The next morning, Manik woke up by a slight poke on his arm. He opened up his eyes to find cabir standing right next to him.
Manik: Cabir??
Cabir: Shh...
Cabir said asking him to be silent as he pointed towards Nandini. Manik followed his gaze and saw Nandini sleeping by his side, cuddling into his chest to hide her face from the sunlight.
Cabir: I knocked but u didn't open up so I had to come in.... Could u plz step out!
Cabir whispered to him earning a soft nod from Manik.
As Cabir moved out Manik looked down back at Nandini, caressing her face softly. He moved her head onto the pillow, making sure not to wake her up and got up from the bed after covering her with the duvet. Closing the curtains properly, he planed a soft kiss on her forehead before moving to the washroom. He freshened up a little and moved out of the room.
He moved out to find Cabir waiting for him in the living room.
Manik: Hey... Good mrng!
Cabir: Morning.... Here! Coffee....
He took the cup from him and settled down when Cabir spoke up,
Cabir: Sorry by the way.... Didn't mean to enter in like that, but was urgent!
Manik: Come on yr... Chill! Its ohk.... What happened?
Cabir: Call ur Mom..... Aunty has been sick worried since the morning. U were missing and not even attended ur phone. She even called up Nandini, but didn't get any reply there either.
Manik: Crap!
Manik muttered taking out his phone to find 15 missed calls from his Mom, 3 from his Dad and one msg from Rishab, asking about Nandini.
He immediately got up from there and called up Nyonika.
Nyonika: Hello Manik...
Came nyonika's worried voice from the other side making him feel further guilty of her worry.
Manik: Yes Mom... I m so so so sorry for all ur worry!
Nyonika: Oh no son... I m so glad u r just fine! Cabir told me u r at his place but I so wanted to talk to u once.
Manik: Yeah I m fine... I should hv msged u, but something just came up and I had to leave, I'll tell u everything once I get home Okay?
Manik said rubbing his hair through his hand.
Nyonika: Yeah sure... Its fine!
Manik: Bye Mom!
He disconnected the call, and dropped Rishab a msg before keeping his phone aside.
Cabir: Everything fine?
Manik joined back Cabir on the sofa and shook his head in a No.
Manik: No its not.... Something is very much wrong! And the worst part is that I don't even know what is it..... I just found Nandini in this almost Abandoned colony park nearly Bandra station, at almost 2 in the night....
Cabir: What?
Manik: Right... That too in a completely broken state, like totally shattered! Nothing that I would hv ever imagined for a girl as strong headed as her. Believe me Cabir, Nandini of all people has gone through so so much in her life that her breaking apart like this is something I can't just take in...
Cabir: What happened? What did she say?
Manik: I don't know what happened.... She was missing from home past midnight when Rishab called me and after all that finding her scene, I was so glad to have her back in my arms safe that I didn't push her much last night. I wanted her to have some rest before we talked it out.
Putting his head onto his palms Manik took a deep breath while Cabir patted his back.
Cabir: Chill Manik.... I m sure u'll get her pass through whatever this is! Just relax okay.... I'll make u a cup of coffee for her, then go and wake her up!
Manik shook his head and sighed before getting up,
Manik: U relax, I'll make one for her myself.... She'll anyway spit this one out on my face, u make the worst coffee dude...
Cabir chuckled at him hitting him back,
Cabir: Its not my fault that u two love birds drink the most bitter poison like coffee...
Manik smiled at his words moving towards the kitchen,
Manik: I guess that makes us what we are! The best couple, isn't it?
Cabir scoffed at his words ignoring him as he moved to his room. Manik made Nandini's coffee and moved to the guest room to find Nandini already up, sitting on the bed and typing something on her phone.
Manik: Hey good mrng, u up?
Nandini: My comfy pillow left me alone!
Nandini whispered back in a reply making Manik chuckle as he sat by her side and forwarded her the coffee.
Manik: Well, I guess he left u alone to get u some special coffee on bed...
Nandini finished typing whatever she was and kept her phone aside taking the cup from him.
Nandini: That was Rishu, I just left a msg to him!
Manik nodded at her,
Manik: Good u did... I did too!
Nandini took a sip of the coffee and looked down while Manik just stayed shut until he asked her,
Manik: Are u fine Nandini?
He looked up at her watching her thinking hard until she asked back in a little voice,
Nandini: Would it be okay if I say that I m not?
Manik picked up her hand from her lap and intertwined his fingers with hers, holding it up in front of them.
Manik: U see this Nandini.... This is gonna stay the same. No matter u r fine or not... This hand is gonna be stuck along with urs Always!
Nandini smiled at his words, nodding at it. A silence took upon between them again as Nandini continued having her coffee. She finished it soon and kept the cup aside,
Nandini: Thanks for the coffee.... It was perfect, just the way I like it!
Manik: Nah... Just the way we like it!
Manik replied making her chuckle softly before she silenced again and looked down at her lap.
Manik: U wanna talk about it??
Nandini took a deep breath knowing that she to speak up and finally started,
Nandini: As u know, I went to meet Dad's Lawyer last night....
-----------------
*Flashback*
Lawyer: I knew u were in boarding and all, but somewhere down the line I was concerned about the person u would grow up to be.... The lack of family does destroy people.... But u did prove me wrong, and I m sure ur father would have been very proud of u today!
Nandini bit her lip not willing to shed tears as she smiled softly at the Old Man.
Nandini: Thank u Uncle... But to be frank, the only reason why I m here today is to get the keys of the Moorthy Mansion from u. I mean, with all this happening around, I need some closure before starting this new life and the only way to that is Home. I wanna be home, I wanna feel the warmth of that place again.
The lawyer looked confused by Nandini's words as he looked back down to his files.
Lawyer: What are u talking about Nandini??? This is all of it!
Nandini: All of it? What do u mean?? U just said this is only the 75% right!
Lawyer: Yes... This is the 75%... But the other 25%, which included all the shares and plots that he owned here in Mumbai, basically related to his work. This was all the stuff that he dealt with on the daily basis and was on his name, so automatically after him, it went to both u and ur mother.
Nandini: Mrs. Kapoor!
Nandini interrupted immediately making the man nod softly as he continued,
Lawyer: Oh yes, sorry.... So all the decisions for this part was on the collective approval of the two of u. Ur house too was in this part!
Nandini: Was?
Lawyer: Yeah... U guys sold it all off!
Nandini: What?
Nandini asked shocked by the news while the lawyer seemed confused.
Lawyer: Nandini.... Over these years after ur father passed away, ur mother- I mean Mrs. Kapoor has been one by one selling his properties and shares.
Nandini: But how can she do that in my absence? Wasn't it supposed to be a collective decision?
Lawyer: Well the presence of just one owner was enough to go on with the deal but the written permission of the other one was essential and she always has urs with her...
He noticed Nandini's blank face before he continued,
Lawyer: She sold all of that 25% my dear.... The last of it being The Moorthy Mansion which was sold off around 7-8 months back!
He forwarded the deal papers of the Mansion towards Nandini in which she saw her signatures done as the first power of attorney. She glanced through the papers thoroughly and recognised them to be the same papers which Mrs. K got signed from her the night she returned back to India.
Lawyer: For all I know the now owners of the Mansion are willing to demolish the house and use the land to make apartments or something, but nothing has been done yet while the owner is till in America.
All his words passed on through Nandini as she just kept on staring at the papers.
Nandini: I need the documents of all the deals that were made..... Everything!
*Flashback Ends*
---------------------------------
Nandini: All those times that she rarely came to meet me or called me voluntarily in all those years.... Each and every single time it was not because she wanted to meet me, it was bcoz she wanted money out of me. And I like a fool kept on signing all those papers for her without even a question. Manik, u know I tried I tried to recall one visit of hers when she didn't get anything signed from me and gladly, I didn't even find one....
A tear rolled down Nandini's eyes again as she continued,
Nandini: My house.... The only place in this entire world which had some good memories of my childhood, and she sold that off too.... The only place which had my father's presence in it... Is gone! And u know the best part, she is proud of hat she has done....
Manik snapped his head towards her at this before asking sternly,
Manik: What did she say Nandini?
Nandini: Forget it Manik...
Nandini said shaking off her head.
Manik: Nandini... What did she say?
Nandini: A few more diamonds in her drawer are much better than the god forbidden memories of a dead man, that too the one who didn't leave anything for his wife. She wishes she had never given birth to a 'bitch' like me and all this money would hv been solely hers. And now I m trying to manipulate her Son against her as I did with Aliya's Dad and the rest of her family.
Manik clenched his fists at this as he moved to get up from the bed, only to be held back by Nandini as she held his hand tighter.
Nandini: Manik No!!!
Manik jerked her hand off his trying to contain his anger only to hear her hiss.
He turned towards her and picked up her hand.
Nandini: Manik... Its nothing leave it!
Nandini tried to protest as he opened up her palms to find crescent like nail marks on her palm with dried out blood over it. He caressed it softly, Manik her hiss again. He checked out her other hand as well and found the same condition there too. Closing his eyes Manik took a deep breath containing his anger while Nandini spoke softly,
Nandini: Manik....
Manik: Why? Why would u do that to urself?
Nandini turned her face to the other side taking her hands back, as she tried not to look into his eyes.
Manik: Nandini I m asking something!
Nandini: Its nothing Manik....
Manik held her shoulders turning her towards himself as he asked again.
Manik: Why Nandini?
Nandini: Because maybe she is right.... Maybe I m snatching away Rishab from her, maybe its my fault that the only time Rishab stands up against her or them is when its for me. I did that with Dad too na, he loved me more and left everything for me, Maybe I would have not had to face all this if he left it for her....
Maybe she would have loved me more If all this was the other way round.....
Manik: Are u kidding me Nandini.??? Seriously even after all this u think that u r at fault and she might be right? And then u hurt urself like this, bcoz of some crap that she entered into ur brain.
Nandini looked down at his words, again knowing she started the same old discussion when Manik cupped her face and made her look up at him,
Manik: Nandini I hv been trying to tell this to u for a number of times and I'll say it again..... U r not at fault! Stop letting her words affect you so much.
She nodded at him softly as he got up and moved to the other side of the room. He took out a first aid kit from the cupboard and walked back to her. Taking up her hands in his, Manik softly cleaned her wounds.
Nandini flinched at the burning sensation of the antiseptic only to see him soften his touch. He continued aiding her wound and putting on her bandage while Nandini's eyes stayed fixed at him, watching her pain reflect on his face.
Soon Manik finished with both her hands and got up,
Manik: Get freshened up and change! We have to leave soon....
With that he moved out of the room without any more words leaving Nandini smiling at herself as she looked down at both her hands now supporting white bandages.
------------------------------------
An hour later, Manik stopped his car in front of the Kapoor Mansion. Nandini picked up her stuff and turned towards Manik to find him staring right in the front,
Manik: I'll pick u up at 6:30...
Nandini: No... Don't worry! I'll come on my own with Rishab. Okay?
She waited for him to turn towards her but just got a stern nod in a reply as she opened up the door and moved out. She was about to walk in when he spoke up again,
Manik: I don't care how u do it, but I want u giving proper rest to ur hands... Don't dare take off the bandages by the evening and I want it healed by then.
A small smile came onto her face at his words, even through he was acting angry, she knew otherwise. Nandini walked on to the other side of the car and bent over his window. She moved her hand cupping her face from the other side and made him look at her.
Nandini: Monster Mode not working well this morning.... I guess I m too good for u to be actually angry at me!
Winking at him Nandini saw his face turn even more stern.
Nandini: I m not getting scared Mr. Malhotra... And maybe that's the reason why we r getting engaged tonight!
Nandini winked at Manik moving back as she walked into the house. Manik saw her walking in as a smirk crept over his face,
"Yes, this is exactly the reason we r getting engaged tonight and married in a couple of days!"
He started his car and drove away while Nandini entered her room to find Rishab sitting on her bed waiting for her. Rishab saw her getting in and immediately rush forward taking her in a hug.
Rishab: Thank God u r fine Di....
Nandini: OMG Rishu... Chill! I m fine...
Nandini said rubbing his hair and breaking the hug.
Rishab: I swear Di just tell me what they Di this time and I won't let this go freely.
Nandini: Gosh Rishu.... Don't plz! I m very tired and I hv just got out of a big argument over the same thing with Manik and I don't wanna talk anymore... I just need a short nap after which I m gonna relax and then spend my time getting properly ready for my engagement.
Rishab looked at her for a moment before sighing and nodding,
Rishab: As u wish... I won't push u much!
Nandini: Thank u!
Nandini smiled broadly at him finally keeping her stuff aside when Rishab said again,
Rishab: Okay so u take rest. I'll ask Kaka to send ur lunch only whenever its ready. I'll be going to the Malhotra Mansion in sometime, maybe they'll need an extra hand for the preparations.
Nandini nodded at him lying down on her bed. Rishab was about to walk away when Nandini called him back,
Nandini: Rishu listen... Plz tell Kaka, there are a few files kept on the back seat of my car, I want him to get it all here. And yes, these are confidential files make sure no one gets a look through it, I repeat No One...
Rishab: Sure Di!!
---------------------------------------
Manik reached home soon to see the work in full force. He went u straight to his room and freshened up before lying down on his bed.
He closed his eyes to sleep but instead what came him front of his eyes took all his sleep away. On one side he saw his sister's dead body and on the other he saw Nandini's, the same scene from his earlier nightmare. And then he saw the scars on Nandini's palm, the same half crescent moon nail marks of Nandini hurting herself. He was somewhere not able to bring himself to accept Nandini hurting herself in any possible way, even if it was just nail marks.
His mind kept on wandering back to the previous night when Nyonika knocked on the door.
Nyonika: Can I come in?
Manik: Yeah... Sure Mom!
Nyonika walked in smiling at him as she took a seat by his side only for Manik to lie down resting his head on her lap.
Manik: Sorry Mom!
Nyonika: Its okay... No need to apologize again! Is Nandini fine?
Nyonika asked caressing his hair when he suddenly looked up in surprise.
Manik: How do u-
Nyonika: Cabir slipped it out when he told me u were there.... Plus, it wasn't much harder to guess as there would be no other reason u'll disappear like this.
Manik chuckled at her words but nodded,
Manik: Yeah... She is fine!
Nyonika: Do u wanna talk about what happened?
Manik: I don't know Mom.... I feel its somewhere Nandini's place to tell u but I m stuck here..... Her moth-, I mean Mrs. K, Nandini doesn't call her Mom as she is angry about her getting remarried and pushing her away and all, but the other way as well, that lady in no way deserves to be anyone's Mom.....
Nyonika: Manik.... U know na, that's a very big and cruel accusation to put over a lady...
Manik groaned at it turning his head to the other side.
Manik: Believe me Mom... I know Nandini.... I know her and she is by far the most strong headed person I know, even more than u, if I have to say so..... But then that one lady, she manages to affect Nandini in such strong ways that I don't know how to control it. Mom I hv been there, I hv heard the language she uses or the things she says to Nandini and its unacceptable, cruel and god knows what. And the condition in which I found Nandini last night, it really scares me, I can't afford Nandini getting anymore hurt now.
Nyonika: And she won't..... She is coming here Manik. She'll be here where she has You and this family. You can shower her with all the Love that she has craved. It will all be fine!
Manik: That's what is the problem Mom.... Love!! Even after all that Mrs. K has done, the lack of Love has made Nandini so vulnerable that even one smile from Mrs. K starts giving her hopes. Just one mistaken act of kindness and Nandini starts hoping for her old lovable mother to be back! I just-
Nyonika: Shh... Manik relax!! Just calm down....
Manik took a deep breath at her words trying to calm himself down.
Nyonika: What did Nandini do after her confrontation with her mother last night Manik?
Manik scoffed at her words before waving off his hand.
Manik: As always.... Closed herself off from the world, went to a place where she could find her loneliness and peace.
Nyonika: But then she let u in.... Even at the time when she wanted to be alone, she allowed u in. That is progress Manik. Give the girl some credit coz she definitely gave u that.
Manik: Huh?
Nyonika: U don't realise it Son but Nandini and u have a lot more in common than just ur food preferences or likes-dislikes. Manik, 6 years and I still don't know where u run off every year during ur sister's death anniversary. U too run off from the world, trying to find peace and loneliness. But this year u craved in, U let Nandini be there, U allowed her in. And she helped u through that didn't she?
Manik: Yeah.... She helped a lot!
Nyonika: That's exactly what u gotta do too Manik.... She is letting u in, not just coz she Loves u but coz she Trusts u! And now u have to make the best of it and strengthen her trust, Make it so strong that the next time she faces a problem, she decides to come to u and not loneliness.... Just keep on showering ur love over here, she really deserves it all. She deserves it not only on her fabulous days but also on data like yesterday when she is a mess. She deserves all ur love even when she decides to throw useless tantrums and pick up silly fights with u, cuz there is no one else she would show that side to. No matter what the situation is, be by her side and tell her that u r There.
Manik smiled at her words before getting up and hugging her,
Manik: Thanks Mom... Thanks a lot!
Nyonika: Anytime.... Now get some rest!
Manik: Yeah....
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Well, feel free to tell me if u found the chapter boring, but then there are some parts which makes a very important part of the storyline.....
Went a bit heavy out here, but a light headed part coming up next😉
Till then do vote and leave ur comments!
Love,
Navya!😘