That evening, the haveli glowed. Lamps flickered in every corner, their golden halos painting the courtyard with warmth. The elders had told Chandni it was a shubh sandhya, a small family-only gathering. She wore what they had given her—saffron saree, pleated low, blouse cut deep enough that she kept tugging at it shyly. But every tug only made the men smile knowingly.

When she entered with a brass plate of flowers and incense, the air turned still. raj was the first to step forward. He touched her cheek, guiding her to sit on the white sheet spread on the floor.