Karan exactly knew whichobstacleshe meant. There was no need for her to spell it out. The only thing standing between Abhimanyu and that future was him. His refusal to approve of their marriage. And he knew his brother well enough to understand that without it, Abhimanyu would not move forward, no matter how deeply he loved Komal.
Mishti looked at him and continued. “Being Abhimanyu’s sister-in-law, ifIdo not pray for his happiness, then who will?”
Without waiting for his response, she turned away and walked toward the temple room, and started preparing the puja thali before the idols to begin her puja.
Karan stood where he was for a long moment, staring after her, battling his anger and conflict. Then, with a hard look, he turned back to the dining table, sat down, and began his breakfast.
Almost half an hour later, Mishti completed her morning prayers and stepped out of the temple room. Her dizziness returned in small waves, not strong enough to knock her down, but enough to make her slow her steps and steady herself against the doorframe before moving ahead on her own.
What she did not expect to see was Karan still at home. Wasn’t he running late for work now?
Maria, who stood near him, quickly offered him a strip of tablets and a glass of water. The sight confused Mishti instantly. She walked toward them, her brows knitting together in concern.
“Are you not feeling well?” she asked softly. “What medicine is that?”
Karan turned to her, sternly. “These are not for me. They are yours. Today’s dose.”
Mishti stiffened. “But I cannot take them today,” she said at once. “I said I’m fasting.”
He moved toward her in two quick steps, closing the space between them before she could turn away. “Take them,” he ordered.
She shook her head, looking aside, being stubborn despite her weakness. “I cannot.”
His patience snapped. He lifted his hand, holding her chin firmly and turned her face back toward him, forcing her to meet his eyes. The touch was commanding and intimate.
“Your God has already fulfilled your wish,” he said. “So you do not need to fast anymore. Take the medicines.”
Her heart skipped. “What do you mean?” she asked, confused.
He rolled his eyes as if the answer was obvious. “I approve,” he said. “Abhimanyu can marry the woman he loves.”
For a second, Mishti only stared at him.
“Really?” she whispered in disbelief. “You… you approve?”
Without responding to the emotion in her eyes, he placed the tablets into her palm himself, his fingers closing around her hand for a brief moment before releasing it. “Yes,” he said firmly. “Now take them. Immediately.”
She studied his face closely, searching for any sign that this was a lie meant only to make her swallow the medicines. But there was none. Karan Wadhwa did not lie about things like this. Not about something that mattered so deeply to him.
Her resistance crumbled. She took the tablets, lifted the glass, and swallowed them without another word. The moment she set the glass aside, relief and happiness bloomed across her face.
Karan turned away, satisfied that she had taken the medicines, and began to walk off.
That was when her voice stopped him.
“You made such a huge sacrifice,” she said lightly, though emotion shimmered beneath it, “just to make me take my medicines?”
He froze where he stood, saying nothing as she walked closer and stood in front of him, looking up at his face.
“I hope you do realise,” she added quietly, “this almost means you care about your wife’s health more than your stubborn ego.”
He looked away for a moment, then back at her, his expression hardening once again as he put his walls back in place.
“Now who’s living in delusion?” he asked coldly. “I did this only for Abhi because I love my brother very much. His happiness is all that matters to me. You are not the only one who cares for his well-being. I do that more than you.”
Mishti smiled again. Somewhere along the way, she had learned to hear what he never said aloud. Yes, he loved Abhimanyu deeply and would do anything for him. But this time, that was not the whole truth. He had also not wanted her to continue the fast, not wanted her already weak body to suffer any more strain. And for that, he had bent his own rigid resolve, choosing to give his approval sooner than he had originally planned to, abandoning the idea of delaying it out of stubborn control.
“I like this version of you,” she said softly. “The one who stands firmly for the people he loves, who protects them without making a show of it, and who is sensitive to emotions he pretends not to have. The version of you that does not hide behind strength all the time, but allows himself to feel.”
