The illegitimate daughter of a powerful businessman, she was sent to live with her six half-brothers after her father's sudden death.
The boys were born from privilege, pride, and perfectly manicured bloodlines. No one welcomed her. No one cared.
De...
I am planning to give the next update on Monday. But you all better keep pinging me so I don't get lazy and skip it 😭Please hold me accountable.
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I looked around as we all sat at the dining table. No matter how much money and fame I have achieved over the years, no matter how many times I have made myself believe that I am a confident woman and nothing can impact us. But yet sitting here made me feel like I can never belong to the world where these brothers exist.
Like always, my seat was beside Atharyu.
The chandelier cast a golden glow over the long table that made the place so much more aesthetic, and it could be made more aesthetic if you removed a few figures from the chair. But never mind.
Everyone was eating, but what irritated me the most was how their attention kept drifting to me. They kept pressing into that 'I should be resting.'
But I ignored their overlapping voices, but when Rudra Bhai said the same thing, I had to reply. "I'm fine, Bhai."
Before anyone could continue further, the faint metallic sound was enough to silence the table as Atahryu placed his fork down.
"She said she's fine," he stated evenly. "Let her eat peacefully." And just like that, the matter died as Atharyu showed his absolute authority.
I resumed eating, aware of the subtle glances that still brushed against me. Except for one person.
Kabeer sat across from me. Usually, he would be the first one to be dramatic, and scold me. He might have carried me to my room, if he find it the last resort. He would have made a scene out of it.
But today? He hadn't even looked at me properly.
He moved his folk absentmindedly through the food, pushing rice from one side of the plate to the other. Doing everything but eating. His shoulders lacked their usual bounce. The normally bright and teasing eyes, looked dull. Focused on nothing.
He was present physically, but absent entirely. This was Kabeer. The sunshine boy. And right now, he looked like someone had muted him. I wasn't the only one who noticed. The entire table felt it. We all felt the strange imbalance. As if one pillar of the house had cracked.
It unsettles me. Not because I have any relation with him. But because that's called basic human courtesy. But why are they not asking? Maybe they are waiting for him to be alone with them so they can have the brotherly conversation. That precisely cannot be done in front of the strangers.
My fingers tightened slightly around my spoon. A part of me wanted to say something. If we had a normal relationship, I would have leaned forward and nudged him, "What's wrong, drama king?" That might have put that stupid grin back onto his face.
'What's wrong with him is not your concern. ' I reminded myself that.
I am not the sister they grew up protecting. I am not the one he confides in. I am not—
