PART 18.
Nandini, Abhimanyu, and Manik returned home after a long day. They had dinner and decided to rest early because the next day their parents and Fab3 were supposed to arrive.

The following morning, everyone was up and ready. Nandini and Navya were in the kitchen, while the boys were spending time with Radhika. The day started with cheerful energy. Fab3 and the elders were on their way, and everyone had a lot to do. Nandini and Navya worked together in the kitchen, preparing breakfast quickly because Nandini had to leave for the office, but she still wanted to help Navya.

They were in the middle of their work when the doorbell rang. Nandini and Navya walked to the door, where the butlers opened it. Ishita and Raman, along with Nyonika Raj, were the first to enter. Nandini smiled and hugged them warmly. Manik followed behind her, and the rest of the gang joined in as well.

Radhika grinned as she waved, saying, "Nani, Nanaa! I missed you all so much! These guys have been so boring!"

Cabir chuckled, playfully defending himself, "Excuse me, Ms. Radhika, I'm not boring!"

Radhika rolled her eyes. "you guys are always so serious."

Cabir gave her a dramatic look, saying, "Serious? I'm the life of the party!"

Just then, Manik whispered to Nandini with a grin, "See, she calls you boring, and now she says I'm boring too, just because of you."

Nandini laughed softly, shaking her head. "Oh please, Manik, I'm not boring at all!"

Manik chuckled, raising an eyebrow. "Of course not."

They exchanged a playful glance before hearing a voice behind them.

"Mukti!" Nandini called out warmly as Mukti walked into the room.

Mukti beamed, "Nanzzzz, I can't believe it! I'm meeting the best doctor in India!"

Nandini smiled and gave her a hug. "Thank you, Mukti, I'm glad to meet you too."

Mukti laughed, "I admire your work so much, Nandini. You've made a huge impact!"

Nandini smiled, feeling honored. "You can just call me Nandini."

Mukti smiled back, looking at a girl standing beside her. "Aliya, come here, you have to meet Nandini!"

Aliya walked up to them with a shy smile. "Hello!"

Nandini greeted her with warmth, "Hey there, it's so nice to meet you!"

Meanwhile, Dhruv was exchanging friendly hugs with Manik and Cabir. Cabir teased, "Hey, don't forget about us, we're all friends here!"

Mukti playfully swatted him on the arm. "Stop being such a drama king, Cabir."

Aliya greeted Cabir as well, and then she turned to Manik, smiling shyly at him. Manik smiled back.

Nyonika, who had been watching the exchange, suggested, "Alright, everyone, let's get to breakfast! We're all starving. Nandini, I'll help you set the table."

Nandini nodded as she joined Nyonika in preparing the breakfast. They set everything up together while the others gathered around the table.

As they enjoyed their meal, Ishita spoke up. "Nandu, remember, after work, you need to go straight to Sabyasachi to pick out your lehenga for the Roka ceremony. We also need to choose outfits for the engagement. Don't worry about the other functions for now, we'll handle that later."

Nandini nodded, already mentally preparing for the busy day ahead.

Nyonika added, "We'll pick up the rings tomorrow. The Roka is the most important thing for now. Everything else will fall into place."

The group agreed, and Nandini finished her breakfast before heading out for work. She was busy in the office when her phone pinged with a message from Manik.

"Had your lunch?"

Nandini smiled as she typed back, "Not yet."

"Planning to anytime soon?" Manik's message popped up almost instantly.

"I'm still caught up with some work, don't worry, I'll eat soon."

"Alright, I'll wait for your lunch update then."

Nandini giggled at his playful tone and was about to respond when Priya knocked on her office door. "Ma'am, Manik Sir called. He says it's time for your lunch."

Her phone pinged once again, and Nandini read the message with a smile.

"Stop working and have your food! I have Priya keeping an eye on you now, so don't skip it."

Nandini smiled warmly, replying, "I will, don't worry. Thanks for looking out for me."

"Of course, I'm serious about making sure you're taking care of yourself," Manik responded, his tone affectionate.

She finally took a break for lunch, signed a few documents, and prepared to head out for Sabyasachi's showroom. As she drove, her phone rang—Manik was calling.

"Where are you, Nandini?" Manik asked, his voice concerned.

"I'm on the way, just five more minutes," she replied.

"I wanted to let you know, we have media outside, so we're entering through the back gate. Will you be okay handling the media? I can't come out there myself."

Nandini smiled reassuringly. "Don't worry, I've got it covered. I won't be giving any statements, so it's all good."

Manik sighed in relief. "Alright, drive safe and take care of yourself. I'll see you soon."

"Thanks, Manik. See you soon," she replied.

Nandini arrived at the showroom shortly after, where the media was gathered. She stepped out of the car and smiled for the cameras, gracefully posing for a few pictures before walking inside without answering any of their questions.

Manik and the others were waiting inside, but Manik's eyes were focused on Nandini. He couldn't help but watch her every move—how she interacted with everyone, how she carried herself so confidently.

He sent her a quick message: "Why do you always look so beautiful?"

Nandini, who had been talking to Nyonika, saw the message and smiled as she typed back: "Because I am beautiful?"

Manik chuckled when he saw her reply. "You definitely are. But are you feeling tired?"

"No, not at all!" Nandini replied, reassuring him.

Manik teased, "Are you sure? If you're tired, we could take a break and grab something to eat."

Nandini responded quickly, "No, I'm fine. Let's just finish the work here, and then we can relax. You focus on the outfits, I'll manage everything else."

Manik smiled at her response, looking up from his phone. "Alright, I'll trust your judgment. You always know best."

After they chose the Roka and engagement outfits, the group decided to have dinner together at a nearby restaurant to relax after the busy day.