~Love or Revenge~
A Manan OS

Manik Malhotra got married today. He doesn't even know the girl's name let alone how does she looks.

It was an arranged marriage. He was not at all interested but due to family pressure he had to get married.

He entered into his room unwillingly. There he saw his bride sitting on the bed with her face covered with the veil. He sat in front of her and because of the ritual he pulled the veil up from her face to reveal her face. But as soon as he saw her face he became shocked. He was not expecting HER to be here as his bride.

(Nandini's look)

"Nandini!!!" Manik asked her in a shocked voice as she was the the last person he was expecting there.

"Yes, me," Nandini replied casually as if it's really normal for her to be here.

Manik and Nandini were in a relationship 2 years ago. But they broke up or we can say Manik left her when he felt she was not good enough for him. He found his perfect match in Inaya and left Nandini.

That day Nandini cried a lot and tried to made him understand but he didn't hear her and left leaving a broken Nandini behind.

But 6 months ago Manik got to know that Inaya was cheating on him that made him heartbroken. He broke up with her and from that time he was living like a complete DEVDAS. To mend his ways his family forced him to marry Nandini. But before marriage neither he met the girl nor he tried to know her.

Now he got to know that the girl is Nandini which made him shocked to the core.

"Why did you marry me, Nandini? You knew that you are getting married to me," Manik asked her looking down. He was not able to meet her gaze.

" You had left me, Manik but I have always loved you. I got to know about you. So, I had to come to cure you, to make you live again," Nandini replied softly with a smile on her face.

" But I don't deserve you. You deserve someone better. You deserve to be happy," Manik again tried to reason her.

" Shhh... It's late. Go, change and sleep," Nandini stopped him from saying anything further.

Manik got up and went to washroom to change while Nandini changed in the dressing room. Then they both slept on the bed. Nandini fall asleep as soon as she lied down. But sleep was far away from Manik. He kept staring at Nandini but unknowingly he also slept.

Next morning when Manik woke up Nandini was not there. He got up from the bed and freshened up then went down. There he saw Nandini serving breakfast to everyone.

Manik has a big family with Mom, dad, elder brother, bhabi, a nephew and grandfather.

Manik observed Nandini how easily she accepted everyone of his family.

Then he remembered Nandini saying him once, "Manik, after marriage we will live with your family only. I love joint families. They always stay together. I feel bore living alone in home when mom and dad are out."

Manik came out of his thoughts when his mother called him to join for breakfast. Without saying anything he sat down and started having his breakfast. He understood Nandini had made everything.

Today is Manan's reception. Nandini was getting ready in their room with beauticians. Manik was in other room getting ready.

Manik was already in the venue when Nandini reached all decked up in his favourite colour. Red. Nandini knew it was his favourite colour may be that's why she was wearing it.

(Manik's attire)

(Nandini's look)

Nandini was looking breathtaking beautiful. For a moment Manik forgot to breath. He was not able to take his eyes away from her. His trance broke when Nandini stood beside him and held his hand. They looked towards each other and passed a smile.

Everyone came a congratulated the newly wed. Then the photographer came and clicked a lot of pictures of them.

After the reception they came back home. They were sitting beside each other. Now Manik got a chance to talk to Nandini.

"Why did you marry me?" Manik again asked Nandini.

Nandini smiled at him before replying, "Everything is about destiny. Now when we are married, we should start our married life peacefully."

Manik didn't say anything more. He got up from bed and went to terrace. He lit up a cigarette. Before he could puff it Nandini came from behind and threw that away.

"Do you remember you had told after our marriage you will leave smoking so that our babies don't get this habit? Now we are married, so stop smoking," Nandini told him making him remember his own promise in which he just smiled thinking she still remembers.

Nandini gave him a chocolate and told, "Take this chocolate. From now on you will have these sweet chocolates and speak sweetly. Okay?"

Manik laughed hearing her after a long time. Nandini also laughed along with him.

From that day Manik never smoked. Whenever he tried to smoke hiding from Nandini, she always caught him. So, he stopped smoking.

Like this Nandini changes all Manik's bad habits. Everyone is happy seeing Manik changing for good and all this happened because of Nandini.

Manik also started going to office because of Nandini's constant nagging. He used to go to office in the morning and come back in the evening and spent time with everyone.

Manik is now completely in love with Nandini. He can't imagine his days without her. He always needs her. He can't find any of his things without her. The first thing he needs after getting up in the morning is her and the last thing he needs before going to sleep is her.

One day Manik came back form office and found the house empty. Only Nandini was there.

"Where is everyone?" Manik asked seeing Nandini alone.

" Everyone went to a marriage function," she replied him.

" Why didn't you go?" Manik asked her curiously as he knew everyone must have insisted her to join them.

"I didn't go because you can't do anything by your own and if you didn't find me, then you will take the whole house on your head. I can't afford that," Nandini replied naughtily making Manik laughed out loud.

Nandini also smiled seeing him and asked him to change giving him his clothes.

"Manik, come let's have dinner," Nandini called him for dinner.

" I'm not hungry. Let's go to terrace. The moon is looking so beautiful tonight," Manik told her huskily and picked her up in his arms.

But Manik felt her lighter than her usual shelves. He thought, "She has lost so much weight. Why? I am noticing her she is not well but she is not even saying anything. I will talk to Nandini tomorrow. I hope she is fine."

Then Manan went to terrace and talked to each other sitting in each other's arms with necessary pecks and kisses.

"You look so pretty tonight in this moonlight and specially in saree. I love it when you wear sarees," Manik said lovingly to Nandini and she blushed with a beautiful smile.

(Nandini's saree)

That night they made love for the first time. They finally became one soul.

They were laying in each other's embrace when Manik felt Nandini crying. He panicked.

"Hey, Nandini, why are you crying? Are you ok?" Manik asked with so much concern. He was scared seeing her crying.

" I am fine stupid. It's happy tears," Nandini said wiping her tears and smiled at him.

Manik sighed in relief and hugged Nandini tightly kissing on her hairs.

"Pagal. Who cries like this? You scared me," Manik told her lovingly still hugging her.

" Sorry," Nandini apologised with a cute pout which made Manik smile whole heartedly.

They slept in each other's arms.

After a few days
Nowadays Nandini is looking more pale. Manik noticed that and also noticed that she is taking some kind of pills. But whenever he tried to ask her, she always changed the topics.

One morning Manik woke up from sleep and found Nandini still sleeping. Manik was shocked a little seeing her sleeping till so late. As she always wakes up before everyone.

"What's wrong with her? Nandini never sleeps this late. I was telling her she is weak but this girl never listens to me. Let me wake her up," Manik thought in his mind.

He touched her hand to wake her up and found she is burning in fever. Manik was feeling like his breath stopped. He can't imagine a scratch on Nandini and here she is burning with fever.

"Nandini," he shouted after trying to wake her up a lot of time.

Hearing his shout, everyone came running to their room and found him sitting there patting Nandini's cheeks to wake her up.

They took Nandini to hospital. Manik didn't even say a word to anyone. He was just holding Nandini's hand sitting beside her.

"She has a viral fever and may be she was not given blood from a long time," doctor told after checking her properly.

Hearing doctor's word Manik came out of his trance and asked, "Given blood means? She was fine then why will we give blood to her?"

"She has Anemia. That's why she needs blood after every few days but may be she has not taken them," doctor made him understand.

Manik was shocked with the new found information about her. He never knew she has Anemia. He was cursing himself mentally for not asking her properly about her health.

"When will she woke up?" Manik asked the doctor.

"She will be up in an hour or two," doctor replied and Manik just nodded.

After the doctor left, Manik asked everyone to go back home and come back after sometime with Nandini's food and other belongings. They left and asked Manik to take of himself and Nandini.

After one and half hour Nandini opened her eyes and found Manik sitting beside her. Manik also saw her gaining conscious. Before she could tell him anything, he went out to call the doctor.

Manik came back with the doctor. Doctor checked her and told, "Fever has gone. We can give her blood now. Then she will be under observation for 2 days. After that you can take her home." doctor said and Manik nodded. Then he left from their.

After the doctor gone Nandini asked Manik to make her sit. Manik helped her to sit.

"Will you please do the honor of telling why you didn't tell me about your Anemia and you yourself also didn't come for your regular check up?" Manik asked her angrily.

Nandini started telling him holding his hands, "I loved you from last 6 years. But 2 years back you left me for Inaya but I was not able to forget you. I never thought I will get married to you."

She took a pause and again started telling, "When I got to know I am going to marry you. That time I thought to take revenge from you. I did not come for my regular check-up purposely. I knew that you won't be able to live without me. You can't do anything by yourself. And see I am successful. What you have made in just a few hours without me."

Manik kept looking at her with wide eyes. He was not able to believe his ears. Whatever she was doing all these days were just a part of her revenge.

Manik didn't reply anything. He asked her to sleep and came out of the room. He went to the washroom and cried his heart out.

After two days, Manan came back to home. In these days Manik never talked to her. If Nandini used to ask him something, then he would just answer them in a word or two.

Nandini was also getting restless with his this behavior. She tried a lot to talk to him properly but Manik never gave her a chance.

After a week
Now it was enough for Nandini. She vowed to talk to Manik tonight at any cost.

After dinner Manik came to room and gave Nandini her medicine. Then he was about to go but Nandini held his hand and made him sit forcefully.

"What's wrong with you, Manik? Why are you behaving like this to me?" Nandini asked him still holding his hands in hers.

But Manik did not reply.

She again continued, "Why are not you talking to me? You are ignoring me from the hospital."

Now Manik could not hold himself more and bursted out on her, "What's there to talk? This marriage, me, everything was just a revenge, right? Then how does it matter to you, if I talk to you or ignore you?"

Manik took a breath and again continued,"Tell me what do you want now? Should I divorce you? You don't need to pity on me anymore. I will continue living my life just the way I used to. You don't need to bother about me. Nor about me, nor about my life and nor the fact that I love you more than anything. I won't be able to take a single breath without you."

Saying this Manik stopped and Nandini kept looking at him. She knew now Manik has now fallen for her. She knew he loved her more than anything. She also loved him. But he loved her till this extent, she never imagined.

Nandini didn't say anything just pulled him by his collar and placed her lips on his. She was sucking his lips but Manik was shocked for a moment. As soon as he realized Nandini was kissing him, he kissed her back hungrily. The kiss was so wild and intense. They broke the kiss when they were out of breath.

"Never say you will divorce me. I also won't be able to breath without you. I can't be able to gather myself again, if this time you will leave me," Nandini said Manik still holding his collars in her tight grip and tears in her eyes.

Manik just nodded his head and hugged her tightly. Nandini also hugged him back. Manik also had tears in his eyes. But their was a smile on their face with those tears. It's going be a new beginning for them.

~The End~

I had thought of this plot a long time back. But penned it down now. Hope you enjoyed it. Don't forget to tell me how was it.

This cover is by  @Mysteriouzz8 Thanks to her for this lovely cover

02/07/2019