The air in the room hung thick and heavy, a silent, unseen weight pressing down on Samrat. He shifted uncomfortably, his gaze darting between his father, mother, and grandmother.

He could feel the unspoken words swirling around them, a familiar dread coiling in his stomach. He knew, deep down, what they wanted to discuss, what they needed to discuss. Yet, a desperate part of him wished they would simply ignore it, let it fade into the background, bury it so deep it could never resurface.