Ch 11: Not welcome.

Sat, 26 Jul 2025 20:54:17 +0000

“We’re here!” Rishabh announced as everyone stepped out of the car. A small crowd stood waiting—his parents, Khushi’s parents, some relatives, neighbors, and friends. Some stared with judgment, others with curiosity, and a few simply smiled politely. Rishabh touched his parents’ feet and received blessings. Stacy, however, went straight in for a hug, surprising everyone. “Um… Stacy, I told you to touch their feet,” Rishabh muttered. She raised an eyebrow, then reluctantly bent down—barely reaching their knees. The disapproval on their faces was clear. Rishabh’s mother applied tikas to welcome them, while Khushi’s parents hugged her tightly. The kids followed them into the two-storey house with a small garden and cozy backyard. They all sat in the hall as their luggage was taken to their rooms. “We’ll return to the Philippines two days after ,” Rishabh announced. “What? Why So soon, beta? The rituals are still left—mehendi, sangeet, haldi—” “Maa, she doesn’t like all that. Just a small wedding, nothing grand. I’ve already spoken to the pandit,” Rishabh interrupted. His mother frowned. “But these are our traditions—” He simply repeated himself and walked away with Stacy. Later, Rishabh’s mother approached Khushi and her parents. “I’m so sorry my son did this to you. As his mother, I had to welcome them, but trust me—they’re not welcome in my heart.” Khushi hugged her, silently grateful. After dinner, they all settled into their rooms: Sebastian and Zade in one, Elena, Sara, and Nisha in another, Rishabh and Stacy in theirs, and Khushi with her parents. At midnight, Sara lay awake, restless. “I’m going upstairs,” she told Nisha, who was busy playing with Elena’s hair. Nisha nodded. As Sara reached the dimly lit hallway upstairs, she suddenly spotted a tall manly figure, she held her torch tightly ready to attack and then the figure turned and-. Little did she knew who the figure was and what will she do.