Shadowed Desires

Chapter 27

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3:00 PM

Both of them were busy in the kitchen. Kritika was preparing the cake batter while Atharv was chopping some dry fruits. His attention briefly wavered, and he ended up getting a cut on his finger. It wasn’t too deep but enough to cause concern.

He hissed slightly from the stinging sensation. Before he could hide it, Kritika heard the sound and immediately rushed to him.

He tried to hide his hand, but she quickly caught hold of it and said,
"Tum se main pehle hi keh rahi thi ki tum rehne do, ab chot lag gayi na. Dekho kitna khoon beh raha hai."
("I had already told you to let it be. Now see, you’ve ended up hurting yourself. Look how much it’s bleeding!")

Atharv replied,
"Arey choti si chot hai, kuch nahi hua hai."
("Oh, it’s just a small cut, nothing happened.")

She placed a finger on his lips and said,
"Chup chup baitho abhi, kar liya tumne apne mann ka. Ab bas meri maano."
("Just sit quietly now. You’ve done what you wanted, now do as I say.")

He murmured under his breath,
"Tumhare alawa chalti kahan hai kisi ki yaha mujh par."
("As if anyone else ever gets a say when you’re around.")

Kritika raised an eyebrow,
"Kuch kaha tumne?"
("Did you say something?")

He shrugged,
"Tumhare hote hue mujhe bolne ki kya zarurat hai?"
("With you around, do I even need to say anything?")

She ignored his antics, poured cold water in a bowl, and dipped his fingers in it. Once the wound looked slightly better, she prepared to apply antiseptic.

Atharv pulled his hand back and said,
"Kritika, please ye mat lagao, isse aur jyada burning feel hoti hai."
("Kritika, please don’t apply this, it stings even more.")

She retorted,
"My dear husband, this is not the right age to throw tantrums like a child."

He smiled, leaned closer, and whispered in her ear,
"I think it's the age to plan cute babies like us. Am I right?"

Her face flushed at his words. She tried to process it but failed to hide the blush.

He added,
"Don’t you think we should start thinking about it?"

Irritated, she placed the antiseptic aside and said,
"One more word from your side and I will definitely shift your luggage to the guest room. So now think before you speak."

He made a grumpy face while she smirked and said,
"Agar tumhari future planning puri ho gayi ho to ab is cut pe antiseptic lagwane ki kripa kijiye."
("If your future planning is done, can we please apply antiseptic to your cut now?")

She gently dabbed the antiseptic on his wound with a cotton ball. He tightly held her other hand and closed his eyes as she put a bandage over it. A soft smile appeared on her lips seeing him like that.

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Kritika's POV
I don’t know how it happened. I’ll never admit it to him, but the truth is I’m head over heels in love with my own husband. I love him so deeply that I just want to pull him away from everyone trying to separate us and lose myself in his arms forever.

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Later, she sent him out of the kitchen and placed the cake in the fridge after frosting it. She also cooked his favorite meal.

At the dining table, she noticed him struggling slightly with the bandaged hand. She scooted closer and started feeding him with her own hands. He couldn’t stop admiring how she had completely transformed—loving his pampering yet just as effortlessly caring for him.