A New Lesson and a Hidden Past

The aftermath of the broken cup incident had left a strange, new silence in the Aggarwal household. Rajmata's watchful eyes were now tinged with a reluctant respect, a silent acknowledgment that Anika was more than the common girl she had initially perceived. Anika, for her part, felt a quiet shift in her own perception. She was no longer just a pawn; Vikram's public defense had elevated her to the status of a partner, a part of the family he was willing to protect. Her fear had been replaced by a quiet sense of resolve. She was in a war, and she had just survived her first major skirmish.