The silence in the hall shattered as Sherlyn crashed ungracefully to the floor. Her face, already pale, now turned a ghostly shade, beads of cold sweat forming on her forehead as she trembled like a leaf in autumn. She recognized whose finger had been sent to them or her.
She understood the grim reason behind the macabre gift—it was a warning. She had been seeking her connections, trying to find a way to rescue Prithvi from his dire situation. But before she could progress, they had decided to teach her a harsh lesson. They were keeping an eye on her.
The image of Prithvi suffering, his screams as his finger was severed, his agonizing cries that she had heard over the phone—these thoughts tormented her. Sherlyn was consumed by the idea of him enduring continuous pain, helpless and far away, beyond her reach. For the first time, she was feeling powerless. Together they could always find a solution, no matter how pinching the situation is, but without Prithvi, she was drowning, her anchor was lost.
"Sherlyn, calm down," Kareena said, trying to soothe her. Sherlyn was hyperventilating, consumed by thoughts of Prithvi's suffering. The sound of his screams, his finger being severed, and his cries of pain echoed in her mind, tormenting her. She felt helpless for the first time, realizing that without Prithvi, she was adrift, her anchor was lost.
Rakhi instructed the helper to fetch water, while Rishab dialed the police. Sherlyn was too dazed to stop him. The realization that if they could mutilate Prithvi like that, they could also kill him, sent her into a panic. The thought of them making Prithvi disappear without a trace was unbearable.
Standing on the sidelines, Preeta Arora watched, seemingly satisfied, relishing Sherlyn's torment. To her, Sherlyn's suffering was like a rain shower in the hottest desert, a form of Nirvana. She never thought she had such sadistic tendencies, but the viciousness of her enemies had pushed her to this point. They had initiated the cruel game, celebrating their misdeeds with bloodied hands and wine. They had not only destroyed her family but many others as well, taking away a daughter from an old mother and a lover from a lovelorn woman. They were monsters who were killing without remorse. So, if she now sought retribution in kind, it seemed almost justified.
Sherlyn lost consciousness at some point and Dadi asked Rishab to bring her to the room, someone was calling for a doctor.
“Rakhi Aunty, I will take my leave”, Preeta said as Sameer stopped her when she was leaving the hall. It came as a shock to everyone, why would the gentle Preeta go when they were in such troubled waters?
"Stay a little longer, Preeta," Rakhi requested.
"Yes, Preeta, please stay. I don't know how to handle everything on my own," Karan implored, gripping her wrist. He moved closer and whispered, "Didn't Sherlyn's reaction seem excessive? It might give us a clue about her misdeeds. Aren't you scared?"
Preeta, unamused, replied, "I have things to do," freeing herself from his grip.
"What things? Hiding with your so-called friend?" His anger resurfaced. "Why are you so heartless? Just now, didn't you see what my family received? Don't you care at all?" he shouted, blaming her.
Preeta looked at him with resignation. She had considered him a good friend, always available for him. She had endured much for him, even humiliation by his family. "What can I do if I stay?” she said through gritted teeth, trying to leave.
Karan, shocked by her rage, let his anger take over. "Yeah, what can you do? I should have said the same when you begged me to save your mother," he said, regretting it as tears welled up in her eyes.
"You didn't save her because I begged you, but because you wanted to save your brother. And if you've forgotten, let me remind you, Mr. Luthra, it was your sister-in-law and your aunt who framed my mother. Be thankful I didn't file a counter case," she pushed him away as he tried to wipe her tears.
