Whisper of the Night

Chapter 15 : The Beast Unleashed

Kaira's POV

The morning after the attack, Bhaiya insisted on taking me to our parents' house. He was adamant that I stay there for my safety while he and Rishav worked on figuring out who was behind the attack. Despite my protests, I knew he was right. Being at our parents' house, while not my favorite place, was safer than being alone in my apartment.

Bhaiya drove me there himself, his face set in a determined expression. "I need to know you're safe, Kaira," he said as we pulled into the driveway. "I don't want you out of my sight until we sort this out."

I nodded, trying to push down the anxiety bubbling up inside me. "I understand. Just be careful, okay?"

He gave me a reassuring smile, but I could see the worry in his eyes. "I will. Call me if you need anything."

As I stepped out of the car, I took a deep breath and braced myself for the inevitable onslaught of criticism from my parents. They had never approved of my career choices, and I doubted today would be any different.

"You're home," my mother greeted me at the door, her smile not quite reaching her eyes. "It's been a while, Kaira."

I forced a smile. "Hi, Mom. Hi, Dad."

My father looked up from his newspaper, his expression as stern as ever. "Finally decided to visit your family, have you?"

I swallowed hard, reminding myself that I needed to stay calm. "Bhaiya thought it would be best for me to stay here for a while. There was an incident yesterday, and he was worried about my safety."

My mother glanced at Varun, who was lingering in the doorway. "Is everything okay, Varun?"

Varun nodded. "Yes, but it's best if Kaira stays here for a few days. I'll handle everything."

With that, he gave me a quick hug and left, promising to check in later. As the door closed behind him, I turned back to my parents, who were both watching me with a mixture of concern and disapproval.

"So, what's this about an incident?" my father asked, folding his newspaper.

"It's nothing to worry about," I said quickly. "Varun's just being overprotective."

My mother frowned. "And what about your job, Kaira? Are you still wasting your time on that fashion nonsense?"

I felt my chest tighten with frustration. "It's not nonsense, Mom. I'm a fashion designer, and I'm doing quite well."

"Doing well?" My father scoffed. "Designing clothes is not a real job. You should have gone into something more respectable, like business or law."

I clenched my fists at my sides, struggling to keep my composure. "I'm happy with what I'm doing, and that's what matters."

"Well, I hope you come to your senses soon," my father said, shaking his head. "This is not what we expected from you, Kaira."

I turned away, feeling a mix of anger and sadness. I knew they would never understand my choices, and I had long ago stopped trying to seek their approval. But it still hurt to hear their constant criticism.

"Excuse me," I said, my voice tight. "I'm going to my room."

I fled upstairs, the familiar surroundings of my childhood home doing little to comfort me. I sat on the edge of my bed, staring at the walls covered in posters and memories of a time when I still believed my parents might one day support my dreams.

My phone buzzed, and I saw a message from Rishav. "How are you holding up?"

I typed back quickly, grateful for the distraction. "I'm fine. Just dealing with my parents."