Married to my Brother in law. In love with his Brother (CH 40 Early Access)

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✨Chapter 40: Two halves

The jasmine petals still lay scattered where Meenal had fled—white and fragile as her broken thoughts.

Rajveer stood in the courtyard, the cool air at sunset wrapping around him like a shroud. The pallu slipping from Meenal’s head haunted him, a silent plea he couldn’t answer.

He slid a hand into his pocket, fingers closing around the anklet—its faint chime a reminder that some things refuse to be forgotten.

His gaze lifted to the moonlit sky, searching for a sign—a way forward in the silence stretching between them.

Inside, Meenal pressed her back against the carved wooden door, trying to steady her trembling breath.

Her breath hitched, uneven and shallow. Fingers curled tightly around the carved doorframe, nails pressing into the wood.

She wanted to turn back, to reach for the hand Rajveer extended—but the weight of her sister’s memory bound her like iron chains.

“Am I betraying everything?” she whispered into the shadows.

She slid down to the floor, hugging her knees to her chest, the weight of indecision crushing her spirit. The moonlight cast a haunting glow on her tear-streaked face as she searched desperately for clarity amid the storm inside her.

A soft sound caught her attention—the quietest of steps. As shadow enveloped her, she felt a gentle touch on her shoulder, a presence offering solace in the darkness.

Rajveer.

She let out a sigh of relief, knowing she was no longer alone.

He knelt beside her, careful not to startle her, his voice low and steady.

“Meenal… I know you hate me, and our marriage was nothing but a facade. But what if we try to start over?”

She looked up, eyes shimmering with unshed tears.

But she remained silent, her heart torn between the pain of the past and the possibility of a new beginning with Rajveer. And the thought of betraying her sister, who had always been there for her, weighed heavily on her mind.

His fingers brushed a stray jasmine petal from her hair.

“Will you give me a chance to make things right? To be a husband worthy of your love?”

Her heart fluttered uncertainly, yet the longing in his eyes was impossible to ignore.

“Husband.” The word felt foreign—strange and distant after years of solitude. Marriage was a title she wore to shield Arun’s innocence, a promise made to her dying sister, and a vow she dared not break.

Rajveer reached into his pocket and pulled out the anklet that had been missing for weeks.

“Can I…” he whispered, eyes full of sincerity.

Meenal’s breath caught, but she said nothing. Rajveer lifted her pallu gently, revealing her bare leg. Reverently, he slipped the anklet around her ankle. Silence blossomed between them.

Her eyes fluttered closed, overwhelmed by a rush of emotions she couldn’t name.

“Some things are better in pairs,” Rajveer murmured softly as she gazed at the anklets on both her legs, perfectly matched—a symbol of their connection.

A warmth spread through Meenal’s heart, the understanding in Rajveer’s gaze unlike anything she had known.

“If one is lost or broken,” he whispered, voice thick with feeling, “the other feels incomplete.”

His gaze held hers—steady and unwavering—a silent vow.

He reached up and brushed a strand of hair from her face, gentle as a sigh against her skin.

“You’re not just talking about anklets, are you?” Meenal finally found her voice, breath trembling with the weight of the moment.

“No,” he smiled, the love shining brightly in his eyes. “I’m talking about us—two halves finding their way home.”

"Whether it’s the anklets… or our hearts… fate keeps binding them, no matter how far they drift," he continued. "As if they are destined to be together, no matter the obstacles in our path." Meenal felt a sense of peace wash over her, knowing that they were truly meant to be each other's missing piece.

Meenal’s gaze drifted from Rajveer to the framed photo of her sister on the wall—Megha’s smile frozen in time, bright as the marigolds she once wore. Her fingers brushed the anklets snug around her ankles, a delicate tether binding past and present.

“Is this what you want, Di?” she whispered, her voice trembling but steady, carrying the weight of a promise and a plea.

For a moment, she could almost smell the rose oil Megha used and feel her sister’s warm fingers fastening these very anklets years ago.

The silence stretched, filled with the soft chime of the anklet against the marble floor—the sound of two fractured souls reaching for wholeness.

Rajveer stayed still, eyes locked with hers, the answer unspoken but understood. His gaze drifted to Megha’s photo on the wall—her smile frozen in time.

A silent regret weighed on him: he had failed as a husband once. But now, he vowed quietly to be better—so Meenal wouldn’t become another casualty of his mistakes.

In that fragile moment, hope bloomed—soft as jasmine in the night air, uncertain yet stubbornly alive, its chime as quiet as the anklet against marble.

✨ Author’s Note ✨

So… how’s your heart after this one? 💔🌙
Because mine? Still somewhere between the jasmine petals and that anklet moment. 😭

I loved writing this chapter because it’s quiet… but not empty. Every glance, every touch, every word they don’t say is heavy with meaning. 🌸🤍

Rajveer finally gives the anklet back (took him long enough, right? 🙄😂) — but he’s not just returning jewellery… he’s returning a piece of her she thought she’d lost. And the way he says “two halves”?? Excuse me while I go lie down. 🫠💫

And Meenal… my girl is torn in two. 💔 One part of her wants to step forward, the other is still standing beside her sister’s memory. That little whisper, “Is this what you want, Di?” — I swear I felt that like a punch. 😭🕯️

Tell me — do you think she’s ready to let the past loosen its grip? Or is Rajveer going to have to work a lot harder before she lets him in? 👀🔥

And If you were in her place… would you let Rajveer in? Or keep the door shut?

PS: Yes, the anklets are officially a metaphor now. No, I will not stop milking it. 😏🪔

With love (and a soft chime of slow-burn mischief),

Shaar Shree💫