Chapter 12
Punishment
"Adi... she thrashed around in her sleep, one of her hands gathering a fistful of her pillow. "Ah Adi...
For a moment he mused how much more agonizing it can be, he had no idea how to sooth her. How to wake her up from that nightmare. Yet Omkara caressed her forehead, his fingers aimlessly trailing down her cheek. She was cold, he noticed as she caught his hand in hers.
"Adi don't leave. Stay, stay " her voice was rasp with pain. She had mistaken him for her love, something that suddenly felt like the worst torture in the world. Biting his lip, he covered her hand with his, trying to transfer some warmth into her icy fingers. Ri shivered in her sleep, her cheek cuddling against his hand. "Math jao Adi...
He sat near her head, watching her, as she tried to reach out for him.
"You'll stay here right? You'll stay with me?
Her voice sounded so hopeful, that he was afraid of speaking. She might recognize his voice, it might woke her up to the bitter realities the medication had kept away from her.
"Kuch bolo na Adi, I'm scared - I feel lonely, Oh God it hurts too much!
She was shivering, her lips trembling as she spoke. Acting on an impulse he slipped under the sheets beside her, gathering her in his arms, tucking her head under his chin, closing his eyes to the excruciating sound of her ragged breathing. She allowed him to wrap his arms around her, her body willingly molding to his. She was still muttering something, her words muffled against his shirt.
"Wo bhi humein chor ke chala gaya... her voice broke in to a sob. "Socha uss ke saath apni zindagi kaat loon ab hum jeyenge kaise? There are so many years left, too much silence to bear just too long to keep breathing.
That was her plan? His brain curled with agony as he processed it. What did she thought he was, that he would leave her to survive on her own devices? With no one to care for her but her child? Like Mr. Oberoi had left his mom?
"Tum yahi ho na Adi?
"Haan, he spoke without thinking. "I'm here.
She reached out with one of those icy hands and caressed his jaw, cupping his face and bringing it down to her level.
"Don't wake me up from this dream, her words were soft, her smile wistful. And she kissed him.
He was never kissed by softer lips, or with so much love. Her tears soaked into his cheeks, as her lips brushed against his, tugging at his lips, trying to savor the feeling of his presence close to her. That cold hand continued to caress his face, with a familiarity he knew she did not possess. Her tenderness cut deeper than any blade could, sinking deeper into his conscious and twisting there, until his soul was bleeding.
He did not kiss her back. He could not. It was too big a deceit. But some pathetic part of him did not pull her away either, he could have; it would have been the right thing to do. But he did not. He had turned in to a twisted sadist, who enjoyed the pain of this venomous realization. He had wanted to taste her love hadn't he? And her love, he did taste. But it was poisoned with the knowledge that it was meant for someone else and it would be never his.
She placed her head against his heart, a weight it seemed to welcome. He ran a soothing hand down her back, trying to ease her into a sleep. Every now and then she stiffened, as a wave of pain washed her body and her inner muscles cramped. He wished her pain away, something that was beyond him and realized this was his punishment for all that he had done.
Omkara welcomed the agony. After all he deserved it for ruining her life in an attempt at fixing his messed up world. But he just wished it didn't involve her suffering along with him. But it was too late for that he had tied her fate with his, dragging her into his hell, against her wishes.
She placed a soft kiss on the knuckles of his hand she had been holding.
"Jab tum saat hote ho toh dard nahi hota...
You're wrong! He wanted to scream, shake her into wakefulness and end this charade. It was his company that had brought all this pain into her life. How happy she had been, when he first set his eyes upon her? She has to be crazy to say something like that. But he didn't say any of it. Instead Omkara dropped a kiss on her hair and gathered her shivering body closer.
"Sleep Gauri, sleep now...
"I love you... she mumbled and he pressed his eyes shut, blocking her voice. A tiny part of him couldn't help but note; she didn't take his name.
**
"You didn't think it was necessary to let us know? Sidhdarth glared at his brother, stopping his pacing for a moment. "You were roaming around with Sharma's daughter for two years and we didn't even get a wind of it?
"I'm sorry Bhai, ghalati hogayi, Aditya hung his head. "But I love her, I need her Bhai!
"Are you freaking insane Adi? Malika cut in, she eyed her brother in law with distaste and scowled. "Uss ki shaadi hogayi and now you're realizing that you need her?
"And she is a goddamn Oberoi now, added Sidhdarth. "I don't want to spoil the budding relationship between our two companies for your crazy collage crush Adi!
"But Omkara doesn't love her! He demanded like a child. "Neither do Gauri. She is still in love with me as I am with her.
"And tell me what that changes? Siddhdarth sounded exasperated. "Haven't you heard? Oberoi khaandan mein divorce nahi hota!
"This will only ruin three lives, Aditya begun only to be silenced by his brother.
"Enough. We're done discussing this. You will not meet Omkara's wife again. Do you understand Adi? No more secret ventures under my nose. He gave a meaningful look to his brother and then his wife. "And no one speaks of this to mom dad, let's finish this matter once and for all.
Aditya nodded slightly, and left, without bidding a good night. Malika stared after him for a while before turning to her husband.
"Do you really believe the matter ends here?
Sidhdarth shrugged.
"I must talk to Shivay. Malika added after a thought. "I must.
**
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Sorry if you're disappointed.
Love,
Sakura
Tu Juliet Jatt Di
Geet - Hui Sabse Parayee
