Unspoken Judgments and Hidden Truths

As Veer stepped into the grand entrance of the Khanna Mansion, the warmth of the chandeliers cast a golden glow over the polished marble floors. The air carried the familiar scent of sandalwood and expensive colognes, a signature of his household. The grandeur of the place never fazed him, but tonight, with Zara walking beside him, he felt something different.

He cleared his throat, turning to her.

"Hand over your car keys to the worker," he instructed, gesturing toward one of the uniformed men standing by the staircase. "He'll take it to the service center in the morning."

Zara nodded, retrieving the keys from her purse and passing them to the worker, who accepted them with a slight bow. But as he stepped away, his eyes lingered on her for a moment longer than necessary, curiosity flickering within them.

Veer noticed. Everyone was staring.

Of course, bringing a woman home—especially this late at night—was bound to cause speculation. But he wasn't in the mood to explain himself.

"Let's go," he said, leading Zara further inside.

An Unexpected Reception

The moment they entered the main living hall, Veer's family was already gathered there. His father, Abhijeet Khanna, sat in his usual chair near the grand fireplace, sipping on his evening whiskey, his face impassive, his posture commanding. His mother, Anaya Khanna, was seated on the plush couch beside Mahi, flipping through a fashion magazine, though her eyes flickered up the second Veer entered.

And then there was Mahi—his younger sister. The little devil had a way of making everything dramatic.

The second her gaze landed on Zara, her eyes widened, and a mischievous glint appeared.

"Veer Bhayiya!" she gasped, jumping up from the couch. "Who is this girl? Is she your girlfriend? Or—" she gasped theatrically, "did you secretly get married and now you're here to surprise us with your wife?"

A stunned silence followed.

The workers, who were moving about the hall, suddenly froze. Their eyes widened, and hushed whispers began.

Veer's face turned crimson.

"Mahi!" he snapped, his voice laced with both frustration and embarrassment.

Meanwhile, Zara simply smirked.

She was enjoying this.

Her arms casually folded, and she tilted her head slightly, watching Veer squirm under the weight of his sister's words.

"Veer Bhayiya, are you really married?" Mahi teased again, her giggles barely contained.

The workers exchanged glances, some looking at Veer with scandalized expressions, while others seemed to be trying to suppress laughter.

But it wasn't the reaction of the workers that caught Veer's attention.

It was the expressions on his parents' faces.

His mother's eyes lit up—that unmistakable glimmer of curiosity and hope that only mothers had when they saw a girl standing beside their son. A look that said, "Does she suit him?"

His father's gaze, on the other hand, remained cold—but something flickered beneath the surface. A suspicion.

Not the suspicion of whether Zara was good enough for Veer…

But whether Veer had brought her here for the wrong reasons.

A one-night stand.

Veer could almost hear his father's unspoken thoughts.

"Has he started bringing women home now? Is this what I raised him for?"

His father's sharp gaze traveled from Zara to Veer, scrutinizing, evaluating.

And then there was Meera, the head worker of the household staff who also manages the schedule of his father's each and every meeting held at home.

Her reaction was… different.

She wasn't shocked, nor amused. She simply stared at Zara with an unreadable intensity, as if she knew exactly who she was.

Zara, for the first time since entering the mansion, felt something off.

Why was this woman looking at her like that?

Mean while, here Veer clenched his jaw and turned to Mahi, desperate to shut her up.

"Mahi… she was the same guest I was talking about on phone" he sighed, rubbing his temples. "Stop watching so many family dramas with Mom. You're filling your head with nonsense instead of focusing on your studies."

Mahi pouted.

"But—"

"No buts. And as for everyone else—" Veer turned toward the workers who were still openly staring. His voice hardened. "Why are you all standing here? Don't you have work to do?"

The second his strict, sharp voice cut through the air, the workers snapped back to reality and hurried away, muttering apologies.

All except Meera.

She still stood beside Veer's father, eyes locked onto Zara.

And Zara, for the first time, felt uneasy under someone's gaze.

Veer ignored it for now.

Mahi, realizing her mistake, fidgeted awkwardly.

"Sorry, bhayiya… sorry, Zara di… I was just joking."

Zara chuckled.

"No harm done, dear," she said smoothly.

Mahi smiled, then suddenly brightened.

"Oh! Brother, you promised to help me with my studies!"

Before Veer could protest, she grabbed his hand and started dragging him away.

"Mahi—!"

"No excuses! You're coming!"

Zara smirked as Veer was literally pulled away by his tiny, energetic sister.

And just like that, she was left alone with his parents.

Meeting the Khanna Elders

Zara turned to face them, straightening her posture.

She wasn't nervous.

She had faced far worse than judgmental parents.

Smiling politely, she greeted them with a slight bow.

"Namaste, Sir. Namaste, Ma'am."

His mother smiled, but his father remained expressionless.

"You're Veer's guest?" Abhijeet Khanna finally spoke. His voice was deep, intimidating, laced with an authority that had built an empire.

"Yes, sir," Zara nodded. "My car overheated on the road. Veer sir was passing by, and I asked for his help."

His mother's eyes softened even more.

"That was kind of him," she said warmly.

His father, however, was not impressed.

He glanced toward Meera, who was still watching Zara carefully.

"Meera," Abhijeet said, his voice measured. "Take her to the guest room. For the night."

There was emphasis in those last words.

A silent warning.

This girl was allowed to stay.

But she wasn't welcome here beyond that.

Zara caught the underlying meaning immediately.

She smiled—sweet, polite, but knowing.

She wasn't here to win their approval.

She was here for Veer.

And whether his father liked it or not…

She was staying.