Far away from the Kothari mansion, in the secluded depths of the forest, a new cottage stood where the old one had been reduced to ashes. Its walls were woven of reed and stone, its silence thick with the weight of forgotten chants. Inside, the air was heavy with incense smoke and the hum of unseen energies.
On a woven mat, the Pratham Vanshi sat cross-legged, her posture still, her breaths even. Slowly, her eyelids fluttered open, revealing eyes that glowed an unearthly white, their light cutting through the dimness of the room. The glow held for a moment, then faded, returning her gaze to its human hue.
Her lips curved in neither smile nor frown, but in the calm certainty of one who has seen what others cannot. She whispered into the quiet, her voice layered with prophecy.
"The story is about to change. The threads twist anew. Vihaan and Gauri's lives… will soon take a drastic turn."
Her hands moved over a clay lamp, feeding it a few drops of oil as the flame rose higher, almost in response to her words.
"Kamini will try to pull Vihaan into the dark path," she continued, her tone grave, "and now… it is up to Gauri. Only she can be his anchor. Only she can show him the path of light."
The flame flickered wildly, casting Gauri's name in shadows upon the walls, as if the universe itself echoed the weight of her destiny.
In the quiet of the guestroom, Charvi tapped her fingers restlessly against the armrest of the chair. A strange heaviness pressed on her mind, as though her thoughts wanted to spill out in shapes she couldn't yet see.
Her eyes wandered to the small study table by the window. A stack of loose papers lay scattered there—perhaps Yug's scribbles or household notes someone had left behind. Almost unconsciously, she reached for them, snatched up a pencil resting nearby, and began to draw.
The lines flowed quickly, her hand moving faster than her thoughts. By the time she blinked back into awareness, a picture had taken form. Charvi's breath caught.
It was Vihaan. His sharp eyes, his rigid stance unmistakable… but his hands were raised, and in front of him—helpless, frightened—stood her sister. Gauri.
Charvi dropped the pencil, her pulse racing. "Why… why would I draw this?" she whispered, clutching the paper. "Why would Jiju attack Sister?"
Her fingers trembled as she stared at the image, her heart sinking deeper with dread.
The heavy wooden door shut with a soft thud as Veena—or rather, the one who wore her face—slid the bolt into place. Kamini's lips curved into a slow, dangerous smile as she turned to the mirror. Behind the glass, the real Veena banged helplessly against the fiery circle, her cheeks wet with tears.
Kamini stepped closer, her eyes glinting as she held something delicate between her fingers. A single strand of hair. She dangled it mockingly before the mirror.
"Look, Veena," Kamini purred, her voice dripping with cruel satisfaction. "Do you recognize this? This hair belongs to your son… or should I say my son? No, perhaps he's both—our son."
Veena's heart lurched, her palms flattening against the cold glass. Her voice cracked as she cried, "What are you going to do with my son? Leave him out of this, Kamini! Please!"
Kamini's laughter echoed in the room, sharp and merciless. She pressed the strand of hair to her lips as though savoring a secret. "Don't worry, dear. I'll do what I want with Vihaan. But for now…" She paused, her eyes darkening with twisted hunger.
"…I will use this hair to control him. And when I do, he will commit a sin so great even the gods will turn away."
Veena shook her head violently, tears streaming as she choked, "No… no, you wouldn't…"
Kamini leaned close to the mirror, her eyes gleaming like embers. "Oh, but I will. Vihaan will kill the one who is constantly standing in my way. He will kill his wife… his precious Gauri."
Veena let out a heart-wrenching scream, her fists pounding against the glass, but the flames rose higher, muffling her cries. Kamini only smiled wider, twirling the strand of hair between her fingers as if it were already a weapon.
"To be continued…"