Navel Money – Chapter 3 – Cost of Desire
Devika’s navel throbbed with a dull, lingering ache. Not just her navel — her entire belly felt tender and abused, as if every inch of her flesh had been kneaded, squeezed, and ravaged. Never before had anyone touched her like that. Not even her husband, in all their years together, had handled her with such raw force. She was too drained, too stunned to fully process what had just happened — what she had allowed to happen. Slumping back against the rough bark of the banyan tree, she closed her eyes, feeling utterly spent. "Memsaab... are you alright?" Bishnu’s voice came, laced with worry. Devika shot him a glare, her eyes sharp with anger. "Why didn’t you stop? I kept telling you to..." she said, her voice hoarse. Bishnu shrank under her stare, his earlier dominance gone, replaced by the meek, guilty servant she was used to. "I thought it…