Later that Night...

Dhruv, Ishaan & Riya came down dejected.. 

"Humme bohot kaha Mom...lekin Bhabhi niche aa hi nahi rahi hai." Dhruv said.

"Haan badima. Bhabhi ne kaha unka khaana khaane ka mann nahi hai." Ishaan added.

"Usne kaha aur tum log mann ke niche aa gaye?" Nyonika stood up. "Khoon baha hai uska...khaana nahi khayegi toh negergy kaha se aayegi? Chalo....main manna ke niche laati hoon."

Nyonika went upstairs to talk to Nandini while the rest of the family sat down stairs talking about what happened.

"Mujhe toh uss bachi ke liye bohot burra lag raha hai." Sakshi said. "Kitna kuch sehna para usse...aur usse dekh ke koi nahi keh sakta yeh baat."

"Mujhe samajh nahi aa raha hai...Harsh aur Neelam bhabhi ne itni badi baat kyun chupaya. Kyun unn dono ne Nandini ko uss Gupta family ke saath chod diya....I just dont understand." Raj said. Manik was listening to everyone but also not listening...his eyes were on the stairs waiting for Nandini to come down and eat something but when even Nyonika appeared at the top of the steps with a defeated look, he knew she wasnt coming. Manik got up and just left from there. 

"Nyo...kya hua? Nahi manni?" Raj asked.

"Nahi...zid leke baith gayi. Paata nahi kya karun main." Nyonika said. Manik came back a moment later with a plate full of food. "Manik...yeh sab?"

"Mom agar Nandini niche nahi aa rahi hai toh hum upar jaa sakte hai right?" Manik said. "Aap sab khaana khaa lijiye, main Nandini ko khila dunga."

Nyonika smiled as Manik went upstairs to Nandini's room. 

Nandini lay face down on the bed crying softly as Manik entered.

"Yeh lakdi bhi na...chot lagi hai. Aaram se nahi bait sakti kya?" Manik rolled his eyes. He then placed the plat on the side table and sat on the edge of the bed, clearing his throat. "Ahemm.."

Seeing Manik there, Nandini sniffled and sat up straight then noticed the plate of food. "Maine Ma se kaha tha mujhe khaana nahi khaana."

"Toh tumse kisne kaha ki tumhare liye hai?" Manik said. He picked the plate up and started eating with the spoon. "MMM! So good!"

Nandini gave him a look. "Tum...tum yahan khaana khaane ke liye aaye ho?"

"Haan...kyun tumhe kya laaga? Tumhare liye aaya hoon?" Manik kept eating while Nandini was actually getting jealous. "Actually...Mom ne mujhe tumhe company dene ke liye bheja. Tumhe niche nahi aana hai na aur bakki sab khaana khaa rahe hai...toh I just brought my plate."

"Dekho toh isse... dusht aadmi, Golu Monster kahi ka.....yeh nahi ki thoda mana lo. Muh me bas khaana thuste ja raha hai. No wonder iska naam Golu hai" Nandini thought to herself, glaring at Manik as he kept eating.

"Hmmm this is so yummy! Mom ke haath ka khaana na...duniya mein best hai." Manik said. 

"How mean...ek baar bhi puch nahi raha hai. Manna maine manna kiya hai par ek baar formality ke khatir nahi puch sakta kya? Bhagwan kaare isse....acidity ho jaaye!" 

Grrr...

Nandini looked down at her stomach as it growled in hunger. Manik stopped himself from laughing.

"Actually you know...kuch zyada khaana le liya maine...you want some?" Manik asked.

"Oh really? Zyada khaana le liye hai toh mujhe puch rahe hai...pehle nahi puch sakta tha? Huh...mujhe nahi chahiye ab." Nandini glared at him. "Nahi...bhook nahi hai."

"Oh GOD! Kya karun main iss ziddi ladki ka! Khaane ka mann toh isse hai...phir bhi nahi mann rahi hai." Manik thought to himself. He shrugged and kept eating. "Ok."

Nandini didnt like that and just grabbed the plate starting to eat herself. "Ek baar pucha bas ho gaya...kabse main bhooki hoon ek do baar aur puchna chahiye na?"

"Haan toh tum bhooki apni marzi se ho na? Sab ne tumhe khaana khaane ke liye pucha tha...tum hi nahi aayi."

"I was upset...iska matlab yeh toh nahi ki tum plat bhar ke khaana leke mere samne baith ke khaati jauge! Mr Insensitive Malhotra!"

"Insensitive hota toh khaana leke nahi aata." Manik mumbled but Nandini heard him and looked at him.

"Tum...tum yeh mere liya laaye they?" Nandini asked.

"Main khaa raha tha yeh dikha...par spoon khaali tha yeh nahi dikha tumhe?" Manik asked. Nandini now felt bad for internally cursing him so much.

"Sorry....tumhe acidity nahi hogi." Nandini blurted out. Manik gave her a weird look as he didnt know what she was saying.

"What?"

"Uh..I mean...sorry...just sorry." 

"Ok...khaana khaa lo." Manik said. Nandini nodded slowly and continued to eat. "Nandini....Harsh Uncle aur Neelam Aunty ne jo bhi kiya wo-"

"Mujhe uske baare mein koi baat nahi karni." Nandini firmly said. "They left me....who does that? Apne bache ko kaun chodke jaate hai? Itne saalon tak main kisi aur ko apna baap samajhti thi....woh insaan jo mujhe pasand hi nahi karte. I dont know whats worse.... A step- father who hates me or birth father who just didnt care enough..."

A tear rolled down Nandini's face and Manik caught it before it fell. He slowly wiped her tears away. "Shh...dont cry. Tum agar nahi chahte toh iss baare mein nahi baat karenge hum....just dont cry pls. Tum rohte ho toh-"

"Toh?" Nandini asked.

"Toh....toh Mom Dad ko burra lagega na?" Manik said. "Aur mujhe bhi...paata nahi kyun par main tumhe rohte hue dekhna bardasht hi nahi kar sakta. I just dont like it."

"Manik...woh chakku wala aadmi?" Nandini suddenly remembered. "Uska kya hua?"

"He got away..Rehan dhund rahe hai. Chodenge nahi usse...." Manik said.

Meanwhile in Dhawan Mansion...

Neelam & Harsh were sitting on their couch devasted from what happened while their kids were very unhappy with them.

"Nandini humari behen hai...tabhi.." Abhi sighed. "Tabhi.....jab hum usse mile she already felt like family. Usne jab mujhe aur Cabir ko bhai bola toh it just felt right. Lekin....now we cant even face her,aap dono ne jo kiya uske vajah se."

"Meri toh best friend thi Nandini. Usse baat kiye bina meri din puri nahi hoti thi....ab kya karungi main? Ab main Nandini ko kya bolungi?" Riddhima asked her parents. They stayed silent as they knew they deserved this. Cabir Abhi & Riddhima left but Mukti & Meera stayed behind as they could tell Harsh & Neelam felt terrible.

"Mom Dad....chinta mat kijiye. Im sure jald hi sab thiik ho jayega. Sab naraz hai abhi...par woh apke bache hai...kab tak naraz rahenge?" Mukti said.

********************

Next Morning...

Manik woke up and found himself in bed next to Nandini in her room. Or more specifically Nandini was sleeping in 90% of the bed while Manik slept in the remaining 10%...and even still, Nandini's arms and legs were some how on TOP of Manik.

After making Nandini eat, Manik spent the rest of the night talking to Nandini and making her feel better. Even he didnt know when they fell asleep.

Slowly but gently, Manik moved Nandini's arm and then her leg so that he could get out of bed but Nandini immediately plopped them right back ontop of him, snuggling closer. Manik AGAIN slowly moved her arm and leg but....she AGAIN plopped them back onto him and inched even closer in her sleep. He tried moving her again and then..

Thud...

He found himself falling out of the bed. "Aah..."

Nandini woke up from the sound and looked down at him, blinking. "Manik...tum wahan niche kya kar rahe ho? Kuch gir gaya kya?"

"Haan." Manik rubbed his butt as he got up. "Main!"

"Oh...oops." Nandini grinned sheepishly.

"Seriously Nandini...tumhare paas pura bed tha phir bhi tum mere upar soh rahi thi!" Manik complained. 

"Haan toh...yeh mera kamra hai. Nandini Manik Malhotra ke kamre mein sone ka haq kisne diya?" Nandini demanded to know. She was now getting a bit more comfortable with Manik and also realizing there was another side to him

"Badi attitude dikhayi jaa rahi hai." Manik narrowed his eyes and leaned closer to Nandini.

"Bhai wo-oops!" Ishaan opened the door and quickly clamped his hand over his eyes turning around. "Maine kuch nahi dekha!"

"Abe idiot, kuch ho hi nahi raha hai toh tu dekhega kya?" Manik got up. "Kya bolne aya tha?"

"Woh bhai...Dhruv bhai aur rehan bhai aapko dhund rahe hai. Aapke study mein hai."

"Hmm..ok." Manik nodded. The three of them then went downstairs. Manik was about towards his study when Abhi, Cabir & Riddhima entered.

"Nandini....kaisi ho? Dard toh nahi ho raha hai na zyada?" Riddhima asked. Nandini just looked away and went towards the kitchen leaving Riddhima and her brothers feeling sad. Dhruv came out to look for Manik and stopped after seeing them. Manik didnt say anything and just walked into his study while Dhruv went to Riddhima who was crying. Ishaan awkwardly left from there.

"She hates me now...Dhruvji."

"Aisa nahi hai Riddhima...Im sure bhabhi bohot ache se jaanti hai that you are not at fault. Infact Cabir Bhaiyya...Abhi bhaiyya....she knows none of you are at fault. Woh aap sab se naraz nahi hai bas....Harsh Uncle aur Neelam Aunty se hai. Just give her some time,sab thik ho jayega." Dhruv explained. "Aur Riddhima...bhabhi best friend hai na tumhari? Do girl best friends toh pehle se hi behenon ki tarah hote hai...so nothing has changed between you two."

Riddhima nodded and hugged Dhruv. "Thank you Dhruvji."

"No problem..." Dhruv smiled then he turned to Cabir & Abhi. "Cabir bhaiyya...Abhi bhaiyya...woh aadmi mil gaya hai."

"Mil gaya? Kab?" Abhi asked.

"Kal raat ko hi....Bhai ke study mein hai."

Riddhima went to work while Cabir & Abhi then followed Dhruv into the study where the man who had attacked Manik was tied to a chair. His face was swollen and bloody from being beaten by Manik.

"Kuch bola isne bhai?" Dhruv asked.

"Nahi....saale ne abhi tak muh nahi khola. Paata nahi kisne bheja isse." Manik growled. Cabir & Abhi took out there gun and pointed it to the man.

"BOL! Kisne bheja hai tujhe? Kiske liye kaam karta hai tu?" Cabir yelled.

"Its Harshad....hai na? Aur kaun hoga Manik." Abhi said. 

"Guys! We need him alive...yahi humme baata sakta hai ke kaun attack karwa raha hai." Manik motioned for Abhi & Cabir to lower their guns. The man just chuckled and didnt say a word but that just pissed Manik off.

"Iski toh-" Manik started punching the man in the face again. He then grabbed him by the collar. "Sunn be...tera zinda rehna zaroori hai par utna bhi nahi. Agar mera dimaag ghum gaya toh yahi pe tujhe ghaar dunga...samjha?"

"Yeh aise muh nahi kholega." Abhi said. "Rehaan...take him to the basement. Do din bina khaaye piye rahega toh sab ugal dega yeh."

Rehan nodded and taped the man's mouth shut before dragging him out of the study to the door opposite from there which led to the basement."Chal.."

He opened the basement door and took him down then took him into another room down there and left him in there locking the door.

**************

A few hours later, Nandini was sitting on the couch, peeling some potatoes since thats all the work Nyonika allowed her to do. She wasnt even allowed to go to work because of her injury. All the men of the house, expect for Prithvi and Ishaan had left for some work and only the women were there. Riya and Ishaan had just arrived from college and were watching tv while Prithvi was sitting beside Nandini and reading the news paper.

"Dadaji.." Nandini spoke up.

"Haan puttar bol."

"Woh...yahan pe toh aloo khatam ho gaya hai par Ma uar Chachi aloo ke parathe bana rahe hai....itne se kya hoga?" Nandini asked.

"Haan...woh shayad niche basement mein aur aloo rakhe hai. Mein naukar ko bolta hoon rukh."

"Nahi Dadaji...main jaati hoon na. Vaise bhi Ma mujhe koi kaam hi nahi karne de rahi hai...bore ho rahi hoon." Nandini said.

"Acha thik hai. Tu ja." Prithvi laughed. Nandini got up and went to the basement door and walked down. In the main room there was many household items stored. Like extra spices, extra rice bags....toilet paper rolls etc. However, Nandini didnt see any potatoes.

"Yahan toh nahi hai...kya karun?" Nandini looked around and saw the other door which instead of being locked was open a crack. "Shayad uss room mein raha hoga...dekhti hoon."

Nandini opened the door but it was pitch black. "Light kaha hai?"

She felt around on the wall but then slipped on something fell to the floor. She could feel the wet but sticky liquid on the floor and was disgusted. "Yuck...kya hai yeh?"

Quickly Nandini got up and went to the wall again, after feeling around for a bit she found the switch and turned the light on. Thats when she saw that her hands were all red.....dripping from her fingers and all over her clothes was.....blood. Nandini couldnt breathe....she slowly turned and there in the middle of the room, still tied to the chair was the man who attacked Manik. His body was covered with bullet holes and blood was pooling on the floor.

"AAAHHHHHHHH!" Nandini let out a blood curling screech. Hearing her, everyone came running down to see waht happened. Prithvi & the others were surprised to see the dead body and worried about Nandini. Riya flinched and closed her eyes.

"Mom...yeh toh manik bhai ki jail hai. Woh maar ke yahan pe kabhi nahi rakhte...phir yeh?" Ishaan whispered to Sakshi.

"Shh...tu Nandini ko upar leke jaa. Hum dekte hai." Sakshi said. 

"Nandini beta. Tu Ishaan aur Riya ke saath upar jaa." Vasudha spoke up. As a doctor, Nandini had seen death before...but never like this. She was in shock completely. 

"Bhabhi...chaliye." Riya & Ishaan took Nandini away from there.

"Yeh sab kya hai? Isko maar ke yahan pe kyun rakha gaya?" Prithvi was furious. "Manik kaha hai?"

"Bauji...mujhe nahi lagta Manik ne yeh kiya hai. Mera Manik kabhi maar ke iss ghar ke andaar nahi rakhega...kahi pe bury kar deta woh. Yeh kisi aur ka kaam hai." Nyonika replied. "Main abhi Manik ko call karke batati hoon."

As Nyonika called Manik, Prithvi was in deep thought. "Sab toh bahar gaye hai...yeh kiya kisne?"

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Note: Thoughts on this chapter?

Thoughts on MaNan?