My Nepenthe

Chapter 10

"What is going on here?" Shivaay's voice boomed through the silence of the room, making the family turn to him.

The elder brother stood at the entrance along with Sahil and Dandi, the three of them looking equally stunned at the open declaration of the commitment phobic.

Omkara continued to glare at his aunt who cared less for her nephew's anger but was taken aback when her plan to insult the former's wife backfired.

Well, who would have thought that he would stand up for his village belle, who dared to take a step against her, the great Pinky Singh Oberoi.

"Om?" Shivaay called as he approached him.

His brother directed his scorching look towards him for a second or two before he turned around and retreated to the safety of his room upstairs.

Rudra asked Jhanvi to follow Omkara while he stayed back with his sister in laws.

"Don't keep your hopes high sister, he must have not meant it," Dandi who neared Gauri, solemnly whispered into her ears as he saw that her gaze stuck to her husband's room upstairs.

"I don't want you to get heart broken again" he said in a gentle tone.

Gauri nodded her head, dropping her gaze to the floor when she heard Shivaay scolding his mother.

"What is all this mom? Is a daily fight really required?"

"I don't understand who is the elder one here Shivaay. Does anyone respect me here? Your ex-wife here doesn't leave our house and when I asked her to do that, this low life threatens me with your name, saying you won't like it" she said pointing at Gauri.

"Mom, Gauri is the daughter in law of this house no matter who ever agreed to it or not and she will be respected that way. Please don't make me repeat this instruction."

"Oh!! Now you pass instructions to your mother. Did it come to that?"

"Why are you being impossible today?" her son asked in exasperation.

"I am being irrational? Fine!! I don't want to talk further on this. Just do me a favor and kick this bad luck out of the house before every brick of this mansion comes crumbling down," she said looking at her ex-daughter in law before she left the place in anger muttering her infamous oh my maata.

Shivaay sighed tiredly and looked at Sahil who wasn't happy, getting to know the way his sister was treated at her in laws.

"I am sorry you had to hear that," Shivaay softly said to Sahil but his words applied to Anika and Gauri as well.

Rudra donned the role of a calming element in the house which has become the job of his life.

"Too much drama for one day. Come Sahil, let us go to my room. You haven't opened your big gift yet," he said and dragged the reluctant kid away.

Gauri excused herself taking Dandi along, leaving the big guys to talk amongst themselves.

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"He surprised me today," Dandi mumbled as Gauri finished tying her Raakhi.

"Hmmm."

"Uhhh... Maybe he couldn't stand anyone else insulting you Gauri. It seems that he kept that right to himself," his sarcasm returned making his sister roll her eyes.

"He always stood up for me," she said and he scoffed at her.

"How conveniently you forgot the time when he left you with a pervert."