✨Chapter 13✨

Touch Her and Die

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The next morning felt different.

Not because anything had changed.

Because everything had.

Meera woke before sunrise and lay still for a moment, staring at the ceiling.

The memory of the previous night lingered in her mind.

Do you regret marrying me?

No. Not for a single second.

The words refused to leave her.

They followed her through breakfast.

Through the morning.

Through every attempt to focus on anything else.

And judging by the occasional glances Veer sent her way, she wasn't the only one remembering.

The realization made her smile when she wasn't paying attention.

A few days later, Devgarh's weekly market returned.

The village square buzzed with life.

Women bargained over vegetables.

Children chased each other through the narrow lanes.

Shopkeepers shouted prices from every direction.

The atmosphere felt cheerful.

Normal.

Peaceful.

For once, Meera felt relaxed.

She had started adjusting to village life.

Slowly.

Unexpectedly.

But genuinely.

"These look beautiful on you."

The elderly bangle seller smiled warmly as he slipped a set of green glass bangles onto her wrist.

Meera admired them.

The green shimmered beneath the sunlight.

"They're perfect."

The old man nodded proudly.

"Veer baba always buys green bangles for his mother during festivals."

A warmth spread through her chest at the unexpected information.

For some reason, imagining Veer carefully choosing bangles made her smile.

A few stalls away, Veer attended a meeting with several village elders.

As sarpanch, his responsibilities never truly ended.

Even market visits became work.

Still, every few minutes his gaze automatically searched the crowd.

Searching for her.

Finding her.

Always finding her.

Meera was examining another stall when she noticed a small commotion near the edge of the market.

A group of unfamiliar men had arrived.

They weren't from Devgarh.

Their expensive clothes and arrogant expressions made that obvious.

One of them noticed her immediately.

And didn't look away.

A strange uneasiness settled inside her stomach.

The man's gaze felt wrong.

Too intense.

Too confident.

She turned away and continued walking.

Unfortunately, the man followed.

At first, he remained a few steps behind.

Then he moved closer.

Far too close.

"Excuse me."

Meera stopped reluctantly.

The stranger smiled.

The expression didn't reach his eyes.

"You must be Veer's wife."

His tone carried amusement.

Not respect.

"Yes."

The answer was short.

Polite.

A clear signal that she wasn't interested in conversation.

Unfortunately, he ignored it.

"I've heard a lot about you."

The smile widened.

"I can see why."

Meera immediately started walking again.

The man matched her pace.

Something wasn't right.

Every instinct told her to leave.

"I don't wish to talk."

She kept her voice firm.

The stranger laughed.

"I wasn't asking permission."

The comment sent a chill down her spine.

Nearby, several villagers noticed.

Their conversations grew quieter.

Tension slowly spread through the market.

Because everyone knew exactly who the

stranger was.

Vikram Rathore.

Son of a powerful politician from a neighboring district.

Arrogant.

Spoiled.

Used to getting whatever he wanted.

And unfortunately for him—

he had chosen the wrong woman to bother.

Meera attempted to move past him.

Vikram stepped into her path.

Blocking it.

Her patience disappeared instantly.

"Move."

The smile remained.

"If I don't?"

The challenge hung heavily between them.

Around them, people stopped watching stalls.

Stopped shopping.

Stopped talking.

The market slowly fell silent.

Because everyone understood what was about to happen.

And somewhere across the square—

Veer had finally noticed.

The moment his eyes landed on Meera, something inside him went still.

Dangerously still.

The crowd.

The stranger.

The fear hidden beneath Meera's calm expression.

He saw everything.

One of the village elders immediately stepped back.

Because he recognized that look.

Everyone in Devgarh did.

It was the look Veer got before something bad happened.

Back near the stalls, Vikram leaned

Closer.

Far too close.

"You know," he said softly, "I expected someone prettier."

The insult didn't hurt.

The disrespect did.

Meera stepped backward.

Immediately.

Vikram reached out.

His fingers brushing her arm.

That single touch changed everything.

The next few seconds happened so quickly that most people barely processed them.

One moment Vikram stood smiling.

The next—

he was on the ground.

A painful cry echoed across the market.

Gasps erupted everywhere.

Veer stood above him.

Expressionless.

Nobody had even seen him cross the distance.

The entire market froze.

Absolute silence.

Vikram struggled to stand.

Anger flashing across his face.

"Do you know who I am?"

Veer's expression didn't change.

Not even slightly.

"No."

A pause.

Then—

"And I don't care."

The crowd collectively held its breath.

Nobody spoke to powerful men like that.

Nobody except Veer.

Vikram's face darkened.

"You'll regret this."

For the first time, Veer smiled.

A cold smile.

A dangerous smile.

The kind that never reached his eyes.

"No."

His voice remained calm.

Terrifyingly calm.

"You will."

The threat settled over the market like a storm cloud.

Vikram laughed.

A mistake.

A very big mistake.

"She's beautiful."

His gaze shifted toward Meera.

Veer's jaw tightened.

"I understand why you married her."

Silence.

Deadly silence.

Everyone knew Vikram should stop talking.

Unfortunately, Vikram didn't.

"If she ever gets tired of village life—"

He never finished the sentence.

Veer grabbed the front of his shirt.

The movement was so fast it barely registered.

The crowd gasped.

For the first time, real anger appeared in Veer's eyes.

Raw.

Dangerous.

Uncontrolled.

Meera had never seen him like this.

The sight genuinely frightened her.

Not because she thought he'd hurt her.

Because she thought he might actually kill someone.

"Listen carefully."

Veer's voice dropped low.

Dangerously low.

The entire market remained silent.

Nobody dared interrupt.

"Look at me."

Vikram obeyed immediately.

Fear finally replacing arrogance.

"If you ever touch her again..."

Veer's grip tightened.

"...if you ever speak about her again..."

Another painful wince.

"...or if I even hear your name near my wife—"

The threat remained unfinished.

It didn't need finishing.

Everyone understood.

Including Vikram.

Especially Vikram.

For several long seconds, nobody moved.

Nobody breathed.

Then Veer released him.

Vikram stumbled backward.

Humiliated.

Terrified.

Defeated.

Without another word, he disappeared into the crowd.

His companions following immediately behind him.

The danger passed.

But the silence remained.

Slowly, Veer turned.

Toward Meera.

The anger vanished instantly.

As though it had never existed.

Only concern remained.

"Are you hurt?"

The question came softly.

Gently.

Meera stared at him.

Speechless.

Because moments earlier he'd looked capable of destroying someone.

And now—

he was looking at her like she was the most important thing in the world.

"No."

Her voice came out quietly.

Veer's eyes moved to her arm.

A faint red mark remained where Vikram had touched her.

Something dark flashed across his face again.

Gone quickly.

Not quickly enough.

Without thinking, he reached for her hand.

The crowd noticed immediately.

So did Meera.

His fingers wrapped around hers.

Warm.

Protective.

Certain.

The simple gesture made her heart race.

For one brief moment, the world disappeared.

The crowd.

The market.

The whispers.

Everything.

Only him remained.

Only the man who had looked at danger and stepped forward without hesitation.

The man who stayed

awake beside her sickbed.

The man who never regretted marrying her.

The man she loved.

And as Veer led her away from the market, one thought echoed through Meera's mind.

For the first time since their marriage—

she wasn't the only one falling.

Veer was already gone.

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