The Second Chance

The Diwali Surprise

The episode begins with the in-house temple's diya flickering, on the verge of being extinguished. Palki quickly rushes to hold the diya, her hands steady as she ensures it remains lit. "Shaurya!" she calls out softly.

Hearing her voice, Shaurya approaches her, his gaze locking with hers as he takes hold of the diya, supporting her hands. A moment of silent understanding passes between them as they protect the flame together. Their shared closeness doesn't go unnoticed by those around them. Preeta, watching the scene unfold, folds her hands in prayer, silently thanking God for this moment.

Pandit Ji smiles and declares, "The abshagun is canceled because of them." Raajveer, proud of his brother, adds, "Nobody can stop Shaurya bhai and Palki bhabhi from uniting."

Karan chuckles but warns, "Kriti might try to stop them, but she’s gone now."

Just as the atmosphere starts to lighten, they hear footsteps. Everyone turns to see Kriti entering the house, stepping directly onto the freshly made rangoli, ruining it. Her expression is filled with confidence and perhaps a hint of defiance.

“Surprise!” she calls out gleefully. "Look who I’ve brought with me—Viraj Singhania!" Shaurya’s expression hardens as he sees Viraj walk in behind Kriti.

Kriti, oblivious to the tension, continues introducing Viraj. "He was with Shaurya and me in school before he went off to London. Shaurya, do you remember?"

Shaurya's voice is flat. "I remember."

Viraj, grinning, responds, "Even I didn’t forget you."

Kriti looks around at the family and beams. "Everyone, this is Viraj. He’s here to celebrate Diwali with us." Her voice holds a tone of familiarity, as though she is completely at ease in the Luthra household.

Palki watches Kriti warily, her eyes narrowing as she takes in the ruined rangoli. "Kriti, you spoiled my rangoli," she says, her voice calm but edged with irritation.

Kriti, however, brushes it off. "Oh, sorry, Palki, I didn’t notice."

Before Palki can respond, Shaurya interjects, his tone softening. "It’s fine, Palki. Remember, I ruined it once too, but then you taught me how to fix it."

Palki softens as well, remembering the moment. "Yes, but you made it perfect afterward."

Kriti, sensing the connection between Shaurya and Palki, raises an eyebrow. "Shaurya Luthra made a rangoli? I must have missed that class." She forces a smile, trying to maintain her composure.

Karan steps in with a chuckle, "I made him do it as punishment." The family laughs, but Kriti's smile falters for a moment. She’s clearly unsettled by the closeness between Shaurya and Palki.

Preeta, ever the gracious host, breaks the tension. "Let's move on to the aarti. Kriti, you can take the prasad first." Kriti pulls Viraj by the hand and walks toward the temple.

Viraj, receiving the prasad from Palki, compliments her. "Did you make this?" he asks, popping a piece of kaju katli into his mouth.

Palki nods. "Yes, I did."

Viraj grins. "It’s delicious. What’s it called?"

"Kaju katli," Palki answers, trying to hide her unease as she catches Kriti watching Shaurya out of the corner of her eye.

Meanwhile, Raajveer approaches Karan, keeping his voice low. "Why do you think Kriti came back?"

Karan's face darkens slightly as he watches Kriti from a distance. "She’s trying to get Shaurya’s attention by ignoring him. She brought Viraj here for that purpose. But it’s clear—she’s jealous."

As if on cue, Viraj praises Palki again. "You’ve done such a great job with everything, Palki."

Kriti’s expression shifts from amusement to something darker. She interjects sharply, "Viraj, don’t flirt with Palki. She’s Shaurya’s wife, remember?"

Viraj, taken aback, raises his hands in mock surrender. "I wasn’t flirting. Just complimenting her."

Shaurya, who had been observing quietly, finally speaks up. "Kriti, why are you making everyone uncomfortable?"

Kriti shoots him a look, her frustration bubbling over. "Uncomfortable? Shaurya, you used to tell me I was your one and only! Now look at you—acting like Palki is the center of your world."

Viraj, sensing the rising tension, tries to change the subject. "Palki, why don’t you tell us about your family?"

Palki begins speaking, but midway through, she feels a wave of dizziness. "I’m fine," she reassures herself, trying to stand firm, but her knees buckle slightly.

Without hesitation, Shaurya is at her side, holding her up. "You’re not fine, Palki. You’ve been pushing yourself too hard. Come sit down."

Palki protests weakly, "It’s Diwali, Shaurya. I should be with everyone."

Shaurya shakes his head firmly. "I don’t care what day it is. You need to rest. Come, sit."

He gently guides her to a nearby chair, while Viraj watches with admiration. "I don’t know him well, but Shaurya seems like a great husband," he remarks to Raajveer and Karan.

Karan nods approvingly. "Shaurya has always been like this—protective. It’s good to see him still being that way."

Meanwhile, in the kitchen, Anika approaches Raajveer with a teasing smile. "So, you’re scared of ghosts, huh?"

Raajveer grins mischievously. "I’m not scared of ghosts, but maybe of girls like you." He steps closer to her, narrowing his eyes playfully. "Careful, or I might forget that you’re Palki bhabhi’s sister."

Anika raises her eyebrow in mock challenge. "Forget away. I’m not scared of you either."

He stamps on her foot lightly, and she loses her balance. Before she can fall, he catches her, their faces inches apart, a spark of something new passing between them. The air between them suddenly feels charged, their playful banter shifting into something else entirely.

Back with Shaurya and Palki, Shaurya insists, "You need to eat something. Mukesh, bring the sweets!"

Palki laughs lightly, "Sweets, really? I’m fine, Shaurya."

Shaurya’s tone is teasing but firm. "No arguments. Eat."

Across the room, Viraj whispers to Kriti, "Do you think there are crackers? You did the right thing bringing me here. I missed this."

But Kriti isn’t listening. Her focus is entirely on Shaurya and Palki, her heart burning with jealousy. She watches as Shaurya tends to Palki, his attention completely devoted to her, and for a moment, she feels like an outsider looking in on something she once had but lost.

Viraj nudges her. "Kriti? You okay?"

Kriti forces a smile, but deep down, her mind races with thoughts of how to regain what she believes should be hers. "Yes, I’m fine. Let’s go get those crackers."

But as she looks back at Shaurya and Palki, she knows the real battle has only just begun.

That's it for today's update
Signing off
Diksha

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