chapter 73

Author's  POV Thulir hissed as she struggled to fasten her bra, the soreness making every movement sting. Agathiyan, halfway through pulling on his pants, turned at the sound."Ena ma?"His voice was low, tinged with concern. Thulir rolled her eyes before yanking off the bra entirely and tossing it straight at his face. He chuckled, pulling it away as his gaze settled on his wife—frustrated, flushed, and utterly breathtaking."I warned you not to bite there, Agathiya,Look at this—I can't even wear my bra properly."Thulir grumbled,Agathiyan’s eyes darkened as they wandered over her—standing there in nothing but her palazzo pants, skin still carrying the traces of his touch. He licked his lower lip, temptation flickering in his gaze. Droplets slid from her damp hair, cool against the lingering warmth of her skin. They wandered across her body, vanishing at the waistband of her pants, but Agathiyan’s gaze remained—heavy, wanting. His eyes traced the marks he'd left on her, the proof of earlier passion. Thulir felt the heat rise beneath her skin, the memory still fresh, but she refused to let it show. Instead, she picked up her top, slipping it on with practiced ease, then lifted the towel once more, running it through her hair.Agathiyan sighed, the weight of longing settling deep in his chest. He wasn’t lucky enough to have another round."You've had more than enough, Commissioner sir," Thulir murmured. Without looking back, she walked out of the wardrobe, still toweling off her hair, leaving him behind with nothing but the scent of her and his own unfulfilled desire.Agathiyan grabbed a T-shirt and hurried after his wife, calling out,  "Don’t blame me alone, dii Theeni! Look at me—and your artworks all over me! Unlike you, I’m not complaining!"Thulir turned back, her sharp glare instantly sealing his lips. She shook her head in disbelief.  "That’s enough. No one’s auditioning for Mr. India—just wear your T-shirt."She rolled her eyes, but Agathiyan raised a brow.  "Are you challenging me? If I participate, I’ll surely win!""Yeah, sure. With that chest hair—especially the grey ones—you’d definitely take the crown."Thulir rolled her eyes again.  "What’s with you today? You keep complaining about my grey hair like you are some teenage girl with jet-black hair! You were the one who started parting your hair differently to hide yours, remember? In fact, you have more grey than me!""Ohh... so what you’re saying is—I’m old? Fine, then! Do one thing—divorce me and find yourself a young girl who matches Commissioner Sir’s youthful energy!"Thulir scoffed, tossing a wet towel at his face before heading toward the couch. Agathiyan caught it, dried his hair, and followed her, settling beside her. She ignored him, busying herself with the shopping bags.Since Thalir, Anu, and Thugil had gone straight to work after shopping, Agni and Shiva had left their bags in Thulir’s room, trusting her to sort them out. With a sigh, she picked up her phone and started scrolling through the blouse designs sent by the designer for the upcoming functions.The co-sisters had decided to wear matching sarees—same patterns, different colors—so they also had to finalize a blouse design. Thalir, Anu, and Thugil had already chosen theirs and shortlisted a few for her, but she had postponed her decision since she was occupied with her father’s medical reports. Now, it was time to finalize one.She had originally wanted to ask Agathiyan for his opinion, but given how he had annoyed her, she refused to involve him.Agathiyan sat close, prompting her to shift slightly away—only for him to close the gap again. This little game repeated until she found herself backed into the corner of the couch. With a sigh, she ignored him.Peeking at her phone, Agathiyan frowned at the designs—each one either backless, held together by a mere strap, or just a string at the back. As expected, Thulir paused on one and zoomed in to examine the intricate embroidery. His eyes widened—it was the most revealing blouse in the lot.Just imagining her in it set his pulse racing.No way.There was no way he’d let her wear that outside their bedroom. Ever."You are not wearing that."  Agathiyan’s voice was firm, his words leaving no room for negotiation.  Thulir tilted her head towards him, raising an eyebrow in challenge. He met her unwavering gaze with equal seriousness. Slowly, she narrowed her eyes, testing his resolve, and he sighed, already knowing where this was headed.  "Please, maa... en chellam la..." His voice softened, affectionate but pleading. "I know my dear wife is breathtakingly hot and siren, but surely I would go insane if you wore this and walked around the function hall, dii. You’ll be running everywhere, taking care of everything, completely oblivious to the heads you’ll be turning. And if I react, you’ll get mad at me, and the celebration will turn into irritation, thangom… Please, understand."  His earnestness was laced with a quiet desperation, his concern laced with love.  Thulir watched him carefully, her lips twitching before she finally let out a giggle, breaking through her strict demeanor. She reached up and tugged at his cheeks teasingly, cooing at him like he was a child. He winced at the playful assault but let her, before pulling her into his arms, tucking her close as if shielding her from the world.  Her fingers brushed against his cheek, grazing the rough texture of his subtly growing beard, the familiar sensation grounding her. She inhaled deeply, her breath warm against his skin.  "You aren’t the only one who’s possessive, Agathiya,"she thought.  But she wouldn’t say that—he didn’t need to know. Instead, she pressed a soft kiss to his cheek, before pulling back and turning her attention to her phone screen, flipping through blouse designs. The new ones weren’t as revealing as the previous selection, but the delicate embroidery and intricate patterns held their own quiet beauty.  "Help me pick one."She murmured, passing the phone to him.  Agathiyan took it, his sharp eyes scanning the options one by one, his scrutiny intense, as if he were studying case files rather than fabric designs.  Thulir smiled to herself, leaving him to his silent judgment while she continued speaking.  "I spoke with Malar and Alar’s class teacher today.""Hmm."  He hummed absently, still absorbed in the designs, his fingers pausing over one that had a thin string fastening at the front. His brow furrowed slightly.  "What’s this?"Thulir sighed, her patience thinning at his distractions.  "That ties around the neck, Agathiya.""Like a bikini bra?"She let out a slow exhale. "Hmm."  "Okay, okay." He waved off his concern, moving to the next option, still deeply engrossed.  Thulir sighed again. "Are you listening to me?""I am. You spoke with the kids' class teacher. Go on."At least he was paying attention, somewhat.  "She agreed to send notes and grant Malar and Alar leave for a month. She’ll email their assignments, so when they return, they won’t fall behind."This got his attention. Agathiyan paused, his focus shifting entirely to her.  His eyes searched hers, flickering with unease. "Agathiya... I don’t think I can be at peace here while you all are away."Her voice dropped to a softer tone, but the conviction remained.  "Worrying about whether you’ve eaten properly is already enough for me. I don’t want to add our daughters to that list of concerns. You can’t predict when you’ll be called in, or how consumed you’ll be with work. If that happens, they’ll be alone, and I’ll lose my mind thinking about it. I know you’ll take care of them—I don’t doubt that. But I simply can’t be apart from them for so long. Being away from you is already painful enough, but wedding preparations will keep me busy, at least during the day. At night, I’ll have our daughters with me."Agathiyan exhaled deeply, understanding.  "Thulir, it’s just two weeks, dii."  "I know. But that’s long for me, Agathiya."She sighed, her fingers absently smoothing over his shirt. **"Even during that one week in Nilgiri, half the time, I was on call with them. I’ve never been away from them for this long."**  He took a long breath, the weight of her words settling in.  "Then what about me?"He mumbled. She met his gaze, stressed his name "Agathiya."He knew staying wasn’t an option. His leave couldn’t be extended. In just two days, he’d have to leave, making it back just in time for the wedding. His juniors were handling a crucial case, and the inevitable chaos they would create would demand his involvement, on top of pressure from higher-ups and politicians.  Now, even he saw reason in Thulir’s decision.  The police quarters were safe, yes—but his daughters being alone? That didn’t sit right with him. If they stayed here, in Revathi Illam, surrounded by family, at least he would have peace of mind.  He inhaled deeply, nodded slowly.  "Will you handle all this alone, dii Theeni?"His voice was quieter now, a hint of concern seeping through.  Thulir smiled, resting a hand against his chest. "This is Revathi Illam, Agathiya. I will never be alone here."Her quiet certainty soothed him. He nodded, pressing a lingering kiss to her forehead, before resting his chin atop her head. She melted against him, burrowing herself into his warmth, fingers gripping the fabric of his kurta.  She pressed her lips against the curve of his neck, breathing him in, feeling the steady rise and fall of his chest.  Agathiyan’s mind kept circling back to that fleeting moment—the message from Anbazhagi about a Tamil lecturer vacancy at her university.  His eyes had caught her response almost unconsciously. "Will think about it."Such a simple reply, yet it unsettled him in a way he couldn’t quite explain.  Was he holding her back from progressing in her career?  The mere thought took root, growing heavier by the second, haunting him in ways he hadn’t anticipated.  Yet he wasn't  ready to ask her that question....he took deep breath pulling her more into his embrace and kissed her head