Page 58 of The Defiant Wife

"A girl's reputation is like glass," he continues. "Once cracked, it can never truly be repaired."

My gaze shifts toward Diya.She still hasn't spoken. And knowing her, such thoughts would have been shut down by her before they were even uttered by someone, considering she's sitting there silently . . . it's strange. I frown.

The silence doesn't suit her.It irritates me more than it should.

"Look at her," her father says with a sigh. "She has always been difficult. Always talking back. Never listening. Now this photograph has brought shame directly to our doorstep."

Something cold settles in my chest.Difficult. That's what he calls her.The same woman who spends most of her time caring for dozens of children that nobody else wanted.The same woman who remembers every child's birthday.

Difficult.

I glance at her again.She still doesn't react.Doesn't defend herself.Doesn't argue. Nothing. And somehow that's worse.Much worse.

Before Bhai sa can respond, the words leave my mouth. "The situation is a security breach on our end, Mr. Goyal." I repeat.The room falls silent.His eyes shift to me.I meet them evenly."Diya is the victim here. Not the perpetrator. Let's keep our definitions clear."

His smile falters.Only slightly. But I see it.

Beside me, Vihaan shifts in his chair. Probably surprised I spoke at all.I don't particularly care.

Mr. Goyal clears his throat."Of course. Of course. That's not what I meant."

It absolutely is.But again, I let him lead.Because unlike Diya, I know exactly what kind of people these are.I've spent years sitting across boardrooms from men like him.

Greed always leaves traces.And this man is leaving fingerprints everywhere.The conversation continues.

Her father talks.Bhai sa listens.Vihaan occasionally intervenes.

I mostly watch.Watch her.Watch the dynamic between them.And the longer I watch, the more I dislike what I'm seeing.Every time Diya shifts in her chair, her father's eyes immediately move to her.Every time she looks like she might speak, he cuts in first.Every single time.

Control.

Not concern.

Control.

Then comes the moment that changes everything."I think marriage would solve this problem."

The room goes quiet.

Diya's head snaps upward.

Finally.

A reaction.

Her eyes widen. "P—"

Her father grabs her wrist.Hard. She winces.The movement is quick enough that most people probably miss it.

I don't.His fingers dig into her skin.Her sentence dies immediately.I watch her flinch.Watch her mouth close.Watch her look away.Something ugly rises inside me.Something hot.And suddenly I understand.

The silence. The lack of arguments. The missing fire.

It wasn't gone.It had been extinguished.By the people who were supposed to protect it.

"Marriage is the only solution now," her father continues. "The world isn't kind. Especially to girls like her."

Girls like her.