Married to Brother in law, In Love with his Brother (Early Acess CH 32)

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Now… let’s dive back in, shall we? 😉

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Chapter 32 The Danger was Hope

The afternoon light softened into long golden streaks across the marble floors. Meenal stood by the window of her chamber, her fingers absently tracing the folds of her pallu. The quiet of the haveli pressed around her, but her mind was far from still.

Arun is napping on the bed beside her, his chest rising and falling rhythmically. Her hand brushed over his hair, feeling the soft strands beneath her fingertips. Lost in thought. She stared out the window at the setting sun, wondering what had happened today.

The memory of Rajveer’s eyes—vulnerable, seeking—clung to her.
The warmth of that moment.
The way her hands had moved almost instinctively to help him.

It was dangerous, this shift. And yet... undeniable.

A knock broke her thoughts.

“Come in,” she said.

Aditya entered, his steps steady but his gaze harder to read. There was something tight in his jaw, some unspoken battle behind his calm exterior.

He hadn’t intended to confront her. But seeing her there, the afternoon light framing her face, and knowing what had just passed between her and Bhai—it was too much.

“I heard… You took Bhai's lunch today,” he said, voice even.

Meenal kept her composure. “He was struggling. He hasn’t eaten properly in days.”

“You could have sent a servant,” Aditya offered carefully.

Her eyes narrowed slightly. “Will a servant feed him too?”

Aditya exhaled. “You fed Bhai with your hands.” His hand clenched into a fist, betraying his inner turmoil. She never once fed me with her own hands. Perhaps because I was never hers to begin with.

“Yes?” Her voice was quiet but firm. "He hasn't eaten a full meal in days, so…"

Aditya put his hand up, stopping her from speaking. "Don't explain it to me between you and Bhai."

A beat passed. Aditya’s shoulders tensed, the controlled facade slipping for a breath.

“But, you know why this worries me, Meenal.” His voice was softer now. Not angry—almost pained. “For three years, you both barely spoke. You were strangers under the same roof. And now—”

He broke off, as if the words themselves tasted bitter.

Meenal’s throat tightened. “And now what?”

Aditya looked at her directly. “Now, I see something shifting between you. And I don’t know if that’s good for you.”

His honesty stung more than any accusation.

“Nothing changed,” she said, her voice steadier than she felt. But she knows inside that he is right.

Aditya’s expression grew conflicted. “No. That's not the truth, and you know that too.”

She blinked, caught off guard.

“You think I don’t want him to change?” he asked quietly. “You think I want you unhappy? No, Meenal. I want you safe. And this—” he gestured vaguely toward the space between them, “—this sudden tenderness from him… It might feel comforting now. But what if he changes his mind? What if his silence returns? You’ve seen how it crushed Megha Bahbi.”

Her chest tightened at the mention of her sister. Old guilt resurfaced like a wound reopened.

Aditya stepped a little closer, his voice almost a whisper now. “I watched you survive his coldness for years. And I watched you carry Megha bahbi's memory like armor because you didn’t want to fall into the same pain. I—I still care, Meenal. Maybe I shouldn’t. But I do. And seeing you… hope again—” His voice broke slightly. “I couldn’t bear to see you shattered… not again.”

For a moment, neither spoke. The tension between them was not anger. It was something far more dangerous—old love, new boundaries, unspoken regrets.

Finally, Meenal spoke softly. “I will not be shattered, do you know why? Because unlike my mother, I have Arun, who is the light in my life. And I have learned to find strength within myself, not from others." She looked at him with a sense of resolve, knowing that she had overcome her past and was ready to face whatever challenges lay ahead.

Her words hung in the air, heavy with fragile truth.

Aditya swallowed, nodding slowly, forcing a small smile that didn’t reach his eyes. “You’ve always been stronger than others.”

He lingered for a second, as if wanting to say more. But words failed him.

He turned, pausing at the door. “Just... be careful, Meenal. That’s all I ask.”

And with that, he left, closing the door behind him.

Meenal stood still for a long moment, feeling the war raging quietly inside her heart.

The danger was no longer in Rajveer’s coldness.
The danger now was in hope.

The danger now was in hope—fragile, intoxicating, and perhaps, most dangerous of all, easy to believe in.

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💌 Author’s Note

Whew. That was a soft heartbreak, wasn’t it? 😮‍💨💔
This chapter poured out like a quiet confession—full of old wounds, whispered truths, and a kind of hope that’s scarier than betrayal. Because let’s be honest… sometimes hoping again is the real danger.

Can we take a moment for Aditya? 🥺 His restraint, his pain—he’s not the villain, and that makes it all the more real. And Meenal? Stronger than ever. Her motherhood. Her silence. Her decision to choose herself. That’s not survival, that’s rebirth. 🔥

And hey, if you were wondering where Rajveer fits into this triangle? Don’t blink. Because in the coming chapters, his silence will speak louder than anything he’s ever said. 👀

🥭 (No mangoes in this story (yet)—but plenty of layered ache.)

If this chapter tugged at you, or made you whisper “don’t fall, Meenal,” drop a comment below 💬—I love hearing your thoughts!

🌪️ Chapter 33? Let’s just say silence has a sound. And someone’s about to hear it loud and clear.

See you there.
With heartache, hope, and healing,
Married to Brother in law, In Love with his Brother by—Shaar Shree 💫

#TheDangerWasHope
#MeenalDeservesPeace
#AdityaTheAlmost
#SoftStormsOnly