Dil Ke Karib (Early Acess Ch 20)

🎉 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 1–19) on my website before diving in. Her story is just getting started… 💔✨

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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 clock ticked steadily on the far wall, its metronomic rhythm the only sound in the otherwise hushed house. A soft lamplight cast gentle gold over the polished wooden floor of the sitting room, where Rajeev sat cross-legged, his plate now empty, his thoughts anything but.

The faint clinking of dishes came from the adjoining kitchen, each sound a reassurance that Nandini was still nearby—real, present. There was an unfamiliar softness in the air tonight. It was not yet peace, but something inching towards it.

He leaned back slightly, his gaze resting on the doorway through which she had disappeared. Earlier, when she had taken a bite from his hand, it had stirred something within him. A quiet revolution.

He was unaware that outside that tender circle of warmth, a storm had begun to stir.

In the kitchen, Nandini moved with practiced grace. Her sari was carefully pinned, her bangles sang with every movement as she wiped the stove and put the remaining dough away. The kitchen lamp cast a halo of light on her, softening the exhaustion on her face.

Just as she turned to rinse the last of the utensils, she felt it.

A presence.

Before she could react, a hand clasped around her wrist. Firm. Uninvited.

A quiet gasp escaped her lips, more at the gall than the grasp. As her bangles broke off, scattering on the floor, Nandini's heart raced with fear.

“You…” she breathed, shocked.

He stood too close, his coat still smelling faintly of the evening's cold air and tobacco. His expression was unreadable—eyes dark, jaw stiff with something she did not care to name.

“You seem to be making yourself quite at home, Nandini,” he said softly, his voice clipped and cold.

She tried to pull back her hand, but his grip remained.

“It's none of your business,” she replied evenly, eyes defiant despite the tremor in her throat. “I am with my husband." His eyes narrowed, a flicker of something crossing his face before he let go of her hand.

"Of course," he said, his tone unreadable.

Vikrant’s lip curled in something close to disdain. “Husband!” he repeated.

Her breath caught. She did not answer.

He leaned in, lowering his voice. "You may drape yourself in his silks and serve him his meals. But deep down, you and I both know whose name your soul still whispers in the dark."

“You forfeited that right,” she said, her tone clipped, refusing to waver, though her hand trembled in his.

A flicker of anger flashed in his eyes, but then—just as suddenly—he let go.

She stepped back, breathing hard, as he adjusted the cuffs of his coat and composed his expression once more.

She did not speak. Her throat was tight with the words she dared not say—because anything spoken aloud might crumble the last of her resolve.

“This house… this family… They will not protect you for long,” he said quietly. “Remember that.”

With that, he turned and walked away, his footsteps swallowed by the stillness of the house.

Nandini gripped the counter, her wrist aching faintly where his fingers had pressed. The warmth from moments before had vanished, replaced by a chill she could not shake.

She stood alone for a long moment, eyes closed, willing her hands to stop trembling.

In the bedroom, Rajeev called gently, “Nandini? Is all well?”

She straightened, her voice calm though her chest still stormed. “Yes, Ji. I am just finishing up.”

“You’re sure, Nandini?” He asked again, slower this time. Something in her voice… but he let it go.

He did not hear the tremble she had hidden nor the footsteps that had slipped away before him.

That night, Nandini could not sleep.

She longed to tell Rajeev. But words felt too fragile. Not yet—not tonight.

She sat by the window, moonlight silvering her profile, her sari pulled close around her shoulders. She rubbed her wrist where Vikrant’s grip had left its mark, and she watched the night sky, searching for solace in the stars.

A thousand thoughts wove themselves through her mind—but above all, one truth stood clear:

If the past had returned to claim her, she would not surrender in silence.

She had once believed silence was safety. No longer.

Not this time.

*****

✍️ Author’s Note 💫

Hey dear readers 💌

Tonight’s chapter was tough to write—not for the words, but for the weight behind them. Fear doesn’t always roar. Sometimes, it’s quiet... like a hand gripping your wrist when you least expect it. 🤍

Nandini’s strength here is silent but unbreakable. She doesn’t scream. She doesn’t falter. But her silence says everything. 💔 That moment in the kitchen? It spoke louder than words.

Rajeev’s gentle call from the other room… Vikrant’s return like a gathering storm… Did your heart race like mine while writing it? 🥹

✨ Now, I want to hear from YOU:
What did you feel when Vikrant showed up?
Were you holding your breath with Nandini or wanting her to fight back?

👇 Drop a 💬, share your favorite line, or just an emoji that captures your feelings about this chapter. I’m reading every single one!

💣 This quiet tremor is just the beginning. The storm’s coming—and it will shake everything they’ve built.

Hold tight. Tomorrow, 9 AM. Can’t wait to see you there.

With love and thunder,
Shaar Shree 💖

#DilKeKarib #Chapter19 #NandiniAndRajeev #SilentStrength #ForbiddenLove #PastReturns #DailyUpdate