CHAPTER 27

AUTHOR 'S POV~

Night had settled over the house, warm golden lights falling over a long, lively dinner table.

The spread was rich and comforting—dal makhani,chawal, matar paneer, soft parathas, fresh salad, and everyone’s favorite dahi bhalle.

The air was filled with chatter, clinking steel plates, and the tired happiness of a long day.

Sudha moved around serving everyone, still not fully sitting.

“Keshav bhaiya, aapne toh dal li hi nahi,” she said softly. “Yeh lijiyé.”

She leaned slightly forward, carefully pouring dal into his katori.

As she bent closer to serve him,Dhruv—seated nearby—reached out and pinched her waist quickly under the table level, sharp and mischievous.

Sudha froze for a second.

Her fingers tightened around the spoon, her lips pressing together tightly so no sound escaped. She didn’t look at him, but her ears turned slightly red as she straightened quickly, forcing herself to stay normal.

She quietly moved on as if nothing had happened.

“Sudha,ek paratha dena,” Dhruv said casually a moment later.

Without looking at him, she placed a paratha on his plate and stepped back.

Dhruv leaned back slightly, a faint, satisfied smirk on his face.

From the side, Lalita noticed her and immediately spoke, “Sudha, baith jaa beta. Sab khud le lenge ab. Subah se kitna kaam kiya hai tune. Thak gayi hogi.”

Sudha hesitated. “Main theek hoon maa—”

“Baith jaa sudha,” Dhruv said firmly but gently.

This time, Sudha finally sat down.

Dhruv quietly began serving her food onto her plate without making it obvious, as if it was routine for him now.

Sunita watched them from across the table and smiled softly, noticing how different Sudha looked tonight—less burdened, more alive.

Rishabh suddenly perked up. “Waise bhabhi, kitne swadisht dahi bhalle bane hain! Mujhe ek katori aur milegi kya?”

Sudha chuckled. “Haan kyun nahi, devar ji. Rukiye, main deti hoon.”

Binti immediately stopped her. “Nahi, tu baith. Main de deti hoon.”

Sudha nodded lightly and stayed seated this time.

The table returned to its usual noise—laughter, passing dishes, teasing voices.

Sudha shifted slightly in her seat. Under the table, her foot accidentally brushed against something.

She glanced down.

It was Dhruv.

He was sitting calmly, eating like nothing was happening, but his foot was lightly touching hers—intentional, steady.

Sudha quickly pulled back, her body stiffening.

Dhruv didn’t react. He simply continued eating, but his expression carried that faint, knowing calm—as if he was fully aware of her noticing and choosing not to say anything.

The moment lingered under the noise of dinner.

Across the table, Dhurv spoke casually.

“Keshav, tu aisa kar—aaj raat yahi ruk jaa. Kal subah jana.”

Lalita nodded. “Haan, theek keh raha hai dhruv tu. Kal subah hi jaana beta waise bhi itna din baad aaya hai gaon tu sabse mil le phir aaram se jana.”

Dhurv added, “Aur kya, main toh kehta hu do–teen din yahin ruk jaa. Roz toh aata nahi hai tu gaon.”

Chhavi suddenly coughed lightly at that, making Sudha instinctively lean over and rub her back.

“Kya ho gaya? Aaram se Khao chhavi,” she said softly, then offered her water.

Keshav smirked faintly, watching the family chaos with amusement.

“Haan kaki… aap sahi keh rahi hain,” he said lightly. “Waise bhi mujhe gaon ki bahut yaad aati hai. Waise bhi aise moke bar - bar thodi aate hein.”

Rishabh grinned. “Toh bhaiya, aap wapas kyun nahi aa jaate phir se gaon mein rehne?”

Keshav chuckled. “Main soch he raha tha…”

Keshav had just opened his mouth to say something casually when—

Dhruv leaned back slightly in his chair, cutting in first, voice calm but carrying a teasing edge.

“Ab sochna kya hai isme,” he said, looking across the table. “Teri shaadi hum gaon mein hi karwaayenge, phir tu shehar jaane ke saare bahane banana bhool jaayega.”

As Chhavi heard Dhruv’s words, she slowly lifted her eyes. They met Dhruv’s gaze first—steady, unreadable—and then shifted to Keshav.

A flicker of confusion crossed her face. She couldn’t understand why Dhruv would say something like that.

Keshav, who was sitting beside Dhruv, met her gaze for a brief second. Neither of them blinked, as if time paused in that moment.

Then, without a word, he broke eye contact and quietly resumed eating his food.

A few laughs rose around the table again.

The night continued—warm, noisy, familiar—but beneath it, small stolen moments and silent glances kept weaving a story no one fully noticed, yet everyone somehow felt.

_______________________

I stirred, trying to sit up, but my lovey dovey husband neither leave me. I want to sit up straight, I can't because his head on my stomach, hands on my waist pinned me at one place.

We were just covered with a thin blanket.

We slept in the morning at 5. I looked at the window, the sun was already raised, then at the clock on the wall—it was 9 am, it was already morning.

Two days had already passed since Holi, and we hadn’t had time to spend together as guests were arriving.

But last night was different—since evening, he didn’t let me step out of our room.

Yesterday’s memories were flashing in my mind, he took me everywhere in our room in different positions. He was converted into a beast but I enjoyed every bit of it.

I rubbed my palm on his hair slowly, “Dhurv uthaiye,” no response. “Suniya ab uth jaiye.”

He looked at me still sleepy. He came to my level, head resting on his palm, tucking my baby hair back, “subrabhat dharmpatni ji.”

I smiled, “ab aapko suprabhat bolna yaad aa raha hai, aapne puri raat jo rajaga karwaya hai mujhse, uska kya?”

He chuckled, took my hand in his, kissed my knuckles, said, “sirf maine hi sab kiya hai kya? Yeh dekh.”

He showed me his neck which had so many hickeys, pink and purple. I touched with my fingers, it was looking good on his fair skin, my claim, my seal to him. I loved it.

I turned to face him, he hugged me, his face in my crook of neck, breathing.

He said, “chal aaja nahne chalte hai.”

“Nahi, pagal hai kya, acha thodi lagta hai.”

He pulled back, murmured, “sab karna acha lagta hai, lekin nahana sath mein acha nahi lagta? tuhje pta hai kitna pani bach jayega isse aane wali peedhi ke liye.”

I laughed, “acha ji, aapko badi chinta hai aane wali peedhi ke liye?”

He said, “aur nahi toh kya, hum nahi sochenge agar toh koun sochega. Ab baatein band kar, aaja chal mere sath, warna baad mein bolegi Dhruv aapki wajah se humesha muhje der ho jati hai aur phir bina nashta kiye chali jayegi, jo ki muhje bilkul nahi pasand.”

I smiled at him. He stood on his knees on bed, getting down. Day by day he is becoming shameless. He didn’t know that he was still naked.

My cheeks are getting warmer looking at him. He is so tempting, this man no, my man, my husband. Sudha what are you thinking, so shameless no I am not shameless, I’m his wife.

I had every right on him to watch him like this, do all shameless things with him.

He removed the blanket from my body, took me in his arms, my hands on his neck. We moved to the bathroom. He closed the door with his foot.

_____________________

Everyone was gathered at the breakfast table, eating and chatting.

Keshav, Dhruv, and Risabh walked in together, laughing over some joke.

Binti glanced at Rishabh with a small glare—she had already prepared his plate. He noticed, smirked, and quietly took his seat, giving her a soft smile.

Dhruv saw Sudha smiling to herself. He sat beside her and asked, “Chai nahi peeni hai kya aaj?”

Sudha, still chewing, replied, “Arey, main toh bhool hi gayi!”

He filled her cup and passed it to her. “Aaram se nashta kar, abhi waqt hai college jaane mein.”

She hummed in response.

Meanwhile, Keshav came and sat beside Chhavi with a faint smirk. She didn’t even notice—lost in her own thoughts.

Risabh suddenly said, “Dhruv bhaiya, aaj aapse milne ke liye kuch dukandaar shehar se aane wale hain. Ho sake toh jaldi nikal jaiyega.”

Dhruv added, “Haan, bas teri bhabhi ko college chhodte hue factory aa jaaunga.”

Sudha shook her head. “Nahi, Dhruv. Aap jao. Agar zaroori kaam hai. Main aaj akele chali jaungi.”

Dhruv frowned slightly. “Koi zaroorat nahi hai. Main hoon na. Saath chalunga main tere.”

Binti jumped in, teasing, “Kyun jija ji? Sudha ab koi bachi thodi hai. Woh khud bhi toh akeli jaa sakti hai.”

Dhruv smiled lightly. “Mujhe pata hai woh jaa sakti hai… lekin uske saath har roz safar karna mujhe pasand hai.”

Lalita chuckled. “Kya bachon jaise baatein kar rahe ho sab! Dhruv beta, tu jaa. Sudha driver ke saath chali jayegi.”

“Lekin maa—” Dhruv started.

Keshav interrupted casually, “Arey, driver ki kya zaroorat hai, bhabhi? Main udhar hi jaa raha hoon, ek rishtedaar se milne. Mere saath chalna, aapko jaate waqt raste mein chhod dunga.”

Sudha nodded. “Theek hai, bhaiya.”

Lalita looked at Keshav. “Kaunse rishtedaar ke yahan jaa raha hai tu?”

“Woh Sushmita chachi hain na, unse milne. Kaafi dino se bula rahi thi.”

“Accha,” Lalita said, then added, “Ab jaa he raha hai toh mera ek kaam kar dena beta, agar koi takleef na ho toh.”

“Haan chachi, boliye na.”

“Unke pados mein ek darji ki dukaan hai. Maine apne aur Chhavi ke kuch kapde silne ko diye the. Lautte waqt le aana.” Lalita asked.

Sudha hesitated. “Lekin maa, darji bina pehchaane kaise dega kapde? Pichhli baar yaad hai na, Dhruv gaye the lene… aur darji ne inhe kisi aur ka blouse de diya tha.”

Lalita nodded. “Haan, yeh bhi sahi hai… Accha, ek kaam karte hain. Chhavi, tu Keshav ke saath chali jaana. Darji tujhe ache se pehchanta hai.”

Chhavi immediately shook her head. “Nahi maa, mujhe nahi jaana kahin.”

Lalita’s tone turned firm. “Maine jo keh diya, so keh diya. Mera ab wahan aana-jaana kam ho gaya hai, warna main khud le aati.”

______________________

Keshav was in the driver’s seat, Sudha beside him, and Chhavi in the back.

He subtly adjusted the rear-view mirror, his furious, possessive eyes locking onto Chhavi as he drove.

Soon, Sudha noticed her college approaching.

“Keshav bhaiya, bas yahin rok dijiye,” sudha said.

He stopped the car. Sudha picked up her bag, stepped out, and turned back with a small smile.

“Dhanyawaad, bhaiya.”

Keshav only gave a faint smile in return. Then her gaze shifted to Chhavi.

“Aaram se jaana aur shaam hone se pehle ghar aajana. Theek hai?”

“Theek hai, bhabhi,” Chhavi replied softly.

Sudha walked away, disappearing into the college gates.

A heavy silence filled the car.

“Chhavi aage aakar baitho,” Keshav said firmly.

Chhavi didn’t respond. She kept staring out of the window, refusing to even glance at him.

Keshav’s jaw tightened. He stepped out of the car, walked to her side, opened the door, and grabbed her hand. His grip was tight, unyielding.

“Kya kar rahe hain aap?” Chhavi protested.

Ignoring her, he pulled her forward and made her sit beside him. Her pink dupatta got caught in the door. He noticed, pulled it inside, and shut the door with a loud thud.

He started driving again—one hand on the steering wheel, the other resting against the window.

“Kuch bologi?” he asked, his voice low but edged with tension. “Jahan tak mujhe pata hai, itna shaant swabhaav toh nahi hai tumhara.”

“Mujhe aapse koi baat nahi karni,” Chhavi replied coldly.

His grip on the steering wheel tightened.

“Mujhe aapke saath kahi nahi jaana hai…kripaya karke wapas ghar ki taraf gaadi ghuma lijiye. Main maa ko kuch bahana bana dungi.”

He didn’t; instead, he drove the car the other way.

“Keshav! Kyun kar rahe hain aap yeh sab?” she burst out. “Dikhana kya chahte hain aap? Aaj bata dijiye mujhe! Aapki in harkaton ke chalte hi har din aapse meri nafrat badhti jaa rahi hai!”

Her voice echoed in the confined space.

That was it.

His grip tightened on the steering wheel until his knuckles turned white. His jaw locked, veins rising along his neck, and a prominent vein throbbed at the center of his forehead—clear signs of his barely contained anger.

He slammed the brakes with a jerk.

Before she could react, he grabbed her arm and pulled her closer. Her chest collided with his from the sudden force. His other hand fisted in her hair, fingers tightening as he forced her to face him.

Keshav—!” she gasped.

But he didn’t let her finish.

He crushed his lips against hers, kissing her like she was his favorite meal—like a hunger he had carried for far too long, finally finding its answer in her.

His lips were on hers—harsh and unyielding, overwhelming in their force, with not a trace of gentleness. It felt like a storm of everything he had never said, heavy with frustration, edged with possessiveness, and shadowed by a quiet, consuming obsession.

He kissed her, as though the answer had always been there, waiting between them.

Chhavi struggled, her hands pushing against him, but his hold didn’t loosen.

Tears rolled down her cheeks as the moment stretched, heavy and suffocating.

After a moment, she leaned into the kiss, unsure and hesitant—she didn’t know how to kiss back; she had never been kissed before.

A soft moan slipped from her lips as her fingers clutched his kurta, her eyes fluttering closed.

“Mmmhhhh”

When he felt her go breathless, he finally pulled away. Both of them were left breathing heavily.

He brushed away the trace of their kiss from the corner of her lips, his fingers moving with a strange tenderness, as though she were a fragile doll meant only to be held, not felt.

Her hand flew to her chest, trying to steady herself, while his eyes stayed locked on her—he didn’t look away, not even for a second.

Then, as if nothing had happened, he started driving again.

She slowly moved back to her seat, tears streaming down her cheeks. She wiped them away with the back of her hand. It wasn’t just about the moment—it was the way he always did what he wanted… and never once thought about her.

Keshav reached out, placing his hand over hers where it rested in her lap. She immediately shrank away, pulling her hand back without even glancing at him.

_____________________

It was evening. The sky had started to dim as Sudha bid goodbye to her friend and stood near the college gate, looking around for Dhruv.

Her eyes kept searching, but he was nowhere to be seen.

Just then, she noticed two or three men walking towards her. She ignored them at first, thinking they would pass by.

One of them stopped right in front of her.

He smiled and joined his hands politely.

“Namaste… main iss gaon ka pradhan hoon… shayad aap mujhe na jaanti ho, lekin aapke pati mujhe achhe se jaante hain.”

Sudha remained silent, her expression unreadable.

He continued, slightly tilting his head—

“Lagta hai aap mujhse baat nahi karna chahti… lekin koi baat nahi, main toh karna chahta hoon.”

He stepped a little closer.

“Toh chaliye seedhe mudde ki baat karte hain, Sudha ji… achha hoga agar aap ab yeh padhai-likhai chhod dein waise bhi kya he rakha hai iss mein.”

Sudha frowned, clearly confused and annoyed.

“Aap kaun hote hain mujhe yeh sab bolne wale?”

The man chuckled. The men behind him laughed along.

He leaned closer, and Sudha instinctively stepped back.

“Main aapka kuch lagta toh nahi lekin agar aap chahein toh ek raat mein humare beech bahut kuch badal sakta hai.”

His voice turned more arrogant.

“Aur aapko uss anpadh aadmi ke saath rehne ki koi zarurat nahi hai main aapko apni rani bana ke rakhunga bas ek baar haan kar dijiye.”

Slap!

Sudha’s hand landed hard across his face. His head jerked to the side.

His men immediately stepped forward in anger, but he stopped them with a gesture. He slowly turned back, his eyes dark with rage.

He stepped forward and grabbed Sudha’s jaw tightly, his nails digging into her skin.

“Teri itni himmat kaise hui ki tu pradhan ko thappad maregi… tujhe toh main—”

He raised his hand to hit her.

But before he could, someone caught his wrist and shoved him back hard.

He stumbled and almost lost his balance.

Sudha looked up—and froze.

It was Dhruv.

He looked at her, his voice softer but filled with concern.

“Jaan… tu theek hai?”

Sudha immediately rushed into his arms and hugged him tightly.

A small crowd had gathered around, but no one dared to interfere. Dhruv gently rubbed her back, trying to calm her.

From the ground, the pradhan laughed bitterly.

“Arey lo… aa gaya iska pati chal ab iske saamne hi bata bhi de ek raat ka—”

Before he could finish, Dhruv grabbed his collar and pulled him up.

Thud! Thud! Thud!

Dhruv started slapping him repeatedly, his anger exploding.

The man’s guards rushed forward, trying to stop him, holding his arms.

“Bola tha na saale meri biwi se door rehna itni si baat samajh nahi aayi tujhe?!”

Sudha watched in shock. This was the first time she had ever seen Dhruv like this. The calmest man she knew was now raging like a storm.

The pradhan fell to the ground again, and Dhruv kicked him hard in the chest.

“Teri himmat kaise hui meri biwi se aise baat karne ki tujh jaise ghatiya insaan ko toh—”

Sudha suddenly came back to her senses. She rushed forward and grabbed Dhruv’s hand.

“Dhruv suniye, jaane dijiye aise logon ke muh nahi lagte”

But Dhruv didn’t stop.

She pleaded again, her voice trembling.

“Suniye na, dhurv ghar chaliye.. Dhruv meri taraf dekhiye”

Dhruv finally looked at her. Tears were streaming down her face.

That’s when he stopped.

Sudha hugged him tightly, holding onto him as if that was the only way to calm him down.

Meanwhile, the pradhan’s men lifted him up and dragged him towards their car.

Dhruv stared at him with deadly intensity and said in a low, dangerous voice.

“Dobara meri biwi ke paas aane ki koshish bhi ki na toh zinda gaad dunga tuhje samjha?”