I tried to get away from his dangerous grip but it got more tighter. I gave up fighting and his artistic hands cupped my cheeks and pulled closer for a kiss. As our breaths mingled I questioned him, "Is it all for my body?" He smirked, "Its for your...
The cotton touched my forehead and surprisingly it did not burn. I opened my eyes and saw Manik carefully wiping my forehead. He made me stand in front of the mirror and made me see my reflection. There is no ink on my forehead, It is gone!
A huge smile broke on my face. "Manik, it's gone! How did you do it? I've tried all day and the ink did not even budge. What vegetable was on the cotton? What did you paste on my forehead? Can I touch it? Will the ink appear again if I touch it?"
Manik blew a heavy breath from his mouth. "You ask too many questions! It's just Olive oil!"
I frowned. "Olevoil? I did not eat it. Can you describe what that vegetable looks like? Is it healthy vegetable or junk food vegetable?"
Manik shook me by my shoulder preventing me to speak further. "Stop overthinking!!!" He kept a bottle in my hand and hurried inside to take a shower.
I read the label and smiled sheepishly. It is Olive Oil and not Olevoil. If it's oil why did he say vegetable? Looks like Manik needs a class about types of oils and vegetables. Anyways, I am at least happy that I no longer have to sport a tie on my forehead.
Good news first thing in the morning, Yay!!
I walked out to have my breakfast, well considering the time it might be LukFast. I found Navya with swollen, red eyes and a bruise on her left arm. "Are you alright? Navya, what happened?"
She instantly covered her arms with a shawl and shoved me away. "You can never have my place. Mr. Harshad Malhotra will marry me and only me."
"But both of us lost yesterday's competition, and it's not like I've done something wrong." I am seriously confused about her wounds. "What about the marks on your arm?"
She held my wrist in her hand and I winced with pain. "I love Mr. Malhotra and I will love him even if I die." She stomped her feet and walked away from me.
She is behaving differently these days. I am getting worried about her. I could not even eat my LukFast because of Navya. I walked mindlessly around the mansion without eating anything from the morning. I decided to walk in the garden to get some cool air and to think about everything.
Unknowingly, I walked into a dark alley that I hadn't seen before. Where am I? The path was lit by lanterns in contrast to modern the Malhotra Mansion. It was stone walls and floor. The more I walked inside the more I got shivers down my spine. Slowly, I started hearing someone crying, or begging for their life.
"Boss... I am begging you!" A weak male voice echoed throughout the area.
At the end of the alley was a huge room filled with men along with Manik and Cabir. A man was tied to a chair while blood oozed from his mouth as he begged Manik to leave him. I saw this man somewhere but I could not remember. Who is he?
"Honesty is much appreciated in Malhotra territory. You have breached it!" Cabir yelled.
This is the first time I saw Cabir being this angry. Goosebumps appeared on my skin, my mind screaming to run, while my entire body froze to the spot.
"I swear on my children's life, Boss. I did not steal the map from your locker!" The man cried.
Shit! He was the cleaner who looked after Manik's laundry. I stole the map with his help but this man was innocent.
My heart clenched looking at the state of the innocent man begging for his life. The blood on his face and injuries on his body explain how much he has been tortured till now.
"You have three seconds to live." Manik after a long time finally spoke.
No! Manik please don't kill him.
"3" Manik counted as the man begged to spare his life.
"2"
"1"
On the final count, Manik pulled the trigger and shot the man between his forehead. In a flash of seconds, the man who was crying fell dead. There was nothing I could do to bring him back to life. That innocent man who had children at home is dead. There was no guilt or pain in anyone's eyes present here. They were dealing with this situation without any humanity.
All of a sudden someone closed my mouth and picked me off the ground and ran in the opposite direction. I was freed as soon as I reached the garage. "Please don't kill me." I cried.
"Shh! Nandini, it's me. Harshad." Hearing my angel's voice I felt relaxed.
"Harshad! That man was dead because of me. I stole the map but he died .... instead of me." I cried as much as I can. That scene was still running in front of my eyes.
Harshad shook me to bring me to my sense and made me face him. "Nandini it's not your fault. That man isn't dead. He was killed. He was killed by that monster Manik Malhotra. He would not hesitate to kill you if he saw you there."
"No!" Manik seemed so sweet these days and I can't believe him to turn out to be a monster again. What am I seeing?
"Manik is good at manipulating everyone. He had manipulated me all these years and thanks to you I realized how cold-hearted my brother lives." Harshad sniffled. "I can't believe my brother who was my hero turned out to be a monster. I am so sorry about your parents, Nandini."
My parents were innocent too and Manik killed them as well. How much can a person become brutal?
"So many innocent families are disappearing because of this demon and thankfully we have a solution in you, Nandini. Only you can save everyone. Please kill Manik and bring an end to everyone's misery." Harshad pleaded while holding my palms.
The room around is spinning from the moment I saw Manik killing an innocent man. I freed myself from Harshad not able to give any answer at that moment. My legs wobbled as I walked in the garden outside the garage and my eyes were blurred. I could not differentiate reality and imagination.
Finally, I gave in to the outside energy and fell to the ground with a thud. I fell weak. I have no energy left in me to even move. I just lay on the floor and stared into the empty space. Please end my pain.
"Manik! Manik!" Cabir yelled his name spotting me on the floor. He would usually address Manik as Boss in public but in a situation like this, he didn't care.
Within a few minutes, I saw the guards around me trying to vacate the area as their Boss ran towards my lifeless form on the ground. All the men bowed to their knees as Manik bent to the ground to pick me in his arms.
There was worry in his eyes and blood on his shirt which reminded me of his cruel act toward an innocent man. "I do not feel safe with you, Manik." Saying that I fell unconscious in his arms.
...
Precap
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How is the update?
Did you remember Manik's personal laundry assistant where Nandini stole the map?
