Shadowed Desires

Chapter 11

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Kritika had just returned to the hall to retrieve her phone, which she had forgotten there. Meanwhile, Atharv was guiding the workers to wind up the decorations quickly.

That’s when he noticed a few of the male workers staring at Kritika and whispering among themselves. At first, he was confused. But the moment he saw that the string of Kritika’s blouse had come undone, he understood everything.

One of them commented,
"Women nowadays roam half-naked in the name of modernisation. Later, when questioned, they wave the flag of equality and blame society for having a narrow mindset. They wear revealing clothes and then cry harassment."

Kritika's back was almost bare—her blouse was mostly held together by strings, with only a little fabric at the lower end. She was completely unaware of her wardrobe mishap.

Atharv's eyes burned with rage. He walked past the group with fury in his steps.

Without a word, Atharv approached Kritika and grabbed her hand, dragging her away. She was shocked by his behaviour. At that moment, no other family members were around.

He pulled her straight to their room while Kritika kept asking why he was doing this. The look in his eyes was so terrifying that for a brief moment, she genuinely felt scared.

He walked toward her slowly, closing the distance between them until her back hit the dressing table. A vase toppled off and shattered into pieces.

Then, without a word, he placed his hand on her bare back to tie the string she hadn’t even noticed had come undone. The moment his hand touched her, Kritika pushed him away in disgust.

She snapped,
"If I was trying to be a good wife and give this relationship a real chance, it doesn’t mean I will allow you to fulfill your lust. I thought you were different, but in the end, you’re just like every other man. How long could you have controlled your desires? Just because I was being civil doesn't mean I gave consent for this."

Atharv's anger reached its peak. He grabbed the strings of her blouse and tied them back with such force that she hissed in pain. It took her only a few seconds to realise what his true intention had been.

The next moment, he pinned her to the wall. His hand twisted her arm behind her back, and his eyes bore into hers so intensely that it sent a shiver down her spine. Her glass bangles cut into his skin as he held her tightly.

She had seen him angry before, but never like this.

Atharv said,
"Listen carefully—if I were the predator you’re accusing me of being, I would’ve pounced on you the very first night you entered this room. But I’m a man bound by morals, not desires."

With that, he let her go and turned to leave. Kritika, filled with regret, held his hand and said softly, "Sorry," her eyes filled with guilt.

He yanked his hand away and said coldly,
"Leave my hand."
And then he walked out, leaving her drowning in guilt.

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Time skips...

An hour passed. She waited for him in their room, changing her clothes and hoping he would return. When he didn’t, she stepped out into the garden to get some fresh air.

There, she saw something shocking—a man was being punched repeatedly. His face was swollen, blood dripping from his forehead.
Kritika asked,
"What’s going on, Atharv?"