Sarvansh smirked, his eyes glowing faintly red as he stepped closer to Gauri. "You can glare all you want, JP," he said mockingly, his tone a blend of arrogance and dark charm. "But you know the truth as well as I do—Vihaan is nothing without me. His strength, his fire, his very soul… all of it belongs to me."
"Enough, Sarvansh," Gauri said firmly, though her voice trembled with restrained anger. "You've already caused enough pain. Stop pretending this is power—it's just destruction."
Sarvansh chuckled lowly. "Destruction is power when you know how to wield it. But you, Jalpanchi—you're blinded by sentiment. That's your weakness."
He turned to leave, his coat brushing against her arm. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a wife to collect—"
Before he could finish, Gauri's hand darted to a rope near the pillar. She pulled it sharply.
The ground beneath Sarvansh cracked open with a deep, grinding sound. His eyes widened in shock as the floor gave way, and in the next instant, he plunged into darkness. A heavy metallic thud echoed as iron bars slammed shut over him.
Gauri stood over the opening, her face cold and resolute. "You're not leaving this house again, Sarvansh. Not until Vihaan is safe."
–– In the Basement ––
A faint orange glow filled the underground chamber as Sarvansh rose slowly, brushing the dust off his shoulders. His gaze swept over the glowing sigils etched into the walls of his cage—symbols humming with divine energy.
He gave a sharp laugh. "You think this can hold me?" His voice dripped with confidence. "You underestimate the shadows, JP. They bend for me."
"Then show me," Vihaan's voice came from the doorway.
Sarvansh's expression shifted as Vihaan stepped into view, his calm eyes fixed on him. "Prove your power," Vihaan said evenly. "Go on."
Sarvansh lifted his hand, focusing—yet nothing happened. No flicker of shadow, no surge of energy. Only silence.
For a moment, disbelief flickered across his face. "What…?"
Gauri descended the stairs, her steps slow and deliberate. "You can't use your magic," she said. "Not here. That cage drains the essence of the Pratham Brisk tree—the same power that fuels you. For now, you're just a man."
Sarvansh's jaw tightened. "Clever, JP. You've planned this well."
"I didn't do it to punish you," Gauri said, her voice soft but firm. "You and Vihaan were one soul once—and you must become one again. It's the only way either of you can survive."
Sarvansh's lips curled into a smirk. "So that's what this is about. You're not keeping me prisoner out of fear—you're protecting me. You need me alive so your precious Vihaan doesn't fade."
"Think what you want," she replied.
"Oh, I know," he said, his tone turning sly. "You're saving me from that fiery bird upstairs—what was her name again? Ah, yes… the one burning for revenge."
Gauri's eyes flashed, but she said nothing.
Sarvansh leaned back against the bars, his smirk returning. "Fine, JP. I'll play your game. I'll stay quiet, pretend to cooperate—until my powers return. Then…" His gaze darkened, voice dropping to a near whisper. "We'll see who ends up caged."
––
Meanwhile, upstairs, chaos reigned.
"Kesar, stop!" Charvi cried as Kesar shoved past her, eyes wild.
"No one will stop me!" Kesar shouted, her voice breaking. "He's here—I can feel him!"
Ignoring the hands that tried to restrain her, she tore through the hallways, searching every corner of the mansion. "Sarvansh! Come out!"
Her cries echoed through the corridors, mingling with the quiet hum of the cage deep below—where Sarvansh's faint, knowing laughter echoed against the walls.
The atmosphere in the Kothari mansion had turned unbearably tense. The echoes of Kesar's fury still lingered in the air like thunder refusing to fade.
Sharda, Urvashi, and Shyom surrounded Kesar near the courtyard, their voices low but urgent.
"Kesar, please calm down," Sharda pleaded, her hands trembling. "Anger won't heal betrayal, beta."
Urvashi added softly, "Think about your vows, about what your heart truly wants."
But Kesar's eyes glowed with a dangerous fire. "What my heart wants?" she spat bitterly. "My heart wanted love, and he gave me lies!"
Meanwhile, in the mansion's dimly lit basement, Gauri stood with Yug, Charvi, Veena, and Dadi, her voice steady but burning with conviction as she revealed everything.
"Sarvansh tricked her," Gauri said. "He pretended to love Kesar, used her devotion, and now he wants to abandon her as if she were nothing."
Yug clenched his jaw. "That monster—how dare he?"
Charvi's face paled. "Kesar won't stop until she finds him."
Veena looked up the stairs anxiously. "Then we have to stop her before she does something she'll regret."
Just then, Vihaan entered, having overheard part of their conversation. "I'll talk to her," he said. "If Sarvansh won't apologize, then I'll do it for him."
Gauri blinked, surprised. "You? You'll apologize?"
He smiled awkwardly. "Yes… maybe that'll calm her down."
Yug smirked. "Bhai, when was the last time you actually apologized to anyone?"
Vihaan scratched his neck. "I… don't remember."
Gauri crossed her arms with a teasing smile. "Exactly. Let's see if you can even say the words."