At the time of dawn Rishabh came home along with hopeless Nandini . She was very tired emotionally and physically , this time she herself was so broken, shameful and disordered . Every time she finds some or other way to handle situation but today she felt utterly helpless due physical and mental exertion she slept while Rishabh was pressing her head because her head was aching . He too was tired so when she slept he went to his room and slept.

"Nandini. ..... Nandu ..... Get up " instead of alarm she heard her mother's screams and this happened after many yrs , her mother left this job of human alarm , when Nandini completed her school .

"Mummaa yaar let me sleep ...... Stop being alarm clock " she pulled comforter over her head and hid herself inside it .

"Sleep later ..... Now wake up nd answer me " her mother said sternly.

"I don't have any exam nd please yaar I just slept few hrs back ..... Now go " she shooed her mother.

"Where were you whole night ? ...... And with whom?" She asked but again got no response from Nandini because she chose not to answer so her mother will stop nagging her.

"With Mr Malhotra's Driver ?" It was more like a statement from her mother which really worked on Nandini. She opened her eyes and asked to herself she is the one who is his driver , then what her mother is speaking.

"Who ?" She sat on bed with her head hung down , she thought may be her mother knows about her job.

"This " she kept newspaper on her lap .

"This handsome boy" she pointed at a picture .

Love blooming between Driver and Personal Assistant ; they are not industrial couple but they belongs to industry . This is story between driver and p.a of Chairman of Half Note ,Mr Manik Malhotra . We caught them dancing together in Manik Malhotra's latest party of last night. So guys what do u think are they gonna be onscreen pair soon or Manik Malhotra will cast them together for his next album ? .

"Hahaha " she laughed whole heartedly after seeing picture of her and Abhimanyu from last night's party but what made her laugh more that her mother made him driver .

"When did this happened ,Nandu ? ..... And why didn't you told us ? " Her mother sat beside her and said in disappointed tone .

"Stop laughing " she scolded her , now she was angry .

"Okay" she was holding her inner cheeks between her teeth to control laugh.

"Now tell me the whole story ...... And don't lie ...... It's a warning" her mother showed her eyes and asked her seriously which looked funny to Nandini but in real she is scared of her mother's big eyes , since childhood.

"What to tell ..... This news itself is a lie " Nandini shrugged her shoulders.

"Then why u two were together ?"

"We were dancing in party "

"U sure? ..... See Nandini we r not against it , if u have boyfriend, and it's okay if he is driver ...... Boy should be good person that's it " her mother thought she is hiding because of his profession .

"And he looks handsome too " she added .

"Okay ....... The truth is he is really handsome , he earns good amount of money , he is good human , loyal to his boss ..... But he is not my boyfriend , he is my friend ..... We were dancing in the party like two dance partners ...... Many reporters were present so one of them printed this news ...... It's just a rumour don't worry " she explained everything to her mother calmly and she listened with concentration but one thing was bothering her that if boy is okay then why they aren't together .

"And still if you don't believe then let me tell you , he have beautiful girlfriend " her mother's face dropped .

"Again I am going to keep my mouth shut during our gossips over our daughters " her mother pouted sadly . Sometimes she also wants to complain about her daughter during their gossips but what she could do when she has Nandini , imperfectly perfect daughter.

"Now don't start ur blabbering about how single I am since birth " she warned her mother .

"But Nandu ...... Everyone is going to see this news then what u will do ...... I can handle ladies in my circle but what about ur circle ..... And why were u late even Rishu was with u , how ? " Her mother did heard their voices at the time of dawn but she was half asleep so she ignored . Memories of last night came back to Nandini's mind .

After seeing the news everything got cleared to her, no reporter was allowed to published personal matters of people from last night so this news can't get published without Manik's permission , so he is aware of it or probably he is the one who have done it , but why ? . It didn't take her a minute more to realise he also has that pendant .

"One sec ..... Why ur face is so dull ? ...... Even ur cheeks have dried tear marks ..... Why u were crying ? ...... What happened Nandini ? " She caressed Nandini's cheeks lovingly and asked her with concern. Her mother was worried .

"I ur mother Nandu..... Tell me " Nandini hugged her tightly and cried in the hug , without any explanation she cried and Ishita let her cry.

"I did biggest mistake mumma ...... I lost their trust and I failed doing my duty " she knew Nandini is not going to share the story but she trusts her daughter , she can't do anything bad to anyone .

"I am sure u must have given ur 100% ..... It's okay , everything doesn't go according to us ..... There are twists and turns in every path , u just have to fight with them in a hope of getting what u wanted ..... And sometimes we may fail but don't give up ..... Try till the end may be u will win ..... It's okay to lose but never lose the game before losing it in real" caressing her hair she told her daughter to fight with all her power. She gave strength to Nandini.

"U r right ..... Thank you ...... I really needed this " she looked up and said to her mother .

"I know " she smiled encouraging Nandini.

"Just pray for me ...... Today is the big day" she got up from bed and looked at the clock which showed 9am . They have 2 hrs which means she still has chance to do something , she will call that waiter again , she have to do something , she just can't waste her time in crying .

"Things will be sorted ..... Aayiappa is with you" her mother too got up from bed.

"And ha ..... Handle my father before he goes all mad about my boyfriend in the newspaper " she said before going inside the restroom.

"He won't hype like me but still I will handle him " she too screamed from outside and went inside the kitchen to make something tasty for Nandini .

She got ready in half hour , today she wore simple blue jeans with full sleeves , v neck red T shirt , did side partition nd left her hair open .

.....................||

At 11.30 am ,

Everyone except Manik was present in the court room , today also limited people were allowed inside the court as it was secretive case . Diya was relaxed , Swaroop was sad and confused , because they both r his friends , he knows Nandini didn't do that intentionally but also it's a big thing for Diya and matter is too sensitive to let it go , Abhimanyu was little disappointed he knows Nandini but he is most concerned for his girlfriend .

Karan and Alisha were hoping for the best . Nandini smiled a bit after seeing waiter coming inside with proof , two hours back she requested him on call and he said he will arrange it , main security room still have original footage . She wondered how he will do it when he couldn't done it before the party ? She don't have any option but to keep her trust on him .

For the final time judge heard the stories from both sides where Karan told him , he was drinking alone in the bar of hotel, he was feeling low emotionally, then she joined him , she talked with him and she herself offered him help , inspite of being drunk he asked for her consent then he did all those things in desperation but suddenly she pushed him and ran away . She also agreed till the part where she joined him , then she said she didn't talked about any favours but he started kissing her as he was drunk .

To clear the judge's confusion Nandini presented that pendrive surprising others , they heaved in relief. Almost everyone watched that clip for the first time and when it ended three people were highly shocked , disappointed and hurt because clip supported the Karan's truth. Diya felt burden free .

Judge announced Karan is not guilty thus the claim of case is false . And victim has to pay for misleading the court and spoiling accused's image . Court avoided one year imprisonment for her but asked her to pay the penalty for false allegations.

Her friends don't know what happened and what was going on , but they surely doubted her intensions . They don't know what's the truth they don't want to distrust her but part of them was not able to trust her completely. Still without questioning her Nandini paid her first salary in court on Diya's behalf as the amount of penalty.

....................||

By the time they all were out of court Diya started crying which alerted them . They came to the back side of court to avoid any eyes on them.

"Why r u crying?..... Are you hiding something?" Abhimanyu asked her suspiciously.

"That video is edited ...... That wasn't false but some scenes are trimmed ..... That wasn't original video " she cried in front of them even Alisha and Karan were standing there.

"Why didn't you told this in court then?" Nandini asked her .

"I would have lost anyhow ....... Because Manik would have done anything to make me lose the case " this statement shocked everyone present there .

"What are you saying ? ...... He is not involved in any way " Abhimanyu defended him almost quickly.

"Ohh really then who edited that video ? ...... Where was he last night ? ...... And Where's Nandini's pendant ?" She questioned back in agony .

"He was with a girl ...... I myself had arranged one for him " . His tone sounded little bit unsure .

"Then just call her to confirm it " he dialled the number of that girl and she agreed to Diya , he wasn't with her , even he didn't received any of her calls .

"He won't steal that pendant and why would he do that ? ...... If he wanted to help he would have done that before" Abhimanyu was still defending him but Nandini's mind was agreeing with Diya because pendant was on her neck when she was with him.

" May be he was giving you guys hopes to smash them later , u know how sadiast he is ....... And asked the waiter , why video is edited and how he got that video?" Everyone looked at the waiter who was looking down in shame , last night Manik came to hotel and blackmailed him ,he also gave him money to keep his mouth shut .

"Is she saying the truth ?" enraged Abhimanyu grabbed waiter by his collar .

"Leave that poor soul ..... U shouldn't do such things outside the court ..... Police may arrest you" they turned their eyes towards the source of voice . Manik was standing there with same calm expressions and cold attitude. He was waiting outside the court, he waited until road was cleared for him to step out.

" Why ? ...... Weren't you out of this case ? ...... Why u played dirty ?" Abhimanyu was angry and mostly he was vulnerable , he never thought Manik will play with his emotions.

"I always play dirty and u know it " Manik said with a smirked . But this triggered Nandini, she couldn't handle this shade of him , he used her feelings to get done with his work and mainly he supported the accused.

"And come on, don't behave as if I am doing something bad for first time ..... I have done worst things and u have supported me ..... So stop this , okay ? " This irritation in Manik's tone made him enraged.

"SHE IS MY GIRLFRIEND , MANIKK" he roared at him and this was the first time he called him by his name which also angered Manik , but he swallowed anger and put calm and unbothered expressions on his face , he have great control over his emotions .

"Who is a worst actor I have ever seen " he smiled playfully looking at Diya who started looking here and there . He had watched how she was making faces by looking at cameras inside the hotel. He had spent yrs in this industry so it's easy to recognise fake or real expressions but other people might have believed her.

"What do you mean?" She questioned him in her defence .

"U know what I mean ..... U also know how bad and tacky ur expressions were in that video " the ongoing conversation between two was shocking everyone . Even Karan was unaware of it .

"That's why u stolen that pendrive and U trimmed those parts, just to make me lose the case and save ur brother ,who is culprit ." She accused him.

"I would have done anything to get him out of jail but u guys just made it simple " he almost laughed at her defeat but suddenly Nandini grabbed his elbow and turned him towards her.

"U rescued the culprit just because he is ur brother and victim is no one to u " she was very much furious and out of control after knowing that she loved a person who can support sexual abuse , it was the last thread of her understanding and accepting things , no matter what she can never accept the crime as big as sexual assault and she can't understand rapist . She can understand murderer or anyone but not rapist , this topic boils her blood and she can't stand with supporters too.

"Noo ...... I knew he is innocent ..... This is trap , she trapped him " he said with convincing tone but it didn't affected her .

"Believe me" he cupped her cheeks.

"So u could play with my trust for ur sick games ? ..... I don't trust you Manik " the accusations in her eyes did changed something for him , it was the sight he never wish to see and those were the words which affected him for the first time. She pushed down his hands from her cheeks.

"Trust is small thing for him , he plays with people's lives , Nandini ...... That's why I always wanted you and Abhi to stay away from him " Diya spoke between them and that alerted Manik nd Abhimanyu . They diverted their attention to Diya .

"That's why u planned all these things ...... U trapped my brother in fake case just to separate me from them ..... Right ? ...... U chose the way where u will be victim nd my brother will be culprit and when I will save him then both of them will leave me forever because I freed the culprit and their friend couldn't get justice ...... They will remain guilty forever and won't return back to me , no matter how much they needs me or cares for me ..... This was yr plan , right ?" Manik exposed her motive in front of everyone .

"At least that was the best way to keep them away from toxic person like you " this statement of her made it clear that she just agreed to whatever he said.

After hearing this Nandini slapped her real hard , it was expected reaction . She deserved that slap , she looked down and others stared at her with disenchantment .

"What u have became Diya ? ...... Why didn't you cared for Karan ? ...... What was his fault in this ? ..... Didn't u thought for a while before accusing him for such a disgusting thing ? ...... Do you know how sensitive this matter is ? ..... U just disrespected every girl who have went through this ..... It's very shameful deed " Nandini said with heavy voice , it was really getting very hard for her to believe that her best friend did something like this and she don't know her completely even after spending almost all life together.

"I know Nandini ...... And trust me I was aware of everything ..... I was sure Manik would help him anyhow , I don't know why he took so many days ..... Even I was little unsure if he will help or not so I had decided that I will accept everything in court but when last night u lost ur pendant, I was very much sure Manik is behind this .... And u see he helped him , it doesn't matters to him if he was supporting an innocent or an accused ..... I wanted to prove this to both of u " she explained everything by looking at Nandini and Abhimanyu .

"U didn't need to prove anything ...... Instead u just have to share ur insecurities with me ..... U should have spent ur time on me ,on our relationship..... Instead of trapping Karan u could have made me love u so much that I would have left him myself, for u ...... Trust on each other is must in any relationship ..... I don't think so we are better together ..... I failed to assured u that I love you and u failed to trust me ..... This relationship can't work this way ...... I am breaking up with you " grabbing her shoulders Abhimanyu spoke out his feelings , he didn't totally blamed her for this but accepted the truth , they were lacking in the main essentials of relationship.

"Please don't do this ..... We can still work on us " she broke down in tears , it was saddening for others to see them tearing apart but it was their personal matter to decide.

"We past this phase already ...... U don't know what I have went through in past few days ...... How helpless I had felt for not protecting u on time ..... I used to thought thousands of times before saying a word in a fear what if it would hurt u ..... I had never felt this vulnerable before" he removed his hands after patting her shoulders.

"This is why person shouldn't involve himself in such nasty stuff , called love " Manik murmured this to himself in irritation but Swaroop who was standing near him , heard it and rolled his eyes at Manik.

"I am really sorry for hurting you but I did this for us ..... So that we could live normal life ..... U never gave me chance to feel secured around u ...... Millions of time I have asked you to stay away from Manik and his ways ...... But u didn't , u never allowed me to trust u completely because u kept doing wrong works for him " she said after a moment , even she wasn't wrong because he always chose his duty .

"We both are not right for each other ...... We could have solved our problems with proper communication but we chose our ways And with this equation we shouldn't drag our relationship ..... I see no future of us " keeping a hard stone on his heart he said those words and she cried .

"This all is happening because of you Manik ...... Once again u ruined it for me " Diya spoke harshly with her eyes filled with abhorrence .

"He didn't but u ruined it for u Diya ...... U have broke our trust ...... U could have talked with us , we would have done something ...... We were always there for each other since childhood" Nandini was against her too .

"Swaroop please make her understand ..... U also know how Manik is not good human to be with ...... Tell her I wasn't wrong for doing this " she came to Swaroop because they both knew about Nandini's love for Manik even they had known he is not good for her.

" In this game of proving him wrong u stoop to his level Diya ..... U never appreciated his doings and today u did the same thing ..... U just used an innocent , he suffered for nothing ...... U played with our feelings too , u don't know what we were going through thinking about what u must have felt " for the first he spoke and she lost all of them . No one was trying to understand her , she knew she did wrong but her intensions were not wrong ,at least for them.

"I can never stoop to his level ...... I was going to save Karan even if Manik wouldn't have done that ...... But he is devil he don't care about anyone ...... And Nandini he played with ur father's life that day in hospital he blackmailed the doctor to shift ur father to another hospital just to make u penny less , so u would join his job ...... It was risky for his life but still he forced doctor to do that ...... And everything was done by his p.a. as per Manik's order ..... Nd not only this but that doctor also lost his job just because he tried to blackmailed Mr Manik Malhotra. ...... So tell me , was I wrong to keep you guys away from him ? " This time Manik found himself in trouble. He cursed Abhimanyu for having her as a girlfriend .

This time Abhimanyu too hung his head down when Nandini passed him hurt look , earlier he didn't felt so bad but now things are changed , she is his friend . She stood in front of Manik .

"Is it true?" She asked looking in his eyes.

"Nandini " he tried to hold her but she didn't let him touch her.

"Is it TRUE ?" she asked again.

"I did that" he accepted his did with a guilt but his face had only fear on it , fear of losing her.

"Sszz" she slapped him which enraged the monster in him but he suppressed his demons for her . Her teary eyes met with his for 2 seconds and then she stepped away from him.

"Don't leave" he held her wrist , stopping her. She turned , put his hand away and reduced gap between them.

"U have treated people like a shit ..... Everyone is puppet in ur hands, u control them ..... U have betrayed ur brother..... U have done every inhuman thing which seperates you from sanity , still I believed there is goodness in u ...... U also played with my feelings , I kept mum ...... But this is the worst thing u have ever done to me , how u could be so insensitive? ..... I would have lost my father , Manik " finally she let her tears fall , she was a strong girl she never showed her vulnerability to him but today she lost it . This was the end of them for her forever , she can't forgive him .

"U have lost me " she left him there with his broken hopes , he stood there and saw a part of him going away from him , with her. It's not first time when someone has left him but this time she didn't left alone but took every chance of happiness in his life, with her . She proved he deserves solitude .

....................||

Swaroop and Abhimanyu too followed her , he wanted to apologise for his part . Diya don't know where she should go because no one waited for her .

"I love you Manik " before he could come out of his grief karan hugged him ever so tightly. He hugged him like this almost after 15years , he snuggled to Manik and found his brother's embrace is the safest place in whole world for him . Manik trusted him and saved him without caring about consequences. He felt as if he has found his big brother again. He clinged to Manik's body like a piece of cloth.

"I swear I will file a case of molestation against u again ..... And this time no one can save you " Karan smiled in between his tears , for the first time his sarcasm was overwhelming and he didn't mind Manik calling him gay.

"Don't hope too much ..... U r still nothing more than a known piece of flesh and bones" he slightly pushed Karan away and left from there in his car .

After Manik Alisha too left from that place but not before giving him goodbye hug. Their relationship is over but still they are good friends of each other . She bid him bye for the final time as she is moving out of the Mumbai.

.................||

He was on the seventh cloud today , he never thought he can see that same caring Manik again in his life , all the time he ignored everyone and all the drama . He was overwhelmed after knowing Manik saved him .

Before going he looked around and found Diya standing there , leaning her back on tree . She was alone , her friends left her , her boyfriend left her , she looked tired, helpless and devastated.

"Come I will drop you " he said and she looked at him .

"Don't u hate me ? " She chuckled painfully.

"I don't like you ..... Now come " he said.

"How can you be so kind to me ? ..... Even after whatever I did to u ?" She asked curiously.

"Come I will tell you in car " he said and moved towards the car .

"U won't take revenge , right?" She asked with a fear .

"I think I am too soft for hard feelings like revenge and anyways my mom would never want me to do anything bad to a girl " her heart filled with a guilt , how she never thought about this pure ,innocent soul. They sat inside the car.

"I haven't forgive you and I can't ever " he said as he started the car.

"Then why u r dropping me ?" .

"I know how it feels to be alone , abandoned by everyone ...... Trust me that's the creepiest emotional feeling " he said innocently.

"How u can be so calm around me ? ..... I made u suffer without ur fault " she again asked.

"To be honest I have seen people doing worse to their loved ones ...... At least u were stranger to me and u did things for ur people without thinking about right and wrong and same thing Manik done to save me ..... So I am no one to judge whether u r right or wrong " she realised he was right .

"Anyways thanks " he added .

"What?" She frawned .

"I was trying from months to find glimpse of my brother inside Manik but he never treated me any better than stranger ...... Eventually I lost all my hopes of finding him back but this way I realised he still loves me".

"Don't mind me , but it sounds funny that Manik can love anyone " .

"U r judging him wrong ...... U don't know him , he is extremist ...... If he will love any person na, then it's limitless ...... There is no limit to his passion and he can do anything , literally anything ".

"U know , I was a 4yrs old and it was my first day of school ..... One boy of my class nd his big brother bullied me , I was crying and when Manik found out this ..... He fought with his big brother and his friends , they were four boys of his age and he was alone ..... They all beat him till he was bleeding and badly bruised but he defeated each one of them very bruitely ...... He always become fearless in his rage..... And when we returned home father scolded him nd locked him inside dark room to tame his rage ..... Manik was afraid of darkness that's why he locked him for whole night with no light and I did nothing because I was scared of father's anger ...... Still other day he was same loving big brother of mine ...... He was my safe place nd still he is " he don't know why but he shared his childhood story with her and he became emotional while reminiscing old , gold memories.

"One thing is bothering me , why he took so many days to rescue you ? ...... I mean he could have released u from cell on very next day , even I thought that " this was really bothering her and she asked him after hearing his story.

"Huff ...... He made sure, I will feel how it feels to be alone devoid of any family or friends when u r not at fault ..... He was in jail for yrs and none was there for him as a family or friend ..... And I am really ashamed and guilty for not being there for him ..... I don't know how 12 yr old child survived such emotional turmoil " his voice was heavier than before and eyes were loaded with tears .

"Karan I don't know how to say sorry ...... But please if possible forgive me ..... I know I don't deserve ur forgiveness but if possible let me earn it " she said when he stopped the car outside her building .

"Sometimes we should leave the things the way they are ..... Bye " he said and indicated her to climbed down , she did and he left her place .

......................||

"Papa" she dropped herself on her parents bed where her father was sitting , reading a book . She hid her face in bedsheet and started crying hysterically , he understood something bad must have happened because she always does this , it's her habit from childhood.

"What happened?" Keeping book aside he caressed her back lovingly but she nodded no .

"I don't know" she didn't stopped crying , till then Ishita and Rishabh also came to room after hearing her cries. Watching the scene they shook their heads in disbelief . They r seeing this cranky Nandini after a long time.

"U did something wrong? ....... Someone did wrong to u ?" She thought for a while and then not wanting to tell the truth she looked up , her face was covered with tears and she nodded no .

"I don't know ...... Just don't leave me " she hugged him and started crying again , he was really tensed now.

"I am not going anywhere ...... Tell me what happened ?" He asked caressing her hair , the way she gripped his shirt he was sure she is scared and something did happened.

"I saw bad dream" she lied , she knew her family won't leave her .

"Just don't leave me dad "

"I won't" his eyes also got teary after seeing her but he held them back and hugged her.

"We also live in same house" they heard Ishita and Rishabh's voice , Nandini raised her head , looked at them .

"He is my dad only ..... U both go " she said like a baby , she was always possesive about her dad .

"Such a baby " Rishabh snorted.

"Papa" she whined.

"Don't trouble my baby " he caressed her hair , she was cranky and now she needs more attention and pampering .

"We will trouble u both " Ishita and Rishabh bounced on them from both sides , squeezing them .

She forgot her worries temporarily in the warmth of her family . World has been so cruel to her but her family remained same , loving and peaceful.

..........................||

"Now u r back to being my p.a then do ur job ...... Find two girls tonight" Manik said this to Abhimanyu .

"U will have fun with two at a time ?" .

"What? ..... No ...... One of them is for u ..... U must be distressed , must wanting to let out ur frustration , hurt or anything" Abhimanyu sighed in disbelief.

"I don't want anyone " .

"U r saying as if u haven't fucked anyone" .

"I have but that doesn't mean I need sex to release my stress ..... I just don't want to disrespect my love " .

"I thought u broke up with her " .

"We broke up that doesn't mean I stopped loving her " .

"So u will live sexless life?"

"No ..... At least I don't want to disrespect the feelings I have for her now ..... My love is mine it doesn't depends on her actions " .

"Is it possible to love someone like that?".

"It's worthless to talk, unless u will feel it ..... And I don't think ur heart is capable of holding feelings for someone so leave it" he ended the topic.

"She has left and left for a good" he sighed and murmured to himself , he was thinking about Nandini .

"Here u go" Abhimanyu stopped car infront of hotel and Manik stepped out of it .

He met a beautiful girl with sexy figure , she was attractive , young and bold . She won the title of Miss Maharashtra last year . He was feeling bad from inside for something but he suppressed that feeling and anticipated to her advances .

"Kiss me only if you are sure that ur lips won't claim any other lips than mine "

He couldn't kissed her lips and he moved towards her neck , she was moaning in pleasure .

"Tumhe mera bana de, humesha ke liye"

He stopped but she continued what he has started .

"I can't leave him"

He again resumed his work , he can't wait for her and ignored his desires when she is not willing to come to him , in fact she just left him forever and is never going to come back . He gave into his needs.

He should have felt guilty but he didn't felt anything apart from the void in his heart . She was like a waterdrop on his deserted heart and whatever he felt was a mirage .

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

Let me know if you found any mistake.

How was the chapter?

............... Aish ❣️.................