MaNan FF : Blame Game

part 4

Nandini's brows arched slightly. She studied him for a beat, her lips curving into a tight, controlled smile - the kind meant for moments when one refuses to lose composure.

"The truth," she said quietly, each syllable crisp.

His smile widened, but it wasn't kind.

"Truth is..." he leaned in just a fraction, enough for only her to hear

"You are wearing the most expensive dress, exclusive diamond earrings,making heads turned around, getting everyone to talk about you..so of course you have to look your best.. This is your Desperate attempt to outshine everyone. You are trying very hard to be the centre of attention tonight..."

He let the words hang, deliberately slow.

"And maybe... you might even pull it off."

Her nails itched to dig into his perfectly pressed sleeve, but she kept her face calm, her chin lifting as though nothing had touched her. With an impeccable social smile - the kind meant for onlookers - she murmured back.

"If insulting and disrespecting your wife was a crime, Mr. Malhotra, you'd be serving life imprisonment without parole."

His arm snaked casually around her waist, pulling her closer, the move looking affectionate to anyone watching - but she could feel the deliberate grip in his fingers.

"And Mrs Malhotra, if forcing your husband to do things he don't want to, was a sport, then you would've been Gold medalist." he whispered, his lips barely moving.

Her eyes flashed, heat sparking in the brown depths, but before she could deliver the sharp retort on her tongue, she threw her head back and let out a soft, airy laugh, hitting his arm in mock-annoyance.

The move was graceful, perfectly timed, like two actors playing their parts in a scene..

People nearby smiled at the apparent playfulness, and just then, she spotted their parents weaving through the crowd toward them. Her laughter softened into a practiced smile.

Manik's rigid shoulders softened ever so slightly as he stepped forward. With somewhat genuine warmth, he embraced his mother, then his father, murmuring heartfelt congratulations. For a fleeting second, the aloof Malhotra heir melted into the role of a dutiful son.

Nandini's eyes lingered on him, wondering - not for the first time - why he couldn't hold that same softness when it came to her.

Then Manik turned. His gaze landed on her parents.

The warmth vanished.

To her father, Mr. Murthy, he extended a handshake - firm, but his smile was strained, almost sculpted onto his face. To her mother, he merely offered a polite nod, the kind that drew an invisible line between acknowledgment and distance.

Her father didn't seem to notice, or maybe he chose not to. He clapped Manik's shoulder in a friendly gesture.

"Come, son," he said, "let's meet some of the others. I'm sure they'll be thrilled to hear your instincts"

Without protest, Manik let himself be led away by his father and father-in-law, already surrounded by a group of eager businessmen waiting to pull him into yet another conversation about profits, investments, and empire-building.

Nandini exhaled softly, watching his retreating figure..She turned towards the drink counter.
A sigh escaped her lips as she reached for a glass of sparkling water.

Two gentle touches on either side of her head made her pause. She turned, and her expression softened instantly.

Niyonika Malhotra and Neelima Murthy - her two support system - stood beside her, eyes heavy with unspoken understanding. Both had seen enough to know how strangely Manik behaved, especially when it came to her side of the family.