Thank you for those inline comments ❤️
AsthaVerma92. sharonselan bhoomi_kothari TeesaKhatua6. Faiza008 Ngkpmqr _manan_tales_ The_Phoenix_16
And thanks to you all too for keeping me motivated through your comments. It's really heartwarming 💮
***
|| You don't need closure. You just need to give yourself permission to move on ||
***
Those two minutes of a massive nervous breakdown, that Manik saw Nandini have, were probably the worst two minutes he has seen till now.
It had not even wildly occurred to him that her running away to the backyard will lead to something like this. He didn't know the connection after all. Only when he had seen North break out in a panic run, shouting 'Madame', that he realised something had happened.
All he could see, in those few moments he got, was how tightly Nandini had shut her eyes and ears. As if trying to block something from coming her way. The scream that left her mouth was a painful one, like someone is giving her physical torment.
And as quickly that trauma had begun,it ceased.
A frail Nandini, laid over the grass, looking paler than ever. The enraged heaving of her chest died down slowly, as it resumed its rhythm. She appeared calm away from the chaos that had just happened.
The two men had rushed inside, with Nandini's unconscious body dangling in Manik's arm. A series of calls and many medical consultations later, it became clear that Nandini had fainted out of a panic attack that was triggered by the sudden return of anxious memories.
With Manik inside, she had no one to calm her down. The best option out there was surrendering to the woes. And that's what she did.
The next two three hours went in a haze for Manik as he waited for Nandini to regain consciousness. Even though the doctors had very clearly told him that there was absolutely nothing to be worried about. Can Manik take a breath if his Nandini laid on the bed with a blanched face and cold palms?
Painstakingly, he has been sitting right beside her, rubbing her palms with his and kissing them, waiting for her to open those beautiful eyes so that he can find some peace for himself. In the same room, occupying the farthest corner, stood North, with a seemingly neutral face. Even if there was some kind of worry for Nandini in him, he managed to hide it from Manik's eyes.
"Manik?"Nandini's meek and shaky voice filled the room with joy.
Finally, Manik could afford a sigh of relief. "Nandini? Are you okay? Does your head hurt or something? Do you feel pain anywhere?'' Nandini was, in an instant, overwhelmed with questions after questions from Manik.
Instead of answering his question, she beckoned him to come and sit on the bed beside her. Though a little taken aback, Manik hadn't denied her request.
"Now I am fine!", she said after she was wrapped up in Manik's arms comfortably. Her head nestled in his crook and his arms wounded around her waist. And she was ready to take on reality once again.
"Do not scare me like that ever again" a hoard of feathery kisses were delivered to Nandini, on which part was accessible for Manik. "I am sorry", in between her giggles she managed to utter. "It was just...too much to handle. Everything came back like a rush", the kiss attack had subsided as Manik listened with rapt attention.
"It was all so clear Manik. Like it happened just yesterday. I remember everything so vividly. I could almost see it all happen once again in front of my eyes. And...and there was this feeling, that I was letting myself be consumed and...I thought I failed you..."
Nandini was shut off by Manik's lips on hers. Manik kissed her softly, without any prowess, with just care and love. All that he meant to convey with that was the reassurance that whatever happened does not make her a coward.
"Do you realise what you've done Nandini? You've conquered the biggest demon of your past. And you're thinking you've failed me?"His voice was smooth and contained a different kind of gentleness.
"You have no idea how proud I am right now!"Nandini's eyes shone with tears that were beginning to line up. Along with those was a questioning glint, which was deftly answered by Manik when he pulled her ever closer to him and hugged her warmly. Sometimes, all you need to relay your feelings is a warm and tight hug, and Manik delivered just that to her.
~•~
After spending one whole hour, nuzzled up in Manik's embrace, Nandini was ready to be productive once again. Manik had gone down with the excuse of 'searching for dinner' while Nandini knew he was just trying to give her a little privacy to catch up with her thoughts.
And Manik wasn't wrong! She did need some self-time to sort herself and dictate her actions from now.
A basic framework had started settling inside her head, but she needed a go ahead. A go ahead from three people and she'll start working on it. There was no time to ponder much as she sprang in action, and called someone on her mobile.
"Nandini!? Where have you been all this while? Where did you fly? I've been asking Payal for the last three days and she refuses to tell me anything. What is going on? Look if it's about Manik...", ah! How much does a brother worry?
"Arya calm down first! I am okay. Safe and sound", she heard him take a deep breath on the other side before she continued. "Can you call Hades too?", though it was a weird request from her end, Aryaman abided by it.
Soon, Aryaman was joined by Hades who looked as perplexed as him. "I am with Manik", Nandini's words once again perked up Aryaman's worry. "What do you mean you're with Manik? Where are you both?".
Nandini took an elongated pause before dropping the bomb on them. "I am in Brussels, in our Mansion as of now". And suddenly the floor beneath them ceased to exist.
She expected some sort of a reaction out of the two but what she got was silence. Aryman had gone absolutely silent, and so had Hades.
"Are you okay?", a feeble sentence from Aryaman was heard. "I am Arya. I am. Manik is here with me. And believe me he handled me nicely", Hades and Aryaman could give their life to Manik and yet won't be able to repay him.
"Listen. I have arrived at a few conclusions and before I make them public tomorrow, I need your suggestions and support", Nandini's tone changed to the formal commanding one, making the two gona taut.
In the next thirty minutes, Nandini explained all what was going on in her mind, meticulously to the duo over the phone. From what she planned to do to how she planned to do it. Everything was discussed.
"We both agree with you, Nandini. This would be in the best interest of all", a smile of satisfaction stood on Nandini's lips. "Okay then! I'll discuss with Manik too once and then will let you know what is finalized".
Once the business part was over between them, the same concerning attitude came back. "You are truly okay in doing all this. Right little girl?", Hades asked.
"Trust me Hades, if I am right now standing here and talking to you about all this without having an anxiety attack, it's because of Manik", the three of them would forever remain grateful to Manik for making Nandini, capable enough to face her past so strongly.
"Madame", it was North knocking at the door, with a black file in his hand. "I will talk to you both once I'm back", all her attention was back at the file. "Madame. The file you asked for".
The black file which had the Alpha Zee emblem embedded into it, contained secrets. Secrets that have the power of destroying everything that Nandini once believed.
"Dinner is re...", Manik had come bearing two plates of his signature style noodles, but stopped upon seeing the tense environment of the room. That black encrusted file in Nandini's hands more or less explained what was going on.
It was understood by Nandini, that Manik was asking her to go ahead with her probing when he kept the plates down and came over to her side.
Twenty minutes later, when Nandini was through with the contents of the file, she slumped down on the nearby chair, confused as ever. "What kind of anomaly has been going on in here?", her question was darted towards North who fidgeted with the coldness she held.
"Which company is this? That has been eating up all the funds?", Nandini was fuming with anger. Who, in Belgium, had the audacity to poke nose in the business of Athena?
"What's wrong Nandini?", Manik had yet not understood the reason behind this outbreak. "A company has been using the funds I've transferred for the maintenance of the orphanage!", she was utterly disgusted.
"Which company?", he enquired again. "Some Armenia Pvt. Ltd". "Manik, this name feels strangely familiar. Like I have read this somewhere before", the name was so unique that it was difficult to forget once you've read. From the gut, she could foresee some kind of strangeness in the name itself, but she can't probe ahead with just a gut feeling, can she?
"How the hell did this happen? All my cheques were in the name of SAAR Industries", realisation struck her like lightning, "Has...has Hera sold...sold SAAR?".
The reply was not given in words, rather by how his eyes lowered to the floor. "How could she!", the precious glass vase kept there became the scapegoat to Nandini's anger. "It was my father's hard work!", that was the last straw in Nandini's patience level.
"Nandini, please think before you act", Manik was quick to jump beside her and calm the raging volcano inside her. "Manik", freeing from Manik's grip, she turned to look dead straight in his eyes. "If I make a few decisions, will you support me?".
Manik had never seen as determined as this. There was altogether a different light she shone under,"Always love". There it was! Manik's approval and now it was set.
"North, I need you to assemble all the core level leaders of Alpha Zee till tomorrow ten am. I have a few announcements to make", Nandini was undaunted and staunch. Some harsh call needed to be taken and she was more than ready for it.
~•~
A new day came, and brought along newfound hopes of new beginnings and final endings. In one of the lavish meeting rooms of the Mansion, Nandini stood. Resolute and resolved. Her eyes were set on the dilapidated structure in front, and a seething anger on herself, on the inside.
Manik was the quieter party today. He sat on the farthest seat, the one beside the head chair, silently observing Nandini. The waging storm inside her was not hidden from him. Though she still hadn't told him about what she was going to announce, he could feel it in his bones that it was something positive.
"Madame", North knocked at the door, and entered inside after getting Nandini's nod, followed by at least twelve other people who Manik was a stranger to. They wore an attire similar to North, with the same silver brooch of a roaring lion, glittering with pride on their chests.
All of them gave a side eye glance to Manik. They did question Manik's presence in a meeting that was supposedly to consist of just the core members of the group, but can they question their boss?
"Good Morning Gentlemen. Please take a seat", Nandini began, as she walked from one end of the table to the other, where Manik sat.
Nandini was no beginner. She understood suspicious glance Manik was getting. Although it boiled her blood, she had to let go of it temporarily. "Thank you for coming here at such a short notice."
"I understand all of you have given a major part of your life to Alpha Zee. Many of you have been working since my father, Zeus, led the clan. I am thankful to all of your for your loyalty"
"You all have been kept in uncertainty regarding the future of the clan. And I am here to clear that uncertainty", a murmur arose among the people, which died down as soon as Nandini looked at them. "I have arrived at a few conclusions which I want to share with you all".
"I have come to know about SAAR recently. Knowing how proud we all were of the enterprise and what value it holds for us, I vouch to get it back. And have also started coming up with an action plan for the same?", she eyed North, asking him through gestures. His reply was affirmative.
"Secondly, I've decided to bring the Orphanage back to life again. And I need your assistance in it. North", she looked over at him. "I trust you with the responsibility of assigning duties". A curt nod from him followed.
"The orphanage will work under a foundation, which will be funded by charities from all over the world. However, the main contributors will be Silver Notes, NA Textiles and Malhotra industries. The foundation will be named...", before she completed, her eyes moved to the person sitting right next to her.
His eyes were gleaming with a sense of pride that surged through him. From seeing a girl, too scared to love because of what happened in her past, she came till her where she was courageously facing the shackles of it.
"SMF. The Sulekha Malhotra Foundation"
The words she spoke weren't meant for anyone else but Manik, who stood gaping at what she said. He couldn't comprehend if he should smile or feel overwhelmed or be thankful to her. The emotions that went through their eyes were beyond description.
"Being the successor, I also have the responsibility of the clan. And with all the powers vested in me, I...", the pregnant pause she took riled up everyone's anticipation.
" I am discontinuing it. Officially."
Wide eyes. Series of gasps. Shocked faces.
This was how Nandini's decision was taken in by the pool of not so gentle Gentlemen in front of her.
"Thank you for your service Gentleman. You will be called upon again, if the situation ever arrives".
"North, get the jet ready. We'll be flying out today. My fiance and I need to be back home ", and with a smile North abided by her instruction while the rest of the crowd watched Manik with gaping mouth as he embraced Nandini, and gave her a peck on the lips, absolutely oblivious to the stares he was earning.
Someone was there to tame the lioness and they couldn't believe it to be someone like him.
"No one can be half gutsy as you have been. I brought you here to face your past, and you in true sense, braved it", with this sentence from Manik, Nandini knew she was finally over her past.
~•~
"There is just one last thing to do Manik", said Nandini getting out of the car, which was enroute to the Airport.
In front was a cemetery where they had stopped. It didn't take Manik even a second to understand where they were. Buying a bouquet of flowers, white lilies to be precise, Nandini went inside.
She was on her toes until she came face to face with a tombstone which had written
"In the loving memory of Rehaan Murthy"
From the little distance he stood at, Manik patiently saw Nandini getting on her knees beside the grave and keeping the bunch of flowers over it. Her gentle hands caressed the epitaph engraved on the gravestone.
Although Nandini restrained the wave of tears that had emerged from beneath, she couldn't do the same to her heart. Losing it, she brought her fingers to her lips and placed them at the stone, kissing the remembrance of her late beloved father.
"Rest in peace appa", she managed to say before Manik came and took a quivering Nandini in his arms after paying his respects.
The moment was now vividly seated in her mind for it was well and truly supposed to be the last memory with Rehaan that she'll cherish for her life.
~•~
The rest of the ride was completed in solemnity with regards to the earlier events. Nandini didn't say anything, neither did Manik. They kept looking out of their car window, but their hands which were entwined never left each other.
Nandini being the multi millionaire Nandini, had the perk of being dropped exactly where her jet stood, saving her the whole mess of immigration and all. The authorities do it on their behalf.
North stood there at the hanger, ready to greet his boss one last time. "Thank you for your assistance throughout, North". She was greeted with the official salute and the curt nod.
"It was a pleasure working with you Athena"
Nandini climbed the first step of the stairs but stopped from going further when she heard, "Au revoir... Nandini Murthy".
A smirk laced up Nandini's face. "Au revoir... Stephen Hilton". And the heavens smirked along her, as she got inside the jet ready to start a future that holds no traces of her past.
Her life had truly taken a full circle. Twelve years back, the naive haggard girl who left this country, in search of herself, was now leaving after battling the horrors of her past and convincingly winning in her endeavours.
***
So, how was the whole Belgium blitz?
Aren't you all proud to see how boss-ily she handled her past?
Boss woman Nandini is back 🤭
Belgium phase comes to an end here!!
And before I begin with the next phase, I want to ask for a few suggestions.
The story will pick up pace in next few chapters as we near the climax. If I show the wedding right now, I honestly won't be able to show the transition of MaNan's relationship, which I guess many of you want to see.
So, I had an idea. Maybe a stand alone book on their married life? Simply them and their relationship. No mystery plot or something.
What do you guys think?
Till then,
Stay safe. Get vaccinated.
Love Iris 🦋