Sarkar's face turned red with rage as he stood up, his voice booming through the room like thunder.
"Despite my giving her an ultimatum, she still decided to pursue her studies? You mean she disobeyed me-her father-and chose to follow her own path? This is unacceptable!"
His fists clenched.
"She will come home and marry Raj, or she will be cut out of this family!"
Raj's jaw tightened, his voice steely with determination.
"I'll personally bring her back. I'll make her see sense-and she'll marry me as planned."
But Ojas stood her ground, her voice clear and unwavering.
"Nothing of that sort will happen. Just leave my daughter alone. She's made her choice, and we'll support her. You have no right to dictate her life."
Sarkar's voice dropped, but it turned colder than before, as sharp as a blade.
"Your daughter has ruined this family's reputation by running away, and I won't tolerate a taint on our honor. Teju will marry Raj. It's the only way to restore our family's dignity. She has no choice."
Far away, in the shadowy mouth of a cavern, the witch emerged from the darkness, her cloak fluttering like a death shroud in the wind. She moved deeper into the cave, the flicker of torchlight catching on her eyes-gleaming with failure and fear. At the end of the passage stood Mohana, seated like a queen upon stone, her presence as commanding as ever.
The witch bowed low, her voice trembling.
"My queen... I failed to kill Bishwa. The opportunity slipped through my fingers. I was forced to retreat."
Mohana's voice was calm, almost gentle-an unsettling contrast.
"It's fine. Killing Bishwa won't be easy. She's had good fortune on her side before."
She stood slowly, her eyes narrowing with eerie confidence.
"But I have a plan. And next time, you won't fail."
Her gaze sharpened.
"I'll send my tracking crow. It will find Bishwa's location. In the meantime, you focus on infiltrating the lives of my Daavansh sons. Learn everything-strengths, weaknesses, whom they trust. Do not disappoint me again."
The witch nodded and vanished into the shadows, her form dissolving like smoke.
---
Elsewhere, the sun burned bright over Delhi. Teju's eyes sparkled as she stepped off the train, taking in the rush of honking traffic, spicy food stalls, and chaotic beauty. She breathed in deeply.
"Delhi, here I come!"
Her voice was filled with anticipation-her heart pounding with the freedom she had claimed.
She climbed aboard a waiting bus, her gaze fixed on the blur of the cityscape outside the window. As the bus rumbled to life, she smiled, her fingers curled around the strap of her bag.
"College life, here I come," she whispered with quiet exhilaration.
---
Back at the Sharma residence, Maira stood in the doorway, dressed in her finest. Her long hair cascaded down her back, her expression calm but focused. She bent to touch Kailashi's feet.
"Dadi, I'm going for this interview. I want to make a good impression... I want to gain entry into the Kashyap family-for their protection."
Kailashi looked her over with a calm yet knowing gaze.
"Focus on showcasing your skills and qualifications, beta. Let your abilities speak for themselves."
Maira nodded respectfully and stepped out.
She sat on her scooter, pausing before starting it. Folding her hands, she closed her eyes.
"Please, God... go with me. Guide me through this interview. Give me strength. Confidence. Let me represent Dadi and myself well."
With renewed courage, she started the scooter and headed toward her destiny.
---
But fate had its own trials in store.
A few kilometers ahead, the bus carrying Teju hit a nail buried deep in the road. A sudden BANG rang out-the tire burst violently, sending the entire vehicle into chaos. The driver lost control. Passengers screamed. The bus veered wildly toward the cliff's edge.
From behind, Sahir watched in horror from his car.
"No, no, no!" he yelled, slamming his hands against the steering wheel as the scene unfolded in front of him.
He swerved off the road and leapt out, heart hammering.
The bus teetered dangerously at the cliff's edge, its front tires already hanging in mid-air. Inside, panic ruled-women shrieked, men shouted, prayers echoed.
But amid the chaos, Teju rose to her feet.
"Everyone, please stay calm!" she shouted, voice strong and filled with belief.
"God is with us. He won't let us fall. Stay together. We'll be okay."
Her calmness anchored the terrified passengers. Her voice carried a power greater than panic-hope.
---
Sahir reached the bus just as the front windshield shattered under pressure. The driver, shaken and disoriented, began to fall forward through the broken glass.
But Teju moved fast.
"I've got you!" she cried, grabbing the driver's arms from inside, holding on tight. Her grip was steady, her eyes locked on his. She pulled him back to safety as Sahir rushed to the window, climbing toward the bus, his mind already planning the next move.
Together, in a moment shaped by chaos and courage, their fates converged-Teju's steady strength and Sahir's unwavering urgency, standing at the edge of disaster.
With a swift motion, Sahir extended his hand toward the bus, and the heavy metal door swung open, not by mechanics, but by an unseen force. The terrified passengers began to stumble out, wide-eyed and breathless, unaware that their survival had come not from luck or engineering, but from the quiet miracle standing outside. Sahir's expression remained calm, even serene, as chaos gave way to safety. Not a single soul noticed his intervention.
Then, as the bus began to slip further toward the cliff, Sahir snapped his fingers.
Time froze.
Inside, every passenger remained suspended-mid-breath, mid-movement-locked in the instant before disaster. Teju, too, was frozen... or so it seemed. Her body leaned dangerously forward, hair swept upward by momentum. But her eyes-they moved.
She blinked slowly, her gaze sweeping across the still, frozen faces of her fellow passengers. Her chest was tight with confusion. Her thoughts were loud in the silence. Why is everything still? Her eyes darted toward the shattered window.
And there he was.
Outside the bus, Sahir stood frozen in time-but only his fingers were still raised, mid-snap. His eyes were locked on her, unmoving. Yet she felt as if those eyes were the only part of the world still alive. Something about him... it wasn't just familiarity. It was connection.
Then, he moved.
She watched, utterly powerless, as Sahir climbed into the bus and carefully began lifting passengers out-one by one, as if they weighed nothing. Each was gently laid on the ground, away from the cliff's edge.
Finally, he reached her.
Their eyes met-his calm and full of concern, hers wide with questions and wonder. He didn't speak. He simply scooped her into his arms, her limbs still paralyzed, her body light in his embrace. Teju remained frozen, but her mind raced. She stared up at him, memorizing the curve of his jaw, the warmth in his eyes, the way he held her like she mattered.
Sahir cradled her as though she was made of glass. Outside, he placed her gently beside the others, her gaze still locked on his.
From the Sharma residence, Kailashi stood at the window, her eyes narrowing as a shimmering golden symbol appeared in the sky above. It wasn't just light-it was a sign. Her lips curved slightly.
"They have met," she whispered, a knowing calm in her tone.
"Now, the others will also meet."
She turned from the window, eyes glowing with quiet certainty. The threads of fate were weaving as prophesied.
---
Back at the cliff, Sahir took one last look at the rescued passengers before turning toward his car. He slipped into the driver's seat. Then he snapped his fingers once more.
Time unfroze.
Screams erupted as the passengers realized they were outside, safely away from the cliff. Behind them, the empty bus tipped forward, balance finally lost.
BOOM!
The cliff face exploded in flame as the bus hit the rocks below. The blast rocked the air, sending a wave of heat and debris across the ground. People screamed. Others fell to their knees in gratitude and disbelief.
But Teju didn't move.
Her eyes followed Sahir's car as it disappeared down the winding road. She didn't speak. Didn't cry. She only watched, her mind echoing with questions her lips hadn't yet formed.
A little girl nearby tugged on her mother's dupatta.
"Mama... Papa... an angel saved us!"
Teju's lips parted in a soft smile, her eyes still fixed on the road.
"It was indeed an angel," she whispered.
---
Elsewhere, Maira rode her scooter down a narrow road, lost in thought about her upcoming interview, her fingers tightening slightly around the handle. Her mind buzzed with Kailashi's words, and the weight of her mission.
Then-
A car swerved around a corner, tires screeching. Inside, Mihir sat behind the wheel, laughing with a group of girls, utterly distracted. He didn't see Maira until the very last second.
She swerved hard-just in time.
Her scooter skidded to the side, barely avoiding the collision by inches. The car didn't stop. It kept going, Mihir barely glancing in the rearview.
Fury surged in Maira's chest.
Without thinking, she leapt off the scooter, grabbed a nearby stone, and hurled it.
CRASH!
The stone shattered the rear windshield.
The car screeched to a halt, brakes grinding against pavement. Mihir turned, his eyes locking onto Maira through the jagged glass. His face was a picture of disbelief and irritation.
Maira stood her ground, chest heaving, eyes blazing with defiance.
She didn't flinch.
Neither did he.
And in that suspended moment between rage and recognition, the road became their battlefield.