DAUGHTER OR BARGAIN CHIP ?

She whispered to herself, her eyes clouding with a mix of pain and disbelief, “Was he a man… or a beast? He has left me with no face to show. Kabir’s mother must have noticed these marks, and that assistant too. Now, he will have to be more careful at home.”

Her thoughts were still tangled in the nightmare of the night before when the sudden vibration of her phone jolted her. The screen lit up, and the name flashing across it made her brows knit in surprise.

Uday Singhania.

Her father never called her unless there was something truly urgent—something that could not be ignored. For years, his voice had carried no warmth for her, no sign of care or affection. He had given her nothing more than a surname and a roof over her head, like a landlord tolerating an unwanted tenant. Yet today, his name glared at her from the screen.

She hesitated, then answered.

“Hello, where were you all last night?” Uday’s voice was sharp, cutting, laced with anger.

For a moment, Shreya froze. She knew her father well enough to understand that no explanation would satisfy him. Still, she chose her words carefully. “I was shooting last night. There was a new—”

But she never got to finish.

“I don’t care what you were doing, or where you were busy,” Uday thundered over her voice. “How dare you stay out all night? After all, what do you think of this house and this family?”

Shreya held the phone a little away from her ear, her expression blank. She had heard these bitter words countless times before. They no longer pierced her heart; they merely echoed in a hollow place that had long stopped expecting affection from him. Without a trace of emotion, she switched on the speaker and picked up a comb, dragging it through her tangled hair as his anger poured into the room.

His voice grew harsher. “Your sister Riya’s in-laws are coming today to discuss the engagement. If I don’t see you in this house within fifteen minutes, then forget every path that leads to it.”

The comb paused mid-air, her hand trembling slightly. But Uday’s rage did not pause.

“And remember this too—your mother left behind a few keepsakes for you. If you dare to test my patience, I will throw them into the sea with my own hands.”

The line went dead before Shreya could say a word.

She lowered the phone slowly, staring at it with unreadable eyes. Those mementoes were all she had left of her late mother. A lump rose in her throat, but she swallowed it back. She had long ago learned that in this house, her tears carried no weight.

Meanwhile, inside the Singhania mansion, Uday sat in his armchair, his forehead creased with irritation. Beside him, Divya leaned in, massaging his temples gently, her tone sugary as she asked, “What did she say? Is she coming?”

Uday exhaled heavily. “Yes, she’s coming.”

Divya’s lips curved in satisfaction. She knew exactly when to offer tenderness—only when she wanted something in return. Her fingers moved soothingly against his scalp, though her eyes gleamed with calculation.

“Will you be able to convince her for this marriage?” she asked softly, almost coaxingly. “Because if she doesn’t agree, then my Riya’s marriage will be in jeopardy.”

Her words struck a chord in Uday. He recalled the visit from Mrs. Chopra, who had unexpectedly asked for Aditi’s hand for her second son. The thought still unsettled him.

Aditi was everything a mother could be proud of—brilliant, graceful, and strikingly beautiful. How could Divya ever send her off to marry a man who was mentally unstable? That proposal had been nothing less than an insult. Yet Divya had smiled and nodded politely, as though weighing her options.

Uday knew the truth: Mrs. Chopra had no real intention of finding a wife for her son. What she sought was a lifelong caretaker, someone to shoulder the burden. And in her eyes, who better than the illegitimate daughter—the one who already lived like an outsider in her own home?

Divya’s voice cut into his thoughts. “Tell me, Uday… won’t you do this much for your legitimate daughters? Or will you sacrifice their happiness for her?”

Her tone sharpened, no longer sweet. “Riya loves Rahul. If this proposal slips away, her heart will break. But of course, what difference does it make to you? You’d rather protect your precious mistake than think of your real daughters.”

Uday clenched his jaw. “That’s not what I meant, Divya.”

“Then what do you mean?” she snapped, her eyes flashing. “This is the price of your betrayal. And even after everything, I allowed that girl to stay here. I raised her under my roof, like she was my own. And what do I ask in return? Just one thing—a little happiness for my daughters. Will you deny me even that?”

The sharpness in her voice twisted like a knife. Uday knew better than to let this argument drag further. He raised his hand in defeat. “Fine. I’ll speak to her. I’ll agree.”

Divya’s anger melted into a satisfied smile. She had won. She knew that the Chopra family’s wealth and influence could secure her daughters’ future, and she would not let the opportunity slip, no matter the cost to Shreya.

Shreya reached the mansion breathless, fear tightening in her chest. She had not stepped into the house since the previous night, and she braced herself for an eruption of anger.

But what greeted her left her unsettled.

Divya stood in the hallway, her eyes soft, her voice dripping with honey. She stepped forward and gathered Shreya into her arms with an affection so sudden, so false, it made Shreya’s skin prickle.

“Mera bachcha,” Divya cooed. “Come with me, Shreya. Come, sit.”

Shreya’s eyes narrowed ever so slightly. She had lived under this woman’s roof long enough to recognize every shade of her pretense. Divya’s sudden tenderness was not love—it was bait.

She let herself be led, but her mind was alert. Something was wrong.

And then came the blow.

“Marriage… with Rahul’s brother?”

The words echoed in her ears like a thunderclap. She sank onto the edge of the bed, stunned, her thoughts spinning. It made no sense. If a proposal had been made for Rahul’s brother, why had they not considered Aditi? Why was the burden so conveniently shifted onto her shoulders?

Her lips parted slowly. “I am not ready for marriage yet.”

The smile on Divya’s face faltered. In an instant, her expression hardened, the sweetness draining away, leaving only cold determination.

Shreya could feel the storm gathering.

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