"There is an objective reality out there, but we view it through the spectacles of our beliefs, attitudes, and values."

Social Psychology

David G. Myers

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Dedicated to Ankahee, who despite being so busy, finds time for me.
Thank you, for your friendship, encouraging words, time and love...

(Edited: I miss you, our conversations and your friendship...I hope you are doing well...)

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"Nyonika, locking me here won't get you anywhere," Nandini shouted loudly, banging the door.

If anyone had told her before she got to know Nyonika Malhotra that she could ever feel intense hatred towards someone, she wouldn't have believed them because back then she thought of herself as a very peaceful soul. But now, what she felt for that woman was something more than hatred. It was something more consuming, more violent, more inhuman...

"Anyone please just open this door," Nandini whispered, sweating and dizzy. Her voice shaking with the effort of screaming out loud.

Water, she needed water to soothe her aching throat. She sat down on the floor, her face, bright crimson. She pressed the left side of her face in the cold wall, resting her head on it, as a thick vein pulsated at the corner of her temple. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes, drawing her knees to her chest.

"Manik," she whispered the name like a prayer.

Manik, her strength, her weakness, her protector, and the one she had to protect.

"Hamesha, always," She said out loud, opening her eyes, staring at nothing particularly in the darkness of the room.

Nandini, mujhe andhere se daar nahi lagta, jab tum mere saath hoti ho...

She could recall the way he had whispered her name in a shaky voice, as if he was overwhelmed by his feelings for her, by the revelation that she was all he needed to feel safe and protected. And how even darkness, his biggest fear, in her presence wasn't a monster he couldn't fight off.

That will remain forever the most beautiful gift he gave her, the responsibility and the privileged to be the one who would protect him.'

The opening night of Musicana had been special to her, for more than one reason. It was the night when 'The Manik Malhotra' had not only let her know his weakness but also had let her protect him when he felt most vulnerable. But from the past four years, she had been unable to protect him, unable to be his shining star...

She closed her eyes, restless, as her mind come up with all the possible circumstances, situations that could have happened in these past four years when she hadn't been by his side to protect him.

"Nandini!"

She heard someone shouting her name. Whoever it was, they were too far away for her to recognize their voices. She breathed a quiet sigh of relief when the voices she heard from outside got louder as if they have moved from their previous location.

"Where is she?" She heard Mukti ask, her voice was faint, still far away from the room she was in, but distinguishable.

"They are here, thank you Ayippa" Nandini whispered, looking up, thankful.

"What the hell, Nyonika? You have locked her up? Are you out of your freaking mind?"Cabir shouted loudly.

Nandini slowly stood up and walked towards the door. She knew that if Cabir was here, he will find a way to get her out of the room she was locked in.

"Cabir!" She called out his name, standing near the door.

"Nandu! We are here! Don't worry; we will get you out of here." She heard Navya assure her.

She could now hear all of them outside and her relief knew no bounds.

"Mrs.Malhotra, you have no right to do such thing to our Nandu." She heard her chaha say.

'They are here! It's going to okay,' Nandini assured herself, closing her eyes, wrapping her arms around her shaking body.

"I apologise, Behain-ji, your attitude is getting worse and will no longer be tolerated." She heard Chachi saying as the door of the room opened.

When she stepped out of the room, she saw Navya standing in front of her. Holding Nandini's hand, Navya drew her out and she wrapped her arms around her shoulders, and only then Nandini closed her eyes, finally allowing herself to relax.

That was the sight Mukti witnessed when she turned around, letting Cabir and Nandini's chacha and chahi deal with Nyonika Malhotra. As she looked at them she felt relief wash over her, Nandini was going to be fine...

Before the night, four years ago, Mukti had never really thought that the girl she had been just getting used to, would become so dear to her, to them. But she did. They had now the duty to protect her, who was precious to Manik, their friend.

"Excuse me? Behen-ji? Me? Look, Chachi or whatever, Nandini came to me saying that she has seen my dead son in London, what else should I have done? She has gone crazy, without a doubt." Nyonika said, staring at Nandini, with eyes full of hatred for her.

"You should be grateful to me, that I have only locked up her in a room. Seeing dead people sure is a symptom of madness." she continued, in her usual malicious way, leaving everyone present incredulous over her ruthlessness.

'God, she is evil reincarnated,' Nandini thought.

Manik had told her countless time about how Nyonika could do anything for power and money but she had never really believed him, not really - till she saw it for herself that day in court.

'How naive I had been,' Nandini thought, looking down at the floor, saddened greatly as she thought about how, in naivety, she had ignored his warnings.

"Nandu, are you alright?" Nandini looked up at chachi as she came close to her, drawing her away from Navya's embrace into hers.

Shanno, known by the younger as Nandini's chachi, cuddled her niece close, kissing her hair. Nandini closed her eyes, opening them only when she felt a hand on her head. Chacha was now standing in front of her, with Rishab, her younger brother, right behind him, both worried for her.

"I am fine," Nandini whispered, trying to assure them.

"Take this family drama somewhere else. Now that you have your precious Nandu, get out of my house! All of you, out! This is my home, not a zoo." Nyonika yelled at the end.

She had had enough of the overly emotional scene in front of her. She was sick of that stupid girl and her middle-class family's drama.

"We are going anyway. Your company is worthy of our time," Shanno told her, wrinkling up her nose in disgust.

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As they walked out of the Malhotra Mansion, Shanno Murthy was reminded of the day when she had first stepped into Malhotra Mansion. The first time she had met Nyonika Malhotra...

When Shanno Murthy had gotten to know that the woman standing in front of her was the mother of her 'suna munda' - the nickname she had given Manik the very first time she had met him - she was in awe. She had thought Nyonika Malhotra's way of raising her child was the reason why that kid was such an amazing person.

She had been wrong, though, and with time she had realized it.

Manik Malhotra had made his own place in her heart the very first time she met him. He had ate everything she had cooked with a smile on his face, complimented her for her amazing cooking skills, even her experimental dish like Bhindi Pasta had been liked by him. What to say, he had been everything that her Nandu needed and wanted. Not only, but he also had been everything that she and Murthy-ji, her husband, would have wanted Nandu's partner to be...

Yes, they had been too young back then, but she had wanted them to be together, always.

'Absolutely perfect, they were, in every way,' Shanno thought, sighing.

At first, whenever she had thought of the mother of that wonderful child, she had imagined an amazing woman. A mother who was overly protective of him, one who made sure he stayed grounded. A mother, who must have taught him how to be kind and well-mannered. She had believed his mother must have been proud of his accomplishments. She had thought that basically, Manik's mother must be the twin of Shahrukh's mother in Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham.

But Nyonika Malhotra was anything but that. She was a cruel, ruthless, money minded, woman with a hunger for power. When Shanno Murthy had actually gotten to know Nyonika Malhotra, her heart had cried for the child who must have gone through hell ever since the day he was born.

Now looking at Nyonika Malhotra, she felt nothing but pity. That woman didn't know about the real wealth of a mother; her children. She didn't have a child herself before Nandini and Rishab - her husband's niece and nephew - came to live with them, but even before that, she had known that children were the most invaluable treasure of any mother, any woman...

But how come Nyonika Malhotra, who had given birth to a child, didn't know the true value of her kid. After having Nandini and Rishab in her life, she knew they were the only true valuable possessions she ever had. After meeting Manik, and especially after getting to know Nyonika Malhotra, another name had been added in her list of valuable possessions.

After all, only the one who knew the worth of a gem could be worthy of it...

And Manik Malhotra had been a gem, a very precious and unique one. She regretted that she wasn't given the time to treasure him as one.

'I wish you could come back, Manik.' She thought, her heart crying out as she looked at her Nandu standing alone at the gate, staring back at the Malhotra mansion lost in her thoughts.

'Murthy ji's Aayiappa, for my Nadu, please make that miracle possible,' The heart of a mother persistently demanded the happiness of her children, who hadn't even have started to live when they were separated.

She felt utterly helpless whenever her Nandu insisted that Manik was alive. On those moments, she wished, with all of her heart, that Nandini's belief was right, and the facts were wrong. After all, that's what mothers do; pray irrationally for the happiness of her children.

And Nandini's happiness lied in Manik Malhotra, ever since the day they had met...

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A/N:- I hope you liked the chapter, let me know your thoughts and please, leave a comment... :)

Thank you for waiting patiently, for the sweet response and for the encouraging words! :)

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