The Broken Window

“Finally, I have an off day after 20 days! Being a hotelier is much tougher than I had thought!” Varun sighed into his phone while chatting with his buddy Samar, relishing the rare break from his hectic schedule at the hotel. He stood in his balcony, enjoying the light drizzle and the earthy fragrance of wet mud that filled the air.

As he breathed in the freshness and admired the greenery around, his eyes caught sight of a

movement in the diagonally opposite building. A middle-aged lady had stepped into her balcony and started cleaning it.

Varun recalled that the flat had been empty for quite some time — perhaps a new family had just moved in. Just as he turned to go inside, he noticed a cute little girl playing with a toddler boy in that same flat.

The girl, about seven or eight years old, was strikingly pretty. Varun, who had a daughter of his own, felt an instant warmth. The sight brought a gentle smile to his face, and he carried that smile with him as he went about his day. That night, while playing with his daughter, Varun suddenly heard a child crying from the opposite flat. The wailing grew louder, followed by the sound of a woman yelling harshly. Curious and uneasy, he stepped out into his balcony, but the lights in that flat were off. Dismissing it as a regular parent- child argument, he went back inside.

The next morning, Varun had an early shift. His luck ran out when a colleague called in sick, forcing him into a double shift. By the time he reached home, it was past midnight. Not wanting to wake his wife, Anu — a schoolteacher who had to rise early — he quietly unlocked the door with his spare key.

He tiptoed into his daughter’s room and kissed her forehead. Her window was slightly open, so he walked over to close it. That’s when he noticed something unusual — the lights of the opposite flat were still on. Through a broken windowpane, he saw the same little girl washing utensils at that late hour.

Varun froze. The image of such a young child working so late disturbed him deeply. Who could make their daughter do this? he wondered.

He couldn’t sleep that night. The next morning, when he shared his concern with Anu, she gently reminded him, “It might be their private matter, Varun. We can’t interfere.”

But Varun couldn’t shake off the image of the little girl. Over the next few days, through that broken window, he witnessed more unsettling scenes — the girl doing endless chores, caring for the toddler all alone, and one horrifying evening, being beaten brutally by the same woman he had seen before.

That was the final straw.

Shaken, Varun called Anu over and pointed toward the window. When she saw what was happening, she stood speechless.

Without wasting a moment, Varun dialed the police and the child protection cell. He knew the family might retaliate, but he didn’t care — the girl’s safety mattered more. Anu, too, stood by his side, her heart breaking for the little one.

The police arrived quickly, and Varun accompanied them to the opposite flat. The girl was rescued just in time. She was in terrible shape — bruised, weak, and terrified. Investigations revealed a cruel truth: she was an adopted child, neglected and abused by the couple

after they had their biological son.

Varun was devastated. He couldn’t bear to leave her in a shelter, so he and Anu decided to care for her themselves. Somehow, he felt a divine connection with her — as if fate had chosen him to find her through that broken window.

Days later, when the little girl finally regained consciousness, Varun was sitting by her side. She looked at him and smiled faintly — a smile that melted away all his worries. At that moment, he knew she belonged with them. He gently took her in his arms, feeling a peace he hadn’t known before.

Present Day

“Geet and Siya, hurry up! Your papa is waiting for you at the venue!” called out Anu.

Two beautiful girls stepped out of their room, giggling as Anu looked at them with pride. “Nazar na lage meri dono pariyon ko!” she said lovingly.

They rushed into the car, and soon Anu drove them to the new hotel Varun had recently opened with his friends. As soon as they reached, both girls ran toward their favourite person — their papa. Varun scooped them up and twirled them in the air, his heart brimming with joy.

Today, surrounded by his two angels — his daughter Siya and his adopted daughter Geet, the little girl he had once seen through the broken window — and his ever-supportive wife Anu, Varun felt truly complete.

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