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"Mom, we're bac—"
The sentence died in Yunah's throat. Propped up by Noah and Meena, she froze at the sight of two figures in the living room. Meena's parents sat there with gloomy, practiced expressions, their postures stiff with a fake, "old-money" arrogance that Yunah recognized instantly.
A wave of deja vu hit her like a physical blow. She remembered these two—the way they used to dress Meena in revealing clothes, treating their daughter's beauty like a commodity to be auctioned off.
Yunah's mother, Ambika, rushed over, her face a mask of worry and budding anger. "My lord, Yunah! What happened?" she cried, reaching for her daughter's bandaged arm. "How did you get these wounds?"
"I fell, Mom. It's fine," Yunah muttered, her gaze locked on the visitors.
Meena's mother, Rachel, didn't even acknowledge the injuries. She stood up, her voice dripping with an annoying, cold entitlement. "Now that they're back, can I finally take my daughter home? I need to make her apologize to our future son-in-law for her behavior."
Yunah let out a sharp, mocking smirk. "Some people really never change, do they?" She turned to Meena, her voice dropping into a protective low. "Do you want to go? The choice is yours. If you want to leave, leave. But if you don't..." She snapped her gaze back to the parents, her eyes flashing. "Then you aren't going anywhere."
"And who are you to decide?" Rachel shrieked, her temper snapping. "She is my daughter! Ambika, tell your child to stay out of family matters."
Beside them, Noah was a ticking time bomb. He kept his eyes on Yunah's bandaged foot, his jaw tight enough to crack bone. Every second she spent standing was a second he spent imagining throwing these people through the front door.
"I'm not interfering in a family matters," Yunah shot back before her mother could intervene. "I'm defending Meena's choice. If Meena doesn't want to marry that piece of trash, she doesn't have to. She's my friend, and I'm not letting you mess with her life."
Meena felt a lump form in her throat. After everything—the jealousy, the mistakes—Yunah was still the first one to step into the fire for her. She drew a shaky breath and stood tall. "I'm not marrying Gaurav. I'm not going back. I want a career, not a price tag."
"What did you say?" Rachel turned to her husband in a frenzy. "Adrin, did you hear her! Do something!"
Adrin stepped forward, his glare heavy with a fake sense of disappointment. "Meena, the invitations are out. Think of the family's reputation."
"Dad, Gaurav doesn't want me! He's the one who—"
"You must have done something to drive him away!" Rachel interrupted, her voice shrill. "Now come. We are going to beg for his forgiveness."
Yunah's blood boiled. She ran a hand through her hair, pacing despite the pain. "Are you serious? You're that desperate for a check that you'd sell her to a man who doesn't even want her? Have you no shame?"
"Yunah!" her mother cautioned.
"No, Mom! They've treated her like a product for years. I'm not letting them take her."
"She is my daughter!" Adrin roared, lunging toward Yunah.
In a heartbeat, the space in front of Yunah was occupied by a wall of solid muscle. Noah stood there, his expression a mask of terrifying stillness. Adrin skidded to a halt, looking up at the younger, taller man.
"Who are you? Move," Adrin barked. Noah didn't move an inch; he simply stared down at him with eyes that promised violence.
"Adrin, please," Ambika said, her voice steady but cold. "Don't cause trouble. If she doesn't want to marry, why are you forcing her....."
"Don't tell me what I should do...." Adrin screamed, his voice echoing off the walls. "she is my daughter and I'll do whatever I want with her life. You have no right to interfere."
The moment he raised his voice at her mother, Yunah lost it. Forgetting her injury, she lunged forward pushing Noah aside, reaching for Adrin's collar. "How dare you shout at her!"
Before she could land a blow, Noah's arms wrapped around her waist, hoisting her back. "Di, stop. Your foot," he murmured, his voice a calm, gentle contrast to the chaos.
"Let me go, Noah! I'm kicking them out!" she yelled, struggling in his iron grip.
"Enough!" Ambika's voice cut through the room like a blade finally losing her temper as she knew very well that if this go on, Yunah will definitely get physical and she didn't wanted her daughter to get hurt. "Leave. Now. Before I call the police and report you for the mental torture of your daughter. Get out!" She added in her cold thundering voice.
Seeing the resolve in Ambika's eyes and the deadly stillness in Noah's, Meena's parents finally retreated.
"This isn't over," Rachel hissed from the doorway."You'll regret this."
Noah watched them leave, his fists still clenched. Only when the door clicked shut did he release Yunah. He watched her collapse onto the couch, her face flushed with fury. He sat beside her, a small, involuntary smile tugging at his lips. She was terrifying, and he had never loved her more.
"I'm so sorry for the trouble," Meena whispered, looking at the floor.
"No need to be," Yunah cut in, her voice still sharp with the remnants of her anger. "It's not your fault, Meena. It's entirely on them. I can't even begin to imagine the weight you've been carrying."
"Thank you... for everything," Meena whispered, her voice fragile. She looked down at her lap, her fingers twisting together. "I'm leaving tomorrow morning. I've already sent out applications for jobs in Kalimpong. I just need a fresh start."
Yunah's protective instincts flared up again, her brow furrowing. "Kalimpong? Where are you going to stay? Do you have a place lined up?"
"Not yet," Meena admitted. "I'll just find a budget hotel for a few days until I figure it out."
Yunah didn't even have to think about it. "Forget the hotel. Stay with us in our apartment until you find a permanent place."
Meena's head snapped up, her eyes wide with guilt. "No, Yunah, I couldn't. I've already caused enough trouble. I don't want to be another burden on your shoulders."
Yunah let out a short, mocking chuckle. "A burden? To me?" She leaned back, a mischievous glint replacing her anger. "If anyone is going to be in trouble, it's you. Because as long as you're under my roof, you're the designated chef. You're going to cook every single meal until my leg is healed. It's non-negotiable."
"But—" Meena started to protest, her face flushing with a mix of shyness and gratitude.
Before she could get another word out, Yunah clamped her hands over her ears, squeezing her eyes shut like a stubborn toddler.
"Lalalala! I'm not hearing it! That's final! You're staying, and you're cooking!"
Meena stared at her for a beat, then a genuine, soft smile broke across her face. Beside her, Noah watched the scene with a rare, quiet warmth. Seeing Yunah transition from a fierce warrior to a bratty kid in the span of five minutes was enough to melt anyone's heart. He realized then that this was exactly why everyone was so drawn to her—she was the sun that refused to let anyone stay in the cold.
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A few moments later, a soft knock echoed against Yunah's bedroom door. Noah stepped inside to find her sprawled across the bed, a novel propped open in one hand and a half-empty bag of chips resting on her chest. Her injured leg was elevated on a plush pillow, making her look surprisingly small and domestic.
She looked up from her book, her curiosity piqued. "Noah? You need something?"
"I'm heading home for the night," he said, his voice dropping into that soft, private register he reserved only for her. He moved closer to the bed, his shadow stretching across her covers. "I just wanted to let you know before I left."
Yunah's brow arched. "Home? Why so sudden?"
"Grandfather called," Noah lied, the words sliding off his tongue with practiced, chilling smoothness. "A family dinner. He's... insistent about it."
"A dinner? Fine," Yunah said, but her expression shifted, her playful tone turning into a sharp warning. "But listen to me, Noah. If you come back with so much as a bruise like you did last time, I'm going to your house and meeting your grandfather personally. And don't think for a second you'll be able to stop me."
A pang of guilt twisted in Noah's chest, but he masked it with a gentle, reassuring smile. He nodded, his eyes lingering on her face as if trying to memorize it for the battle ahead. "I hear you. I'll be back in one piece—no scratches, I promise. Don't worry about me, just worry about yourself, Di." He paused. "I'll come by to pick you and the bags up tomorrow morning."
"No need," Yunah countered, her gaze softening. "Meena's here now; she'll help me. You just go directly to the apartment and get to class. Don't even think about skipping school just to play chauffeur. I'll know."
Noah let out a quiet, breathy laugh."As you say, Di."
"Tomorrow, then," Yunah replied. She gave him a smile so warm and melting that it felt like a physical weight on his heart.
"Tomorrow," Noah echoed.
He forced himself to turn around and walk away, but every step felt like a betrayal. He was leaving her side to face a monster, knowing that the only way to keep her in this peaceful, chip-eating world was to step back into the darkness that he can never run away from.