MaNan: Strings That Bind Us

"Realization: The Fear of Losing Her"

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The silence in the house was deafening. 

Manik sat on the edge of the bed, staring blankly looking around their bedroom. The warmth of her presence had vanished, leaving nothing but a cold emptiness around him. His fingers curled into fists as he started remembering the flashes of the previous night in his mind—her touch, her whispers, the way she held him as if he was the only thing that mattered. 

But then he remembered what he had said in the morning. 

"I don’t remember anything… I didn’t want this to happen."

A sharp pang shot through his chest. 

The look on her face when he said that—her eyes, once filled with care, had dimmed with hurt. She had hidden her pain behind silence, behind forced strength. And then… she left. 

His breathing became uneven as realization hit him. 

He had hurt her. 

The one person who had been there, who had held him together when he was falling apart—he had broken her. 

His hands trembled as he ran them through his hair. 

"Why does it feel like something is missing?"

His heart clenched. He had thought last night was just a moment of weakness, a release from his past. But if it was just that, why did it feel like the air had been sucked out of his lungs now that she was gone? Why did the thought of never seeing her again make his entire body feel numb? 

He stood up abruptly, his chest rising and falling with panic. 

Manik: "No… this isn’t right."

His feet moved on their own as he rushed out of the room, hoping—praying—that she was still outside. But as soon as he reached on the main door in search of her, she was nowhere to be found. Then his eyes fell on his parents and Mukti, their faces filled with concern. 

Raj: "She’s gone, Manik."

Those words knocked the breath out of him. 

Neyonika: "She said she lost herself while trying to mend your pain…and that she’s broken now. What happened last night Manik?"

Manik couldn't speak.

Mukti: "Bhai, she was crying when she left. And for the first time, she didn’t even look back at you." 

Manik’s hands clenched at his sides. A lump formed in his throat. 

"She was crying… because of me."

Something shattered inside him. 

The realization hit him like a storm—violent, unstoppable. 

He needed her. 

Not because she had been there for him, not because she had held him when he was lost, but because… he loved her. 

The realisation hit him. "HE HAS STARTED LOVING HER."

His heart pounded against his chest. The thought of not seeing her again, not having her around, not hearing her voice—it was unbearable. 

He turned on his heel. 

Mukti: "Bhai, where are you going?" 

Manik: "To bring my wife back."

Determination flared in his eyes as he grabbed his car keys and stormed out of the house. 

Because now, he wasn’t going to let her go. 

Not when he had just realized she was the only one who had ever truly mattered.

Manik gripped the steering wheel tightly, his heart pounding as memories of Nandini flooded his mind. Every moment, every sacrifice she had made for him replayed like a cruel reminder of how blind he had been. 

She had given him everything—her care, her patience, her love—even when he never asked for it. And what had he done? He had hurt her, pushed her away, time and time again. He started remembering all the events after their marriage.

*The First Rasoi Rasam.* 

She had prepared halwa with so much hope in her eyes. Everyone had praised her, but him? He had barely acknowledged it, brushing off her efforts like they meant nothing. 

Then came the event of Switzerland in the pool. 

The first time they had truly come close. He had held her, their breaths mingling, their hearts beating in sync. For a moment, he had felt something, something beyond pain—something real. 

But instead of embracing it, he had left her behind. 

And yet, despite everything, she had never left him. She had stayed, tried to understand him, comforted him, even when he never made her his priority. Even when he kept running behind Alia's memories. 

But now… she is gone. 

For the first time, she walked away. 

For the first time, she didn’t look back. 

His car screeched to a stop in front of her house. Without hesitation, he rushed to the door, his breath uneven. 

Raman Murthy and Ishita Murthy came at the door, their expressions turning into shock upon seeing him. 

Raman: "Manik? What’s wrong? You look stressed." 

Ishita: "Is Nandini also with you?" 

Manik’s heart sank further. He had been hoping—praying—that she was here. But one look at their worried faces, and he knew… 

She never came home. 

Manik: "She’s not here?" 

Raman frowned. What do you mean?  

Ishita’s voice trembled. "Manik, where is our daughter?" 

A lump formed in his throat. He had no answers. Only a question. 

"If not here… then where?"

Raman: "She left alone?... Manik, answer us!" 

But he couldn’t. 

Because for the first time, Manik Malhotra felt completely lost. 

Nandini was gone. 

And he had no idea where to find her.......

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This was just a small part, but the story is about to take a major leap! A two-year leap filled with unexpected twists and surprises. Are you excited to find out what happens next? If so, don’t forget to like and comment! Bye bye take care ❣️