Veer wiped his eyes, regaining a bit of composure. He turned to Vihaan, whose expression was calm yet layered with emotion.
"Vihaan…" Veer began quietly. "I owe you an apology too. For everything I did back then — for the way I behaved, the way I looked at you like you were my rival instead of my brother. I was stupid."
Vihaan looked at him for a long moment before a faint smile tugged at his lips. "That was a long time ago, Veer. We were kids. Let's not dig into the past anymore."
"But still—" Veer started, but Vihaan raised a hand lightly, cutting him off.
"Forget it," Vihaan said, stepping forward and pulling him into a firm hug. "You're back now. That's what matters. Let's start fresh."
The two brothers held each other tightly — a rare moment of reconciliation that made the rest of the family smile.
Yug, who had been watching with crossed arms and a grin, dramatically sighed. "Wow, wow, wow! So now it's all brotherly love and I'm just invisible, huh?"
Everyone laughed softly as Yug stepped closer, wrapping his arms around both of them. "Move aside, elders. The youngest deserves some love too!"
Vihaan chuckled. "Alright, come here you drama king."
The three of them shared a warm, genuine hug while Gauri and the others watched with fond smiles. For a fleeting moment, the mansion felt whole again — filled with laughter, forgiveness, and love.
Veer's gaze moved across the familiar faces, landing on Gauri who stood a little behind Vihaan, her hands folded politely. He frowned slightly, trying to place her.
"I… don't know you," he said with a hesitant smile. "Are you Raani?"
Urvashi chuckled lightly. "No, no, Raani got married a few weeks ago and moved to her in-laws' house."
Before Veer could say anything more, Veena and Sharda stepped forward, pride gleaming in their eyes as they gently held Gauri by the shoulders.
"This is Gauri," Sharda said warmly. "The daughter-in-law of this house… and Vihaan's wife."
Veer's surprise melted into a genuine smile. "Oh, so you're my bhabhi."
Gauri smiled softly and joined her hands. "It's nice to finally meet you, Veer."
"Same here, Bhabhi," he replied, his tone respectful but friendly.
Dadi, sitting nearby, motioned toward Charvi and said fondly, "And this is her younger sister, Charvi."
Veer glanced at Charvi, who greeted him shyly with a small nod. "Welcome home, Veer bhaiya," she said gently.
Veer's expression softened even more. "It feels good to hear that," he replied, looking around the room that was once filled with distance and silence, now echoing with warmth and family.
The air grew light again, laughter quietly returning to the mansion as everyone settled back into the comfort of togetherness.
The Kothari mansion brimmed with warmth that evening. Laughter and chatter filled the air, and for the first time in years, every face carried a genuine smile. Veer's return had mended something invisible yet deeply felt within the family.
Sharda sat gracefully on the sofa, the others gathered around her. Her gaze moved from one face to another — Vihaan, Gauri, Yug, Charvi, Veena, Urvashi — and for the first time, her heart felt full. She rose slowly, her voice calm yet filled with quiet command.
"Tomorrow is Diwali," she said, looking around. "And this year, it must be celebrated grandly — not just for the festival, but to welcome Veer back home."
The room brightened with immediate excitement.
Veena smiled and said respectfully, "That's a wonderful thought, badi jethani ji. It's been years since we celebrated Diwali properly."
Urvashi nodded in agreement. "Yes, badi jethani ji, the house will once again glow like it used to. I'll handle the sweets and decorations."
Yug, always lively, said, "Then I'll take charge of music and lights. This Diwali will be unforgettable!"
Charvi turned to Gauri, her eyes sparkling. "We'll help too, won't we, bade maa?"
Gauri smiled warmly. "Of course. We'll make sure everything is perfect — a Diwali full of love, laughter, and light."
Vihaan added with pride, "This Diwali will mark the start of new memories for our family."
Sharda's expression softened as she looked at them — her family united again. "That's all I ever wanted," she said, emotion glinting in her eyes. "Let this house shine not just with lamps, but with happiness."
Veer, who had been watching quietly, smiled faintly. "You always knew how to bring everyone together, Maa," he said softly.
Sharda placed a gentle hand on his shoulder. "Now that you're home, Veer, everything feels complete again."
But as the family dispersed — discussing decorations, sweets, and fireworks — Veer's smile lingered a little too long, a shadow flickering briefly across his eyes before fading into the glow of the evening lights.
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