After Advait left Samaira heartbroken on the day that was supposed to be the happiest of her life-their wedding day-her world shatters. Picking up the pieces, she barely manages to rebuild herself when her family insists she marry Aarav, a successfu...
For the past few days, the house had been unusually peaceful. Samaira had displayed an unexpected composure, her behavior calm and collected, much to Advait’s satisfaction. He had thought his plan was working—his mother’s presence had effectively kept Samaira in line, making her seem more grounded.
Advait had resumed his regular routine, heading to the office after a few days of working from home. He hadn’t wanted to leave Samaira alone at first, fearing she might try something rash, but with his mother around, he felt confident enough to return to his business. His mother’s comforting presence had been a steadying force in the house, as if her very existence kept Samaira from contemplating anything that might disrupt the calm.
But what Advait didn’t realize was that the calm was an illusion. Samaira wasn’t just waiting for a chance to escape; she was biding her time, calculating her every move. The calmness on the surface hid a fire within her, one that she knew she would soon use to her advantage.
---
It was another quiet evening when Samaira, her hands moving deftly, was cooking dinner for her mother-in-law in the kitchen. The rhythm of chopping vegetables and stirring pots had become familiar, almost soothing, despite everything happening around her. Cooking was one of the few activities she could immerse herself in without thinking about the web of lies and manipulation that had entangled her life.
As she sliced through the carrots, her mind wandered to her family—how long it had been since she’d spoken to them. She hadn’t been able to connect with them for weeks now; her phone had been damaged and, though she had tried, she couldn't fix it. It was one of the many things she’d been forced to leave behind when Advait had taken her away.
Absorbed in her thoughts, Samaira’s grip on the knife slipped. She winced as the blade cut into her finger, a small but painful gash. Her vision blurred for a moment, but she quickly wrapped the wound with a cloth, trying to ignore the sting. It wasn’t deep, but the sight of the blood was enough to shake her out of her reverie. She quickly finished preparing the food and went to serve it.
When she entered the living room, her mother-in-law noticed the bandage on her finger. The older woman’s sharp eyes didn’t miss a thing.
“What happened?” she asked, her tone concerned.
Samaira gave a faint smile, trying to appear unaffected. “It’s nothing, Ma. Just a small accident with the knife,” she replied softly.
Her mother-in-law’s gaze hardened with concern. “Why didn’t you ask for help? You could have asked the servants to assist you,” she said, her voice filled with genuine care.
Samaira shook her head, brushing off the worry. “I didn’t want to bother anyone. I wanted to cook for you, Ma. I didn’t think it was a big deal.”
The older woman frowned, clearly not convinced. “But what were you thinking when you cut yourself?” she asked, her voice soft but insistent.
For a moment, Samaira hesitated. She could easily brush it off as an accident, but her emotions crept in unexpectedly. She didn’t want to show weakness, but the truth slipped out before she could stop it. “I was thinking about my family,” she said quietly. “I haven’t spoken to them in weeks. My phone isn’t working properly, and I just… I miss them.”
The admission hung in the air, and her mother-in-law didn’t push further. She simply nodded, the sadness in Samaira’s voice enough to tell her everything. “I understand,” she said softly, her tone filled with empathy. “But you shouldn’t be doing everything by yourself. You need to take care of yourself, Samaira.”
Samaira gave a faint smile, but her heart weighed heavy. She knew that even if she wanted to call her family, she couldn’t. Advait had ensured that she stayed isolated, both physically and emotionally. He had taken away her independence, and all she had left was the facade of calmness she was now wearing.
---
The following morning, as Samaira and Advait’s mother sat sipping tea together, the older woman spoke again, her voice casual but with a glint of curiosity.
“Advait,” she began, glancing at her son, who was reading a report. “Has Samaira been home since your wedding?”
Advait lowered the paper, looking at his mother with a confused expression. “No, why would she go? She’s here now, with me.”
His mother raised an eyebrow. “You know, it’s tradition, Advait. *Pagfera*—a visit to her family after marriage. Samaira has been here for weeks now, and it’s only right that she go to visit her family. You should take her.”
Samaira’s heart skipped a beat. She hadn’t expected this conversation to come up so suddenly, and now that it had, she felt a sense of panic rising in her chest. But before she could speak, her mother-in-law continued.
“You should take her there. It’s important,” she added, turning her gaze toward Samaira, who had been silent until then.
Samaira, feeling a rush of panic, quickly intervened. “I don’t need to go,” she said, trying to keep her voice steady. “I’m fine here with you, Ma.”
But her mother-in-law wasn’t having it. She reached out, taking Samaira’s hand in hers. “No, Samaira. You’re missing your family, and you’ve been here long enough. It’s important for you to reconnect with them. And Advait,” she turned to her son, “you should take her.”
Advait opened his mouth to protest, but his mother was insistent. “It’s settled,” she said firmly. “And while we’re at it, Advait, you need to give Samaira a phone. She’s been without one for far too long.”
Samaira looked at Advait, her heart racing. She could see the conflict in his eyes, but he didn’t say anything. He couldn’t. He was trapped.
---
Later that day, Advait found himself in the driver’s seat of the car, Samaira sitting beside him, her gaze fixed outside the window. The drive was long and uncomfortable, the silence stretching between them like a heavy fog. Advait’s thoughts churned, but he couldn’t shake the feeling that something was off. His mother had insisted, and now he had to take Samaira to her family’s house—something he never expected would happen this soon.
He felt the weight of his earlier decision to keep Samaira isolated. He had expected her to stay compliant, to remain passive, but now he was questioning whether he had miscalculated.
When they reached her family’s house, Samaira broke the silence. Her voice was calm, but there was a new edge to it. “You know,” she said softly, “this is what I call getting trapped in your own move.”
Advait froze, his gaze snapping to hers. He opened his mouth to respond, but Samaira was already unbuckling her seatbelt and reaching for the door handle.
As the door swung open, Samaira looked at him one last time, her eyes holding something unreadable. “Enjoy your victory while it lasts, Advait,” she whispered, stepping out of the car.
---
Advait watched as Samaira walked away, the finality of her words hanging in the air. It was then that he realized she wasn’t the one trapped. She had played her own move, and now he was the one caught in her game.
He sat there for a long moment, the silence thick around him, as Samaira disappeared into the house. This time, she wasn’t running away. No, she was doing something far more dangerous—she was showing him exactly what a prey could do when it chose to face its predator head-on.
And Advait, for the first time in a long while, wasn’t sure what would happen next.
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