties. So, she knows I was lying when I said that I could even like you enough to cry over you. She knows I like my men soft and blue eyed."

"How do you know my mother? Does she know that you're the writer of that God awful story?"

"I worked as an assistant in her jewellery store. That by the way is the reason why I am not wearing heels, because besties support each other by being as short as the other. I can probably kiss you if I wear my usual six inch heels."

Kavinash choked on his spit again as he looked away to contain himself. This one was a dangerous mixture of cute and sexy, he thought as he said something to distract her from flirting anymore."Why do you work as an assistant for all of the Oberois?"

"Because you guys have a diverse business. When I write about a character, I need to live like them to give better details."

"Don't tell me you're going to ruin art by writing about a painter a next?"

Ritisha rolled her eyes. "I actually like your father's paintings a lot. I just wanted to see the process."

"So, when will you be going back to writing?"

"Never. I retired."

"A whole lot of good you did to the world."

"Grrhh you're shamelessly rude."

"You're finally expressing something other than eternal happiness."

"Look at this shameless chirotha! Ek jhaap padega na to samajh aaega!"

"Talking like my mother wouldn't help. You don't even have the height to slap me."

Ritisha shrugged as she shoved an elbow into his stomach. "Ha! I don't need height to give you pain."

Kavinash doubled over with the sharp pain on his gunshot wound. He had a long scar on the exact position that she had just elbowed and even ten years later, the wound hadn't healed enough for it to not hurt after such a sharp pain. "Agh! This annoying woman. Just you wait till I catch you."

Ritisha fled faster than you could say "Coward!". She bolted through the corridor and towards the direction of the door to save her life from the enraged man behind her.

"I'll catch you!" Kavinash shouted with humor as he slow jogged behind her. Her legs were too tiny to even bother with a slow run.

"Not until I die!"

She was one step away from the door when his hands sneaked from behind her to hold her stomach and crash her back into his chest. "Are you going to die yourself or do I need to do that favour for you?"

"I am going to fight for my life!" She laughed as she struggled, the thought of a stranger being this close barely crossing her mind as she struggled to get out of his hold.

That's when Kalyani Singh Oberoi came back from her eldest son's memorial on his twentieth death anniversary to find her eldest grandson laughing carelessly as he held onto a girl in his arms.

*****

Gauri released Omkaara's collar once they reached their room. Sitting on the bed with a plop, she asked her husband, "Did I ever force you to give up meat?"

Omkaara sighed as the momentary excitement died down. Gauri was definitely going to give him the scolding of a lifetime. Oh, well as long as he wasn't kicked out of bed. Holding Gauri was something that ensured happy sleep, he had realised through the twenty years that they've spent together.

"No, I am sorry." Apologizing honestly was better than buttering her up, another thing he had learnt by heart throughout the twenty years of fights.

"Then why did you tell me you're giving up meat? I wouldn't have stopped you as long as you brushed your teeth before kissing me."

"I wanted to tell you but then, you cry even when you see a chicken shop and I was sure you'd start doing some sort of mega repentance on my behalf if you knew. But I really don't eat meat much, only when you're gone on your business tours. I don't want to hurt you, so I will lie again if it means you wouldn't cry."

"Do you think I am childish for having these rules?"

"I get it Gauri. I know how you feel. So, don't beat yourself up over it. You can just shout at me and we can have hot makeup sex after."

Gauri sighed as she shook her head. "Go brush your teeth and come here."

Omkaara grinned."In a second."

"Why didn't you tell me you were making me brush for this?" Omkaara murmured to himself as he dejectedly sat down beside Gauri while his psychologist stared at him through the tab.

"How are you feeling today, Mr. Oberoi?"

"Fine."

"Do you really not want to meet your father one last time?"

"He is dead. You can't meet someone who is dead."

"The memorial is a place that has his memories. Do you really not want to visit that either?"

"No."

"Okay, then do you want to talk about what you felt when you found out your father is dead?"

"On the thirteenth of October, 2018, after I made sure Gauri was alright, my brothers and I decided to stay the night in a rented apartment because it was already too late to drive back home. That night, at around two, Shivaay's phone started pinging repeatedly. A chopper was called while Rudra and I checked our phones to find through the news that Tej Singh Oberoi had collapsed on his work desk. The doctors said that he was already dead when he was brought there. We reached back Mumbai at around six and attended the funeral. Rudra and I refused to give fire to his dead body and so, Shivaay did the rituals."

"Why did you not want to give his corpse fire?"

"In the starting, it was anger but I have never regretted it because Shivaay was more of a son to my father than I ever was. Rudra did it out of respect for me and our mother, I think."

"Do you regret not mending your relationship with your father when he was alive?"

"Sometimes I do, sometimes I don't. He would've died regardless but maybe we could've had some good moments to cherish otherwise."

"Do you want to talk about why you don't go to his memorial?"

"Because I didn't know him and he didn't know me. It's disrespectful to go and visit a stranger's private memories."

The doctor sighed and looked at Gauri for any signal. Gauri just nodded her head with a sigh."Do you have anything else you would like to talk about?"

"I am fine. Thanks for your time."

Gauri leaned her head on his shoulder and nudged his head to rest on top of hers as her fingers caressed his hair like she had done after meeting his father for the first time. "Are you okay?"

"Can be better with a kiss."

"Not until tomorrow, Mansahari." Gauri rolled her eyes shifting to get more comfortable with her head in the crook of his neck now.

"Let's go by some random country where it's twelve now's time."

"At least make the effort to think about what country it could be."

"You think I can think rationally when you're loving me like this."

"Besaram ke Besaram hi rahoge na?" (You'll always be shameless?)

"Always baby." He said with a grin as he plopped his head on her lap, propping his feet on the arm of the couch. Gauri smiled, playing with his jatein for a while before tapping his nose to make him get up.

"Now, sarko. I need to call Kavi. He has an appointment today as well."

"Do you think we failed as parents because he still has nightmares?" Omkaara got on his elbows on the mention of their son's mental health.

"We're only human, Jatadhari. And we are trying our best. One day, Kavi will come to us and tell us that he had no nightmare tonight." Gauri pushed his forehead back down so that his head was back on her lap as she brushed his hair to soothe him again.

"I hope."

"I know you hate it when I meddle today, but are you really alright?"

"I am fine, Gauri. Just a little sad."

"Why don't you just come to terms with his death? Why do you punish yourself every year?"

"Because he is suffering up there too. It is kind of nice to know that he suffers with me. I feel like we are on the same page for once."

"That's so twisted."

"Love is twisted, my beloved wife."

"My beloved wife? Who the hell calls another person that?"

"A poetic loving husband." He said as he leaned up to peck her lips and make a run for it before she could screech after him.

***

"What is going on here?"

Ritisha stood straight at the stern voice. Her laughter died down as she tried to slowly wriggle out of Kavinash's arms while giving the entire Oberoi clan in front of her an uneasy look.

"Just romancing the love of my life, PD." Kavinash said lightly and Ritisha's blood ran cold.

Ritisha turned stone in his arms for a second before tilting her head up to give him her best pleading eyes that she wished spelled, 'Please don't.' He only grinned down at her with humor in his eyes.

What was this stupid egoist doing? Taking revenge on her like this was so ruthless, heartless- and why does every adjective for this revenge fit his personality so well?

"Ritisha? Is that you?" Shivaansh asked as he stepped in front to rub his eyes and re-check.

"You remember me!?" Ritisha fangirled for a second before realising that fangirling while a viscous dragon is taking revenge on you for lying to his mother  isn't the wisest of choices.

"Bhai? When did you meet her?"

"Ohho, shut up Dramebaaz bhee. V's in love. Haaye. Look how cute they look together!" Ashika cooed as she took a discreet photo to paint this scene later.

"My nephew does have great taste. She is definitely going to be the most khitkitod Oberoi bahu like me."

"Yes Bhaabhi. She has him wrapped round her little finger already. Kick this puppy around for a little while, our future bahu. It will be so damn amusing."

"Look he hasn't even let her go yet." Observed a very excited Jhanvi as she grinned wide.

Because I would chew him up as soon as he leaves me. Ritisha thought to herself as she tried to clear the misunderstanding.

"Uhhm, you all are misunderstanding. He doesn't love me. We met just this morning."

"How could you say that?" Kavinash brought out the Gauri in him as he turned her in his arms and dramatically threw her words back at her. "After I spent the entire morning today trying to convince you that I love you?"

"Don't do this." She whispered to him with pleading eyes and he laughed with the supremacy that this sweet revenge was giving him.

"You don't need to worry. My family is very open. Right, PD? They wouldn't think bad of you for spending the night with me."

"Just kill me instead." She muttered to his chest as she hit her head on it. He chuckled as he put her hair away from her face to enjoy the show of her embarrassment from the front seat.

"Is she the reason you lost the deal?" Shivaay asked after silently observing the two for a minute.

Kavinash straightened and instinctively nudged Ritisha into him as he stated, "That was my mistake. I'll give you a report in the office."

Shivaay smiled. "I wouldn't have minded if it was her. As far as I am concerned, welcome to the Lovesick Oberoi's Club for Hopeless Men."

Ashika giggled and Ruvya copied her without thinking. Ashika gave her younger cousin an irritated glare. Her ten year old cousin was particularly fond of copying others. And that made her worry because the world wasn't kind to the weaklings with so flexible of a personality.

"Congrats V. I need a party. And Dramebaaz bhee, I need you to find a girlfriend so that you can give me a party too."

"You're just like Sabse Chote Papa. Did you brothers exchange children at birth?" Shivaansh asked as he gave his scattered family an overlook. Ashika, his sister had taken after Omkaara in career, Bhavya in spirit and Rudra in gluttony. Ruvya, Bhavya and Rudra's only child had taken after Jhanvi in behaviour and Shakti in ambition. He himself had taken after Rudra's ambition for modelling and Gauri and Aanika's joint love for dramatics. Kavinash had been added to the family but he seemed to be the most similar to Shivaay in thinking and career while he almost resembled Tej in his love for power.

"Kavi! It's time for your appointment!" Gauri shouted as she descended the stairs before noticing the entire family standing and laughing. "Oh? Everyone's here? Bacha party, what do you want to eat? Kavi. Dr. Tahir is waiting."

"Arre, Gauri have you met your bahus yet?"

"Who? Oh Ritisha? She is just Jatadhari's assistant. They have been pranking you."

"Oh? I got so excited."

"But V, totally loves her. Have you seen the way he is holding onto her even now?"

"And Kavin was laughing when we came!"

"Laughing?" Gauri raised a brow in the direction of the two stars in spotlight to find them not paying attention to anything as they argued in hushed tones. Her cupid senses tingled and she gave Rudra the look. The look that meant another mission for Bahubali and Chulbul was coming up.

"Kavi?" Gauri called to get his attention as she smiled sweetly. "Why don't you sit in with the love of your life for the appointment. I am sure she can help you through it."

"Rii! No!"

"Of course Maa. Afterall, you don't keep secrets from those you love. Come, baby let's go."

"So romantic!" Aashika cooed and Ruvya copied again.

Ritisha dug her long nails into the back of his palm as she glared at the insufferable male. He pretended not to be hurt and continued grinning. She applied more pressure and still found no results.

"I know how to hold in my screams, Darling. I have had toenails removed without a single ah. Your nails feel like heaven after that."

"What doctor do you have an appointment with?"

"Psychologist."

"Your nightmares?"

"How do you know?"

"Rii regularly searches for insomnia and nightmares. It has to be you or your father."

"She worries too much. Insomnia is good for me."

"Yeah, that's why you lost the deal in the morning!"

"Damn you! I was almost opening up."

"I might be a dreamer but I am not that delusional. You and opening up isn't going to happen without someone dissecting you in half."

***

"What was last night's dream about?" The doctor asked for the hundredth time with the patience of a saint.

"Monkeys. They were jumping all over the place with superhero capes but not the ugly red underwear but they weren't naked either. It was probably skin coloured stockings with the hair artificially added for natural appearance of couse. They were teasing me and causing a havoc. One called me gay and I lost my mind."

Ritisha looked at him with anger. Turning to the doctor, she asked him, "Why are you not leaving this session yet?"

"It happens everytime. But Mrs. Oberoi insisted that I must take these sessions even if he's being like this."

"Can you not end this under any circumstance?"

"Well only if he does something that unsettles me."

"Is kissing unsettling enough or do I need to go for public nudity?"

"Kissing works fine, I guess."

Ritisha turned to Kavinash with a grin. Placing her right thumb on his lower lip, she stared into his eyes as she told the doctor. "Get the proof quickly."

And she placed her lips on the thumb on his lips, gradually sucking it up to make it look like she was kissing him.

She leaned back when the tab dinged with the message of the doctor leaving the meeting.

"What just happened?" Asked a dazed and very unsettled Kavinash.

"You were behaving like a rebellious teenager and because the adults in the room were done wasting time, they decided to end your drama."

"You really are a wonder."

"I am." She smiled at him as she flicked her hair back dramatically.

He leaned in as if in a daze scooting closer to her on the sofa as he softly placed his lips on hers.

She was still for a second before she pushed him back, startled at the attack as she screamed, "What the hell!?"

"I love you."

She laughed at the obvious joke.

He didn't.

"You don't mean that, do you?"

"I never say things I don't mean."

"But you've known me for less than two hours."

"Three hours and ten minutes. It's okay if you don't feel the same right now. You eventually will."

*****

Two months later.

Gauri smiled at the note in her hand. The words were now blurred by repeated washings but the note was more sentimental.

"Gauri? What are you doing in that cupboard?" Omkaara asked as he found his petite wife almost engulfed in clothes as she stood in front of their walk in closet with a piece of shattered paper in her hands.

"I found the note that you never read."

Omkaara placed his chin on her shoulder as he bent down to see the piece of shattered paper. The words were long erased and basically invisible.

"What was written in this?"

"I don't remember but probably something about Kaali and Svetlana planning to trick your father. I had heard him talk to her over the phone about that."

"You know this piece of paper is kind of precious."

"Why?"

"It's proof that I don't need a piece of paper to believe in you."

"Look at you flirting an hour before your son's wedding." Gauri turned in his arms, giving him a disgraceful smirk.

"I can be quick."

"I know." She smirked wider as she winked at her husband, knowing fully well that he would get worked up again.

"Is that supposed to be an insult? Just you wait until after the wedding is over. I'll show you just how quick you can be."

"Looking forward to that, Mr. Almost Fifty." Gauri smiled a saccharine smile as she turned back into the closet to search for clothes.

"It's good that Ritisha is only a year younger than Kavinash. He wouldn't have to hear taunts about his age from his eight years younger ageist wife." Omkaara pouted as he let his head fall back into her shoulder.

"Aww. Did I hurt my parmeshwar?" Gauri cupped his cheek absent-mindedly as she searched the closet for the clothes that she wanted.

"Yes. Now, let's kiss and make up." Omkaara turned her in his arms leaning in.

Gauri pushed Omkaara's forehead back as she shoved a sherwani in his hands. "Later. Now take this to Kavi. Ritisha wants to do the wedding in our old wedding outfits."

"Why all of a sudden?"

"She is missing her family. Poor thing lost her parents when she was just fourteen."

"Then, I'll suit up our son. You go take care of our new daughter. Don't make her cry with your senti talks."

"You are such a great father." She smiled up at her husband as she thought of how stupid he had been to be afraid of fatherhood. He really knew his way around parenting.

"Do you regret not having children of our own because of my parenthood phobia?" Omkaara asked as he found her looking a little reminiscent. She wouldn't, would she?

"No. We would've never found Kavin if it weren't for us being childless." She smiled as she ran her hands over her wedding lehenga. The sweet memories really knew how to pull her in a bubble of happiness.

"I am glad I found you."

"I am too." Gauri leaned up to peck his lips before running off with her bridal dress.

**

"Kavinash, I just want you to know that you're the best thing that has ever happened to us. You know ten years ago, without you, me and Gauri could have  broken up because of the amount of fights we had over children, but then you came into our lives like a blessing in disguise, although I must say your disguise did take a lot of effort to wear off-"

"Dad. I am in the middle of running away from my wedding. Can we do this emotional speech later?" Kavinash said irately as he paced his room.

"WHAT? WHY?"

Gauri smiled as she neared Ritisha's door. In an hour, her best friend would turn into her daughter in law. She smiled remembering how much Ritisha helped her in the jewellery store last year. The girl was the only reason that Gauri had given a chance to the idea of expanding her business to overseas.

As she looked down at the bridal dress in her hands, she thought back to her journey as an Oberoi bahu. Gauri Kumari SSarma might have taken a course in jewellery designing and started a business that catered almost exclusively to high class Mumbai weddings but she still was just a Bareilly girl at her heart who still Ssed her shss. Because Gauri Kumari SSarma might grow but her roots remain in the same soil that taught her morals and life's first touch. The soil that witnessed her meeting an angry Jatadhari.

Gauri stopped smiling when she heard sobs coming from inside the room. Slowly, she opened the door to find Ritisha crying in front of the mirror as she sat decked in her makeup all alone in the room. Gauri hastily threw the dress on the bed as she hugged Ritisha.

"What's wrong Ri?"

"Rii! I can't do this. I can't marry him."

"What do you mean by running away from your wedding?" Omkaara asked alarmed as threw the sherwani on the ground to shake Kavinash. "Are you out of your mind?"

"I don't love her. I lied."

"What? Then why did you propose in front of the whole damn world?"

"I wanted to take revenge on her for ruining your reputation." Kavinash uttered in shame as he looked away unable to look his father in the eye.

"WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU SAYING?"

"The "How to Love an Oberoi." Book. She wrote it. I just wanted to take revenge for that."

"She wrote it to end her contract with the publication that was suffocating her. She purposefully wrote it as bad as it could be. The idea of using the Oberoi name was also Gauri's." Omkaara uttered as he tried not to slap his son or shake him till he admits it is just a prank.

"I know. She told me a little while back when she gave me the real copy of your lovestory that she wrote. I am so sorry." Kavinash muttered to the ground as he wondered how he could've even thought of such an evil and stupid revenge.

"Your sorry isn't going to fix her broken heart. The poor girl is probably jumping from joy in her room not knowing what a disappointment the man she loves is."

"I don't love him Rii. I can't do this drama anymore."

"What do you mean by you don't love him?" Gauri asked alarmed as Ritisha continued to cry vehemently in her arms.

"I am so sorry, Rii. But Kavinash can never take his place in my heart. You know, Mumma always said that you must marry a man who loves you. Who you love is just a variable that can change with his love but a miserable life is what you would have if you choose to love. I thought that Kavinash was the man. The man who would love me and I could grow to love him some day. But, I want to love him Rii, not Kavinash."

"Did you talk to Kavinash about this? Who is this he that you want to love? Are you not just getting cold feet?" Gauri asked calmly as her mind began picturing how heartbroken her son would be the moment he found out that the woman he put a ring on had given her heart to someone else.

"I started regretting this plan the second her eyes lit up when I proposed. She is everything good and I was just me, tainted and bad, so bad for her. But then, when on our engagement we talked about our future, I thought to myself that maybe I could grow to be her husband. It wasn't hard afterall."

"You wanted to marry her because it was convenient? Have I really not taught you anything?" Omkaara asked frustrated as he began pacing circles too.

Kavinash hung his head in shame. "I am sorry. You didn't do anything wrong. I realised that Ritisha deserved better than a husband who thought of her as a convenient wife. I was preparing to run so that I could give her a chance to find love."

"And why do you get to decide that the wedding's off? Why does she have no choice in her life?" Omkaara asked his son as he stood in front of him.

"What do you mean?"

Omkaara sighed. It was the time for his real test as a father. He couldn't let down the girl who was currently getting ready to marry the love of her life.

"I am so sorry, Rii. I can't even imagine the amount of pain I am about to give to Kavinash. But I know it will be more painful to have a wife whose heart is ruled by someone else."

"Who is this someone else?" Gauri asked cautiously as she sat down on the bed, trying to get her head in the right place before she ended up ruining her friendship or her son's future.

"I don't know his name. You remember I told you that my parents weren't the best humans? They had kidnapped his brother and he had come to get him back. We met ten years ago when he kidnapped me to threaten my parents. I didn't like him at all in the starting. But behind his harsh words and cruel actions was a young boy fighting the world to survive. He was but a teen against the big bad world. One day, he just dropped me back home and told me to never look back. I wish I had. Because by the time I looked back from my bedroom window, he had already been shot."

Ritisha took a deep breath as the story brought back the pain that had only increased since that day. "I had ran down the stairs to save him. But my parents caught me and I was returned to the room as they promised that they would take care of it. I called an ambulance from my room because I knew they were lying. I sneaked out of the house and ran away that night. I only returned to that house when I was called to my parent's funeral."

"Did you find him?"

"Not until yesterday. I thought he was dead until last night. I found his Instagram ID while going through Kavinash's friendlist. I thought I could still marry Kavinash and not let the past come back. But I can't anymore. I don't want to doom Kavinash into a loveless marriage."

Gauri stood up with difficulty as she asked Ritisha her final question, "Can I look at this guy's Instagram?"

Ritisha smiled despite the tense situation as she fetched her phone and handed it over to Gauri, "Here. He has posted only one photo. And that is the one that I painted while I was kidnapped by him. That is my last painting. I could never paint after seeing his body covered in red."

Gauri could feel her world spin twice as fast as she saw the account. She knew who it was. And she knew just how tragic of an ending Kavinash was going to have.

"So, you're telling me that I need to tell Ritisha the truth and let her make a decision for herself?" Kavinash asked his father as he mulled over the pros and cons of this approach. There were certainly more pros.

"Yes. If she wants to marry you still, you will have to do that. And if she wants to call it off and curse you to hell, you should also bear it."

"That seems fair enough. Okay, I can do this. All I have to do is apologise and tell the truth. Okay!" Kavinash prepped himself as he squared his shoulders and walked out of the room.

"Rii, I think I need to talk to Kavinash about this. I know this is too much to ask but can you please ask him to meet me in a second. I am really very sorry for my stupid decision that you all would have to suffer from. But I think I would rather you guys hate me than ruining the life of a guy who has only loved me since the day we met."

"Ritisha, there is something-"

The door opening stopped her words. Gauri turned back to find her son and husband on the door, looking regretful. What was going on?

"I can't marry you." Ritisha and Kavinash said at the same time the second they saw each other.

They both stopped and looked at each other like they just found out what God looked like and again chorused, "Really?"

They laughed a little looking to the other side for a while before grinning up at their almost spouses as they declared, "I don't love you."

Omkaara and Gauri looked at each other in terror. This had to be the first couple who breaks up with this amount of compatibility. They both sneaked out of the room to leave the newly broken ups alone as they started asking questions which the two idiots inside should've asked each other.

"Why does Kavinash not want to marry her?"

"Why does Ritisha not want to marry him?"

"Kavin was marrying her to get revenge. But he was running away because he couldn't ruin her life."

"Kavin being a coward? And not rejecting her on the mandap? But taking the blame that could ruin his business image?"

"Well, he was the one who was very wrong. What about Ritisha?"

"She's in love with this man." Gauri told her husband somberly as she showed him the painting posted on the Instagram account.

"THAT'S KAVINASH!" Omkaara exclaimed in excitement before his brain started working and told him what the problem here could be.

"She's the girl, isn't she?"

Gauri nodded as she nervously looked at the closed door behind which two lovebirds were happily breaking up an hour before their marriage.

"What should we do?"

"Nothing we do is going to make the result better. Let's just wait and see what happens."

"I hope he doesn't find out. It will be painful for both of them."

"Isn't that what life is? A constant mock show to show us pain we never thought would come up again."

"What are we going to do about the wedding?" Gauri asked to distract herself from the memories that Ritisha brought with her declaration.

"What do you say to getting married again?" Omkaara asked as he dramatically got on one knee. "I never got to ask you properly. So, Gauri Kumari Sharma, will you marry me?"

Gauri lightly hit his arm as she pretended to look at the imaginary ring he was holding. "I don't know... My husband proposed better, I think. And the ring is also very light."

"It will be easy to carry around and your hand wouldn't feel heavy because of it." Omkaara cajoled as he shifted on his knee because the first one had started hurting.

"Well, when you put it like that, I guess this is better than the first and the second proposal both combined." Gauri laughed as she leaned down to take his lips into hers.

"STOP DOING WHATEVER YOU'RE DOING! INNOCENT ANGELS ARE COMING OUT OF THE ROOM!"  Kavinash shouted and broke them apart as he opened the door.

"We were just getting the proper proposal done so that we could sit in you two's place." Omkaara retorted as he got up.

"I am really sorry, sir and Rii. I- I mean we shouldn't have rushed into this marriage. You don't have to take the blame for us. We will just go and apologize to everyone."

"No. I mean it's alright, Ritisha. As long as you two are happy, we wouldn't mind getting married a second time."

"Well, if that's it, then I should just sneak out and come back once the guests are gone to say sorry to all of the family."

"Why do that? Let's just wait for these two in my room. You can look around Dad's paintings until then."

Ritisha looked at Omkaara for approval who nodded. She grinned as she started hopping to Kavinash's room. "Thank you so much. What are you waiting for? Let's goooo!"

Gauri and Omkaara looked at the two recently broken up lovebirds as they saw Ritisha drag Kavinash into his room and smiled. Some of the things in the past were better left in the past.

"So, let's get married, shall we?"

"I am more excited for the aftermath but yeah, let's do it."

"Aftermath? You're looking forward to the family being disappointed?"

"Nah. I can finally get a proper wedding night today. The first time was kind of a disappointment."

"Well, no one asked you to kiss me on our Haldi. It was inauspicious and so, we needed to repent for a week."

"It was torture Gauri. Because you took me to Vaishno Devi after the week on our honeymoon. I swear I considered divorce in those days."

"Always the atheist. Now, c'mon meet me in the mandap, will you?"

"Always."

****

(A\N: The following conversation touches on topics that aren't exactly innocent. There will be cursing and mentions of words like virginity and murder. Readers are advised to check for themselves. Also, keep the homophobia out of the comment section. Thank you.)

One week later.

Omkaara was stunned to find his son in his studio at two in the morning. He had just been struck by inspiration for a painting and decided to storm the studio on a whim. But Kavinash's presence was kind of shocking because he wasn't supposed to be in Mumbai since yesterday.

"What are you doing there?" He asked as he took a closer look at what painting Kavinash was seeing in the moonlight.

"Just regretting my life choices. Nothing serious." Kavinash said dryly as he observed the main painting for Omkaara's next exhibition.

"By looking at the painting of you and Ritisha's first meet as described by her? I was going to give it as a wedding gift but-"

"You decided to put it as a centerpiece for your next exhibition instead. Why?"

"It is beautiful. The way that she described the place is the way the painting turned out. I plan to make the curator write some cheesy stuff like when words translate to a picture."

"Don't. I want the painting."

"Kavin? You aren't regretting breaking the marriage are you?"

"I kind of am in the process of regretting everything."

"Define everything."

"Well Google says it's either a software or a word that describes all that exists. Take your pick."

"Sarcasm. You must be hurt. Or very angry."

"Sums it up bout right."

"Your mother says you started using your old Insta ID again. Why?" Omkaara breached the topic softly, already having an inkling of what could have happened.

"She contacted me there."

"Who?"

"The girl whose life I ruined. The girl I kidnapped ten years ago. The girl whose parents I killed for my revenge."

"You had a good reason to do that."

"It doesn't make it right, does it? You told me yourself that the regret for my actions is the punishment for my crimes."

"So, why is she contacting you?" Omkaara turned the topic seeing the tormented look re-enter his son's eyes.

"She wants to meet and apologize on her parents' behalf for shooting me. Little does she know I have a long list of apologies of my own for her."

"Are you going to tell her the truth?"

"She deserves to know the truth. The law forgave me because I was a teenager doing the wrong thing for the right cause. But she isn't going to."

"Why tell her the truth then?"

"Because she needs to know the truth. Someone needs to hate me more than I do myself."

"You said you don't regret killing them."

"I don't regret killing the child traffickers who sold my younger brother among many other children to paedophiles. I regret killing the parents of a girl who ran from her own home to save me."

They were silent for a while after. Staring at the painting as they each thought of different things. One, regretting what had happened in the past and the other dreading what future the reveal of the past and its present condition would bring.

"Do you want to have some beer?"

"With Maa sleeping a few door over? No, thanks. I'd like to live."

They both chuckled despite the heavy atmosphere. "Kavin, no matter what happens, we're going to be there for you."

"And no matter how much you try to hate your own father, you kind of come back to being that little child who just craves approval."

Omkaara smiled. "I really did teach you how to use your words, didn't I?"

"You taught me how to hold a brush which I promptly dropped. The words are all Maa's work."

"Maa ka laadla."

"Maa's aashiq."

Both chuckled again.

"I visited the memorial because of Ritisha." Omkaara confessed to distract himself from telling Kavinash the truth. The truth that he didn't wish to reveal ever.

"What did she do that Maa hasn't tried?"

"Your mother has never come in between my father and me. Because the first and the last time that they conversed, my father asked her to never force me to forgive him. To your mother, that was his dying wish to her."

"So, what did Ritisha really tell you?"

"Just four words. Holding on only hurts."

"What is that supposed to mean?"

"Something that is beyond comprehension of the guy who failed English language because he had never opened the textbook."

"I can talk in seven different languages. A single sheet of paper can't tell you my worth."

Omkaara chuckled with the disappointment that only an Indian father can add into his laughter.

"How did you know you loved her?" Kavinash asked as he broke the silence this time.

"It took me a near death experience to find my own feelings. But I guess you didn't need that?"

"I refuse to acknowledge what you're implying."

"So, why are you actually staring at the painting at two in the morning?"

"It's two already? Damn. I have an early morning conference with the clients I couldn't go to meet in Dubai."

"Get some rest, Kavin. Everyone knows you deserve the position you're currently in. Stop trying to prove yourself to the world."

"The meeting tomorrow is to stop me from doing something stupid like killing another human."

"Killing?"

"I don't even think I'll regret killing this one either way."

"What am I missing?"

"Ritisha is starting to date again. And she's already in love with some idiot she knows from her childhood."

"So you're jealous?"

"More like irritated by how fickle she is being. Until a week ago, she apparently loved me enough to marry me but now, she's in love with some childhood friend who she hasn't seen in ten years. I mean, how could she fall out and in so fast? And to top it off, she smiles so damn much whenever she talks about him. She never smiled that big for me."

"Ritisha is always smiling. Are you that far gone in jealousy?"

"She has two kinds of smiles. The one which she always wears is kind of sarcastic and falsely postive. The other one, that she had on our engagement and the one that she sports when she talks about him is a little more subdued with her eyes getting creased the littlest bit."

"So you're jealous that your ex fiancee is moving on?"

"I am not in love with her."

"I never mentioned love."

"Fuck! That woman is making me lose brain cells."

"Well, welcome to the Lovesick Oberoi's Club for Hopeless Men."

"Who came up with that name? And I told you I am not in love with her. You implied love with the jealousy talk, by the way."

"Jealousy can be when you just like someone. But it's stronger than that if you only now thought of that pathetic argument. And Rudra came up with that name during one of Shivaay and Aanika Bhabhi's breakups."

"Shit! That woman is probably going to get me admitted in a mental hospital at the rate we're going."

"And who's to blame, Mr. Vengeful Bridegroom who Wanted to RunAway?"

"Fuck off, Mr. Commitment Phobic who pushed Maa off too many times to count."

"I really let you get away with so much of your shit. That isn't how you talk to your father."

"You've always tried to be a friend more than a father. So, blame yourself."

"Does that make me a bad father? Are you not happy with my efforts?"

"Oh, God! This is not some collaboration where you're asking me for feedback. Don't dare to repeat this to anyone, but between you and me, I think you are kind of okay at this fatherhood shit."

"An okay from the KSO? My, it's definitely going to rain diamonds tonight."

"That's why I don't like getting senti with you. You always bring up how effing choosy I am."

"Someone needs to tell you that daily so that you're ego gets burnished a little. "

"It's practically non-existent after Ritisha just announced that she was in love with that wuss."

"Do you know anything about this guy?" Omkaara asked knowing that the day Kavinash realised he was the one he was cursing this night, the humor of the situation would evaporate.

"She didn't tell a lot except just repeating all kind of good things like kind, sweet, cute, and other puppy shit."

"You're cursing up a storm tonight."

"Guess that's what love does to you."

"You're admitting it?"

"What's the point anyway? She's in love with a piece of puppy shit."

"In love, you must play a few tricks. It makes for awesome breakups later."

"Look at this sadistic bastard that calls himself my father! You're talking about breakups when we aren't even together yet."

"I hate to say it out loud but seeing you so broken in love is kind of amusing. Rudra was right. You are definitely the kind to curse her for invading your mind."

"I take back my comment on your parenting skills. They are awful."

"Is that why you were finally able to fall in love?"

"Stop irritating me with that word."

"I like seeing you this candid. It's been a while since I last saw you this unhinged."

"Why exactly is this nice?"

"Because it shows that you're suffering. It shows that you can feel something other than regret and rage these days."

"It's all fun and games until you realise that I would remain this way if the idiot that she's going to confess to develops feelings for her. "

"Then you confess first."

"Can I really? Do I have the right to say the words that were once a lie, again?"

"Damn. That was poetic."

"That's what Ritisha will tell me if I confess. Besides, I don't think I really love her. It could just be my shattered ego speaking."

"So we're back to square one. Fine. Take all the time you want. She isn't going to wait anyway."

"I need a drink. You go back to bed. Maa will wake up in an hour or two for her pooja."

"Your Maa is already awake and wondering why you want to get drunk." Gauri announced as she leaned on the doorframe observing the most important men in her life panic the second they heard her voice.

"Maa?"

"Gauri! Darling I swear I was about to scold him for thinking of doing that shit."

"Shit? Your language really improves by the day, my very dear poet."

"Why are you trying to get us killed?" Kavinash hissed to his father as he gave his mother his 'I am hurt and suffering' smile.

"The puppy eyes aren't working, Kavin. And they are puppy eyes. Stop trying to convince yourself it could be any of your fancy definitions for puppy eyes."

"I hate puppies."

"We really failed at parenting with you, didn't we? Hey Sankarji! What sins did I commit in my past life to have a son so cruel that he hates puppies?"

"Yes. Sins. Let's repent shall we?" Omkaara eagerly announced as he tried to take Gauri out before she remembered the mistakes he had just commited.

"Who am I kidding? They have to be your sins that made our son this cruel. And why go to the past life, you've done enough tomfoolery in this lifetime. What are their names again, Riddhima and Ishika?"

"Ishana Maa."

"Are you saying that you would prefer Ishana to be your Maa?" Gauri narrowed her eyes at the traitor she called her son.

"Of course not. It was Ishana *comma* Maa." Kavinash added sweating from the thought of a Gauri Mata Returns.

"Yes, Gauri. Let's just go back to the bed, shall we?"

"At least say your room or sleep for my innocent ears. Why must you always give me war flashbacks to the one time that I walked in on you two?"

"Well I was more scarred by an intern coming out of my fifteen year old son's room. What kind of teenager loses his virginity to an eighteen year old girl at fifteen?"

"She thought I was seventeen. And I didn't lose my virginity to her."

"When did you lose it then? At ten?"

"Fourteen."

"Why are you two talking about this in front of your mother and wife?"

"He brought it up. I was just stating facts."

"He brought up the incident that had to be forgotten."

"The two of you, go and take a walk around the garden and then, we'll pray."

"Maaa! It's three!"

"The time of the ghosts, Gauriii!"

"Then we should really pray. Who knows what wandering soul needs our prayers to reach heaven? Chalo, chop chop."

"Did she just justify praying to ghosts?"

"Why must this darn woman be so sympathetic? Even ghosts can't escape her kindness!"

"I can hear you. One hour of pooja seems fine right? Kavinash sweety, do you remember the Hanuman chalisa? If you don't, we might have to spend the entire hour chanting it until you memorise it."

"What unique torture has this woman you call your wife devised?"

"Close your eyes. There is only one way to fight bhakti. Sinful seduction."

Kavinash groaned but turned his head to the other side. He'd sit through a makeout session if that meant no bhajans at three in the effing morning.

Omkaara pounced on Gauri with the skill of a twenty year old warrior against bhakti. Slanting his lips over hers, he pushed her back until they were making out against the door of his studio. One hand sneaked beneath her left thigh and with a swift move she was in his arms and completely at his mercy to lead.

Gauri tried to fight it but then, his hands squeezed her skin and all she could think of was the fact that the bed was too far away. Pulling away to mutter against his lips the words that would lead them right into bed, she smirked, "You have three minutes to convince me that this is better than worshiping God."

They were out of the room and in the hallway in a second as he carried her to their room while pressing his lips against that spot on her neck. "Husband counts as God. So you'll have to do with worshiping me instead."

"Damn these hussies!" Kavinash muttered as he acted like he didn't hear the moans coming from their room which had an opened door. These two should seriously be happy that Omkaara had built his room in the most secluded corner of the Mansion.

****

"Bhai!" Shivaansh called as he jogged over to Kavinash while the latter was wandering around like a ghost in his own garden.

"Where do you think you're coming from?"

"Shooting. Pakka Bhai!"

"You're not fooling me. Whose house was it this time?"

"Mannat. But I swear it was just the two of us."

Kavinash narrowed his eyes for a second before noticing the eyebags under Shivaansh's eyes and asking, "Why don't you sleep these days?"

"My dearest Maata shree is trying to set me up with anything with a vagina these days. If I come home early, she'll probably shove a girl inside the room and lock us up until the morning."

"You know you can tell the family you're gay. Everyone will accept you."

"But why do I need to say that out loud for them? Why do they just assume that I am straight? Why didn't chaachu ask you if you like girls or boys? Why didn't Maa ask if I want a Prince Charming or a Cinderella?"

"Talk for yourself. My father saw a girl walk out of my room the first week that I came to the mansion."

"WHAT? YOU WERE FIFTEEN!"

"It was technically statutory rape but since I am a man, I was the one who got the scolding."

"Damn. This is kind of an oppressive society for males these days. What will we abla men do in this big bad pink world?"

"Find a wife who leaves you on mandap."

Shivaansh laughed. "Ritisha? What happened between you guys by the way? And don't tell me the white washed we fell out of love and decided to end it before it ends us."

"I was an idiot who didn't realise that I liked her. I gave every reason under the book to take revenge on her by- sarcastic claps please, marrying her. She apparently was in love with another idiot who she thought was dead but turns out is very much alive and so, we broke it off at the mandap."

"Woah! That's one hell of a story. It would have made such a dramatic ending if you ended up being the man she was in love with."

"Stop reading her books. They are making your imagination run wild."

"How would you know that her books have wild imagination? You are a secret fanboy ain't you?"

"In your dreams."

"Seems like you two are also happening only in your dreams."

"The jokes on you cause I only have nightmares."

"Bitch."

"Piece of puppy shit."

"You grew up in underground Mumbai and that's the best curse you could come up with?"

Kavinash only rolled his eyes as he asked Shivaansh, "What's your real reason for not coming out?"

"The industry. My viscous fangirls and the fact that my father somehow expects me to produce a child who would lead the business like you do."

"What's the last part again?"

"Bade Dadu was a mogul, chaachu isn't. But you are. See the generational changes? That's what Dad wants, a grandson like you."

"Too bad his son only likes men."

"So, I need to keep it a secret for as long as I can. Which is a lot because it's not like love's coming knocking anytime soon."

Kavinash sighed as he tried to stop his next words. But he couldn't because his father had cheesed him up too much and now he needed to spit out that cheesy poetry that his father loved to tell.

 

"Om?" Gauri asked as she snuggled into his naked chest while pulling the comforter to cover their bodies.

"Yes?"

"Do you think we should tell Kavinash the truth?"

"About Ritisha's past love which is actually him? I would rather not."

"Why?"

"Cause no matter what we do, the two are doomed to find out some day or never find each other and drift away. Let's let time decide the future."

"Our son's in love and it's about to hurt him. Why can't we do anything about it?"

"Because Ritisha and Kavinash are like the sky and sea, always in touch but far away. If you try to mix them, both will loose their identity for sometime and one day part again."

"Why does that sound like wrong physics?"

"I failed tenth class science. Don't comment."

"And you had the gall to scold Kavinash for not going to college."

"I just wanted to give him some time to experience life before immersing himself in work."

"You're really so thoughtful."

"Wouldn't be the same without you."

"There you go, saying the cheesiest of the words."

"So, do you want me to read you a final shayari?"

"Let me do it this time."

Sach mein dhal jaate hain kisse dil se daurane ke baad...
Ishq pe hoga yakeen ishq ho jaane ke baad.

Shivaansh whistled as Kavinash ended his lines. "Ritisha really turned you into a corny mess."

Kavinash accidentally dropped his phone on Shivaansh's little toe as he sarcastically uttered, "sorry?"

"Mother-"

"THAT BETTER END IN LOVER, SHIVAANSH SHIVAAY SINGH OBEROI. PRAYER ROOM, NOW!"

Kavinash chuckled and picked up his phone as he told his younger brother the wisdom of the day, "That is the reason I only use puppy shit in the house. She has her ears everywhere."

"THAT IS A BAD WORD TOO. KAVINASH OMKAARA SINGH OBEROI, PRAYER ROOM NOW!"

"Ah. Why did my father marry a screeching Chipmunk?"

THE END

And that's a wrap!

I didn't kill Rikara and in case you didn't notice, the tragic love story was Kavisha's.
I left their story incomplete because I didn't want to end the story on a sad note. They had a bittersweet kind of ending but, it's better untold.

Anyway, you guys are awesome readers who deserve all the thanks in the world for keeping up with my irregular updates and stupid plots. Love y'all.

The book was something that I loved as a concept. It was supposed to be a one shot, then, it got converted into three shots and then, Svetlana and Oberois interjected and it ended up being a five shot. I am not someone who loves all my characters completely. They are stupid sometimes, irrational the others and I tend to let them be. I don't give justifications for all their actions because that's something that their backstory decides. Even so, I loved writing this story of Jatadhari and chiraiyaa with some unnecessary drama. Hope you all laughed through it even if it made you frustrated at times.

Last thoughts on the story?

What do you expect next?

Waiting for your last thoughts
........