ᴅɪʟ ᴋɪ ɴᴀʏɪ ᴅʜᴀᴅᴋᴀɴ

c h a p t e r 25

Inside the tent, Vikram made a move to remove his kurta, and Parwati immediately turned around, and proceeded to remove her jewelry, each piece clinking softly in the quiet night. She took her time, fingers trembling slightly as she worked, prolonging the inevitable moment when she would have to face her husband.

When she finally turned around, she saw Vikram already in bed under the covers, watching her intently. He picked up one end of the sheet, raised it, and nodded towards the space beside him, silently asking her to join him.

Parwati took light, hesitant steps towards the bed, gulping nervously before slipping under the sheets next to Vikram. She clutched her dupatta tightly to her chest, seeking a semblance of comfort.

"Why are you sleeping with your dupatta?" Vikram asked, noticing her clutching the fabric to her chest.

"I always sleep like this" Parwati replied defensively, her grip tightening on the dupatta.

"I know you don't sleep like that" Vikram countered, then immediately regretted his words when he saw her eyes widen in horror.

He hadn't meant to bring up that night, the one when he had drunkenly wandered into her bedchamber. He hadn't meant to look, but she had looked so ethereal in the moonlight, and the image had etched itself into his memory.

"Just remove the damn dupatta, Parwati" Vikram said.

When Parwati refused, he took matters into his own hands. Leaning over, he grabbed the dupatta and pulled, but Parwati pulled back. "Let go, Paro" he said, looking into her eyes with a mix of sternness and plea.

Parwati shook her head vehemently, using all her strength to keep the dupatta in place. Vikram's temper flared at her stubborn, childlike behavior, and in his frustration, he accidentally tugged the dupatta too hard, tearing it in the process.

Vikram stared at the torn dupatta in his hand, then glanced at his wife, who was partially beneath him. His throat went dry as his eyes zoned in on her cleavage, framed by her dark green blouse. Entranced, Vikram watched her chest rise and fall, the sight stirring something deep within him.

A sob broke the spell, and Vikram instantly tore his gaze away from Parwati's chest and looked up at her face. Her lips quivered, and a single tear slid down the side of her cheek. That's when he became acutely aware of how tense her body had become under him—she was bracing herself, as if expecting him to...

Vikram's eyes widened in disbelief. He swiftly moved away, turning his back to her. "Damn it, Parwati!" he exclaimed, his eyes clenching shut in frustration.

Did she seriously think that he would force himself on her? The thought made his stomach churn. Lord, he didn't even want to think about why that was the first place her mind went.

Parwati sniffled, wiping away her tears, and Vikram grimaced. "I'm sorry, okay? I didn't mean for that to happen... I just—I just wanted you to be comfortable" he said, his voice softer now.

Parwati said nothing, just watched Vikram's rear as he gripped the back of his neck, clearly at a loss on how to handle the situation. She watched quietly as he took a deep breath and turned to look at her.

"I won't do anything to you, Paro" Vikram said, meeting her eyes with sincerity. "I hope you know that."

Parwati searched his eyes for something, and when she seemed to find what she was looking for, she relaxed and raised the sheet, silently asking him to join her in the same way he had done earlier. Vikram breathed a sigh of relief, lying down under the sheets again and turning on his side to give Parwati his back.

Parwati did the same, turning to face the other side. She tightly shut her eyes, feeling a mix of shame and regret. She knew she had overreacted and now felt guilty for troubling Maharaj with her trauma. She didn't know what had come over her, only that the setting had reminded her of how she had found Titli under the general in a similar tent—an image that haunted her deeply.