"Even you can think me cruel, but I care for you ❤"

~•~•~•~•~

Omkara paced in the room impatiently, trampling the furry Persian carpet under his pointed boots, as the doctor and the maid checked on Gauri.

She is so pale, he worriedly looked at her tear stained face, dark circles under her eyes, her skin abolished of any trace of blood. He flinched inwardly when the doctor pushed the needle in her rather paler forearm, into a clearly visible bluish vein running under her ghostly white skin.

Unable to endure the sight of her being pricked by needles, he stomped off the room, pushing into a shadowy room. stood before him a crowd of unfinished broken statues, of men, of women, rows of canvases, colours carelessly splashed on them.

'You want an explanation!', it was a question, rather than a statement.

He stood there swelling his chest, completely aware of them being lifeless, yet, he hissed,

'I don't need to explain my actions! I owe to none!! I do, what I like!', he kicked one of the statues, the poor thing shattered into pieces, upon kissing the ground. 'I need to hate women!! Do you get that?? Do (broke one statue) you (broke another) get (and other) that (and other)???'

He halted panting. It was more of emotional exhaustion, not a physical one. Picking up a smaller one, he threw that across the room, causing it to hit the wall opposite him and get crumbled.

'You dare not cross me...', he cried his lungs out in frustration.

He himself was puzzled. Apart from Riddhima and Ishana, he had eight girls killed and stored in the basement cellar. Even their scream to death and begging for life didn't have the effect that this tiny woman's tears had on his heart.

Not that he was falling for her, no! He had passed the days of rainbow love long ago, even before experiencing his first attraction. But, her picture only created a myriad of opposite emotions in his heart, making it thunder upon his poor ribcage, emotionally weak.

A part of him wanted to punish her in worst possible way for disrespecting him, but a small voice at the back of his head tried fervently to reign his anger back.

She is a young girl Om! No young spirit can endure the blow on their self esteem, who knows better than you?

He paused momentarily and started walking again, but in a relaxed mood. But his feet got faster when the memories ran back before the inner eyelids of his closed eyes.

*****

'Omkara! You will go to Sydney Business School for MBA, and that's final!!', Mr. Oberoi snarled at the gawky young man, Him.

'No, I'll not!!', he bit back.

'What you think, it doesn't matter to me. You are to join business, Shivaye should not join business as Oberoi's next face, not until you are here.', Mr. Oberoi was loosing patience.

'Tsk, tsk, tsk, Tej Papa, have you lost it? I don't believe that your greed for power has so risen that you are nominating a murderer to join our business? What will happen when this little dirty secret of his comes out?', Shivaye shot him a sly grin.

'Shivaye! Nobody will know about it!!', Mr. Oberoi was exasperated.

'Not when someone from family will betray you', Shivaye's grin widened , ' There are our distant relatives waiting as kites and vultures to snatch away whatever we set up with our sweat and blood. Just imagine Tej papa, Om, who knows nothing about business, will take over Oberoi Empire, and he will be their easiest target to make his secret to come out and splashing dirt on our reputation, because he has the dirtiest past among us... Ha ha ha...', so hilarious of you Shivaay.

'You useless piece of dirt!! I don't know what do with you', Mr. Oberoi rubbed his temples.

'Cool down Tej papa. I and Rudy will handle everything. Rudy also will become more responsible with early involvement in business. And I think you'll too not object while one of your sons shares the half of Oberoi Empire', Shivaye cooled him down a bit.

Omkara was sad. They will never take it as a mistake. He will always be the murderer in their eyes. He stomped off Mr. Oberoi's study, despite of Shivaye calling him from behind.

He wiped his tears, he cannot fall weak. He headed towards Gauri's room.

*****

Gauri's brain was getting active. But she felt nothing but a warm furry feeling on her body and chills on her face.

She froze when she felt someone caressing her hair. It seemed a distant dream, she had none really to caress her hair to sleep. She had only a faint memory of her father doing that after tucking her to bed for goodnight sleep. So, she wounded her hands around the figure she felt beside her and snuggled her face into a hard but warm surface, just like she did when she was a little girl.

Omkara's heartbeat started to run a marathon with the speed of a hundred meter sprint. He saw Gauri pushing her button nose at the side of his waist, her lips curved in a child-like smile. Unknown to him, his lips also broke in a smile.

A musky scent filled her nose and her eyes shot open. Oh shit!, she was hugging this violent creature! She pulled away her hands like she had touched a hot iron.

Omkara's eyes darkened. He was just starting to enjoy the feel of her tiny hands. So, without a word, he got down from the bed and walked towards the other empty side.

Before Gauri could comprehend anything, the other side of the bed dipped and the next moment, she was flipped to face him.

He snaked his hands around her waist, pulling her closer. Her eyes widened and filled with fury. His lips broke in a fit of laughter when she started punching his chest with her little fists.

'Leave me Omkaraji!', she snapped.

'Who kicked me today?', he cocked his brow up. His smile fading into a scowl.

Gauri gulped. 'Like I said, I don't like people, especially males touching me. So,(punch) keep (punch) away (punch)!!', she was infuriated.

'But I didn't buy you to show me your attitude. So, you should behave like a lady, a lady who is going to be Mrs. Omkara Singh Oberoi,' he whisper yelled.

'Why on earth should I marry a beast like you?? I got tons of men out there who will at least treat me as a human being, equal to them,' she gritted her teeth, 'oh, don't tell me! Don't even imagine that I will dance to the tune of the gold coins you scatter around me.. Uh huh, nah!! I'm not that one who marries ATMs for luxury, I believe in love and promises.'

'Ha ha ha ha, love?, come out of your stupid daydream, little girl,' Omkara was furious, 'there is nothing called love!! Two people get married only when both of them is benefitted by the relationship. And, for you, if you behave, you will live the life of a queen..'

'And occasionally you will tend your hands and feet by slapping, punching, kicking, torturing basically.', Gauri said in a sickly sweet voice, sarcasm dripping from every word, 'but, I will not marry a stranger!', she snapped again.

'Jaan!,' his voice also became sarcastic, 'you are in the embrace of a stranger now.'

'It is because you are that sick bastard who kidnapped me!!', she tried to wiggle out of his strong hold.

'Sick Bastard! Wow! I like your sharp tongue, but every good quality in over abundance tends to rot you, so watch that pretty little mouth of yours before you speak! Now, sleep my Jaan, we will talk about this later,' he pecked her forehead much to her irritation, pulling her head in his chest.

She crossed her hands upon her chest, drifting to a slumber with a frown etched on her face, as she could clearly hear his erratically beating heart, as if it would jump out of his ribcage any moment.

Hey dearies! So, Omki likes Gauri. Woooo hoooo.. Don't expect much high, he will talk. Talk. So, who are waiting for a punishingkara? I am!

And, very very very best wishes for my my readers who are keeping fast during Ramzan.
Ramzan Mubarak!! Love you all!

Happy reading!
With love,
Sarani.