After 3 years
Siara Sehgal moved through the grand Sehgal mansion like a shadow, silent and efficient, her every movement exuding a grace devoid of life. Draped in a simple saree, as dictated by Rajeshwari Sehgal, she blended into the background, her presence acknowledged only when necessary.
The younger Sehgals-Avya, Myra, Shivay,divya-joked and played with Kavya and mahi, their laughter echoing through the halls, but Siara was never part of it. Their energy was infectious, their bond unbreakable. Yet, amidst the whirlwind of laughter, Siara remained an outsiderânot by force, but by choice. She never joined in, never sought the warmth of their carefree joy. And she didnât mind. The echoes of their happiness passed over her like waves against an untouched shore, never quite reaching the depths of her solitude.
If anyone thought Siara was weak and cannot stand for herself, they couldn't be more mistaken because if someone dared cross the line, she had no qualms about breaking bones to remind them where they belonged.. She is no longer that naive , bubbly, gullible sister of malhotra brothers who used to cry on even a small matter but this is all unknown to Sehgal's as they never saw her speaking more than a few words.
"She's too... distant," Myra once whispered to Shivay, who shrugged. "Maybe that's just how she is."
---
It had been three years since her wedding. Mahir had left for New York the night of their marriage and hadn't returned. No calls, no messages, nothing. Their numbers weren't even saved in each other's phones. Mahir talks to his family regularly but no one mentions siara nor does he.
The family knew the reality of their relationship, but no one spoke about it. In the world's eyes, Mahir Sehgal remained an eligible bachelor, and Siara was a mere ghost in their lives.
Devansh's wife, Kavya, once asked her softly, "Bhabhi, why don't you join us at the company's annual gala?"
Siara told her void of any expressions. "I'm not needed there."
"But you're the eldest daughter-in-law..." Kavya trailed off, her words feeling hollow against Siara's composed indifference.
---
Unbeknownst to the family, Siara's life outside the mansion was anything but ordinary. She wasn't a receptionist, as Myra had once misunderstood, but the world's leading neurologist, saving lives while slowly losing her own. Her name was whispered in reverence in hospitals, but in her own home, she was an invisible entity. She worked in the topmost hospital in India and her name was enough to make the staff and doctors shiver.
"She's incredible," a patient's family once said, tears of gratitude in their eyes. "Dr. Siara is a miracle worker."
Among all this, every second day, either the patient or their family used to ask about her relationship status through junior doctors or staff. As she was asked by dadi to not reveal about her being Mahir's wife to the world, she was unmarried in other's eyes.
She mostly stays at the hospital burdening herself with surgeries after surgeries. She eats when she gets time which is not much possible as per her busy schedule.
Her mother in law and chachi although have anger for her in their minds but somewhere in their heart they know that this girl is broken in ways they couldn't comprehend.
She used to be an independent, carefree girl who never liked studying. That changed after she woke up from coma, call it a miracle
But miracles came at a cost. Behind the mask of her unparalleled professionalism was a woman who had forgotten how to live, her soul fractured beyond repair.
----------
Rajeshwari watched as Siara meticulously served breakfast. "She's perfect as a daughter-in-law," the matriarch thought, her stern face betraying nothing. But deep down, there was a pang of guilt.
"Siara," Rajeshwari said, her voice sharp,"don't forget to make the necessary arrangements as Seema is reaching tomorrow for lunch."
"Yes, Dadi," Siara replied, her tone polite but empty.
Shivay muttered to Avya, "Does she even feel anything? It's like she's a robot."
Avya spoke aggressively,"I will never accept her as my bhai's wife, after she came he became even more distant with us"
Well avya never liked her, although no one had such likeliness for siara as she herself never tried to talk to anyone but avya always passed such rude comments to her.
Siara- felt nothing
Broken, but still standing. That was Siara Sehgal.
____________________________________
Next day-
The dining room was perfectly set, the aroma of an elaborate lunch prepared by Siara wafting through the air.
She never knew even the C of cooking but they says na you learn everything once the comfort of not doing it goes away.
Siara, in her crisp saree, silently moved around, serving everyone with precision. She barely looked up as Seema bua, Rajeshwari's daughter who arrived with her usual flair of unsolicited opinions. Siara touched her feet as bua is elder and also she doesn't want anyone to ever say that her maa papa didn't teach her how to respect elders.
------
Seema Bua smiling thinly as Siara served her,"Ah, Siara, such dedication! I hear you're still working as a receptionist? It's nice you keep yourself occupied, but..." She turned to Kavya and Mahi, her voice dripping with mock concern. "It's such a contrast to you girls-one a successful fashion designer and the other a chartered accountant. Truly the pride of this family! See how professionally they dresses up"
Siara's hands didn't falter as she continued serving, her face emotionless, as though the words didn't reach her.
Kavya quietly, to herself, glancing at Siara,"Why does she never defend herself? How does she bear this?"
Divya forcing a polite smile said,"Bua ji, every role is important, isn't it? After all, not everyone needs to work in the spotlight."
Seema waved her off dismissively. "Oh, of course, but being the eldest bahu, shouldn't there be more ambition? The others have made a name for themselves. Even if we like it or not you are the wife of Mahir Sehgal Siara, you should consider doing the same instead of using the luxury of your husband's money"
Devansh with a slight frown, interrupted her,"Bua ji, Siara bhabhi handles everything here perfectly. That's not something everyone can do."
Even though the family has no good connection with siara but that doesn't mean they will let her desrespect her.
Rajeshwari sternly, though avoiding eye contact with Siara,"Enough chatter. Eat your food before it gets cold."
"Why does Bua always poke her nose where it's not needed?" Shivay muttered under his breath to Myra
Myra sighed. "Because no one stops her."
Siara finished serving and took her place at the table, eating in silence. Her calm demeanor remained intact, but her eyes were far away, focused on nothing. The comments didn't sting anymore; she had built walls too high for anyone's words to penetrate. She was just thinking about how to remove the tumour from her patients brain by reducing the chances of permanent blindness after surgery.
As the family ate, a heavy silence lingered in the air, the tension palpable. Everyone felt the sting of Seema's words but, as always, chose to bury their discomfort under the guise of indifference.
But there was one person who has had enough that was Advitya Sehgal.
As Seema Bua's car drove away after lunch leaving behind an air of discomfort, Advitya Sehgal retreated to his study. The day's events weighed heavily on him, but it wasn't just Seema's sharp remarks-it was the silence that Siara endured.
Sitting in his leather chair, he ran a hand through his hair, his frustration bubbling to the surface. "Three years. Three damn years of this charade." His mind replayed Siara's stoic expression at the dining table, her silence screaming louder than words.
He picked up the framed photo on his desk-a picture of a younger Mahir, smiling confidently beside him at a company event. Advitya's jaw tightened as he set the frame down. "You think you can just run away from responsibility, Mahir? From this family? From her? Enough is enough."
He stood, pacing the room. "Siara has done more than anyone could have expected. She's upheld this family's dignity when you refused to. But how much longer can she take this? How much longer can I watch her bear it?"
Advitya paused at the window, staring out at the sprawling Sehgal estate. "You may be one of the richest man the world, Mahir, but you're no better than a coward right now. This ends here."
Thinking of this he called someone
Hanging up, he exhaled sharply, his resolve firm. "It's time you faced your responsibilities, Mahir. You're coming back, whether you like it or not and if siara wants then I'll make you divorce her, what she did in past stays in past because now it would be her choice. I'll fucking change the traditional norms of Sehgal's about no divorces if that child wants it.
But something he was unaware of was that siara doesn't care about his existence just like he doesn't. She realised it long ago that what she felt for him before was just infatuation.