Author's pov...

"Bhai, why are we even here? Can't we party like them tonight? Or at least go inside with them?" Dakshit asked, utterly confused as he watched both his elder brothers doing nothing except staring at the now-empty main entrance.

Their wives, along with Dhritya and her friend Navya, had already gone inside.

"No," Ansh replied, his eyes still fixed on the gate.

"But why?" Dakshit groaned dramatically, shifting uncomfortably in his seat. "My back is killing me from sitting here for so long."

"Because it's a women's party," Ansh answered calmly. "And if your bhabhi sees me anywhere near this place, she'll be furious. I can't afford to make her angry."

The mere thought of Devika's deathly glare and terrifying threats made him shudder internally. If she caught him here, she definitely wouldn't spare him.

"Fine... but can we at least have dinner? I'm starving," Dakshit complained, patting his growling stomach.

Both Ansh and Aryan looked at him. Aryan, as usual, remained silent.

"We're not going anywhere," Ansh said firmly.

"Then at least order something for me. Or open the gate so I can grab food for myself... and maybe for you two as well."

"What exactly are you planning to eat?" Aryan finally spoke, clearly annoyed. "That unhygienic street food?"

"There's a roasted corn stall outside!" Dakshit exclaimed excitedly, pointing toward a small vendor roasting corn over hot charcoal. "It's really delicious. Dhritya and I had some during our college picnic."

"We don't eat food from roadside stalls," Aryan replied flatly. "If you want it, buy it for yourself."

"Hmm... I think you should try it at least once," Ansh said thoughtfully. "They actually look tempting. Even Devi loves street food. She says it tastes amazing."

A small smile appeared on his face as he remembered Devika's sparkling eyes every time she spotted a golgappa stall. He had always tried to stop her from eating street food, but once she had looked at him with those irresistible puppy eyes... and he simply couldn't refuse.

"Buy it for yourself. I'm not eating that," Aryan muttered, turning his gaze back outside.

"Go bring four roasted corns," Ansh said, pulling out some cash from his wallet and handing it to Dakshit.

"Four? For whom?" Aryan asked, raising an eyebrow.

"For us, obviously," Ansh replied with a smug grin. "I'll eat two, Dakshit will eat two... and you can just sit there and watch."

Dakshit burst into laughter while Aryan shot his younger brother an unimpressed glare.

Ansh never missed a single opportunity to tease his elder brother for absolutely no reason.

They were lazily passing the time outside when Ansh noticed Devika walking out of the venue with Navya.

His gaze instinctively followed his wife.

She was deeply engrossed in conversation with her friend, listening to whatever Navya was saying with complete attention. A moment later, Navya walked over to her Bullet motorcycle and picked up something resting near the front visor-a small paper bag, perhaps, or a folded sheet. She handed it to Devika.

The moment Devika looked inside, her eyes lit up with pure delight.

A smile unconsciously found its way onto Ansh's lips.

That was exactly who his wife was.

She had an extraordinary ability to find happiness in the smallest of things. It didn't matter how expensive or ordinary a gift was; if it came with affection, she treasured it like it was the most precious thing in the world. She was simple... innocent in many ways... almost childlike.

His smile disappeared the very next second.

Devika suddenly stopped in her tracks.

Her eyes locked onto someone across the road.

Dakshit.

Ansh immediately followed her line of sight before looking back at Devika. She wasn't looking at Dakshit anymore.

She was scanning the surroundings.

Slowly.

Carefully.

Searching.

His heart skipped a beat.

She knows.

She had sensed his presence.

He knew his wife well enough to recognize that look. She wasn't staring aimlessly-she was looking for him.

The instant she began turning in his direction, Ansh reacted on instinct.

He ducked so fast that he practically shoved himself into the car seat, dragging Aryan down with him.

"Abe! What the hell are you doing?" Aryan hissed, wincing as his neck bent awkwardly.

Ansh didn't answer.

He didn't even dare breathe.

The silence inside the car stretched for what felt like an eternity, though barely a minute had passed.

Only then did he cautiously lift his head and peek outside.

Devika was gone.

She had probably gone back inside.

A long breath escaped his lips.

He still couldn't tell whether she had actually seen him or not...

But one thing was certain.

If she had found out that he had secretly followed her here despite her warning...

He was as good as dead.

He had caught the fury burning in her eyes while she searched every direction.

And if that fury was meant for him...

She wouldn't leave him easily, probably she would tore him apart using nothing but her kainchi jaisi Zubaan, jo sirf uske saamne chalti hai..

.

.

.

.

.

Soon, they were at their respective homes. Aryan, Ansh, and Dakshit had already left the place before the ladies, ensuring they wouldn't know the boys had followed them.

But Ansh knew Devika had seen him.

She was sitting on the edge of the bed in her nightie, staring at the washroom door. Her glare was filled with disappointment. What was going through her mind, only she knew.

The door opened with a click, and her eyes narrowed as she found him stepping out, a towel wrapped around his lower body, his V-shaped waist clearly visible. She pushed aside the holy destruction she had planned for now as her eyes snapped to his goddamn face.

Her expression shifted to slight shock when she saw him completely ignoring her. He walked straight to the dressing mirror and began checking himself out, running his fingers through his damp hair while admiring his reflection.

She let out a slow breath at his actions and stood up.

"Why are you ignoring me?" she asked, crossing her arms over her chest.

Ansh turned at her words, "Who... me?" he asked, pointing at himself with a questioning expression.

She nodded, raising one eyebrow.

"Kya baat kar rahi ho? Main ignore karunga, woh bhi tumhein? Main toh apne khwabon mein bhi tumhein hi dhoondhta rehta hoon, Devi," he said with a smile before turning back to admire himself.

Her patience finally snapped. She marched towards him and shoved him against the dresser, placing both her hands on either side of him. He glanced to his left and right before looking back at her.

"Interesting..." he muttered with a proud smirk, amused by how she had managed to push him with such force.

"Aap mujhe andekha kar rahe hain, Ansh. Aapne tab bhi kiya tha jab maine aapko jeep mein dekha tha."

He smiled calmly at her words. She looked mesmerizing, he thought.

"Koi chaand ko kaise andekha kar sakta hai, Devi?" he said, lifting his thumb to gently brush against her cheek.

She swatted his hand away in one swift motion.

"When I told you not to come after me, why did you still come? And why did you bring Aryan Bhaiya and Dakshit with you?"

"I didn't bring them. It was their plan. I even refused, but they dragged me along," he replied innocently, playing the victim.

"Achha..."

"Hmm..."

"You promised me that you wouldn't come after me."

"Aanhaan.. Devi, first of all, I never promised."

He took a step closer, closing the remaining distance between them.

Her feet faltered as she instinctively stepped backward, but before she could lose her balance, he caught her, his hands sliding around her waist.

"And even if I have to break a million promises just to walk behind you or stay by your side... I'll break every single one of them."

Her heartbeat quickened. It always did whenever he flirted with her.

But this wasn't flirting.

It felt like something far deeper... something born out of protectiveness or possessiveness.

"Why don't you confess to me if you love me?" she blurted out, hoping her words would make him stumble.

Instead, a soft smile appeared on his lips.

"So... you want me to confess my love?" he asked.

Only then did she realize what she had actually said.

"Yes," she answered instantly.

His smile widened.

Bending down slightly, he lifted her into his arms.

"What are you doing? Put me down!" she exclaimed, startled by his sudden action.

Without saying a word, he carried her to the balcony and gently placed her in front of the railing.

"You want me to confess my feelings?" he asked softly.

She trembled slightly but didn't let him notice. Instead, she nodded.

Her heartbeat raced as he erased the remaining distance between them.

She wanted to know.

But why was she trembling?

Was she scared of what he was about to say?

"I love you... I love you, Devi... more than anyone else, and more than my own life."

"Hahh..."

She gasped, attempting to step back, but before she could, he pulled her back against him by her waist.

"I loved you yesterday. I love you today. And I'll love you tomorrow... and forever after."

Her heart pounded wildly.

She finally had her answer.

Was he telling the truth?

"Then what about that small picture in your wallet?" she asked, catching him slightly off guard. He had thought she had forgotten about it.

"It's your childhood picture," he replied.

A sudden jolt ran through her body.

"I don't understand. How could you possibly have my childhood picture? I've never seen you before. I didn't even know you... and I didn't look like that as a child."

"How do you know?" he asked quietly. "Have you ever seen your own childhood picture? Have your parents ever shown you one?"

His questions made her fall into deep thought.

It was true.

She had never seen a single picture of herself as a child.

A lone tear escaped her eyes as she slowly realized what his words could mean.

She pulled herself away from Ansh and turned her back toward him.

"So what if I haven't seen a picture of myself from childhood? I know what I look like," she said.

It was a lie.

And Ansh knew it.

Devika barely remembered her childhood. Even the few memories she had were nothing more than blurred fragments that vanished whenever she tried to hold on to them.

Many times, she had wondered what she must have looked like as a child.

She had even asked her parents why there wasn't a single photograph of her.

There were pictures of Roohi with them. So why wasn't Devika there?

Was she really such a terrible daughter that even having one proper photograph of her wasn't worth keeping?

A few more tears slipped down her cheeks.

She tried desperately to suppress the little sobs escaping her lips, forgetting that Ansh had once told her that the photograph kept inside his wallet was hers.

Ansh couldn't bear to watch her anymore.

He stepped closer and gently pressed a kiss to the back of her hair before wrapping his arms around her from behind.

Devika immediately melted into his embrace.

The sobs she had been trying to hold back turned into shaky breaths as she finally allowed herself to break down in his arms.

"Then what am I supposed to do if even my own parents didn't like me?" she whispered, her voice breaking. "Is it my fault that they never liked me, even when I was just a child? Was there something so unbearable about me that they couldn't even leave me with a single memory of my own childhood?"

Ansh gently turned her around and wiped away her tears.

"Who told you that you were bad?" he asked softly. "You were never bad, Devi. And you never will be."

She stared at him for a few silent moments before burying herself against his chest.

"Then why don't my parents like me?" she asked through her tears. "They used to call me dirty... disgusting. So many times, I tried to understand why they treated me that way, but every time I tried, they rejected me. They made me feel as if I wasn't worthy of being loved."

Pain clenched inside Ansh's chest as he listened to her.

He could have stopped her.

He could have silenced her tears, pulled her closer, and told her that everything would be fine.

But he didn't.

Tonight, he wanted to listen.

He wanted to hear the little girl who had never truly gotten to know her own childhood.

He wanted to share the pain of that little girl who had been broken so many times, yet somehow still managed to put herself back together.

She had never fought for herself loudly.

Yet, in her own quiet way, she had always fought to survive.

She was incredibly brave.

He wished that he could tell her the truth.

He wished he could tell her who she really was.

Who her parents were.

That her childhood hadn't been the dark, loveless existence she imagined.

It was beautiful.

Golden.

Almost like a dream.

A childhood she had once lived freely, completely unaware of how precious those days were.

But he couldn't tell her.

Not yet.

He knew what his words could awaken.

Those blurred memories hidden somewhere deep inside her mind would begin to surface again, piece by piece.

And with them would come the unbearable headaches she had suffered whenever she tried to remember.

He couldn't risk putting her through that again.

What if this time she couldn't bear it?

What if she lost consciousness?

So Ansh simply held her tighter.

He kept the truth locked behind his lips and silently carried the burden of knowing the childhood she was searching for had once been far more beautiful than she could ever imagine.

When she calmed down a bit, Ansh gently lifted her face and wiped away her remaining tears. "You're the strongest and bravest girl I have ever seen in my life," he said. She was the only woman Ansh had ever truly thought about or envisioned; he wouldn't have paid this much attention to any other woman.

"Are you okay now? Should I put my clothes on?" Devika nodded in response to his question. Just as he was about to leave, Devika called out to him, "Just put on your trousers and bring the comforter; we'll sleep outside tonight."

Ansh turned and looked at her as she walked toward the swing; a smile spread across his face-had she really invited him to join her half-naked?

He went inside and returned to the swing with his trousers on, carrying the comforter and a pillow.

Devika, who had been gazing at the moon hiding behind the clouds, stood up as soon as she saw Ansh. She briefly admired his broad physique, took the comforter from his hands, and gestured for him to sit on the swing. Ansh did exactly that.

Devika sat down beside him, draped the comforter over both of them, and-clutching his biceps-snuggled as close to him as she could. Ansh bit his lower lip to suppress a smile; seeing her struggle to get comfortable, he lifted her in one swift motion and settled her onto his lap. Devika felt the warmth of his bare chest.

"Aren't you feeling uncomfortable now?" Ansh asked her. Devika nuzzled into his chest to adjust herself and shook her head 'no'. I nodded; seeing this, Ansh's smile deepened.

"Do you want to see your childhood picture?"

Devika remembered-"the one in the wallet"-and asked; Ansh nodded in agreement.

"How am I supposed to believe that's me? Where did you meet me?" Devika asked, looking at him.

"I came to your birthday party. Our parents were relatives, and that was how I happened to see you. I took your picture that day... and I've liked you ever since."

Ansh lied to her without the slightest hesitation.

And Devika believed him.

But her next question caught him completely off guard.

"Then why didn't you come for me sooner? Why didn't you take me with you back then?" Devika asked.

Even after having the answer Ansh was unanswered,

He didn't know what he could possibly say without exposing the truth.

"Why did you take so long to come for me, Ansh-ji?"

When he remained silent, Devika spoke again.

"I want to tell you something, Ansh-ji."

Ansh turned toward her.

She was looking up at the moon, partly hidden behind the drifting clouds. Her expression was surprisingly calm.

Ansh had often wondered how Devika could panic so easily in one moment and then return to her usual composure almost as quickly. Somehow, that resilience was both astonishing and reassuring.

"What is it?" he asked gently, kissing her head from back, even though a strange uneasiness had already settled in his chest.

Somewhere inside, he knew she was about to reveal something painful from her past-something that might leave a permanent mark on both of them.

Devika remained silent for a few seconds.

Then, without looking at him, she finally whispered,

"I'm not a virgin, Ansh-ji..., I was Raped twice."

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Next chapter can be a blast and heartbreaking for you all though...but it will also heal by our Ansh...

Happy reading and radhe radhe to all....