Update 10
His condition worsened rapidly. His breaths became shallow, his body weaker. By nightfall, he had stopped speaking entirely. The family knew—he would not last beyond the next day. A quiet heaviness settled over the household as they prepared themselves for the inevitable. Suhana remained by his side, her presence a constant comfort.
The next morning, as dawn broke, he took his final breath. The house filled with wails of grief as the family gathered to mourn his passing. The funeral preparations began immediately, with neighbors and relatives arriving to pay their respects. Suhana, clad in white, moved through the rituals with a quiet composure, her heart heavy yet resigned.
Among the mourners, Sanjivani, a distant relative, arrived from another town. Suhana noticed her presence but was too occupied with the rituals to engage. Meanwhile, Raju, the nephew of Sujata from Mumbai, was seen slipping into a room with Sanjivani. Suhana's eyes followed them briefly, a flicker of curiosity crossing her mind, but she had no time to dwell on it. Later, she saw Sanjivani emerging from the room, adjusting her saree, her expression unreadable. Suhana sighed inwardly, shaking her head. *Who am I to judge?* she thought before returning to her duties.
Amidst the mourning, Ravi’s eyes rarely left Suhana. He stood at a distance, watching her as she moved through the house, carrying trays of tea for the guests, refilling cups with steady hands, speaking in hushed tones to grieving relatives. Her presence commanded attention even in sorrow, her movements graceful, her posture straight despite the weight of grief.
More than once, Suhana caught Ravi staring, his eyes lingering far too long. He was not just watching—he was studying, absorbing every movement, every curve. She scolded him when he stepped too close, bumping into her as she carried a heavy tray. "Move aside, Ravi," she muttered under her breath, her voice firm. "There is work to do. This is not the time."
He only smirked slightly, stepping back without a word, but his gaze remained unwavering. Later, when she passed by him again, he reached out, as if to steady her, his fingers grazing the side of her waist longer than necessary. She stiffened but said nothing, too occupied with the ongoing rituals to address him directly. Ravi was not interested in mourning—he was interested in feeling, in the silent moments where he could touch without consequence.
As the pyre was lit, sending smoke into the sky, Ravi’s smirk deepened. He had lost an elder, but in his mind, he had gained something else entirely. He had been patient, and now, the moment he had been waiting for would soon be within reach.
As the evening settled, the house was finally quiet after the long day of rituals. The mourning had drained everyone, leaving only Suhana, her husband, and Ramesh at home. Her husband, exhausted, sat on the cot, rubbing his temples.
He looked at Suhana with tired yet grateful eyes. “You have done more than I could have ever asked for. Feeding my father, caring for him in his last days—I am indebted to you, Suhana. Truly.”
Suhana lowered her gaze, giving a small nod. She knew she had fulfilled her duty, and despite everything, she held no regrets. But the memories of the past days still lingered—Ravi's persistent advances, the way he touched her without hesitation, the boldness that grew each time he found her alone.
She remembered one afternoon, not long before her father-in-law’s passing, when she had gone to fetch water from the courtyard. Ravi had followed her, his presence making her uneasy even before he spoke. As she bent down to lift the heavy pot, he had stepped behind her, his hand sliding over her back as if in an innocent gesture of support. But the way his fingers pressed into her waist, the slow drag of his touch, made her stomach twist.
She had straightened immediately, turning to face him, her eyes flashing with warning. But Ravi had only smirked, his gaze dropping to the swell of her chest before flicking back up to her eyes. “You work too hard, bhabhi,” he had murmured, his voice low. “You should let someone take care of you, too.”
Suhana had gritted her teeth, gripping the pot tighter. “Stay in your limits, Ravi,” she had hissed, stepping past him without another word. But the feeling of his lingering touch had haunted her, just as it did now.
Just then, Ravi entered, his usual smirk plastered on his face. He moved closer, his eyes scanning Suhana as if he had a right to. She tensed but kept her posture firm, unwilling to show any sign of weakness.
Ravi cleared his throat, pretending to be hesitant. “Bhaiya, I need to tell you something about Suhana bhabhi,” he began, feigning concern.
Suhana’s heart pounded. She knew what he was trying to do. All those times he had touched her under the guise of feeding, slipping his fingers against her skin, squeezing when he thought she wouldn’t protest. She had tolerated it, hoping he would stop on his own, but now he was trying to turn the tables.
Before he could go further, she cut him off sharply. “Ravi, don’t you have any shame? This is neither the time nor the place for your nonsense.”
Her husband frowned, looking between them. “What is this about?” he asked, suspicion creeping into his tone.
Ravi took a step forward, trying to sit beside Suhana, but she immediately shifted, placing a firm hand on the cot to block his approach.
“Don’t,” she said firmly, her eyes locking onto his in warning. “Stay where you are.”
Ravi scoffed, shaking his head. “Why are you acting so defensive, bhabhi? Do you think I’ll say something that will upset you?” His words were laced with a taunt, his smirk deepening.
Suhana clenched her fists, her voice steady but laced with steel. “If you have something to say, say it clearly. Otherwise, leave.”
Her husband was now looking at Ravi with a mixture of curiosity and irritation. “What is going on here, Ravi?”
Ravi hesitated for a moment. Suhana’s unwavering glare unnerved him, but his desire to corner her was strong. He wanted her to falter, to show that she was hiding something, but Suhana stood tall. However, seeing that she was ready to fight back, he let out a fake chuckle and shrugged.
“Nothing, bhaiya,” he finally said. “Just that bhabhi has a way of keeping secrets. But I suppose some things are better left unsaid.” He shot Suhana one last knowing glance before stepping back.
Her husband exhaled sharply, turning to Ravi with a hard stare. “Enough of this, Ravi. You should be more respectful and not trouble your bhabhi again. She has endured much embarrassment and pain for our father. She deserves our gratitude, not your interference.”
Ravi faltered, his smirk vanishing as his brother’s words hit him with authority. He clenched his jaw, unwilling to accept defeat, but he knew better than to push further in front of his brother.
Suhana exhaled, steadying herself. This wasn’t over, she knew. Ravi was testing his limits, and he would not stop unless she put a firm end to it.
Her husband turned back to her, his expression softer. “You’ve done so much already, Suhana. I just want you to be at peace now.”
Suhana gave him a small, tired smile. “I will be,” she said, but inside, she knew the real battle had just begun.