𝑯𝒆𝒓 𝑷𝒆𝒓𝒇𝒆𝒄𝒕 𝑯𝒆𝒂𝒗𝒆𝒏

𝟏𝟐

"H...he...hello, Papa?" I say, trying to steady my breath, but my heart is pounding in my chest like a drum. My hands tremble as I hold the phone. A wave of anxiety washes over me as I wait for his response, unsure of what to expect.

"Kha ho?" he asks, his voice calm but cold just like always. There is no warmth, no affection in his tone. He never talks to me sweetly, not even when I was a child.. His voice, no matter what, always sounds distant, always makes me feel like a burden.
[Where are you?]

"I...I’m in Ra...Rajasthan, Papa," I manage to say, my voice is shaking. "There was some work, so... I told bhaiya about it." I speak in one breath, stammering through each word, afraid of how he might react.

"Did I ask all this?" he snaps, his voice suddenly sharp with anger. "Just answer what I ask. Speak only as much as you are told. Understand?"

"J...ji," I whisper, Tears fill my eyes, blurring my vision. The phone feels heavy in my hand.

"You better be home by tomorrow," he says coldly each word laced with command, and hangs up without another word.

The line goes dead. I stare at my phone in silence for a moment unable to move, then I crumble to the temple floor. The tears I’ve been holding in start falling freely. My chest feels tight. I can’t breathe properly, my body is shaking, and tears start falling uncontrollably. I cried silently at first, but soon I couldn’t hold it in.

My sobs echo, My heart aches, not just from fear, but from the endless need for a little love, a little understanding... something I never get from him.

Just then, Ira comes running toward me. She kneels beside me and wraps her arms around me, pulling me into a tight hug.

"Hey, it’s okay... I’m here. What happened? Why are you crying like this?" she asks, panic in her voice.

But I can't say a word. I just sob harder, burying my face in her shoulder. She strokes my hair, whispering soothing words, trying to calm me down. But her comfort, though kind, cannot reach the storm inside me.

My mind is stuck, repeating his last sentence over and over again.

"You better be home by tomorrow..."

Why? Why does he want me back so suddenly?

He never calls me unless there’s a reason. And the last time he called me home like this... it was the worst day of my life.
That was the day I almost lost my company. He didn’t approve of my work. He didn’t believe I was capable. He tried to make me quit, take everything away, force me to stay home. Back then, my brother fought. I barely managed to save my business, my dreams, my freedom.

And now… what does he want from me this time?

I look at Ira, her eyes filled with concern. “Ira,” I whisper, finally finding my voice, “he said I have to be home by tomorrow…”