It was ten in the morning when Aryan left for work, briefcase in one hand, nerves in the other. Diana, still in her robe, waved him off like a housewife from a drama serial—but the mischief in her eyes was anything but sanskaari.

As soon as he was out the door, she turned to Arya with a grin. "Girls' day out?"

Arya didn't need to be asked twice. "Mall?"

"Obviously," Diana said, already walking towards her room. "You've got thirty minutes to glam up. Let's give Delhi something to look at."

Diana emerged from her room like she had just walked off a red carpet. She wore a short black bodycon dress with a sweetheart neckline, paired with sleek black stilettos that clicked dramatically with each step. Her hair was left open in soft curls, eyes smudged with dark smokey makeup, and just at the parting of her hair—her sindoor shimmered bold and red. Around her neck, nestled above the dress's neckline, glimmered her mangalsutra.

She looked like sin and sanctity in the same breath.

Arya, wearing high-waisted trousers and a neon crop top, paused when she saw her.

"Bhabhi," she said slowly. "You're gonna give Bhai a heart attack."

"That's the goal, baby," Diana smirked. "Let's go."

The mall was buzzing with people, but the moment Diana and Arya walked in, heads turned. Maybe it was Diana's aura, maybe it was the sindoor that refused to match the dress, or maybe it was the laughter that followed them wherever they went. Either way, they were impossible to ignore.

At the first store, Diana tried on three pairs of sunglasses.

"Which one makes me look like I'm about to steal someone's man?" she asked.

Arya nearly dropped her coffee. "Bhabhi! Tum toh married ho."

"Exactly. Just practicing the aura," she winked.

They took dozens of selfies. Duck faces. Smiling ones. Diana kissing Arya's cheek. Arya doing a 'Bhai will kill me for this' face. Some with shopping bags. Some with fries. One in the food court with matching bubble teas and peace signs.

"You know Bhai still can't believe you married him?" Arya said between sips.

Diana rolled her eyes. "He still sleeps like I'm a ghost who might touch him in the night."

Arya burst out laughing. "You do touch him in the night!"

Diana flipped her hair. "Not my fault if I roll into my sexy husband. Blame physics."

As they walked through the designer stores, Arya turned to Diana curiously. "You said you ran a fashion company, na?"

"Yup," Diana said, adjusting her bag. "D & D Styles. It's based in Mumbai right now. I'm taking a week to settle in Gurgaon, then I'm jumping back in. Already told Aryan I'm not about to be a full-time gharwali. I love my work."

Arya looked impressed. "That's so cool, Bhabhi. I've always loved fashion. I even considered applying to NIFT."

Diana paused, then looked at her seriously. "Why didn't you?"

Arya shrugged. "Papa wanted me to do something stable. Engineering. Bhai backed him up."

Diana nodded slowly. "Typical. Okay then... intern with me."

Arya blinked. "Wait, what?"

"Yeah. You said you're interested. Come intern at D & D. You'll get real-world experience. Design, merchandising, marketing—whatever you like."

Arya squealed. "Are you serious?!"

"Dead serious. Start when you're ready."

Arya threw her arms around Diana. "Bhabhi, you're the best thing that happened to this family."

Diana smirked. "I know. Especially to your brother's heart rate."

Later, they stopped by the makeup section. Diana picked out a bold red lipstick.

"You think Aryan will survive if I wear this tonight?" she asked.

Arya grinned. "No. But please do it. I want to see Bhai's face."

As they walked out of the store, Diana glanced at her reflection in the mirrored wall. "You know, Arya... I'm not the kind of daughter-in-law your mom probably imagined."

Arya looped her arm through Diana's. "True. But she didn't know she needed someone like you till she got you."

Diana blinked, then grinned. "Sweet talker."

Arya winked. "Runs in the family."

When Aryan returned home that evening, the first thing he heard was laughter from the bedroom. Two voices—one loud and British-Indian, one younger and clearly up to mischief.

He peeked into the room and found Diana and Arya sprawled across the bed, surrounded by shopping bags, giggling over something on Diana's phone.

He folded his arms. "Should I even ask?"

Diana looked up with mock innocence. "We bought you a gift."

He looked at the bag she held up.

It was from Victoria's Secret.

Arya gasped. "Bhabhi!"

Diana just laughed. "Relax, it's a cologne."

Aryan sighed. "I married a menace."

Diana winked. "And she comes with a bonus sister."