It was early morning. The Shekhawat family sat together for breakfast.

"I heard you brought a girl home last night."

Harshavardhan spoke calmly.

Hriday nodded. "Yes, Dadaji. She has no one in this world. From now on, she'll stay here."

Maithili looked up sharply. "Papaji, please tell him we haven't opened a charity here."

"Mom," Hriday said gently, "she's someone very special to me. Maybe to you too. Did you meet her?"

Maithili frowned. "Why would I need to— I mean... Papaji, tell him why should I meet that girl? Is she my daughter-in-law whom I've been waiting for?"

She glared at Hriday.

"Mom, she will stay here. That's final. If you want to see me happy, accept it. Otherwise, I'll think you don't love me anymore."

"Hriday! I love you, my son."

Harshavardhan smiled faintly at his grandson's clever emotional blackmail.

Hriday continued eating happily while Maithili shook her head.

"I don't know what magic you use on me. You're just like your father... too cunning!"

"No, Mom. There you're wrong. I'm cunning like you."

Before a spoon could land on his back, Hriday ran away laughing.

Harshavardhan burst out laughing.

"Papaji don't laugh! You and your son spoiled him."

"You have to admit, Maithili... Hriday fills this house with joy. His madness keeps us smiling."

Maithili couldn't help but smile.

"And he inherited that from you. He's just like you — cheerful and warm-hearted."

Maithili looked at him softly.

Hriday knocked on the guest room door.

"Come in."

"Ah, hearing my name from your lips sounds divine," Hriday teased.

"Did you come here just to say that?"

Gauri crossed her arms.

"At least let me come inside."

She stepped aside reluctantly.

"You seem very happy. Did something happen?" she asked.

Hriday walked in and sat on the bed comfortably.

"Yes! I made Mom talk to me again. You should've seen her face."

Gauri smiled slightly. "Your mother loves you a lot."

"Of course. Everyone loves me. I'm their favorite." He paused and looked straight into her eyes. " I hope my wife loves me like that too."

Their eyes met. Gauri immediately looked down.

"A-aren't you going to the office?"

"Oh, wifey... why are you so eager to send your husband away? Don't you like my presence?"

"It's not that. You're just... too intimidating."

She blurted out nervously.

"So?"

He stood up and moved closer.

"So what?"

"Did you sleep well?"

"Yes."

"Without me?"

He leaned closer. Gauri's heart started racing.

"H-Hriday, what are you saying?"

"I'm saying what I want to say."

"Why are you so manipulative?"

He stepped back as if hurt.

"Manipulative? Gauri... you really think that about me?"

Gauri immediately regretted her words.

"Hriday, I didn't mean—"

"No, it's fine. I shouldn't have come."

He walked out.

Gauri sat there, feeling guilty and heavy-hearted.

Later, Maithili went to meet the girl her son had brought.

She was curious. Hriday had never shown interest in any girl before.

She knocked and entered.

Maithili froze.

"G-Gauri? How are you, dear?"

She hugged her warmly.

Gauri was overwhelmed by the affection.

"I'm fine..."

"Won't you ask how I am?"

Gauri hesitated. "M-Madam... how are you?"

Maithili laughed softly. "I'm not here to scare you."

She noticed Gauri's nervousness.

"Hriday told me about your mother... and your marriage."

At the mention of her mother, Gauri looked up.

"I'm sorry for your loss, beta. I know how it feels. I lost my mother young. Then my father too. Sometimes we don't understand God's plans."

She gently caressed Gauri's hair.

"From now on, this is your home. Whenever you feel alone, remember I'm here."

Gauri's eyes filled with tears.

"Did you have lunch?"

Gauri shook her head.

"Then come. We'll eat together."

"No, Madam, I'll eat later—"

Maithili gave her a playful glare. "No arguments."

At the dining table—

"Kamla, what's for lunch?"

"Mam, we made your favorite — Hara Dhania Cholia and Meethe Chawal."

Maithili's eyes sparkled. "Perfect! Today you'll taste pure Hariyanvi food."

She served Gauri lovingly.

"Madam, you don't have to—"

"Why not? You're my guest."

She kept adding more food to her plate.

"I can't finish this much."

"You have to. Look how thin you are!"

Gauri smiled faintly and began eating.

After lunch, they sat in the garden. Maithili left to take a call.

Gauri sat quietly when she overheard two servants whispering nearby.

"It's so strange."

"Even Maithili mam had lunch with her."

"She doesn't look upper-class. Why did Hriday sir bring her?"

"He's kind like his mother. But Shikar sir won't tolerate her."

"I remember how that servant fooled Maithili mam and took money."

"This girl must have the same intention."

"She looks innocent though."

"Innocent faces are the most dangerous."

"I saw her staring at Hriday sir this morning."

"Maybe she's trying to trap him."

"I heard she was a maid in Kolkata."

"And now she's living here like a queen. Doing nothing. Shameless."

That word.

Shameless.

Gauri couldn't listen anymore.

She walked back to her room and locked the door.

Their words echoed in her mind.

"Shameless girl..."

"Get out..."

"Shameless..."

She opened her eyes and looked at herself in the mirror.

Tears streamed down her face.

"I am not shameless."

She whispered, trembling.

"Gauri Podder is not shameless."

She wiped her tears angrily and went to wash her face.