In the lofty, elevated balcony of the Junagadh Royal Palace, the cunning zamindar's son Jishnu was pacing around all by himself. Ever since Rupanjan's sudden coronation and ascension as King in Rupnagar, Snigdha's behavior had changed completely. Biting his lip, Jishnu was deeply immersed in thought.
Calculating in his mind, he said to himself, "Disaster! Snigdha's attitude doesn't look promising at all! Has a filthy, desperate urge to marry Rupanjan awakened in this wretched girl's mind once again? Just because Rupanjan has become King now, is Snigdha casting her hook behind him? If that's the case, I must see through my marriage with Snigdha without delaying a single moment! On the other hand, Queen Arohi is maliciously suspecting me again and again... although her suspicions are entirely spot on! But under no circumstances should this royal family realize that I am marrying Snigdha not out of love, but out of absolute greed to seize the grand wealth and supreme power of Junagadh Palace! Before Snigdha's madness or schemes bear fruit, I must trap her in the web of marriage!"
Meanwhile, in the grand, beautifully decorated royal corridor of Junagadh Palace, a strange and bizarre spectacle was underway!
Under the pretext of practicing a dance performance to display before the guests at her wedding, Snigdha had started jumping around like a complete lunatic. Running wildly back and forth, thrashing her arms and legs in the air, taking massive leaps, and rolling on the floor, she was preparing for a hideous, grotesque dance! At times she jumped from the cushions, and at times she tumbled on the ground, rolling about in uncouth postures!
Right at that moment, Prince Prafulla and the sweet princess Prabhasa were walking down the corridor.
Seeing Snigdha's absurd, senseless, and clownish dance rehearsal, along with her rolling on the floor, Prafulla and Prabhasa simply could not hold back their laughter! Prafulla burst into a loud, hearty laugh, while Prabha pressed the pallu of her saree over her mouth, giggling softly!
Snigdha did not miss how Prafulla and Prabha laughed out loud while watching her dreadful dance rehearsal. Seeing that, the blood rushed to Snigdha's head in a wave of sheer envy and humiliation!
Charging toward Prabha like a ferocious wild beast, before Prabha could comprehend anything, Snigdha raised her hand and landed a stinging, forceful slap right across Prabha's soft cheek—"THWACK!"
Reeling from the blow, Prabhasa stepped back, clutching her hurting cheek in pain! Both Prafulla and Prabhasa stood frozen in utter shock and disbelief!
Snigdha's eyes bulged as if ready to pop out of their sockets in pure fury. Stepping forward violently, she grabbed a tight, rough fistful of Prabha's silky hair!
Jerking Prabha by the roots of her hair, Snigdha roared like a toxic lunatic, "You wretched, miserable, shameless girl! Have you lost every single shred of sense? Can't you see I am preparing a special dance here for my wedding with Jishnu? And you dare show such audacity as to laugh with your dirty mouth while watching my dance? Have you no shame or embarrassment left? What utter insolence! I will yank your tongue out and tear it from your body in a single pull! I'll slap your cheeks until they bruise, you child of a devil! Someone ought to hit you with my dirty shoes and kick you straight out of this royal palace! I feel like beating you with shoes and driving you out right now!"
Prabha felt excruciating pain in her head and cheek. Seeing how Snigdha held Prabha suspended by her hair, Prafulla exploded in rage!
Yanking Snigdha's hand away with a powerful jerk, Prafulla roared, "Mind your tongue, Snigdha! Have you lost your mind entirely? Who do you think you are hitting and hurling vile abuses at? She is our youngest sister, your younger sister too! How dare you lay your hands on such a grown girl in a palace full of people?"
Hearing Prafulla's words, Snigdha crumpled her makeup-ruined face in utter disdain and spat as if discarding trash, "Ha! Younger sister my foot! I cannot tolerate this venomous, wretched girl for a single second! Take her out of my sight! How dare she laugh at my dance rehearsal? How does she get such nerve to laugh?"
Clutching her cheek, tears streamed down Prabhasa's eyes in torrents. Prabha's heart had suffered a severe blow today.
Sobbing uncontrollably, Prabha cried out, "Didi... you struck me like this? I have grown into such a mature girl today, Didi! Yet could I ever imagine laying a hand on you, even in my dreams? Though I always remained small and worthless to you... how could you hit me like this with your own hands in front of the entire palace, Didi?"
Seeing Prabha cry made Snigdha even more furious. Raising her hand again, she charged toward Prabha and screamed violently, "Shut your mouth! If you put on any more drama, I'll slap your other cheek red too! What nerve you have to laugh at me like that? Since you are younger, stay within your limits! I did well by hitting you! I'll hit you a thousand times! Putting on a drama about being a 'younger sister'... while two days from now she plans to quietly go and marry that new King Rupanjan? And now she stands before me acting like a saint, begging for mercy as a 'younger sister'? You deserve another hard slap!"
The moment the words regarding Prabha's secret marriage with Rupanjan left Snigdha's mouth, Prafulla stood there thoroughly wide-mouthed! He stared at Snigdha in absolute astonishment.