Gayatri offered a polite nod, excusing herself from Veena's sharp gaze and the cornered conversation. She melted back into the lively crowd of Holi revelers, her mind still heavy with worry for her daughters.
Meanwhile, amid the colors and music, Nishigandha silently approached Urvashi from behind. A gentle tap on the shoulder made Urvashi turn around, startled.
"Happy Holi, aunty," Nishi said, her tone sweet and seemingly innocent.
"Happy Holi," Urvashi replied with a warm smile.
Nishigandha leaned closer, her voice dropping to a silky whisper. "Don't you know me?"
Urvashi shook her head gently, puzzled. "No, dear… who are you?"
With a sly smile, Nishi whispered an enchantment into Urvashi's ear, the words flowing like honey laced with danger. A subtle shiver ran through Urvashi, her eyes glazing slightly as the magic took hold.
"You will find Gauri," Nishi instructed softly, her voice hypnotic. "Tell her the secrets of this family… that it is haunted by the shadow of a witch. That is why Vihaan married her."
Urvashi's head bobbed almost imperceptibly. "Okay," she murmured, her voice distant, obedient. The spell had already begun reshaping her intentions.
Turning around, she began walking toward the mansion. Through the colorful crowd, she caught sight of Vihaan and Gauri stumbling slightly, intoxicated by the bhang and the revelry, their hands brushing as they made their way inside. The two were wrapped in a haze of playful chaos, their steps weaving through the courtyard, leaving a faint trail of smeared colors behind them.
Urvashi's newly bewitched eyes followed them intently, her mind now carrying Nishi's secret mission. The shadows of the witch's influence stretched further into the Kothari household.
Nishigandha watched Urvashi disappear into the mansion, her eyes glinting with dark satisfaction. A slow, cruel smirk spread across her face as she whispered under her breath, almost to herself,
"Once Gauri comes to know the truth about this family… she will run away. And then…" Her smile widened, teeth flashing, "…I will finish her."
The laughter and music of Holi in the courtyard reached her ears, but it barely registered. In that moment, all that mattered was the seed of fear she had planted in Urvashi's mind and the storm she was about to unleash on Gauri.
Her fingers twitched, eager to see the plan unfold, while the shadows of the evening seemed to deepen, curling around her like a cloak of impending doom.
Meanwhile, amidst the lingering colors of Holi and the laughter echoing in the courtyard, Charvi suddenly froze. Her eyes glazed over, her fingers trembling slightly as she reached for a white cloth and a set of watercolors.
"Charvi… what's wrong?" Yug asked, concern flickering across his face as he stepped closer.
Charvi didn't respond. Her hands moved almost on their own, dipping the brush into the paint and beginning to sketch with a fluid, mesmerizing precision. Yug watched, puzzled, as she painted a detailed image of a room—Vihaan's room, with its window perfectly captured in every stroke.
When the last stroke fell on the cloth, Charvi blinked rapidly, shaking herself out of the trance. Her eyes widened as she stared at the completed drawing.
"What… what kind of drawing is this?" she whispered, almost to herself.
Yug gently took the cloth from her hands, his brows knitting together. "Why… why did you draw Vihaan Bhaiya's room window?"
Charvi swallowed, her fingers clenching nervously. "I… I don't know. I don't want to check it, but… I feel this strange need… to see it."
Yug's expression softened, a hint of admiration in his eyes. "Alright. If you feel it's necessary, come with me."
Charvi nodded, and together, they made their way toward the Kothari mansion, the Holi festivities fading behind them as a sense of urgency filled the air.
Meanwhile, in Vihaan's room, Urvashi silently climbed the wall near the window Charvi had drawn, moving like a gecko. Her eyes were vacant, void, as if some unseen force guided her every step.
Vihaan and Gauri stumbled into the room, swaying slightly from the effects of the Holi celebration and a hint of intoxication. Gauri giggled, trying to balance herself, her hands waving in the air. "Vihaan… Vihaan… the color… it's burning my eyes!"
Vihaan blinked slowly, his speech slightly slurred. "Hmm… don't worry, Gauri… we'll… wash it… wash it off."
He reached out, steadying her as they teetered toward the bathroom, their movements uncoordinated and swaying with the tipsy rhythm of their intoxication.
Urvashi remained perfectly still near the window, her eyes fixed on them, the magic whispered into her ears by Nishigandha guiding her silently. Neither Vihaan nor Gauri noticed her presence as they fumbled their way through the room, lost in their drunken haze.
The quiet of the room contrasted sharply with the stumbling, laughing couple, leaving an ominous tension hanging near the window where Urvashi lingered.