👑 Thirty Seven~

Snehanvi stirred, the soft morning light filtering through the curtains and painting stripes across Virat's face. He lay beside her, lost in the peaceful oblivion of sleep, his chest rising and falling in a slow, rhythmic cadence. She clutched the blanket tighter, the soft cotton a small comfort in the burgeoning storm of her emotions.

Last night. The memory flooded her senses, a wave of passion that had washed away the carefully constructed walls between them. A heat bloomed in her cheeks, a blush creeping up her neck as she recalled the intensity, the vulnerability, the unspoken desires that had finally been unleashed.

However, as the initial warmth faded, a chilling premonition settled in its place. A familiar ache, a dull throb of pain, resonated deep within her. She knew, with a certainty that felt like a physical blow, that the morning after wouldn't bring a new dawn. Instead, it would usher in the same old patterns, the same familiar distance.

Virat would wake, the memory of their shared intimacy likely still vivid, but he would retreat. He would rebuild the walls they had momentarily dismantled, brick by painstaking brick. He would become, once again, the man who held her at arm's length, the man who couldn't, or wouldn't, let her truly in.

Tears prickled at the corner of her eyes. She longed to reach out, to trace the lines of his face, to capture this fleeting moment of peace before the inevitable shift occurred. But she knew better. She knew that any attempt to hold onto this closeness would be met with an invisible barrier, a subtle but unmistakable rejection that would only amplify the pain.

She got down from the bed and quickly wore her outfit before dragging herself out of the room as fast as she could. Walking through the corridors she came across Durdhara who had just woken up and was going for a morning walk.

"Arey kaha jaa rahi ho? You didn't change previous night's..."Durdhara's question remained incomplete as Snehanvi hugged her and she understood the matter.

"What is there to cry? It's good. Really. Don't cry,"she comforted her.

"He won't accept me. He'll be angry again. He wasn't in his senses."

"Let him be angry. You aren't a stranger's wife. You're his own life partner."

"Jaan let's go,"Hardik said while coming out of his room in his Nike's tracksuit.

"What happened?"he asked, furrowing his brows and frowned as Snehanvi ran away after seeing him. "Am I a monster?"

"No you're not,"Durdhara said and laughed. "Aapke saamney aisey thodey hi khadi reheti."

"Why? Oh right she's still in her previous night's outfit. Kahi bhaag waag gayi thi kya raatbhar? Chori karne nikli thi kya?"

"Harry! Seriously? Kuch toh samjhiye. How can you not understand?"

"Not understanding what?"he asked and then made a dramatic sound. "Hawwww! Noooooo! Really?"

"Yes! Now don't be overdramatic, let's go for a walk,"Durdhara said and pulled him along.

"No but, Dadabhai cannot. I mean..."

"He wasn't in his senses. Snehanvi told."

Hardik stopped and she turned around asking,"Now what?"

"Dhara, Dadabhai doesn't drink. He had taken only one drink last night and that too in front of me. We both had the same drink. It was a mocktail. I was absolutely fine after drinking it. How come Dadabhai got intoxicated? Unless the drink was..."he trailed off, his brows furrowing while Durdhara added,"Unless the drink was spiked. Harry! That means..."

"Someone had deliberately spiked Dadabhai's drink."

"But why would someone do that? There were only two glasses on the tray?"

"No! Three. Yah! Rishi too had it. The waiter had gone towards Rishi after we had taken the drink."

"That blue one?"

"Yes! Yes exactly! The blue drink that I had made you taste as well."

Durdhara looked down while Hardik walked ahead slowly, surpassing her, saying,"I think the drink wasn't meant for either of us. Now the chances are that...it was meant for Rishi. If not, then in that case..."

He turned around saying,"Dhara where was Andrew when..."but stopped getting startled as Durdhara had fallen unconscious on the floor.

"DHARA!"Hardik's loud voice echoed around the palace wing, waking up people as he continued calling her name aloud, trying to wake her up, but in vain.

"Kya huya? Dhara! Oh My God! What has happened to her?"Meenakshi shouted, coming to their side.

"I don't know Mom. She was fine just now, but suddenly she fainted,"Hardik panicked when Andrew was returning from his walk. Seeing Durdhara in that state he ran to them.

"What has happened to the Queen?"he asked.

"None of your business!"Hardik spatted out.

"You shouldn't be deciding that,"Andrew argued.

"I am her husband, who are you to her?"

"What are you both doing?"Meenakshi said while Chitra brought Shubman there. "Aaiye Kumar. Yeh dekhiye."

"Bhai, inhey room mein le chaliye, jaldi,"Shubman said and Hardik carried Durdhara while saying to him,"Wahi karne jaa rahe theh tabhi isney tok diya."

"Andrew pe kiyu naraaz ho rahe hain aap? Chaliye jaiye room mein,"Meenakshi said and then went to inform Suryavardhan.

Shubman checked Durdhara's pulse after she was brought to the room. "Tabiyat toh thik hi lag raha hain, Bhai. Let me check."

His attendee brought his equipment and he checked her pressure and said,"Thoda sa fluctuation hain but not so much that she'll faint. Tiredness ke kaaran ho sakta hain. But..."a thought crossed his mind and he cleared his throat and walked away to get his phone. "Hum abhi aaye. Don't worry, she's fine."

"Arey fine hain toh behosh kiyu..."Hardik stopped on seeing Andrew. "Aren't you too much concerned about her?"

"Why can't I be?"Andrew asked.

"You can be for sure, but don't forget that she's my wife. Hmm?"Hardik replied, walking up to him and patted on his shoulder, adding,"Andrew, I have considered you as a friend, and so has Dhara. Don't do anything that will change the emotions we hold for you as a friend. I have been noticing you, I have seen the way you behave around Dhara."

"And what if I say that..."Andrew was about to reply when Devangini rushed in, followed by Rishabh.

"Kya huya Jiji ko?"she asked, sitting near Durdhara while Rishabh said,"Bhai, Bhabi behosh kiyu hui? Fever?"

"No! Maan said she's fine,"Hardik said.

"Shayad tiredness ke wajah se hoga. I'll bring a soup. She'll feel better,"Devangini said while sprinkling water into Durdhara's eyes, bringing her consciousness back.

"Dhara! Thank God,"Hardik said, coming to her other side and sat near her, holding her hand. "How are you feeling Jaan? Are you okay? Still dizzy? Shall I take you to the hospital? Want anything?"

"Relax! I am fine. I really am,"Durdhara said, touching his cheek and he kissed her hand.

Andrew looked on while Shubman came back, saying,"I have informed the gynaecologist. She'll be coming with test kits and all."

"What?"Rishabh asked, a playful happy smile spreading across his face.

"Don't celebrate Rishu. Let her confirm,"Shubman added and Hardik looked at Durdhara, his eyes widening as he realised.

"Seriously?"he asked with a chuckle.

"Maan said not to celebrate yet, Ranaji. Control!"Durdhara said and Devangini chuckled as Hardik was already smiling like an idiot.

Andrew sighed and excused himself before walking out of their room, disappointed, as he had realised that it was absolutely foolish of him to think that he had a chance with Durdhara despite knowing that she was completely Hardik's.

His disappointment further increased after the Gynaecologist had arrived after sometime, and had conducted the necessary tests and confirmed that Durdhara was indeed pregnant.

The royal family was in a celebratory mood with Meenakshi commanding the arrangements of gifts for people of their territories and meals to be provided at the holy places.

"Hum khud apne haathon se sau laddu banayenge aur bhog charhayenge aaj,"Meenakshi said and kissed Durdhara's forehead and then made her wear a necklace, saying,"Sab le lijiye aap. Humare Hardik ki waaris dene jaa rahi hain aap. Humari barson ka armaan pura huya."

She gave a hug to Hardik and went ahead for the preparations while Suryavardhan congratulated him and said while hugging him,"Now you'll understand what it feels like to be a father. Abb aapke khudke bacche aapko satayenge. Taiyaar rahiye."

"Dad! Why are you scaring me haan?"Hardik asked with a frown before Shubman and Rishabh almost jumped upon him, hugging him tightly.

"Yeahhhhhhh! Bhai is going to be a Daddd!"Rishabh said.

"We will play with Bhai's kid,"Shubman said. "And will not take Bhai in our team anymore."

"Dono ko uthakar bahar phenk denge mahal se,"Hardik said and then chuckled and pulled their cheeks, saying,"This is my third kid actually, you both are the first ones."

"That means Dadabhai has five kids including three of us?"Rishabh asked.

"Aye where is Dadabhai? Let's go and give him the news,"Shubman said and the duo ran out of the room after giving a hug to Durdhara and shouting,"Congratulations Bhabiiii!"

"Jiji!"Snehanvi called while coming in and then came and sat beside Devangini. They hugged Durdhara and the latter said,"You have to be very strict regarding your diet now."

"Devi, that will be your duty,"Durdhara said.

"Haan bilkul, tum dono humesha saath saath rehena apne Jiji ke,"Hardik said while sitting on the bed.

"Jiji, congratulations,"Snehanvi said and Durdhara caressed her face, saying,"Thank you dear."

"Accha hum soup banayenge, aap bhi chalo,"Devangini said and took Snehanvi with her while Hardik inched closer to Durdhara and said,"Now I get it, this was the reason behind craving sour gummies and clay glasses."

"And panipuris as well. Bring a cook who will just make panipuris for me,"Durdhara commanded.

"I'll bring the whole world for you, my queen,"Hardik said making her chuckle and they hugged.

He kissed around her face and she said,"Ekbaar Dadabhai se baat karenge aap, Snehanvi ko lekar, please."

"Accha tarika hain haan! Abb kuch bhi karwa lijiye humsey,"he said and she chuckled and said,"Obviously. Or else hum maayke chaley jayenge. And if I go then our baby will also go. Think about it."

Hardik frowned and said,"Nobody is going anywhere. Fine! Hum vaisey bhi baat karne ka soch hi rahe theh."

"Sachmein? Wow! I am impressed."

"Obviously! I am very impressive. So will be our daughter."

"Son! I want a son."

"Daughter it is."

"Son it is. Hum kehe rahe hain. Dekh lijiyega."

"Okay fine, next one will be daughter in that case."

"Next one haan?"

"Obviously! Kam se kam doh bacche toh honeh hi chahiye."

"Kam se kam? Then zyaada se zyaada kitne chahiye aapko?"Durdhara asked with a frown.

"Ah! That we can have five or six. Depends on your wish,"Hardik said in a casual tone and she hit him with a pillow.

Both of them giggled and played with the pillows before he held her to his chest and they shared a kiss.

Virat was sitting quietly in his room after taking a shower and getting ready for the day. He remembered bits and pieces of the previous night and was fighting the emotional turmoil going within him.

"Dadabhai!"Rishabh called out while entering his room, followed by Shubman.

The duo rushed up to him and picked him up from the seat, while jumping around him like kids.

"Kya baat hain?"Virat asked in a serious tone.

"Dadabhai! Bhai is going to be a Dad,"Shubman said and Virat looked at Rishabh who nodded happily.

"Harry?"Virat murmured, a smile spreading across his face before he walked out of the room immediately, and the younger brothers followed up.

Hardik came out of his room in the meantime to find Virat when they met on the corridor.

"Dadabhai voh..."he couldn't finish as Virat came and gave him a hug.

Hardik smiled and hugged him back while Virat said,"Congratulations Harry. I am so happy."

"Thank you Dadabhai. You have to be the mentor of my child,"Hardik said.

"Obviously! I'll teach your kid everything I know,"Virat said, cupping his face while Rishabh and Shubman joined them.

"Accha, that means next turn is Rishi's,"Shubman said.

Rishabh frowned and said,"Jaley pe namak matt chirkao Maan. We didn't even have our first night yet." He whispered to him the last line.

Hardik chuckled and said,"Let him grow up first."

"Aye Bhai, what do you mean?"Rishabh asked.

"He means to say that his kid will grow up before you,"Virat added and the brothers laughed.

"Huh! And what about Maan? He will remain a bachelor uncle or what? Ohhhhhhh! Chandrika is there right? What were you two doing away from the crowd yesterday?"Rishabh teased.

"Maan? Really?"Hardik asked in a dramatic way.

Shubman frowned and said,"Hum eet ka jawaab patthar se denge, Rishu. Ruko tum."

"Kiyu? There's a scarcity of bricks or what? Buy bricks for your jawaab,"Rishabh said. "Vaisey you can buy diamond for Chandrika instead. Reality show jaaye bhaar mein, mausam hain ishq larane....oyeee!"he ran away as Shubman chased him immediately.

"They will never grow up. No protocols, nothing. Running around like common idiotic kids,"Virat said when Hardik asked,"Even you're behaving like a kid, Dadabhai."

"Haan?"Virat asked turning towards him.

"Aaiye humare saath,"Hardik said and took him aside towards the balcony. "Dadabhai, I and Dhara know about last night."

"Harry I..."

"No! Don't run. I am not a kid anymore. Besides, I am your brother. You can share everything with me. Now listen, that girl loves you. We all can see that, why can't you?"

"Harry, I still love..."

"Bhabi Maa right? Fine! Nobody is asking you to forget her. You don't have to forget her in order to love Snehanvi. That girl has become the mother of Vamika and Akay. She is taking care of the family, she take care of you, she does everything, every duty. Give her a little bit love in return, Dadabhai, please. I am not forcing you. You know that I will never do that. Aapka jo decision hoga I'll stand with you in that. It's just a request. Humein lagta hain ki aapko apne life ko ek aur mauka dena chahiye. Snehanvi bacchi hain Dadabhai, apne umrein se barkar zimmedariyan nibha rahi hain voh, sirf aapke liye. Uss bacchi ka dil matt dukhaiye. Please."

Virat looked away and then sighed before patting on Hardik's cheek. "If I ever die Harry, the kingdom will be in correct hands after I am gone."

"You're going nowhere,"Hardik said and gave him a hug.

Virat hugged him back and said,"You have grown up so much, Harry. I am so proud of you."

************************************Here goes the update. Keep Reading and Keep Vommenting Guys.😘❤️