Sharda's eyes hardened as she crossed her arms. "Do you not know, Gauri, that a wife fasts on this day for her husband's long life? Or did no one teach you these things? Tell me—didn't your mother fast for your father when he was alive?"
The question struck deep, and Gauri froze. Her grip tightened on the thali as an old memory stirred, unbidden—
She was ten again, little Charvi just four, sitting in the corner of their modest home. Their father, Sushant, had returned from work, his voice raised in frustration. Gayatri argued back, her words sharp and tired. The quarrels never ended. That night, her father clutched his chest mid-argument, collapsing before their eyes. A heart attack had stolen him away, leaving Gayatri a widow and her daughters fatherless.
Snapping back to the present, Gauri drew a breath, her eyes glistening but steady. "I… was very young when my father passed away," she admitted, her voice soft but firm. "But yes, I know of this ritual.I have seen many women perform it for their husbands. And tomorrow… I will also perform it—for Vihaan's sake."
A hush fell across the hall. Veena's face stiffened with unreadable emotion. Urvashi exchanged a look with Dadi, who smiled faintly at Gauri's resolve.
And Vihaan… his gaze lingered on her, long and unwavering. He hadn't expected such words from her, nor the weight of sincerity behind them. For the first time, something inside him shifted, silently, as he looked at his wife.
Sharda's stern gaze lingered on Gauri for a moment, weighing her words. At last, she gave a small nod. "Good. That is how it should be."
Without another word, she turned, her anklets chiming softly against the marble floor as she ascended the stairs with the same authority that had silenced the hall.
The family watched her retreat in silence, while Vihaan's eyes remained fixed on Gauri, a storm of unspoken thoughts churning behind his calm expression.
Later that night, Vihaan pushed open the door to their room and paused. Gauri was sitting cross-legged on the bed with a plate, happily nibbling away as if it were her last meal.
A faint smirk tugged at his lips. "You really do love eating too much, don't you?"
Gauri looked up, her cheeks full, and quickly swallowed. "Of course I do. Tomorrow I'll be starving the whole day, so I need to eat to my heart's content tonight."
Vihaan walked closer, his gaze steady, his tone turning firm. "You don't need to keep a fast for me, Gauri. Just pretend in front of everyone. No one will ever know. Don't trouble yourself. If I am destined to die, then no fasting can save me."
Before he could finish, Gauri stood and placed her palm over his mouth, silencing him. Her eyes glistened as she scolded softly, "Don't you dare talk about death again, Vihaan. I will fast for you. Not because Bade Maa asked me to, but because I want to."
Her voice shook with honesty. "Yes, our marriage didn't happen under the right circumstances. Yes, we keep fighting every other day. But I've gotten used to your stern face… and if something ever happened to you, there would be a void in my life I can't even describe."
Vihaan froze. Her words pierced through the walls he had built around his heart. His breath caught as he looked into her eyes—eyes that carried sincerity and warmth despite the storms between them.
For a long moment, they just stared at one another. The air between them thickened, charged with something unspoken.
Their eyes locked.
Neither of them moved, but both felt the invisible thread pulling them closer than words ever could.
Vihaan was the first to break the silence. He cleared his throat, forcing his gaze away from hers. "You should sleep now," he muttered, stepping back.
Gauri plopped back onto the bed with her plate. "First, I need to finish my food," she replied cheerfully, stuffing another bite into her mouth.
Vihaan's jaw tightened as he glanced at his neatly made bed now covered with crumbs and pillows scattered around. "Unbelievable," he grumbled under his breath.
But when his eyes returned to her, irritation slowly melted into something else. The way she was happily munching, her eyes sparkling with simple joy, her face glowing with unbothered innocence—it pulled at him in ways he didn't want to admit.
Almost without thinking, he reached forward and gently brushed away a smudge of food from the corner of her lips. For a second, his fingers lingered, his heart stumbling over itself. Realization struck, and he instantly drew his hand back as though burned.
Without another word, he grabbed a pillow and marched toward the couch. "Good night," he said curtly, lowering himself down.
Gauri glanced at him from the bed, a faint smile tugging at her lips. "Good night, stern officer," she teased softly, before returning to her plate.
Vihaan shut his eyes, trying to steady his thoughts, but the image of her bright smile refused to leave his mind.