Mrs. Gill | Completed |

Chapter17~

3rd PERSON'S POV

The YZ Club shimmered, a kaleidoscope of light and laughter. Guests, dressed to the nines, flowed through the grand ballroom like a vibrant river. It was Sanya's engagement party, a lavish affair for the daughter of a prominent business tycoon and her fiancé, Karan Vohra, a successful entrepreneur.

Shubman's  heart a tangled mess of emotions, stood with his wife, Vrushali, at the entrance. He had been with Sanya for years, their relationship a public spectacle followed by the media. Their break-up had been messy, their futures seemingly diverging. Now, he witnessed Sanya, sparkling in a diamond-studded gown, basking in the glow of her newfound happiness. His eyes, however, were fixated on Vrushali, her elegance radiating calm amidst the chaos.

As the night progressed, Shubman excused himself to the gents' room, leaving Vrushali to navigate the throng of Sanya's elite friends. He returned to find Vrushali engaged in conversation with Sanya, a small, knowing smile playing on her lips.

"Oh, Vrushali, how nice of you to come, especially after our last conversation"
 Sanya purred, her words laced with a veiled barb.
"You know, it's not easy being the wife of a star cricketer. All that pressure, the constant scrutiny, the endless demands. You must be so overwhelmed."

Vrushali's smile widened, her eyes gleaming with an inner strength.
"Life has its challenges, Sanya. But I wouldn't trade it for anything. I'm grateful for the love and support I have from Shubman "

Sanya, her smile turning brittle, continued her veiled attack,
"It must be hard to adjust to this lifestyle. You know, coming from a..."
she paused, letting the word 'middle class' hang in the air,
"background."

Vrushali's smile remained steady, her voice calm and controlled.
"You're right, I do come from a middle-class family. My parents worked hard to give me a good education. I earned a degree from IIT, you know, by sheer hard work, not family connections or hefty donations."

Sanya's face contorted, her carefully constructed facade crumbling. A blush of embarrassment crept up her neck.
"Well, my degree from the University of Oxford was also earned, just not in India."

Vrushali's smile remained, now laced with a hint of amusement.
"I know. Your father's generous donation to the university helped secure a place for you. Not everyone has the privilege of buying their way into prestigious institutions."

Sanya's eyes narrowed, frustration bubbling beneath the surface.
"What are you trying to say?'

"Simply,"
 Vrushali said, her voice firm and clear,
"that my worth isn't measured by my bank balance or my husband's fame. It's measured by who I am, the choices I make, and the dreams I pursue."

Sanya, stifled by jealousy and bitterness, at this moment . With a venomous smile, she began her attack.
"Well, well, well,"
she purred,
"Look who is speaking. The middle-class girl who managed to snare the heart of a star cricketer. That's how everyone knows you not by some stupid degree of yours or anything because no one care about it."

Vrushali's eyes met Sanya's with a steely resolve.
 "Neither do I care about what the world thinks of me"
 She replied, her voice calm and collected.
"I may come from humble beginnings, but Shubman gives me love and respect and in fact his family treats me well and non of them thinks that I am not capable of being his wife because of some status created by public then why should I? Moreover I stand tall on the foundation of my own accomplishments. Unlike you, I didn't inherit my success. I earned it. "

Sanya's face contorted in disbelief.
"Earned it? You? The girl who couldn't afford the same designer shoes as us? How dare you make such a ridiculous claim!"

Vrushali's eyes held a mischievous glimmer.
"Oh, but I did. You see, Sanya, while you were busy swanning about in your daddy's mansion, I was studying my heart out at the Indian Institute of Technology. IIT, my dear. One of the finest educational institutions in the country."

Sanya's eyes widened in a mix of shock and humiliation.
"IIT is really Impossible for someone like you it has standards"
 she hissed.
 "You must have paid your way in, but how could you, you are just another middle class girl"

"On the contrary,"
 Vrushali countered,
" IITs don't take donation and in fact I received a full scholarship based on merit. Something you wouldn't understand since your education was bought and paid for."

A surge of silence washed over the group as the other ladies watched the exchange unfold. Sanya's rage ignited into an inferno. She lunged towards Vrushali, but was quickly intercepted by Vrushali's towering husband, Shubman.

"Leave her alone, Sanya,"
Shubman growled, his protective instincts flaring.
"You have no right to harass my wife."

Sanya recoiled in fear. Her ego crushed, she disappeared into the crowd, her shattered dream of reconciliation with Shubman in ruins.

As the evening came to a close, Shubman and Vrushali bid farewell to the guests. As they made their way out, Vrushali turned to her husband with a triumphant smile.