She smiled despite herself. "Thank you. For tonight. For being..." she trailed off, not sure how to finish.
For being the only one in this entire house who sees me, she thought but didn't say.
Bruno stood and pressed his massive head against her leg, a gesture of comfort she hadn't known she needed.
She rested her hand on his head and let herself breathe.
Just breathe.
Tomorrow would come with its own battles, its own humiliations, its own moments of feeling invisible.
But tonight, in the darkness, she had this.
A demon dog who'd chosen her as his friend.
It wasn't much.
But it was more than she'd had before.
CHAPTER 4
Morning light filtered through the sitting room windows as Nimisha settled into the corner armchair with her laptop. She'd finished her morning routine—breakfast alone, thirty minutes of writing, an hour at the gym—and now planned to work on her manuscript for a few hours before lunch.
"Ma'am?"
She looked up to find Radha hovering in the doorway.
"Yes?"
"Would you like some tea?"
"Yes, please. And maybe some of those coconut biscuits if there are any left?"
Radha shifted her weight. "I'll check, ma'am."
She disappeared, and Nimisha returned her attention to her laptop. Ten minutes passed. Then twenty.
No tea appeared.
Voices drifted from the hallway—Radha's, and another woman's. Laughter, light and friendly.
Nimisha's jaw tightened, but she didn't move. She knew what was happening.
Five minutes later, Radha appeared again, this time carrying a tray laden with tea, fresh coconut biscuits, and even some ladoos.
She walked right past Nimisha's chair.
"Here you are, ma'am," Radha said warmly, setting the tray on the table where Kritika had just settled with a book.
"Thank you so much, Radha," Kritika said, her smile bright. "You always know exactly what I need."
"My pleasure, ma'am."
Radha left without a backward glance at Nimisha.
Kritika looked up, noticed Nimisha watching, and her smile faltered. "Oh! Nimisha, did you want tea? Radha, could you—"
"It's fine," Nimisha interrupted, her voice even. "I'll get it myself."
