Tangled Beliefs

Chapter-55: Yours, Always

He doesn't know it yet, but he's holding all the pieces I’ve spent years pretending didn’t exist.

Nandini’s POV,

As soon as I closed the bathroom door behind me, I leaned against it, my chest rising and falling rapidly. My legs felt weak, and I held the basin for support, staring at myself in the mirror. The reflection staring back at me looked… scared. Not of him. No—never of him. But of myself. Of my past. Of my scars.

“Calm down, Nandini… relax,” I whispered to myself, trying to regulate my breath. “You’re safe. It’s Manik. He’s your husband… He’ll never hurt you.”

But even those comforting words weren’t enough to erase the panic bubbling in my chest.

“I trust him. I do. I do trust him,” I whispered again, staring into my own eyes. “Then why did I react like that? Why did I stop him?”

I splashed cold water on my face, the shock of it jolting me back. Drops clung to my lashes, and I gripped the sink tighter.

“I’m healed… I’ve moved on, haven’t I?” My voice broke, and a single tear rolled down my cheek. “Then why can’t I just let go?”

My fingers clenched into fists.

“Because I’m still afraid.”

The thought slammed into me like a wave. Still afraid. Not of Manik. But of the past. Of that incident that still haunted me like a shadow in the dark.

He deserves to know.

My throat ached at the realization. I couldn’t keep hiding this from him. It wasn’t fair. He needed to know—he deserved to know why I flinched, why I stopped him, why I always turned away when things got too intimate. But what if… what if he leaves? What if this changes everything?

I shook my head furiously.

“No,” I told myself. “Not now. Not like this. I’ll tell him… I will. But not tonight. Not like this.”

I dried my face, took a deep breath, and stepped out.

The moment I opened the door, my eyes met his. He was pacing, looking… lost. Restless. His brows were furrowed, his lips pursed, his fingers tangled in his hair. The moment he saw me, he rushed forward.

“Nandini—”

I raised my hand gently. “Manik, I… I’m sorry.”

He blinked, visibly taken aback.

“I didn’t mean to leave like that,” I continued, my voice trembling. “I just… I needed some time. I know we’re married, and I know I trust you—more than anything—but I’m… I’m not ready yet.”

His eyes softened instantly. “Nandini,” he said, stepping closer. “Why are you saying sorry? I should be the one apologizing.”

I looked at him, confused. “But you didn’t—”

“I crossed a line,” he interrupted, his voice thick with guilt. “I lost control. I saw you, I felt you close, and I forgot myself. I forgot to ask. I just… I didn’t think. And that’s not okay. Even if we’re married, it doesn’t give me any right to touch you unless you want it too.”

Tears blurred my vision. After everything I'd done to protect my heart, I had never imagined that someone would say such words to me. After everything that had happened.

He looked away, as if ashamed. “And about needing time…” He exhaled slowly. “Take all the time you want. I’ll wait. I swear, I’ll wait. For as long as you need.”