A/N: Hello MaNan Readers, I must say I am disappointed in seeing the lack of enthusiasm with this story :(

Like no reaction, no comments, no after thoughts. Should I even continue?

I didn't stop myself from publishing last night because of this, that was a genuine mistake, but looking at the dull reaction from you all, it almost makes me wonder. Should I even put in this effort? The story is ready with me, but such lack of enthusiasm from your end, makes me reluctant to even publish an already written story!

Do let me know if I should continue at all :) I can stop, if you folks are bored. 

Happy Reading for now!

***

When Nandini woke up later in the morning, she found herself spooned to Manik, who was now fast asleep with his head deeply buried to her back; she instinctively removed his hand that was curled around her waist and got up from bed, but not without difficulty, her whole body was sore from earlier this morning; she winced in pain when she tried joining her thighs together to stand properly. She quickly turned around to check if she has woken up Manik, thankfully she didn't; she checked the time, she was running very late, although the Court was closed on weekends, she still had to go to the firm she worked in, but before that, she needed to collect her car from the highway.

Nandini quickly headed to the washroom to take a shower but stopped dead on the track to the vision that greeted her in the mirror; she had angry red bite marks all over her shoulders, neck, breast, waist, stomach, and even thighs. Her collarbones had teeth mark all around it and both her shoulder joint were blue black; she yelped in pain as she tried touching them; she knew Manik was very much out of control, and she willingly let him be – it was important – but not until now did she realise the extent of damage that she had brought upon her for herself for his release! Some of these marks would take a long time to go, she sighed. But one look at Manik's now relaxed face, and she knew, it had worked, she had successfully pulled him out of a very dark place last night; having been there she knew no one deserved it, and if she could help it, she would do whatever it takes to stop one from going there. Even if the one was a complete stranger like this Manik.

As Nandini was quickly rushing out of the door after taking a shower and getting ready with clothes which provided extra cover, she wondered if she should wake him up; but she thought against it – he was very disturbed God knows why, he could do with a little bit more sleep.

It had been fifteen minutes since Nandini had left when Manik's cell phone rang, and he woke up with a jerk, rubbing his eyes he tried to recollect where he was, of course, he was at Nandini's and she wasn't in bed; his thoughts were disturbed by the continuous ringing of his phone, he picked it from the side table irritably to read 'DAD' flashing on it. Of course, Dad, he was expecting this call, must've read the newspaper.

"Hi Dad, good morning"

"Good morning Manik beta, where are you? Can you come home immediately, we need to talk" he sounded serious.

"It's okay dad, I already know about Mom" he replied sounding as casual as he could, although there was a little hint of disappointment masked somewhere.

"You know? How so?" his father asked, sounding surprised.

"Newspaper" he lied.

"Of course, okay. Come home soon, Mukti doesn't yet know, we have to tell her" he replied before hanging up the call.

Manik breathed heavily, thankfully he was feeling much better, almost in full control now, he had anticipated that today was going to be a long day and this was just the beginning. Although he needed to talk to Nandini first, thank her actually, for whatever she wanted to pull off, it worked, he did feel so much better, lighter – although it did get a tad bit awkward now, he had never been this vulnerable before anyone. What if she read too much into it? No, no. He will talk to her and clear up any confusion; but this had to wait, first he needed to go home. As Manik walked across the tiny apartment, he realised Nandini was not at home. Secretly it was a relief for him, he didn't know how to confront her just yet. Would it be too nasty to be absolutely casual about it, or should he actually acknowledge that it was a first off case and wouldn't ever happen again? They'd be strictly casual if there was ever a second time after this at all.

[At Manik's house]

He was sitting with his father waiting for Mukti to arrive home, apparently she and her friends had headed out early in the morning for a weekend getaway, now they were driving back home. Mukti arrived in another half an hour; she was accompanied by only that strange 'Retard' who's always around her nowadays, Abhimanyu.

"Mukti beta, your bro and I need to talk to you in private"

"It's' okay dad, I already heard on our way back, it's all over the city – the news." she replied back with her voice cracking, looking at her closely Manik realised her eyes were puffy, she must have cried all the way back home.

"Aah okay, you both know then" was his father's reply as he left them on their own and went up to his room, on his way he just turned back once and spoke, "Acha Manik, Mukti, please don't entertain the press if they are after you, don't give out quotes or comments, I will issue a formal statement on our behalf by evening."

That was all the discussion that happened in the Malhotra household about the death of Nyonica Zaveri who at one point in time was Nyonica Shrikant Malhotra. It didn't matter if Mukti was heartbroken or if Manik was disturbed, the rules were clear: no one spoke about Nyonica Zaveri in the Malhotra household.

[At Nandini's place]

She was back home, of course Manik wasn't there when she returned back in the evening, but she almost thought he'd be there, trying to have a conversation about what spiralled between them. She was thankful to see her house empty, but deep down she knew she'd have to have a conversation with him regarding this, sooner or later.

While having dinner, she was scrolling through her IG feed and it was all over the place, the news of Nyonica's death. She knew her friend was influential, but this much, she didn't guess; while scrolling through the feed she chanced upon a statement that was said to be on behalf of the Malhotra family, owner of Malhotra Media House; Nandini sat up straight, wasn't MMH Manik and Mukti's production house? That's what Abhimanyu had told her. Why were they issuing a statement on Nyonica's death? She quickly scanned through the statement that was made by Manik's father; he expressed deep shock and sadness on her untimely demise and requested the press for giving them some space to recover from the loss of family. He mentioned, though they were divorced, they held a lot of mutual respect and good wishes for each other and at the end of the day, no matter what, she would always be family since she was the mother to his two beautiful children; he had also mentioned her legacy would live on, through their daughter Mukti and son, Manik Malhotra.

Nandini was so shocked at reading the article that she accidentally dropped her phone; so this is why Manik was in this state last night? She had accidentally given him the news of his own mother's demise? That too so casually? But wait, if their ties were so close, how is it that he didn't even seem to know about it? The Malhotra family was definitely not present in her Irish Wake her friends had organised, although Manik seemed very deeply disturbed by it; Nandini smiled in understanding, so a dysfunctional family had damaged him, just like love had damaged her. But she had made a mental note to call Abhimanyu in a few days and find out – she wouldn't disturb him now, she was sure he was with Mukti.

***

Sunday morning Nandini woke up late, her body was still aching and the wounds still seemed pretty fresh, the blue-black on the shoulder seemed to be healing though and sitting or standing for too long still hurt her; she even had a mild fever. She was contemplating staying in bed and taking some medication when her phone beeped, it was a text message from Manik.

"Hey sorry for going all MIA yesterday, can we meet?"

"I understand, it's okay; my deepest condolences to you and Mukti" she replied back.

"Okay. Can we meet for brunch today?" Nandini found his response a bit strange, but maybe he was still coming to terms with his loss that's why he didn't want to talk about it?

"Hey, I am a bit under the weather; can we do it another time?"

"Okay, don't step out, let me come over. I will come around 7pm, have to wrap some stuff before that"

Although she was reluctant, Nandini knew she could only defer their conversation and not avoid it completely, it was better to get done with it.

"Okay"

It was around 6pm in the evening; Nandini was lying on her couch and bingeing on some series, she wasn't feeling great, the body-ache made physical movement painful, and the mild fever wasn't helping either. Plus she was expecting Manik for some time now, although she wasn't in the mood to entertain his discussion but she couldn't push back either. Firstly she didn't particularly want to tell him she wasn't feeling well, last thing he needed was a guilt trip for handling her roughly and also secondly because she felt the discussion was something Manik needed for closure, and after hearing about his loss and gauging by his reaction from the night before, she knew he needed one. However, the only bane right now was wearing the extra covered clothes, they were continuously brushing over her wounded skin and causing her burns; but what could she do, Nandini couldn't let Manik see them either.

She didn't need to wait until 7 that day, there was a doorbell in another fifteen minutes and as expected, as she slowly got the door, Manik had walked into her apartment wearing a formal smile; as she let him in, Nandini bit her lips, she knew this was going to be one awkward evening.

"So, how are you?" Nandini asked him as casually as possibly not meeting his eyes as he sat down on her couch.

"Good, I'm good, wait but why are you limping?" he asked, as his smile suddenly turned to a frown.

"Aah nothing, I bumped onto the table and hit my knee earlier this afternoon" she replied smiling.

"Don't put too much pressure on it, come sit." he told her as she slowly came and settled on the couch opposite him. They both looked at each other for a moment; as Manik looked into her face, she looked calm, she didn't seem to have questions, she wasn't looking for answers – this was strange – after what happened between them, this was not what he was expecting. He had half a mind to avoid the topic altogether but then he remembered the night, her embrace, her submission, how she held onto his sanity as he was letting it slip; no he couldn't avoid the discussion, what she did for him was more then what she'd ever know, and whatever Manik was, he wasn't ungrateful.

True, he didn't want anything serious with anyone, what was the point? People change, feelings change and then you are either stuck with the changed person for life or you walk out, not thinking of all the people you affect in the process – all relationships fail – that is the fundamental flaw in the design of a serious relationship, isn't that why his parents had separated too? Isn't that why Nyonica Malhotra was dead, gone and long forgotten by his father and them? Manik knew the risk of confronting Nandini about their night, it might hint at something serious for her, but that wasn't true, as much as he appreciated her selfless gesture, it was just that, a favour from a stranger at a difficult night – nothing more – and even if he was going to acknowledge that night before her, Manik was sure he would make his point very clear.

"Listen, Nandini..err..we have to talk..about the..umm..about the other night" he managed to begin, and slowly looked into her eyes, she was calm and it didn't seem like she was about to interrupt, but she wasn't smiling anymore. Manik decided to continue, "Look, I just want to say, that..that..I mean what you saw that night, that guy, he isn't me. I was in this...I don't know, this very.." Manik faltered for the correct word, truth be told, he really didn't know what that state was, it was a foggy place, unexplained, and it came and went and never came back. He tried again, "Nandini I was in this..." but she cut his sentence mid-way across this time.

"Dark place?" she quipped with a small smile. Manik looked at her surprised, yeah, that sort of summed up his state that night. He nodded at her.

"Yes Nandini, I was in a very dark place, and I truly appreciate your gesture, for being my emotional anchor at that moment, but..I don't know how to put this across to you, and I want to tell you first that my intention is never to hurt you. You see Nandini, I am not that guy; it's unfortunate that you met him, I am the guy you met at Mukti's party – that is more me, guess what I'm trying to say is, I wouldn't build any emotional expectations from that night, if I were you – and I say that with complete sensitivity" he finished, mentally cursing himself. How could he be such a tactless ass, he asked himself.

Manik slowly looked up to face Nandini, and as always that girl managed to catch him by surprise. He stared at her, as she tried very hard to not laugh out loud. When she saw him looking at her in surprise, she quickly controlled herself.

"Sorry, sorry Manik, I am really sorry – but I couldn't help it. Your appreciation gesture is insensitive and tactless to the point of comic relief. I mean, you are basically telling me, thank you for having sex with me when I was low, but hey, no strings attached! Oh, and I am completely sensitive about it" she began laughing again after that.

As Manik stared at her, he didn't know how to react, indeed his statement sounded prickish even while he was saying it, but to laugh at it? Well he already had realised Nandini wasn't any ordinary girl, but to really get it and not take offence? Well that could mean only one thing, and he was going to ask her just that.

"So, I take it, you didn't overthink about this?" he asked curiously, still looking at her laughing face.

"Appreciation accepted, and no I am not reading too much into what had happened, you were low, I was lit and it happened; no further pages to turn." she smiled and looked at his confused expression, she clarified further, "Listen Manik, I get it you're not that person, and you don't want anything serious to spiral out of this, but you've got to get this, that I am not looking for anything serious either; it was physical attraction and for that one night, it was compassion. Now can we never kind of talk about it, it's getting a bit awkward" she finished with a sheepish smile.

Manik breathed out relaxing, so that was that, no more discussion. He smiled in relief, Nandini Murthy, she was something.

***

A/N : Well honestly, your lack of response has gotten to me too now, I don't feel excited about asking you questions about the chapters either :(

Hope you had fun reading & try and leave some thoughts behind if you enjoyed the chapter.

Thanks.

Next chapter will be published on Sunday 1st May, provided you want me to continue. 

TC.