She was always fine.
CHAPTER 3
The Ranawat dining room was a masterpiece of old-world elegance—crystal chandeliers, imported Italian marble, and a table that could seat twenty comfortably. Tonight, it hosted twelve, and the atmosphere was thick with the weight of tradition and unspoken hierarchies.
Nimisha sat in her designated seat, three chairs down from the head of the table where Samarth presided. She'd learned early that proximity to her husband at family dinners meant nothing. The distance between them had little to do with where they sat.
"The flowers are absolutely stunning, Maa," Kritika said, adjusting the centerpiece slightly. "You always have such exquisite taste."
Saroj beamed. "Thank you, beta. Though I must say, your input on the color scheme was invaluable."
Nimisha smoothed the silk of her emerald saree, the heavy fabric a second skin she'd learned to wear with practiced grace. She'd chosen it carefully—elegant, traditional, appropriate. Everything a Ranawat daughter-in-law should be.
If only the rest of her could be molded as easily as her appearance.
"Bhabhi, you look beautiful tonight," Shaurya said from across the table, his smile genuine.
"Thank you, Shaurya."
Samarth's gaze flickered to her briefly—a cursory glance that assessed and dismissed in the same breath. He was dressed in a black suit that probably cost more than her entire wardrobe, his jaw clean-shaven, his dark eyes revealing nothing.
Beautiful and untouchable. Like always.
"When is Tanisha arriving?" Raghbir asked from his seat beside Saroj.
"She messaged that she's on her way," Saroj replied. "She's bringing Kabir. We're finally going to meet the young man who's stolen our daughter's heart."
"About time," Raghbir grumbled. "She's been secretive about this relationship for months."
The doors opened, and Tanisha swept in like a force of nature. At twenty-five, Samarth's sister was stunning—her mother's beauty and her father's confidence wrapped in a designer dress that probably cost more than Nimisha's first book advance.
"Sorry we're late!" Tanisha announced, her arm linked with a tall man in his early thirties.
Kabir Malhotra.
Nimisha's first impression was that he was handsome in a polished, calculated way. Expensive watch, designer suit, perfectly styled hair. The kind of man who knew exactly how attractive he was.
Her second impression came when his eyes swept the room and landed on her.
The way he looked at her made her skin crawl.
"Everyone, this is Kabir," Tanisha said, practically glowing. "Kabir, this is my family. Papa, Maa, my brothers Samarth and Shaurya, and—" she gestured vaguely toward the others, "—everyone else."
Everyone else. Nimisha had been relegated to the background so often, she barely registered the slight anymore.
"Pleasure to meet you all," Kabir said smoothly, moving around the table to greet the elders. His voice was cultured, his manners impeccable.
When he reached Nimisha, his hand lingered a fraction too long when she offered the customary greeting.
"Mrs. Ranawat," he said, his eyes dropping briefly to her neckline before meeting hers again. "Tanisha didn't mention her sister-in-law was so lovely."
"Thank you," Nimisha replied, pulling her hand back and resisting the urge to wipe it on her saree.
Samarth's gaze was on his phone, completely disinterested in his sister's boyfriend or his wife's discomfort.
"Kabir runs his own investment firm," Tanisha announced proudly as they took their seats. "He's been absolutely brilliant with his portfolio management."
"Impressive," Raghbir said. "The market's been volatile lately."
