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Chapter 34 The Morning after the Trauma

The first light of dawn crept through the thin fabric of the window curtains, painting pale orange streaks across the worn walls. The courtyard was silent now—no screams, no sobs, only the hush of morning birds and distant temple bells.

Nandini stirred on the charpai, her body aching, her head thick with exhaustion. For a moment, in the liminal space between sleep and waking, she almost forgot where she was. Who she was. What had happened?

There was only the weight of the blanket, the faint scent of copper and sweat, the soft whistle of birds beyond the courtyard.

Then the weight returned.

Her eyes fluttered open.
And there he was.
Rajeev.

Sitting on a small stool beside her, his elbows on his knees, head bowed, hands clasped. Awake. Watching over her. The damp cloth he’d used to clean her wounds still rested in a small copper bowl nearby.

For a long while, neither spoke.

The silence between them was heavy, but not hostile. It was a fragile space—like glass between two people standing close, each too afraid to shatter it.

Finally, Rajeev lifted his head.

"How are you now?" he asked softly, his voice filled with concern. She tried to speak, but her throat was dry and scratchy. Rajeev reached for a glass of water on the bedside table and helped her take a sip before waiting patiently for her response.

“You should eat something,” he said quietly. His voice was rough, like he hadn’t spoken in hours. “I’ll bring you some chai.”

She shook her head slowly. “I’m not hungry.”

His eyes softened. “I know. But you need to eat. Not for me. For yourself. For…”
He didn’t finish. He didn’t need to.

Her hand instinctively drifted to her belly. The moment her fingers brushed the curve, she froze—then yanked her hand back as if scorched.

“I can’t…” Her voice cracked. “I can’t pretend everything is fine, Ji.”

Her chest tightened, as though her own body was accusing her. She pulled the blanket higher, as if trying to hide from herself.

“I’m not asking you to,” he said softly. “Nothing is fine. Not yet. Maybe not for a long time.”

Her eyes welled again, but this time, the tears didn’t fall. She blinked them back with an exhausted willpower. “I don’t know how to live with this.”

“You don’t have to figure it all out today,” he said, his tone steady. “Just… breathe. One day at a time.”

She looked at him then. Really looked at him. The quiet strength in his eyes. The patience. The pain he carried, though none of it was his fault.

“Why are you doing this?” she whispered. “You don’t owe me anything.”

Rajeev’s jaw tightened briefly, then relaxed.

“You’re my wife.”
“A wife you never wanted.”
His voice stayed steady. “I choose you, Nandini. That’s my only truth.”
He took a slow breath. “I can’t change what Vikrant did. But I can choose what I do.”

The name—Vikrant—hung like a poison in the air.
It pulsed between them, heavy with betrayal neither of them had earned.

Nandini turned her face away, guilt gripping her chest. “I loved him. I trusted him. And now… I can’t even look at myself.”

Rajeev stood slowly, walked to the window, and pulled the curtain open a little more. Sunlight poured into the room, golden and warm, brushing over her tear-streaked face.

“You can hate yourself for trusting him,” Rajeev said softly. “Or you can remember that trusting someone isn’t a sin.” He paused. “What he did—that’s the sin.”

His voice carried a quiet rage now. Not directed at her—but at Vikrant. At everything that had led to this moment.

Nandini closed her eyes. The light on her face felt almost foreign. She wasn’t sure she deserved its warmth.

But it was there. It was real.

When she opened her eyes again, Rajeev was still watching her. Unmoving. Unyielding.

“I don’t know how to let you carry this,” she whispered.

“You don’t have to know yet,” he said. “Just let me stand here. That’s enough for today.”

She stared at him, the first faint glimmer of something unfamiliar stirring in her chest. Not hope. Not yet.

But perhaps… the possibility of it.

She exhaled—not fully, not freely, but enough.
Rajeev saw it: a flicker of life refusing to die.
He allowed himself the smallest breath of relief.
Quietly, he took it as a victory.

*******

✨ Author’s Note ✨

Hey my dear readers 💕,

This chapter… phew. 🥺 Writing “The Morning After the Trauma” was one of the most delicate and emotional parts of Nandini and Rajeev’s journey. 💔

Here, Nandini wakes into a world forever changed… and yet, right beside her, Rajeev sits — patient, steady, and willing to carry what she cannot. 💪❤️

Sometimes love isn't grand gestures 🌹. Sometimes, it's simply being there — in the silence, in the pain, in the fear. That’s the kind of love Rajeev is learning to offer. And it’s the kind Nandini isn’t yet sure she deserves. 😢

I know many of you will feel the weight of this scene. If you find yourself rooting for Nandini to find her strength again — and for Rajeev to keep being her quiet anchor — you’re not alone. 🌊⚓

The storm isn't over yet… but a small light just flickered. 🔥

Thank you for walking this delicate journey with me. 💖 Stay with me — it's about to get even more intense! 👀🔥

Drop your thoughts in the comments! I LOVE hearing from you! 💌

Till the next page turns…
With love, fire, and softness,
– Shaar Shree✨