Dil Ke Karib (Early Acess CH 38)

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

******

Chapter 38 The Match he lit?

The corridor had quieted. Dust motes floated in golden shafts of afternoon light, as if the house itself was holding its breath.

Rajeev leaned against the doorframe, arms crossed, watching Raghav sip tea on the verandah bench. Neither spoke.

Then, quietly:
“Bhai,” Rajeev said, his voice low and deliberate. “Who is Sobha?”

Raghav smiled.

But it wasn’t his usual smile—the warm, big-brother grin that softened childhood scrapes and soothed bitter nights. This one was tight-lipped. Knowing. Unsettling.

“You’ll know soon enough,” he said, taking another sip. “Some truths come only when they’re ready. Not a second before.”

Before Rajeev could press further, Vikrant burst through the hallway, barefoot and disheveled, like he’d woken from a nightmare. His eyes were wild, his shirt half-buttoned, and his breath ragged.

He muttered something—unintelligible—and stormed past them, disappearing out the back door into the burning light of late afternoon.

Rajeev turned to Raghav, startled.
“What was that?”

Raghav didn’t answer. He only raised an eyebrow, the barest hint of a smirk tugging at his lips. But behind that smile, something else flickered—almost like regret. Like he’d lit a match knowing exactly what would burn.

****

Inside, Nandini sat on the edge of the bed, twisting the corner of her dupatta. Her bandaged hand rested in her lap, still and useless. Her eyes flicked repeatedly to the door, haunted.

“What if…” she whispered, barely audible. “What if the truth comes out? What if your mother—what if she doesn’t believe you next time?”

Rajeev entered, carrying a small steel plate. The smell reached her first—raw mango, sliced, dusted with red chili and black salt.

“She won’t doubt us,” he said, kneeling before her. “You know why?”
He placed the plate gently on her lap. “Because This child is ours—a whisper of your soul, stitched to my heart."

Nandini looked down, her voice trembled.
“But he’s not your blood.”

Rajeev cupped her tear-streaked face and wiped the corner of her eye with his thumb.
“Blood doesn’t decide who you love,” he said. “Love decides.”

She stared at him, trembling. “Do you... love the baby?”

He shook his head slowly. “No.” He looked at her, steady and unflinching. “I love you.”

The silence between them became sacred, filled with more truth than words could ever hold.

He picked up a slice of mango and held it to her lips. She hesitated. Then she bit into it—the sourness hit instantly, her eyes watering.

“That’s cruel,” she choked, laughing through the sting of flavor and tears.

Rajeev grinned. “Pregnant women and their cravings. I couldn’t risk being unprepared.”

She made a face and gently swatted his arm. “You’re impossible.”

“And yet here I am,” he teased, leaning in and brushing a kiss against her cheek. She gasped softly, her heart thudding louder than the silence.

For a moment, neither of them moved.

Then, he offered another slice—this time slower. His thumb brushed her lower lip. Deliberately.

Her breath hitched.

He reached forward, placing his palm gently on her belly. She startled, then stilled.

“I don’t care what they say,” he whispered. “This child is ours. And I will protect both of you.”

Her hand trembled as it found his, resting over her stomach.

“I used to hate the baby,” she murmured. “I didn’t think I could ever care. But you… you’re making me love it already.”

Rajeev looked up at her, eyes warm.
“We’ll figure it out. Together.”

****

Outside, in the shadows near the empty courtyard, Vikrant sat on a low stone step, tossing pebbles into the dust.

Sobha... Sobha...

The name echoed like a curse. Or a prayer.

He picked up a jagged rock and hurled it across the yard. It struck the wall with a dull thud.
“Why did you have to come back, Sobha?” he whispered, his voice rough with regret.
A crow cawed somewhere far off. The courtyard held its silence.
Only the faint ringing of memories remained.

*****

💌 Author’s Note

PHEW. Okay... did your heart just do a little flip? 💔💖
Because mine did while writing this one!

This chapter was such a ride to write—from Raghav playing cryptic big brother 🔥 to Vikrant literally running from his past 👀… and then, of course, Rajeev and Nandini serving us a raw mango moment sweeter than most love stories. 🥭💛

Also, can we just pause and appreciate Rajeev saying, "Love decides." 🫠 That man is out here redefining fatherhood, one chili-dusted mango slice at a time.

But don’t get too cozy. 🌀 Because while love bloomed in one corner of the house, something far darker stirred in another... and Sobha? Oh, she’s coming. And Vikrant knows it.

👉 If this chapter made you feel anything—joy, fear, butterflies, or maybe a sudden craving for raw mango—let me know in the comments 💬 or send some love my way! And if you're yelling WHO IS SOBHA?!, trust me... you’ll meet her soon. 😉

🔥 Chapter 39 is full storm mode. And Vikrant? He's not ready.

#TeamRajeev
#MangoMood
#SobhaIsComing
#PrayForVikrant 😬

With tenderness, hope, and fire,
Dil Ke Karib — by Shaar Shree ✨