FLASHBACK

As per decided by Manik's all best friends , casual friends, his girlfriend and her few friends , the beautiful party in one of the five star hotel in Mumbai has been arranged for Manik's Birthday just two hours before 12 am . They all belongs to rich families but Manik is hell rich like a King and how his friends can leave him without making him bankrupted on his birthday so they booked expensive hotel for party on Manik's name and like usual he was okay with it because they were his best friends .

As soon as clock struck 12 they all wished him and celebrated his birthday ever so enthusiastically and all the while he was happy and enjoyed to the fullest just like a rich brat who is just turned 18 . After having all favourite food items and getting drunk after emptying bottles inside their system they all danced crazily with the beats of loud music.

After partying with his friends and bidding them bye , his girlfriend dragged him in a beautifully decorated room for her special celebration . Manik was stunned after seeing beauty of decoration and his hot girlfriend , today she looked more sexy in her gorgeous short nd revealing dress he got excited and she added fuel to his desires by her seductive moves. His teenage harmones were betraying him but still he asked for her comfort and she was more than ready to satisfy herself and him too. He was drunk but sober enough when he lost his virginity to his girlfriend. It was satisfying experience for his teenager harmones and she was good in bed , off course she was year elder experienced girl and he had no problem with that . They were in cordial relationship where they used to respect each other's privacy. Everything between them was transparent though they knew they don't love each other.

His best day in a year has been already started and his family was waiting for him with lots of blessings and gifts , though they knew he won't showed up before afternoon but still they were curious. And then he entered inside with his ever so charming , handsome and happy face . He was excited like every year for gifts. His parents and grandparents loves him little more than anyone should love a child . They were the only reason he was spoilt brat but still he knows how to keep his people happy because he knew how to love the people who loves him.

After getting lots of blessings ,wishes , hugs and kisses from his family members. He went upstairs to get ready in new clothes then after having breakfast he spent his afternoon with his family. Then he was excited for all the gifts and evening party arranged by family which includes their friend circle.

So before starting a party it was time for his favourite part.

"My baby boy is finally 18 . Happy Birthday and happiest life ahead . Manik I want you to get everything u wanted , so I hope this must be one of them " Neyonika said after forwarding one envelope to him.

"Wow holy fuck...... Thank you so much Mom.....But how u manage to get one Album Deal where I am a singer as well as actor too " he kissed her cheek happily.

"My friend's husband wanted to launch a fresh face and who can be better than my Handsome Boy ...... Manik I want to complete ur every dream baby " she became little emotional .

"I will mom ...... I will complete them for u " he kissed her forehead affectionately.

"May be my little grandson also need this to fulfill his dream " here comes another big gift box in front of his hungry eyes and he snatched that big gift box excitedly from his Dadi's hand .

"Ohh my God ESP CTM Mystique Electric Guitar...... Thanks babe " he danced like over excited child and kissed her cheek after seeing big blue guitar worth Rs 4lakh .

"What about adding one more bike in ur collection" Shrikant swayed key's of new bike in front of him . Grabbing them Manik instantly reached inside the parking area and his eyes were twinkling with happiness by seeing beauty in front of him. He instantly hugged that beauty like a child.

(His birthday gift)

"Happy Birthday Manik"

"Dadddd" he pounced on Shrikant he fumbled but soon embraced Manik in his arms. Manik clung to him like 5yr old kid and Shrikant was more than happy to see his son happy.

"Why u chose this bike only?" Manik asked curiously .

"May be I saw someone was searching about Dukati's new collection" Shrikant shrugged his shoulders and smirked.

"I love you so much" he again hugged his Dad tightly , he loves his Dad more than anyone in this world and he too is like a world to his Dad.

"But Shrikant he already have two bikes..... Sometimes I wonder who is more obsessed with bikes U or Manik" Niyati mocked them because from last two years Shrikant have gifted him bikes only and now this third one is added to the list.

"Dadi he loves me nd I loves bike .... And now I am going.... Bye " saying so he vanished along with new bike from there with the speed of light. And everyone chuckled at his excitement and Shrikant was most happy .

"He didn't even waited for my gift " Santok pouted sadly .

"Awee ..... Bechara" Niyati pulled her husband's cheeks , Neyonika chuckled and Shrikant felt good seeing them like this . He thanked God for giving him Manik 18 yrs before , he came like angel in their family because before Shrikant's marriage the relationship between Niyati and Santok wasn't this great because Santok was short tempered and very strict , he used to rule others life and Niyati was always scared of him , she didn't even used to speak louder than necessary . Their marriage was typical Indian marriage happened when they were teenagers. Shrikant made their lives happy after his arrival but the equation between couple was same but then after Shrikant's marriage Manik entered and changed everything. In the process of learning walking, his two little palms slowly brought those two souls together like never before. While playing with Manik both of them enjoyed each other's embrace and finally in Manik's presence their love bloomed into a beautiful flower.

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"Manik why can't you accept this gift?" Santok asked for 10 th time with same disappointment and some hope that Manik will accept.

"Don't u think ur gift is too much for this little boy to accept" he pouted.

"Manik u know na I love you.....More than Shrikant too and this mansion I have built with my own sweat and hard work..... I don't know when I will get disappeared in thin air so I want u to own this mansion before that....... Keep it safe as my last symbol.....And today u r legally prepared to own this....... Please don't disappoint this old man " Santok pleaded in front of Manik and his talk brought tears in Manik's eyes . That innocent soul instantly hugged him tightly , the thought of his Daddu going away made him vulnerable. This scene made everyone emotional who were standing there.

"Okay my old Man ..... Give it to me and stop talking shit about going anywhere away from me " taking file nd pen , Manik signed those property papers .

"Manik promise me ....... No matter what , U will never leave this mansion and u won't sold it too...... This is very precious for us just like u " Niyati forwarded her palm in front of Manik.

"I won't" after holding her palm he sealed his promise by kissing her forehead , she hugged him , soon Santok too joined them in hug . Where Neyonika nd Shrikant were standing at corner smiling at trio but air between them was awkward and hateful.

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"Manikkkk....... How much time u will take for getting ready....... Guest r already here ...... Beta come down soon ur friends must be coming, at any moment " Shrikant shouted from downstairs when Manik was getting ready from last hour.

"Yeah coming" saying so Manik moved towards door but before that he heard someone's ph is ringing. He found Shrikant's ph on his bed. He took that ph nd disconnected the call and started going downstairs. But ph was constantly ringing even after his constant denial. He stared at the caller's name it was saved as a 'Private Emergency' so he thought of receiving, because it can be emergency call.

"Hello Shri ...... Vi...Vi...He met with an accident ...... Before loosing his consciousness he was calling for his papa...... Shri please come back to London instantly our son needs his daddy.... He is in ICU " he heard the painful voice of a lady who was constantly crying like a mad woman. Her words and cries were enough to broke his heart . Her vulnerability and reality snatched his beautiful world within seconds turning his best day into worst day.

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"PARTY IS OVER GUYS...... U MAY LEAVE" standing on the first step of staircase in living room, Manik roared loudly and everyone looked at him , he was looking no less than monster . His appearance was screaming he is angry beyond his limits still his family members dared come close to him to ask what happened but he stopped them showing his palm.

"I SAID LEAVE" now that was enough for guests to leave the place instantly.

"What happened Manik ?" Shrikant asked worriedly . There were only family members left inside the living room of Malhotra mansion.

"Ur Other SON met with an accident ...... His MOTHER is asking for His FATHER to come there " Now Manik's cold words were enough to snatch floor beneath them because biggest fear of their lives was standing in front of them , ready to destroy their family.

"Manikkk" Shrikant whimpered. He knew he already has lost the battle, the moment he was dreading since years has just arrived in front of him , taking everything away from him . His grief had no bounds today, he don't know actually which news is more painful , the accident of his elder son or revelation of his dirty games in front of his younger son. He is standing at the point where he will lose only . He collapsed on the floor and Manik's heart couldn't handle that , he rushed towards his father.

"Dad ..... Dad say something ...... I know I must have misunderstood ...... Don't worry dad I trust u ...... Just say whatever I heard it's not true, I will believe you without any question " Manik's unconditional faith on him , killed him thousands times for betraying that innocent soul. Manik was pleading, Shrikant was just numb and was looking at Manik with adoration, pain nd guilt .

"IT'S TRUE" just two words and Manik's delusional world collapsed on him , burying him under the hurt nd pain of lifetime .

"Whyyy?" Manik whimpered , holding his knees.

"I loved her enough not to leave her " plain honest answer of Shrikant again stabbed Neyonika's heart same as before.

"And my mom?" more than being angry he was asking about his mother's right like a small Dhruvvbaal ( if u remember that story about northern star / Dhruvvtaraa) .

"He never loved me" he heard Neyonika's hurtful voice.

"U knew it already?" this time he sounded accusing .

"He cheated on me " this time she let her tears to cross the bridge of her eyelids.

"From when ?"

"Even before our marriage " this time she collapsed on the floor and Manik's anger crossed all limits.

"When did u came to know about this ?" his voice was breaking bit by bit just like him.

"A long back..... Just after the 6/7 years of our marriage " she kept sobbing and Shrikant was guilty. Niyati nd Santok were standing with their heads down because of shame.

"Why ? ...... Why you didn't tell me ?.... Why u kept me in dark for almost half of my life?....Why ? " he shouted on top of his voice , he felt betrayed not only by his father but also by his mother. His anger overpowered his other senses.

"U were too small to even know the meaning of cheating Manik.......How I was supposed to tell u ....... To the child of 5/6 yrs old , for whom his world revolves around his father ..... With the time , u grew older so ur love went deeper for this man..... I didn't had courage to broke my child's happy world" pain , guilt , helplessness and betrayal were dripping from her shaky low voice.

"And what about u mom?...... Why u wasted ur whole life ? ....... Why ?" he demanded answer for his obvious question.

"I wasn't ready to leave my son behind nd move on" her words made him guilty nd he blamed himself for her destruction.

"U could have get divorce and me too with u " this line of Manik broke the Shrikant's heart , he can't even imagine his son choosing his mother over him .

"I was helpless mother, a daughter in law and daughter of the people who cared more about society and their reputation in front of my whole life" this time her words were accusing and Malhotra's were ashamed to even look into Manik's eyes.

"Daddu , Dadi u knew about this?" it was more like a statement than a question but the silence he received as an answer was enough to break his whole world .

"We are sorry beta ...... We are ur criminals , specially ur mother's criminals ...... We are behind her sufferings " lowering his head down Santok spoke after few minutes and Manik was just lost . He felt the hell is breaking down on his head.

"Exactly 11 years before she was standing here at this place ...... The ever so strong girl was looking broken like anything that day ...... She was fighting for her rights and she was pleading for her justice ...... But we were Devils, instead of giving her justice we made her life hell.... She asked for divorce but our reputation mattered more than lives of people...... She was adamant to get free from this marriage but we made it miserable for her saying we won't let u go with her , and instead of being her support pillar her mother too ditched her nd supported our descion saying no one will marry her again accepting u with her nd that was the time she couldn't leave you nd she accepted to live in hell..... As us our son was selfish too, he loved you more so he was always in ur life and we also didn't stopped him inspite of knowing how difficult it must be for Neyonika to pretend..... We abandoned ur father but never stopped him coming here , for u..... We hated him for doing this with ur mother but we never protested him when he continued his affair ...... Ur mother was always a perfect girl so we never snatched her right of being Daughter in law of Malhotra's but we forgot our son never gave her the rights of wife ...... I know nothing can justify our actions but I will just say we were more concerned about what society will say than how our family will suffer ...... We behaved according to the society , years ago...... We don't have right to ask but please forgive us , please don't hate us ... please " Niyati accepted her crime and she cried in front of Manik and Neyonika . She knew whatever she did with them was unforgivable but she always cared for them and treated Neyonika like her own daughter more lovingly than Shrikant . Shrikant's betrayal has hurted them too , they never thought that their own blood will betray them so they abandoned him from their love.

"Why ?....... Why the fuck u all betrayed me ? ...... My whole life was nothing but the facade , I was living in delusion ...... U all were playing with me ......" he felt immense pain in his heart . He lost his calm , he lost his senses , he weren't angry but was extremely hurt .

" Didn't ur soul feared at least for once to betray my innocent soul ?...... Didn't u felt ashamed of urself to cheat on my mom again nd again? " going in front of his father he questioned him in trembling voice but got only dreadful silence as an answer.

"Didn't u felt little bit bad to keep ur son in the delusion ? ...... Where love was nothing but pretendance only ? ....... Don't u feel the need of protecting me with u ? " this time he accused his mother but she was numb to react. Her husband betrayed her so she was victim, but she also betrayed her son by keeping him in dark.

"Were ur morals and ethics too hollow just like u ? , Who didn't worked for saving your daughter in law and grandson whom u claims to love ......Why u punished my mom for ur son's mistake? " he accused his Daddu , it's first time in Santok's life where someone had questioned him and he have nothing to explain. Death seems more easy instead of seeing hatred in his grandson's eyes.

"Dadi didn't woman Inside u felt bad for the woman whose husband is having family with other woman? " his questioned pushed the Niyati inside the pool of guilt where she felt drowning deep into it .

The whole living room was filled with guilt , hurt , pain , cries and never ending questions of Manik with no answers in return. Standing there in the middle of betrayers Manik saw his whole world collapsing and burning in front of his eyes.

"I can't stay with betrayers.......Mom sorry but I am not that strong like you " saying so he went upstairs in his room , for packing his stuff. Never for once he looked behind the people who were calling his name helplessly.

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"Manikkkk " Shrikant ran behind Manik to stop him going away from his own house.

"Manik...... I am responsible for everything please don't do this......No one was at fault but my deeds made them siners ....... Manik don't punished them away for my mistakes..... I am begging please don't leave us , do whatever u want ...... Give me any punishment but please don't hate me ...... Call me selfish but I can't see hate for me in ur eyes ...... Manik please don't leave me , punish me the way u want ...... I am sorry beta ..... I am sry .... sry " it pinched Manik's heart to see his dad begging in front of him , crying helplessly on his feet .His each teardrop nd sound of each hick up were halting Manik's step by stroking his heart with never ending pain .

"Shri please come to London ...... Vihan's condition is critical " Shrikant heard the most painful and hopeless voice from other side after receiving the call. How he wished to die instead of facing the living nightmare. He looked at everyone who was staring at him suspiciously , not knowing who's call it was. But may be Manik got the hint about that person.

" So Dad , this will be ur punishment ...... Choose between us and ur other family ....... U said that u love me na so prove it...... ME or HER ? " Manik may sounded like a cunning man but he just wanted to show him the mirror of his deeds when he had putted that condition in front of Neyonika to choose between Manik nd her freedom.

"HER" it broke the last thread of hope in Manik's mind for his father .

"So that's it ...... I can't live with STRANGERS ......Mom come wi....." his steps fumbled and his words stopped when he fainted on the floor, when his brain couldn't handle the pressure that his father didn't chose him.

"Manikkkk" everyone screamed and Shrikant collected him in his arms .

FLASHBACK ENDED

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"Nandini my mom loved me so much and rather than saying it everytime she always proved that , she chose me over her whole life and I can't see her hurt no matter what because still somewhere I found myself a reason behind her miserable life....I can't stand even one finger at my mom ......And that's why I was angry on u during that incident in Abir's Sangeet " he said remembering that day when those typical women insulted Neyonika. He was still crying in her embrace and she was soothing him .

"Manik I can never doubt ur love for ur mom...... Actually that day I was at fault too , I shouldn't have forced her to speak.....And even when I used to dislike u that time, but still ur love for ur mother attracted me to the son inside u ......I am very proud of u Manik....I promise , Manik we will never leave Neyo , no matter what situation comes in our way , we three will always live together and we will make our happy family " holding his palm in her palm she made a promise for lifetime. He always knew she is different than other girls but he never knew she is pure goddess.

"I don't know what I have done to deserve u " he kissed her forehead overwhelmingly and her hair soaked the tear drops of happiness cascading down from his eyes. He felt blessed .

"Manik "

"Hmm"

"Today u saw that lady na ?" she hesitated. But today she was determined to share his every pain and past.

"U know even after knowing everything that day I was expecting an explanation from my Dad may be I was looking for some valid reason which will make him less guilty but he never gave one and he just simply chose her over us ..... May be I loved him little more but it was all my illusion ........U know, that memory still haunts me and today when I saw her , I saw my failure all over again after 8 years " he whimpered miserably and she held him tight in her arms , no matter who was right or wrong but that precious soul suffered more for doing nothing. She was trying to protect him from every pain but she knew she can't keep him under her shield forever. He needs to let go that pain and for that he needs to share.

"Manik what happened after that ?" she asked for further story .

To be continued.......

................ End...............||

Let me know if you found any mistake.

How was the chapter?

............Aish ❣️...........||