As the bugs continued crawling out of the kheer, they poured out of the mansion and vanished into the shadows outside. The family exchanged uneasy glances, silently suspecting the hand of Kamini's dark forces—but none dared speak of it in front of Gauri.
Gauri stood frozen, her eyes wide, still in shock. How did bugs come out of the kheer? The thought echoed in her mind, sending a chill down her spine.
Outside, the bugs swarmed towards Nishigandha. They crawled all over her body before dissolving into her skin. Her eyes turned pitch black as she whispered darkly, "It will get very difficult to harm Vihaan now that he has married Gauri." Her words dripped with venom, the air around her humming with malevolence.
---
Later, in the privacy of their room, Gauri paced back and forth restlessly.
"How is that possible?" she muttered to herself. "The food was fresh, I made sure of it. Where did those bugs come from?"
The door creaked, and Vihaan stepped in. His voice was steady but softer than usual.
"Thank you for saving me, Gauri."
She stopped, turning toward him, concern in her eyes.
"What was in that kheer, Vihaan?" she asked in a hushed tone.
Vihaan smirked faintly. "About the kheer… didn't you make it salty on purpose to torture me?"
Her lips curved mischievously. "Of course I did. That's only the beginning—I'll do a lot more to torture you."
Vihaan stepped closer, his eyes glinting. "Keep trying. But remember—no matter what you do, I will not end this marriage."
With that, he turned as if to leave, but Gauri hurried after him. "You have to tell me how those bugs got in the kheer!"
Vihaan glanced over his shoulder, irritation flickering. "How should I know? You're the one who prepared it."
As he tried to walk away, Gauri reached to stop him, but in her haste her hand caught his shirt—ripping it open.
Vihaan spun around, shocked. "What did you do? Why did you tear my shirt?"
Gauri froze, her eyes widening at the sight of his well-built physique. For a moment, she was utterly mesmerized. Her gaze lingered, tracing every detail.
Noticing, Vihaan snapped his fingers sharply in front of her face. "My eyes, Gauri. Talk to me—don't stare at my body."
She flushed, stammering, "I… I tore it by mistake. But there has to be a logical explanation for those bugs."
Vihaan's voice hardened. "I don't have one."
Gauri stepped forward insistently, but her foot slipped on the rug. She tumbled forward—straight into Vihaan's chest. He instinctively caught her, their bodies colliding as they fell together onto the bed.
Their faces hovered inches apart, breaths mingling. Her hands rested on his chest, his arms wrapped firmly around her waist. For a long, suspended moment, they locked eyes—romantic tension burning between them like an unspoken confession.
As their breaths mingled, Gauri's trembling hand rose almost on its own, her fingers brushing into Vihaan's long, damp hair. He stilled for a moment, then, as if caught in the same current, his hand lifted, sliding gently through her soft strands.
Neither spoke. The only sound between them was the rhythm of their breathing, warm and uneven, echoing in the silence. The closeness felt dangerous, magnetic—as though time itself had stilled to watch them.
Just then, the door creaked open.
Yug stepped inside, only to freeze mid-stride. His eyes widened. "Oh… sorry! I didn't know you were… busy."
The spell shattered instantly. Gauri jerked back, her cheeks flaming, while Vihaan straightened, quickly putting distance between them.
Gauri cleared her throat, fumbling for words. "I was… um… I was just… helping Vihaan fix his shirt."
Vihaan, his expression composed but his ears tinged red, added curtly, "Yes. The tear needed adjusting. That's all."
Yug arched a brow, suppressing a grin. "Right. Adjusting." He smirked faintly before stepping out again, leaving the air thick with embarrassment.
The moment broken, Vihaan and Gauri exchanged a quick glance, both searching for composure—yet both painfully aware of the magnetic pull that lingered beneath their excuses.
Vihaan slipped on a fresh shirt, his movements brisk. Gauri, still flustered, quickly turned her face away, pretending to be absorbed in fixing her dupatta. Without another word, Vihaan strode out of the room, leaving her battling with the echo of the moment they had just shared.
In the hallway, Yug leaned casually against the wall, waiting. As Vihaan approached, his expression hardened, the weight of the bug incident overtaking everything else.
"We need to talk," Vihaan said.
"About those bugs?" Yug asked, falling into step beside him.
"Yes," Vihaan's tone was grim. "Only a witch could do something like this."
Yug's eyes widened. "But brother… we all ate the food sister-in-law made. Does that mean we have bugs running around inside us?"
Vihaan stopped and gave him a sharp look. "Fool! If you had eaten the poisoned dish, you wouldn't be alive right now."
Yug exhaled in relief, patting his chest. "Thank goodness! I still haven't even started my love story with Charvi."
Vihaan narrowed his eyes. "What did you just say?"
Yug blinked innocently. "What did I say? I didn't say anything."
Vihaan's lips curved into a half-smirk as he muttered, "Though I don't like Gauri because of her profession as a bar dancer, I think Charvi is a nice girl."
Yug grinned mischievously. "Oh, you don't like sister-in-law, but you were busy romancing her just now."
Vihaan stiffened, glaring. "Shut up! Have you lost it?"
Yug chuckled under his breath, clearly enjoying his brother's discomfort, while Vihaan walked ahead with a storm brewing in his eyes.