*flashback start's
authors pov
It was an arranged marriage. Sumitra was forced by her parents to marry a man they had, in essence, sold her to. Sumitra's mother had died giving birth to her, but later, her father married another woman. Her father had married Sumitra's mother for money and property, and years later, when Sumitra grew up, they sold her to a man named Shubhash.
Sumitra had her first daughter when she was 27 and another when she was 31. She endured abuse from both his maternal and paternal families. On top of that, her husband would often come home drunk and beat her, demanding money.
Sumitra worked as an assistant to Rajnath Chaudhary at Chaudhary's empire. Her husband, consumed by his rage and paranoia, even beat her for working with another man. One night, he was completely drunk. In a horrific act, he and his parents killed their elder daughter and then fled, abandoning Sumitra.
When Sumitra returned home and discovered the devastating truth, her soul was torn. She immediately informed the police, but no one ever found Shubhash or his family. Sumitra was left alone with only her younger daughter, Aditi. They sold their house, and all their savings were spent on buying a small apartment.
Aditi, just six years old, witnessed everything. She saw her sister being killed. She saw her mother being abused by her father. The trauma was etched into her memory, a moment she could not forget.
Although Sumitra was earning well, Aditi began to suffer immensely. She started experiencing frequent panic attacks and developed insomnia. Sumitra was consumed by worry over Aditi's deteriorating condition, and the pain of everything that had happened was unbearable.
As the years passed, Aditi tried desperately to hide her struggles from her mother—her panic attacks, her inability to sleep. By the age of eight, a doctor recommended she take sleeping pills. She took them, but they offered little relief, and she still couldn't sleep. This began to affect her health significantly, but she never informed her mother.
However, as time passed, both Sumitra and Aditi tried to cope together. Aditi, despite her love for sports, never participated in extracurricular activities because her health hazards prevented her from engaging in any physical activities.
Then, as more years passed, Sumitra fell in love with Rajnath. She cautiously told her daughter about him. Aditi was overjoyed. For the first time since the trauma, she saw her mother truly happy.
Now, Aditi was sixteen. She still experienced panic attacks whenever someone suddenly touched or scared her.
* flashback ends*
Sumitra-"how many time do I need to tell you that whenever you are alone at home lock the door"
Aditi-"sorry mumma,I just forgot"
Sumitra-"how can be so careless"
Aditi- "sorry naa"(while pleading )
Sumitra-"come here my Lado (daughter) I have purchased some clothes for you"
Aditi-"for me only not for yourself ?"
Sumitra- "I didn't like anything so I have just purchased for you"
Aditi-"what do you really think you can lie in front of me I know you very well you have forgot to purchase anything for yourself"
But the conversation was disturbed by a soft knock Sumitra goes and checked it was an parcel handled by a guard Sumitra open the door
Sumitra-"how can I help you sir?"
Gaurd- Ma'am I am from chaudhary's Bhawan and this parcel is sent by Padmini ma'am and she had asked you to wear this.
Sumitra-"but how can I accept this".
Gaurd -Ma'am it's a request from her side.
Sumitra - "but"
Her phone started ringing she picks up the call and it was Padmini ji
Padmini-" beta, yeh hamari khandani poshak hai joh sirf hone wali raniyon Ko Diya jata hai unki shaadi per sirf "(daughter this is our family heirloom which is given only to the would be queens during their wedding)
Sumitra-"Lekin"(but) she was cut offed by Padmini
Padmini-"beta Par-var kuch nahi"(daughter no more excuses)
Sumitra later nobbed and accepted the parcel and brought it inside the room and started opening it. Aditi was sitting next to her and watching her mother while opening parcel
Aditi -"it is so big"
Sumitra - "yah! it is"
When they open the box Sunita get shocked and Aditi's eyes was widely opened
Sumitra- "this is too much to give me a lot of jewellery and lehenga and this is just for wedding "
Aditi - "yeah mom there lot of jewellery and heavy lehenga"
But there was another packet Aditi's eyes fell on it.
Aditi- mamma look there there is another packet
Sumitra lift up the packet it was another pair of lehenga and it was too small
Sumitra - "this lehenga is too small for me and one lehenga is enough for me she don't need to spend this much money on me I can buy all this."
Sunita pick up her phone and call Padmini ji
Padmini ji- "hello beta bolo, kya aapko hamara tohfa pasand nahin aaya" (hello daughter don't you like our present 🎁)
Sumitra-"nahin nahin Padmini ji aisi baat nahin Hai Lekin aapane itna Sara Saman bheja Hai doh doh lehenge aur itni sari jewellery Main itna sab kuchh aapse nahin Le sakti " (no no Padmini ji it's not like that but there is too much things two pairs of lehenga and so much of jewellery I cannot take this much from you)
Padmini ji- "beta kya Mera Kya aapka ab to aap hamare ghar ki Bahu banne wali Hai Jo Saman Hamara voh aapka aur han ek lehenga hamare Ghar Ki hone wali Lakshmi ke liye hai"(beta what's your what's mine you are now going to be daughter in law soon and one lehenga is for are soon to be Lakshmi)
Sumitra-"Lekin" (but)
Padmini ji- beta, "Par var kuch nahi agar Hamara man rakhti ho toh usne apni shaadi mein jarur pahnana" (daughter, no more excuses if you respect me please wear it onyour wedding)
Sumitra-"theek hai Jaisi aapki ichcha"
Padmini ji- "shabash mera bbaccha"
(Great my daughter)