Pratham Vanshi hurried inside the mansion, her eyes sharp and urgent. She immediately assessed Veena, whose body lay limp on the floor.
"Vihaan! Lift her and place her on the couch," Pratham Vanshi commanded. Without hesitation, Vihaan scooped his mother into his arms and gently set her on the couch.
Pratham Vanshi knelt beside Veena, placing her hands over Vihaan's mother's chest. Closing her eyes, she muttered incantations under her breath. A cold, grim expression crossed her face.
"Due to the witch's curse," Pratham Vanshi said, her voice grave, "Veena's heart has begun to slowly turn into stone."
Urvashi's eyes widened in horror. "How can we save her? The girl—the Jalpanchi—ran away!"
Pratham Vanshi's jaw tightened, her mind racing. I was right… she wasn't the God-send. Otherwise, fate wouldn't have allowed her to run away. I have no choice… I must gamble.
She looked up at Vihaan, her gaze steady. "The girl you were supposed to marry… what was her name?"
"Adrija," Vihaan replied, his voice tight with worry.
Pratham Vanshi's eyes narrowed. "Does Adrija have a sister?"
Vihaan paused, recalling the events of the engagement. "Yes… during the ceremony, a girl arrived claiming to be her sister. Her name is Gauri."
Pratham Vanshi's eyes clouded with a distant thought, memories stirring. Twenty-four years ago, when the Jalpanchi was born, her mother had initially named her Gauri… Could this girl… could she actually be the real Jalpanchi?
She didn't reveal her thoughts to anyone, keeping her expression calm. Turning back to Vihaan, her voice firm, she said, "You couldn't marry Adrija, the girl supposedly chosen as the Jalpanchi. Now… you must marry her sister."
Vihaan's eyes widened in shock, the weight of her words crashing down. Around him, the Kothari family froze, their faces pale, disbelief and fear etched in every feature.
"Her… her sister?" Vihaan stammered, his mind reeling.
"Yes," Pratham Vanshi said quietly but firmly. "If Veena is to be saved, this is your only chance."
The mansion fell silent, the revelation hanging in the air like a thunderclap. Everyone understood the stakes—and the gamble that fate had suddenly thrust upon them.
Vihaan gripped the steering wheel tightly, his eyes fixed on the road ahead as the car sped toward the chawl. His mind was heavy with thought. I have no choice but to marry a shameful girl like her to save my mother, he muttered under his breath.
He recalled seeing Gauri perform that night at the brothel when he had gone undercover to bust Dianaswari's drug operation. The image of her courage and defiance flashed in his mind, as well as her fiery arguments whenever Veena insulted her for being a dancer.
Every time he thought of it, a mix of frustration and resolve settled in his chest. He disliked that he had to marry someone he considered "shameful," but the stakes were too high. Veena's life—and the safety of his family—depended on it.
Meanwhile, at her college hostel, Charvi sat on her bed, anxiously staring at a drawing she had made earlier. In it, Vihaan was applying vermillion on Gauri's hairline. Her hands trembled as she whispered to herself, "Who is this man putting vermillion on sister? Why… why is this happening?"
Her heart pounded with worry for Gauri. "I hope sister is safe…"
Vihaan, unaware of Charvi's thoughts far away in the hostel, pressed onward, determination steeling his expression. I have to do this… for Ma…
Outside the chawl, Gauri stepped into the evening air, the door clicking shut behind her. She wore jeans and a jacket, her cab keys dangling from her hand. The cool breeze ruffled her hair as she glanced at her watch. 6:30…
She sighed softly, a tinge of loneliness in her voice. "Without Charvi, this house feels so empty… I kept her at the hostel for her safety, and now I'm missing her terribly."
She paused, leaning against the wall for a moment, and her eyes softened as she spoke aloud, almost like a verse:
"Sisters are the keepers of our hearts,
Even when apart, their love never parts.
Through trials, laughter, and silent fears,
Their bond endures across the years."
A small, wistful smile curved her lips. "I should go see her… make sure she's okay,"
Gauri approached her cab, sliding her hand over the handle. Just as she was about to open the door, a firm grip seized her arm.
She spun around, her eyes widening in shock. "Mr… Vihaan?"
The sky above them roared with lightning, and a crack of thunder shook the air, the wind howling around them. Dark clouds churned ominously, casting fleeting shadows across their faces.
Without a word, Vihaan held up a small vermilion container and swiftly applied it to her hairline.
Gauri froze, her mouth slightly open, her mind struggling to process what had just happened.
For a long moment, they stood like that—Vihaan resolute, and Gauri stunned—staring at each other amidst the stormy sky. Lightning illuminated their faces in sharp flashes, and thunder punctuated the intensity of the moment, heightening the suspense and unspoken tension.