Nandini started to walk away but was stopped by Manik. He grabbed Nandini's wrist and walked into the room. Raman & Ishita were surprised to see them and from Nandini's epression, Ishita could tell that she heard everything.

"Dad, bahar jo bhi hua uske liye Im sorry...Its my fault. Woh gaana maine lagaya, Nandini ko instigate maine kiya...isme uski galati nahi hai." Manik said. "I understand you arent happy about this marriage...lekin, aap Nandini ko jaante bhi nahi hai. You have no right to make an opinion on her without even knowing her."

"MANIK!" Raman roared furiously. "Baap hoon main tera... How dare you talk to me like that?"

"Aapko acha nahi laga ki main aapki beizatti kar raha hoon, lekin you can do that to Nandini? Really Dad, aapko nahi lagta you are being a hypocrite?" Manik said. Nandini tugged at his sleeve to get him stop as she didnt want the father and son to fight. Ishita on the other hand was proud at the way her son was standing up for Nandini but she was also terrified at what Raman would do. Manik held Nandini's hand again and left the room.

"Manik...what was that? Tumne uncle ko yeh sab kyun bola?"

"Because it is all my fault...in more ways than I can tell him. Tumhe iss ghar mein meri biwi banake laane ka plan toh mere aur Yuvi ka tha. I knew Dad would react like this phir bhi to save my ass, main tumhe iss sab mein le aaya." Manik said. "Look Nandini, humare saare jhagre, nokh jhok sab ek taraf....lekin I never wanted you to be insulted by my family."

"Koi baat nahi. Uncle ki narazgi jayaz hai." Nandini said.

"No its not, woh tumhe jaante bhi nahi...actually even I dont know you properly. Aur Naragzi thik hai par he cant insult you. Thats just....not right." Manik said. 

"Like I said....koi baat nahi. Mujhe burra nahi laga." Nandini assured him.

"Haan tumhari ankhon se toh aisehi periodically paani leak karta hai right?" Manik asked sarcastically.

"Manik! Nandini...there you are. " Mukti found them and walked over. "Hum na kabse tum dono ko hi dhund rahe they."

"Kyun?"

"Arre...we girls were planning on going shopping tommorow so Nandini why dont you come with us and the boys will meet us in the evening.

"Haan....kyun nahi?" Nandini replied

"Great!"

The Next Day

Riya, Mukti, Navya & Nandini left early the next day to go shopping. 

"Sneha nahi aayi?" Nandini asked.

"Nahi...uski classes hai na isi liye." Riya replied

"Oh...thats too bad."

Nandini's Look

Riya's Look

Navya's Look

Mukti's Look

At the mall, the girls went into a couple of shops and bought things until they were hungry. So they decided to go to the food court. As they were walking there, Nandini sensed they were being followed slyly looked into one of the store windows as she passed by. In the reflection she saw a man that she recognized worked for her father. 

"Oh crap...mujhe laga they wont find me in India...par...No I cant let him get away alive. Varna mere liye problem ho jayega...aur Manik ki family ke liye bhi."

Nandini slowed her walking speed so that while talking, Riya, Mukti & Navya went ahead of her. then she took a sharp turn down the hall that lead to the washrooms. The other girls hadnt noticed yet but just as she suspected, the man following them went behind Nandini. Because this was the washroom area, there were no cameras and Nandini decided to stop and face the man.

"Well well well...I honestly didnt expect to run into you here. Lekin Boss bohot khush hoga." The man smirked as he pulled out his gun. Before he could press the trigger, Nandini swung her leg and knocked the gun out of his hands. Then she kicked him against the wall, stabbing him in the stomach with the sharp heel of her shoe. Grunting, he tried to move her foot but she wouldnt budge.

"Tumhara boss khush toh tab hoga na jab usse mere baare mein paata chalega." Nandini sneered. digging her heel in farther.

"Ayreh Feek!" The man spat out. 

(According to the internet, this means F*ck You in Arabic....blame the internet if its wrong! LOL)

Nandini just rolled her eyes and from her boot she pulled out a small silver pistol that had Dadi's Gudiya engraved on the handle. For a second, the man had fear written across his face as he knew Nandini was going to kill him but quickly hid it and had a brave, emotionless and ruthless expression on. Nandini meanwhile pulled out a silencer from her other boot and attached it. She then raised the pistol and shot the man point blank in the head. With a jerk, she dug her heel out and let his body fall to the floor lifeless. The man's eyes were open and he had two bleeding holes in his body. One from her heel and the second from the bullet. She then quickly put the pistol and silencer back where it was and bent to take a handketchief from the dead man's pocket. With that, she wiped the blood from her heels and started walking away. Before leaving the hallway, she pulled out a lighter from her bag...lit the handkerchief on fire and threw it into the garbage bin so there was nothing with her fingerprints there. Then she walked back to the main hall where at a distance she found, Riya, Mukti & Navya looking for her.

"Nandini! Kaha chali gayi thi tum?" Navya asked.

"Sorry woh phone pe message check karte karte shayad maine galat turn le liya." Nandini shrugged innocently.

"Tum bhi na Nandini. Agar kho jaate toh hum Manik kokya jawab dete?" Riya said. "Come on, tum humare saath saath chalo."

"Lets go to the food court. Saare ladke humme wahi milenge." Mukti said.

"Haan chalo." Nandini smiled. "Mujhe Abhi Bhai se baat karni hogi. Bhai se meri narazgi ek taraf lekin agar Singhanias ko paata chal gaya ke hum doo yahan hai toh woh sirf mujhe nahi iss family ko bhi harm kar sakte hai. Main akele yeh sab handle nahi kar paungi. I need Bhai's help."

So the girls went to the food court and sat after ordering food. After about 20 minutes, Abhi, Cabir, Yuvraj & Manik arrived.

"So what are we gonna eat?" Cabir rubbed his hands and sat down picking u the burger from Navya's tray. Navya swatted his hand away.

"Oye..bhukkad! Yeh humara hai....tum log khud ka intezaam kar lo." Mukti told him. 

Cabir gasped dramatically and grabbed his chest. "ITNA BADE DHOKHA? Matlab...dekh rah raha hai Abhi, Manik? Yeh ladies log apne apne husbands ke liye khaana order karke bhi bait sakte...its so sad!"

Yuvraj meanwhile was happily eating a sub that Riya had gotten for him and his mouth was fully stuffed. Cabir glared at them. "Correction...hum teeno ke ladies humare liye khaana order nahi kar sakte. But Apparantly Riya has no problem at all!"

"Shut up Cabir!" Navya & Mukti said.

"ill go get some burgers." Manik left to get the food while the others sat and started talkig meanwhile Nandini was thinking of how to talk to Abhi without catching anyone's attention and then she thought of something. With her fingers she started tapping on the table...for everyone else it was normal tapping so they didnt even bother but Abhi recognized the morse code.

"Danial was here."

Abhi's eyes widened and he started tapping too. "What? How?"

"IDK...I killed him. But wanted to inform you. This is bad news."

"Ok relax...we will handle it...together."

"Ok...this doesnt change anything between us tho."

Abhi looked sad but nodded.

"What are you two doing?" Manik who had returned with the food noticed Abhi & Nandini tapping on the table while looking at each other. Startled, Abhi jumped a bit while Nandini who had a hotdog in her other hand threw it into her face and now there was mustard all over. The others stayed silent for a second and then started laughings seeing her. Manik laughing, took a napkin and started wiping the mustard off...for which he had to get really close to her. Slowly his laughter subsided and the two were lost in an eyelock session.

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Note: Thoughts on this chapter?

Did you like Manik standing up for Nandini?

Do you think Abhi & Nandini will be able to protect the Malhotras from the Singhanias?