Dil ke Karib (Early Acess Ch 25)

🎉 How was the last chapter? Do you think Nandini will finally break her silence?

🛎️ New to Nandini and Rajeev’s world? No worries! Catch up on Dil ke Karib (Chapters 1–24) 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… 👇

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Chapter 25 – A Quiet Kind of Brave

"You don't need to shout to be heard. You just need to speak your truth."

The air in the room was still, but something inside Nandini had shifted — subtle, seismic.

She stepped into the hallway barefoot, heart pounding like a trapped bird against her ribcage. Her bandaged wrist ached, but she didn’t flinch.

Rajeev was by the window, a Khata open in his hands, his hair slipping slightly down the bridge of his nose. The morning light touched his face, softening his features.

“Ji…” Her voice was low. But it carried.

He looked up immediately.

She swallowed. “Can we… talk?”

His brows knit gently, concern flickering in his eyes. “Of course.”

She walked past him and sat on the edge of the bamboo chair. Her hands knotted in her lap, fingers foreign, like they no longer belonged to her.

Rajeev sat across from her, setting the khatas aside without hesitation. He waited. Not pushing. Not rushing. Just present.

She took a shaky breath. “There’s something I need to tell you. Something I should have said a long time ago.”

His posture didn’t change — still calm. But his eyes never left her.

She stared down at her hands.

“You know parts of what I’ve lived through. But not the part that’s lived inside me every day since.” She paused, took a deep breath, and continued.

Silence. But this time, it wasn’t suffocating. It was sacred. Like the world was holding its breath with her.

“The man whose blame you have taken upon yourself, the man who falsely promised his love and protection, that man... who abandoned me under the banyan tree.” She finally looked up to meet his gaze, tears welling in her eyes. "He…"

She felt her voice shake. She closed her eyes as a tear slid down her cheek. "He's your cousin,"

Vikrant.

“In front of everyone, he’s your brother. He smiles. He jokes. But behind closed doors… he’s cruel. Controlling. He…” She paused, her lips trembling. “He’s hurt me. Not just once. Not just words.”

Rajeev inhaled sharply, his jaw tightening. But he said nothing. Just listened.

“There were days I thought I was losing my mind,” she continued, her voice barely above a whisper. “That maybe I deserved it. That maybe if I stayed quiet, it would stop.”

A tear rolled down her cheek.

Rajeev leaned forward, slowly, gently. “Nandini…”

She finally looked up. “You were the only one who ever saw me — really saw me. But I was so afraid. Of not being believed. Of ruining everything.”

He reached for her hand, not to hold it, but just to be close. “Vikrant is the one who…" He didn't finish his sentence, letting the silence speak for itself. Nandini closed her eyes, feeling a weight lift off her shoulders as she realized she was not alone in her pain.

Her throat caught.

She closed her eyes. Relief and grief clashing like two waves.

“I kept it inside so long,” she whispered. “I don’t want to be the reason there’s a rift between you two.”

Tears streamed from her eyes as she finally let out the truth that had been eating away at her. She had swallowed her screams, tucked them under her silence, until they’d started to choke her. She thought silence would buy her peace. It had only brought her shame.

More shame.

The weight lifted — just a little. But fear still clung to the edges. And now, as she finally bared her heart to Rajeev, she feared losing what she had left.

It was a risk. But silence was worse.

"Ji…," she whispered, her voice barely audible as she waited for his response. The vulnerability she felt in that moment was overwhelming, but she knew that it was necessary for her own peace of mind.

“Shh…don't speak," he interrupted gently, squeezing her hand in reassurance. "We'll figure this out together," he said softly, his voice filled with determination.

She leaned into his shoulder — not for comfort, but because it felt safe to breathe again.

For the first time in a long time, Nandini wasn’t hiding.

Rajeev clenched his fist. He couldn’t erase her pain. But he could walk beside it — and her.

But when he looked out the window, toward the banyan tree in the distance… his hand clenched again. Silence wouldn’t be enough this time.

*****

💬 Author’s Note

Hey loves 💕,

This chapter feels like a quiet storm — a moment where bravery isn’t loud, but it breaks through in the softest, most powerful way. Nandini’s voice here is a whisper that shakes everything. Sometimes, the bravest thing we can do is speak our truth, even if it trembles.

I hope her courage reminds you that your story deserves to be heard — no matter how hard it feels.

🌻 If you’re rooting for Nandini’s quiet kind of brave, drop a sunflower below! Let’s lift her up together.

Now, here’s the question: What do you think Rajeev will do next? Will he fully trust Nandini after this? Or will the silence between them break in other ways? I can’t wait to hear your thoughts! 💬✨

And tell me — what’s a moment you found your voice when you thought you couldn’t? I’d love to hear your story.

Here’s to the strength in every whisper,
— Shaar Shree 🖤