As the guests left one by one, the hall slowly sank into an unsettling silence. The chants had ceased, the murmurs had faded, yet the tension seemed to grow heavier with every passing second. This was the moment everyone had been dreading—the point where silence could no longer hide what had happened, and words would have to take its place.

The Raichands stood in quiet tension, each absorbed in their own thoughts, uncertain of what should be said or how to begin. Arvind and Vaani’s gaze drifted toward Arohi, studying her carefully from head to toe. She was simple, soft, unrefined in a way that did not belong to their world. There was no malice in their observation, only a quiet, unmistakable realization. When their eyes met, no words were needed. They both understood the same truth—she was not the daughter-in-law they had ever envisioned for their son. Not even remotely close to the life they had imagined for Aryan.