"Happy advanced birthday" cabir whispered in nandini's ear and she looked at him confused.
"Let's welcome our guest tonight Mr Manik Malhotra CEO of Withering heights"
"Withering heights?" Cabir and navya said in unison confused.
"Manik Manik? Wait is that manik? Our manik? What?" Nandini started rambling and they both chuckled.
She got jumpy after she saw him that she didn't even notice Maira hanging on his arm but at that point nothing mattered to her.
"No long speeches just wanted to be grateful that Alicia invited me here and this is my honour to be here. Excited to see young designers in making and show casing their talents. Thank you enjoy the evening folks!"
He wrapped up and he just put his foot down from the stage when he was embraced in a breath stopping hug.
"I missed you too nandini" Manik chuckled and swooped off her feet.
Everyone were just looking at them weirded out by the scene.
"You dumbass you didn't even text me" She whisper yelled at him as they broke the hug.
He opened his mouth to speak but was obviously interrupted by the satan's daughter.
"What in actual hell Nandini? I get it he's attractive and all but that doesn't mean you'll throw yourself on him. Have some decency there are people watching!" Alicia snarled and he pulled nandini on his side holding her by her waist.
"Miss Hall the one you're disrespecting is my friend so you better watch that mouth of yours." He growled gritting his teeth. "And yes people are watching so do not humiliate your employee in front of everyone." He was clearly pissed and she clutched his arm secretly telling him to stop.
"Ah! I'm sorry I didn't know" Alicia apologised with a fake smile on her face and gave a look to her.
"Actually I've to go back stage the show is going to start." She excused herself but he pulled her back entangling his fingers with her's.
"Make me proud." He kissed the side of her head which made her break into face splitting smile. She nodded and eyed at alicia who was going to burst at any moment.
Maira, manik and alicia were sitting in the front as they were the guests and she was the representative of the company. The show stopper walked down the stage wearing nandini's design and Nandini followed behind.
She made an entry on the stage and everyone cheered. Her eyes looked for him and when they did found him his eyes were shining with glint which instantly made her smile.
The show was over and people dispersed to have some drinks.
"Hey Cabir, navya" Manik grinned as soon as he spotted them.
"I thought you forgot about me" Navya said hugging him.
"Sheesh it hurts Navya I obviously missed you." Manik exclaimed with fake hurt putting a fist on his chest.
"So you can obviously appreciate and say that you're the best designer Nandini Murthy!" Nandini boasted coming from behind joining their little group.
"Oh em gee you were the best girl you nailed it." Cabir said in a squeaky voice putting his both hands on his face.
"Congratulations nanz" Jake side hugged her with Emily tagging along.
Manik looked at them confused and Cabir fake coughed looking at them.
"Manik that's Emily and he's Jake. " She introduced them and he smirked.
"Oh! So you're Jake-the apple of her eye her future lovah" He smirked exaggerating with an accent and she pinched his arm clearly telling him to shut up.
"Ah we just went out once" Jake instantly replied and Nandini sighed in relief.
"That's okay I mean love at first sight is a real thing you know." Manik smirked and Nandini was secretly sending him signals so that he can shut up.
"Oh! He's kidding, he plays around a lot." Navya handled the situation and Cabir shook his head as she ruined all the fun.
"So I've to leave early nice to meet you all." Emily smiled sweetly eyeing at manik and his eyes got widened a little but he concealed it.
"I'll drop you" Jake suggested with enthusiasm and he made an eye contact with Nandini who gave him a mischievous smile.
"We are going to head home too you two coming?" Cabir asked them expectantly.
"No actually I've to be here for sometime with my staff. I've to fake smile to the people I hate." He sighed and they laughed at his agony.
They all left bidding leaving both of them alone.
"Good choice I'm proud of you." Manik appreciated her hitting/patting her shoulders.
"You're so violent geez people respect me here plus you embarrassed me in front of them." She gritted her teeth removing his hand from her shoulder.
"That's what friends do." He shrugged.
"Sure they do. Oh! Look Maira. Hey Maira here!" Nandini yelled waving like a lunatic in front of high profile people and even Alicia glared at her. "Oops" She muttered sheepishly looking at him and he just shook his head in annoyance.
"Hey nandini long time no see! You work here?" Maira chirped as soon as she spotted them.
"Yeah" She gave a quick hug to her and manik just hit his head with his palm.
"Let's go to the after party? I heard there's expensive alcohol." She asked expectantly looking at manik and he glanced at Nandini who was looking down fiddling with her fingers.
"Not really in a mood we will pass" He answered on behalf of nandini too and she was glad.
Maira shrugged and didn't pressure them so she left with the acquaintances she made.
"So didn't know you and maira-----" She did the hand gesture between the two and he shook his head in denial.
"It's nothing between us just mom and dad trying to hook us up because they are convinced that I'll die single." He explained and she knit her brows in confusion.
"They have met her?"
"Yeah business dinners and stuff." He mentioned casually.
"You liked each other in the past so what's the problem?" She asked crossing her arms on her chest.
"Not really looking for something right now." He simply answered and she dropped the subject.
After he talked to people in the party about business and her lurking with him they finally decided to go home.
"Let's go home." He threw an arm around her shoulder dragging her out.
○●○●○●○●
"Withering heights? Last time I checked your company was Malhotra heights?" Cabir asked confused.
They all were seated in the living room eating cookie crumble ice cream.
"Yeah actually we had a merger four months back. Dad had a heart attack so I had to take over the entire business but then it was hard to handle so we faced a lot of losses. We decided to have a merger with Maira's father's company because they were willing to provide us financial support. So we work together now." He summed up quickly and Nandini was dumbfounded.
"And you never told me?" She asked quietly sitting crossed legs on the couch. "Good to know I'm a shitty friend." She quickly got up and went to her room closing the door behind.
"You had a lot on your plate Nandini" He tried to be reasonable as he entered behind her and sat besides her on the bed.
"I'm your best friend since we were nine." She mumbled looking up to him.
"I'm sorry" He sighed.
"Its okay I feel like I failed as your best friend. I never made you happy forget happy I wasn't even there in your hard times. You might as well find an enemy they would treat you better than me." She grimaced really disappointed in herself.
"Hey hey hey come here." He embraced her completely cocooning her. "Baby that was my mess not yours I didn't want to worry you. I sorted it and came to you as soon as possible." He tried to make her feel better and she hid herself more in his chest.
"Promise me you won't hide anything from me ever again?" She looked up to him and he nodded.
"If I don't tell you even my washroom breaks you've my permission to punch me." He chuckled and she gave him that offended expression.
"I'm not violent anymore shut up I've a patience of a monk now and I'm the most understanding person in this world meenakumari." She clarified and he shook his head.
"Sure you are sugarplum."
"Are we okay?" He whispered softly putting a strand behind her ear.
"Okay"
〰️〰️〰️〰️〰️〰️
"It's wakey wakey time" Manik tip toed in her room and poked her cheek sitting on his knees on the floor.
"Leave me alone I haven't slept in years" She mumbled hiding her face with the pillow.
"You can sleep when I'll leave, we have very limited time so let's go." He exclaimed and her not so happy mood soared more.
"You're such a happiness snatcher." He smacked his head because she doesn't even make sense.
"Get up we are going out"
"Why?" She whined getting up with hair sticking in every direction.
"Because I want to see the empire state building"
"This empire effing state building!" She muttered disgusted. "Where are Cabir and Navya?" She yawned not bothering to cover her mouth and he gave her a disgusted look.
"They are all cuddled up and not planning to leave the house." He pulled her up and pushed her to the bathroom.
"How do I look?" She twirled showing him her lavender sun dress as soon as she came out of the washroom.
"Like a doll" She smiled but then it faltered after he continued. "Annabelle doll"
"It's my birthday yaar manik what is this?" She whined hitting him on the chest.
"You look like a dreaaaaaam. Happy?" He gave her a sarcastic smile and she showed him her tongue.
It were old days all over again.
"Hey mom is calling to wish you for the third time you were in the shower."
She took the phone from manik and sat on the bed crossing her legs.
"Hi aunty you don't miss me anymore you were not supposed to love manik more than me." Nandini ranted sadly before she can even say hello. "I know you love me more I was just teasing." She chuckled and manik shook his head at this adoptive behaviour.
"Probably hangout with manik or something where's uncle by the way?" She asked carefully and he immediately stiffened. There was silence for some time when raj's greetings came from the other side.
"Hey princess happy birthday." Raj wished her cheerfully but she can still hear tiredness in his voice.
"Thank you uncle you know I'm really disappointed that you didn't even bother to tell me about your condition and the company. I thought you considered me and manik the same?" She whispered sadly because she really loved raj and nyonica.
"Last time I checked you and manik don't have a brother-sister kind of a relationship." Raj said amused and she laughed.
"I just got an internal cringe." She muttered and he laughed at her reaction.
"It wasn't that serious and you were away so I didn't want to bother you."
"Nothing is bother for our loved one's." She exclaimed and raj was just happy hearing her after so long.
"I know and forget about me just take care of my boy he needs you Nandini even if he doesn't say it." He pondered and she instantly looked at him. Manik raised his eyebrows, her face must have given something so she just shook her head.
They hung up the call soon and she got up quickly doing her makeup.
"Okay let's go." He urged her out of the door.
"Happy birthday" Cabir and Navya yelled in unison making her jump literally a feet away bumping in Manik's front.
"Quit trying to kill me what's up with all the sudden yelling all the time my poor heart is still beating so loud." She yelped her hand still on her chest.
Manik instantly wrapped his arms around her waist pulling her closer.
"Happy birthday sugarplum" He whispered in her ear kissing her right cheek. She tilted her head to look at him and grinned.
"Guys I'm tired already you can play around later." Navya whined leaning on cabir.
Everyone chuckled and manik let her go to blew the candles.
"Make a wish" cabir cheered while holding the cake for her.
She closed her eyes for a second and blew the candles it was her favourite chocolate truffle cake.
After lots of cake smearing on each other's faces manik finally stepped in.
"Let's make it your best birthday ever sugarplum." He winked at her entangling his fingers with her's.
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You guys I had the scare of my life because I couldn't log in to my account and I thought it's the end of my story but I was being dramatic so it's okay.
Btw is it just me who thinks the story is repetitive or something I dunno.