"I don't know why, but I can't afford losing you."

~•~•~•~•~

Her whole body felt as if on fire. Slowly inhaling the air, she recognised the known smell of medicines, phenyl, and haughty room freshener almost choking her. Just then, a screeching voice entered her ear along with a furious sniff.

'Seems like fire is in over obsessive love with you, my dear nephew.. Ahan, step nephew. Look! He or, She doesn't endure anyone else catching your attention', the voice pauses, 'it wants you to fear it for life, else it will burn down every single person causing your distraction', her voice was like scaring a kid of ghost under his bed, 'I swear on my teeth.'

'Aunt Roop!', Shivaay chided, 'Now, our Ri's safety and health is more important. And please, don't dig in old wounds, it was just an accident!'

Gauri tried to move her hands, but a pain shot up making her whimper shortly. Opening her eyes, her hazel orbs collided with a very familiar pair of black orbs, widened like a scared kid. And soon followed the super irritating dear addressing, 'Jaan!', relief washing over the little endearment of the speaker along with some droplets of water.

'Ah, aah!', Gauri's face retorted in pain.

'She's awake! She's awake!! Doctor!!!', Omkara cried out loud.

The doctor rushed in along with the nurse. The Oberois were sent outside.

'Miss Trivedi, how are you now?'

'I.. I'm fine, but this blisters.. They hurt a lot.'

'It will. But you could have been burnt pretty badly.. Thanks to your presence of mind, the buckets of water saved you.'

Gauri's face lit up with a smile in spite of the inflammation in her skin.

'Doctor! Can we take her home soon?', Rudra attacked the doctor as soon as he came out of the burnt ward.

'Yes Mr. Oberoi. Thanks to her presence of wit, she got saved this time. You can take her home within a few hours and make sure her burns don't catch infection. Rest is assured.'

As the doctor left, Omkara ordered Dandi to bring the car along with proper placement to lie Gauri down in the backseat.

'But Om, how would you take care of her alone in there? Let's take her to Mumbai', Anika's eyes lit up to the chance to have her Chutki to herself for some more time.

'I'm afraid your wish can't be granted Anika, I trust my servants far more than your so called real family'.

Soon after fulfilling the discharge formalities, Omkara and Gauri left for Panchghani.

*****

Three days had passed since the fire incident. These days, Gauri was kept inside her room only, being fed upon only saline. Bhavya came to her at times to feed her medication and tell how master had locked himself inside his study. Starving along with her.

Gauri was finally out of her bandages today. Her skin still pinkish as the newborn skin wasn't matured yet. She took two bowls of soup and two glasses of coconut water and headed for Omkara's study.

Bhavya pushed the door slowly and left to give them some privacy. Looking inside, Gauri was speechless. There were racks of books all over the three walls except the wall of the door. No bulb was lit and bright beams of the moon of twelfth night covered the whole room in a milky white cloak. He stood there, looking at the wall at the left of the door from a distance.

His hands behind his back, head held high looking at something at a great height of the wall. His face gloomy, tear stricken and lips trembling to spit the unspoken words out.

She stood by his side without making any noise. Yet, he sensed her presence,

'We are destined to be together, Gauri. Fire has never given me back something I love. Though it is hard to believe, we both have to abide by the hints and indications.'

Gauri stood there gaping at her forced to be husband and fiancé. His deep and raspy voice had finality. He also didn't love her, then why? Why did he have kept her all along? Wait. Did he want to requite the money he spent on her??

But brushing the questions aside, she concentrated on her hungry, aching stomach. Putting forward the tray, she said, 'Now, we have completed our punishment. Let's break our fasts together. I'm hungry.'

She sat onto the floor and pulled him along with her. Both ate the coconut water at first and then made a face towards the vegetable broth at their hands. Sipping it lightly, they looked up at the numerous picture frames adorning the walls. At the top of them, there was a large frame featuring a smiling boy with two broken incisors and an young lady holding him.

'Me and mom', he said dreamily, but his voice cracked at end.

'I didn't see -', Gauri was cut by him,

'She is no more', he broke down in sobs.

*****

'Om! Om! Keep up! We can catch her!', an appalled Jhaanvi encouraged a little Omkara who was tailing behind her, unable to match her long steps.

Behind them was crackling fire, bringing down the huge machineries of Kalyani Mills. In front of them, ran a lady in a hoodie, who was presumably the culprit.

Suddenly they were inside the powerhouse. This time the lady turned at the mother- son duo.

'You all are criminals! You killed my lover! You killed my baby!! You! Ruined my reputation in the society!!'
She took out some packets and some wires were attached to it, 'Now I will show the Oberois what loss and humiliation are!'

She jumped off in darkness and soon a blast followed. Thankfully, the powerlines were cut. Else the blast could have killed them. But soon Jhaanvi  found herself and her son being surrounded by fire. Quickly approaching flames increased her anxiety. She knew she meant nothing to her husband. But maybe, some day, some day her son would become his favourite.

She looked at the only window. Their way to escape. Turning back, she could see the fire approaching the small transformer which was the only power supplier. If that bursted, both of them would die of the blow.

She wasted no time. Putting Omkara on the window, she showered his face with kisses,

'Mumma loves you Om. Remember, mumma is always watching over you from your heart, from the cloak of stars over your head. Follow my morals and become a good man my son. I love you.'

She threw him out of the window, 'Mumma loves you Om', was her last shout.

Soon a howling blast followed and he was knocked further away due to the impact. When he kissed the ground, he lost his senses.

'... I know who the culprit was. Though I couldn't see the face through the hoodie and handkerchief, I couldn't forget the voice. I knew nobody would believe me. So, I silently accepted the permanent label of bad omen on myself and went to the private missionary boarding school Mr. Oberoi admitted me in. That was another living nightmare. And yes, I meet my mom's murderer often but I can do nothing.'

'Who are you talking about?'

'Aunt Roop'.

The bowl shattered after falling from Gauri's hands.

Well, I didn't dig in the conspiracies because that wasn't necessary. I tried to show the fire incident as realistic and logical as possible. Pardon my lack of knowledge.

Thank you to each and every of my dear readers who have peeped in here for at least once. For your kindness, TFINDO just crossed 5k+ reads!! ✨🎉🎊

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Happy reading!
With love,
Sarani.