25. DIKSHIT!

Manik continues telling Nandini about his past with slight tears in his brown orbs, making her cry as well. “I saw my Di suffering in the pool of blood but can’t do anything whereas my father is busily fu*king his mistress not caring about his daughter who took her last breath on that day.” 

Nandini has no words except crying hearing his terrible past. She is still processing how he handled himself after that. He was just a small boy who witnessed the murder of his sister. She can’t even imagine the saddest reality behind his cruel face. She understood he may look cruel or kill people but there was still a child who was mourning his sister’s death. With courage, she turns him around to face herself and cups his cheeks after wiping her tears only to gasp hearing him further. “Don’t know what happened to me that day, I took the same glass and pierced the same in her who was giving blo*j*b to that bast*rd.” 

His gloomy posture turned demonic and uttered while gritting his teeth out of anger and hatred for his father, “Now, I regret that. I should have pierced that bast*rd instead of that mistress.” 

Nandini gasped as this was too much for her to take. She can’t believe a boy could murder someone at that young age. Although his father deserves the cruelest punishment for his acts. Still, she can’t think about that with her sane mind. Many questions are running through the back of her mind. She had no heart to ask that still, she asked, “Then, how come you’re in Amir’s gang?” 

Manik chuckles and to be honest, Nandini felt her blood freeze seeing his brutal laugh. “He sold me to them just for 100 dollars.” He laughs further and asks, “Can you believe that?” She cried after imagining a scene where a young boy saw everything in front of his eyes. He continues with hatred for his father, “That day, I swore to become the ruthless monster that no one can beat.” He spreads his hands wide saying this to show how strong he became, “Today I am  strong, but not enough to torture the man who was the reason for my childhood trauma.” 

Nandini got another shock and asked, “Your father is alive!” Instead of replying, he looks deep into her eyes with a monstrous expression, “He can’t die until I fulfill my revenge.” She shivers seeing his posture while he calms himself only for her, “I won’t let him die at any cost…” 

“What about your mother?” She asked as this thing kept bugging her. Suddenly the calmness spread around their surroundings with the mention of his mother.

He answers her calmly for the first time since this conversation begins, “Do you think that bast*rd let his wife live when he killed his daughter himself?” She already had an idea about something bad and that happened. “He killed my mother when she couldn’t give birth to any more kids after me.” 

Does she get more shocks after this, maybe not. He further says snatching her breath again, “He just wants kids so that he can sell them for profit just like he did to me. We are just a money-making machine for him. He already had everything from luxury to girls still,  he wanted more. ” 

“Oh god!” She exclaimed and abused his father for being the worst parent ever. “How can god give such a blessing to the one who doesn’t care about them?” She has nothing to say except that. 

“From that day, Amir became my godfather. He gave me a life, food, and everything through which I can make anyone bow down in front of me.” He continues and now she understands why he worships Amir like god. “I owed him my life. So, I can’t leave all this. I can’t deceive a man who gave power to me.” 

After hearing his side of the story, she can’t advise him to leave this field because she knows he won’t return until he takes revenge. She took his hand in her warm ones and spoke softly, “Manik, I always stopped you from killing. But I want you to kill that bast*rd. He doesn’t deserve to live. His death would give your sister peace.”  

He nods positively and can’t thank her enough to understand him. After this, she never raised this topic. They decided to keep their occupation or clashes outside the door and act like normal middle-class couples behind the doors. They cook for each other mostly he cooks for her and spends many sleepless nights under the blankets. 

Manik is the boss for the outside world but in their home, Nandini is the real monster who made him run on his toes. She taught him everything from cleaning to mopping which he gladly does only for her. In short, their life is going smoothly until the thunder arrives in their lives with the name DIKSHIT. 

Dikshit came a week ago and started working for Zoya. No one is aware of his presence except some of Zoya’s loyal ones. All the other members who are aware of his presence are scared of Manik and Amir’s reaction. 

Zoya is way too happy because she brings her illegal work on a track with his presence and also gets a bed partner. Her profits are reaching the sky as her human traffic shipments are going abroad this evening which will give her a big return. She is living her dream life unaware of the happenings. 

Don’t know how, but the news of this shipment reached the ears of the police and Nandini is in charge of the mission because Cabir is on his honeymoon. She and her team reached the location as per the instructions of her informer. She and her team are ready to catch the culprits red-handed, that’s why they are in civil dress.

She stopped the shipment at the right time giving a shock to the owners who were not aware of their presence. Soon a round of fire started at the AAA site. Can’t say who is winning but Nandini is sure that she will save all the innocents from this trap. She fought with them bravely and freed the innocents but was shot by a bullet, making her team rush to save her. Some of the punks ran away including Dikshit too but one of them shot her on Dikshit’s instructions. 

Nandini is admitted to the hospital by the officers and is critical as the bullet pierces her body through her stomach. She lost so much blood and was also not in her senses when they brought her to the hospital. She was rushed to the operation theater after some basic medicines.

Her officers informed Cabir about her condition, who was scared of something. “Oh god!… How did this happen? Where were you? Didn’t you guys wear bulletproof jackets?” Cabir asked angrily while Navya was whipping while sitting behind him. He booked the return tickets as Navya insisted because she wanted to be beside Nandini at this time. “What do you mean by you forgot? Do you even hear what you said?” He shouts at his junior making him pee in his pants. Navya rubs his shoulders, making him calm while he speaks further after thinking a lot, “Did anyone come to meet her?” He knows that soon the hospital is going to be a fish market when the MANIK MALHOTRA knows about his Nandini. 

“No sir, we just bought ma’am here half an hour ago. Now, the doctors are treating her.” The officer informed him while on the other hand, Manik was discussing his next assignment with Amir and Kaushal. Suddenly, he heard someone talking, “Did you know that officer is in a very critical situation now?” 

“Hey, sh… no one knows about the police’s raid at our site. Dikshit will kill us if he gets to know that we informed Amir Sir about the incident.” Only the name is enough to gain Manik’s attention. Leaving all his work he walks to him and asks while grabbing his collar, “What did you just say?” The man shivers seeing his red eyes and looks down knowing that his death is near. “Motherfu*ker, I asked you something?” The poor soul just uttered a word which shook his world, “Dikshit is here.” Before Manik could talk to them, the other one spoke, “Zoya ma’am called him and he has been working for her for the last week.”

Amir shouted and all his members circled them, “He has been here for a week and no one informed me about him.” Seeing Manik’s expressions, he continues, “Manik, calm down. I will handle him this time and Zoya is going to be dead.”

Manik didn’t say anything but with his expressions, anyone can tell that this is the silence before the storm. His phone rang and he picked up after a few rings and heard from the other side, “Bhai, Madam is in the hospital. She is shot in her stomach at the AAA site.” His body stiffened, cutting the call he dialed Nandini’s number which went unanswered. He dialed again and anyone can see his messed up state, “Pick up the damn phone, girl!” Not getting any answer, he looked at the guy who was talking about the officer who was injured. “You are talking about some officer. Do you know the name of the officer?” The man immediately answers, seeing his eagerness, “Inspector Nandini of South zone.” 

That’s it, everyone knew the reason behind Manik’s restlessness. Before they could say or do anything, Manik punched the guy who gave him this news, breaking a few teeth and asking with aggression, “Where will I find your Dikshit?” The other guy answered while kneeling in front of him, “He is staying at Zoya’s house.” 

He walks out of the house in a rage followed by Amir and his gang while he dials a number. “Where is she?” He asks as soon as the receiver picks up the call. He is driving at full speed while Amir Raheja is sitting in the passenger seat with the same aggression. He yelled again on the call, “Didn’t you hear me? I am asking about her.” 

“Manik…” He heard the calm tone from the other side, making him yell again. “Stop fu*king saying my name, Cabir. Tell me, where is Nandini before I find her myself.” Cabir closes his eyes understanding his situation, “You can’t meet her. It’s against our protocols.” Manik again cut him in the middle, “I don’t care about your fu*king protocols. Stuff your protocols in your a** and just tell me her location.” Cabir cuts his call, making him curse again and banging his hand on the steering wheel. 

For a second, Amir too shivers seeing his anger. Manik pressed the break in front of Zoya’s house and barged inside, not caring about the security who bent their head and saw Amir behind him. He enters and sees Dikshit and Zoya in the living room having their snacks. This time he didn’t get scared by Dikshit. He shouts gaining everyone’s attention and also making some souls shiver, “WHO DARED TO PUT HIS HAND ON MY GIRL?” 

To be continued…