*Pooja day*

*At the Oberoi mansion*

[Amidst the havoc and preparations for the pooja was the Oberoi family, worried because Myra still hadn't turned up. The others believed that she was stuck in traffic whereas Om, the only one who knew her truth was worried that something awful had happened. However all their worries were finally put to rest when Rudra spoke.]

Rudra: Yeh lo, aa gayi woh!

[Om immediately turned around and the sight he saw was possibly something he could never forget. His eyes scanned through every inch of her body and he realized how breathtakingly beautiful she looked. The way the pink bindi rested on her forehead, how her dark eyes sparkled, the way the jhumkas adorned her earrings and how Dadi's gifted pink lehenga perfectly snugged her petite body. It was safe to say that Om had never seen someone as beautiful as her before. For some absurd reason, he just couldn't take his eyes off her.]

Rudra: O, zyaada ghooroge toh creepy uncle ki tarah lagoge

Om: (Shaking his head) Shut up Rudra!

Rudra: (To Myra) Arre bhabhi! Apne motichoor ke laddoo banaye! Lo main try---

Myra: (Slapping his hand) Abhi nahi, pooja ke baad saare kha lena! Humne aap ke liye jyaada banaya hai

Rudra: (smiling) wah! Bhabhi ho toh aisi!

Myra: Dekhiye, aap plij Hume bhabhi mat bulayie, hume Myra kahiye. Woh theek hoga

Rudra: Bhabhi, aapko pata hai Rudy jab kuch predict karta hai na, woh hamesha sahi hoti Hain. Aur aaj toh meri 'bhabhi vibes' waali feeling aur strong ho rahi hai, pata nahi kyun!

Om: Rudy, apna bakwaas band kar. Please! Chal, Dadi bula rahi hai.

*Rudra leaves*

Myra: Sab aapka keeda hai! Aapka iraada hai ka? Hum Bareilly waale bade samajhdaar hote Hai, samjhe?

Om: Uff, Tum jao yaar!

*Om and Myra leave, and a few hours later, the pooja begins. The venue looked nothing less than a wedding hall. The auspicious ambience had created an atmosphere of happiness. The havan became a symbol of the burning away of negativity. While Shivaay, Om and Rudra did the pooja together, Myra prayed hard. Prayed for a better life in Mumbai. Prayed that the evil she was running away from would eventually perish. Prayed that she could finally be happy. A few hours into the pooja, a huge gunshot was heard. Everyone turned around in fear but Myra's face went blank. It was them.]

{Note: The name of the gunda is Uday thakur (UT)}

Myra: (Scared) A-aap log?

UT: Tumhe Kya laga, tum Bareilly se bhaag jaogi, toh hum jaane denge?

Chacha: Tumhe jaane dete toh Hume daulat kaun deta?

Dadi: (Scared) Myra, kaun Hai yeh log?

UT: Arre wah! Naam badalkar, iss mahal mein reh rahi ho? Kyun, Gauri Kumari Sharma?

Chacha: Bahut bhaga liya hai hume, Gauri. Chup chaap chalo warna--

Shivaay: Warna Kya? Tum Oberoi mansion mein khade ho, bhulna mat!

UT: (Pointing gun at Rudra's head) Toh yahi par tumhaare bhai ka raam naam satya kar denge!

{Note: Myra will now be called Gauri, as the entire family knows her real name now}

Gauri: (Panicked) Nahi! Nahi! Plij! Hum chalenge! Jaroor chalenge! Abhi chalenge! Unhe chodd dijiye! Yeh log bahut acche hai, unka iss mein koi haath nahi hai! Humne Sab kuch apne aap kiya hai! Plij, inhe chod dijiye!

UT: (Grabbing Myra's arm forcefully) Challo! Badtameez ladki!

[Om silently watched Gauri being dragged, but he was too scared to react. He was afraid, afraid because he felt like his life depended on her. Solely on her.
Immediately, her voice played at the back of his mind.

"unhone apne badan se duppata hataaya, tab pata chala ki Unke pati kitne bade raakshas Hai. Unhone didi ko belt se maara, dande se maara, garam lohe se jalaaya"

She would be tortured, humiliated, hurt. The one girl who entered his stormy life like a fresh breath of air would cease to exist. What should he do? Should he help the girl who bumped into his car, insulted him, called him names? But what coward would he be if he didn't at least try to help her?

Om knew one thing. If she needed his help she'd turn. At least one]

Om: (To himself) Gauri, ek baar toh palat kar dekho. Please.

[Gauri turned around and his eyes met her big eyes that were red and flooded with tears. Om, for some reason knew those weren't tears of sadness. They were tears of fear and pain. Fear, because Gauri knew that Uday Thakur was nothing less than a demon, and Pain because Gauri knew she was going to undergo the same trauma her sister went through. Om rushed to speak to Shivaay and Rudra, and soon enough, Om started walking towards Gauri. He wouldn't let them do anything to her.]

Om: (Angrily) Ruko!

Dadi: Om! Puttar! Nahi! Shivaay, kuch kar!

Shivaay: relax Dadi, humaare Om ko kuch nahi hoga

Jhanvi: (Crying) Om! Beta, nahi! Ruk jaao!

[As Gauri was being taken, she felt a grip on her other hand. She turned around and saw Om standing rock steady, holding her hand.]

Om: (Gritting his teeth) Gauri ko chod do

UT: (Laughing) Tumhe itni Jaldi marne ka shauk Hai ka?

Gauri: (Worried) Ka rahe ho aap? Aap jayie! Hum theek hai!

Rudra: O ki baat maan lo. Humaare security waalon ne tumhare aadmi ko gher liya Hai.

[UT almost immediately lets go of Gauri's hand, and begins to think of another plan. Om, however, still holding on to Gauri's hand walks towards the pooja venue. Gauri gazed at him in a confused manner, and so did the rest of the Oberoi family.]

Gauri: Ka kar rahe ho aap? Yahaan kyun lekar aa gaye Hume? Batayie!

Dadi: (To Shivaay) Shivaay, yeh Om kar Kya raha hai? Mujhe kuch samajh nahi aa raha!

Shivaay: Mujhe bhi kuch samajh nahi aa raha Dadi. Lekin Hume Om par bharosa karna chahiye. Jo karega, theek hi karega

[Om walked silently, not answering any of her questions. Gauri, however, still continued asking]

Gauri: (Crying) Dekhiye, plij hame batayie!

[Om stepped in the pooja venue, and Gauri continued staring at him, hoping he'd give a response. Then, he finally opened his mouth]

Om: (Looking at the pandit) Panditji, aap shaadi ke mantra jaante ho?

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I HAD SO MUCH FUN WRITING THIS CHAPTER YOU GUYS HAVE NO IDEA

How do you feel about this?! I don't know how I feel!

Thank you so so much for reading my loves!! I really hope you're liking it!!