Vedika grabbed her used clothes, threw them into the laundry, dabbed on some more powder and raced out through the kitchen courtyard out to the hall. Her stepmother and stepsisters stood by the threshold, ready to leave.
The three of them looked at her simultaneously and there was a collective gasp through the hall. Vedika realised with a surge of pleasure that Daju Ma and her stepsisters were impressed beyond their will. For as much as they had tried, Sonakshi and Madhuri's elaborate efforts on their appearance melted away like snow infront of Vedika's pristine beauty which was radiant like the sun.
Vedika knew what her father would've said if he'd been around. That, she was looking exactly like her mother.
She soaked in the expression of involuntary awe on her rivals' faces. But alas, her triumph was not to last for long.
The silence was broken when Daju Ma declared in an incomprehensible voice, "Alright girls, the carriage is here. Let's leave".
But Sonakshi and Madhuri wouldn't move from there. Their eyes were still glued to Vedika.
"Girls?", Daju Ma increased the authority in her tone.
This time Madhuri pointed at Vedika's neck and demanded "Hey aren't those my pearls?"
"And those are my sandals", Sonakshi cried just as angrily.
Poor Vedika barely had a moment to think before her stepsisters pounced on her like a pair of hungry vultures and started tearing at the dress, shredding the fabric yet again into strips of tattered rags, tugging out the jewellery on her neck and ears, forcibly taking off her sandals and pulling out the flowers in her hair.
When they had finished, Vedika was left standing half naked, in what remained of her mother's favourite dress. And this time there was no Rumki to sew it back for her.
Vedika's stepsisters, contented as they were, with the work they had done stepped back looking much happier than Vedika had ever seen them.
The sky purpled outside Thakur Mansion. It was time to leave.
Daju Ma with unsuppressed glee said, "Vedika dear. You clearly won't be able to come to the house of the Mittals looking like this. We are already running late. Perhaps it's better if you stay back".
Vedika stood there, turned speechless by the turn of events. How could an evening that had started so magically gone so horribly wrong?
Yet again, she found herself cursing the marriage of this woman to her father. It was all too much for Vedika. She felt her head go into a swoon as anger, passion, resentment and a million other emotions hurtled past each other inside her.
The last thing she saw was Daju Ma smile coldly before shutting the door.
A/N : Hello precious people ❤️
I know this was painfully short but trust me, the longer, better and more delicious parts are incoming.
If you liked this chapter, please don't forget to vote and comment ❤️
Coming Next : Omisha arrives to save the day