Flashback

Now it's been a week passed since Nandini left the house. Manik is pretending that he's happy in front of his friend but from inside he is breaking down a bit by bit in the poll of guilt. And the most important thing is that he doesn't even know where she is? Is she alright?

When she was with him, he wasn't accepting her and treating her like shit but now when she isn't with him, his soul is craving for her.

Somebody said truly that the value of a person, we come to know when the person goes far away from us.

Manik also realised her importance in his life after she left him.

Manik is sitting on the bed and eyes musing on the mirror. He is thinking about that day when he had treated her terribly when she was applying the cream on her face.

The whole scene is coming in front of his eyes as like he is watching any movie.

"You think you will become beautiful after applying the cream?" Manik asked after snatching the cream from her hand.

He grasped her arm and turned her towards the mirror before rubbing the fistful of cream on her face.

"Look, after applying cream also, you will look ugly only." He again insulted her and her eyes brimmed with tears. She stared at Manik through the mirror dejectedly and Manik is just glaring at her in anger.

He shut his eyes dejectedly and big tears trickled down his cheeks.

"I'm sorry that I lied to you that day, the truth is that you always look naturally beautiful without any cream or make, all these things are not made for you, but I never able to tell you this. I always treated you terribly to suppress my true feelings and you bore all pain." He murmured, his eyes are filled with immense guilt and tears constantly rolling down his cheeks. He's sobbing like a baby because of the guilt.

The knock on the door startled him and he hastily wiped his tears, coming back to reality. He stood up and strolled to open the door.

"Bhai, we have performance, are you ready?" Mukti asked him, he gave her a slight nod, staring at her blankly.

"Bhai, are you fine? If not then we can postpone the meeting." Mukti asked, placing her hand over his shoulder.

He answered her instantly. "Mukti, I'm fine. It just that I need a break."

"Bhai, take a break then. Go, New York, I know you must be frustrated after bearing that small-town uneducated girl for a month." As Mukti said, he fisted his hand but gave her a tight-lipped smile.

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Manik is sitting in the back seat of the car, coming back to the mansion after his performance. He is finding himself alone after having so much huge fan following. At the performance, so many people were hooting his name, but at that moment he just wanted to listen to his name from her wife's mouth. He is dying to listen to her sweet and pleasant voice. Today he depicted his true emotions through his song, he wanted to convey his true feelings to her through his today's performance in the hope she would listen to his song.

As his phone rang up, he answered his call. "Hello."

"Sir, we found that girl." The detective informed him and a smile flashed on his face.

"Then tell me, where is she?" He asked, his eyes glinted with curiosity.

"She is in the small village of Mumbai, Gorai." He told him and he smiled widely. He became so excited to meet her and confess his love.

"Great Job. Now message me her whole address." Manik said and disconnected the call.

"Finally I get a ray of hope to get you back. I'm coming, Nandini, this time I'm gonna fill your life with immense happiness and love."

Gorai, a small village in Mumbai

Nandini is cooking in the kitchen, lost in her thought. She is wearing a plain blue suit. Her hairline is still filled with vermilion and still, she is wearing magalsutra around her neck. Her face has become pale yet she is looking beautiful. Her eyes filled with pain.

A lady at age of fifty stepped into the kitchen. "Nandini beta, khana ban gya? (Is the food is ready, Nandini.)" As she asked, Nandini came on the earth back and moved her eyes to the lady.

"Haan, aunty Ji, bash ho hi gya. (Yes, it's almost done.)" She answered her in her sweet voice.

"Nandini, ab tum ae hi gye ho toh Sona ko bhi kuch sikha kar jana, itni badhi ho gye hai ab tak gol roti bhi nhi ati banani ushai. (Nandini, now you have come here, so go after teaching some cooking to Sona. She can't even cook round chapattis.)" She gave her a warm smile and nodded in response.

"Acha Ji toh humhari shikyat ho rhi hai, mummy. (Okay, you're complaining about me, Mumma.)" A woman stepped into the room. She's Sonali, Nandini's childhood friend and daughter of her Aunt Sakshi. She is well educated, studied in Mumbai college.

"Sona, aisa kuch nhi hai. (Nothing is like that.)" Nandini said, stirring the vegetable in the frying pan.

"Sona, mein bol rhi thi Nandini se kuch sikho, itna acha khana banati hai. (Sona, learn something from Nandini, she cooks such delicious food.)" Sakshi praised her and she gave her a small smile in response.

"Nandini, tumhne toh apne sasural mein sbka dil jeet liya hoga. (You must have won everyone's heart in-law house with your cooking.)" As Sakshi said, her lips drew down in sadness, recalling about how everyone had treated her there. Sona noticed her expression.

"Mummy aap bhar jaeye, mein aur Nandini khana lekar ate hai. (Mumma, you go, we will bring the food.)" Sakshi nodded and walked out of the kitchen. Nandini again get lost in her thoughts, staring straight.

"Nandini, tum thik ho? (Are you fine?)" Sona asked concernedly, placing her hand on her shoulder and she came out of her thoughts. She just gave her a slight nod.

________________

Nandini is arranging the bed grimly, lost in the thoughts like always.

"Nandini, ab toh ek hafta hogya hai aur hum dekh rhai tum kush nhi ho, I'm your friend humshai toh tum share kr hi skti ho. (Nandini, It's been a week passed, I'm seeing you aren't happy. I'm your friend, you can share with me.)" Sona insisted to share her problem with her but she didn't respond to her as she is utterly lost in her own world.

"Nandini, mein tumshai bat kar rhi hoon, tum sun bhi rhi ho? (I'm talking to you, Nandini, are you listening to me?)" Sona shook her her.

"Hum thik hai bash tumshe mile hue itna time hogya tabhi hum yha ae hai, hum chale jaenge. (I'm fine. I just came here because we didn't meet for so long and I was missing it. I'll go from here soon.)" She answered Sona with a deadpan expression on her face.

Sona chided her. "Pagal ho gye ho kya tum? Meine yeh kab kha ki tum yha se chli jao, mein bsh itna chahti hoon ki tum apna pain mujhse share karo. (Are you crazy? When did I ask you to leave? I just want you to share your sorrow with me.)" She's genuinely concerned for her.

"Sona, kuch bate hum share nhi kr sakte, time ane par hum tumhai sab bataenge. (I can't share with you now but when the right comes, I'll share with you everything.)" She answered her blankly and Sona just pulled her in her arms.

Sona and Nandini are like sisters. When Sona got to know about her marriage, she became so angry for not inviting her to marriage. Nandini didn't tell her that her husband is the Rockstar Manik.

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Manik reached the village in the evening but as soon as he entered the village, his car stopped working.

He hurriedly took the lift from the truck driver as he doesn't want to waste the time. He is so eager to meet her and tell her that how much he loves her.

He is sitting at the back of the truck, having a constant smile on his face as finally, he will meet her. He just wanna apologise to her and wants to share his problem with her and wants to confess his love. He is dying to tell her that how much her husband loves her.

But it is not going to be easy.

______________________

"Wow, aaj toh Manik ki live performance thi, abhi repeat telecast aa hi rha hoga. (Wow, today was the live performance of Manik, Now I just can't wait to watch the repeat telecast of his performance.)" Sona squealed, turning on the TV excitedly.

Nandini is cutting the vegetable for dinner but as she listened to his name, she cut her finger mistakenly.

She didn't feel any pain and didn't even hiss in pain as her inner wound is deeper than this small cut. Physical pain is nothing in front of her inner pain.

"Sona, hum ate hai. (I just come.)" She stood up and walked to the kitchen because she knows if she stays here, she won't able to control her emotions after seeing him on the TV.

(Tu safar mera
Hai tu hi meri manzil
Tere bina guzara
Ae dil hai mushkil)

She stopped at the door only as she heard his melodious voice. She felt a sharp pain in her heart and tears started trickling down her cheeks as his voice is making her weak. She is unaware from the reality that the song which he is singing he is singing for her only, from the core of his heart.

(Tu mera khuda
Tu hi duaa main shaamil
Tere bina guzara
Ae dil hai mushkil)

She wants to run from there but her legs became like jelly listening to his voice. Her breath became heavy.

"Sona, please band karo isse. (Stop the song.)" She yelled, palming her ears. Sona stared at her in shock after turning off the TV.

That time only Manik reached in front of her house. She felt his presence and murmured, "Manik ji."

She rushed downstairs because she's feeling like he's near her. Her dupatta fell on her way only. She became so excited to meet him, forgetting everything.

Manik raised his hand to press the button of the doorbell but before that only she opened the door and stared at him incredulously. "Manik Ji." She whispered in a disbelief tone.

A beatific smile flashed on his face and his eyes shone with happiness. The girl for whom he was praying to see, finally now that girl is standing in front of his eyes.

As their eyes met, they got lost in each other's intense eyes. They both are trying to read each other's eyes but only seeing immense pain in each other eyes.

"Manik Ji, aap sach mein hai. (Manik Ji, are you really here?)" She said touching his face to confirm and he closed his eyes as his hand touched his face like finally he got his breath back and a shiver rushed down his spine.

After that she without saying anything just hug him tightly, encircling her arms around his neck and standing on her toes. That time Manik was not in a state to do anything, he is in utter shock. He can't able to believe that she's really in his arms. He's feeling like the whole world is in his arms. Now he just wants to store her in his arms forever and never let her go away from him.

As he raised his arms to wrap around her, she recalled something and suddenly shouted, pushing him away. "No."

"Nhi aap chale jaye. (Go from here.)" She shouted and shut the door on his face. She became hysterical and cried, holding the knob of the door.

"Manik Ji, aap kyu ae hai yha jab aap kisi aur se pyaar krte hai. (Manik, why did you come here when you love someone else.)" She sobbed, her heart is aching painfully.

On the other hand, Manik is standing like a statue. He can't able to believe that the girl who was in his arms a few seconds ago, now she is behind the door.