Sonia adjusted the pleats of her modest maroon saree for the tenth time as the black Mercedes glided through the imposing iron gates of the sprawling mansion on the outskirts of Delhi. At twenty, she was the perfect traditional girl her parents had raised—fair-skinned, long black hair braided neatly, eyes downcast in practiced shyness, and a body that curved softly under the layers of silk and petticoat. Her family had been thrilled when the proposal from the wealthy Sharma family came. The groom, Arjun, was a handsome software engineer in his late twenties, working abroad. But this “family compatibility stay” was the real test. Three days in their luxurious home to see if she fit in.

“Beta, behave properly. This could be your future home,” her mother had whispered before leaving her at the door.