Misc. Erotica After the Ashes

[krish_999]

Chapter - six

Anjali woke up to find herself lying naked in bed with Madhav. For a moment, she felt a moment of calm, as if she had reached a destination and there was no need to worry about anything. But then, as she looked around and let the truth fill her mind, she froze. The fragments of the night started flashing in her head. She remembered how she had sat on Madhav's hip and ridden him to pleasure. The hangover of how she had tried to please him without an ounce of shame came rushing back.

Before guilt could take hold, Anjali quietly moved away. At the exact moment, Madhav stirred and opened his eyes, meeting hers. She was sitting upright, her bare skin glowing faintly in the early morning light that crept into the room. It wasn’t fully bright yet, but enough for her to feel exposed. The tousled hair which she was trying to put back in place, and the neatly waxed armpit which she exposed while doing so, and then the fully naked youthfulness of her breasts, along with the almost non-existent belly folds - all of them were for him to witness as the first sight. Shyer than she had felt the night before, she instinctively tried to cover herself.

She looked around for her clothes but couldn’t find them. She must have thrown them away in her hurry last night.
Yes, I was in a hurry, she thought. In a hurry to sleep with my father-in-law.

Sensing her unease - or perhaps overwhelmed by his own guilt - Madhav turned away, sitting up on the other edge of the bed. She noticed the faint movement of his muscles beneath his shoulders, and memories of his body hovering above her came flooding back. He was aged, yes, but still manly enough.

But no, she told herself firmly. I won’t do it again. Though she quickly questioned the meaning of such self-assurance, after doing it for the second time despite knowing it was wrong.

Madhav bent down and picked something from the floor - it was her kurti.
Anjali grabbed it and quickly stood up to put it on. She almost walked out of the room before realising that it was, in fact, her own room, and that Madhav had come to her last night. For a brief moment, she wondered if it had all been a dream. Unfortunately, it wasn’t.

As the morning light filled the room, reality settled between them like an invisible weight. They had done it again. And this time, it was deliberate. They had crossed the line so consciously that it could no longer be hidden under the veil of desperation.

At breakfast, Madhav finally spoke.
"We cannot repeat this again," Madhav said quietly. "Let’s not do it - it will not end well. I understand that we did it out of need, not desire. But it’s something that can make us addicted, and once it does, it will destroy everything you hold close to your heart."

He lowered his voice as Shalini entered the dining hall with tea.

Anjali nodded silently.

Madhav left for work later than usual that day. Anjali didn’t go anywhere. Before leaving, Madhav said softly, "Don’t think too much about it." He patted her shoulder as he spoke.

She nodded again.

But thinking about it was all she did. And in one of those long silences, she realised something strange - there was one small comfort in what had happened.

She no longer worried about Vikram’s kiss.

When she thought about it now, she felt oddly at peace.

That night, after dinner, Anjali made tea once again. The house had quieted down, the echo of plates and cutlery fading into silence. She stepped out onto the balcony with two cups in hand, the night breeze caressing the bare skin around her neck. She was wearing a brown sleeveless kurti. Madhav was already there, sitting on the couch, looking out at the dimly lit street below.
She handed him a cup and sat beside him. For a while, neither of them spoke. The silence wasn’t awkward - it was the kind that held space for words yet to be formed.
Then Madhav asked softly, “What happened yesterday? With Vikram?”
Anjali didn’t meet his eyes. Her fingers circled the rim of her cup. “Vikram kissed me.”
Madhav turned slightly toward her. His expression didn’t change much. “You said it wasn't forced?”
“I couldn’t stop him.” Her voice was barely a whisper. “I stood frozen… as if I owed it to him.”
Madhav nodded slowly, taking a sip of his tea. “It’s okay,” he said, after a pause. “He’s going to marry you. I want to meet him...”
“I don’t want to marry anyone,” Anjali interrupted, her tone sharp.
Madhav looked at her, surprised.
“I’m not ready to pretend again. And definitely not with someone like him.”
“But he’s your father’s choice,” Madhav reasoned gently. “He must be a good man.”
Anjali scoffed. “He liked me even before I married Vinayak. I remember the way he looked at me. And now that Vinayak is gone, it's like his wait is finally over. Do you know how awful it feels to think someone might be secretly happy about your husband’s death?”
Madhav’s face tensed. He didn’t deny her feelings. “Maybe that’s just how you see it.”
“Then tell me I’m wrong,” she said, meeting his gaze. “Tell me I’m being unfair.”
He didn’t respond immediately. Instead, he sighed and set his cup aside. “Vinayak isn’t coming back, Anjali. And we… we’ve done things. Things that we can't undo. Maybe, in some way, we’ve already started moving on. So, there's no point in claiming we can't move on."
She looked at him, her eyes searching his face. “I didn’t sleep with you to move on from Vinayak,” she said quietly. “I did it because… you’ve become him for me.”
Madhav couldn't reply. Her words sank in like slow drops of rain into parched earth. He turned to face her fully, his voice low. “I understand. More than you know. But in front of the world, Anjali… what we are, what we’ve done - none of it will be accepted. We can’t keep going like this. And we have proved that we can't stop ourselves."
She didn’t answer. Instead, she leaned into him and rested her head against his shoulder. He didn’t move. The night air held them in a stillness that felt like both shelter and silence.

The Next Day.
The phone rang late in the morning. Anjali picked it up and saw her father’s name flashing on the screen.
“So,” Manohar’s voice came through with its usual calm, “what do you think about Vikram?”
Anjali sighed. “I told you, Daddy. You see, Vikram liking me before my marriage with Vinayak is a positive sign, but I see it as a negative sign. I don’t like that he might be happy about Vinayak’s death. That this… opportunity has come to him only because my husband died.”
Her father laughed lightly, brushing aside her concern. “He told me he loves you more now. You know what? If he were an opportunistic person, her would have tried to come into touch with you as soon as Vinayak died. But he didn't. In my opinion, he always loved you, and Vinayak's death only added empathy in him; that's why he opened up to me when he learnt about my pain. And he said he felt something strong between you when you met. Anjali, you don’t need to worry - he’s ready to wait until you're ready for marriage.”
Anjali remained silent, her jaw tightening.
“He would help you move on from bad memories, Anjali,” her father added.
She closed her eyes. “Vinayak gave me no bad memories till death, daddy.”
There was a pause. Then her father’s voice softened. “His death is your bad memory, dear.”
Anjali didn’t respond. There was nothing more to say.
Despite repeated invitations from Vikram for another date, Anjali turned each one down, politely but firmly. Her silence became her resistance. But the quiet didn’t last.

One evening, her phone rang. It was her father, and his tone was sharp, unyielding.

“You’re being selfish,” he snapped. “You care nothing for the family. A good man is willing to accept you - with all that’s happened - and you reject him without a thought; without a thought about your sister and your parents."

His words stung, but it was what came next that made her chest tighten.

“Or is it because you’re enjoying the company of that old man, Madhav?” His voice was now bitter. “Don’t forget, he’s still your father-in-law. Do you want the world to know who you're living with, and how?”

The silence on Anjali’s end wasn’t guilt. It was the weight of betrayal by the one man who had once promised to protect her. She wondered when was the last time her daddy trusted her.

“I just need time,” she said quietly, trying to keep her voice steady. “I’m not saying no to Vikram. I just need space to be sure.”

“Space? Or excuses?” Manohar accused. “Vikram is coming to the city this weekend. You will meet him. You say you feel hostile to him, but that cannot be the end. Spend some time with him until you are comfortable. Get to know him. That’s all I’m asking.”

“I don’t want to,” she said, her voice trembling with defiance.

“That’s fine,” he replied coldly. “I’ll consider your refusal as affirmation for the marriage. I’ll take it from here.”

“What kind of father are you?” she asked, her breath catching.

“The kind who still believes you can be saved,” he replied. “If you refuse again, I’ll take you away from Madhav - whether you agree or not. Don’t think I can’t.”

"Daddy," Anjali tried to remain calm. “You can’t do that. I’m an adult. I can make my own decisions. And I can defend myself.”

There was a pause before Manohar spoke again. “If I act, I’ll make sure Madhav is in no position to stop me. I will break him first. And then you’ll have no choice but to return to me.”

Fear curled like a cold serpent in Anjali's chest. She knew what her father was capable of - his words weren’t idle threats. Madhav has built a small empire through hardwork by himself that can be destroyed.
With no options left, Anjali gave in. Quietly. Unwillingly.

“I’ll go,” she said. “But don’t expect me to be happy about it.”

Before hanging up, Manohar issued one final warning. “Don’t tell Madhav. I want your mind clear of his influence. That’s the whole point of this meeting.”

Later that night, Vikram called.

“I heard that Dad was a little too harsh,” he said, his voice gentle. “But he’s just looking out for you. He thinks some fresh air, some distance, might help you think better.”

Anjali said nothing. She felt her daddy was scared that her persistent rejection would make Vikram back off from his proposal and move on. Otherwise, he wouldn't have assigned himself the role of a marriage broker like this.

“I’ll be in the city Friday night. There’s a business meeting I need to attend, but on Saturday I’m free. We can spend the day however you like.” Vikram said.

“I’m not meeting you in a hotel room,” Anjali said immediately, her voice firm.

“I’m not expecting you to,” he replied. “We’ll keep it decent. Your dad just wants you to be away from... everything else for a while. I hope you’ll come.”

Anjali didn’t respond at first. But in the end, fearing the storm her father might unleash, she said, “Okay. Saturday.”