The Perfect Bride (Completed)

CHAPTER: 1

It had been a good wedding.

Dr. Manik Malhotra was surprised. He had been dreading to attend the wedding ceremony of Cabir and Navya. Since his wife Alya's death, weddings were not his favorite thing. He was okay till they got to the 'till death do us part' bit, then he was inclined to go-to pieces for the rest of the ceremony.

Strangely, this time he had not felt it that way. Time was healing? Manik wondered. Maybe, it had. Maybe, it was just because Cabir and Navya so obviously belonged together. Maybe this time his children, Ruhi and Aryan had been with him and had been fidgety and he had to entertain them. Maybe it was all of these reasons that he could not account for. And he was able to sit through the wedding ceremony. The ceremony was too short, but it had been so hot.

Whatever the reason, it had been a lovely wedding. Manik shrugged into his white coat, peered at his reflection in the little mirror behind the door and combed his hand with his fingers. He searched his face thoughtfully. Was he imagining it or were the lines of grief fading from his face? 

About time. It had been two years now. Two long, lonely, heartbreaking years. The children had been more accepting of Alya's death, but he had challenged God at every turn. It had not helped. He had still woken up every morning alone.

Perhaps it was time to change that. A little light flirtation, perhaps? Maybe an affair? Nothing wild, just a discreet affair with a woman who understood the rules. 

Manik thought it would be a bit of ego-massage. Yeah.

He then grinned at himself, pleased with the idea, and his dull eyes sparkled back, light dancing in their depths.

A woman. His stomach was in knots at the thought, and he chuckled softly. Would he even remember how to romance a woman again?

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Dr. Nandani Singhania found the Accident and Emergency department at Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham, U.K. She looked around. It was eight in the morning and the place was bustling with life.

Good, Nanadani said to herself. She could not bear to stand around all day with nothing to do. That was the main reason she had chosen the A and E department. Her next mission now was to locate her boss.

It was not very difficult though. A moment ago she was walking along the corridor minding her own business, and wondering where the hell would she find him, and the next moment a door opened and a tall, fair man walked into her path. They both banged headlong with each other. Literally.

Manik's hands came up and grabbed her shoulders, her breasts bounced off his iron-hard chest, and sensation exploded inside her.

Oh, Lord! so much heat, and sex appeal, Nandani wondered. So much strength, from the hands, gripping her shoulders to steady her. Gentleness too. His hands relaxed instantly, but stayed there, cupping her shoulders with his long, blunt fingers.

Nandani was stunned, confused for a second, and yet fascinated. She stepped back and looked up and found herself mesmerized by the most astonishingly honey gold eyes she had ever seen.

She recognized Dr. Manik Malhotra. Funny, his eyes hadn't seemed so brown at her interview. 

"Dr. Manik Malhotra?" she murmured. I am Dr. Nandani Singhania, your new 'Assistant Consultant Doctor.'

Manik felt as if he had been hit over the head by a rock. One minute he was dreaming of a woman, any woman, to lighten his life, and the next minute, bang! there was a woman in his arms.