[Sensitive hearts will stay away from this story here on. I don't want to be blamed for anything and I will not tolerate any negative comments whatsoever. You have already been warned.]

This chapter keeps going back n forth changing POV's. That could be a little annoying but it's the most important chapter. Sorry. x

[long chapter, 5000 words]

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N A N D I N I

I got up with a severely pounding head. My head bursted with a weird smell that surrounded me and I felt pukish.. again. Last night, after everything, I puked my guts out and Manik being the obedient boyfriend he was, stood by me, took care of me and then cuddled me to sleep.

I hated being sick. It made me feel so wasted.

I put my hand across, to the side of the bed trying to find Manik and thank him for being with me last night but I found it empty, and my fingers just moved by the thin linen sheets instead of his hard muscles, and then it stroke me... today was the Wedding Day!

I jerked up, holding my phone that kept buzzing in the corner. I had my Instagram bursting... like never before. My mere fifty followers were touching five hundred thousand!

Not being able to understand what was happening, I opened my home feed where my eyes fell on the picture Manik had uploaded. It was from last night. I was sleeping in the background and the picture was of my hand in his, both our rings visible, captioned, 'Nandini Manik Malhotra'.

Damn. A smile spread across my face and all the sickness I was feeling a minute ago just vanished, leaving a pang of overwhelming feeling that made me want to cry out loud.

My board was filled with good messages and bad, different people pointing out at different things, making assumptions and theories about our story as if we were two characters of a fiction show and I had numerous fan fictions scribbled across my wall. It felt overwhelming.

And beside all of it, there was a short message from my doctor. "Someone's having a major food poisoning. I've left some medicines with Manik, take them and then drop by at my clinic after the wedding. Also, have given your blood samples for further reports."

I smiled, leaving my phone. I swear, I'm never cooking again.

As I walked to my wardrobe, that Manik had forcefully made near his to remove the dress I was going to wear for the wedding, I saw a small handwritten note left there.

Princess,

I hope you find this and it doesn't run away with the breeze. Also, hoping you're fine. I've collected your medicines from the doctor and kept the one to be taken on the right shelf, please take it only after you have breakfast.

I'm out with some work; got stuck up.

The driver will pick you at ten, and I'd see your beautiful face directly at the wedding then. Can't wait to see how beautiful you look in that white gown.

Also, don't forget.. I'd be the one in a black tux.

Yours,
Manik. x

Needless to say, I was smiling like an idiot. Manik made every morning so special for me, everyday that I stayed here. Some day he brought be flowers and some day chocolates, other times he would make me breakfast or take me for long drives or to his recording studios.

Being with him was such a wonderful feeling and I wished for this to last as long as it could. I wanted us to remain the same, I wanted him to be with me, forever.

Nodding my head to myself and keeping the note in my drawer safely, I went in the bathroom to do my morning chores and take a warm water shower.

After the shower, as I walked down to the kitchen, I ringed Mukti up, taking updates. "Hey, Nandini. Are you not ready yet? I sent beauticians to Bhai's place in the morning," she said in one breath.

"What? Are you sure? No beauticians came here," I said as I picked up the breakfast from the kitchen counter.

"They must be teaching then, probably in traffic," she said, nervous and I squeezed my eyebrows. "It's just an hour to the wedding and they're still not here?"

"But I told Rama Kaaka to give them the address to Bhai's house and I have just one broth—," her voice faded away and I felt cold blood washing inside my body.

"Shit!" She whispered, her voice dropping to a slow pace and I could barely register anything.

"What?" I whispered, afraid of the outcome.

"I know where they've gone," she says, in the same way.

"Where?" I ask, afraid. What I'm thinking has to be wrong. It couldn't be true. This was not happening, not to us at this moment atleast.

"Aryamman Bhai's house," she whispers back and I close my eyes. It was as if my worst fears were coming true.

✿

A R Y A M M A N

Nandini Manik Malhotra.

I couldn't take the picture from out of my mind even after long shutting down my phone.

"Any updates?" I ask, looking up at the man who kept staring at the ground as if I had painted galaxies on them, but all it was was a white marble.

"No— No Sir," He stammered and I closed my eyes trying to drink in my disappointment but I couldn't. I banged on the table getting up.

"I gave you one week, Rithvik. One week to find a fifty year old lady and you still say nothing. What, has she disappeared into thin air?" I shout at the top of my voice.

But this was not the time to shout or to by frustrated at my detective. I had to act, and as fast as I could. Manik had already announced their wedding to the world which meant my mother gets a hand on it too, and the beauticians that came to my house were proof.. they were getting married today.

I had tried talking to Manik the very next day that my mother disappeared, but he didn't pick my phone. I went to his house as well but the guards wouldn't let me go inside or see him. I spent a week in vain tying to contact my step brother as well as stop the woman I loved as my mother but I stood with nothing in my hand.

And today, I was out of time. Manik and Nandini were getting married today. And it hurt. It hurt that Nandini was getting married without even letting me know it. I was supposed to be her good friend, if not best or as good as Zubin. I thought she would atleast tell me, if not invite me for Manik's sake.

But the fact that I might get late today and my mother would act faster than me was torturing me. I couldn't let her do anything to Nandini, or even to Manik, because otherwise, it would be on me.

I am the one who's aware of her intentions and god forbid something happens, I would never be able to forgive myself.

I knew going to Manik's house was a vain, so I drove to Zubin's house instead. Zubin has been my best friend and I was sure he'd understand. And beside that, he would surely go to the wedding since Nandini is his best friend. I'd follow Zubin if he doesn't allow me himself.

I quickly revised everything I had to tell, the truth for the first time but as I got into his house, it was as if I had forgotten words.

Instead of Zubin, I saw Manik, standing in a blue tux, talking on the phone, about some preparations. As soon as his eyes reached me, his voice died and he cut the phone. His eyes became staunch as he walked towards me, cold and distant.

My words were dying in my throat with his piercing gaze on mine and it was probably the guilt of never believing him years ago. But not that he gave me a chance to, we weren't the closest back then just like now. His opinion didn't matter to me on that day just as much as it did not today.

My thoughts were interrupted by Zubin who walked down in a black tux, declaring he was ready. He stopped in his tracks looking at me, and as his eyes met mine, I saw guilt. I didn't know my step brother much but I knew my best friend, he was guilty.

And if it were Manik's wedding, he would be the one in a black tux, not Zubin. But I had no time to be Sherlock Holmes.

"I know everything," I say, my eyes roaming from Manik to Zubin and I felt both of them freeze to numbness.

"You do?" Manik repeated after me. The coldness in his eyes disappeared as if someone had put his world on fire. I nodded.

"Look, I'm very sorry," Zubin said, coming down. Damn, I didn't need sympathies that my loving step mother turned out to be a fucking ax murderer, we needed to act. And how are they so cool knowing that?

"I don't need your apologies," I tell him back.

"Please don't stop the wedding. She's very happy. And don't we all want just that? Her happiness," Manik told me. It was the first time I have seen him pleading for something except his selfish wants, and probably that's what love does to him, to everyone. Love makes people selfless, just like Aliya's did to me, selfless enough to let her go.

I nod. "But Nyonika... she's dangerous. She'll come for her," I tell him. Manik couldn't be a fool to let Nandini die like that open handedly. I expected better from my step brother.

"She won't. She'll never know," Manik replied back. The fuck. Has this man got a memory loss or has love also made him mad?

"The whole god damn world knows. You announced it," I almost shouted. Manik squeezed his eyebrows in confusion and so did Zubin.

There were loopholes. They were hiding something from me, or I had got the wrong picture here.

"Aryamman, you've just got to know the truth. Maybe that's why your head's spinning. Nothing will happen, and either ways, we have security," Zubin came down, calming my nerves.

Maybe they were right. I was so obsessed with these thoughts since the past one week without getting proper sleep at night that I've been overthinking. Maybe I should just stop and be happy in their happiness.

"Can I come along for the wedding?" I ask, in a slow voice. Nandini was my friend and the only rule in Friendship was to be happy for your friend's happiness. If Manik is what makes her happy.

"Ofcourse you have to. You're her brother too," Manik patted my shoulder and I rolled my eyes at him. He was very possessive about the people he loved right from childhood, and I wouldn't be shocked if he made Zubin Nandini's brother out of jealousy. So well, I was her brother too.

I smiled, nodding. I anyway saw Mukti in Nandini, right from the first day that I saw her wearing Mukti's red gown, that she had worn for her prom. "My tux?" I ask. I had just worn a white shirt and blue trousers.

"I always have a spare one," Manik said, handing me a blue tux and a bow tie and I smiled at him, wondering life could have been so much better if we would accept each other into one another's life since the start, maybe not as brother but atleast as an integral part in our lives. Maybe even Mukti would have been alive.

"I hope you're not with Nyonika," he whispered dangerously low and my soft smile disappeared. This could never change. But then again, I had given him no reason to trust him just like he never gave me any in the past.

"I prefer dying than let her die," I say. He nodded, stuffily and we went to the car. Manik and Zubin took Manik's car and I promised to follow back in mine.

The wedding area wasn't very far, and it was decorated with white, yellow and blue pastel flowers with fairy lights from a distance, making it like a dream set up. I parked the car a little farther from them near the aisle.

I had to meet Nandini before her wedding, telling her I wanted to be there for her as a friend; and also, I wanted to check the security which wasn't there at all. Good Job, Malhotra.

As I walked towards the aisle, I saw Manik running after me, trying to catch up. Doesn't he know the groom and the bride aren't supposed to see each other before she walks down the aisle to him?

Nandini looked talker. I walk to the start of the aisle, and to the bride, who looked every bit of beautiful in the white gown from behind, with the blue stones shining on her hair. "Hey," I whispered and she turned around.

And just as she did, my breath got stuck in my throat as I saw my baby sister in the wedding gown, tears in her eyes, as she banged across my chest for a hug and I stood there rooted to the ground.

And then suddenly, everything made sense as I pushed her away, my palm touching her cheek and I slapped her, harder than I've ever scolded her all life.

"You're alive!" Was the only accusation that left my mouth.

✿

M A N I K

Life would be incomplete without drama, especially mine. Mukti stood there sobbing in a corner and I could swear I would have killed that bastard for making her cry. I knew he could never be trusted in the first place, I just didn't know why I wanted to trust him for the first time in my life and let him be here.

Maybe it was the guilt that I felt. Guilt of keeping Mukti away from her real brother because truth be told, it was them who were related by blood and I was forced to keep them apart for years.

As I began telling him the truth, I'm sure it all made more sense to him. He told me how he thought it was my and Nandini's marriage instead and he knew the truth of Nyonika, not Mukti. I took almost an hour to explain him everything until he was convinced with an impatient Zubin calling multiple times and princess trying her best to keep him captivated there and not come this side.

And then finally, he agreed. "I want you to be her best man, Aryamman," I told him, being very unlike me.

"What?" He was shocked.

"She's your sister," I reasoned. Mukti squeezed her eyebrows, she hated when I said that. She always considered me as a brother just as much as she considered Aryamman.

"Well, she might be related to me by blood, but you're her real brother, Manik. You stood with her even when the whole world was against you, you protected her, you held her hand and never left it, unlike me," he said and I felt more guilty.

"You did not hold her hand because I didn't let you. If I had included you in the plan as well, you would be equally present in protecting her. Take it,be her best man," I told him. I really wanted that. And also, I couldn't wait to run to see Nandini. I'm sure she looked ravishing.

Selfish? You can call me that.

"I'm glad you didn't include me in your plan then. Otherwise, you wouldn't be my mortal enemy, and I'd have it no other way," he smiled, teasing and a little smile took over my face as well.

"Be her best man?" I asked, last time. If he refuses this time, I swear I'm breaking his jaw.

"I will," he accepted. Good for him.

I bent towards Mukti, kissing her forehead as I placed her hand on his arm and rushed back, where Zubin stood impatiently but I couldn't care less about him as I couldn't even take my eyes off Nandini.

Although I had seen the white gown she was wearing before, but with that slight make up and profession hair do, and the slits on her stomach showing off her side waist made her look as ethereal as an angel descended from heaven for me.

It was like everyone else— which would be only Zubin, disappeared, leaving just the two of us. I walked towards her in daze and that smile on her face with the red hue on her cheeks made me just more attracted to her if that was ever possible.

"You look supercalifragilisticexpalidocious," I whispered to her when I got to her and she chuckled slightly, bending her head on my chest as I side embraced her, kissing her forehead.

"I love you," she smiled against my lips and I slowly kept mine on her, gently giving her a small kiss before pulling away.

She took her eyes away slowly, and Mukti entered with Aryamman, as we rushed to take our place as the audience, standing in awe as she walked in, her shy gaze down on the aisle and Aryamman smiling with pride.

"I'm so proud of you," Nandini slowly whispered, "Your Heart is made of stars." People usually say that hearts are made of gold and then there's my girl, wanting my heart to be made of stars. I slightly laughed.

"You're misinterpreting me, princess. I do such things only to make you proud," I winked, kissing our entwined hands as I slowly left it and went to do my work as a brother and Aryamman walked back to the audience.

✿

N A N D I N I

"Hey," Aryamman whispered as he stood beside me slowly, looking great in the blue tux that belonged to Manik. I smiled at him generously.

I was so proud of both of them. Manik handled the situation better than I think he could have, controlling his urge to beat Aryamman up at all times and Aryamman took the news better than I expected. Having your sister dead for years and then suddenly seeing her alive for her marriage wasn't as easy as it sounded and I was sure Hollywood could make a series out of what we had all gone in the past few months.

Washing my thoughts behind, I concentrated back at the wedding, but I couldn't stop looking at Manik who stood behind Mukti, holding something in his hand. Someday, it would be him and me instead of them and I could simply not wait for that day. I wanted to be his and I wanted him to be mine, in all senses.

"You really love him, don't you?" I heard Aryamman whisper and a slow smile spread across my face, just at the way he talked in the distance.

"I do, more than words can ever explain," I reply back, with pure honesty in my words.

"And he loves you too. So much," he replied.

"How can you say that?" I ask, although I knew Manik did love me, more than even I loved him. My phone vibrated in my hand, showing it was my doctor who called me and I cut it. I'd call her back after the wedding.

"Anyone could say that in the way he looks at you, it's as if he sees galaxies in your eyes, it's as he sees the world's most beautiful painting when he looks at you. You must have never noticed but I did, since day one, the way his eyes twitched when he saw me being close to you, the way he could set the world to fire and not even let a spark touch you. He looks at you as the first ray of light seen by a blind man. It's as if you've replaced the darkest valley with a bright rainbow because you really have, Nandini," He said and with every word he spoke, my chest throbbed a little louder as I felt overwhelmed.

Unknowingly, a few tears filled my eyes and I drank it away before they could fall off.

"And just to make it clear, I saw you like a sister too, like I see Mukti; and I saw Manik as your destruction, like I saw him as Mukti's," he let a small laugh, more sarcastic.

"Still?" I couldn't help but ask. He nodded negatively, a small smile on his face as he turned back to the wedding scene.

"Now that I look at the two of you, I see how it's all worth it. Everything he put you through and everything you went through for him. He's not your destruction, he's your salvation and very few people find that love. It's rare, treasure it," He said and I couldn't stop smiling.

"I will," I say. I will treasure it, I will treasure our love. I will do that for as long as I could.

My trance of thoughts were broken when I heard Mukti's voice, "I do." Zubin slowly kissed her, holding her gently as if she were a gentle doll and then broke apart realising they had audience.

"I now present to you, for the first time ever, Mr. and Mrs. Singhania," the priest announced. I breathed in relief as we threw broke into claps and hoots and cheered louder than an audience of hundred would.

My cheer and laughter suddenly died when I felt a sharp pain in my spine. It was as if my blood turned cold and a shiver passed through me, the pain just kept increasing and I stood numb before pangs of weakness touched me. I slowly touched my back where the pain hit and as I held my palm ahead, I could see it covered with blood. Pure blood that dropped down my palm and my white dress and I held Aryamman slowly, trying to stand but I couldn't feel anything anymore.

"Nandini!!" Manik's voice roared and everything silenced as everything blurred around me. I felt his hand slowly encircle my waist and I fell in his arms, realising what had happened. I was stabbed.

"Stay, stay with me," Manik begged. I nodded, as every cell of my body throbbed and shivered. But it was just a pain that made me dizzy, it wouldn't kill me. I could survive this and I knew that.

My eyes bent away and I saw Aryamman and Zubin who had probably killed the man who had stabbed me, he lay in a pool of blood a few feet away from me. Mukti was crying in shock and I felt miserable spoiling her wedding day.

"We have more incoming," Aryamman said in haste as they tied two handkerchiefs around the wound, trying to stop the blood loss and it pained. "I'm okay," I lied. Manik's face was pale as if someone had pulled every colour out of his world and left him in grey.

"I'm going to take Nandini away, Zubin.. they're going to come for Mukti, move out." Manik shouted as Mukti and Zubin held hands.

"I can't leave Nandini this way," Zubin nodded negatively. "I said go!" Manik shouted on the top of his voice. A tear slipped down Zubin's eye as he looked at me one last glance before running towards Manik's car.

"Aryamman, take the priest away and locate Nyonika. She's the one behind this," Manik ordered holding me in his arms.

"Have you fucking lost it? Nyonika, like me and everyone else think it's your wedding! They're coming behind you both, not Mukti or me. I'm not leaving you. I'm not leaving her, damn it!" Aryamman shouted back.

"I have security. I'm calling patrol, I'm not dumb!" Manik shouted back.

"You're sure?" Aryamman asked again, stopping in front of Manik. Manik just nodded positively. "Take your car, go go go!" Manik shouted.

"I want you alive," Aryamman bent towards me, kissing my forehead and I closed my eyes shortly.

Nothing made sense after that. Everything was blur and dark and all I could figure was I was in Manik's arms, I still clutched on my phone tightly to stop the pain and we were running.

When I opened my eyes next, Manik was placing me in between the rocky surface but nothing hurt more than the knife I deterred inside. I wanted to live, for Manik.

"Stay with me," he begged again as he moved away, punching someone and stabbing another goon who were probably behind us.

Manik came running back to me. "Zubin is on the way, we'd be fine. I promise we will be," he pleaded and I nodded. I didn't want anything more in this world than to be fine, back to Manik's house with him again, and him cuddling me to sleep.

My eyes threatened to close and Manik rubbed his palm on mine, trying to make me warmer as I shivered more. "Nan—," his voice faded as I heard a loud gun shot.

My eyes flapped again and I got up with a jerk, causing a severe pain down my body and I hissed but everything I knew came down when I saw Manik's she's focusing on mine before he fell back. Blood oozed from his chest as he fell a hand away from me, his hand which was on me suddenly felt cold and his beautiful eyes fell lifeless as he struggled for breath.

"No no no no no!" I shouted with every piece of energy I had in me as he fell back, nodding negatively. He tried to smile weakly, for me, but the pain was nearly taking over already.

I limped ahead, ignoring the pain that threatened to kill me too, as I knealt by him. "Fight," I whispered. I couldn't talk.

"I'm tired," he replied and I nodded in a no. With every passing second, his pulse rate fell and I could feel that, I could feel life going out of him in front of my eyes.

"Don't do this, please," I was crying and there was another gun shot. The man who shot Manik lied died on the floor and I knew it was Zubin but I couldn't care lesser.

"It's going to be okay. I promise," he told and I kept crying. My body was in pain physically but the mental pain I was going through looking at him being so pale and lifeless was much more, as if someone had put my body on fire and I was burning alive.

My phone rang in my hand again and I cried louder. "You'll be fine," He whispered and although he was left without energy, his hand slowly reached my cheek. They fell cold and shivering and I held his hand to mine, afraid that it would be the last time I will feel his touch against my skin; afraid these will be the last words he'd speak to me and afraid that this will be the last time I'd see the most beautiful eyes in this world open and alive.

"Hello?" My fallen phone buzzed and I realised I had picked it up. It lied on the speaker mode on but I couldn't care about it.

"Manik, don't leave me," I begged to him.

"Nandini, can you hear me? I told you I had sent your blood samples ahead and you won't believe what I found in it....," it was the stupid doctor.

"You will be happy again," he whispered. I nodded negatively. He was my happiness. How could I be happy without him?

His eyes slowly closed and reality couldn't hit my more than this. He was slipping out. I could hold his body as tight as I could but his soul was slowly slipping away.

"When I drift off in my eternal sleep, I will think of you. It was always you," he tried smiling but he couldn't and it made me cry just louder.

"Nandini, you're pregnant!" The doctor's voice echoed from my phone and my world came to a stand still. I don't know if it was the doctor or was it that Manik was exhaling and inhaling loudly, fighting for breath.

Manik's pale face had a shine in it as he slowly touched my stomach and I hissed as my own physical pain came rushing back to me. I wondered if our baby would survive the stab or was I losing it too, just like Manik.

"I promised I'll tell this to you once in my life and now couldn't be more perf—...." his voice spaced. I felt numb, rooted.

"I love you. I always have, I always will," he whispered before closing his eyes slowly I fell upon his chest, slowly hearing his heart beat for the last time.

Death and Love are actually very similar,
Love leaves a memory no one can steal,
Death leaves a scar no one can heal.

~•|

One chapter to go.

Love,
Heer.