Ranjhan dhoondhan main chaleya

Ranjhan mileya naa ye...

Jigraan vichon agan laga ke Rabba

Laqeeran vich likh di judaai

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India 2005

"Nandini Murthy you have a bad habit of slapping people" Harshad said with rage Nandini slapped him in front of everyone. He was determined to take revenge from her and a fear engulfed in Nandini

Harshad was about to hurt Nandini when Manik punched him and Harshad's jaw touched ground. "Touch a hair on her and I'll dig everyone's grave" Manik beated Harshad till he had a broken nose and black eye.

Nandini dragged Manik out of the mess to their favourite spot. The stairs.

"Why did you opted fight Manik" Nandini shouted

"Why do you always have to slap people, specially people like Harshad" he shouted and trapped her in between wall and him

"I'm sorry" she whispered tracing his jaw with her thumb Manik moved a little closer and their lips met.

The words they couldn't form in sentence were present in kiss. The kiss was of bliss, hunger, passion, security, desire, want, need and top of all LOVE.

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Singapore 2016

Nandini sat on the window railing stream of tears trail down her eyes making her cheeks wet and lips dry. She hiccuped again and sobbed but no one was there to listen to her. Till a week ago someone was there to listen to her rant, her sobs, her cries but today she was all alone.

Aryaman left...

Ten years ago Manik left her but that was his fault but this time Aryaman left her and it wasn't his choice. He tried his best to stay, fought till his last breath but couldn't make it.

Manik wasn't loyal to her but Aryaman was. Aryaman had always loved her and loved her till the last breath. Six months of her marriage were a bliss, she felt cherished, she left loved, she left safe. She was always in his arms clung to each others life.

"Nandini let's go" her mother pulled her elbow

"Mom please" Nandini pleaded with teary eyes

"It's a ritual Nandini after husband's death you need to cut your hair" her mother explained

A week ago Aryaman died and Nandini's life took a drastic change. The in-laws she thought were lovable now have become the devil of her life. She saw true colours of the people she once called family. Aryaman had redeem her life so effortlessly that she never thought a person can also have two faces.

She never imagined her mother-in-law to be so cruel on her. They blamed her for Aryaman's death. They believed in orthodox ritual and orthodox religions. They never thought if they have lost thier son it's Nandini as well who has lost her husband, her partner.

Her mother pulled her downstairs where barber's are present to cut her long silky hair. Aryaman loved and admired her long silky hair which reach till her waist. It was an orthodox ritual to cut women's hair after their husband's death and cut it completely.

"Maaa please don't do this with me" Nandini pleaded in front if her mother-in-law

"Because of you I lost my son.. It was all your plan" she accused

"How can I plan cancer maa" she cried

"Your a witch you killed my son" Mrs Khanna pushed Nandini hard and she fell on floor

Nandini's mother was helpless she couldn't do anything she tried to explain them, tried to talk to them, tried to change their mind but couldn't.

"I loved him maa he was my husband" she cried bitterly

"Love!! Huh!! We all know your history Nandini, you never loved my son you only loved someone than it was Manik. You and your lover killed my son" Mrs Khanna shouted

Nandini never ever imagined she would be accused for her own husband's death and her name will be added with her former lover. She haven't seen or heard anything about Manik since six months. The last she saw him on her marriage day.

"Please cut her hair and end this ritual" Mrs Khanna shouted

Two women caught Nandini's arm and dragged her to the barber. She tried to wiggle out of their arms but couldn't she tried to go but couldn't, her picture perfect life was no more picture perfect it was coated in darkness and eloped in fear.

She closed her eyes and accept her dreadful fate. She hated her fate it always played with her. Ten years ago fate played his game and she lost her first love and now ten years later again fate played his game and she lost her second love. Before it was Manik's choice and now Aryaman was out of choice.

She felt the women's left her hand and she couldn't feel the barber cutting her hair. When she opened her eyes she was under the shadow of a tall muscular man. She saw everyone was watching her the man's back was visible to her. The man had caught barber's hand and pushed him.

When he turned Nandini was brought back in time ten years ago he saved her when he was there for her rescue. He was her refuge at that time and today as well.

"Touch a hair on her and I'll dig everyone's grave" he threatened and people's eyes went wide

"Manik leave" Nandini's mother ordered

"Of course Mrs Murthy I will but with Nandini" he said and grabbed her arm

"She is a part of our family" Mrs Khanna shouted

"Really!!" She said sarcastically "this how you treat your family. Aryaman won't be pleased by watching all this" he said

"Manik!!" Nandini whispered

"She is a widow. Who are you? Her former boyfriend? A long lost love? What right do you have on her? You can't prove authority on her?" Mrs Khanna retorted in anger

"I'm her soon to be husband" he answered all the questions in just a line and everyone around started whispering about Nandini's character

"She can't marry you not before six month. A widow has to at least wait for six months to marry twice" A priest present stated

"Fine after six months I'll marry her" he finalise the statement and turned his heels grabbing Nandini elbows and walked away

"Such a characterless girl" Mrs Khanna murmured enough for everyone to listen

Manik stopped in his tracks and turned to face others "a word against my women and I won't budge to drag you on streets and make you live a life of a beggar. Don't test Manik Malhotra my one phone call and you will be in debts" he threatened with a tight smile and dragged Nandini out of the house.

It felt like ages Nandini had been out in fresh air. After Aryaman's death she has cocooned herself in their room in their memories. Till now Nandini was in dazed shocked. The three sixty degree change fate is playing with her was too much for her.

In just a week her life changed upside down. Once the refuge was back and once the savier was no more in her life, in this world. When she took a hold of what's happening in her surrounding she pushed Manik and untangled their hands.

"Why did you come?" She shouted tears were still dry in her eyes

"Aryaman asked me too" he said

"I'll never belive you Manik Malhotra" she shouted

"I'll tell you everything first sit in the car and let's go to a hotel" he pleaded

"I lost my husband that doesn't mean you have a chance with me, get it" she shouted with all her anger

Manik was never a calm person the blood in his viens boiled and he shouted "I don't even want a chance with you, I'm here it's out of my choice, get it. And if you are so eager to go you can I'm not stopping but take your pick if you come with me I'll give a better life and freedom and if you chose to stay you will be trapped and drwoned in orthodox ritual" he explained furiously

"I'm in my car take your pick..." he said and went towards his car leaving Nandini with two ways. One that has hope of ray of new beginning and one which is coated in darkness.

A/N: Hello family!! Good to see you guyss again.. Hope you guyss like this chapter and do vote and comment as much as you can.. next part will have answers to all your unsaid questions.. I don't know any ritual so please stop criticising this part. It's just my imagination co-operate. It's not to hurt anybody's feelings. I think story is going amazingly as per my thinking what do you guyss think..:)