Gauri's eyes flashed with a fierce inner light as she spoke, her voice steady and calm. "Acp vihaan kothari, I warn you: don't say or do anything that forces me to file a complaint against you. As a police officer, you know the law is clear: a man abusing a woman is a serious offense. And I won't hesitate to take action if you cross that line."
The room fell silent, with everyone staring at Gauri in shock. Dadi's eyes widened in astonishment, her face pale. Vihaan's face darkened, his eyes blazing with anger, but he seemed taken aback by Gauri's bold warning. The air was thick with tension, as if everyone was holding their breath, waiting to see what would happen next.
Veena's face twisted in contempt, her voice dripping with venom. "You worthless girl! How dare you threaten my son,Your parents must have failed to instill good values in you."
Gauri's eyes flashed with anger, but she smiled sweetly, her voice laced with sarcasm. "Okay, I agree. But tell me, aunty, what values have you instilled in your son?"
The room fell silent, with everyone staring at Gauri in shock. Veena's face turned beet red with rage, her eyes bulging. Vihaan's eyes widened, his face pale, as if he couldn't believe Gauri's audacity. Yug and Rani exchanged anxious glances, sensing the tension rising.
Vihaan's face darkened, his voice firm. "Gauri, I warn you: behave yourself and show some respect to my mother."
Gauri's eyes flashed with defiance, her voice steady. "If your mother behaves rudely with me, I will answer back. I won't tolerate disrespect from anyone, regardless of their age or relationship to you."
Veena's face twisted in contempt, her voice dripping with venom. "If I was your mother, I would die of shame for failing in your upbringing."
Gauri's eyes flashed with anger, her voice steady. "Going by that logic, you should have died of shame since you've failed to give your son a good upbringing."
Vihaan's face darkened, his eyes blazing with anger. "Enough!" he thundered.
But Gauri stood her ground, her voice unwavering. "Just like you, he's judgmental without knowing a person's struggles. Is it anyone's dream to perform on a stage where people pass judgment without knowing the truth? Life isn't always what it seems, and people are left with no choice sometimes."
The room fell silent, with everyone staring at Gauri in shock. Veena's face turned pale, her eyes wide with anger. Vihaan's face twisted in a mixture of anger and shame, his eyes avoiding Gauri's.
Gauri's voice cut through the silence, her words dripping with bitterness. "Left with no choice but to do what people like you assume about me."
The room fell silent, the weight of Gauri's words hanging in the air like a challenge. Veena's eyes flashed with anger, but Gauri's gaze remained steady, her eyes blazing with a fierce defiance.
Veena's voice dripped with malice. "So you're justifying performing there for money and selling your dignity?"
Gauri's eyes blazed with anger, her voice steady. "Excuse me aunty, you don't know the reason why I had to perform there. So please, mind your tone."
Veena's face turned red with rage, her voice rising to a shout. "Hey!"
Gauri matched Veena's volume, her voice firm. "B!"
Vihaan's face darkened, his eyes blazing with anger. He grabbed Gauri's wrist, his grip tight. "Enough of your rude behavior!" he growled, dragging her towards the door.
"Get out! Don't ever return to our house again!" he shouted, flinging open the door.
Gauri wrenched her wrist free, her eyes flashing with defiance. "I'm not fond of returning to your house anyway. It's full of negativity. I like positive vibes."
Vihaan's face twisted in contempt. "I do pity the man who'll marry you because you are the most shameless girl I've come across."
Gauri smiled sweetly, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "Likewise, I pity the girl who'll marry you. Your mother will make her a nun."
Veena's eyes widened in outrage, her voice rising to a shriek. "How dare—"
Gauri's eyes flashed with defiance as she replied to Veena, "You still haven't seen how daring I can be."
Her voice dripped with a promise, "And I promise you, if we cross paths again, I'll show you."
With that, she turned and stormed off, leaving Dadi, Vihaan, Veena, Yug, and Rani staring after her in shock.
Gauri sank into the seat of her cab, tears brimming in her eyes. She rested her forehead against the steering wheel for a moment, letting the quiet of the cab absorb her grief. The streets outside were empty, but her mind replayed every harsh word and sneer.
Softly, she began reciting a poem she had written, her voice breaking:
"All I ever wanted was a life of dignity,
To walk my path, unjudged, unbound.
Yet the world throws stones for dreams too small,
And even my own heart trembles in their shadows."
Tears spilled freely now, her shoulders shaking as she whispered, "Is it so wrong to just live… to just be?"
She wiped her cheeks, her heart heavy with the weight of judgment and insult. The night around her was silent, but inside, Gauri's soul burned with a quiet determination—she would survive, and she would live with pride, no matter what anyone said.