My Nepenthe

Chapter 61

The slap resounded in the room loud and clear. 

The silence that followed was stretched long but the echo rang in Omkara's ears for much longer.

He felt the sting on his cheek but the pain in his heart had nothing to do with the physical abuse.

"After all this time, I expected better," he heard the angry words of his wife.

He breathed in a lungful of air and tried to remain still. His face downcast and his tears hidden away from her sight.

"Today, you proved to me that I will never get what I want from you," Gauri said, her voice cracking at the end.

"Trust Omkaraji," she paused.

"You broke my trust today and I am breaking off all my ties with you," she said biting back a sob.

"Gauri please don't. This is just a misunderstanding," it was her professor who said the words and not her husband.

She stared at Omkara, still giving him time to speak something... anything which would stop her from wanting to kill him right then and there.

When he remained unmoving and apathetic, she decided that she had enough of him. 

Giving him another long condescending look, she turned around to leave the place, her every step increasing the distance between her and him.

"Om," Arjun spoke after the heart broken wife left the room.

"Please believe me. These photos are a lie. We have been..."

"Go from here Arjun," Omkara said in a low voice.

"Please listen to me. That night..."

Omkara roughly grabbed his friend's collar and pulled him close. His other hand fisted and raised to land a punch on him.

Arjun shut his mouth and closed his eyes, ready to get the hit.

"Gauri left alone. Be with her, take her home," Omkara whispered, making the the former open his eyes in shock.

"Go from here before I kill you," Omkara screamed loudly and pushed him away.

His friend stared at him in confusion.

Did he hear him right?

"Just leave" Omkara repeated, gesturing him towards the door.

Still confused, Arjun nodded his head.

Mumbling a weak sorry, he left the studio to find Gauri.

Omkara's eyes darted towards the small opening in between the huge curtains. He could see the man with brown boots retreat from the place.

Turning around, he marched towards his suite and closed the door with a loud bang.

****************************************************

Shivaay patiently waited for the call wishing that things went as per the plan.

"He will call you Shivaay, don't worry," Karan walked inside the room.

At that moment the mobile rang and Shivaay jumped to answer it.

"Om, what..."

Karan watched the colour drain from Shivaay's face as he heard his brother talk on the other end of the line. In the next few minutes, the Oberoi regained his calmness.

"You did right Om, she will understand," he muttered a reassurance.

***

"No, you cannot go to her now."