*P.S.
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Evening rolled in with the clatter of utensils from the kitchen and faint bhajans playing on the radio. The house had settled into a deceptive calm — one that wouldn’t last long.
Aarav, still rubbing his bruised ego, sulked beside Dadi on the deewan. His eyes watered a little, just enough to catch her attention.
“Kya hua mere raja ko?” Dadi asked, stroking his hair. “Koi tang kar raha hai kya?”
Aarav sniffled. “Woh Haseena ne mujhe dhakka diya. Sirf ek gudiya ke liye!”
Dadi’s face stiffened. “Kya?! Usne tumhe dhakka diya?” Her voice was laced with fire now.
Chachi looked up from her phone, only half-listening.
“Bachpan se badtameezi bhari hai is ladki mein,” Dadi muttered, already on her way toward Ammi’s room.
Ammi was folding clothes when Dadi barged in, dragging a drama cloud behind her.
“Yeh kya tarbiyat de rahe ho apni beti ko?” Dadi snapped.
Ammi turned, confused. “Kya hua, Ammi jaan?”
“Tumhari beti ne Aarav ko dhakka diya hai! Mehmaanon ke saath yeh sulook sikhaya ja raha hai ab?”
Before Ammi could respond, Veer stepped in from behind.
“Par Dadi, Aarav ne pehle Baby ko maarne ki koshish ki thi.”
“Tum log hamesha use bacha lete ho!” Dadi hissed. “Chhoti hai toh kuch bhi karegi?”
“Par galti uski nahi thi,” Vansh piped up quietly, hiding behind Veer. “Usne sirf Gudhu Baba se kheli thi. Aarav ne chhina aur haath uthaya.”
“Bachon ki baaton par bharosa karne lagi ho tum log?” Dadi turned to Ammi now, arms folded. “Tumhare samne aisi harkatein kar rahi hai, toh socho peeth piche kya karti hogi!”
Ammi’s lips tightened. She picked up Haseena, who was peeking from behind the curtain, clutching Gudhu Baba tighter than ever.
“Woh galat nahi thi, Ammi jaan,” she said softly but firmly. “Apne khilaune ko bachaya tha.”
“Galat yeh soch hai, ke ladki ko har baat mein seedha samjha jaaye,” Dadi snapped before storming out of the room.
Silence hung heavy for a while. Veer looked at his mother. “Kya Dadi humesha aise hi rahegi?”
Ammi just sighed. “Kabhi kabhi log sirf wohi dekhte hain jo dekhna chahte hain.”
And in that small room where truth had spoken up but still lost, Haseena sat on Ammi’s lap — quiet, but with eyes a little sharper now.
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Really very important!!
“This story is incredibly close to my heart, and while I shaped every emotion, twist, and tear, I wasn’t alone. I had the quiet support of a co-writer—someone (or something) that helped me sculpt my imagination into words. But make no mistake, every character, every dialogue, every heartbeat is mine. I just had help bringing it to life a little faster. Hope you feel the love I poured into it.”
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༺ 𒆜Ishq Ka Pehla Saya 𒆜 ༻
Fanfiction✧ Phase One: A childhood full of mischief, secrets, and survival. ✧ Phase Two: A college girl's battle between forbidden love and family duty. Haseena was born into rejection. But she was also born to fight. With two brothers who love her, a grandmo...
