Married to my Brother in law. In love with his Brother (Early Acess Ch 30)

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Chapter 30 He is not Mine

The morning after the meeting dawned with a brittle kind of stillness. The courtyard was empty, save for the faint sound of servants beginning their daily rituals. Somewhere in the distance, a koel called, its song too sweet for the tension that hung inside the haveli.

Meenal sat by the window in the smaller reading salon, fingers lightly tracing the embroidery of her sari. She was not reading the book that lay open before her; she was waiting.

Waiting for nothing.
Waiting for something.

The door creaked softly.

Rajveer.

He entered without the usual procession of aides or attendants. Alone. Unannounced. His kurta was simple this morning, but his posture carried the same quiet authority from yesterday’s meeting. He paused as their eyes met.

A beat of silence passed between them.

“You didn’t come to breakfast,” he said softly.

Meenal offered a small smile that didn’t quite reach her eyes. “I wasn’t hungry.”

He stepped forward, cautious but intentional. “I wanted to speak with you. Privately.”

She closed the book gently, folding her hands in her lap, as if bracing herself. “About?”

He hesitated—not because he lacked words, but because the ones he had carried weight.

“Yesterday,” he began, “you stood strong. You didn’t flinch when Somesh tested you.” His voice lowered. “I saw the way he looked at you.”

Meenal’s expression barely shifted, but inside, her pulse quickened.

“You handled it well,” Rajveer continued. “But you shouldn’t have had to.”

The admission surprised her.

“I won’t allow anyone to challenge you like that again,” he said. “Not as my wife. Not as the Thakurain.”

She searched his face carefully. There was no anger. Only a steady, controlled protectiveness that was new—and dangerous in its tenderness.

“Thakur Shahab,” she whispered, “you speak as if this marriage is something more than what it has been.”

He took a slow step closer. “I want it to be.”

Her throat tightened. “You say that now.”

“I say it because it’s true now,” he replied, his voice growing softer. “Perhaps I didn’t know how to be a husband before. I was raised to lead, to control, and to preserve what was given to me. But no one taught me how to… cherish.”

The word trembled between them, raw and unfamiliar.

Meenal’s composure wavered for a breath. She folded her arms lightly, as if to protect herself from the storm rising inside her.

“People don’t change so easily, Rajveer.”

His eyes darkened, but not with anger—with sincerity. “I am trying.”

The air between them tightened. She could smell the familiar trace of his sandalwood itra. There was no safe distance anymore.

“Your silence has always been the loudest thing in this house,” she said quietly, “and yet here you are, finally speaking.”

“And yet I fear I’ll still fail you,” he admitted, barely audible.

For a moment, neither spoke.

Then a soft knock interrupted the fragile intimacy.

Aditya.

He stood in the doorway, his face calm as ever, but his eyes spoke of words unsaid.

“Bhai, the village elders request your counsel regarding Somesh’s offer. They say his father may send an envoy from the district office.”

Rajveer’s jaw tightened briefly before nodding. “I’ll come.”

Aditya’s eyes flicked—just once—toward Meenal before he left, closing the door behind him.

Meenal exhaled slowly, breaking the thick stillness. Rajveer lingered for a heartbeat longer.

“I will not fail you, Meenal,” he said softly, before turning and leaving. "Not now. Not ever," he whispered to himself as he left, as if binding himself to a vow only he could hear.

And for the first time, Meenal did not immediately bury her emotions.
For the first time, she allowed herself to feel the dangerous flutter of something that could become tenderness.

Or something far more dangerous.
Something like hope.

But as soon as feelings began to bubble up, her eyes landed on the photos of her and her sister on the wall, reminding her of the pain and loss that still lingered. No—she couldn’t allow herself to feel anything for him. Not for her sister’s husband. Not for her brother-in-law. To feel anything would be a betrayal of Megha’s memory. She must bury these dangerous stirrings before they bury her.

It doesn't matter that Rajveer is her husband. The guilt remains. To feel anything for him would be a betrayal. She must bury these stirrings before they bury her. 

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Author's Note 💕✨

Ahh... the tension is THICK, isn’t it? 😳🔥
Rajveer finally opening up? Meenal fighting feelings she swore she'd never feel? The guilt. The forbidden flutter. The what if hanging in the air... 😭💔

Writing this chapter was an emotional rollercoaster for me, and I hope you’re holding on tight because things are only getting messier from here. 😅

What do YOU think?
👉 Is Rajveer genuine?
👉 Should Meenal let herself hope?
👉 Or is this all too dangerous to survive? 😬

Drop your thoughts, theories, or even your favorite line from this chapter in the comments! 📩
Your feedback fuels my writing (and my caffeine addiction ☕😂), so don’t be shy!

💖 Stay tuned for Chapter 31 — where hearts might break... or finally find their way.

#TeamMeenal or #TeamCaution — let me know! 💬👇

With silent tension, shifting hearts, and innocent hands,
Married to my Brother in law. In love with his Brother by— Shaar Shree ✨