**Her wedding day was supposed to be the start of forever. Instead, it became the day her world collapsed.**
Samaira had it all-until Advait, the man she trusted, shattered her dreams on their wedding day. Left standing at the altar, humiliated and...
The chopper soared through the sky, cutting through the clouds as Advait glanced over at Samaira, who was quietly taking in the view. She had asked no questions since they took off, but her eyes were sharp, her mind clearly working through everything Advait had shared. He could feel the tension between them—the weight of everything they had gone through, and now this: stepping into his past, into a place where every glance could hold a secret, every word a hidden agenda.
Advait broke the silence first. “I should’ve told you about my family before. There’s no easy way to go about it. You’re going to meet a lot of people, and I need you to stay focused. This is a dangerous game, Samaira.”
She nodded, her eyes never leaving the landscape below. “I’m ready.”
Advait looked at her carefully before continuing. “The first person you’ll meet is Mahendra Uncle. He’s the eldest after my father. But don’t be fooled by his calm demeanor. Mahendra has always been the calculating type. He plays the role of the wise, family-oriented man, but there’s a sharpness in his eyes you can’t ignore. He’s the one with the most influence, so you’ll want to keep an eye on him.”
Samaira nodded, absorbing his words carefully. Advait continued, “Then there's Pramita—his wife. On the surface, she’s the perfect hostess, always welcoming and polite. But she’s been known to be a manipulator in the past. She knows how to charm you into trusting her, but don’t let that fool you. She might seem friendly, but there's a calculating side to her. She’ll smile to your face, and just when you think she’s harmless, she’ll have you questioning everything.”
Samaira absorbed every word, her brow furrowing slightly. Advait glanced over at her, impressed by how attentively she was listening. He continued, “Next, there's Vikram, my youngest uncle. He’s the most unpredictable of the lot. While Mahendra plays the statesman, Vikram’s a wildcard. He may appear easygoing, even charming, but his carelessness is his weapon. You can never really tell what he’s after, and that makes him dangerous. His wife, Ritu, is similar. She likes to think she’s playing the game, but she’s more of a pawn than she realizes. They have a son, Kartik, and don’t mistake his age for innocence. Kartik’s in his twenties now, and he’s more involved than most people realize.”
Samaira’s mind whirred with the details Advait was sharing. She was starting to see the puzzle—every family member, a piece with its own hidden purpose. Advait went on, “And then there’s my father’s sister, Aunt Subhadra. She’s lived with us since her divorce, and there’s always been something off about her. She plays the doting aunt, but she’s far from it. She’s always had her own agenda, and I wouldn’t be surprised if she’s still involved in things she shouldn’t be.”
Samaira's expression hardened as she took in the depth of Advait’s distrust for his aunt. She understood now why he was so cautious about everything.
“And finally, my grandmother,” Advait said, his voice softening a little. “She’s the one person in this house I respect. She’s the only one who’s never betrayed me. But even she has her own way of doing things. If you can win her over, Samaira, you’ll have the support of the rest of the family. She’s the one person who holds real power in this house.”
Samaira nodded slowly, her mind whirling with the details Advait had shared. She was beginning to understand the complexities of this family. It wasn’t just about finding the enemy; it was about navigating through these people, figuring out who had the most to gain from betraying him.
As the chopper began its descent toward Jaipur, Advait looked over at her one last time. “When we land, be careful. These people will be watching us. Don’t let your guard down.”
The chopper finally touched down on the expansive grounds of Advait’s family estate in Jaipur. The mansion loomed in the distance—an imposing, cold structure that looked like it belonged in a different time. The air was heavy, the kind of tension you could feel before something significant was about to happen.
They made their way toward the house, and as they entered, they were immediately met by Mahendra Uncle, who gave a polite but distant nod to Advait. “We didn’t expect to see our daughter-in-law today,” he said, his voice cool but not unfriendly.
Advait gave his rehearsed reply. “She’s the daughter-in-law of the Shekhawat family. No matter how much I may hate it, I had to bring her here.”
Mahendra Uncle didn’t say much more, but his eyes were calculating, taking in the situation with interest. He wasn’t shocked; he was just assessing how this would impact him.
Advait’s gaze shifted toward the corner of the room, where his grandmother sat. She was the only one in this house who truly understood him, the only one he respected without question. As Samaira entered the room with him, Advait moved toward her, intending to touch her feet as a sign of respect. But his grandmother stopped him before he could.
“No need for that,” she said firmly, her sharp eyes assessing both of them with a knowing gaze. “You two, step back from my house.”
Advait and Samaira both paused, surprised by the cold reception. But his grandmother didn’t let them linger for long. She stood up, taking an aarti tray and slowly walked toward them. As she performed the ritual, she said, “Now you may enter.”
Advait and Samaira stepped forward, following the ritual, but Samaira could sense something deeper in the way his grandmother observed them. She looked Samaira over, as if reading her soul, and then finally spoke.
“You’ve found yourself a perfect partner,” she said, her words heavy with unspoken meaning.
Advait raised an eyebrow. “You think so?”
His grandmother’s gaze never left Samaira. “I know so. I’ve seen many things in my time. You’re right for each other in ways you may not even understand yet. But be careful with him, my dear. He’s a man with many faces.”
The words were cryptic, but they struck Samaira with an unexpected weight. She could feel the layers in her grandmother’s words—warnings, perhaps, or a test. Advait was silent for a moment, absorbing her grandmother’s words, but he didn’t respond. Instead, he turned to Samaira, his face unreadable.
They entered the house, and Samaira glanced around, trying to take in every detail. The family was watching them, each member waiting for the right moment to make their move. But Samaira had learned to stay quiet and observe, just as Advait had taught her.
This wasn’t going to be easy. But they would find the truth. They had no choice.
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
