The silence in the master bedroom wasn't just quiet; it was heavy, like the air before a tectonic shift. Mahesh hadn't looked at Surbhi since they entered the room. He stood by the window for what felt like an eternity, his back a rigid wall of unsaid accusations. Then, without a single word, he turned on his heel and walked out, the heavy teak door thudding shut behind him.

Surbhi collapsed onto the edge of the bed, her breath coming in shallow, jagged gasps. Her mind was a whirlwind of terror. Was I sitting too close? Did he not like the way I laughed? The progress of the last few months—the factory, the lessons, the fragile peace—felt like a glass house that had just been shattered by a single stone of jealousy.