"You think I'm a fool?" demanded Harry.
"No, I think you're like James," said Lupin, "who would have regarded it as the height of dishonor to mistrust his friends."
― J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
***
Next Day
Affection : Expression Of Love
Arayman was looking at Aliya as she passed him the files with a proper manner like an assistant should do . After giving him the files she looked at him and notice him looking at her , so she asked " Why are you staring at me like this ? "
He chuckled at her question and said " I am surprised that you have become a professional ."
She smiled at him and said " Then please hire me , Mr Khurana . "
Arayman chuckled at her statement but didn't replied her anything . He was going to look at the files when his phone rang . He looked at the caller Id and saw it was Nandini , a small smile appeared on his face as he picked the call .
" Hello Nandini ." He said happily , which just made Aliya who was picking the files frown a little .
" yeah , I am in the office . " He answered her .
" right now ? Okay ." he said , while Aliya just looked at him with a frown as he talks with her .
" Where? Okay . I will be right there . " Arayman answered her confirming that he will come to meet her . He hanged the call and saw Aliya looking at him , he cleared his throat and said " Umm , Nandini wants to have a talk with me , I will look through these files when I get back . "
" Okay ." She gave him an awkward nod . And he left the cabin happily , while thinking for a minute Aliya followed him.
----
Family Cafe
Nandini was settled in one of the table waiting for Arayman to arrive stirring her coffee lost in thoughts . Arayman entered the cafe and noticed Nandini settled at the table near the window lost . He moved near her and got settled infront of her with a smile . Feeling the movement infront of her Nadnini saw Arayman settled infront of her .
" hey , What's up ? " He asked her with a smile but she just looked at him with no emotions and neither replied to him .
Seeing that she is not responding to him he asked " What happened ? Anything wrong ? "
She looked at him and taking a deep breath she asked him " Do you know Inaya Singh ? "
" umm no . " Arayman answered her and looked at her and asked " What's wrong ? "
She didn't said anything to him but just passed him the envelope of photos and the letter she got from Manik . Arayman looked at the envelope and pulled the photos and letter from inside . He looked at the photos and noticed it was of Dr.Manik and some girl .He looked at her in confusion and asked " What's this ? "
" Someone sent this to the boss of Dr.Manik." Nandini said and then continued telling him as he opened the letter " That person clearly wants us to break-up . "
Arayman read the letter and just looked at her joining the dots and asked " So you think I did this ? "
" I can't think of anyone else." Nandini said .
" So you think I set Manik Malhotra up ? " Arayman said with no emotions and then looked at her asking " Why do you think I will do this ? "
" So that I will break up with him . " Nandini said clearly .
Arayman placed the letter on the tabled and with a slight accustion tone he said " Do you even think that if the photos or the letter are true . "
Nandini glared at him and said " I believe Manik ."
Arayman dryly chuckled at her answer and said " So you believe him , but not me . We have known each other for six years . How long have you known Dr.Manik ? Do you really know what kind of person he is ? Even if he was set up , how could you know he wouldn't cheat on you or fall in love with someone else ? If that really happens are you going to question me like this again ? "
He was going to stand up and go but Nandini just looked at him and said " I need to find her . It's about Manik's future . "
" I don't care about him . " Arayman whispered yelled at her .
" But I do . " She said confidently glaring at him .
" You do but you don't have any right to suspect your close friend ." Nandini and Arayman turned towards the source of voice and saw Aliya came near the table telling Nandini this .
" Aliya don't interfere in between . " Nandini told her with a sigh . She doesn't want to talk with Aliya right now .
" I will Nandini. How dare you suspect your close friend that he will stoop this low , to make you break up with your boyfriend . I know you are worried about Dr.Manik but it's not right to blame Arayman for it who don't even know a single thing . I know he likes you still , but seeing you moved on he blessed you with his happiness but it looks like you don't trust him enough . And since you have no trust in us it better you leave Arayman and us alone ." Aliya spitted the words and held Arayman's hand and moved out of the cafe while Nandini just settled on her place covering her face with her palms . She was afraid now , not because she doesn't trust Arayman aur he hates her now , but about that it will be difficult to find the girl now .
----
Affection : Expression of Love
" ANUJ IN MY CABIN NOW . " Arayman shouted as he entered the company . Anuj gulped a little as he heard his angry voice. Thinking about the works he did Anuj walked towards Arayman's Cabin .
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Next Day
Amigos Cafe
Nandini was settled in one of the cafe tables with a tensed frown as she go through an article about Manik . While Settled infront of her was Manik , who was serving both of them the lunch he brought with himself .
Finishing his work he looked up at her and smiled saying " Let's eat . "
She looked at him and with a sad face she asked " You are suspended . Don't you worry about your career ? "
" I am not suspended . I am taking a leave . And it's good for me only , i can spend more time with you " Manik said and scooped a spoon of rice and forwarded towards her to take a bite .
" People are trolling you . " Nandini said with a slight angry voice .
" Let's eat first , hmm . " Manik said and nudged her lightly to make her take the bite . She took the spoon full of rice from his hand and gave him a little smile .
Their little moment together was disturbed by Mukti as she looked at them from the pillar behind and said " Bro , you took the leave from work , so you can just come here directly to see your girlfriend and show off your love affair infront of me . "
Manik smirked at her sister's word but didn't said anything while Nandini just invited her .
" Mukti come here and eat . " Mukti agreed to her sister in law's words and just came near the table jumping like a bunny . And just picked a slice of tomato from the salad and gulped it noticing that her brother was signalling to go away from here . Ignoring him she tried to pick up another slice but Manik just swatted her hand . She pouted at him while Nandini just chuckled at their little banter .
Mukti glared at her brother and just sat beside Nandini showing him her tongue and said " I am hungry too . " And started eating with Nandini .
And now the trio ate happily like an happy family .
----
Nandini was settled in the cafe desk with her laptop opened infront of her working on her sketches while Manik was settled just two tables behind her reading an novel he found in the cafe .
She was still lost in the article about Manik and was much tensed about him . Though her laptop was opened infront of her the only thought in her mind was what is he doing right now . She could turn and see him directly but she felt too shy to stare him directly .
She noticed that she had a compact powder in her bag which had a small mirror in it . She pulled the compact from the bag and opened it infront of her in face that she could see Manik's reflection on the mirror .
She smiled at his reflection , while Manik who was reading the novel just felt some shinny rays on his face . It was like the sunrays strike the Mirror of Nandini and reflected on Manik's face . He looked up at the source of reflection and just saw his face on the mirror which Nandini held . He smirked at the mirror . While as Nandini saw his move she just closed the mirror and turned the other side closing her eyes as she got caught at her action . While Manik just chuckled at her cuteness.
After few minutes she was going through her instagram account when an idea cracked her mind . She picked the photos of Inaya she got after cropping Manik's image . She posted them on her Instagram story with a caption saying ' Monster Mani needs your help . Please help me find this woman.'
And just closed her eyes and prayed infront of the laptop and she posted the story hoping that she will get some help . Manik who was settled behind her noticed her little movement and just chuckled at her kiddish behaviour .
She opened her eyes as she heard the notifications from her laptop . And within few seconds she got many replies of the people knowing her and also telling her some address and all . It just raised Nandini's hope and she smiled looking at the responses .
----
" This is the last locality we are searching , after this we will go home . " Manik told Nandini as they reached to the last locality from the addresses Nandini got from her story .
" Are you tired ? " She asked him looking at the address slip she had in her hand . He looked at her and saw a different type of determination she had in her eyes to find the girl who nearly made an attempt to ruin his future .
" I don't want you to get worked up . " he said smiling at her . They walked through the locality and searching the building number where the girl lived .
As they neared the building the Inaya lived , they noticed a girl walking out of the entrance wearing sunglasses and all hiding her face and walked towards them not noticing the duo .
But the Duo saw her and just as Nandini recognized her she shouted " YOU..."
The girl who was none other than Inaya looked at the source of voice and saw Nandini and Dr.Manik . And she recognized Manik , she knew that her game got over but not wanting to get caught she just ran away , while Nandini ran after Inaya .
Inaya just threw her heels and ran barefoot to get the speed with Nandini following her running in a full speed . Manik who was running behind her calling Nandini's name , noticed Inaya's heel on the road . He just stopped and picked the heels and ran behind them again .
Nandini nearly ran behind her covering the whole locality . Inaya ran near the garden and to Nandini's luck , Inaya just tripped on the ground laying flat on the garden , while Nandini who was just a few steps away from her just got settled on Inaya and held her hand restraining her to get up .
" I told you to stop girl ." Nandini said huffing lightly .
" What's wrong with you ? Why are you chasing me ? " Inaya shouted at Nandini struggling to remove her hands from Nandini's hands .
" Why did you ran away , if you didn't do anything wrong ? " Nandini spatted at her still holding her hands tightly in her grip .
Manik just reached near the duo and threw Inaya's heel near her , while Nandini looked at Manik and with a smirk she said " You are so slow."
Manik held Nandini's arm and moved her away from Inaya and stood her infront of him saying " You are so fast . Come here . "
" I was a member of the track team at university . " Nandini told him with a proud smile . He smiled at her and tucked her unruled hair behind her ear saying " I am impressed . "
Seeing them lost in themself , Inaya thought to run away and was going to pick her wallet and heels but stopped when Nandini said " if you don't want to be tackled down again . you better stay where you are . "
Inaya huffed at Nandini's comment while Manik just rubbed Nandini's cheek lovingly , which just made her smile at him .
----
Next Day
Affection : Expression Of Love
Nandini walked inside Arayman's company with angry steps . The anger she had inside her was oozing out much furiously as she walked towards Arayman's cabin . Anuj who noticed Nandini's move called her out but she didn't stopped hearing his shout .
Nandini reached inside Arayman's Cabin and just stood infornt of him glaring him .
" Why are you here ? " Arayman asked her . Not telling hi anything she just showed her a small confession she recorded of Inaya's yesterday where she is saying she got the money to do all the from Arayman's company .
Arayman saw the thumbnail but didn't opened the video and asked her " why are you showing me this . "
" I think you know the reason . Stop denying . " Nandini spatted at him . Arayman looked at Nandini staright while she just glared at him .
Anuj who entered the cabin saw them glaring each other so he stood near the table between them and said " Boss , Nandini . What happened ? "
Nandini who was so angry at Arayman that she didn't even answered Anuj while Arayman just thought he desrved it .
" Nandini , actually I ..."
" Anuj it's none of your business . Just keep your mouth shut . " Arayman cut Anuj in between and looked at Nandini and with a little calm composer asked her " So you think it was me ? "
Nandini looked at him with a raised eyebrow . He stood up from his chair banging his hand on the table and said to her with a little loud voice " Listen to me . You are right . It was me . I did it . I just can't stand he being that goody-goody . He took you away from me . I can't just stand you are here , arguing with me because of him . I want to get a revenge . I wanted him to be ruined . Are you satisfied now ? "
Nandini looked at him with a angry glare . Her eyes were bloodshot red , she just picked her phone from the desk and looked at him and was just wanted to give him a one tight slap but stopped herself and spatted " You lost our friendship Mr. Arayman Khurana , Forever ! "
Saying this she left his cabin , while Arayman just stumbled back on his steps and fell back on his chair with the shock .
Anuj looked at him and said " Boss , why did you do that ? Why did you lied ? "
Arayman didn't answered him as he was just in so shock that he seriously lost Nandini forever .
***
❤ Chapter 55 ❤
How was it .
Hope you liked it .
Do you think Arayman did right to take Anuj's blae on himself ?
Precap : Being Official 💖
Thank You
Stay Safe
Love