Happy reads:
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"Manik, why the hell aren't you picking up Aunty's call?", Cabir barged in my room.

"You know why", I said fixing my tie while looking at the mirror.
I think this look will do for tonight's party.

"Do whatever you want man, but at least ask her not to text or call me to forward all those creepy things to you", he sighed, "You know I was in the middle of the shower when she called?". I chuckled.

"You're my best friend for a reason, mate", I smirked.

"By the way, she said something about booking your flight tickets", he said thoughtfully.

"Not again", I groaned.

"You're getting married yaar, chill up!", He smacked my arm playfully, making me remember the worst nightmare of my life.

"I guess you're more excited for my wedding than I'm", I eyed him weirdly as he grinned like a bloody chimpanzee.

"You guess? Of course I'm!, I'll be having a sister in-law", he smiled up at the thought.

"It's just a wedding and moreover I wanted it to be ended asap  because I would have to go for a business trip after that", I rolled my eyes at his excitement.

"Having your honeymoon while you're out for business deals sounds sexy to me", he smirked. I smacked him behind his head.

"Oww! Why did you do that?", he rubbed his head wincing.

"If there's this thing called 'brain' in that head of your's than maybe you would know why I did that", I sarcastically replied.

"Sorry, I don't have one because I just let you to borrow mine", he replied with equal sarcasm.

"My mom asked me to postpone the business trip because she has some 'surprise' for both of us", I explained.

"Us?", Cabir guestured between both of us.

"Of course not stupid!"
How can someone be this stupid?

"Me and Prena", I said as her name sounds strange in my voice, somewhat beautiful. I shook my head.
Cabir's blabbering is taking a troll in my head.

"Is she pretty?", He asked out of nowhere.

"I don't know and I don't fucking care, can we just leave already? We have a party to attend and I need to pack my damn things", I growled at him.

"What do you mean by you don't know?", he ignored my irritated face that I just gave him.

"I haven't seen her face yet", I admitted as he suddenly chuckled.

"I have heard about the blind dates but it's the first time I'm hearing about a blind wedding", he laughed.
His laughter died when he saw my serious look I'm giving off.

"What?! You serious?", he gaped at me.

"Yeah, mom did give me a picture of her's but I lost it somewhere"

"And you're saying it like you don't actually care", he huffed.

"Of course I don't, I'm getting married because I want my family especially my mom to back off from her 'bride search' for me and it's not like I'm going for any love marriage", I replied.

"You're saying this because you haven't fall in love", he said annoyed.

"And I don't intend to", I stated.

I walked out of the door slamming it shut as I made my way towards the hotel backyard where the party was been held.

I took the elevator as I slowly rewind my conversation with Cabir.
He's been insane nothing else. Like who would in their right mind will fall for me? Or in my case, I will? I've hell lot of works to go on then being in a sickly sweet relationship with a girl.

My thoughts were interrupted when the elevator stopped at the 5th floor and an old married couple entered the elevator. I glanced at them guessing their age.
Maybe 70 or more than that?.

They noticed me looking at them as the old lady smiled at me.

"You looked handsome,dear", she grinned at me with her crooked teeth.

"Thank you", I laughed at her compliment.

"You mean I don't looked handsome tonight?",the old man beside her asked with a pout.

"You look dashing, my love", she looked at him lovingly as he kissed her cheek. Somewhat it brings a smile in my lips as I saw their love.
Is this the thing that Cabir's been talking about? Having someone to called my own?

"So, are you here with your love of your life for honeymoon?", the old man asked. I choked on my own spit as I saw the old lady slapped his arm probably scolding at his bluntness towards me.

"Actually I'm here for a business deal", I cleared out before they assumed something worst.

"Where are you from,son?", the old lady asked again.

"I'm from India but my business setup is in London and I already told you why I'm here", I politely said.

"Business works sucks, I'm lucky that she agreed to accompanied with me", he laughed.

"Love makes you do silly things", she smiled, "Are you married because you're one fine specimen"

"No, but I'll once I get back home to my fiance", I smiled.

"She's one lucky girl to have a husband like you who love her so much", she smiled cheekily.

"It's a arrange marriage actually", I chuckled.

"No worries, you'll fall for her after wedding", the old man stated as the old lady glared at him.

"Don't love someone because you have to but you want to", she spoke, "Don't marry her if you just want to complete the formalities of marriage because it's not a business deal that you can seal with just your signature. It's a forever kinda thing", she whispered the last part as the elevator ding signaling that we reached the ground floor.

They stepped out and walked towards the entrance as I walked opposite direction into the backyard. I stopped midway as she yelled from a distance,

"Son, love is one crazy thing with the right person, it can overcome anything", with that they walked off ,disappearing from my view.

"She was one crazy lady", I muttered under my breath, chuckling.

As soon as I entered the venue, people started to gather around me, and a few tried to talked to me but as usual I walked passed them, ignoring them completely.

"Mr.Malhotra", Mr.Saxena walked up to me with two glasses of champagne.

"Mr.Saxena", I nodded as he handed me a glass which I received with a slight smile.

"Thank you for signing the contract with us", he said.

"You're company deserved it", I sipped on my drink.

"I heard you're getting married, congrats", he extended his hand which I accept with a shaked.

"Am I getting an invitation for your wedding or not?", he said amusingly.

"I usually keep my personal and professional life separately", I curtly replied, "Excuse me".

I walked towards the bar counter where I spotted Cabir flirting with a girl.

"Cabir", I raised an eyebrow at him as the girl kissed his cheek and walked away.

"Yes, bro?", he finally got the time to looked at me as he signaled her a 'call me' guestured.
Yeh kabhi nahi sudhrega.

" I'm seriously waiting for the time when you'll find your 'love of your life' that you kept saying to me", I shook my head.

"Don't worry about me, at least I'll love her unlike you who is going to get married just because your mom asked you too", he rolled his eyes.

"Whatever", I shrugged.

Suddenly his phone started ringing and he groaned looking at the callerID as he twisted his phone to show me.
Manik's Mom calling. It showed.

"I'm not picking this time", he passed the phone to me and walked away.

Jai Mata Di. I prayed to God and picked up the call.

"Cabir?", my mom asked.

"Mom", I replied nervously as I sensed her angered through the phone.

"Where the hell have you been? I've been calling you like a lunatic and you didn't even pick my calls!", My mom yelled from the other side.

"I was busy?", I said more like a question to me.
Damn it! Where does all my confidence goes while talking with Mom?

"Are you coming home tonight? You know right we have to visit Murthy Mansion?", she asked suspiciously.

"I know Mom but I can't, you know I've a meeting tomorrow morning plus I'm in a middle of a party now", I scratched my head, ready to hear her outburst.

"What do you mean by you can't? You're getting married,Manik! And I've already told them you're coming with us, you did booked your flight tickets, right?", she asked again.

"Mom, I'm sorry just handled it for the last time. You know how this contract means to me, and yeah I did booked my tickets for the evening flight ", I sighed.

"You broke the promise", she whispered making me guilty.

"I didn't, I just twist it a bit. What if in exchange of not going to the Murthy Mansion, I fulfilled any one wish of yours?", I bargained.

"Deal", she squealed like a teenage girl and bid me bye.

"You know right that you're going to regret it?", Cabir asked walking up to me.

"I know but I've no choice", I passed him his phone.

"Last time you bargained with her, you ended up in this marriage setup", he pointed out.

"I'm getting married because I want my mom to be happy, not because it's one of her bargained wish", I glared at him.

"Whatever you say, bro! Just watched out", he warned.

I know.

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Author's Note:

Finally, Manik's pov is here.

What do you think about him?

So, yeah! Manik's marriage is fixed with Prena.

What would happen to Nandini?
Or
The mysterious guy she met with in the flight?

What do you think is going to be the
"Bargained wish"?

Well for now
#Vote #Comment #Follow #Share❤️

_nidedita_