Brute's Paradise

Chapter 17- "New friendship..."

Dhruv abruptly pauses and sips on his steamy coffee. Nandini whiffs that he is referring to that fiasco between Manik and Aryamaan. But he probably doesn't know that Manik and Aryamaan have patched up.

"Manik apologized to Aryamaan and I think all is well between them now."

Nandini mouths with hard jaws, sipping on her coffee. Manikya was tossing and turning in Dhruv's embrace, so, he makes her sit on his lap. Mini concentrates on the menu stand.

"That I know. Arya and Manik can never be angry with each other for long. They fight like bulls but care like dogs."

Dhruv sounds affectionate. Nandini dabs the corner of her lips with a tissue paper and abruptly asks,

"And love like a tiger. Possessively. Dhruv, can I ask you something?"

Her tone has something that forces Dhruv to gather his whole concentration on her. He nods positively.

"Do you think I am harmful to Manik?"

Nandini's words form lines on Dhruv's forehead. He asks,

"As in? Look, if you are talking about Arya's bullshit then...he...he is always like this. Harsh, rude and insensitive. Don't give much attention to his words. He just wanted to win the argument and uttered those shits."

"No, all his points were not shits. Dhruv, I know Manik's background. I know his dark past and even I know the part and parcel of all your disturbed childhood. Some unpleasant pasts of all of you. Why Manik became so hard and harsh? In fact, you all faced a lot in your early years. Maybe those experiences made you all like this. Aryamaan is in a stage where Manik once used to be when I met him. He didn't believe in love. He didn't trust anyone. He used to think people come close just for greed. A relationship is all about give and take policy. Exactly it is happening with Aryamaan. He thinks that I may make Manik weak because he loves me. And that's why he wants to..."

"Keep him away from you?"

Dhruv completes her words. His tone and penetrating eyes hitch her breath for a second. Manik...be away from her? Impossible.

"Manik is mine. His good and bad. Vile and virtues all are mine. I think you are right. I shouldn't give much attention to Aryamaan's words except one thing."

Nandini halts for a nanosecond and adds,

"If I love him then I have to protect him."

..........................................

Manik is sitting in his office cabin. His PA Emma Dormin is a mid-40s lady with blond hair and a finely wrinkled face. She is efficient and more than that loyal. In the absence of Ayan, she takes care of Manik's every twisted work.

"Therefore, Malhotra companies want a formal meeting regarding the upcoming project details..."

Manik's dictation gets a halt when Ayan's name flashes on his mobile screen. He begs her pardon and attends the call. Emma patiently waits still touching the tab screen in her hand. She knows Manik quite well. That's why she never shows curiosity when he proactively doesn't ask for assistance. But that doesn't mean she works like a robot who doesn't observe his boss's facial expression and body language. At this time, she can easily monitor and figure out that Manik Malhotra got a breakthrough in some of his secret ventures. The shine of his eyes clearly indicates that he is very excited and the spark tells that someone is in deep shit. Manik Malhotra is a smooth player. He knows when to use a pen and when to use a gun. Her lips curve in a satisfactory grin.

"Okay, fix a meeting with him. You know where. Good."

Manik cuts the call. His gritted jaws are visible through his clean shaved chins.

"Ms Dormin postponed my all meetings for tomorrow and shift them to next week. And hang on to this mail. I need to think more."

He mouths, reclining on the cushiony chair. Emma gets up from her seat.

"Sure, Sir. What about the evening dinner with Ma'am? Should I pick her up?"

She asks in a professional voice. Manik takes some time to arrange the entire plan in his mind. Since Nandini revealed that unpleasant incident at the party and told him about that filthy guy, he feels the urge to spend time with her. Not just time, he wants to see Nandini as same as he saw her for the first time. That innocence, those kohl eyes, that magnetic aura. Sometimes he becomes surprised at how a person can keep him eternally mesmerized when once upon a time, he never used to look back at a woman for a second time. Nandini is like a fathomless ocean. He can only dive into it but never reach its depths. He can drink the water but his thirst never gets quenched. She is still a mystery to him. Manik bites his lower lip and replies in a dreamy tone,

"I will pick her up. In fact, I will leave today early...ummmm...around 4 pm. You just confirm the booking and let me know."

"Sure, Sir. Anything else?"

Emma tries to confirm. Manik smiles at her and assures her,

"No, thank you."

Emma nods and leaves immediately. Manik exhales contently. Suddenly his eyes fall on the mobile and the smile leaves his lips. He murmurs,

"Let me be with my world today. Tomorrow will be your day. The doomed day."

His eyes sparkle with a diabolic emotion.

Author's note: Will Dhruv become Nandini's guide to controlling Manik? Did Manik finally catch the unknown guy? What will be his next step? Will Nandini come to know about it? In the next, we will witness some romantic Manan moments and some gruesome incidents. Stay tuned. 🙏❤️