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"Hello," I greeted her, trying to sound neutral.
Sanya sneered, "So, that's how your life is going after becoming Mrs. Randhawa? Huh!" She tried to inspect the bags in my hands, but I pulled them away.
"What are you doing?" I glared at her.
"Don't worry, I'm not someone like you! I've grown up in luxury, and I'm used to these things. Something you can't even dream of," Sanya scoffed. "These brands are really familiar to me, and I'm a regular customer."
I forced a smile, exhausted from the shopping and lacking the energy to fight. "Ohh! Really! Congratulations! I'm really happy for you! And yeah, that's how I'm living. Why? Any problem?" I said, placing a hand on my chest.
Just as Sanya was about to respond, a man interrupted her. "You... leave it, Sanya. Let's go."
I looked at the man, who had piercing onyx eyes. He stood at around 6'2" with a muscular build. His black hair was styled back, and he wore a crisp white shirt with black pants and a black blazer. His dominant aura commanded attention, and his gaze swept over me from head to toe.
"Yeah, Bhai! Let's go! I too don't want to lower my standards," Sanya said, and I scoffed internally, thinking, "Nor do I." I ignored her jibe and sat in the car, letting the driver take me back to the mansion. It was almost evening when we arrived.
Mrs. Randhawa and Vritika's mother were sipping tea and chatting in the living room. "You're back? This early, even after going shopping with Vritika?" Mrs. Randhawa quired, and they both chuckled.
"Yeah, I guess!" I responded.
"Did you buy something for yourself, or didn't she give you a chance?" Mrs. Randhawa teased.
"No, she bought almost the whole shopping complex for me," I answered, and they laughed.
"Go and get freshened up," Mrs. Randhawa suggested.
But then she suddenly muttered, "Wait! Come with me." I followed her to her room, curious.
"Take this," she commanded, handing me a box when we reached her room.
"Something's for you. Take it and call me Maa, like everyone else. Okay?" Mrs. Randhawa said, her words unexpectedly comforting me. It had been a long time since I'd used the word "Maa" or "mother." It felt foreign, yet somehow soothing.
"And call me Chachi!" Vritika's mother added, placing a hand on my head. Suddenly, my eyes welled up with tears. I had suppressed my childhood memories, including those of my own mother. She was a stranger to me, and I couldn't recall anything about her. But when Mrs. Randhawa asked me to call her Maa, I tried to grasp those lost memories, only to find nothing.
