The quiet evening light filtered into their room, casting soft shadows across the wooden floor. Anant pushed open the door, carrying the lingering fatigue of a long day at the Hospital. He stopped in his tracks.

Bhargavi was sitting on the sofa, her head bowed low beneath a long, heavy veil (ghunghat) which was completely obscuring her face even though she was entirely alone in their private wing of the house.

Anant felt a quiet prickle of annoyance, not at her, but at the invisible, suffocating rules she felt forced to follow. Letting out a slow breath, he walked over and thought Shall I sit there? I should atleast maybe I could ask her and then he sat beside her on the mattress. Gently, carefully, he reached up and folded the heavy fabric back, revealing her struck, wide-eyed face.

Is ghar me toh sirf tum akeli hi rehti ho, Anant said softly, his voice devoid of any edge. You have such a beautiful face... don't hide it.

Bhargavi’s breath hitched, her fingers clutching her saree pallu so tightly her knuckles turned white. She stared down at his knees, unable to process the calm compliment. Anant looked at her hands, noticing the delicate way her fingers naturally rested, like a dancer mid-mudra. Tumhe dance pasand hai na? he asked gently. Dance kiya karo. Enjoy your life.

Bhargavi remained completely frozen, her heart was hammering against her ribs. Nahi ye abhi jhooth bol rahe hai baad me mujhe marenge She thought.

The trauma of her past kept whispering that this gentleness was just a trap it was a quiet before a storm.

Inhe pakka Devraj ki baat pata hai tabhi unhone likha tha ki main inse nafrat karti hun

Su... Suniye, she whispered, her voice trembling as she gestured toward the small dining table in the corner. Woh... aapka khana.

Anant looked at the neatly arranged thali, covered with a silver bowl. A genuine, warm smile broke across his face. Thank you so much

He walked over, sat at the table, and ate in peaceful silence. Every dish was seasoned to absolute perfection. Finishing his meal, Anant washed his hands and turned back to her with sincere appreciation.

Thank you so much, tumne mere liye itna sab kuch banaya main toh aaj waise bhi kafi Thak gya tha He smiled at her.

She nodded and backed away slightly.

Khana tum bahut tasty banati ho, Anant praised softly. Then, noticing the pale exhaustion under her eyes, he added warmly,

But kal se tum rest karo. Don't worry about food. Make it for yourself... not for me.

To Anant, it was a gesture of pure care——a desire to relieve her of domestic burdens so she could rest and dance.

I asked Mom about her more then I got to know she had been training bharatnatyam for so long but because since ye papa ke best friend ki beti hai aur mummy ko pasand aayi she got married to me she didn't become a teacher or dancer. But now I'll help her fulfilling her dreams

To Bhargavi, it was a death sentence.

Make it for yourself... not for me. The words echoed in her mind like a roar. Her father's bitter voice rang in her ears: A woman who can't satisfy her husband's appetite has no right to stay in his house. She assumed she had failed, that her cooking was terrible, that he was rejecting her serving him. Nahi.... Maaf kar dijiye... She gasped out, her eyes flooding with sudden, terrified tears.

Before Anant could even register in his mind what was happening, Bhargavi dropped straight to the floor and reached out, desperately grabbing his feet, her whole body shaking violently as she sobbed. Mujhse galti ho gayi! Main aur achha khana banaungi... please mujhe kitchen se mat nikalye! Main aapki har baat maanungi... please mujhe gussa mat hoiye!

Anant gasped, recoil instantly pulling his feet backward as if he had been burned. Bhargavi, nahi! Yeh kya kar rahi ho?!

He quickly knelt on the floor, keeping a respectful distance, his hands raised in complete panic, his heart aching at the sheer depth of fear driving her to her knees over a simple compliment.

Tum ye kya kar rahi ho!!! Suno It's Okay Nahi nikal Raha kitchen se... Mera koi right nahi hai Tum toh waise bhi Lakshmi ho meri... Annapurna ka swaroop ho mere liye... Don't worry.. Ab tum mujhe Ye batao ki Kya hua hai... Tum kyu dar gayi... Mujhse Dar gayi... Ya phir meri baat acchi nahi lagi....

He asked her gently not to disturb her. He asked again if he could touch her with his most gentle tone which he uses with young children's.

She nodded and then prepared herself for the blow. But it never came.

Anant stayed on his knees, careful not to make any sudden moves that might frighten her more. He kept a clear distance between them, his hands open he Made her sit on the sofa and resting gently on his knees.

Bhargavi, meri taraf dekho, Anant said softly, his tone low, steady, and filled with a calm, unshakeable patience. "Please... upar dekho."

Bhargavi slowly lifted her tear-stained face, her lips trembling, her eyes wide with terror as she waited for the scolding she was conditioned to expect.

"Sabse pehle, mere pair mat pakdo," Anant explained gently, his dark eyes holding hers with complete warmth. Iss ghar me tum kisi ki ghulam nahi ho. Tum meri patni ho... meri barabar ki partner ho Tumne koi galti nahi ki hai, Bhargavi. Khana sach me bohot swadisht tha.

Bhargavi blinked, wiping a tear with the back of her trembling hand, completely confused : Toh... toh aapne kal se banane se kyun mana kiya?

A soft, understanding smile touched Anant’s lips. He slowly offered her his hand not forcing her to take it, but holding it out as a quiet invitation.

Umm.... Dekho I don't know that why you behave like that. It's Okay. No problem. Dekho tum weak ho abhi mujhe confirm ho gaya hai aur Main yahan tumse khana banwane seva karwane nahi laya hun. Aur Waise bhi kal mummy aa jayengi tumhare yahan ki rasme hai kuch woh karke complete. Agar tum chahti ho ki tumhe khana banana hai toh bas unki help kar dena. Don't stress yourself. Aur Ye batao ki tumhe subah ka khana kaisa laga.

He asked gently and grinning and She nodded. He was getting annoyed and impatient.

Bhargavi listen to me please.... I am not some dictator. You can talk to me.. Tum mere pair pakad sakti ho par ha ya na nahi kah sakti ho... Fine it's okay if you don't want to talk to me right now.

He said normally and sat beside her on the sofa and was looking around the room thinking about what he should ask her.

Nahi nahi Anant ji please aap aisa mat boliye... Woh main.. woh Aap... Matlab woh....

Relax!... Look at me!... Anant Held her wrist to calm her down and take her pulse. He took her pulse and he wasn't shocked. It's so high and her heartbeat was fast too.

Bhargavi looked at him and tears were in her eyes. Anant immediately brought water and he gave her water and was rubbing her back. And he knelt and held her hand. He looked up at her and was looking at her like a 6 year old girl he met today in the hospital saying to him that bhaiya main kadwi goli nahi khaungi... Aur mujhe kadha nahi pina hai.

Bhargavi look at me... Suno dekho tum stress mat lo... And mat karo baat if you don't want to bas tum Rona band kar do... Dekho main tumhare liye kya laya hun.... Aaj tumhari pehli Rasoi thi na aur tumne itni tasty kheer banayi thi toh tumhara gift....

He said and pulled out three boxes and give it or her. One was bharatnatyam ghunghroos, second was Silver Anklets and third was Gold bangles.

Tumhe pasand aaya he asked and She looked at him and his face So beautiful and kind.... She looked at his hopeful eyes and then said Hanji Anant Ji mujhe ye bahut pasand aaya and He grinned.