Maybe peace was never meant for Sanvi's life. Just when her personal problems began to fade, her life was dragged into the storm of family chaos.
Sanvi (softly): "Mom... can I eat now? Or are you only interested in talking on the phone all day?"
Mom (snapping): "Do you people feel hungry all the time? I'm not making anything. We don't want to eat. If you want something, make it yourself."
Sanvi (gritting her teeth): "Of course you don't feel hungry anymore... all your cravings must be satisfied by talking to that filthy pig of a man!"
Mom (furious, storming toward her): "What did you just say, you bitch?! Say it again!"
Sanvi (tears in her eyes): "You don't care about your children anymore! All that matters to you is that disgusting man... that pig, that monster!"
Mom (grabbing Sanvi's hair violently): "If you ever speak a word about him again, I'll slice your tongue off with a knife. I swear, even if you die, it won't make a difference to me!"
Sanvi (struggling, defending herself): "Do whatever you want. I'm going now. I'll tell Dad everything-enough of your drama!"
Mom (slamming Sanvi's head against the wall): "If you say a word to your father, I'll smash your skull. You hear me?"
Sanvi (screaming in pain, crying): "Fine! Hit me all you want! I'll still tell him everything!"
Mom (suddenly scared): "Go ahead, tell him! I'm not scared of that man. But remember... I won't let you live either. I'll have you killed, and no dog will find your body!"
Sanvi (pushing away): "Let me go! I'm going to tell him now!"
Her mom let go of her hair only to snatch the phone from her hand and throw it on the bed.
Mom (sarcastic, challenging): "What are you going to tell him? Here, I'll call him myself. Go ahead, talk to your father!"
Sanvi (sobbing, trembling, reaching for the phone): "Don't hurt me anymore..."
Her dad on the phone: "Hello...? What's going on?"
Sanvi (finally breaking down, sobbing harder): "Do you even know what she's been doing to me? She's been hitting me for so long, and-"
Before she could finish, her mom snatched the phone again and cut the call. Then, in a fit of uncontrollable rage, she grabbed Sanvi by the throat and threw her onto the bed.
Sanvi didn't fight back. She just tried to protect herself. Somewhere deep down, she still couldn't raise her hand against her own mother.
Mom (screaming, choking her): "You little whore! You've got the guts to tell your father about me?! Have you looked at your face? You filthy creature! You should have died the day you were born. What sin did I commit to have a daughter like you? No strength in your bones and yet you try to fight me? I'll snap your neck right here!"
Tears silently streamed down Sanvi's face. Her cheeks were flushed red from the lack of air. Her hands trembled as she tried to loosen her mother's grip, but she was too weak... too broken.
Just then, her dad called again. Seeing the incoming call, her mom finally released her throat and grabbed the phone.
Mom (now crying fake crocodile tears): "I can't live like this anymore... I'll kill myself. I swear, I'll drink poison. My own child is screaming at me... just because I didn't cook for her. I wasn't feeling well. That's why I told her to make it herself. But now, nothing matters anymore. I'll end everything."
Sanvi (watching all this, completely defeated, thinking to herself): "She only cooks when Dad comes home... just to hide everything. That's all this ever was-a mask."
Dad (shouting on the phone, voice filled with rage): "Put that bitch on the phone right now! Break her arms if you have to! I don't care. I'd rather raise a donkey than keep a shameless, disrespectful child like her in my house!"
After hearing all that… Sanvi gave up the last shred of hope she had in her father. If he couldn't see her pain even now, no one would come to save her.
Yes, she was furious at her mother—but even more than that, she was burning with rage toward her sister. Because she knew. She knew everything... and still chose silence.
Sanvi (screaming at her sister, her voice shaking with fury): "Yeah, don't say anything. Just sit there and enjoy the show. You yourself told me you hate that disgusting man. You told me you can't stand Mom doing all those things with him. But now? Now when it all comes out—you sit there with your mouth shut like a coward!"
Aashvi (avoiding eye contact, fidgeting, mumbling): "Well… what was I supposed to say? You're the one who started talking to him first. Why should I speak up now?"
That was it.
Sanvi's hands trembled—not from fear, but from the overwhelming urge to slap the hypocrisy out of her sister. Maybe even more than her mother, it was this betrayal that shattered her.
Sanvi (boiling): "If I ever hear you say a single word in defense of that man again, I swear I'll punch you so hard your face will swell! You only open your mouth to mock me, you spineless, backstabbing rat!"
Aashvi stayed quiet. She didn't fight back. And seeing that, their mother's rage slowly started to cool… but her brain had already begun scheming something darker.
Mom (putting on her usual mask, crocodile tears falling): "Okay, fine… I won't talk to him anymore. Just—please. Don't tell your dad. If you do, everything will fall apart. My life will be ruined, your father will leave me… and then what? You'll all be alone. Let me die while you all live peacefully. Watch us both rot."
Sanvi stood frozen. A twisted knot of guilt and anger formed in her chest. She knew her mother was playing her… but still, a part of her hesitated. What if… what if she really ruined everything?
Sanvi (quietly, defeated): "Fine. I won't tell Dad. But if something like this happens again—I won't hold back. I will tell him everything."
Mom (quickly wiping her fake tears): "Alright. Do what you have to."
But in her mind, a different storm was brewing.
Mom (thinking): "Let her act tough. She'll be gone soon anyway—once she finishes 10th and leaves this house, she won't even know what's going on here. And as for Aashvi? I'll take care of that too. She won't be allowed a phone unless I'm watching. She won't talk to her sister. I'll make sure she never finds out anything again."
But lies have a strange way of betraying their masters.
They can hide… for a while.
But truth?
Truth always finds its way out—
And someone here had clearly forgotten that.
**************