The haveli was deceptively calm on the day Anjali returned.

Rajesh sat in the grand living room like a king on his throne, dressed in a crisp white kurta, looking every bit the respected patriarch. Meena wore a simple but elegant saree, her hair neatly tied, hiding the faint bruises and fading welts beneath layers of cloth and powder. Priya, the maid, moved silently in the background in a fresh cotton saree, her black collar removed and hidden, though the slight stiffness in her walk and the way her nipples pressed visibly against her blouse told a different story.