Vaishali's POV -

The first thing I woke up to was not the sun, nor the sweet sound of birds.
It was my aunt's voice.

"Get up, you useless girl! You think this house runs on your laziness?"

Her shrill words pierced through the small room where I slept, on a thin mattress pushed against the wall. Before I could even open my eyes, her hand cracked against my cheek, the sting burning like fire.

I was twenty-three years old, yet in this house, I was nothing more than an unpaid servant.

This house was not truly mine. It never had been.

My parents - Arun and Savitri Sharma died on my fifth birthday in a car accident. I never celebrated that day again. While most people grew up with cake and candles, I grew up with silence and pain.
 I don't even remember their faces clearly only blurred flashes of warmth, a father's laughter, a mother's lullaby.

After their death, I was taken in by my father's elder brother, Ramesh Sharma, and his wife, Shanti. They did not raise me out of love.
They took me in out of obligation.

Uncle Ramesh was cold and practical. To him, I was another mouth to feed, an unwanted responsibility.
My aunt Shanti was worse. Bitter, sharp-tongued, she never missed a chance to remind me that I was nothing more than a burden.

And her daughters... Deepthi and Ananya.
My cousins. My tormentors.
Deepthi, the elder one, was spoiled and arrogant, a perfect reflection of her mother. She sneered at everything I did, calling me an orphan as if it were a sin.
Ananya, the younger one, pretended to be sweet in front of outsiders but behind closed doors, she was just as cruel.
She made sarcastic remarks and teamed up with her sister to isolate me further.

Together, they made sure I never forgot I didn't belong here.

I swallowed my anger and whispered, "Aunty, I...I have college today..."

Her grip tightened on my arm, nails digging into my skin. "College? Don't you dare talk back to me! Who do you think is paying for your studies, haan? If not for us, you'd be rotting on the streets!"

Her words cut deeper than her slap. Because the truth was they weren't paying.
They didn't know about the late-night shifts at the bookstore or the mornings I served coffee at a cafe before classes. Or the hours I spent tutoring children in secret. Every rupee I earned went into my fees, my books, my survival.

But I never told them. I let them believe I was a parasite, because explaining myself would change nothing.

Just then, Deepthi and Ananya walked in, smirks plastered across their faces.

"Why is she still here, maa?" Deepthi scoffed. "Throw her out. She's nothing but a servant."
Ananya added sweetly, "Exactly! Look at her. Ragged clothes, tired face. She doesn't even look like a college student. More like a maid."

Their laughter rang in my ears. I stayed silent. Silence had become my shield. My only weapon.

I lowered my head and walked to the kitchen. The same routine every morning cook their breakfast, clean their mess, and somehow, still make it in time for my classes.

But when I stepped into the kitchen, I allowed myself one fragile moment. I closed my eyes and imagined another life. A life where I wasn't shouted at, beaten, or reminded of my parents death. A life where I was free to laugh, to dream, to breathe.

In my mind, I saw myself working in an office, books around me, respect in people's eyes instead of pity. A tiny rented house, sunlight spilling through curtains, peace in every corner. A life of dignity. That was my dream.

And yet, every time I dreamed, reality dragged me back down.

"Stop daydreaming, Vaishali!" Shanti's voice echoed again. "You'll always be nothing."

Maybe she was right. Or maybe, just maybe, she had no idea what destiny had planned for me.

Because life has a way of changing in the blink of an eye.
And mine was about to collide with someone whose storm would test every ounce of my silence.

Someone whose name I didn't know yet...
but fate had already written it alongside mine.