Chapter 1
The faint murmur of voices pulled me from my sleep. My family was up early, their conversation echoing through the house. I blinked away the remnants of sleep, listening intently. Everyone seemed to be gathered downstairs.
I sat up, stretched, and got out of bed. After freshening up, I stepped out of my room and stood by the railing, looking down into the hall. As expected, the entire family was there—Uncle Rahul, his wife Revathi, my elder cousins Varun and Vedhika, and my brother Sanjeet. But what caught my attention was the unfamiliar girl standing close to Sanjeet.
Curious but not particularly interested, I turned back into my room, unplugged my phone from the charger, grabbed my water bottle, and headed toward the stairs. The moment my foot hit the first step, all conversations stopped. A heavy silence filled the hall.
I ignored the gazes that followed me and walked straight to the kitchen, where Isha didi was busy preparing breakfast.
She turned to me with a warm smile.
“Saha beta, you’re up. I was just coming to call you.”
I smiled back and casually asked, “What’s going on in the hall, didi?”
She stirred a pot before answering, “Beta, you didn’t know? That girl you saw—she’s Sanjeet’s girlfriend. They got married.”
I raised an eyebrow. That explained the tension.
“Uncle and Aunty are supporting them,” she continued, “but the issue is… the girl comes from an influential family, just like ours.”
I took a sip of water and shrugged. “That’s it?”
She seemed surprised by my lack of reaction. But I had nothing to say. It wasn’t my business.
Filling my bottle, I grabbed my breakfast and turned to leave. “I’m going back to my room.”
I could feel her watching me as I left.
Back in the hall, the moment I reappeared, the hushed conversation stopped again. They were all staring at me, expecting something. This time, I didn’t hesitate. I walked straight up to the girl standing beside Sanjeet.
She looked nervous, as if bracing for confrontation.
I extended my hand. “Sahaya Parvati Sahal.”
She hesitated for a moment before shaking my hand. “Niharika.”
I gave her a nod. “See you.”
And just like that, I turned and walked back to my room.
Even with my back turned, I could still feel their gazes burning into me.
(You’re wondering why I’m not affected by all this? Just wait and see.)
As I sat on my bed, my mind drifted back to the past—the chain of events that had led me here.
My name is Sahaya Parvati Sahal, daughter of Sahal Hasim and Vaishnavi Sahal. My parents' marriage was a love match, one that neither of their families approved of. But that never stopped them. Both were powerful in their own right, highly influential business figures who built their own empire together.
For the longest time, I thought nothing could shake our family. But I was wrong.
When I was sixteen, my mother’s family suddenly started reaching out to her after my grandparents passed away. She reconnected with them, and though she seemed happy, it created unbearable tension between her and my father. Arguments became frequent, their bond fractured, and in the end, they divorced.
Since I was still a minor, custody was granted to my mother. She brought me and my brother Sanjeet back to her ancestral home in Mumbai. I hated it from the moment we arrived.
One year later, she was gone. An accident, they said. But I’ve never believed it.
I’m certain that everything that happened in those two years—her sudden attachment to her family, the fights, the divorce, and even her death—was because of them. Her family.
That’s why I act the way I do now. Detached. Indifferent. Cold.
Sanjeet, on the other hand, has no problem with them. He actually likes staying here. Maybe because he never saw things the way I did. Maybe because I always loved my father more than I loved my mother.
The people here dislike me, and frankly, I couldn’t care less. They only tolerate my presence because of my father’s influence. Silly people.
I sighed and leaned back against the bed. Coming to Mumbai hadn’t changed my life as much as I’d expected. I was still doing my schooling online through my international school abroad, and now that I’d finished, I was eager to join a college for BBA as soon as possible.
But first, I needed to talk to my father.
I picked up my phone and dialed his number. It rang for a while, and I was beginning to think he wouldn’t answer. But just as I was about to give up, he picked up.
The Call
“Sahaya.” His voice was deep, steady, and always carried the weight of a man who had little time for unnecessary conversations.
“Dad,” I said.
A brief silence. Then, “You don’t call often.”
I exhaled. “You don’t pick up often.”
That earned a short chuckle. “Work has been keeping me busy. How are you?”
“I’m fine,” I replied, then got straight to the point. “Sanjeet got married.”
Silence. Then, “I assume this was your uncle’s doing?”
I shrugged, even though he couldn’t see me. “Probably. He and Aunty are supporting him. The girl’s from an influential family too.”
“Hmph.” He didn’t sound surprised. “And what do you think about it?”
“I don’t think anything about it.”
Another pause. Then, “You haven’t changed.”
I smiled slightly. “Nope.”
He sighed, as if he wanted to say more but decided against it. “Why else did you call?”
“College.”
“Hm?”
“I want to join a BBA program. The sooner, the better.”
That got his attention. “Which college?”
“I have a few in mind,” I admitted. “But I wanted to know if you could help with the admission process.”
“Of course,” he said immediately. “Send me the details. I’ll make arrangements.”
I nodded. “Thanks.”
“Sahaya.”
“Yeah?”
There was a pause before he spoke again. “I know you don’t like being there. If you ever want to leave—”
“I’ll let you know.”
We both knew I wouldn’t. Not yet. Not until I was ready.
“Take care of yourself,” he said finally.
“You too, Dad.”
I ended the call, staring at my screen for a moment before setting the phone aside.
Whatever happens next, I needed to be prepared. Because in this house, surrounded by people who wished I wasn’t here, I could only rely on myself.
And that was fine. I wouldn’t have it any other way.
