𝟏.| 𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑵𝒆𝒘 𝑩𝒆𝒈𝒊𝒏𝒏𝒊𝒏𝒈

It was a bright morning, and Sitara was sitting on the bus, heading towards the bustling city of Mumbai. Her heart was filled with excitement and nervousness as she thought about the new life waiting for her there.

She was going to reunite with her father, who had been working in Mumbai for years, and start her journey at the prestigious University of Elites.

The scenery outside the window blurred as her thoughts raced, but the warmth of the sun on her face reassured her that this was the beginning of something special.

Her father, Ramesh, had been working for the Raizada family, a multibillionaire family, for the past five years. Ramesh was an honest man who lived in the servant quarters of the Raizada estate. His wife had passed away from cancer when Sitara was only 13 years old.

Since then, Sitara had been living with her grandmother in their village, where she completed high school with excellent marks. She had secured a scholarship to the prestigious University of Elites after a lot of hard work.

Ramesh was extremely proud of his daughter. He had been sending money regularly for her education and other expenses, making sure she had everything she needed while she stayed in the village.

Ramesh had taken a half-day off from work to pick her up from the bus station when she arrived in Mumbai. He eagerly waited for his precious daughter, whom he hadn't seen in so long.

Sitara was an innocent, bright child, and her simplicity shone through her eyes. She had long, dark brown hair, fair skin, and a slim figure. In the village, she always wore traditional clothes, which made her feel comfortable.

Ramesh spotted the bus she was traveling on as it pulled into the station. As soon as Sitara stepped off the bus with her luggage, her beautiful, kohl-lined eyes filled with tears when she saw her father. 

She ran towards him and hugged him tightly. "I missed you, Papa," she said, her voice choked with emotion.

She couldn't hold back her tears.
Seeing his daughter after so long, Ramesh's eyes filled with tears too. "I missed you too, my baccha," he replied, holding her close. Sitara was the spitting image of his late wife, and he loved her more than anything.

Gently caressing her head, he broke the hug and said, "Why are you crying now? You'll be living with me from now on. We'll talk so much, so there's no need to cry anymore." Sitara nodded in response, wiping her tears.

Ramesh then picked up her luggage and put it in the car he had borrowed from the Raizada family. During the ride, Sitara excitedly talked about her grandmother and everything she did back in the village. Her father listened to her with a full heart.

Soon, they arrived at the Raizada mansion. Sitara stepped out of the car and was amazed by the grand, lavish mansion in front of her eyes. "Papa, you work here?" she asked curiously.

"Yes, my baccha, I work here. Now let's go to our quarters," her father replied with a gentle smile. Sitara nodded, took her luggage, and followed him toward their home.

As they entered the quarters, Sitara saw a clean, modest 1-bedroom house. It was simple but well-maintained, with everything neatly in place. "Is this our house, Papa?" she asked, looking around.

"Yes, baccha, this is ours," her father answered warmly. Sitara placed her luggage down and began exploring, inspecting every corner of the small yet cozy house.

The soft sound of her anklets filled the room as she moved around. "Baccha, now get freshened up and take some rest. You must be tired after the long journey," her father suggested. "Yes, Papa, but I'm hungry now," Sitara replied with a shy smile.

"I'll make lunch for both of us," her father said, smiling back. "You go get ready." Sitara nodded and headed to get fresh, feeling content to finally be with her father in their new home.

After lunch, Sitara began unpacking her luggage. She had brought some homemade ladoos and achar (pickle) made by her grandmother, which she placed in the kitchen.

Her father had gone out for some work, but before leaving, he reminded her not to step out of the quarters until he returned.

Sitara finished putting away her things and, feeling tired from the long journey, decided to rest. She lay down on the bed, wrapped herself in a blanket, and soon drifted off to sleep.

_______________________________________

Meanwhile, Ramesh was with Ashish Raizada, the head of the Raizada family. Mr. Raizada, a tall, authoritative figure with a calm demeanor, casually asked, "Your daughter arrived today, right, Ramesh?"

Ramesh smiled warmly and replied, "Yes, sir. She's at the quarters now."
"She must be a lovely girl. Why has she come to Mumbai?" Mr. Raizada inquired, his tone friendly but curious.

"She completed her high school with excellent marks and earned a scholarship at the University of Elites. She's here to pursue her studies," Ramesh responded with pride.

Mr. Raizada nodded, impressed. "A bright student, I see. Bring her to dinner tonight at the mansion. I'd like her to meet Shalini, Riya, Anshita, and Kabir."

Hearing the compliments for his daughter, Ramesh smiled modestly and replied, "There's no need for a formal dinner, sir."

Mr. Raizada raised an eyebrow and said firmly but kindly, "Why not? She's worked hard for her education, and the least we can do is celebrate her success with a nice dinner at my home. You can't refuse me—it's an order."

Ramesh, knowing Mr. Raizada's generous but authoritative nature, nodded respectfully and said, "Sure, sir. If you insist."

_______________________________________

At Night

Sitara was ready for the evening, wearing a pink chikankari kurti paired with white palazzo pants. As usual, she applied kohl to her eyes, wore her long hair in a loose braid, and added a light touch of lipstick. She was excited but a little nervous about meeting the Raizada family.

When she and her father arrived at the Raizada mansion, Sitara was awestruck by the grandeur of the place. The hall was spacious, with plush sofas, elegant furnishings, and walls lined with glass. She whispered to herself, "Wow, this is so beautiful."

Suddenly, she heard someone clear their throat. Turning around, she saw a man in a peach T-shirt and black pants, alongside a woman dressed in a simple yet elegant pink saree. The man greeted her warmly, "Welcome, bacche."

Feeling a bit awkward in the unfamiliar setting, Sitara glanced at her father for reassurance. He smiled and said, "This is Ashish Raizada, the man I work for." Sitara nodded and approached the couple, touching their feet as a sign of respect.

"Oh, there's no need for that, beta," Ashish Raizada said with a gentle laugh. Sitara smiled shyly and then touched the feet of the woman, who smiled warmly and said, "Such a well-mannered girl. Stay blessed, baccha. Come, sit with us."

They all took their seats—Ashish and his wife, Shalini, on the large sofa, while Sitara and her father sat on single chairs sofa opposite them. "What's your name, baccha?" Shalini asked kindly. "I'm Sitara Sharma," she answered softly.

They talked for a while about Sitara's studies and life in the village. Sitara shared stories of her upbringing, and the Raizadas listened with genuine interest. After some time, Shalini said, "It's time for dinner. Let's go to the dining table."

Shalini called for the maid, "Rama, call Riya and Anshita for dinner. And ask Kabir when he'll be home." Rama nodded and left to summon the family members, leaving Sitara feeling both excited and nervous about meeting the rest of the Raizada family.

They settled at the dining table when Riya entered and noticed Sitara seated there. With curiosity, she asked, "Is she Ramesh uncle's daughter?" Her mother, Shalini, smiled and replied, "Yes, Riya, meet Sitara."

Shalini turned to Sitara, who was looking at Riya. "Sitara, this is my daughter Riya. She's still in high school." "Oh, nice to meet you, Riya," Sitara said politely. Riya's face lit up with a wide smile. "Nice to meet you too, Sitara."

"So, this is the girl who got a scholarship in our college?" she said, her tone sharp. Everyone turned to look at her. Shalini answered, "Yes, Anshita. She worked hard and earned it. You should learn from her."

Sitara looked at Anshita, sensing a bit of rudeness in her voice. Shalini added, "Sitara, this is Anshita, my sister's daughter. She's in your college."

Anshita scoffed, "Now the college is accepting low-class people like this?"

Shalini immediately scolded her, "Anshita, that's no way to talk."

Anshita rolled her eyes and ignored the reprimand, turning to one of the maids. "Bring my dinner to my room," she said before walking away.

Shalini noticed tears welling up in Sitara's eyes and quickly reassured her, "Ignore her, Sitara. She's just immature." Riya chimed in, trying to lighten the mood. "Yes, Sitara, she's always got an attitude."

"You know, she's chasing after Bhai, but he ignores her," Riya whispered the last part and giggled, making Sitara smile a little. Shalini then asked the maid, "Rama, did you call Kabir?" Rama replied, "Yes, madam. He said he'll be late."

After dinner, Sitara and Ramesh thanked the Raizada family and took their leave. As they walked back to their quarters, Ramesh sensed something was bothering his daughter. He gently asked, "What's wrong, Sitara?"

Hesitantly, she replied, "Nothing, Papa. I'm just a little nervous about starting college." She lied, unable to stop thinking about how Anshita had spoken to her earlier. Ramesh, though aware his daughter wasn't being completely honest, chose not to press the issue.

Instead, he smiled and said, "Don't worry. You'll do great." He didn't want to make her more uncomfortable. When they reached their quarters, they both went to their respective rooms, each lost in their own thoughts.

Sitara lay in bed, her mind replaying the evening, but she reminded herself to focus on the exciting new chapter ahead.