𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐋𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬: अनुरागी

❀ 4

The mansion was enormous, cold, and quiet—just like the relationship between its inhabitants. DD, Reyansh, and Esha lived under the same roof, but they barely exchanged words. DD had given them every luxury—beautiful rooms, the best food, anything they could ask for—but neither Reyansh nor Esha ever showed gratitude.

 They ignored her, treated her like she didn’t exist. Reyansh’s cold indifference hurt DD more than she would admit. She had spent her whole life receiving hate, but somehow, his rejection cut deeper than any other. Yet, she never showed it.

She had locked her heart away, far from the pain.

---

One evening, DD returned from the office, tired and drained from a long day of work. She entered the mansion, her heels clicking against the marble floor. As she walked down the hall, something caught her attention—a soft, muffled sobbing.

She paused for a moment, frowning. It was Esha.

DD wasn’t one to involve herself in emotional matters, especially not with Reyansh’s little sister. She had given them space, knowing they hated her. But tonight, the sound of Esha’s crying tugged at something inside her, something she had tried to bury. 

At first, she tried to ignore it. She went to the kitchen, poured herself a glass of water, and leaned against the counter, willing the noise to fade. But it didn’t. Esha’s sobs only grew louder, more desperate.

DD sighed, setting the glass down, her patience wearing thin. She walked toward the room where Esha sat curled up on the floor, her face buried in her hands. For a moment, DD stood in the doorway, unsure of what to say.

"Esha," she said, her voice cool but not unkind. "Why are you crying?"

Esha didn’t respond. She just cried harder, her small body shaking with each sob.

DD’s instinct was to walk away. She wasn’t used to comforting people. But something in Esha’s tears, something in her loneliness, mirrored a part of DD’s own childhood. The memories she had long tried to forget—the feeling of being abandoned, of being misunderstood.

Taking a deep breath, DD crouched down beside Esha, her voice softening slightly. "Esha, stop crying. Tell me what’s wrong."

Esha finally looked up, her big, tear-filled eyes meeting DD’s. She hesitated, clearly unsure whether to trust her or not. But there was something in DD’s voice, something that made her feel safe, if only for a moment.

"They… they bully me at school," Esha whispered, wiping her tears with the back of her hand.

DD’s brow furrowed. "Who bullies you?"

"Everyone," Esha sniffled. "They make fun of me because I don’t have a mom and dad. They say I’m… I’m weird. No one wants to be my friend because I’m not rich like them. And the teachers… they blame me for everything. They think I’m the troublemaker, but I’m not!"

As Esha spoke, something inside DD snapped. The quiet rage she kept hidden behind her cold exterior began to surface. She knew all too well what it felt like to be mistreated, to be judged for things beyond your control. And she wasn’t going to let anyone treat Esha that way.

Without saying a word, DD stood up, her expression hardening. She reached out her hand to Esha. "Come with me."

Esha looked up at her, confused but curious. "Where are we going?"

"To your school," DD said firmly. "This ends now."

---

The school was nearly empty when DD and Esha arrived, but DD didn’t care. She stormed inside with a commanding presence, dragging Esha along. She went straight to the principal’s office, her heels clicking sharply against the floor. When the teachers saw her, they immediately stiffened, sensing the authority in her posture.