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CHAPTER 1

HER LIFE

A woman sits on the sofa, her hands tightly clutching her head, as if trying to contain the chaos around her. Cushions and slippers occasionally fly across the room, narrowly missing her, but she doesn’t flinch. Her expression is blank, almost resigned, as if she has surrendered to the mayhem. Her two children, caught in a whirlwind of childish energy and bickering, have transformed into untamed creatures, howling and growling in their own dramatic universe.

“I will kill you…” the younger one, a girl, growls with exaggerated anger.

“I’m your elder brother! I’m seven years older than you, so show a little respect, will you? Just look at the way you're misbehaving!” Vyom shoots back with mock authority.

“Mom! Tell him to shut his mouth!”

The girl pleads, turning to their mother, who continues sitting in silence, her patience hanging by a thread.

“Fine...”

Vyom replies mischievously, sticking out his tongue like a small child. He forms devil horns with his fingers, spreads them wide, and starts teasing her with ridiculous dance moves, twisting his waist dramatically and hopping around.

“You can’t live alone... You’re a scared little kitten,” he taunts. “I’ll do one thing: I'll send a taller bed with you when you move out, so whenever you get scared, you can crawl underneath and sleep quietly... Oh wait, damn, I forgot. There’s a witch under thebed! So make sure there’s no space left under your bed... But... bad luck! That witch actually enjoys your company, little sis... You both look the same... Horrible…"

“This is too much!”

Jhankar yells, losing her patience. Her eyes light up with anger, and she swiftly grabs a cushion from the floor, hurling it towards her brother with all her strength. But just as she does, their mother, who had finally stood up, perhaps to intervene, gets hit squarely in the face by the flying cushion. The room goes dead silent. Jhankar and Vyom freeze, eyes wide in horror, then glance at each other and force awkward smiles, hoping to diffuse the tension. They turn their heads toward their mother, gazing at her with innocent, pleading eyes. Their mother, Chitrali, stands still for a long moment, the cushion sliding off her face. Her expression is unreadable, but her eyes burn with fury.

Just then, the doorbell rings. Like lightning, Jhankar dashes to the door, sensing an opportunity to escape her mother’s wrath. She throws it open and, without a moment’s hesitation, wraps her arms around her father and clings to him tightly.

“In a few minutes, an earthquake will demolish this place… Please help us, Dad; I love you so much.”

She cries out in dramatic desperation. Raghunath bursts into laughter at her exaggerated plea and bends down to kiss her forehead affectionately.

“Jhankar! What have you done now to make your mother this angry?”

He asks teasingly, brushing her hair away from her face.

“Bro was teasing me again and again,” she began to explain rapidly, “so I threw a cushion in his direction, but that stupidcushion liked your wife's beautiful face so much that it safely landed there instead… It’s not my fault at all, I swear! I didn’t even do anything this time.”

Raghunath chuckles, shaking his head.

“Jhankar, you’re getting naughtier everyday. Stupid girl, go say sorry to her.”

“But she’s spitting fire from her eyes… I don’t want to die, Papa… I’m too young to die.”

She cries dramatically, hiding behind his back. Smiling, Raghunath places a comforting hand on her shoulder and pulls out a packet from his office bag. Jhankar’s eyes widened with excitement. She quickly rips it open and grins.

“Not bad, my handsome father,” she says cheekily. “You know exactly what your beautiful wife loves the most... You’re the best husband in the whole world!”

“And father...”

He quickly responds, and she jumps onto his back for a piggyback ride. He laughs, adjusts her carefully so she doesn’t fall, and walks inside the house while she shouts joyfully,

“BESTEST FATHER… MY BUDDY… I LOVE YOU!”

Chitrali, who had been on the verge of an emotional meltdown due to her children’s non-stop bickering, now finds herself smiling softly, almost unwillingly, as she watches the scene unfold. Despite everything, her heart melts watching Jhankar’s affection for her father.

Jhankar is the pride of the family. At 23 years old, she has just completed her higher education with distinction. Her dreams are big, she wants to secure an excellent job and support herfamily financially and emotionally. The same girl who used to be frightened of even staying alone in her room has now received three job offers through campus placements, all from companies located outside Hyderabad. Yet, she is determined and ready to step out of her comfort zone, to live alone, and to challenge herself for her family.

She walks with confidence, speaks with boldness, and expresses her thoughts with clarity and passion. But at home, she’s still the same little girl who hides behind her father, still fights with her brother, and still keeps her bedroom lights on during the day. Her brother Vyom watches her fondly, though he loves to annoy her by claiming that their father loves her more than him. It’s a game they’ve played since childhood, a rivalry drenched in affection. He teases her constantly, especially now that she talks big about moving out and living independently, even though she’s never spent a single night alone. That’s exactly why he’s been pestering her ever since he came home from work, because deep down, he’s going to miss her too.

Chitrali, their mother, had tried earlier to calm them down, to mediate their arguments and make peace, but neither child was ever willing to truly listen. Despite being seven years older, Vyom loses all his maturity when he fights with Jhankar. They argue like two stray dogs on the street, but there’s no denying the profound bond of love beneath their constant squabbling.