Two years before the prologue- flashback

I knocked on the door once before entering inside. I took a deep breath.

After so many days, I was on time today, which means I wouldn't have to hear the monster grumbling.

I stood at the door of his cabin waiting for him to acknowledge me. His cabin was pitch black with white marble furniture, huge danglings, and a leather master chair that covered him.

His cabin intimidated me. He intimidated me.

"You're fifteen seconds late Miss. Murthy!" He scowled as he finally picked up his head from the heaps of files and his laptop and I jumped on my place with fear.

Something's never change. Monster! Who even keeps a count of fifteen seconds?

His eyes met mine and a shiver passed through me. He had brown throbs that captivated me always and I often lost myself in them.

He's never stared at me before this way. Maybe he was noticing a change in my clothes today?

I wore a regular white peplum with light blue fitted jeans and black wedges. My eyes had mascara and a liner and my lips ahead their brown lipstick, unlike the usual me. My hair were open and they were left naturally falling till my waist.

"Why are you staring at me?" He said raising his eyebrows.

And I thought he remembers....

"Sorry sir!" I said almost rolling my eyes at him. "I'd bring you your daily black strong coffee with no sugar. Anything else?" I said with a fake smile and turned to leave.

"Wait!" He said. I halted in my place.

Maybe he does remember...

"Please make sure the coffee has no milk.", He ordered in a cold voice.

Hell with his coffee! Seedha bol deta, sirf coffee powder and paani chahiye! Description toh aise deta hai jaise five star hotel ho!

"Okay sir. Anything else?" I asked with a little expectant voice. He looked up at me, pretended to think and then nodded with a no, plastering the fakest face I have ever seen. I grumped as I left.

The last hope in me died. Why will he even remember that it's my birthday today?!

Three hundred and twenty one people have wished me on Facebook and in personal, except the person who's wish I was waiting for.

I have been working under him for three months now, and I doubt he even knows my name.

In my grumpy thought, I bumped against someone.

"Oh I'm so sorry!" I almost shouted without looking at the person.

"Chill Nandini!" The most comforting words made to me.

"Mukti!" I breathed in relief.

Mukti Vardhan, Manik's best friend and part of the world famous group Fab5. Just then, the other three appeared.

We exchanged pleasantries. They four were the only friends I had. I was their manager beside being Manik Malhotra's P.A, and they four had welcomed me in their world whole heartedly. They were the only family I had now, and I was best friends with them.

But this excludes the monster, of course.

I was so zoned out that I forgot about Manik Sir's coffee.

"Shit!" I muttered as I hurried with the so called coffee into his cabin.

I entered after a formal knock and kept the coffee on his desk.

But as usual, he didn't acknowledge me.

"Nandini meri jaaane-mann, tujhko hi toh dhoonde mera mann!" Cabir sang dramatically.

I smiled at him as he came forward and hugged me and from the corner, I could see Manik sir role his eyes at us.

"Nandini, you look beautiful!" Aliya complimented as I twirled around showing my new look almost forgetting that I was in my monster boss' cabin.

People did not dare even speak in front of Manik Malhotra; and here I was, dancing in his cabin.

But he couldn't shout at me or tell me anything, not atleast in front of his friends, and I took all advantage of that always.

"Aaj kuch special hai kya?", Dhruv, the good boy of the group and Aliya's boyfriend asked me.

My face became dull and the smile faded. The only five people didn't know about my birthday. One of them didn't even acknowledge my presence around him, while the other four seemed unaware.

"Or... is it that you're going on a date?" Mukti said as she winked.

"NO!" There was a scream.

We all looked in shock to see Manik. It was he who shouted.

Was he jealous?

Fab4 looked at him in shock too.

"We have a lot of work today, Miss Murthy. Would you mind if you shift your date tomorrow? Or after the working hours? I need you to brief me about our upcoming projects", he said calmly, still engrossed in his work.

And I thought he could be jealous! Why would he anyway? I was his personal assistant.

Just his personal assistant.

It was me who is madly in love with him since three months. The way he sips his coffee, the way he works, the way he smiles (which he never does), and even the way he shouts at all of us, which included me. He was the rock star and heart throb of millions of girls and even touching him was a far fetched dream for them.

And just like every other girl, I was hopelessly in love with this beautiful chaos, Manik Malhotra.

"Coming back to it, who's the lucky guy Nandini?" Aliya chirped and I smiled.

"Tumne mera dil thod diya!" Cabir said in a slow voice and wiped his fake tears. "Mein tujhse baat nahi kar raha hu, kutty!" He said like a kid showing me his pinky finger.

Aww Cabir! I pulled his cheek and he blushed, or atleast pretended too.

"Tum dono ka PDA ho gaya toh please leave, we have loads of work to do!" Manik 'Sir' snapped.

I rolled my eyes at him. Monsterrr! Kya hoga iska?

His friends conveniently ignored him and continued to look at me, waiting for an answer.

"Date toh hai...", I said smiling.

Manik's eyes snapped at us. Oh, so he was listening to us.

"...mere laptop ke saath, mere hi ghar mein! Wanna join?" I said with a wink. Cabir breathed in relief.

Did I tell you all I love Cabir so much, the way he protects me like a brother, loves me like a father, possess me like a boyfriend, and of course, stands by me like a best friend.

I loved him a whole lot, but definitely not more than Manik. I mean, Manik Malhotra was just not a name, it was way my heart was made of. I was so much in love with him helplessly that I can never even think of loving someone else so much, it would be like cheating over my own heart.

But again, that's the fangirl kind of love I have for him. I don't know if I'd ever be able to love the real himself, the monster inside him.

"Kya Nandini! Even you're being boring, Manik ki tarah!" Mukti said. "Tum Manik se inspire math ho haa!", she winked.

Though it was not evident, I knew the tease in this statement.

Mukti was like an elder sister to me and she was very much aware of what I felt for Manik. Not that I told her, but she herself found it, apparently from the way I 'look at him'.

Finally, Manik left his work and got up from his chair as he cane towards all of us. My breath tightened just at the mere fact that he was standing in the same square tile as me.

"So, what brings you all here?" He asked rubbing his palms and then placing it over his mouth and chin, standing in his signature position.

"Your 'Miss. Murthy' brings us here!" Dhruv said mocking at Manik, pointing at me and I looked at him in shock and so did Manik.

Did he just say your Miss. Murthy?

I mean I knew that was a mock at the way Manik addresses me, but the mere fact of being called his made the little fan girl in my dance around.

While I was in shock and Manik sir gave them cold glares, the four of them smiled lightly.

"Well my babydoll, we haven't forgotten what it is today!" Cabir said putting a hand over my shoulder.

Hope twinkled in my eyes again. They hadn't forgotten my birthday after all!

"Aaj Singhania ke saath band meeting hai na! We're here to remind you both workaholics. It's at ten pm today at Malhotra Mansion!", Mukti said.

The last straw within me of the hope died.

I just felt like crying out loudly. I banged my door to the ground in annoyance and left, stomping away, oblivious to the laughter that followed after me leaving and Manik's amused glares.

I banged the door of my cabin in anger. I rarely got angry, but when I did, I was no less then a monster.

Just then, my phone rang. Navya, the caller ID said.

"Hey Nanduuuu, what's uppp?" She shouted from the other end and I had to cover my ears.

Navya was my childhood bestfriend from London. Yes, I am a citizen of London since I was born there. My father and mother were scientists and they died in a lab experiment accident. As a result of this, all my deceased fathers property was given to the government and I shifted back to India, with my family back in Manglore. I will got all the property of my father when I am twenty one. This is my twentieth birthday today.

And not to my surprise, Navya also did not wish me. She said that she had been so busy all month with her work as she is a RJ, that she doesn't even know what day it is.

Okay, so now, this is fishy. But nonetheless, I spoke for a while before cutting the call and resuming back to work.

I was busy when my eyes fell on a gift wrapped small box there. It had shimmer paper on with a neatly tied bow and a small note stuck.

I plucked the note and I opened it. They had just two words on it, but enough to make me wild.

~From Manik..~

My heart skipped a beat, my mouth was a bit open in shock as my thumb caressed the note, his name to be precise.

But this had to be a joke, it was probably one of Mukti's pranks, why would Manik 'SIR' gift me anything when he clearly doesn't even remember my birthday.

Nevertheless, my excitement couldn't be contained and I opened the wrappers.

It was a grey strapped rose gold metallic watch with two anchor bracelets that took elegance to a whole new level. And the best part about it was that it was from my favourite brand, for buying this I have been saving money since a long time but even when I had the money too, I could never buy it due to some or the other reasons.

I was simply left awestruck.

It was simple yet elegance dropped from its very edge. I don't know how that smile took over my lips and not just smiling, I was blushing.

"*Ahem Ahem*" I heard coughs behind me. Ma-nik sir?

But I pretended I didn't hear it and continued to gaze at the masterpiece of a watch in my hand.

Just then, I could feel his advancing steps and finally, he was just a step away.

My heartbeat was faster than ever and I could feel a lump in my throat feeling him so close to me.

I could feel his hot breath on my shoulder. I tried breathing normal but it wouldn't help.

"How's the gift Miss. Murthy", he asked in his husky voice.

Oh! My heart just skipped a beat.

"It's amazing, thank you sir, but may I know the reason for this beautiful gift", I said finally turning and facing him, we were just one feet apart. He hadn't wished me at all, so I thought about playing around.

"It's because.....", he said huskily as he came dangerously close to me.

I closed my eyes almost immediately in response to the proximity and the closeness of our faces.

"be-cause...." I stammered. His hand clutches the hair strands and put them behind my ear.

I know that was wrong. But everything about him felt right. Just so right.

"because you've been late for office the last week and I assume your watch has stopped working..." He said in the same old husky voice.

My eyes snapped open and my jaw dropped to the floor as I looked at him and he stood with an innocent face.

He tried his hard to hide his smirk but he wasn't being able to do that. And I? Well I was beyond embarrassed.

Something inside me made me believe he knew it all the while that it was my birthday today, and now, all of my hope drained in the gutter outside the office.

"I hope to see you on time in Singhania's meeting tonight and also on work from tomorrow", he smirked and he left.

What just happened?

My eyes were wide and my mouth was open.

'Monsterrr!' every cell of my body screamed.

Yet, my hand reached my shoulder where minutes before, there was his breath. His hot breath. And I don't need to mention this, I couldn't help but blush.

I knew messing with him was so, so wrong.

Yet everything about him felt right. Just so right.

~all I knew was that my heart didn't need a hero in my pain, it needed a monster with my happiness~