Page 66 of When Love Trespassed

He dialled her number.

“Thank you for calling,” Rhea said softly.

“What did you want to talk about?” Shaurya asked.

“I saw your wedding pictures on social media. Someone had tagged you both. You look really happy.” She paused for a moment to steady her breath.

“Nandini is… incredible, Shaurya. She’s smart and fierce.

Stronger than I ever was. She stood up for you in a way I never did.

She knows how to fight for her love, unlike me. ”

Shaurya said nothing. Just listened.

“I see things now,” she said quietly. “All of it. The mistakes I made… the things I never owned. My betrayal, my pride, my selfishness. You never deserved any of it, Shaurya. If Nandini hadn’t shown me the mirror and made me confront myself the other day, when she came to see me for contract signing, I might never have realised any of this.

She made me see the truth. You truly deserved better than me. ”

He exhaled, the tension blooming in his chest even as peace followed it.

“I’m so, so sorry,” she said finally. “I know it’s too late. You deserve all the love and happiness in the world. We both do. And we’ve found it in our respective partners. I’m happy for us.”

His reply was slow, kind, and final. “It’s over, Rhea. We were never meant to be. We both deserve someone who loves us back. Let’s close this chapter now. No anger, no regrets. I wish you peace.”

He let out a deep breath, the weight of old grief lifting from his chest. After a brief pause, she spoke again.

“You are right. This hatred ends here, and I wish you all the best in your life,” she said. “Goodbye, Shaurya.”

He nodded, even though she couldn’t see him. “Goodbye Rhea,” he whispered, then ended the call and slipped the phone back into his pocket.

Although Nandini was still standing under the mango tree, talking to her Daadi, her senses were attuned to Shaurya. She didn’t need to overhear his conversation to know who had been on the other end of the call. The change in his posture told her everything. She knew it was Rhea.

Just as Shaurya’s call ended, Nandini’s own phone buzzed with a message. She glanced down at the screen.

‘Hi, Nandini. Congratulations. I just wanted to say that I’m happy for you.

Truly. Shaurya found the right partner this time.

You both deserve this love. Take care of him.

And thank you for showing me what I did not realise or perhaps was too proud to realise in the past. I wish you both a beautiful and happy married life – Rhea. ’

A soft smile curved Nandini’s lips. This was closure. The kind she never expected to receive, yet secretly hoped for before stepping into her new life with Shaurya.

She looked up to find Shaurya already walking towards her, his stride relaxed and lighter, a faint smile playing on his lips.

“So? Done talking to Daadi, or is there more gossip left for the night?” he asked.

She giggled, her eyes twinkling. “We’re done for now. And the rest... later. I’m sure Daadi will want a full report on how our night went.”

Without missing a beat, Shaurya bent down and scooped her into his arms.

“Well, sweetheart,” he murmured with a smirk, “for that to happen, we need to start the night first. And trust me, my patience is barely hanging by a thread.”

Shaurya carried Nandini in his arms and stepped across the threshold of his villa. Their lips met in a slow, melting kiss as he walked through the softly lit hallway, with Nandini’s arms wrapped around him, every touch unhurried, every breath quieter than a heartbeat.

When they stepped further into the living room, he finally set her down.

Nandini halted in her tracks, her eyes widening at the sight before her.

Fairy lights hung from the ceiling, their soft glow dancing across the polished wooden floor.

Scented candles flickered like tiny suns, their fragrance wafting across the room.

And in the centre of it all stood the dining table—the very place where they’d shared their New Year’s kiss.

It was now transformed into a romantic tableau.

A large heart made of rose petals lay on the table, and over it was the same brass cake stand that Grandpa and Shaurya had once fought over. And perched atop was a beautifully frosted cake in her favourite mango flavour.

Tears sprang in Nandini’s eyes, leaving her speechless. “Shaurya, this is…” she whispered.

“You like it?” He stepped closer and brushed a stray tear from her cheek.

“I love it,” she replied, her eyes shining.

Shaurya then wrapped his arms around her from behind, resting his chin lightly on her shoulder.

“All my doing,” he murmured. “No Meera, no Varun. Just me, my brain, and a desperate need to impress my wife.”

Nandini blushed and laughed softly. “You’ve outdone yourself,” she said, pointing towards the rose-petal heart. “Consider me officially floored.”

He grinned and guided her to the table, and together, they cut the delicious looking cake. He picked one slice and held it out to her, his eyes never leaving hers. She leaned forward and her lips parted to eat, eyes locked with his.

His gaze darkened, and a flicker of heat sparked in his eyes.

Without a word, he reached out, his thumb dabbing at a bit of frosting stuck at the corner of her mouth. But instead of pulling away, his hand remained glued to her skin, as if he wasn’t ready to let go.

His gaze was fixed on her lips, resisting the urge to lean in and lick it away. Instead, he placed another bite onto a fork to feed her, motioning her to sit atop the table, just like she had on that New Year’s night. The gestures were deliberate, loving, playful.

Nandini settled on the table, the reflection of the fairy lights dancing in her eyes.

“I thought you would take me straight to the bedroom,” she teased.

He brought the fork to her lips, then touched her cheek instead. “There’s no rush,” he whispered. “Every moment with you is perfect.”

Nandini leaned closer, her eyes gleaming with a newfound boldness. Without a word, she reached up, her fingers instinctively curling around the collar of his sherwani. And then, she kissed him—a deep, passionate kiss.

Shaurya responded instantly, cupping her face in his hands. But this time, she didn’t want tenderness. She pushed forward, her kiss growing bolder, more urgent, her fingers tugging at the back of his hair as if she were pulling him straight into her fire.

She whispered between kisses, her breath brushing his lips, “Enough of this sweet version of you, Mr. Ahuja…”

Before he could process, her hands slid down his chest, slow and purposeful, until her fingertips rested just above his waistband. She leaned in closer, her voice a soft purr.

“You do remember I have a thing for dark romances, right?”

Shaurya froze, his eyes narrowing with knowing heat. The look he gave her then was pure fire, understanding exactly what she meant without needing her to spell it out.

A smirk curved his lips. “Careful what you wish for, Mrs. Ahuja…”

She simply raised an eyebrow, challenging him with her gaze.

“Who said I’m not ready for it?”

He kissed her again.

Their hands explored each other, and every inch of space between them disappeared as Nandini’s fingertips brushed against the buttons of his sherwani.

Shaurya broke the kiss, not to stop her, but to speed things up.

His hands moved to unfasten the rest of the buttons and pulled the sherwani over his head in one swift motion.

The moonlight spilling through the sheer curtains caught his skin, highlighting every line of muscle she had only admired from afar.

Now, he was hers to see, to touch, to claim.

Her eyes devoured his chiselled torso, the lines of both strength and softness carved into his frame. His chest rose and fell with restrained desire, surrendering to the moment.

She ran her palm slowly over his heart. “I want my lips here,” she teased in a whisper.

That was it. The final thread of Shaurya’s patience snapped. Without another word, he scooped her into his arms, and she gasped, laughing softly as her arms wound around his neck.

“I knew this day would test every ounce of my control,” he murmured, pressing a kiss to her shoulder as he carried her through the softly lit hallway. “In fact, my patience wore out the moment I saw you today, dressed as my bride.”

She smiled, resting her forehead against his. “Then don’t waste any more time.”

With words like that, how could he not hurry towards the stairs?

As they entered the bedroom, Nandini let out a soft gasp. A huge king size bed, draped in rich maroon linens, greeted her, and the entire room was bathed in the glimmer of decorative fairy lights, giving it a magical feel.

But she had a whole life to admire her bedroom. Tonight, she wanted to focus only on him.

Shaurya set her down gently at the foot of the bed, but didn’t step away. Instead, he reached for her face, cradling it with both hands, taking in her ever-changing expression.

“I still can’t believe you’re mine,” he whispered.

“My heart already belongs to you. Now make me yours completely, soul and body,” she murmured, almost like a desperate but earnest plea.

In a beat, the space between them vanished. His lips claimed hers once more, while his fingers trailed down her spine, finding the ties of her blouse. One by one, the knots loosened under his touch, falling away without resistance.

Nandini’s hands slipped lower, tugging urgently at the waistband of his sherwani churidar.

“Are you sure?” he asked, just one last time.

She met his gaze teasingly. “Shaurya, not even that many mangoes and leaves have fallen from the tree into your pool as many times as you’ve asked for my consent tonight. How many more times should I tell you? I want you. All of you. Right now.”

Shaurya’s lips curved into a wicked grin as he leaned in, his forehead resting against hers.

“Stop bringing the mango tree into our intimate moments, at least,” he murmured, his breath hot against her skin.