The next morning I woke up a little later, well like at 9, Manik was sleeping cladding close to me making me smile, he is this huge man but he is a child at heart, which is one of his best quality.
I slipped away from him covering him with blankets, I kissed his head and went to shower.
Once I was ready I went downstairs but no one was there, I made myself some coffee and walked upstairs.
I saw my phone was lit up, so I grabbed it and saw multiple messages from mumma letting me know her and dad had to leave for an urgent meeting out of the city.
Cabir and mukti were still a sleep becasue I saw their doors shut on my way up here. I knew Manik had a couple meetings at 10 and 10:30 so I am just going to attend it for him
"Hello" I said on the phone when arun called
"Hi hello later, where are you and Manik, girl the meeting is in 5 minutes and neither of you are in this office" he said
"He isn't feeling well, can I attend it on his behalf" I asked
"Sure, want me to make it online"
"Yes if you could"
"Yes I can" he said
He set it up for me and I sat on the couch in our room attending the meetings, they were just updates so it wasn't too bad without manik.
Once I was done with the meeting, I made new notes int he presentation and in the files for manik when he goes through them later.
My phone rang when I got to the kitchen, it was mumma making me smile.
"Good morning mumma"
"Morning kiddo, how are you"
"Good and you"
"Super good, its so nice here" she chirped like a school girl
"Mumma you are so cute" I couldn't help but giggle
"We have a hot. Tub here" she said
"Ohh this seems like a honeymoon" I teased
"Nandini"
I laughed making her laugh too
"How is manik" she asks
"He is sleeping but his temperature is down at the moment"
"Nandini"
"Han mumma kya hua" I asked sensing she is thinking something
"Your mother" she said
"Wha about her" I asked
"She is umm"
"Mumma just say it"
"She is supposed to give an interview today"
"For what exactly" I asked
"Business but raj had a chance to look at the questions an hour ago because the one taking the interview is a dear friend of raj's"
"Ma what are you implying, what are these questions about" I asked
"Its about manik and you, but especially about you"
"Okay, probably asking how I was before getting married and after kind of thing" I asked
"Umm its about your past before manik and some aryamn's name came up" she said
"What" I gasped
"Ya listen bacha, we don' care who aryamn is and I know nor does manik but I wanted to let you know"
"Umm thanks mum, ill deal with it"
"If you need anything please call me, I can't stop them from airing the interview not if your mom gives it but I wanted to let you know that raj and I love you and will always love you despite what she says in the interview"
"Mumma I love you"
"I love you too bacha, oh one more thing"
"Yes"
"I saw this huge teddy bear, it reminded me of you, should I bring it for you, it's a creamish blue" she asked
"Yes please, yes" I said immediately
"Good because I already bought it" she said making me chuckle
"Take care of yourself bacha"
"You too Mumma" I said
After cutting the call, I leaned on the counter, god every time I think life is getting better it gets worse for some reason.
i can't believe she is going to talk about aryamn and I, she fucking knows what happened and yet she is going to talk about it.
I finally after a few months of my marriage called my mother, she picked it up on the first ring as if she was waiting for my call
"Hello"
"Ma"
"Finally you remembered your own parents aint that right" she taunted
"Mom I heard you are giving an interview today"
"I am"
"Why is aryamna in it" I asked
She laughed making me grip the counter, if I was the Nandini before my wedding I would have been quiet but something about being with manik gives me confidence
"Well you see nandini it doesn't matter why, the question should be what are you willing to do to keep your dirty little secret out of the press"
"Are you kidding me mom?"
"I don't think I am"
"You can' do this, you know how much it broke me please don't do this"
"What are you willing to give me nandini" she asked
"What do you want mom" I asked
"Come home for a few days we gotta talk"
"About what"
"About the fact that you fucking closed your personal account and combined it with manik"
when manik and I got married he asked if I wanted a joint back account which I agreed for faster than anything.
"He asked"
"And why the fuck were we not told this"
"Because mom its my life"
"Well then its mine life and I will talk about whatever I want in this interview"
"Please mom don't do this, you are going to end up hurting manik please don't"
"That's exactly why, so now here are your option, come fucking home or watch the person you love get hurt and maybe even leave you"
"He would never leave me mom I can guarantee you that" I said
"Oh sweetheart no one wants a woman who has been touched by other men"
"Why are you doing this" I asked crying
"Cry all you want I don't give a shit" she said cutting the call
Manik wouldn't leave me right, he wouldn't I know he wouldn't, he loves me.
"Nandu" I heard mukti
I turned around wiping my face
"Han"
"What's wrong" she asked pulling me to face her
"Nothing"
"You are crying"
"No something went in my eyes"
"Nandini talk to me"
As soon as I heard those words I fell to the floor sobbing, she held onto me right away hugging me.
"Shh whats wrong" she asked
"Nothing"
"Nandini please just tell me"
"My mom called"
"What does she want" she asked with hatred
she knows how bad it was at home for me
"She wants me to come home, she is umm she is going to talk about something that can really hurt manik and i's relationship in an interview"
"What the fuck"
"Mukti mukti can you do me a favour" I asked wiping my face
"Anything" she said
"I need you to be with manik the whole day please, distract him, spend time with him, anything please"
"Nandini don't tell me you are going there alone"
"Mukti please"
"No I am not letting you go alone"
"Mukti please I can't hurt manik, he means the word to me, please mukti"
"Fine but cabir is going with you"
"No I"
"Cabir is going where" we saw cabir walking in
"Nandini it's either he goes with you or you don't get to go at all" she said being stubborn
"Okay I will go with cabir" I said
"Can someone tell me where I'm going"
"Cabir can you please come with me ill explain on the way there" I said
"Sure thing" he said
"Ill be back" I said to them running up to my room
Manik Was still sleeping, I put on jeans and a t shirt, I grabbed my phone and nothing else.
I sat beside manik and checked his temperature which was thankfully down, he was fine im sure. I kissed his head and caressed his face, he leaned in my touch holding me in his sleep
"I love you more than myself manik, I love you so much" I whispered pecking his lips
Gently I pulled my hand out of his hold and kissed his head. i walked down to the living room with a heavy heart, I wanted to tell manik but I need to sort this first.
"Should we go" cabir asked
"Ya, umm mukti tell him cabir and I went to go meet navya and then we are going out or something"
"I will, jsut be safe"
I nodded and followed him out to the car.
"So we are going to your house" he asked and I nodded
"Why" he asked
"Umm"
"Dude we are best friends, the kind of friends who will punch manik and prank him, come on tell me" he said making me smile
"Cabit its complicated"
"Well im all ears"
"My mom is about to give an interview about something that happened in the past but I haven't told manik yet. If she talks about it manik will be hurt. I need to get her to stop"
"Should I bring pepper spray" he asked
"Huh, for what"
"To spray anyone who comes to hurt you" he said making me smile
"Don't worry, manik will be okay"
"He might hate me for doing this behind his back"
"Ill be honest, he will but he will understand" I nodded
"I know he will be upset but if it means he will not be hurt and the company will not get hurt im all for it"
"You can't be so selfless nandini"
"I have to be, I love you guys and I can't have you guys hurt, if she talks about it im not the only one who gets affected"
"Nandini darling you are my little sister so im telling you this, manik might get angry he mghteven be pissed off but he loves you so I would say tell him"
"I will, just let me talk to mom first"
He nodded, we got to my house and cabir was going to come with me but I refused becasue I knew my mother would never ever talk to me in front of him.
"Cabir no ill go by myself"
"Nandini"
"Cabir please umm go see navya for a bit"
"Will you call me once you are done" he asked and I nodded
He kissed my head and I walked inside, my heart was beating so fast, I knew this was going to be bad, she wasn't going to give in so easy, she just wasn't.