vibrant color feeling like it would contrast the weight in her heart. As she stood before the mirror, she picked up a black bindi, but before applying it, memories rushed to her mind.

She remembered how Shahswat used to adore her wearing a bindi. The way his eyes would soften, and how he’d gently place it on her forehead for her. Her hand trembled slightly as she set the packet down, wiping the tears that had begun to form. Taking a deep breath, she forced a smile, a smile she hadn’t worn in ages—the smile of a girl trying to move forward, trying to be strong.

Once ready, she walked out of her room, her yellow suit a stark contrast to the grief that weighed heavily in her chest. Her feet were light, but her heart was anything but. As she walked downstairs, her thoughts drifted back to those simpler days when she would have made every effort to look perfect for Shahswat, to be the girl he always adored. But now, she had changed, and so had he.

On her way down, her heel caught on the wet floor, and she slipped slightly, her hands instinctively reaching out to steady herself. She quickly straightened herself, glaring at the children running around the area.

"Ye kisne kiya hai? Ye jagah hai khelne ki? Koi fisal ke gir sakta hai na..jaa ke bahar khelo," she scolded them, her voice sharp.

The children scattered, and Siya took a deep breath, her posture rigid as she continued walking.

But her foot slipped again, this time sending her off balance. She gasped, her arms flailing slightly in an attempt to catch herself, but before she could hit the floor, a strong hand wrapped firmly around her waist, pulling her back up in one swift motion.

Her breath hitched as the warmth of his touch settled against her, steadying her trembling form. Her heart pounded in her chest as she opened her eyes, and her gaze collided with his. Those amber eyes, so familiar yet so distant, stared back at her.

For a moment, time seemed to stand still. Three years had passed since they had been this close.

Shashwat's eyes darted over her face, taking in the features he had missed so much—her delicate nose, her soft lips, and those expressive eyes that once held nothing but warmth for him.

Siya felt her emotions bubbling to the surface, the ache of longing and heartbreak threatening to spill over. Her fingers instinctively curled against his chest, seeking stability not just for her body but for her breaking heart.

Shashwat knew he couldn’t hold on. If he stayed like this any longer, he would crumble. He could feel his walls cracking, the urge to pull her into a hug and cry out the pain of the years they had spent apart growing stronger with every second. He clenched his jaw, forcing himself to step back.

He released her, his hands trembling slightly as they fell to his sides. Siya stumbled a little as the warmth of his touch disappeared, but she quickly composed herself. She looked up at him, her eyes glistening with unshed tears she refused to let him see.

"Thank you," she murmured softly, her voice barely above a whisper. She tried to mask the tremor in her tone, but the crack was evident, betraying the turmoil inside her.

Shashwat nodded, his throat dry, unable to find words. He looked away, his fists clenching tightly as if to hold himself together. Siya turned and walked away quickly, her steps hurried as if trying to escape the weight of the moment.

Ritika walked down the stairs, draped in a gorgeous red and blue silk saree, adorned with traditional jewelry that sparkled in the soft glow of the lights. Her anklets jingled lightly with each step as she glanced around the hall, her sharp eyes catching the commotion but noting that the pooja hadn’t yet started.

"Abhi tak pooja shuru nahi huyi?" she said, a hint of annoyance in her voice. "Ye pandit ji pata nahi kitne kilo ka attitude leke aate hain. Mujhe bhukh lagi hai!" She frowned, her eyes darting from one corner of the room to the other, noticing that everyone seemed busy.

She huffed dramatically, placing her hands on her hips. "Dulhan ki koi izzat hi nahi hai! Ab ye mere pran nath kahan chale gaye?" she muttered, her voice carrying a teasing edge.

At that moment, her attention was drawn to Arushi, Richa, Divya, and Darsh, who were practically dragging a very flustered Arav toward her.

"Aap bhi na, bhaiya," Arushi giggled, nudging him forward. "Kitna sharmate rehte hain! Aapki hone wali patni hain... unke saath toh baith hi sakte hain."

Arav, clearly uncomfortable with all the attention, tried to resist but eventually gave in. He adjusted his kurta nervously, his eyes briefly meeting Ritika’s before darting away.

"Hii," he mumbled awkwardly, standing a safe distance from her.

Ritika raised an eyebrow, her expression a mix of amusement and mock annoyance. "Hii? Hii kya hota hai?? Kya yaar Swami!" she exclaimed, crossing her arms. "You are so unromantic! Maine toh socha tha ki ek proper 'whipped' moment hoga aapka. Kam se kam tareef toh karte."

Arav flushed a deep shade of red as his siblings and cousins chuckled in the background. He cleared his throat, glancing around nervously. "You’re... you’re looking beautiful," he managed to say, his voice timid.

As Ritika turned to adjust her saree, Arushi's sharp eyes caught something on her neck—a faint red mark. Her jaw dropped in exaggerated shock as she pointed at it.

"Bhabhi!!" Arushi gasped dramatically. "Aap toh keh rahi thi ki Arav bhaiya is very unromantic... toh ye kya hai?"

Everyone’s attention shifted to Ritika, whose eyes briefly widened before she smirked. Arav, on the other hand, froze in his spot, his face turning beet red.

"M... maine nahi kiya!" Arav stammered, his voice going up an octave.

Ritika couldn’t hold back her laughter at his panicked expression. She waved her hand dismissively. "Tujhe kya lagta hai, ye Arav karega?" she said, her tone laced with mock incredulity.

Richa’s eyes widened at Ritika’s comment. "Phir kisne?" she asked, genuinely shocked, leaning in for details.

Ritika rolled her eyes at the theatrics. "Arre buddhu, I mean kal necklace try kar rahi thi toh thoda scratch aa gaya!" she clarified, lightly touching the mark. Then, with a teasing smile, she added, "Varna ye... ye kuch karenge? Tum apne bhai ko jaanti nahi ho kya? Inse ek kiss bhi mushkil se milti hai!"

"Bhabhi yaar!" Arushi whined, throwing her hands in the air. "Hesitate karna band karo ab toh! Bhaiya, aap bhi kuch seekho unse!"

Arav, still blushing furiously, glared at Arushi.

Before the banter could escalate, the main door opened, and Prashant and Aashi entered with their two-year-old son, Shreyash.

"Awww, cutie aa gaya!" Ritika squealed, her face lighting up as she crouched to Shreyash’s height. She extended her arms, and the little boy immediately ran to her. Ritika kissed his chubby cheek, and he giggled, clinging to her.

"Late toh nahi hue, na?" Prashant asked, looking around as he dusted off his kurta.

"Nahi, jiju, abhi toh pooja shuru bhi nahi hui hai," Ritika replied, straightening up while still holding Shreyash’s hand.

After a while, Akash finally entered the house, his presence not going unnoticed as he made his way to Reyansh. He flashed a slight smile at him, deliberately ignoring Shahswat, who had been silently observing his every move.

"Shahswat ne kaha ki tu nahi aane wala tha. Kaam ho gaya?" Reyansh asked casually, noticing the shift in Akash’s demeanor.

"Isse mere baare mein pata kahan rehta hai," Akash replied with a shrug, a smirk playing at the corner of his lips. The subtle jab made Shahswat feel a pang of something he couldn’t quite place—resentment, perhaps, or just the weight of being disregarded by Akash.

Reyansh didn’t comment on the tension. "Chalo, pooja shuru hone wali hai," he said, directing Akash towards the gathering.

The pooja began shortly after, and everyone gathered, settling down for the sacred ceremony. Siya sat next to Arushi, her movements slow as she adjusted herself. However, before she could fully settle, Arushi playfully nudged her towards Shahswat, causing Siya to lose her balance for a moment and lean slightly against him. Her breath hitched as she quickly straightened herself, avoiding his gaze as she looked down in embarrassment.

Shahswat glanced at her, his expression unreadable. For a brief moment, their eyes met, but neither one spoke. The tension between them lingered in the air like an unspoken word.

"Ab devi ko pushp chadhaiye," the priest’s voice broke the silence. He instructed everyone to take flowers and offer them to the deity. Everyone complied, carefully holding the flowers in their hands, and they offered them up one by one, paying their respects.

However, amidst the reverent act, Reyansh, in a playful mood, tossed a few flowers at Arushi, hitting her lightly on the shoulder. Arushi glared at him with feigned annoyance, and Reyansh gave her a cheeky smile in return, clearly enjoying the moment. But then, he respectfully placed the remaining flowers on the deity, his playful demeanor fading into a more serious tone.

The priest continued the ceremony, and as the pooja neared its end, he turned to Siya. "Ab, pooja ki aarti ke pehle, hum ek stotram gaayenge. Siya, tum sabhi stotrams jaanti ho na?"

Siya nodded, her face lit with a gentle, calm smile, though there was an underlying sadness in her eyes that she quickly masked.

"Ji, pandit ji," Siya said softly, glancing at the priest, ready to perform the stotram.

Siya stood in front of the idol, her eyes closed in concentration. The soft light illuminated her face, her expression serene yet slightly anxious as she prepared to sing the Ardhnarishwar Stotram, a hymn dedicated to the supreme divine couple.

"Champeya gowrardha sareerakayai,

Karpoora gourardha sareerakaya,

Dhamillakayai cha jatadaraya,

Nama Shivayai cha namashivaya."

Her voice rose and fell with grace, the rhythm of her chanting following the sacred vibrations in the air. But then, as she reached the next line, something seemed to slip from her mind. Her brow furrowed in concentration, and she paused for a brief moment, the words evading her grasp.

"Kasthurika kumkuma charchithayai,

Chitharaja puncha vicharchithayai,

Kruthasmarayai vikrutha smaraya,

Nama Shivayai cha namashivaya."

"Jhanath kvanath kankana noopurayai,”

But then, as she reached the next line, something seemed to slip from her mind. Her brow furrowed in concentration, and she paused for a brief moment, the words evading her grasp.

She repeated the line once more, but still, the next verse refused to come. Frustration flickered in her eyes, but she didn’t give up.

But before she could try again, she heard a voice—a familiar, steady presence that seemed to fill the room, grounding her.

"Padabja Rajat phani noopuraya,

Hemangadhayai bhujagangadhaya,

Nama Shivayai cha namashivaya.”

Shahswat’s voice was calm, deep, and steady. He had completed the line for her. She turned her head slightly, her heart racing in her chest as her eyes met his. He stood beside her now, his presence beside her both comforting and unsettling all at once. His gaze was not just on the idol, but also on her—his attention undivided. She hadn’t even realized when he had moved beside her.

For a moment, they stood there, a brief silence enveloping them before Siya took a deep breath and began again. Her voice, though still trembling slightly, grew in strength as she continued.

"Visala nilothphala lochanayai,

Vikasi pangeruha lochanaya,”

Once again, Shahswat’s voice interlaced with hers, completing her verse with the same resonance.

"Samekshanayai vishamekshanaya,

Nama Shivayai cha namashivaya.

Ambhodara syamala kunthalayai,

Thadithprabha thamra jatadharaya,

Nireeswarayai nikhileeswaraya,

Nama Shivayai cha namashivaya."

Siya stumbled slightly again, her breath hitching, the words momentarily lost. But before she could even blink, Shahswat completed the line, his voice echoing with certainty, just as Mahadev completed his Parvati in the form of Ardhnarishwar.

"Prapancha srushtyun muka lasyakayai,

Samastha samharaka thandavaya,

Jagat jananyai Jagatheka pithre,

Nama Shivayai cha namashivaya."

Together, their voices rose one final time, each word a wave of devotion that seemed to wash over them, over the gathering, over the idol of Ardhnarishwar itself. The stotram came to an end, and a deep silence followed—almost sacred.

The pooja ceremony had concluded, and the atmosphere in the house shifted to a light, relaxed air as the elders went off to attend to some other tasks.

Siya was distributing prashad to everyone and now only shashwat was left, she took a deep breath before heading towards him. Shahswat was standing a little away from the others, a rare moment of peace, his arms cradling Shreyash, the little boy’s tiny hands clutching a toy tightly.

She stood in front of him, avoiding his eyes, the words caught in her throat for a brief moment. "Prashad," she said softly, the word almost feeling foreign as it left her lips, her gaze fixed on the floor to avoid looking at him.

Shahswat looked at her, his amber eyes meeting hers for a brief second before he glanced at Shreyash, who was contentedly clinging to him, his small fingers wrapped tightly around the toy.

"Ritika bhabhi, aap isse pakdengi ek minute ke liye?" Shahswat asked, but as if to protest, Shreyash tightened his grip on him, making it clear that he wasn’t ready to leave his arms just yet.

"Kelna," Shreyash mumbled softly.

Ritika, who had been standing nearby, glanced at them, a mischievous glint in her eyes. "Ye nahi chhodega tujhe aaj," she teased, noticing Shreyash's reluctance to part with Shahswat.

Siya sighed softly, still standing there awkwardly. She had hoped the moment would pass without too much attention, but of course, her friends and family were always quick to notice the tiniest of shifts in dynamics.

Shahswat tried to pass the toy to Reyansh, but before he could, Shreyash let out a loud wail, his small hands reaching out desperately for the toy. His cries echoed in the room, and everyone turned their attention toward the scene, a ripple of amusement spreading through the group.

"Arre soya bhabhi, itna kya sharma rahe ho?" Darsh teased, his voice light and playful. "Apne hath se khila do na."

Siya, now fully aware of all the eyes on her, felt the heat rise to her cheeks. She stole a glance at Shahswat, who was looking at her in that same way he always did—calm, measured, but with a hint of something she couldn’t quite place.

The lighthearted teasing continued, and Arushi chimed in, "Haan vaise bhi, abhi yahan koi bada nahi hai... itna sharmane ki zarurat nahi."

Siya, feeling a little awkward, held the sweet in front of Shahswat’s lips, offering it to him. Shahswat’s gaze met hers, his eyes filled with an unreadable emotion. He hesitated for a moment, but then slowly leaned in and took a small bite of the sweet. His eyes didn’t leave hers as he chewed.

As he finished, Siya pulled the sweet back, her fingers lightly brushing against the edge of the plate. Just as she did, Ritika couldn’t resist. "Uske lips pe lag gaya thoda, saaf toh kar de," she teased, her voice laced with mischief.

Richa, unable to hold back her playful nature, piped up, "Sharmao mat bhai, tere hi boyfriend hain." Her words rang with light teasing, but they only made the moment more uncomfortable for both Siya and Shahswat.

Their eyes met for a brief, charged second, and then quickly looked away. Neither knew how to handle the charged silence that had fallen between them.

Finally, her hands trembled as she took a deep breath. Her fingers hovered near his lips. She raised her hand slowly, her thumb brushing against his lower lip to remove the small piece of sweet that had stuck to him. The contact, though gentle and fleeting, sent an unexpected shiver down both of their spines. Shahswat’s breath hitched at the touch, his eyes closing for a fraction of a second as if to collect himself, before they opened again and met hers. There was a brief, silent moment where everything around them faded, leaving only the intensity of their shared gaze.

Siya’s pulse raced in that instant, and the heat between them seemed to intensify. Quickly, she pulled her hand back. Without saying another word, she turned, stepping away from him as the pressure in her chest mounted.

Richa and Akash were sitting together in a quiet corner of the house. The light chatter of the family could be heard faintly from the hall.

"Yaar, mummy-papa aane waale honge. Main neeche jaati hoon. Agar unhone mujhe wahan nahi dekha, toh uncle-aunty se pooch lenge. Phir khatiya khadi ho jaayegi sabke saamne!" Richa said, glancing anxiously at the door.

"Arre, nahi aayenge abhi. Tumne abhi toh baat ki thi na? Abhi toh 10-15 minute lagenge." Akash replied casually, leaning back on the sofa.

"Phir bhi! Bhulo mat, saath mein dekh lenge na, toh saara romance nikal aayega." Richa shot back with a mock glare.

Akash smirked. "Itna darne ki zarurat nahi hai. Main hoon na. Aur waise bhi, ab main darta-varta nahi hoon. Haan, uss time baat alag thi kyunki main settle nahi tha. Ab toh bahut change ho gaye hain haalaat. Main itni achhi company mein job karta hoon. Tumhara bhi MBA last year hai, 24 ki ho gayi ho. Apne decisions khud le sakti ho."

"Arre mummy, woh hum bas..." Richa suddenly blurted out, looking past Akash’s shoulder.

Startled, Akash stood up immediately. "Au...aunty! Woh main..." He turned around, but there was no one there.

Richa burst into laughter, clutching her stomach. "Saari bahaduri nikal gayi!"

Akash frowned, trying to save face. "H-h-han toh isme kya hai? Achanak koi bhi dar jaayega!"

Richa teased him, "Koi bhi dar jaayega? Darpok kahin ke! Ab chalen?"

"Acha baba, chalo. Pehle tum jao, main aata hoon." Akash said, waving her off.

Smiling, Richa leaned in, planted a quick kiss on his cheek, and left the room. Akash touched his cheek and shook his head with a grin before heading back to the hall.

A few minutes later, Akash walked into the hall holding Richa's phone. "Richa, tumhara phone..."

Before he could finish, his eyes landed on Shreya aunty and Manav uncle standing at the entrance. Shreya was glaring at him and Richa.

Akash panicked. "Arre, Richa behen! Tum apna phone wahan bhool gayi thi. Main toh bas dene aaya tha!"

Richa’s frown deepened. "Behen?!" she muttered under her breath.

From the side, Shashwat nudged Reyansh. "Yeh pagal hai kya? Richa ko behen kyun bol raha hai?"

Akash continued his desperate act. "Richa behen, dekho! Tumhara bhai hone ke naate yeh batana mera farz hai ki tumhe apne samaan ka dhyaan rakhna chahiye."

For a second, Shreya shifted her sharp gaze from Akash to Richa. Under the pressure, Richa pinched Akash’s shoulder hard.

"Namaste, aunty! Kaisi hain aap?" Akash said, forcing a nervous smile.

"Theek hoon," Shreya replied curtly, her eyes narrowing further.

"Richa behen, tum kabse pareshan ho rahi thi mummy-papa nahi aaye. Dekho, aa gaye ab!" Akash added quickly.

Shreya, shaking her head, walked away without another word.

As soon as she was out of sight, Richa turned on Akash. "Behen hi mila bolne ko, gadhe!" She hit his shoulder repeatedly in frustration.

"Arre! Toh kya karta? Aunty aise ghoor rahi thi jaise mujhe baalon se ghaseet dengi!" Akash said, rubbing his arm.

"Mujhe baat