Hello Fam :)

Look who's here. The hero himself. :P

Happy Reading...

Manik Malhotra values time, both his and others. He tries to attend his meetings on time and go to the office on time. Of course, there are exceptions, days when his mother, Nyonika, had to wake him up because he was up all night and missed his morning alarm. Most of the time, it was because he was reading a book. Sometimes it's because someone kept him at night from going to sleep and it hurts him when the particular someone wouldn't be beside him in the morning to bear the consequences.

When his mobile buzzed, bringing him back from his thoughts, Manik parked his car at the corner of the road to answer it. It was Nyonika. "No, mom, I haven't slept on my way to the office or toppled my car over my thoughts." He was repeating the exact words of his mother when she waved him goodbye in the morning. The past few years had only twisted her humor close to his baby brother.

"Shut up, Manik", she scolded but Manik knew she was laughing. "I have called for a favor actually."

"I just left our home ten minutes back", he pointed out.

"What did the world come to? Children don't even want their mothers to call them", she complained.

"Mom, tell me. I am late already."

"By half an hour and you are the boss, you nerd", she told. "Anyways, stop indulging me in useless talk. Listen to me now."

Manik rolled his eyes. He was so much better with one dramatic person in his life when life offered him another.

"I have to go somewhere tomorrow and I want you to accompany me. Free your time tomorrow", she told.

"Okay, I will inform you after checking the schedule", told Manik. He mentally recollected if there are any important meetings he couldn't postpone.

"I am not giving an option, kid. Free your day. It's important", she ordered.

Manik frowned at the sudden seriousness in her tone. "Sure, mom. I will ask Meera to handle the office for tomorrow."

XXX

By the time Manik reached the office, he was tired. He had thought about all the possible reasons for this sudden important meeting but he couldn't come to a conclusion. Hence, when there was a commotion at the entrance, he ignored it, trusting his receptionist to handle the situation.

"Manik, Sir", she called him.

Maybe the universe was spinning in the opposite direction to him for the day. He took a deep breath and turned around.

"Sir, they don't have an appointment and are not even listening when I told them that you haven't come to the office yet", complained the receptionist.

Manik felt himself stiffen at the couple in front of him. The girl at the reception was complaining about them but he ignored her. How can he when the spinning of the universe took him back to four years in the past.

"I would have never believed that the CEO of Malhotra Industries could ever be late to the office. I thought you were the most punctual businessman, Mr. Malhotra", teased Abhimanyu.

Manik shook his head but a smile graced his face. "Unfortunately, I was stuck on the topic 'street food is the best' on a Skype call last night. I am still feeling sleepy but I wouldn't miss this for the world." He pulled Abhimanyu into a hug followed by Mukti.

"That must be Cabir", said Mukti. "Where is that idiot?"

"Out of town for a meeting", informed Manik. "He will be back in a few days. Why don't we sit down and talk?." When they nodded in answer, Manik turned to the receptionist. "Add them to the family list. No need for an appointment to meet Cabir or me."

XXX

When Manik reached his cabin, after asking his friends to sit down, he called his assistant. "Meera, good morning. Can you please block all the calls except if it's from mom? And coffee would be great. Ask someone to send it, please. For three. Thanks a lot." After disconnecting the call, he smiled at the two. "So, are you two getting married?"

"Honestly, I didn't think our meeting would be this smooth", told Abhimanyu. "Yes, we are planning. Engagement on the 26th of this month."

"You are my best friends. Why would this wouldn't be smooth? Cabir must have missed you guys so much", told Manik.

"What about you?", asked Mukti.

"Every day", he told. After Manik asked him not to, they had never discussed their friends during the past few years but at the end of the day, they were his friends, best and only. Manik shook his head. It wasn't time for overthinking about the past. "Anyways, congratulations on your engagement but first tell me about you. I know Abhimanyu is part of Thakkar industry. What about you, Mukti?"

"Project leader in a graphic designing firm", she said. "And you are ruling the business world."

"Actually, it's the team and I had a lot of help." It reminded him of someone. Someone he didn't know if he had a right to talk about. Some of his dilemmas must be visible on his face because Abhimanyu tapped on the table to gain his attention.

"Ask right away, Manik", he told.

Manik chuckled. Keep them apart for years and they still know what's going inside his head. "How's Nandini?", he asked. It felt strange to talk about her aloud after all this year.

In front of him, Abhimanyu and Mukti exchanged a look with each other, and when the boy sighed, deep and sad, Manik felt himself panicking.

"We need your help, Manik", said Abhimanyu. "We haven't been in contact with Nandini ever since our farewell. It was the last time we had seen her."

As they explained about their argument, the way Nandini left them without any clue of her whereabouts, Manik's worry only started increasing. This wasn't her typical behavior. The only reason Manik cut all his ties with Abhimanyu and Mukti was because he expected Nandini to have all their support instead of putting them in a fix to choose between their childhood best friend or him.

"We tried contacting you, Manik, but you had changed your number", informed Mukti.

"After that we gave up entirely on contacting you because that's what you wanted. It was already difficult for you to walk away from everything you have built during your two years of stay in India", Abhimanyu said. "We tried searching for her everywhere but she's faster. No hint, no clue, she just disappeared."

Manik nodded. They were right in their place. If Nandini wanted to escape from everyone in the world, she was capable enough to do that. It was how she had discovered their abandoned cabin. Sharing it with Manik was only an accident. "I dropped out of my MBA program because we have applied to the same course. Instead, I took a distance correspondence. How could she have left you when you two were the most important people for her in her whole life?", he muttered to himself.

Manik took out his telephone chord and dialed a number. Time for getting some answers. "Morning. Hey, can you please connect to Max from Durham branch?", he asked into the extension. "Hello, Max. I apolozige for calling you at this hour. Can you do something for me? I want to know if there's anyone by the name of Nandini Murthy graduated from the London University, possibly in business studies during the past four years. She is associated with Murthy industries and grand-daughter of late Mr. Goverdhan Murthy. This is extra information but please keep it confidential. Half an hour would be fine, thank you."

Half an hour later when Max called him to inform him that there has been no Nandini Murthy in the past four years, Manik banged his hand on the table. The action only reminded him of his head girl. "Nandini hasn't taken an admission in London but someone has taken over Murthy Industries as the granddaughter of Goverdhan Murthy. The world is yet to see her and she handles every meeting through blank Skype calls. Her location is unknown too." This was turning fishy. Why would Nandini operate her company in incognito? Unless there is a threat from the Murthys to the company after she had taken over their business. "Damn, I am feeling like Hercule Poirot."

"Isn't is Sherlock Holmes", Mukti asked.

"No, Poirot."

He was glad Abhimanyu had at least understood his reference as the realization dawned on him. "You think, there is a crime involved."

Manik nodded. "My instincts are against the Murthys but they are always against them. Our only relief is, at least she is fine since the company is operational. Give me some time. A week at least. I can get every person of mine to track her down."

Mukti frowned. "How are you sure that she is fine? The Murthys are good at manipulating things."

"Mukti, Murthy Industries is precious to her. She wouldn't let them manipulate it out of her hands. She is fine. She should be fine", Manik muttered. If hope is the only thing he has to hold on right now, however unrealistic it might be, he would hold on to his last hope.

Mukti came around the table to wrap her hands around Manik and Abhimanyu joined her. Manik prayed soon there should be another person to complete their group hug. 

We are already into the plot. :P

Who's next? Cabir or Nandini? 

How's Nyonika?