Outside the room, Vihaan leaned against the wall, exhaling in relief. Thank God she doesn't remember… but how long will it last? His fingers raked through his damp hair as unease gnawed at him.
"I mean, it's not like I did something wrong," he muttered under his breath. "This… this happens between married couples. But Gauri and I? We can't even see eye to eye. How could we…?" His thoughts blurred, replaying flashes of last night's passion until his chest tightened.
"Bhaiya!" Yug's voice jolted him. Vihaan straightened instantly, trying to compose his face as his younger brother rushed toward him.
"I was waiting for you. You can't imagine what happened yesterday!" Yug said breathlessly.
Vihaan's mind betrayed him again—images of Gauri's lips, her hands, her laughter under the shower. His cheeks heated, pulse quickening.
"Bhaiya?!" Yug snapped his fingers in front of him. "Are you even listening?"
Vihaan blinked, startled. "H-huh? Yes… yes, of course. What… what happened yesterday?"
Yug's eyes darkened. "Mom. She was possessed by the witch. Right here, in this house. She almost revealed everything to Bhabhi."
The words slammed into Vihaan like a thunderbolt. His breath caught. "What?"
Then, like a cruel echo, another memory surfaced—Gauri in his arms, laughing drunkenly, her eyes glowing with trust. His own slurred voice whispering the truth: This family is haunted by the witch… because of me. I'm a witch's son. A wizard. A Sarvansh.
Vihaan's blood ran cold.
"Bhaiya?" Yug frowned. "What's wrong?"
Vihaan grabbed Yug's shoulders, his voice low and urgent. "Yug… I need to tell you something. Last night, under the effect of bhang… I told Gauri. I told her everything—about the witch, about me being a Sarvansh. She laughed it off, but…" His jaw tightened. "If she remembers—if even a fragment comes back—everything will fall apart."
Yug's eyes widened in horror. "Bhaiya… this is dangerous. If Bhabhi learns the truth before we're ready—"
"She'll leave me and this family," Vihaan finished grimly, a shadow falling over his expression.
Vihaan let out a shaky breath, lowering his voice. "Luckily… she doesn't remember anything from last night."
Yug narrowed his eyes. "How do you know that?"
Absent-mindedly, Vihaan muttered, "Because she doesn't remember what we did last night…"
The words slipped out before he could stop himself.
Yug's jaw dropped, then a mischievous grin spread across his face. "Wait… Bhaiya… you mean—" he leaned closer, whispering, "you and Bhabhi did it?"
Vihaan's eyes widened in panic. "Shut up!" He slapped his palm over Yug's mouth. "Shhh! Not another word!"
Yug chuckled behind his brother's hand, his eyes dancing with amusement. Vihaan's cheeks burned as he glared. "It's not funny, Yug! If anyone hears this—"
Yug pulled back, laughing softly. "Relax, Bhaiya. Your secret's safe with me. But wow… never thought I'd see the day when the mighty Vihaan Kothari would lose control."
Vihaan clenched his jaw, torn between embarrassment and irritation. "One more word, and I'll throw you in the pool."
Yug smirked. "Then at least admit it—you're falling for Bhabhi."
Vihaan froze, his heart skipping a beat, but he quickly masked it with a scowl. "Go do something useful, Yug. And don't you dare mention last night again."
Yug only grinned wider, enjoying every second of his brother's discomfort.
Vihaan sighed. "Come, let's meet the family," he muttered, still glaring at Yug to behave.
The two brothers descended the staircase. As soon as they reached the hall, Vihaan bent respectfully, seeking the blessings of Dadi and the elders. Veena's sharp eyes immediately landed on him.
"Vihaan," she asked with concern, "why did you suddenly disappear from the celebration last night?"
Yug pressed his lips together, suppressing a laugh, his shoulders shaking slightly. Vihaan caught his expression and shot him a deadly glare that screamed, Don't you dare!
Forcing his face into calm composure, Vihaan said smoothly, "I… had a splitting headache, Mom. So I went to bed early."
Veena studied him for a moment, then nodded. "Alright. But you should know what happened in your absence."
Urvashi, seated nearby, looked visibly unsettled. Her fingers twisted the end of her dupatta nervously as she spoke. "I'm still shaken… by what happened last night."
Vihaan tensed, stealing a glance at Yug. "Yes… Yug told me the witch had bewitched Aunt," he said carefully, hoping to steer the discussion away from anything that might accidentally expose his other secret.
Urvashi's voice trembled. "The witch… she would have made me reveal the truth about our family… to Gauri."
The family exchanged worried glances.
Vihaan immediately interjected, his tone sharp, "Gauri cannot come to know the truth about the witch!"
His words struck like lightning—
And then, from the staircase, a voice broke the heavy silence.
"Why can't I come to know the truth about the witch?"
It was Gauri.
Everyone froze, eyes widening in shock. Her sudden presence, her unexpected question—it was as though the air itself had been ripped apart.
To be continued…