At Sona's Place

Dev's family got out of their cars and stood in front of Sona's place and admired her house with a smile on their faces..

It was a 2 story house which speaks only peace. Sona is a very simple person so her father bought a house according to her taste and they've been staying here since 15 years..

Everyone moved inside with elders in the front and youngsters at the end. Dev took it as a cue and stood in between Soha and Nandini and held their hands making them halt in their tracks..

Soha ( frowned ): Kya hua Bhai..?

Dev ( glared ): You didn't have to do it..and you know I don't like when you sacrifice something for me..

Nandini ( annoyed ): Elaboration, Mr. Kapoor..

Dev ( sarcastic face ): Then, let me do the honors..Who the hell asked you to wear sarees when you were comfortable in casual shorts and tops..We aren't in any function. Princess never liked sarees but you are in a saree and Nandu, tum, you wear saree only during your office hours because that's something Pops likes..So, I know, why you are in sarees..

Soha ( grinned sheepishly ): Bhai..aap aiweyi sochtha hai..kuch bhi haan..Arya..chalo, Sona mera wait kar rahi hai..soulie tu aaja..

Soha escaped while Nandini widened her mouth in shock and then cursed her multiple times for locking her with Dev and his questions..She got out of Dev's grip and ran inside with Arya while Nandini was about to move out when Dev gripped her hand tightly..

Dev: Not so soon, Miss Dixit..

Nandini ( grinned ): Dev, tum aaj kuch zyada hi handsome lag rahe ho..hai na gadhe..

She stared at Sid to see him staring at her with " seriously..grow up babe " look on his face. She stomped his feet for earning a wince from him..

Dev ( fake grinned ): Really..? Aw, thank you baby sissy..it was lame..

Dev shot another glare and she sighed in defeat..

Nandini: Dev, we aren't doing anything for anyone. We know how Sona's father is and trust me we have got no problem in it, in fact we respect his choices but we don't want to create any bad image in his mind for us. Arey, unke daamad ke pariwar wale sanskari hona chahiye, so please..don't start with your speeches regarding " I hate when you sacrifice for me " . We are a family Dev..

Dev shook his head with a smile and kept his hand around her shoulder..

Dev: Chal, tujhse jeetega bhi kaise..

Sid: Impossible hai, kameeni hamesha kameeni hi rahegi aur aap jaise straightened gentleman kameenon se ladne ke bare mein soch bhi nahi saktha..

Nandini smacked his stomach..

Nandini ( glared at Sid ): Tujh jaise gadhon ka Bhai hona bhi sharam ke baath hai..

Dev chuckled and Sid made a bad face and the three ended up laughing and entered inside and this scene was witnessed by Fab 5 who admired their friendship..

Sona's Bua welcomed Dev's family happily and made them sit comfortably..

Sona's Bua: Hamara ghar chota hai, I hope you could manage..

Poorvi ( smiled sweetly ): Ghar nahi balki hum iss ghar ke andhar rehne wale log ke dil dekhthe hai..

Shanno: Aur wo chota nahi hona chahiye, hame nahi lagtha aap logon ke dil chota hai..

Akshara: Waise bhi hamara beta iss ghar ki beti se shadi karne wala hai isiliye iss ghar se koi lena dena nahi..

Sona's Bua smiled widely at her and thanked their God for sending a guy like Dev in Sona's life..

Nandini ( roamed her eyes around ): Sona..dikh nahi rahi hai..

Sona's Bua ( smiled ): Aathi hogi..

As soon as she said it, Sona came downstairs carrying a sweet smile on her lips and Dev was just staring at her dreamily..

Arya ( whispered ): Buddy, muh bandh kar warna tumhara image kharab hojayega..

Manik, Cabir and Dhruv heard it and chuckled after seeing Dev's embarrassed face..Nandini and Soha got up and hugged Sona and made her sit in between them..

Soon, Mr. Bose joined and greeted them..

Mr. Bose ( smiled ): I am sorry, I was taking shower..

Ravi ( smiled ): It's okay. We don't mind, in fact we just arrived 2 minutes back..

Akash ( smiled ): Kya hum shuru kar sakthe, Mr. Bose..?

Mr. Bose ( awkward smile ): Apko har baath mujhse poochne ke zaroorath nahi hai Mr. Dhawan..

Akash smiled at him and so others. Soon, one by one started giving gifts to Sona who was looking at those gifts with a disbelieving look on her face. She looked at her friends with " are you serious " look on her face and they just grinned. Sona glared at them which they ignored royally..

Mr. Bose ( again awkward ): Sorry to interrupt, par..kya ye sab zaroori hai..ithne saare toufe..Sona kya karenge ithne saare gifts ko lekar..

Poorvi stepped forwards and smiled at Mr. Bose..

Poorvi: Hum janthe hai, aapko ye rishthe se lekar bohath pareshaniyan hai. Aakhir ye society aise soch hamare dimaag mein laathe hai. But, you need to trust us Mr. Bose, ye jo ham kar rahe hai wo aapko awkward feel karwane keliye nahi hai..Sona is going to be our first daughter-in-law but she isn't going to be the daughter-n-law for us, she is our daughter already. Jo jagah ham apni betoyon ke diya wahi jagah Sona ko diya hai humne isiliye usse gifts diya tho koi problem nahi hona chahiye, kya mene koi galath kaha..

Mr. Bose smiled with moist eyes. He was happy that finally his daughter is going to get a motherly love. He nodded in no with a smile and looked at his daughter to see happy tears in her eyes..

Soon, they were done with the gifts shower and Dev's family bade adieu to Sona and her little family..The elder ladies departed to mansions for Dev's Mehendi preparations while others went for their professional work..

In Dreamland

Nandini's Cabin

Nandini was working in her laptop when someone knocked at her cabin's door..

Nandini ( casually ): Come in..

Someone entered inside and stood in front of her table..

Nandini ( bossy ): What is it..?

" You need to see through this file, Mam.." said the person..

Nandini ( whispered with a smile ): Manik..

She looked above to see him smiling at her with a file in his hand..He forwarded it to her..

Nandini ( casually ): You can have a seat, Mr. Malhotra..

He took a seat in front of her while she started reading the file and leaned back on her chair..

Nandini ( raised her eyebrow ): Impressive, Mr. Malhotra..

Manik ( smirked ): Well, business runs through my veins too Mam..

Nandini ( smiled ): Trying to be smart, huh..

Manik ( chuckled ): Nah..I just can't win over Nandini Dixit..

She too giggled and gave the file back to him..

Manik ( mischievous smile ): Between, don't you think I deserve something for this impressive smile of yours..

Nandini ( furrowed her eyebrows ): May I know what does it mean..?

Manik ( coolly ): Well, I do deserve a reward for completing this work properly..

Nandini understood what he meant..

Nandini ( smirked ): Well, it's me who decides whether you should be rewarded or not, right Mr. Malhotra..

Manik smirked and got up from his place and walked to her seat and sat on her table. She stared at him in confusion..He leaned to her face accelerating her heartbeats..

Manik ( huskily ): You think so, Miss Dixit..??

She pulled him more to her face..

Nandini ( huskily ): I really know so, Mr. Malhotra..

He pulled her from the chair and made her sit on his lap taking her in surprise..

Nandini: Manik, we are in office..

Manik ( shrugged his shoulders ): Kisike paas ithni himmath nahi ki tumhari cabin mein bina knock ke andhar aa sakthe hai aur waise bhi dartha nahi hoon kisise..

She sighed in disbelief..he pulled her more to him and she snaked her arms around his neck. He nuzzled his nose in her neck and drew circles on her bare waist making her breathe to hitch in her throat..He kissed her neck..

Nandini ( moaned ): Mani...

Manik: Hmm..

He looked up to see her sitting with closed eyes..He kissed her forehead and then her eyelids and then pecked her nose making her smile..

Manik: You know, you've got a nose of a baby's size..Is it possible for it to smell something..

She smacked his chest and glared at him and he chuckled at her..

Nandini: Seriously, I hate you..

Manik ( chuckled ): But I love you..

She smiled and kissed his cheeks which made him blush..

Nandini ( widened her mouth ): Haww...did you just blush..I mean, the Manik Malhotra blushed..uff..kya din aaya hai..

Manik ( glared ): Aur kithne der thak drama karogi, Miss Dixit..

Nandini ( giggled ): On a serious note, you look cute when you blush..

Manik ( whined ): Nandiniiii...

She laughed and he picked her in his arms and lead her to the couch and dropped her on it and hovered above her..

Nandini ( shocked ): What the..

Manik ( smirked ): Ab hasna hai kya, Love..

She glared at him and he roamed his finger from her forehead to her neck and reached her collarbone..He dipped his head in it and kissed her collarbone and she closed her eyes in pleasure. He opened his mouth and placed a wet kiss over there and suddenly bit her collarbone..

Nandini ( moaned in pain ): Mani...

He licked the spot with the tip of his tongue and then bit again which left a red mark on it and sucked it again..

She was lying on the couch with closed eyes lost in his touch when she felt something around her neck. She opened her eyes to see him looking at her lovingly..

Manik: You look beautiful..

She got confused with his sudden compliment. She looked down to see something new in her neck. She took it in her hand and smile in awe..

Manik ( curiously ): How does it look..?

Nandini ( smiled widely ): It's so beautiful..

Manik ( smiled ): I got it for you, this pendant caught my eyes when I was surfing through internet.

Nandini ( raised her eyebrow ): Is it really letter M..?

Manik ( grinned ): That's the specialty. When you look at it for once, you wouldn't be able to get whether it's letter M or not..So, we can escape from our fathers' eyes and yes this one is of course letter M. I won't let you wear any other letter..

She giggled at his small gestures to make her happy..

Nandini: I really don't feel like our relationship is secret..You know this pendant and this lovebite, I feel like I am telling the world that I am taken..

Manik ( smirked ): Of course, you're taken. Taken by Manik Malhotra..

She smiled at him. His gaze moved from her eyes to her lips and it didn't take him more than 2 seconds to take her lips in his mouth and he sucked them hardly..She responded to the slow kiss with equal favor..Panting heavily, they kept their foreheads on each other..

Nandini ( smiled ): I love you, Manik Malhotra..

Manik ( smiled while caressing her cheeks ): And I love you the most, Nandini Dixit..

In Dixit Empire

In the conference Room

The elderly men were having a business meeting with each other. Since, they won't be free for the next 4-5 days, they decided to complete their works by today itself..

" Knock " " Knock "

Viren: Come in..

Someone entered inside and bowed in front of them..

Raj ( smirked ): Stewart...

Lalith: Any news..?

Stewart ( nodded ): Yes sir..

Swayam ( raised his eyebrow ): You mean, you got to know what relation Manik Malhotra and Nandini Dixit had during their college days,in India though, right..?

Stewart ( nodded ): Yes Sir..

Raj ( sternly ): Speak up..

Stewart: Sir, from whatever I have got to know from the Principal, Fab 5 was the gang of bullies..

The elders sighed in sadness..Viren, Ravi and Rohit asked them to keep calm..

Raj: I know that..Anything else..?

Stewart: Yes Sir, Viren Sir's daughter, Nanz or Nandini Murthy for them, was actually Fab 5's enemy..

The men looked at each other in surprise, for sure they knew Nandini didn't get along with Fab 5, but enemies...??

Raj: Enemies..? Like what..?

Stewart ( stuttered ): Sir..they were..opponents..

Raj ( frowned ): You've got any proofs, I just can't trust the Principal, mind it James..I need truth..

Stewart ( nodded ): Sir, the Principal wasn't willing to say anything regarding his students until I aimed my gun at him..and it worked, I don't think he can lie when he thinks he was about to lose his life, he said that Nanz Mam was against their bullying as she was herself a victim of it and one of the student named Navya Naveli was also a target and they were the best friends of Space Academy who stood against Fab 5. They had a band called NH3 which included one guy Shahid and Ranvir Sir's son Harshad..

Ranvir ( surprised ): Harshad...??

Stewart ( nodded ): Yes Sir, Nh3 was the band against Fab 5 and they both had lots of grudges in between them. They used to fight whenever they come fact to face..

Raj held his head and sighed inaudibly. He was feeling something wrong has happened in between them. They were opponents, they never liked seeing each others's face so that could be the reason why they never talked in front of them when Fab 5 came to Paris. But then why Manik and Nandini were caught in a bedroom together, why did Manik spend his Lunch break with Nandini during Karwa Chawth..?? Can opponents sleep together in a room without fighting..??

Viren ( bossy ): You may go now, Stewart..

Viren ( sighed ): This isn't something I expected to hear..

Akash: Raj...kya soch rahe ho..?

Raj ( frustrated ): Yahi ki jo log ek dusre ko pasandh nahi karthe the wo log ek dusre ke baahon mein sone lage aur ho bhi kaise sakthe..

Viren was lost in deep thoughts. He knew his daughter is in love and he can say it was Manik, the way she keeps an eye conversation with Manik every now and then, the way she gets all sweaty when someone among them interrogates Manik about him having any girl in his life, it says all. It says that she is in love with him but then this rivalry..How can it happen all of a sudden..

Rohit: Kuch tho gadbad hai yaar..What if Stewart went wrong somewhere..

Ravi ( nodded in no ): Noway yar..We know him since years. Stewart, James and George are the most trustworthy guards of our's. Whatever they have done till now are pitch perfect..

Ranvir: Harshad was with baby princess. I can't believe it..

Akash: Yar, she didn't know about him except the fact that he hates Fab 5..

Ranvir ( tensed ): Phir bhi, she can never get along with a character like his. Kuch kiya tho kya hojayega..Girls were like tissues for him..meri bachi ko..no..this can't happen..

Viren held his hand..

Viren: Your baby princess is a fighter, she would never let anyone harm her..Don't think much yar..

Ranvir gave a small smile to him..

Raj: Tu pareshan lag rahe hai, Viren..

Viren ( nodded ): How can doll love Manik when they were opponents..!!

Ravi ( sighed ): We don't know whether they love each other or not, Viren..

Viren: Now, I know the truth. They both are in Love with each other..

Others snapped their heads at Viren..

Raj ( shocked ): What..??

Viren ( sighed ): Yesterday, when you guys went back to your bedrooms, she came to me and said that she wants to confess something to us, after Dev's marriage and that smile on her face told me that she was in Love. Ithna tho mein apni bachi ko jaan saktha hoon yar..And about the guy, it is Manik or else she wouldn't have gone crazy whenever we talk with them regarding Manik's absence in his bedroom during the mornings..She wouldn't have had any eye conversation with Manik if they were opponents. Arey Nandini Dixit ko pehchan nahi sakthi ho kya tum log. If she ever hates a person from her heart, then the person is doomed..Agar Manik se wo ithna nafrath karthi thi tho wo ek saath ek kamre mein kaise ek raath guzaar sakthe..No, mein apni bachi ko janthi hoon..Something is..

Raj ( interrupted ): Missing...

Viren stared at Raj who was looking at nowhere..

Raj: Something is missing Viren..And I know how to get to the truth..

Viren just stared at Raj who was looking determined to find the truth..

In Murthy's Mansion

The elderly men decided to have a get together with Shanno and Venkatesh on Raj's insistence. Viren was looking at Raj with keen eyes. He knew his buddy is up to something..

Viren ( frustrated ): Raj..can you spill it out..What's cooking in your head..?

Raj ( smirked ): Manik Malhotra ka baap hoon mein tho uske oopar hona chahiye mere dimaag ke level bhi..

Viren stood confused and so his buddies..

Raj ( called out ): Shanno..tu idhar aa..

Shanno who was instructing the servants walked towards the men, except Venkatesh as he was having a shower..

Shanno ( smiled ): Haa Bhai..

Raj ( smiled ): Tujhse ek kaam tha..

Shanno: Haa bolo na..

Raj ( fake excitement ): You're a pro in flowers right. So, you might be knowing from where can I get Calla Lilly flower, right..

Shanno ( frowned ): Calla Lilly..? Why do you wanna know about it..

Raj ( shrugged his shoulders ): Arey I like that flower. It's so beautiful so I thought of planting it in my garden..

Shanno got angry hearing it. How can he just think of planting the same flower which his son is allergic to..

Shanno ( angrily ): Aap pagal hogaye hai kya, Raj Bhai..

The men looked at her in shock while Raj made an innocent face..

Raj: Ab mene kya kiya..I just wanted to plant it..

Shanno ( spoke angrily ): Planting it..you thought of planting the same flower in your garden which Manik is allergic to..

Viren looked at her in shock..

Viren ( stunned ): Aur ye baath tujhe kaise patha..

Shanno bit her tongue after realizing what blunder she did..She looked at Viren who was looking at her with suspicious eyes while others were frowning at her except Raj, he was smirking at her..

Shanno ( stammered ): Uh..wo..umm..Manik..Manik told..me..

Raj ( smirked ): Really..? Wahi Manik jo logon se zyada bath nahi karthe wo tujhse apne allergy ke barein mein batha diya..

Shanno grew more tensed..

Viren ( frowned ): Kuch chupa rahi ho kya Shanno..

Shanno ( immediately ): Nahi..Bhai..wo mein..

Raj ( furiously ): Kya..ab kya excuse dogi tum..tujhe kya laga mene suna nahi tho wo sab..Arey mene dekha tha jis tharah tum Arya ko daant rahe the just because he was about to give the basket of gift which had Calla Lilly flower in it. You said, you don't know Manik, right, then how can you know Manik was allergic to that flower...

Shanno was trembling in fear..

Shanno: Bhai..wo..

Raj ( sternly ): Truth..agar tumhare paas truth kehne ka time hai tho bol warna mujhse baath math karo..

Akash and Viren held Raj's arms..

Viren: Raj, calm down..Raj was just staring at Shanno, his intuitions were so high that he couldn't think about anything..

Shanno ( thought): Aiyappa..ye kya ho rahi hai mere saath..mein kya bolun ab..Manik..agar Raj Bhai ko sach patha cha gaya tho kya jo jayega..wo Manik ko chodega bhi nahi, mein kaise apne bache ko bacha sakoon..

Raj got up from his couch after having enough making Shanno tremble in more fear..

Raj ( glared ): Tu nahi bathayega, right..Chal teek hai..bathao math..par mere gal sunn..aaj ke baad Bhai bhai kehke mere paas math ao..

Shanno looked at him in shock..

Shanno ( gasped ): Bhai..

Raj ( yelled ): Bhaii...? Kya koi apni behen apne Bhai se chupa sakthe wo bhi uske Bhai ke hi bete ke bare mein..jo kuch bhi tum chupa rahi hai wo galath hai, tum hamesha Manik ko protect karke bathein karthe the par jabhi mein uske college Principal se baath karoon, mujhe sirf negative comments mila. Arey tu ne dekh nahi paa rahi hai kya, Manik bigad gaye the, I saw him getting happier, getting matured when he came to Paris and I know the reason is my Love, Nandini Dixit..hai na Shanno Murthy..

Shanno stood rooted again in shock..Hearing Raj's shout, even Rishab came out and witnessed his mother's sobs and Raj's angry face which he has never seen in his life..

Akash ( shouted ): Raj, for heave sake, stop with it..

Raj was about to move when Shanno looked at him with teary eyes..

Raj ( softly ): Jo bhi tum chupa rahi ho, uske wajah se tumne apne bete ko bacha liya par apne Bhai ko kho bhi liya..

Shanno ( cried ): Bhai..

Viren pushed Raj's shoulders..

Viren ( shouted ): Tum pagal hogaye ho kya..behen hai wo teri..hum kabse apne family ko door karna shuru kiya..

Raj stood with hurt in his eyes. Shanno was always dear to him, she shares each and everything with him and today when he saw her hiding something from him, it just pained him. He had only them with his as his family. His wife was a gone case, his son and he never had a beautiful relationship, all he had was them, this large family who aren't his blood relation but heart relation..

Raj ( hurt ): Sach hi tho keh raha hoon..ye mujhse chupana shuru kiya tho mein dekh hi jaaoon..teek hai..rehne dho..

He was about to move when Shanno held his hand..He tried to remove her hold when her words shocked him..

Shanno: Manik and Nandini loved each other..

The men snapped their heads at Shanno..She looked at Raj to see him staring at her in shock. She wiped her tears and spoke without any emotion on her face..

Shanno: Nandu and Manik used to fight, like they never wanted to see each other's face. But then gradually, they fell in love. One night, they confessed their feelings but then Manik got to know that Dhruv had feelings for Nandu, Dhruv was everything for him so he decided to let go off Nandu for him ( Dhruv ). Manik said to Nandini that he never had any feelings for her and he was just playing around which broke her heart. But, they couldn't stop themselves from loving each other. Manik got to know that Dhruv never had feelings for Nandini but he misunderstood his crush as Love. Manik tried to get to Nandini again and after a long while, Nandu accepted Manik again because she never stopped loving him. But then the fate was not too good with them. Manik used to flirt with Soha to get back to Nandini but he never knew they both were best friends so they never cared about his fake comments for Soha. Nandu was just enjoying it. On their album recording day, someone pushed Soha and Nandu in a room by injecting some medicine in their body to make them unconscious. Just when Manik saw Nandu was missing in the auditorium, he too went in search of her and he found himself in the same room where Nandini and Soha were pushed and the room was lit up in fire and he saw Soha's hand around Nandini's neck and they both were fainted. He thought that Soha fainted due to the fire's smoke and she was trying to kill Nandini so he pushed Soha off Nandini and luckily Soha was saved and Nandini was hospitalized. But then, police arrested Manik saying he killed Soha when she wasn't because that was Nyonika's plan. Nyonika never liked Nandini. Nandu was called into the court as she was the witness. She said that she was unconscious and she didn't know what happened around. But this sentence of her's just forced Manik to think that she doesn't trust him and for them trust meant everything in a relationship and Manik broke up with her by hurting her, again and Nandu couldn't take it anymore. She couldn't bear more pain so she left India..Bas, aur kuch nahi..

The men looked shocked but they looked more hurt. Lalith couldn't believe Dhruv was also a part, unintentionally though, in hurting his princess..

Raj thumped on the floor with tears flowing out of his eyes..Viren leaned onto the wall and closed his eyes and he remembered his doll's painful face when she came back to Paris from India..

Raj ( whispered ): You were the reason for those precious pearls..?? My Love was in pain just because of you, Manik...

To be continued..