93. ACCIDENT!

Manik:- Why are you helping me, Harshad? 

Harshad took a deep breath and looked at Nandini before explaining. 

Harshad:- I met Nandini…… last night and instantly fell for her at the first sight. I never felt the way I felt for her. This is the first time I liked or said…… loved a girl. 

Ca:- ( sarcastically ) and now, you will get beaten the way you have never been beaten before. 

The rest of the over-possessive father and brother nod in agreement while Nandini is calculating something else. 

Nandini:- oh….. Yeah toh straight nikala and my lover too. ( to Manik ) What’s say should I accept his offer? (oh… he is straight and my lover too.) 

Manik:- ( Sarcastically ) so, should I accept Sona’s proposal? Only if you are interested in his offer. 

Nandini:- ( with a bad face ) let’s move forward…… 

Manik:- ( with a big bright smile ) Why? What happened? Now, you are not interested in him. ( eyeing Harshad who is confusingly looking at them ) 

Nan:- I was never interested in anyone except you. I said that only to make you jealous because your soulmate ( Harshad ) is interested in me rather than you. 

Nandini explained but this statement went above Manik’s head. He ignored her and focused on Harshad. 

Harshad:- but today, I got to know what my father planned for Nandini. So, I come here to tell you everything. 

Manik:- I can’t trust you Harshad. 

Harshad:- but Manik, you have no choice. And trust me one last time. I truly love her and want to save her. 

Manik is adamant in not trusting him and seeing his expressions Harshad continues.

Harshad:- Manik……. Sona’s life is in danger and to save her, my dad wants Nandini to take revenge for his dead daughter. If you will not trust me then you have to choose between Nandini and Sona. 

Ma:- and my answer will always be Nandini. She is with me safe and sound. After that, I don’t care about anyone. 

Nan:- But Manik…… Sona is in this trouble because of us. We have to do something. 

Harshad:- she is right Manik……. And I swear on my mother. I come here to help you…… keep our differences away. 

Manik thought for a moment and eventually agreed to take his help because he knows how much Harshad loves his mother. He can’t just swear on her without any reason. 

Harshad:- thank you…… 

Raj:- But Harshad, why are you helping us? 

Raj raised his question with which everyone agrees because Harshad is a guy who never does anything if he is not benefited from that. 

Harshad:- ( with a smirk ) you know much about me uncle, don’t you? 

Raj:- ( with his usual Malhotra’s attitude ) we always keep an eye on our rivals whether they are related to business or personal.

Harshad nods and says with a slight smile. 

Harshad:- I agreed that I am going against my dad…..but you are forgetting that he is my step-dad. He is cheating on my mother with other women and my mother thinks that he loves her unknown to the fact that he is behind her for the property. 

Ram:- ( angrily ) once a cheater always a cheater. 

Harshad:- correct, Mr. Murthy. ( to Raj ) You guys want him away from your family and I want him away from my mother. We both are on the same side. So,….. we are together, right? 

He asked for a positive answer and Manik found him genuine this time that’s why he shook hands with him. 

Ma:- Let’s take this MANISH SAXENA out of our lives. 

Harshad:- good choice. 

Ma:- ( sternly with red eyes ) But let me clear it to you, Harshad, that Nandini is not a part of it. You have feelings for her I agreed……… but keep her away from our rivalry because if I find out any suspicious acts of yours then mark my words I will destroy you. SHE IS ALL MINE…… REMEMBER THAT. 

But Manik’s last statement didn’t go well with Raman Murthy. 

Ram:- Nandini is my daughter also. So, give me some credit too. What is “SHE IS ALL MINE…”?

Everyone rolls their eyes seeing jealous Raman whereas Nandini goes all aww on her dad. 

Nan:- don’t worry dad….. I am your daughter forever. ( pointing at Manik and Harshad ) They are just passing affairs. 

Manik widens his eyes whereas Harshad coughs hearing her statement with a murmur “She is dangerous” and wipes his sweat. 

Nan:- ( to Harshad ) By the way Harshad, your dad is not a good planner. I mean he had a fair chance to kidnap me but why did he kidnap Sona? And then asked me for an exchange. 

Everyone palmed their faces even Harshad too while Manik asked a question. 

Ma:- Why are you asking that, Nandini? Are you planning to get kidnapped? 

Nan:- ( excitedly ) yes!………

Her answer gives shock to everyone present there but she continues.  

Nan:- I always dreamt that someone kidnaps me and asks lakhs to release me and my father says that my daughter is as precious as crores. So, I will give you crores and you will give me my daughter back. 

She said dreamily giving aftershocks to everyone. 

Ca:- Mom, Whose face did you see before giving her birth? 

Ish:- YOURS! 

Cabir got embarrassed with Ishita’s answer while the rest giggled at his expense, making him annoyed. 

Nan:- for what we are waiting for? Let’s go to meet Manish uncle and I want answers from him. 

Ma:- what type of answers……… Why didn’t he kidnap you? 

Nan:- you know me so well, Manik. I am impressed. 

Ma:- ( angrily ) Nandini before practicing Doctor get yourself treated. Your brain needs some good attention. 

Hearing his statement, Harshad gasped and palmed his heart in shock.

Harshad:- Is she a science student? 

Nan:- ( with narrowed eyes ) what do you mean by that? And why are you asking that? 

Harshad:- because you don’t look so intelligent. I mean are you sure that you are going to be a doctor? 

Ma:- ( sympathetically ) I took a year to believe that and you will definitely take some years to digest that. 

Harshad:- Then, I am feeling pity for the patients who will come to her for their treatment. 

Ma:- ( putting his hand on Harshad’s shoulder ) I feel the same bro…..

Hearing them, Nandini pouts angrily and replies with a lip tight smile. 

Nan:- You know what Manik…….. You can have an affair with Harshad because your’s and his thoughts are the same. Don’t you think so….? Then, you guys can continue your bromance. 

Harshad:- Manik…… Why she is interested in turning me into a gay? 

Ma:- ( while rolling his eyes angrily ) she is changing your interest when you don’t have a relationship with her. But look at me, she is adamant to make us a couple. She is trying to make her future husband gay.  

Saying this he looks at Nandini who shrugged her shoulders because this is her sweet revenge as they paired up to make fun of her. 

Raj:- Manik, leave that. We will consult with a reputed doctor later for Nandini’s check-up. Now, we need to do something to bring Sona back. 

Nandini pouts angrily and turns her face showing her anger making others roll their eyes seeing the drama of soon to be a doctor. 

Harshad:- Dad is at our old farmhouse on the outskirts of the city. 

Abhi:- we should inform the police before going there. 

Harshad:- ya….. He is right. 

Nan:- Then, why are we waiting? Let’s go….. 

Ma:- one second….one second, where are you going Iron lady? 

Nan:- with you…….

Ma:- No…..no…… you are not coming with us. 

Nan:- May I know why? 

Ram:- because we are saying. 

Nan:- ( cribbed ) But dad, Manish uncle wants to meet me……no? So, I will come with you guys. 

Ma:- you are not coming with us, Nandini. If you want to meet your ( sarcastically ) Manish uncle then, you can pay a visit to the jail. 

Nandini huffed and let them go with a heavy heart. She is not feeling well but still, she didn’t tell anyone about that. 

After almost an hour, she received a call that shattered her like broken glass.

Nyo:- Nandini, What happened?  

Nan:- ( not looking anywhere ) Manik……. Hospital…… 

These two words are enough to give everyone an idea about the situation. No one can stop their tears but Nandini didn’t even shed a tear and ran to the hospital while the rest followed her with tears. 

Nandini reached her hospital and ran like a manic towards the OT where her Manik is being treated by the doctors. Till now she didn’t shed a tear with the hope that Manik is not going to leave her like that. She has full faith in him but still, her heart is not at peace. 

Soon she spotted her family who was looking devastated and seeing them a mere whisper left her mouth. 

Nan:- Dad…….

Ram:- ( crying hard ) Nandini…….. Ma…… Manik. 

Nyo:- ( on the verge of breaking down ) Raj, what happened to Manik? He is all right……. Right? 

Raj:- he….. Manish shoot…..shoot him…… 

He is not able to frame a proper sentence but still, everyone understood him. His statement broke Nandini more but she stood rigid on her trust that MANIK WILL NOT LEAVE HER BECAUSE HE DON’T KNOW HOW TO LIVE WITHOUT HER! THEY CAN’T BREATHE WITHOUT EACH OTHER AND IF HERE SHE IS BREATHING THAT MEANS HE IS ALSO BREATHING AND NEAR HER. 

This is how their love is!….. They trust each other enough that no storm would ruin them. 

To be continued…