Author's pov-
The soft hum of hospital equipment filled the hallway as Siara was still inside examining dadi. The family stood at a distance, clearly exhausted, in the waiting area, unsure of what was happening with their beloved matriarch. The tension in the air was thick after today's revelations.
Despite siara's high-ranking position in the hospital, no one knew the real identity of the woman who walked among them in her white coat. She was, to them, just âDr. Siara,â a name that spoke of skill and brilliance but not of the womanâs personal life.
After the brief examination, Siara came out with the Heart specialist who was leading the case. They gave a reassuring update on grandmotherâs condition to the family.
Dadi, she said, would regain consciousness in an hour, and this happened because of stress and she also forgot to take her medicines. The family was visibly relieved, but the air was still heavy with unspoken words.
Siara, ever the professional said,"I guess only few people should stay, others can go home"
"No we are not leaving, its just an hour" Myra disagreed
"Okay then, you all can wait in my cabin" siara suggested them
They agreed without questions.
As Siara was about to lead them to her cabin, an intern rushed into the room, looking panicked.
"Mam we need you in the ER immediately. There's a critical situation."
Siara didn't flinch, her expression as cold and composed as always. She nodded, her voice calm and authoritative,"Lead the way. Make sure the team is prepped and ready."
Without waiting for a reply, she turned and walked out after instructing someone to take the family to her cabin. The intern followed closely behind, leaving the family in stunned silence, the air thick with the weight of her sudden departure. The staff, interns , doctors were visiblily shocked as The Sehgal's, one of the most renowned people were standing there and on top of that, Dr. Siara was personally handling things for them.
Many questions rose but no one deared to speak.
Mahir and the rest of the family exchanged glances, all of them still grappling with the shock of the recent revelations. They didnât speak, but the silence spoke volumesâher life was far different from the one they thought they knew.
As they entered her cabin, the family was struck by its size and elegance. The room was immaculate, with a floor-to-ceiling window that overlooked the bustling city below. The walls were adorned with pictures, but what caught their attention the most was the unusual arrangement: every picture was taken from behind, leaving only silhouettes and unidentifiable faces in the frame.
Behind her desk was the backside picture of siara with her parents which was the center of attraction in the entire cabin.
One particularly large picture displayed a group photo of Siara and a group of menâher brothers, they realized.
"That's her family...Those menâthose are her brothers." Divya told this to mahi
Reyansh's Flashback-
âCome on, Siara, can we get this over with? Youâve been arranging us like this for the last twenty minutes.â I playfully teased her
Doll laughed and arranged us for the nth time âNo! It has to be perfect. You canât just stand there looking like youâve seen a ghost. Smile!â
âSmile? Look at us, we look like a group of spies trying to blend in!â Aryan mockingly said
âWho said we had to look perfect? I think this will do. Now, can we finally eat?â avyaan squinting
Siara, as usual, insisted on making everything right, arranging us just so. The picture had been a point of laughter and togetherness. Back then, the idea of anything breaking the perfection of that moment had seemed impossible. But now, sitting in her cabin with the photos that symbolized a lost family, the reality of the distance between them became painfully evident.
Present-
Siara had always been a woman of few words, and her cabin, despite its luxury, was a clear reflection of her cold and distant personality. But it was when they looked closer that the truth of her personal life began to unfold, piece by piece.
The family noticed an uneaten plate of food sitting on the center table, untouched. A silent testament to the life she ledâa life where work came first, and personal comfort was an afterthought.
Beside the wall lays so many flower bouquets but one bouquet that caught everyone's attention was the One that layed in the center table between the sitting arrangements. It was a large bouquet of Red roses.
Everyone noticed it but didn't pass any comments.
As they sat down, the conversations started.
"So, let me get this straight. Siara, the woman who's been living under our roof for three years, is a world-renowned neurosurgeon, and we had no clue?" Kabir smirked
"Yeah, no idea. I thought she was just a quiet, reserved person who, I donât know, took care of plants or something. Not saving lives in operating rooms.This is next level" Shivay raised an eyebrow
"Trust me bua will have an heart attack when she'll get to know this"- said myra
Shivay grinning mischievously
"Imagine if we had known earlier! I would have asked her to look at my brain before I took that trip to the bar last weekend."
"Yeah, that wouldâve saved us from watching you try to talk to Riya's plants like they were your therapist."kabir laughed
Devansh laughing hard
"Not to mention the time you tried to fix a lamp with a spoon and a napkin. Maybe siara... bhabhi could've fixed that mess, too."
"Well, With all the weird things we've seen in this family, I think a mental check-up is long overdue." Myra laughed out
Kabir in a mock serious tone
"Yes, a group therapy session might be the right place to start. I'll sit next to Mahir bhai. He needs it the most. Watching Siara bhabhi operate on people might be less traumatic than his own thoughts."
Mahir glared at him which made him hold his hands up in surrender.
The group continued their talk, their talks subsided when suddenly a young Man who was dressed professionally entered. He acknowledged their presence with a nod. He straight went near siara's desk and flipped through the Important documents.
The family was dead silent as they were just observing everything.
The family was seated inside Siara's spacious cabin, the silence heavy as they absorbed the sheer contrast between the life they thought she lived and the reality before them. Sid entered quietly, holding a set of papers, likely related to patient records. His calm demeanor and familiarity with the space seemed to further emphasize Siaraâs stature in the hospital.
Just then, the door opened, and a small group of interns walked in, carrying a few anatomical models and notebooks. They glanced at the family curiously but quickly focused on Sid.
Intern 1:
"Dr. Sid, weâre here for the task Siara mam had assigned us. She told us sheâd teach us the intricacies of the craniotomy today."
Intern 2:
"Yeah, and we better be perfect. You know how strict she is."
Intern 3 (nodding, with a nervous chuckle): "Totally. She makes you feel like youâre holding someoneâs life in your hands even when itâs just a dummy."
The family exchanged glances, their expressions unreadable as they listened. Her brothers were proud on her for achieving this much in her life.
Before Sid could reply, another intern burst into the room, out of breath.
"Guys, the sessionâs cancelled for today."
"Canceled? Why? She never cancels!"
"She almost fainted in the ER minutes ago, Apparently, she was sitting for too long during that 10-hour surgery in that condition...umm..you know. Dr. KV had to give her a high dosage of painkillers."Â He informed them
The room fell silent. Sid straightened up immediately, concern flashing across his face. "Oh god... Is she okay now?"
"Yeah, sheâs fine for now. Typical Dr. Siara, thoughâshe only left after making sure the ER was under control." He sighed
The interns murmured amongst themselves,one said, If I became even 1% of what Dr. Siara is, my parents would be proud of me and with that they gathered their materials and left the cabin alongside Sid.
The family, still seated, exchanged uneasy glances. Reyanshâs hands tightened, while ekansh's expression grew stormy. The Sehgal's can easily see how thus news affected siara's brothers.
Mahir, however, sat perfectly still. His fingers clenched the armrest of the chair, his face impassive, but his thoughts were a maelstrom.
He recalled her expressionless face at their wedding and her robotic demeanor over the years. But now, seeing the fragments of the woman she truly wasâa brilliant surgeon pushing her limits to save livesâstirred something deep within him. A mixture of frustration, guilt, and something he couldnât name.
Reyansh broke the silence, his tone a mix of anger and worry,"Sheâs killing herself. Why is she pushing like this?" He stormed out and left
Ekansh had tears in his eyes, he followed behind Reyansh.
Shivani sighed, her voice trembling slightly,"Oh god, why is this happening today. First ma and now even siara"
Everyone was shocked as shivani never showed affection for siara in past three years.
Mahir didnât speak, The thought of her fainting, of her enduring such pain in silence, gnawed at him. His frustration with her distant behavior began to shift, replaced by a gnawing sense of guilt.
As the family sat in reflective silence, the atmosphere was thick with unspoken emotions. No one spoke but everyone was worried for siara and today they even forgot why they were not able to accept her. For the first time, they were beginning to see the cracks in the armor of the woman they had so easily misunderstood.
The title she was given- the unwanted daughter in law was slowly changing because that girl has made her space in their life without even trying.