Third Person's POV
"It is all your doing, isn't it, Manik?" Nandini barges inside their room, knowing Manik will be there.
Frowning at Nandini, he keeps his laptop aside and climbs down from the bed.
"What are you talking about?" He asks her, feigning innocence.
"Oh, please, Manik. Don't you dare pretend. I know you did something because of which Samrat is now taking Aastha to the ball instead of me. After all, you wanted to be my date to the ball, and I know you can do anything to get what you want."
Manik shakes his head at Nandini.
"Hmm, you are right about me wanting to take you as my date to the ball," he tells her. "But you are wrong about me having to do anything with Samrat going to ball with Aastha."
Not believing a word he said, Nandini narrowed her eyes at Manik. "I wonder why I don't believe that."
"Well, you are free to believe whatever you want to, Nandini," Manik says. "But think about it. I am an extremely busy man with a billion-dollar company to run. Do you really think I will have time to play these games just so I can take you to the ball?"
Nandini scoffs, hearing Manik. "Well, you were running the same billion-dollar company when you married me too. Why did you have no qualms then about playing your games and destroying my life just to get your petty revenge?"
Feeling a jolt in his heart due to Nandini's words, Manik sighs, rubbing his face with his hands.
When he looks at her after a few seconds, he has a severe expression marring his face.
"I know I have made mistakes, Nandini. I am not proud of what I did. I was blinded by the anger due to the betrayal I faced," he says. "But I am trying to own up to it and mend what I have destroyed."
"It does not work that way, Manik." Nandini sits on the couch, exhausted after the busy day in the office.
"Just because you suddenly want to mend the things you broke, the pieces will not glue back together," she tells him.
Manik, too, sits on the couch in front of Nandini.
"I have understood that now. I have realized I need to wait for those pieces to want to be glued back together," he says to her. "That is why I have decided not to force anything on you, Nandini.
"I will give you all the time and space you need to decide for yourself. It will be your choice also whether or not to give our marriage a chance.
"But you also need to give me a chance to at least try and mend things I broke. Shun me all you want, but please do not deprive me of the opportunity to repent."
Nandini looks searchingly at Manik, wanting to confirm if he is honest about what he just told her.
When she does not speak for a while, Manik breaks the silence. "Please say something, Nandini."
"No matter how much you try, if I still decide to divorce you. What will you do then?" She asks, gauging his reaction.
"I will let you go," Manik replies, honesty ringing in his voice. "It was my decision to marry you for revenge. Also my decision to give our marriage a chance. So, the decision to whether or not to stay married to me will solely be your decision, Nandini."
Nandini stares at Manik for a while, unable to believe what he just told her.
'Such growth in him? How?' She wonders, still staring at him.
"Why are you looking at me that way?" Manik shifts in his seat, feeling slightly uncomfortable due to Nandini's unwavering gaze. "I am telling the truth."
"I also think you are." Nandini sighs, standing up from the couch.
"Five months, Manik. You have five months to try," she tells him. "If you are unable to make me believe that you are serious regarding committing to our marriage for the lifetime, I will file for divorce. And you will sign those papers, agreeing to the mutual divorce."
Manik nods at Nandini. "Five months it is then—five months to try and see whether our relationship will mend or break."
***********
Standing in front of the kitchen's countertop, Nandini is lost in her thoughts as she kneads the dough to make roti for dinner.
She has given Manik five months, but now she wonders if she did right by doing that.
'He said he would let me go if I decide to divorce him. So, the decision will still be mine.' She nods at the thought, blowing the few strands of hair that fall over her face.
However, the strands do not get blown to the side and continue to bother her.
Getting distracted by them, she tries to get the strands to the side with the back of her hand, but that does not work too.
She is about to walk to the sink to wash her hands so she can properly adjust and tie her hair, but before she can do that, she feels someone tucking those strands behind her ear.
Surprised by that, she turns around to see who it is, intending to fully berate the person, but gasps when she sees Manik softly smiling at her.
"Wh..what are you doing?" She asks him, moving to the side to make some distance between them.
"I saw you were getting bothered by it, so I tucked those strands behind your ear." Manik shrugged, walking toward the refrigerator to take out a water bottle.
"You can't just come in here and do something like that," Nandini tells him, feeling slightly annoyed at him.
"Well, this is a kitchen, and I absolutely can come here. In fact, anyone who lives in this house can come here," Manik says. "And about me tucking your hair. I did it only because I thought you were getting bothered by it. Your hands were also engaged in kneading the dough, so I thought to help you."
"I don't need your he—"
"Ok, got it. I am sorry," Manik interrupts, walking closer to Nandini. So much so that, although he was not touching her, she could still feel the warmth radiating off his body.
"I will ask you the next time." He winks at her before turning around and walking out of the kitchen.
***********
He caresses the photo in his hand, smirking as he looks at her enchanting face and alluring body.
"I have waited enough, Nandini. It is now time to make you mine."
He continues caressing the photo for a few more seconds before putting it on the table in front of him.
He then picks up the paper cutter from the side and starts creating a few scratches over her body.
"How fun it will be. To torture you, see the tears pour out of these beautiful eyes, watch you plead, beg, and finally submit to me."
He feels excitement run through his veins as he imagines her screams, her sobs, her painful whimpers.
"Oh! Such beautiful sounds," he whispers, knowing those pitiful sounds will be the music to his ears.
"Just a few days more, Nandini. Then you will be mine. Only and only mine," he says, violently creating more scratches on the picture and maniacally laughing while doing so.