Dil Ke Karib (Early Acess Ch 19)

🎉 How was last Chapter did it make heart pump or stop.

🛎️ New to Nandini and Rajeev’s world? No worries! Catch up on Dil ke Karib (Chapters 1–18) on my website before diving in. Her story is just getting started… 💔✨

🔥 Don’t miss:
Married to My Brother-in-Law, In Love with His Brother — dropping Mon–Fri at 9 PM
Dil ke Karib — continuing Mon–Fri at 9 AM

✨ Two stories. Two time slots. One unforgettable journey.

Now, let’s dive back into the latest chapter… 👇

******

The night still held its silence, heavy and watchful as before, but inside the house, something fragile stirred—a tentative warmth flickering against the cold shadows.

Rajeev and Nandini sat quietly in the dim bedroom, the weight of unspoken fears hanging between them. At last, Nandini’s voice broke the stillness, soft but steady.

“How was the trip to town?” she asked, tugging the hem of her saree.

Rajeev shifted, then reached beside him, sliding a neatly folded pink saree onto the bed.

“I thought… you might like it,” he said awkwardly, avoiding her eyes.

Nandini’s gaze dropped to the fabric. She ran her palm across the silk—slow, reverent. A gentle smile curved her lips. “It’s beautiful… I wasn’t expecting this,” she replied, hiding her surprise. Rajeev's eyes softened; his fingers twitched toward her hand instinctively before weeks of restraint reeled them back. "I know, but this one reminded me of the color of your laughter," he whispered, a hint of vulnerability in his voice.

She can't help but smile at his sweet words, feeling a warmth spread through her chest. "Thank you, Ji," she said softly, finally meeting his gaze with a newfound appreciation.

It was the first gift Rajeev had given her since the forced wedding—a small gesture, but it carried the weight of something new.

A beat passed.

“Are you hungry?” she asked.

Rajeev shook his head, but then his stomach growled, loud and embarrassingly honest.

“It’s so late... I don’t think there’s much in the kitchen. I’ll just drink some milk.”

Nandini shook her head firmly. “Let me cook something.”

He protested, “It’s so late… I don’t want to trouble you.”

She smiled, resolute. “I’ll make chapatis and baingan bharta. It’ll be quick.”

She rose and moved to the kitchen.

Rajeev’s lips twitched in a reluctant smile, his eyes lingering on Nandini’s steady movements—each fold of the saree, every measured step—like a lifeline in the stillness. Her kindness was a balm he hadn’t realized he needed.

From the doorway, he watched her for a while. There was something almost sacred in the way she moved—quiet, purposeful, her bangles whispering against each other as she kneaded dough and stoked the flame. A halo of warm light flickered around her face as she bent over the stove. For a moment, she looked nothing like a stranger forced into his world.

She looked like she belonged.

And that thought—gentle, terrifying—settled inside him like a prayer he didn’t know he was making.

True to her word, within thirty minutes, the aroma of fresh chapatis and smoky baingan bharta filled the house. Nandini set three plates on the table.

Rajeev’s eyes flicked to the plates. “Why three?”

“For you, Bahaiya, and Baba. They’ll be hungry too, like you,” she said.

His heart ached. Here she was—caring and selfless—while he had only met her with silence and distance.

Determined to do better, Rajeev took the plates to his brother and father. Each step toward their room weighed heavily, a silent apology for silence he knew he needed to break.

Back in the kitchen, Rajeev settled on the floor with his plate, and Nandini sat beside him, gently fanning him. Rajeev paused mid-bite, then asked softly, “Did you eat yet?”

She shook her head, eyes downcast. She was so scared with Virkant lurking in the house and with Rajeev and others away that she couldn't make herself eat.

Without any thought, Rajeev scooped a small bite from his plate and held it out to her.

“Eat with me,” he said gently, remorse shining in his eyes.

She hesitated—not out of pride, but fear that this moment might vanish as quickly as it came. But kindness flickered in his eyes. Maybe… maybe this was real. She leaned forward and accepted the food like prasad—offered with care, received with hope.

The simple act of sharing a meal together brought a quiet hope. Maybe their fractured relationship could heal. For the first time in weeks, the night didn’t feel quite so cold.

From the shadows, Vikrant’s eyes narrowed, fists tightening until his knuckles whitened. The sight of Rajeev and Nandini together stirred a storm within him—rage, possessiveness, something darker.

Vikrant clenched his fist, watching them. His possessiveness flared—Rajeev growing close to Nandini was an insult he couldn’t bear.

Though he had left her before, seeing her now with his cousin ignited a dark obsession.

"She was never yours, Rajeev," Vikrant muttered under his breath. "She just forgot who she belonged to."

She was his—his to possess, his to control. The obsession twisted inside Vikrant like poison, refusing to be silenced. He had left her hollow once. He wouldn’t just leave her this time—he’d destroy anything that stood in his way.

*****

Author’s Note 💖

Hey there, lovely readers! 🌟

Have you ever been fed by someone you truly love? That simple act—offering food, sharing a meal—can feel like the warmest hug, can’t it? 🥰 Like a silent promise that you matter, that you’re cared for in ways words sometimes can’t capture.

In this chapter, Rajeev and Nandini share that tender, quiet moment—a fragile thread weaving them closer amid all the shadows surrounding them. Writing it made my heart flutter, and I hope it did the same for you.

Now I want to hear from you! Have you ever felt the gentle kindness of being cared for this way? Drop me an emoji or share your story below—I’m all ears and heart! 🍲💞

And buckle up, because things are about to get even more intense. Keep your heart ready for the next chapter—it’s going to be a ride! 🎢✨

With all my love and gratitude,
Shaar Shree ✨