Introducing my step father

I stood there, frozen in place, my brain struggling to process what I was seeing. The Malhotra. The biggest business tycoon, a man whose name carried weight in almost every industry, was standing right in front of me. And… he just called me daughter.

Wait—what?

This man wasn’t just some distant figure I’d seen on TV or read about in business magazines. He wasn’t some untouchable mogul. No, apparently, he was now my stepfather. The words felt too surreal to even process.

"This can’t be real. I have to be dreaming. There’s no way my mother married him," I thought, my heart pounding in my chest. I pinched myself—again—hoping that somehow, I’d wake up from this ridiculous situation. But no, the sharp sting was very real, and so was the man standing in front of me with that proud, fatherly smile on his face.

What the actual hell is happening?

I looked over at my mother, who was watching me with an amused expression, clearly enjoying my confusion. And then, she did the unthinkable—she stepped closer and pinched me.

"See, darling? It’s not a dream," she said with a grin, clearly entertained by my disbelief.

"Ouch! Mom, seriously?" I yelped, rubbing my arm and glaring at her.

I glanced back at The Malhotra—or should I say, my new stepfather?—still trying to wrap my mind around it. This wasn’t just any random guy. This was the Malhotra, one of the most powerful men in the business world. And my mother—my mother—married him?

"You married The Malhotra?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper as if saying it too loudly would somehow make it even more ridiculous.

My mother nodded, her eyes shining with happiness, completely oblivious to the mental chaos I was going through. "Yes, darling. And now he’s your father. Welcome to the family."

I blinked, looking around at the grandeur of the mansion, the elegant staff who had welcomed me like some kind of royal princess, and then back at him. This wasn’t the life I’d prepared myself for. And yet, here I was, being welcomed into the family of the most influential businessman in the country.

I swallowed hard. My life had just taken the wildest turn imaginable, and I had no idea what to do next.

After a brief pause, my mind finally started to catch up with the whirlwind of emotions and confusion swirling around me. I took a deep breath, trying to compose myself. I knew everyone here already had an idea of who I was, but still, introducing myself felt like the right thing to do.

"Hi, I’m Saira," I began, my voice steadier than I expected. "It’s nice to meet all of you."

The small crowd of staff smiled warmly at me, and I could tell they were trying to make me feel at ease in this new environment. My mother’s eyes sparkled with pride as she stood by my side, and then I felt his presence—*The Malhotra*, my new stepfather, stepping forward.

Before I could react, he pulled me into a gentle, warm embrace. At first, I was startled, but then something unexpected happened. The warmth of his hug, the way his arms wrapped protectively around me—it felt so real, so genuine. It wasn’t just some obligatory gesture. It felt... like family.

And in that moment, I missed my dad so much. The hug reminded me of him—of the safety and comfort I used to feel in his arms. For a second, it was as if I was hugging my late father, and the emotions hit me all at once. The familiar ache in my heart resurfaced, but this time, it wasn’t painful. It was soothing, almost as if this embrace was giving me a piece of the love I thought I’d lost forever.

I closed my eyes for a moment, letting myself feel it. The warmth, the familiarity, the fatherly affection. It was strange, but in that hug, I didn’t feel like I was meeting a stranger. I felt like I was being embraced by family, and that realization left me feeling more grounded than I had in a long time.

When he finally let go, I stepped back, blinking away the sudden rush of emotion. I gave him a small, grateful smile, though words felt unnecessary at that moment. He had given me something I didn’t even know I needed.