Manik raised an eyebrow. "Chachi kaun?"

Nandini rolled her eyes and let out an exasperated sigh. "Dad's cousin's wife. In fact, all of his cousins are kind of annoying."

Manik looked at her, clearly intrigued. "Annoying as in?"

Naira jumped in, giving them the rundown. "Annoying as in the stereotypical lady, jiju. The one who has problems with everything in the world. She'd have an issue if the bride even sits with the guests. She wouldn't even like it if two married people, like us, sit together. She'll create a whole fuss about it."

Kartik shook his head, exasperated. "Exactly, Manik. And it's not just that. She's not just orthodox, but she's money-minded too. Why is she even coming, Di?"

Nandini glared at Kartik, her patience wearing thin. "Hmm, yeah, I was the one to send the invitation, right? And even if that's the case, on what grounds do you expect Dad to not invite his cousins?"

Kartik immediately zipped his mouth, muttering a quick apology.

Manik's eyes widened slightly, sensing the tension. He could tell Nandini wasn't in the best of moods, but he knew he had to calm things down.

He put his hand on hers, gently rubbing her fingers. "Alright, guys, I haven't met this chachi of yours, but if that's what she's like, we really don't need to keep thinking about her right now. Come on, we're going shopping for our wedding, not planning how to deal with an overbearing relative."

He said it softly, looking straight at Nandini, as if reminding her of the bigger picture.

Manik squeezed her hand, his voice calm and soothing. "It's okay. Who cares about what she or anyone else thinks when they don't genuinely care for us? Don't let her ruin your mood, please."

Nandini softened, a small smile playing on her lips. She nodded, entwining her fingers with his, grateful for his support.

Naira and Kartik exchanged glances, both smiling at the couple's quiet moment. They embraced each other, sharing a brief but meaningful hug.

Kartik leaned in to Naira, his voice low but firm. "Last time I met her, we weren't married, so I respected her opinions. Not now. We're officially married, and this time, I'm giving it back to her."

Naira looked up at him, her eyes twinkling. "You're allowed to."

Kartik chuckled, pressing a soft kiss to her forehead, making everyone smile at how sweet they were.

The couples comforted each other, giving everyone some serious couple goals.

Soon, they reached the shopping store, and Cabir was the first to speak up.

"Guys, let's not stop for the paps. We're not supposed to reveal anything about the wedding yet. Their questions will only get us in trouble."

Alya nodded in agreement. "Exactly, let's keep walking and not stop for them."

Everyone else agreed, and they got out of the car. Nandini, who was sitting in the passenger seat, was about to get out when suddenly, she felt a sharp pain in her abdomen.

"Ahhh!" Nandini winced, her hand immediately going to her stomach.

Manik's attention was instant. He looked over at her with concern. "Nandini? What's wrong?"

He reached for her hands that were resting on her abdomen. "You okay? Is the pain back?"

Nandini nodded, her face still etched with discomfort.

"I told you to be careful, Nandini," Manik said softly, his voice laced with worry. "The pain stopped, but it didn't go away for good. No one expects you to carry everything all the time."

Nandini shook her head. "Manik, I'm fine. It was just a muscle strain, trust me."

Manik was still worried. "Listen, let's go back home. This isn't that important."

Nandini's eyes widened with disbelief. "Are you mad? I'm okay, let's go! Who else will choose the outfits for us?"

Manik stared at her, still unsure. "Are you real? Outfits ki padi hai tumhe? We'll just ask the manager to set everything up at home."

Nandini shook her head, firm in her decision. "Manik, we've got media around. NO."

Back to reality, Manik glanced around, seeing the media waiting for them to step out. Understanding the situation, he reluctantly agreed.

"Alright, but you need to promise me that you'll be careful, hmm?"

"Okay," Nandini whispered, offering him a reassuring smile.

She got ready to open the door of the car, but Manik stopped her.

"STOP. Not again, Nandini. I've already gone through all of this with you. Is all that talk in vain?"

Without waiting for her to respond, he got out of the car and opened the door for her, looking every bit the doting fiancé. Major fiancé goals, yet again.

Nandini couldn't help but smile at his thoughtful gesture. Manik, however, maintained a poker face, careful not to let the media see his softer side.

Once they were both out, he locked the car and led her into the showroom, not letting go of her hand for a second, despite the cameras flashing around them.

The bodyguards were doing their best to protect them from the pushing crowd, mostly made up of FAB 5 fans, who were also huge fans of Manan. They kept asking for pictures, and although the couple wished they could oblige, they knew if they stopped, the media would hound them relentlessly.

This was something that FAB 5 was truly admired for—if there was no media and only genuine fans, they would take time to interact, snap pictures, and show love. But in these situations, they had to keep their cool and stay on track.

As they walked in, Manik and Nandini looked every bit the elegant, classy couple they always were—undistracted by the chaos around them, completely lost in each other.

The paparazzi continued to snap away, but Manik and Nandini were impervious, focused on the day ahead. They were about to make decisions that would impact their futures together, and nothing was going to ruin that.