Just then, a more authoritative voice echoed from the top of the stairs. "Who is this, Raani?" Veena, the dignified matriarch of the Kothari household, descended slowly, her sharp eyes taking in the scene. She leaned lightly on the railing, her gaze fixed sternly on Gauri.
Gauri turned, offering another polite greeting. "Namaste, Auntyji. My name is Gauri."
Veena's eyes narrowed, her gaze unwavering. "And what are you doing in my house at this hour, young lady? Don't you know that decent girls don't stay out late?" Her voice held a distinct edge of disapproval. Her gaze then traveled down Gauri's attire – the jeans and jacket she wore. A frown creased her elegant face. "And what sort of clothes are these? Do you have no home training at all?"
Before Gauri could answer, a cold voice cut in from behind her.
"She doesn't care for home training, Maa," Vihaan said, stepping forward, his tone dripping with disdain. "Because this… woman is a bar dancer."
A collective gasp filled the living room. Raani's hand flew to her mouth, her eyes wide with shock. Yug stared at Gauri in stunned silence, his earlier playful mood completely evaporated. The revelation hung heavy in the air, thick with disbelief and a palpable sense of scandal.
Veena's face contorted in fury, her voice rising with sharp authority. "What?! A bar dancer?! How dare you even step your filthy feet into this house!" she thundered, her voice echoing off the mansion's walls. "A cheap girl like you! Get out! Get out this instant!"
Gauri stood her ground, her chin held high despite the venom in Veena's words. "My name is Gauri," she stated clearly, enunciating each syllable. "G-A-U-R-I. And don't you ever call me a cheap girl." Her voice, though not raised, held a firm and unwavering resolve.
Vihaan's jaw tightened, his glare fixed on her. "Don't you dare raise your voice at my mother," he warned, his voice low and edged with steel. "Show some respect. Whatever your profession may be, you are in our house now." His words carried a protective fury, even as his disdain for her profession burned through.
Gauri's eyes flashed with anger, locking onto his. "Ah," she said bitterly. "Now I see where you get your cheap mentality from. It seems to be a family heirloom, passed down through generations of… upbringing."
Her words struck like arrows, sharp and deliberate.
Vihaan's face contorted into a furious mask. The subtle restraint he had been attempting to maintain shattered. "Shut up!" he roared, his voice echoing through the stunned silence of the living room. His fists clenched at his sides, his body rigid with barely suppressed rage.
"Why should I shut up, Mr. Vihaan Kothari?" she shot back, her voice steady and firm. "If your mother has the right to question my upbringing and character based on my profession, then I have the right to answer her back."
Her words cut through the tension like a blade. Vihaan froze, his fury simmering beneath the surface, but Gauri didn't flinch. She folded her hands respectfully, turning towards Veena.
"With all due respect, Aunty," she said, her tone formal yet laced with hurt, "you don't have any right to judge me based on my profession. You don't know me… you don't know my struggles… you don't know the reasons behind the choices I've had to make."
The room fell into a heavy silence. Raani and Yug looked between their aunt and Gauri, their expressions torn between shock and curiosity. Veena's frown deepened, her pride clearly stung, while Vihaan's jaw flexed — his fury at war with a flicker of something else in his eyes… something he himself wasn't ready to name.
Vihaan stepped forward, his voice sharp, eyes blazing. "And how exactly is my mother wrong, Ms. Gauri? She only spoke the truth. You bar dancers survive by selling shame in the name of entertainment. You stand here questioning her words, but what about you? A girl like you who can't even respect her elders… that itself proves what kind of character you have. Characterless!"
The word struck the air like a slap.
Gauri's hands, still folded, slowly dropped to her sides. Her chin lifted, her eyes glinting with fire. "Respect, Mr. Vihaan Kothari, is not demanded — it is earned. I respect those who deserve respect. Elders are meant to guide, protect, and bless… not insult and degrade. The day your mother questioned my upbringing and labeled me cheap without knowing me, she lost the right to demand my silence."
Her voice didn't rise, but the conviction behind it reverberated through the grand hall. Raani and Yug stared wide-eyed, while Veena looked utterly affronted, clutching the edge of her saree tightly. Vihaan's jaw tightened even further, his pride wounded, yet there was no denying the sting of her words.