Hriday muttered to himself. Gauri heard it—and pinched him again.
"Ahhhhh!!!"
"Hriday! Did the ant bite you again?"
Maithili asked worriedly.
"Y-yes, Mom. You know I'm too sweet... ants just can't resist me,"
Hriday said, smirking at Gauri.
Gauri stood up from beside him.
"Aunty, should I distribute the prasad?"
she asked politely.
Maithili nodded.
Gauri first offered prasad to Shikar, then to Maithili, followed by the staff—and finally to the priest. Hriday waited expectantly, but she ignored him completely.
Everyone slowly began leaving.
Meanwhile, Hriday stopped the pandit and handed him some money.
"Panditji, here is your dakshina."
"But Mrs. Shekawat has already given me,"
the priest replied.
"Arre, Panditji, this is specially from my side. You performed the puja beautifully today. I hope to see you again in the future,"
Hriday said with a polite smile.
The priest nodded and accepted it.
"And one more thing... whatever you saw, I mean... you know..."
Hriday tried to hint, but stopped when he noticed Gauri watching them suspiciously.
"Yes, yes, I understand, beta,"
the priest said with a knowing smile before leaving.
Hriday turned toward Gauri and smiled innocently.
She walked toward him. He opened his mouth to say something, but she simply held up the prasad in her hand.
Hriday stretched his hand to take it, but Gauri suddenly placed the prasad directly into his mouth.
He froze—completely stunned by her unexpected boldness.
Gauri smiled mischievously at his half-open mouth.
Then she leaned forward and kissed his cheek.
For a second, Hriday felt like he was dreaming.
"Close your mouth, uncle!"
Gauri teased before running away.
Hriday blinked.
Uncle?
Realizing what she had just called him, he immediately ran after her—but collided straight into his father.
Shikar glared at him.
"Look where you're going!"
"Sorry, Dad... actually—"
Hriday's eyes drifted toward the kitchen, where Gauri was giggling and disappearing inside.
"What 'sorry'? Where are you looking? You're not a child running around like this!"
Shikar scolded.
Hriday quickly looked around and spotted his mother finishing a phone call.
"Mom!!!"
he called dramatically.
Maithili cut the call and walked toward them.
"What happened?"
"Mom, look! Dad is scolding me,"
Hriday complained, playing the victim.
Maithili glared at her husband but said nothing. Shikar looked at her, confused, while she walked away—throwing him one last deadly glare.
"What did I even do? She's been glaring at me since morning!"
Shikar muttered to Hriday.
Hriday smiled knowingly.
"Dad, you both should patch up. I can't see you two like this."
Shikar's expression softened. He patted Hriday's shoulder.
"I will. Don't worry."
Hriday walked into his room—his room.
He stopped for a moment.
A single rose was placed neatly on the bed, along with a small card.
He picked up the rose first, then opened the card and read it.
"Ek genda ke badle ek gulab, aapki sweetheart ki taraf se."
(A rose in exchange for a marigold, from your sweetheart.)
A slow smile spread across his face. He gently kissed the rose.
"Now I should return the gift, right? After all, she kissed me,"
he murmured to himself.
He changed his clothes and went downstairs for dinner.
The moment he saw the dining table—
"Puri sabzi?!"
he exclaimed.
"Today you will eat this,"
Maithili said firmly.
"Mom, you know my diet plans. I can't avoid them. My morals will never allow me to eat so much oily and fried food,"
Hriday said dramatically.
Maithili raised an eyebrow.
"Oh really? Then who enjoyed kulche and palak paneer today, hmm?"
"Dad enjoyed the kulche and palak paneer! I just had a little. He ate all the kulche,"
Hriday quickly shifted the blame.
Shikar, who was peacefully eating kheer, suddenly felt the plate being snatched from his hand.
"What, darling?"
he asked in shock.
Maithili glared at him.
"No oily or sugary food for you."
"Then what will I eat?"
"Oats."
"Oats?!"
Shikar made a horrified face.
"Shikar!"
"Okay, sorry, darling."
"Mom, Dad—if you two are done, can someone tell me what I'm supposed to eat?"
Hriday asked.
"You will have oats too."
The voice came from behind.
Everyone turned.
It was Gauri.
Hriday gulped seeing her calm but slightly stern expression.
"I mean... Aunty, if Sir is having oats for his health, then Hriday Sir should also eat oats, right?"
she added politely.
"Yes, yes, Maithili. She's right,"
Shikar agreed quickly.
"You're absolutely right, Gauri beta. I'll tell someone to make oats,"
Maithili said.
"Why someone? I'll make it, Aunty,"
Gauri replied.
"But you already cooked everything. You must be exhausted, beta,"
Maithili said with concern.
Hriday's eyes instantly snapped toward his mother.
"It's okay. It won't take much time,"
Gauri said softly and walked into the kitchen.
Hriday felt a pang of guilt.
She had cooked the entire meal... and now she was going back to cook again because of him.
Maithili happily resumed eating.
Shikar looked at Hriday as if saying, You didn't do well, son.
Hriday was hungry—but hunger wasn't his main focus anymore.
His only thought was clear.
He needed to say sorry.
To his sweetheart..
After dinner, Hriday noticed Gauri in the kitchen, helping arrange the plates that the maids had washed.
"Gauri, you go. We'll handle this. You've already cooked,"
one of the maids said.
"It's okay. It'll only take a few minutes. I love helping,"
Gauri replied with a gentle smile.
"There are other maids whose job this is. Look at her—she's just sitting there doing nothing,"
the maid muttered, glancing at another girl lounging on a chair.
"It's fine. She must be exhausted from earlier work,"
Gauri said softly.
The maid shook her head.
"You're too innocent, Gauri. Can't you see she's taking advantage of you? Earlier also she didn't do her work and you did it for her. And Hriday sir brought you here as a guest—not as house help. You don't have to do everyone's work."
She genuinely felt bad for Gauri.
"I don't feel bad doing their work. I like helping everyone,"
Gauri replied warmly.
"No, you're not understanding."
"I understand everything. And I know you care for me, that's why you're worried, right?"
The maid fell silent.
"And I know your hand is aching—you had cramps earlier, but you're still working. I also know she won't come to help you with the dishes. So I came to help you... as a friend."
The maid's expression softened.
Just then, Kamla entered the kitchen.
She noticed one maid sitting comfortably, admiring her nails, while Gauri and another maid were still working.
"Rituuu!!!"
Kamla shouted.
The maid jumped up.
"Y-yes, Kamla ma'am."
"Isn't it your job to help Rani with the dishes?"
Ritu lowered her head and nodded.
"Then why are you sitting here?"
"S-sorry, ma'am."
"Sorry won't fix anything. You will clean all the dishes alone today—and tomorrow as well. That's your punishment. Rani and Gauri, you both can leave."
Gauri felt bad for Ritu, but Ritu shot her an angry glare.
Gauri and Rani stepped outside.
"Kamla ma'am did right with that woman,"
Rani muttered angrily.
Gauri gasped at her language.
"What? Don't tell me you've never cursed anyone!"
Rani teased.
Gauri shook her head innocently.
"You really are something else, Gauri. Bye—see you tomorrow."
Rani walked toward the servant quarters.
Gauri slowly went upstairs.
She entered her room. It was completely dark.
She stretched her hands forward, trying to find the switch on the wall.
Instead, her hand brushed against something.
Something big.
Something... hanging.
It felt like a pendulum.
Suddenly, she heard a low groan.
Confused, she tried to understand what she had touched. She grabbed it and pulled slightly—
"Fuck!!!"
A sharp shout echoed in the dark.
And in that moment, Gauri realized...
That was definitely not a pendulum.-----
For spolier-
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