“Hey! Get up, lazy girl! The whole household is already awake and busy, and you’re still lying in bed? You think your dead mother is going to come and do the housework for you?” shouted Saroj angrily.

Sita, who was suffering from a fever, got up slowly and said, “Aunt, I’ll do the work. I had a fever, that’s why I woke up late.”

Saroj retorted, “All this is just your drama to avoid work. Do you think I don’t know your tricks?”

With teary eyes, Sita softly replied, “No, aunt, I’ve never pretended to escape work,” and quietly walked toward the kitchen.

Saroj then went to her daughter Priya’s room and said, “My sweet Priya, wake up dear, it’s already daylight.”

Priya grumbled, “Go away, mom! Let me sleep a little more. After half an hour, tell that maid to bring me coffee.”

Saroj nodded, “Alright dear, I’ll tell her,” and walked out.

Outside, she called, “Sita! Where are you? Come here!”

Sita came running and stood in front of her.

Saroj said, “My daughter wants coffee in half an hour. Make sure she gets it.”

Sita replied, “Okay, aunt. I’ll do it,” and went into the kitchen.

She prepared the coffee and took it to Priya.

“Here’s your coffee,” she said softly.

Priya snapped, “Don’t show me your face! Just hold the mirror!”

Sita held the mirror as Priya closed her eyes, sat up, and looked at herself. Admiring her own beauty, she said,

“How beautiful I am!” and then turned to Sita and said, “Now give me the coffee.”

After Priya drank the coffee and handed the cup back, Sita returned to the kitchen, washed the cup, and started preparing breakfast.

At that time, Damodar came and sat on the sofa.

“Saroj! Get me coffee,” he called out, but Saroj didn’t hear him.

Sita overheard and thought, “Oh no! Aunt isn’t around and dad is asking for coffee. What should I do?”

As Damodar grew impatient and said, “Bring it fast! I’m having a headache!”

Sita, worried and trembling, made the coffee and went to him, carefully offering the cup.

Without looking up, Damodar took the cup and drank.

As he was about to return the cup, he looked up and saw Sita.

His eyes turned red with rage.

“Why did you bring it?! Did I tell you to?” he shouted.

Sita stammered, “Aunt wasn’t around, so…”

“How many times do I have to tell you not to come in front of me, you inauspicious girl?” he yelled.

Sita stood silently, tears rolling down her cheeks.

Hearing the shouting, Saroj came with a smug expression, happy to see Sita being scolded.

“How many times do I have to tell you to keep that cursed girl away from me?” Damodar said angrily to Saroj.

Then, turning to Saroj, he asked, “Where were you? I called you for coffee.”

Saroj lied, “I was washing clothes.”

Pointing at Sita, Damodar said, “Why do you have to do everything? Isn’t she here?”

Saroj, pretending to be innocent, said, “What can I do? If I ask her, she either refuses or answers back rudely.”

Damodar replied, “If she answers back, slap her and make her work! No one here gets food without working. Only those who work will eat!”

Saying that, he stormed off to his room.

Sita, hearing her own father’s cruel words, felt a deep ache in her heart.

She thought, “Why am I even alive?”

This wasn’t just today’s story. For the last twenty years, all Sita had received was rejection.

Not a single day had passed where she had felt her father’s love.

Her mother had died just two days after Sita was born. Since then, Damodar had considered her inauspicious.

Not once had he called her by name.

Until the age of four, Sita was taken care of by Damodar’s mother, Shantamma.

But due to illness, she passed away when Sita was four.

That day, the only person who had shown her love also left her.

Even Shantamma’s death was blamed on Sita.

When Damodar married Saroj, Sita was five years old.

From then on, her life became a living hell.

If being ignored by her father wasn’t enough, Saroj treated her like a maid—beating her and scolding her constantly.

That house had become a prison for her.

Sita had never seen a happy day. Her life was filled with only pain and sorrow.

Let’s see… will good days ever come for our Sita?

To be continued…

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This is my first attempt, so your support and feedback are very important. Please share your thoughts.

As Damodar was about to leave for work, he called out, "Saroja, Saroja!"

Saroja came and asked, "What is it?"

Damodar replied, “Do I have to say it every day? Where is my princess? I never leave for work without seeing her face. Her face brings me success in everything I do.”

Hearing this, Saroja called out, “Priya, my dear, come quickly, your father is calling you.”

Priya came and said, “Yes, mom?” and stood in front of Damodar.

Looking at Priya, Damodar said, “Since the day you were born, everything has gone well for me. When I see your face before I leave, every task I take up succeeds.”

Hearing this, both mother and daughter smiled with pride.

Only Seetha stood in the shadows, hurt by her father's words. From the time she could understand things, all she ever wanted was her father’s love. But she never received it.

After Damodar left for work, Saroja shouted, “Seetha! Seetha!”

Seetha came running and asked, “What is it, Chikkamma (aunt)?”

Saroja said, “There’s a pile of clothes belonging to me and our dear Priya—wash all of them. Then, for lunch, prepare chicken biryani, kebabs, and chicken curry. My brother and sister-in-law are visiting today, and we need to take good care of them.”

Seetha grew anxious. They both should not see me… who knows what I’ll have to go through again? she thought, and simply said, “Okay, Chikkamma,” and walked away.

Meanwhile, Saroja and Priya sat back, feet up, watching TV.

Although Seetha was the elder daughter of the house, she was treated worse than the household help.

She had no one with whom she could share her sorrow.

“Mom! Mom, where are you?”

“Coming, dear,” replied Anuradha, slowly descending the stairs.

“What is it, Ram?” she asked.

Ram said happily, “Mom! Today our company won the Toncore project!”

His mother’s heart filled with joy at her son’s success.

“I’m proud of you becoming a successful businessman, son. But when I talk about marriage, you run away! That’s why I’m upset with you.”

Ram replied, “Mom, you already know I’m not interested in marriage or girls.”

“Yes, I know, but thinking that what happened in someone else’s life will happen in ours too is not true,” she said.

Ram replied firmly, “No, Mom. Nowadays girls have one boyfriend in college, another at work, and marry someone else altogether. They marry rich boys to enjoy a luxurious life. I’ve seen my friends after marriage—they have no freedom, they need to ask their wives for everything. I don’t want such a life. Please don’t force me to get married.”

Saying this, he walked away, leaving Anuradha to hold her head in frustration.

“Oh God, where is the girl who will hold the hand of this hermit?” she thought.

Ram went to his room, picked up a photograph, and spoke to it:

“I still remember the tragedy that happened in your life. That day, I should not have supported your love. Your experience has taught me a lesson. That’s why I will never fall into the trap of love or marriage.

In my life, I have only two things—my mother and success,” he said to the photo.

To be continued…

Thank you for your encouragement and support.