Brinda sat alone in the dimly lit room she shared with Adhiraj. The night wrapped around her like a heavy blanket as she made her way onto the balcony, her gaze fixed on the vast expanse of stars twinkling above.

Her sister in law had come by earlier to offer her nourishment, and with a few reluctant morsels downed and her medicine taken, Brinda felt an emptiness that swallowed her whole.