Manvi opened the door and Gautami was standing there. Gautami entered inside and asked "firse royi tum"

Manvi denies with a smile on her face "nahi.." and looked down.

Gautami lifted her face up and asked "Manvi mujhse jhooth bologi?"

Manvi hugged her and said sadly "maa kya main itni buri hoon ki mujhe kisika pyar nhi milega?"

Gautami smeared her head "nahi beta tum buri nhi ho.. Bura to mera beta hai itni kadvi baatein karta rehta hai wo.. Tum uski baaton pe dhyan mat do please"

After few minutes Gautami said "beta agar tum aise hi rote rahogi toh yahan ganga bah jayegi"

Manvi gets apart and looks at her, she smiled a bit. Gautami pats her cheek "dekha kitni achi lagti hai ye muskurahat tumpar"

Manvi looked at her, Gautami said "Acha suno kal engagment hai aur ek hafte baad shaadi"

Manvi asked "maa itni jaldi ye sab.."

Gautami replied "tum uski chinta mat karo main sambhal lungi" and moved out of the room.

Manvi thinks "ek hafta.. Sahi hai bas ek hafta aapko mujhe bardasht karna hai Sirji.. Fir main yahan kabhi nhi aaungi"

She then heard his loud voice, she moved out of the room and saw him shouting at Maria.

Vineet said in anger "kisine mere room ke saman ko idhar udhar kiya bolo Maria"

Maria spoke up "Sir mujhe nhi maloom main aapke room mein nhi jaati hoon"

He then looked at Manvi, he recalled her being hiding into the wardrobe. He moved to her and asked her "tum thi na mere room mein"

Manvi nodded in yes.. Vineet shouted at her "I knew it! Kisine kaha tha tumhe mere room chedne ko? Haan?"

Manvi spoke in low and calm tone "aapko kya chahiye? Main deti hoon na dhoondke"

"Ek important red confidential file thi wo nhi mil rahi hai" Vineet said rudely.

Manvi moved into his room and starts checking, Vineet stood at the door and said in warning tone "agle 5 minute mein file nhi mili na to tum soch lena"

Manvi looked at him and said "Sirji mil jayegi maine yahi rakhi thi" she searched for it.

"Are maine yahi to rakhi thi mujhe ache se yaad hai aise kaha gayab ho gayi?" Manvi said to herself.

Vineet moved in and turned her towards himself and shouted "yahan rakhi toh kaha gayi haan? Himmat kaise hui aisa karne ki"

Manvi replied "wo.. Aapka room bahut messed up tha maa ne kaha tha saaf karne ko to maine.." she shivered when he jerked her.

"Messed up tha toh rehne deti.. Idiot! Janti bhi ho how important it was!" he said arrogantly.

"Lekin file yahi rakhi thi maine.. Sach mein" Manvi said.

Vineet looked at her with anger and hateful eyes "bahut shauk hai na saaf safai karne ka.. Chalo"

He pulled her, Manvi's wrist pained as he was holding it too tight. Manvi requested "Sirji chodiye mujhe dard ho raha hai"

But he did not listened, he brought her to the study room. He said "khadi raho yahi"

He moved to the bookshelf and threw all the books on the floor. Manvi was shocked, he scattered all the papers and files all over..

He then looked at her "subah tak ye waisa ho jaana chahiye jaisa pehle tha samjhi! Yahi saza hai tumhari" and moved out from there.

Manvi gets upset, she looked at the mess and thinks "kaha se shuru karoon?"

She picked up few books, she arranged them. She then picked up the few papers, the window opened, the wind blowed and the papers again scattered on the floor.

She moved to the window and tried to close it. After few efforts she managed to do it. She again started to pick up the scattered papers and files, then arranged the book. It was 5 am in the morning, she smiled to herself "ho gaya.."

She was tired and wanted to sleep for sometime, she got out of the room and walks to the corridor.

She came to her room but it was locked "Are ye darwaza band kyun hai?"

Maria came there and said "Manvi wo Sir ne tumhara kamra lock kiya hai"

Manvi sighed and said "thik hai tum jao maria.." and Maria left.

Manvi moved to the couch and slept there while sitting, after around 10 minutes someone threw water on her face. She woke up with jerk, she cleaned her eyes and saw Vineet standing there.

He glanced at her and said "sofa sone ke liye nhi hai samjhi.."

Manvi got up, Vineet said in irritated tone "engagement hai na tumhari aaj mere pass faltu paisa nhi hai ki main ek servant ke upar kharcha karoon.. Bahar peeche store mein arrangments hai maa ke uthne se pehle sab khana ready karlo samjhi"

Manvi said "Sirji main.."

Vineet glared at her and said "haan tum!"

Manvi nodded and moved out, she thinks "ye itna kator dil kyun hai?"

She came to backyard and starts making the things, she was sweating badly. Maria came to help her out.

Manvi denies "nhi Maria tum rehnedo warna Sirji tumhe bhi saza de denge aur main nhi chahti meri wajah se kisiko pareshani ho"

Maria left sadly, Manvi was so much tired firstly she was awake whole night and now this making food for too many people.

Maria came to her running and said "Manvi.. Madam ji jaag gayi hai aur tumhare baare mein puch rahi hai ye sab chodo aur chalo"

Manvi said "haan ho gaya mera kaam chalo"

She moved back into the house, Gautami was sitting on the couch she asked "Manvi tum bahar se kaha se aa rahi ho?"

Manvi looks at her and said "wo main bahar ghumne gayi thi thoda"

Gautami looked at her condition and was bewildered "Acha?? Tumhe dekhke aisa kyun lag raha hai jaise puri raat soyi nhi tum"

Manvi smiled "nahi maa aisa nhi hai.. Main chai laati hoon aap ke liye"

Gautami denies and says "nahi.. Aaj shyam engagment hai to bahut tayari karni hai aur ye decoration wala kyun nhi aaya abhi tak?"

Manvi said strictly "maa aapko jo karna hai kijiye lekin khana and medicines toh aapko leni padengi main laati hoon" and moved to kitchen.

Vineet came out of the room, he seemed to be irritated. Gautami asked "kya hua?"

"Kuch nhi maa.. Meri important confidential file thi wo idiotic ladki ne gayab kar di" Vineet said in firm tone.

"Wo file to tum padso raat leke aaye they mere room mein jab mujhse baat karne aaye they.. Wahi bhool gaye they to maine tumhare study room mein rakh di thi" Gautami said.

Vineet looked at her and tried to recall. Manvi came with tea mug and gave to Gautami.

Vineet said "maa tumne bataya kyun nhi mujhe?"

Gautami asked "tumne pucha?"

Vineet sighed and moved to study room. He got the file and left for office.

Manvi thinks "ek sorry bol denge to inki naak neechi nahi ho jayegi.."

Later in evening, the guests arrived. Manvi was inside the room, she was really nervous. Gautami came in with "manvi"

Manvi turned to her, Gautami smiled seeing her dressed up.

"Bahut achi lag rahi ho" she said.

Manvi smiled and moved out with her. Vineet was inside the room and he murmured "maa bhi ko bhi jaane ka shauk chada hai iski shaadi karane ka aise hi bahar kar nhi skti isko"

Gautami came in and said "Vineet tum yahan kya kar rahe ho bahar chalo"

Vineet looked at her and said rudely "maa na to mujhe uss ladki mein koi interest hai aur na uski engagement mein"

Gautami spoke up "Vineet bete ho tum mere.. Uska nhi to meri izzat ka khayal karo.." and moved out from there.

Vineet sighed, he got down from bed and moved out.

Gautami asked "aapka beta kaha rah gaya?"

"Aata hi hoga.." groom's father said.

Just then a man in his mid twenties enters inside, he was Arjun Sharma.

He stood next to Manvi and smiled looking at her "bahut achi lag rahi hai aap" he said.

Manvi smiled shyly, Gautami said "chaliye ab engagement ki rasam karte hai"

Gautami got the ring and hands to Manvi, Arjun forwards his palm and Manvi slides the ring into his finger.

Arjun also slides the ring into her finger and everyone clapped.

Arjun looked at Manvi and asked "aap thik hai? You seemed to be tired"

Manvi looks at him and replied "jee main thik hoon"

Gautami said "Manvi Arjun ko poolside le jao.."

Manvi nodded and they moved to the pool area. A silent prevailed between them. Arjun broke the silence with "waise aap itni hi khamosh rehti hai ya sirf mere samne hi hai"

Manvi smiled and said "nhi aisi to koi baat nhi hai"

"Waise aapko tairna aata hai?" he asked

"Jee nhi.." Manvi replied..

They had a light conversation. Arjun's phone rings and he excuses himself, he moved outside. Few kids were playing and the ball hits Manvi, she misses her balance and falls into the pool. She began to drown.

"Aah.. bachao" escaped from her mouth.

To be continued..