56. WEALTH vs LOVE

With an excited face, Nandini ran to Pihu to give the exclusive news that her brother i.e. Mr. Cabir Dhawan, had found a boy for her alliance. Pihu also jumped from her seat but was in shock. 

Pihu:- ( Dejectedly ) Bui, you moved on from Shyboy so soon? 

Nandini:- What? 

Pihu:- How can you be so excited hearing about this new boy when you broke up with Shyboy an hour ago? 

Nandini looks at her in disbelief while palming her face. The party just came to an end and she saw Manik walking out with his family. She wants to have a talk with him or I would say trouble him so much that he won’t get sleep tonight. 

Nandini:- Just wait here, I am coming after meeting Shyboy. 

Saying this, she ran away whereas Pihu walked inside to talk with her father regarding “THIS NEW BOY”. 

Nandini:- Shyboy…

She pulled Manik, holding his wrist, making him shocked while his parents walked ahead unaware of anything. She looked at his face and to be honest she felt like someone stabbed her, seeing tears in his innocent eyes. He hid his eyes from her and struggled to release his hands from her hold so that he could wipe his tears but she was not letting him do that. Instead, she wipes his tears and cups his cheeks lovingly, forgetting about her plan to trouble him. 

Nandini:- Why are you crying? 

Manik nods his head and looks to the other side. Seeing his ignorance, Nandini comes closer and hugs him lightly, placing her head on his chest. He put his head on her top and sighed in relief. 

Nandini:- My Shyboy can’t lie. ( Looking at him ) He doesn’t have a feature of lying. So, would you please tell me why there are tears in your eyes?

Hearing her soft tone, Manik broke down and spoke with hiccups. 

Manik:- You can never be mine. 

Nandini:- ( Amusedly ) Oh really, who told you that? 

Manik:- ( Innocently ) No one! 

Nandini:- ( Breaking the hug ) Then, why did you assume that? 

Manik:- There is a huge difference between me and you. You are so rich. Just look at your house ( Pointing at her house ) I will never provide you this luxury in my entire life. 

Nandini:- Did I ever ask for the luxury? 

Manik has no answer to her question but continues to argue. 

Manik:- You are your brother’s princess. I saw how he takes care of you when you are in front of him or anywhere around. I watched how he fulfills your every demand. He gave you everything you asked for which you can’t get from me. 

Nandini:- What if I say, I don’t want any of these things? I JUST WANT YOU AND YOUR LOVE ONLY FOR MYSELF. 

Manik:- These are just sayings not true in practical life. Somewhere you and I both know that we need these things. ( Stammers ) I… I… I fall for you… without knowing the… financial differences between us…. I know… I am at… fau… fault. 

Nandini is shocked and furious when he calls their love fault. 

Nandini:- ( Angrily ) So, you want to say that you would not fall for me if you were aware of my financial status? 

Manik:- ( Looking into her eyes ) I… I… didn’t… mean…. That…

Nandini:- So what do you mean? 

He kept silent, making her angrier. She grabbed his collar like an angry bull and shouted. 

Nandini:- Were you regretting having feelings for me? 

Manik:- ( Instantly ) NO!… I CAN NEVER REGRET HAVING YOU ONLY FOR MYSELF BUT…

Nandini:- ( Furiously ) Flush that “BUT” or else I will flush ( Tapping her finger on his head ) your overthinking brain.

Manik pouts cutely to melt her anger as usual but this time it won’t work. 

Nandini:- Is there anything more you want to say? 

Manik opens her mouth to say something but shuts it immediately seeing her red eyes. She pushed him and turned to walk inside her home in a foul mood but stopped hearing him. 

Manik:- ( Scaredly ) I think you should forget about me. 

Nandini:- ( Shockingly ) say again…

Manik:- ( Taking a deep breath) WE SHOULD NOT CONTINUE THIS. I AM NOT MEANT TO BE WITH YOU. YOU DESERVE SOMEONE… ( Stammers as this is so hard for him to say ) WHO IS RICH, WHO WILL KEEP YOU HAPPY. 

Nandini:- ( Emotionlessly ) And who are you to decide that? 

Manik:- I… I…

Nandini:- Would you be happy if I marry someone richer than you? Would you be able to see me with another guy? 

Manik gulps hard before answering, keeping a stone on his heart. 

Manik:- Y… Yes. 

Nandini:- ( Dejectedly ) Then, be ready. Never show me your face again, Manik. I would like to die instead of seeing your innocent face ever again. ( Crossing her arms around her chest ) You were right, I DESERVE SOMEONE BETTER WHO WILL UNDERSTAND MY LOVE RATHER THEN THE SOCIETY WHO NEVER GIVE F*CK ABOUT ME. 

And without waiting for any reaction from him, she walks inside with a heavy heart. Here, he looks at her retreating figure and processes her words. 

Manik:- ( Whispers, inaudibly ) Won’t you ever look at my face again? 

Alya’s words roamed in his brain and unknowingly his eyes welled up with fresh tears. “You don’t deserve love, Manik. You will never get love from anyone.” 

Manik:- Was she right? Don’t I deserve love? Don’t I deserve Fireball’s love? 

But no one can answer him. On the other hand, Nandini grits her teeth angrily and complains about Manik while looking at the sky. 

Nandini:- That stupid, fool, says I deserve someone rich. He is sorry for feeling about me. ( Whines like a kid ) Ah….. I loved someone for the first time in my entire life and he says I deserve someone else. I wanted to snatch his sleep and trouble him but now he gave me a sleepless night. ( Scolds herself ) And I also said that I won’t see his face…. Ah…. How will I survive without looking at him? ( Joining her hands ) God, please give him some brain. Please, make him understand that he is wrong. 

Here, Manik is lost in his thoughts and crying silently. His sadness was noticed by Ritu who took charge to know the matter and put some brain into her stupid son. She entered his room and saw him crying while looking at something on his phone. He was so lost that he didn’t know when she entered and looked at his phone to see what he was doing. She smiles brightly seeing him looking at his wallpaper which carries Nandini’s cute picture. 

Ritu:- You love her a lot, right? 

This grabbed Manik’s attention. He looks at her in shock and wipes his tears, keeping his phone aside. 

Ritu:- ( Caressing his hair ) I can see the love in your eyes for her. In a short period, she becomes your everything. ( Chuckles ) Aur ho bhi kya na, meri Nandini hai he itne achi. ( And why not, My Nandini is a god’s child who will win everyone’s heart. ) Did you tell her about your feelings? 

Manik:- I… I… don’t love her… 

Ritu looks at him with no emotions and slaps him a little hard, making him sober. 

Ritu:- You started drinking? ( angrily ) Let me tell you, there is no place for an alcoholic in my home. 

He palmed his cheek and looked at her with a wide open mouth. She sniffs his mouth to find any signs of bad smell. 

Manik:- I didn’t drink. I am sober. 

Ritu:- Then, talk like one! What is with “I don’t love her”? 

Manik signs and lies down in her lap while she caresses his hair, soothing him with all her love.

Manik:- Maa, she is very rich. Didn’t you see her house or her brother who is making sure that she had food or enjoying herself during the party? She is the owner of the company and I am just an employee of hers. Her standard of living is way higher than us. 

Ritu:- ( Cut him in mid ) High standard? Could you please tell me what her favorite dish is? I mean what she loves to eat and have it anytime. 

Manik:- ( Not getting her hint ) She loves to eat Gol-Gappe. She can have that at any time and in any situation. 

Manik smiles remembering the time when they had their first Gol-Gappa date and he got jealous because she kissed the shopkeeper’s hand for making such tasty Gol-Gappes. 

Ritu:- And what does it cost? 

Manik:- 20 rupees for 4 pieces. 

Ritu:- Oh… Being the owner of such a big company she still eats 20 rupees things, strange, right? 

Now, Manik understood what his mother was doing. 

Ritu:- Was she coming to the office in a Mercedes or Ferrari? I mean she is so rich so she won’t even look at any low-brand cars. 

Manik:- ( Innocently ) She drives her favorite old scooter which is her father’s last gift. 

Ritu:- Strange, isn’t it? ( After a pause ) She must be arrogant and insults everyone from Watchman to Pean, no? 

Manik:- ( Defends his lady love, instantly ) No… she can never be arrogant. She always had lunch with Watchman uncle whenever he said that he bought her favorite dish. She never insults or demeans anyone. 

Ritu:- Then, how can you say that her living standard is way higher than ours? I didn’t find any differences between her and ours. She never flaunts her money. Did you ever see her showing her money to get anything? 

Manik:- But, Maa, I can never give her the life she has right now. Her brother can put the sky under her feet…

Ritu:- Did she ever ask for the sky? ( Cupping her cheeks ) Manik, close your eyes and just imagine. You are a multi-billionaire but fall for a middle-class girl. She becomes your everything and you have no one other than her in your life. You want to marry her but her father put a condition that you have to give your property, money, and everything to him to marry his daughter. So, what would you do? 

Manik:- ( Absentmindedly ) I will give everything to her father and marry his daughter. 

Ritu:- ( Smiles slightly ) Why? 

Manik:- Because I can earn the wealth again but won’t get true love again in this world. I can win the world too only if she would be beside me, holding my hand in every situation. 

Ritu:- Then, why are you letting go of your love for a wealth you can earn the rest of your life? 

The realization hits him hard, making him dizzy. How stupidly did he act in front of her? 

Ritu:- I know, you don’t have money right now but earn that for her. Do hard work and make yourself deserving of her. Work hard to give her what she wants. 

To be continued…