M A N I K

I don't remember what time it was early in the morning but I was driving my Rolls Royce mad breaking every hindrance occasionally hitting the steering wheel in lack of patience. The streets erased from my memory like a blurred scene and the only sound reaching my ears was the sound of my ferocious tyres against the metallic road and one thing in mind that I couldn't stop until reaching the Juhu bungalow.

Knocking on the door, I waited patiently with a throbbing chest till one house staff opened and I rushed inside searching everywhere in vain until my feet halted at the living room across one huge couch finding the one I came looking for. With bated breaths, I stepped near and he removed the magazine covering his face confirming my sources to be true.

"Cabir..." I sighed and he stood up with a faint-barely-there smile on his face as if he too awaited my arrival; at least that's what his body language in a silken gown screamed.

My spirit knows there were so many things I chalked up in my mind to tell him when I hug and apologise to him for over a billion times but seeing him now is blanking my mind and I don't know where to start from. He was there for me when nobody else was - my true brother but the way he left in silence without hinting me, I won't admit publicly but it devastated me to great extent. I can never be the whole Manik Malhotra without Cabir Dhawan playing his part in my life. But how do I start talking when I know I am the one who tormented his life, I am the one who caused him the greatest misery.

"Are you gonna stand there like a statue?" He uttered in gentle tone.

"Thanks for not kicking me out already." He shook his head tossing the magazine on the coffee table.

"I heard about your accident.." he spoke taking a step or two towards me. "I'm glad that you defeated death. Not everybody can."

That made me want to dissolve into the ground as thoughts of him losing his lover in the hands of death haunted mr. "I'm glad you're back." I smiled vaguely.

"And, I'm glad you came to visit. Come, have a seat." Clearing my throat, I looked around vaguely nodding my head.

It was not like I have come to this house twice or thrice but almost every drunken night of my life since teenage was spent here yet the denseness in the air, this morning, was difficult for the sharpest knife to cut through but it was a good thing that he at least was talking.

When he offered me some coffee, in order to avoid what to say next I sipped on it shortly hissing to myself feeling my burnt tongue, all thanks to Murthy. All along I drank it in silence stealing my eyes from him like a thief whilst he studied me like I was an interesting article.

"Rough night?" He questioned and damn, it was taking me a light year to answer a bloody simple question maybe because I was weighing my words before letting them out.

Usually in the earlier times whenever he got to know I spent the night sacrificing sleep, he'd generally welcome me with a coffee that had alcohol in it but time changed like the Mumbai rains. But I really shouldn't be expecting things to go back to normal at the speed of lightning. Cabir lost too many things and time is the only medicine I could offer. Hell, I didn't even know whether my presence was pricking his eyes.

"So you," I cleared my voice. "plan to stay here for sometime?"

He nodded, much to my relief. "...yeah. I don't know for how long but for now I am."

I gulped, "Good." Rubbing my thighs, I looked around clearly at loss of words.

"Okay then, I should be leaving now." He stood up right after me not even bothering to stop. I guess, it's good for both of us at this point of time.

Picking up my keys as I was nearing the door, I heard him call my name back and I couldn't be more puzzled. "Manik, there's something I need to tell you."

"Sure." I waited patiently for him to walk up to me.

"You know, I was trying to avoid this city for this long and now that I'm back, it's hitting me all over again and .."

"I understand, Cabir."

"Yeah? I wanted to tell you Manik that..whatever the contract was between my company and you, let it be terminated... for the time being." For the time being was the only part that acted as a consolation. I won't say it was not what I dreaded but it surely wasn't my place to decline. Cabir and I were standing on a weak string and I didn't want to overburden it.

"What do I say.. Cabir, for me it always has been you who has taken care not only of my brand since debut but me, as a person and in the period of your absence even, there was nobody else who was assigned the job so you can see, right? But I know, right at this moment, you need to have time to yourself. So yes, let's work again when you're ready." He sighed formally nodding. It was not a mere termination of a contract but coming to halt of bond since eternity.

"I'll send you the papers." I blinked before turning away towards the door.

Our conversation was playing and replaying in my mind even though I was sitting inside my car outside his bungalow for.. I don't know how long but I have lost too many people in life by trying to control their lives and that is the mistake I won't repeat with Cabir.

Rest of the day went pretty much usual. Weight training, schedule discussions, shoots but the best part was when I visited the studio, the entire cast and crew welcomed me so warmly because of coming back from death by well wishes, congratulations, flowers, cards and cakes that it made me warm thinking people actually enjoyed my existence.

It was evening when my celebrity trainer was back at his job and me, back on the treadmill with headphones blasting EDM in my ears.

"15 minutes more and then 200 benches." He reminded after increasing the speed on the treadmill.

"I got this." Showing my thumbs up, I sped up my jogging looking into the city shining bright with Christmas lights. The gym in my mansion was one of the beautiful places I owned since my treadmill faced the city from this height which I could very well witness through the glassed wall.

Hearing my phone buzz, I reduced the speed to free my iPhone from the armband and as the name of the caller flashed again and again, I smirked to myself.

"Who do I owe for this miss to grace my phone with her digits?" She hummed like music.

"Does that mean Mr.Boss was expecting this naive employee's call?" Murthy giggled.

"What's the name of this beautiful voice?" I asked walking holding the bars of the machine.

"My name is whatever you decide. And I'm just gonna call you mine; I'm insane, but I'm your baby...." She sang finishing it with her laughter.

"Taylor Swift much?" I wasn't even feeling like working out.

"Call it blessing. Anyway, I figured you'd be switching off your phone because it's Christmas tomorrow which also means it's ur fake birthday to the world. Too many calls, texts, greetings. What's your plan for tomorrow?" Talking to her these days felt smooth.

"Though it's fake nonetheless huge. Uh..there'll be press meets and few fan clubs and NGOs I'll be visiting, then few closed ones would be coming. But in the evening it's massive as I throw one of the greatest parties in town. Faking a birth is not that easy, huh?" I spoke in between my heavy breaths. Every year Cabir does all the arrangements but this year...

"You're the perfect example of that. By the way, did I tell you I wrote you a song for your birthday? At that time, I didn't know your actual birthday wasn't on 25th." She chirped.

"Please don't start singing now. I was just now listening to some good music." She drew in a sharp breath at my remark.

"So that's it? You're not gonna invite me to your party?" I found that little sweet that she was trying to self-invite herself but her name was already there in the evening party's guest list.

"I haven't thought about it yet if you're required at all." I saw my walking reflection in the glassed wall that stretched throughout the room.

"That was way too harsh. By the way, you know I am out in the city and there's this beautiful giant Christmas tree right in the heart of it and it's lit. It's so so beautiful and so many people are.. Ouch, I'm so sorry." She probably apologised to someone for bumping into. "Yea, so what I was saying is it's amazing. You should come and see it sometime."

"It's decorated there every year. Nothing new and in case this skipped your mind, I'm a public figure. I can't just go out and enjoy things in public." My time on the machine wasn't over yet and I didn't mind walking longer.

"Too bad. I'll send you pictures for sure." I heard her munching on something crispy.

"You tell me, have you decorated your own little tree?" My eyes spread across the bright lights beautifying the city and I wondered how many people must have been out there like Murthy mingling and having fun.

"Yep. Thankfully I had Randhir to help me out this year since Aaliya will only return after new year." My feet for a moment paused on the deck of the machine immediately gaining recourse to my earlier motion.

"That must have been fun." I don't know why I don't like that guy. Period.

"Well..yeah. It's always fun to me decorating the Christmas tree although I was showered with sparkles by my loser of a friend. He's a great guy but trust me, he was less of a helper and more of a ruiner..." she laughed and I wondered if she sounded a little intoxicated.

"All right, listen up. You must carry a swimsuit or whatever you're comfortable in to get into water tomorrow." My instruction was pretty clear, I thought.

"Wait, what? It's winter! And what w..."

"Okay okay now I'm hanging up, I'm working out but you do as I say." I glanced over my trainer who seemed disappointed.

"I was trying to seek an explanation for your panting otherwise.." She laughed. I like the sound of her laughter. It's soft and light like the breeze.

Disconnecting the call as I saw Josh, my trainer taunting me with his eyes for cheating, I flaunted a middle finger.

✿

The morning rays peeping through my satin curtains made me flip on my abdomen but since sleep was already looted by the commotion going on outside my room, I woke up blinking my eyes repeatedly. 25th of December always brings me so much of newness although veraciously speaking, I have nothing to do with this day but the amount of love people shower on me actually faded the date of my own birth in my mind long back. It's like I rewrote my path of genesis.

Wrapping the silken gown loosely, I sat up in a right posture seeing the line of staffs entering; each having something wrapped in their hand.

"Happy birthday, Sir." They spoke in unison while I nodded getting up.

"We got you a little something, Sir." One of the heads stepped closer handing over a wrapped box which I took pleasantly.

Lightly tugging the ribbon end, I saw them gawking each other in nervousness until the gift was revealed. It was a beautiful prayer box where each of them which was ten in total wrote a number of prayers for me and the more I read, the more blessed the day began to feel. Some gifted theatrical tragedy-comedy masks - the one I always wanted; facial sauna; earpods and others, I don't remember now.

"Sir, we got you something too." My bodyguards came forward cordially gifting me an audio book of my favourite speaker and one caramel cake.

I smiled, "Thank you all. Thank you so much." Cutting the cake, I took one large bite asking them to distribute it amongst themselves after thanking them once more.

You see the difference between that seventeen year old boy and this twenty seven year old man now? You feel that, right!

I saw Abhimanyu gingerly drawing nearer with a stupid grin on face and a gift in hand. "Sir, happy birthday." That idiot knew it was not my actual birthday but I see staying with an actor has taught him a lot of acting itself.

"Let's see what have you got me." Unwrapping the bloody tight trinkets, I was ultimately able to unveil what it was until my eyes squinted freezing his broad smile.

"You idiot, I already have two iPads that too of latest version. Why do you think I need this?" I flashed the ribboned gadget to him.

"Sir, see there's a lot of planning behind it. You have everything under the sun to yourself and how have you owned all these? Because of your career. So in order to keep the wheels of your career run super smooth, you need someone who'll help you do it since you're so busy and you surely can't keep everything in mind. So, it should be of assistance to the man who assists you." I stared at him bitterly.

"Why don't you say clearly you gifted this to yourself on my birthday?" Rolling my eyes, I shoved it in his hand.

"It's with the best intentions only, Sir." He beamed.

"Why couldn't you get me something nice like the rest of them? Selfish giant!" He hardly heard anything as he was busy switching on the brand new gadget.

"I'm uploading all your schedules here." He grinned at the screen nettling me furthermore.

Having come out of the room with Abhimanyu absentmindedly trailing behind, my eyes shone looking at the number of bouquets, cards and gifts covering every inch of my living room like every other year. There were so many that not only the designs of my floor got hidden but I, basically, couldn't walk without stepping on the other. My mansion felt like it was a flower garden with their fragrance dancing like a dream or surely, Santa's gift house.

"Sir, there has this bouquet come just now with a message on it." When I glanced upon the bouquet, I got to have my best guess as to who the sender of a bouquet consisting of 27 different flowers of each different colour could be.

"And it's from..." As my staff started reading the tag, I stopped him.

"I know who it can be." Murthy, God! 27 different colours, seriously? "Put it in the vase." I smiled touching few other bouquets on the floor which were too beautiful to get unnoticed. Honestly, I never open half of the gifts there but I, surely disperse them amidst my staffs or donate to indigents.

"Sir, you need to freshen up and show up at the balcony. Like every year, thousands of fans are crowding the streets from various parts of the world." Abhimanyu gently informed looking into the screen. I wondered if that was his new enchantress now.

"Let me fix my face." Inhaling once, I looked around. This was the only day when my dark paradise would lit up. I stopped being a kid the night my father locked me up and forgot to free me and I know it's a bold thing to be strong but even villains have their days when they want to be happy.

When I stepped out in the balcony, roars of my beloved fans rocketed the sky and when I waved at them, it only maddened. Cops were having one tough time trying to restrain them from breaking past the gate with ropes and barricades whilst the fans with my posters and their phones in hands sang songs for me. Some cried, some laughed, some went into shock, some of course were pushing, shoving and quarrelling trying to stand in the first to catch my eyes. Putting hand on my heart, I bowed down and threw kisses their way since it was because of them only that Manik Malhotra could stay the supreme mogul in this industry.

Abhimanyu hurled me back into the room after I spent reasonable time counting blessings of my fans and clicking selfies with the crowd under the mansion and I took the glass of juice he held for me. "Sir, you have the press waiting for you at the conference hall."

Media was the only part I liked much less. If my fans were genuine and actually there to pray for me, journalists with fancy clothes and expensive cameras and microphones were there to get a juicy story at my expense. Although I hated doing this but my not attending them would give way for bigger controversy and I have quite a lot of them to deal with.

"Let's do this." Half-hearted, I uttered.

C A B I R

"So Manik, first of all a very happy birthday. This day is one of the most special and celebrated days of this industry and we can't ever thank you enough for your contributions in it and the way you keep entertaining us." I raised the volume of my television being flopped on my couch swirling the Jack D in glass; my eyes fixed at the screen.

"Thank you so much." Manik smiled sitting on the other side of the table where many of microphones were placed.

"Sir, what's your resolution for this year?"

"To keep entertaining you all better."

When a number of journalists started popping question after another, Abhimanyu politely asked them to be patient and ask one at a time.

"What is so different this year?"

Manik thought for a jiffy, "Having bagged three Golden Globe and quite a many Academy Awards."

"You are 27. Can we expect next year, you to be interviewed with would be Mrs.Malhotra by your side?" He blushed.

"I won't mind being interviewed with my father's or brother's sweetheart." When the interviewer lady widened her eyes, he tittered. "You said Mrs.Malhotra only." He winked.

"What is the brand you're wearing right now?"

"I'm not too sure but it maybe Calvin Klein." He stated looking at his forearms.

"There's a rumour that Aryaman and you are gonna star in the same movie soon, can we start dreaming about it?"

His jaw stiffened while he was chewing the gum, "Who are your sources? Please pay them correctly. No, it's funny, you know, each day I get to hear so many facts about me which I myself don't know."

"What has Mr.Malhotra gifted his son?"

"Which son?" Manik counter questioned piercingly.

"The one born on 25 December."

"I'm excited to find that out as well." He forced a smile.

"What will you comment on your current relationship rumours making headlines with the super model, Zara? The entire nation ships you two. Do you ship yourself with Ms.World too?"

Manik tittered, "I ship, cruise, yacht, boat everything with her. She's a great friend."

"Is there anyone making your birthday a little more special this year?"

His eyes beamed resembling his mind was playing some flashback until he regained senses, "Uh..you definitely. With that bright green neckpiece." The interviewer blushed.

Questions went on while my eyes fixed on the smile flashing up at Manik's face every other second. For the first time ever, he seemed genuinely happy and happiness doesn't look good on him.

M A N I K

My entire mansion resembled the whole city with lights and shimmers. As I was walking down the stairs in my tailored outfit, the guests hooted - some misting me with snow sprays. It would be crazy to count the heads since every notable person of the country was present there and it was time for me to thank them in person.

My merriment sized down a little seeing those two people arrive who were in fact not invited purposely. When my father hugged and gifted me keys to a brand new car, I wanted to toss it away but the presence of so many people seized my tongue.

"Isn't it too much of fakery?" I plastered a fake smile whilst my father was hugging me patting my back.

"You make me proud." He smiled squeezing my shoulders; shortly, making way for Aryaman.

"God, seriously?" I narrowed my brows.

"Trust me, I'm as unhappy as you are having come here. So shut the fuck up and hold it." He shoved something wrapped flat in my hands flashing a fake smile at everybody.

"I don't need your bloody gift. It's not even my birthday." Both of our eyes flooded with disgust which tried hard to conceal because of innumerable photos being taken of us hideously. Media and it's sources. Heh.

"I'm sure the man who can fake his own birth can fake a smile opening a goddamn gift." His index finger tapped on the wrapper. "C'mon open and don't forget to smile." He cooed and I jerked his hand off my shoulder.

Just as I knew. When I opened the gift, I wanted to wrap it back and shove it in his ass. Moron.

"You can't be serious." I gritted getting already tired of standing beside him for two whole minutes.

There were two books which he gifted me which I couldn't even show to anyone there. '100 ways to become a human being' and '101 ways to die'.

"I supposed, in case, the first one doesn't entice you, you can always use one of those 101 techniques." He pouted to overshadow his smile.

"Fuck you!" My pupils flared with annoyance so I chose to move away from him to attend people who were actually guests there.

As the glasses started going upside down, the night felt crazy. Ladies requested me to pose with them when they were live on every social network site and how could I turn them down. The number of tissues started increasing as I had to wipe the lipstick stains from my cheeks as they posed by kissing me.

"I think I'm having a lady boner for the birthday boy." Zara said wrapping her hand around my body.

I chuckled, "Nah. Your lipstick is too expensive to be smudged."

"Still I'd settle with kissing the man of the night's cheek." With her dangerously sharpened nails, she pulled my face closer pasting her glossy lips on my cheek when suddenly my eyes found a super gorgeous lady stepping out of the blurry lights swaying her hips to the tune of the music.

Her sleeveless dress was baby bluish silver with lots of shimmer fitting her perfect curves with a high slit across her thigh. Her legs looked so beautiful through the slit as she walked. For the moment, I even forgot that I needed to smile back at Zara for the cakey kiss as I was staring at Murthy with moony eyes. And, I bet to not have blinked once. She had a beautiful floral crown around her forehead which made her look no less than a princess and when those sparkly eyes met me, they conquered the Christmas lighting of the entire city.

"Before you kick me out, I got an invite!" She flashed the silken paper giggling as I was walking up to her unhearing the crowd like everyone else froze.

I was almost about to hug her spontaneously but sensing the people and all the gossips that could take birth, I restrained myself settling for a flirtatious smile checking her out from head to toe.

"And, I got you a present as well!" Pointing me a finger, she gestured some boy to bring a certain tall something half my height which seemed like a cardboard covered with one fine satin cloth.

At her request, after beaming at her I tugged the ribbon which instantly let the sheer cloth fall down to our feet and I fell like my world stop for a moment. I tried so hard to not keep looking at it but each second my heart started pounding like a mad horse was galloping on its beats. If I could give one thing in life, then surely I'd give Murthy the ability to feel the emotion I was feeling seeing her gift.

It was a painting of me in my childhood in my mother's arms and it was Murthy who painted it herself which was evident enough from the signature at the corner bottom. Sometimes you just can't explain what you see in a person because of the many unspoken ways they take you to places where no one else can and Murthy did it.

Seeing my not budge, she pressed my arm. "I knew you'd love it."

"You did the entire painting with coffee grounds?" I questioned with my mouth open in surprise.

She twinkled, "Thank you so much, girl. I.. this is bloody the best gift I received in years. Thank you for putting in so much of effort."

"This made you smile and it's enough for me." I so wanted to hug her tight.

"But where from did you get it? It's very old." I spoke still admiring the intricate details she highlighted and perfectly brought to life. That was my actual mother who she painted; the one who was naturally beautiful.

"I downloaded it from the internet." Seeing me still looking at it, she pinched my elbow. "It's one of my many talents." She bragged bending her knees holding sides of her body hugging dress.

"Put it in my bedroom." Seeing me instruct one of my staffs, she shone with delight.

"So.... You've got a lipstick mark over there. Not that I'm saying you should remove it but..I just informed you in case you didn't notice." She blabbered looking around.

"Oh, right. Here?" I asked wiping my skin with the tissue.

"May I?" She offered her help and I handed over the tissue.

"Sure... ow. Slowly, Murthy..you're not cleaning your utensils. It's my cheek!" She surely made my skin red by now and I kept rubbing it long after she was done.

"It's perfectly clean now." She smiled.

"What are you looking around for?" Since she was paying attention to everybody but me, I felt slightly insulted. C'mon, I'm Manik Malhotra.

"Aryaman is really here." She appeared surprised and my eyes traveled to Aryaman who was mingling with few actors with drink in hand.

"Wish I could say you're hallucinating but it's the bitter reality. But.. you seem quite amused by his presence?" I raised my suspicious brows.

"Look closely, everyone in this party is talking about it only." The corners of my mouth quirked up nonchalantly.

"What happened to those cookies?" I stopped one of the servers, taking two glasses of champagne for each of us.

"I threw them away. After getting your reaction, I couldn't bring myself to taste them in the morning." She replied in between taking sips.

"Too bad. Such wastage. We could put them in utilisation had we known Aryaman was coming changing only one thing, which is poisoning it." She clicked her tongue furrowing.

"It's not nice to say like that." My displeased glance hardly was noticed by her.

"The grass is always greener on the other side. Know why? Because most of the times it's fake. Plastic grass." She rolled her eyes at me divulging some serious reality into her dense head.

Shortly, she choked on her drink giggling and I bet she recalled something funny. I don't even need to ask. She'll tell herself only. Chatterbox.

"You know, I just now remembered something." Wiping the corner of her lips, she tittered trying to make it sound interesting.

"Wow I had no idea." Her smile faded at my snarky judgement.

"When you yesterday asked me to carry a swimsuit, I pondered over it so much since I couldn't get to hear as you disconnected in a rush. So I thought about it the whole day contemplating if swimsuit was the theme of this party. Thank God, I didn't embarrass myself." Heaving a breath of relief, she smiled like she survived a war.

"Are you on something?" My mouth set in a dubious line.

"So rude!" She pouted.

"Not that I would have minded you swaying through my main door in a bikini right now but still, is there anything particularly wrong with you?" I asked in disbelief. This girl really amazed me. Most of the times with her lack of intelligence.

"Fine. I'm abnormal. Does that make you happy?" She rolled her bottom lip with a snarl.

Puffing air through my mouth, I shook my head. "Anyway, I'll leave to play a nice host now. Stick around and make yourself comfortable or get another drink or whatever. I'll see you around." Tapping on her bare upper arm, I excused myself.

N A N D I N I

My heart skipped when his fingers came in touch with my bare skin and it definitely felt like the entire goddamn zoo was making their revival prominently. He was back into the celebrities being a celebrity who was laughing and flirting endlessly. I knew he was flawed and there were certain parts of him that I won't be able to ever change but then again, changing him won't make him the same Manik I fell in love with. If I had to be one amongst the million for him then I'll definitely choose it over the notion of one in a million for him.

Earning a tap on my bare shoulder, I turned around finding Aryaman standing near and trying for the zillionth time even, I couldn't get the guilty feeling out of my chest whenever Chetna's face in that dungeon would playing before my open eyes.

"Nice shoes." I smiled at his compliment.

"Yeah?" I stretched admiring my shimmery silver high heel revealing my leg through the slit of my dress. "Thank you. You look great."

"Now let's just both admit this is the saddest party in town." Seeing me questionably frown, he sighed. "C'mon you gotta admit that I played a better host at my birthday."

Zipping my lips, I indicated to throw the key away which made him draw a sharp breath. "You're such a good loyal employee."

"Tell me about it." I chirped but he suddenly glanced over Manik's end.

"Or, shall I put it as good loyal more-than-an-employee?" My jaw dropped but I chucked waving my hand in dismissal.

"Did you hear the latest gossip that 'Snake C' is back in town?" I frowned not having any clue about what he was talking.

"Is there a new Anaconda movie that has released?" Without a warning, I asked.

"Jesus! What's wrong with you? No. I meant.. Cabir. He's back." I gasped placing hand on my chest. With Cabir came all his loss, bad memories, Manik's sufferings back in my thoughts.

"Is this gossip true?" I enquired with hitched breath.

"Yep"

"Do you think Manik met him already?"

"Yep"

"Are you keeping a tab on your brother?" Suspiciously, I asked.

"Yep"

"Don't you think it's a bad thing to spy on someone?"

"Nope" He replied confidently and I shook my head in disbelief.

"I saw that mom's painting you did..." his tone lowered. "Great job."

I smiled lightly, "She was beautiful and so painting her was beautiful as well."

"She was." He gulped mixing the drink in his hand.

"Can I ask you one thing, Aryaman?" Tucking a strand behind, I hesitated.

"Nope" Seeing me squint my eyes, he chuckled. "Sure. Go ahead."

"Why are you here? I mean, not in the party but standing by my side when there are so many other people here you know so well?" He scanned me like a machine.

"Are you being serious?" Snickering mildly, he gulped the alcohol. "Talking to you pisses Manik like shit and I'd do anything to annoy Manik under the sky."

I suppressed an amused laughter, "You're drunk."

"And, you're blind to not have noticed how he was fuming watching us from every corner of this place." Watching me roll my eyes, he stiffened his. "You don't believe me, right? Fine, check behind me. I'm certain he's digging holes in my back. Don't be too obvious. Just-just make it look natural." Standing on my tippy toes, I gasped finding Manik darkly looking our way and I quickly hid my frame by Aryaman's.

"You saw that?" Aryaman bit his bottom lip mischievously.

"He-he must be looking for someone. Why'd he be affected by all of this?" I tried reasoning my heart.

"Oh hush, you blind. I'm his brother, all right and no matter how much we hate each other, we have the same blood running in our veins. Any fool can see how throughout the evening, pardon my language, he's undressing you with his eyes contrary to how his heart swelled when he saw mom's reflection in you when you gifted him the painting. You affect him in more ways than you'll know, princess." He thought for a second before removing a fringe that had been poking my eyes since a long time with a mischievous grin on his lips.

"I'm sure he's going to break that glass in his hand soon." Bringing his mouth near my shoulder, he whispered like he was hugging me. Just as I saw Manik's knuckles turning abnormally white from clutching that glass, my eyes glistened with fear making me step away from his brother. I didn't want Manik to hurt himself or anyone considering how the last birthday party ended.

After a while as Aryaman left, I was all by myself swirling another drink in my hand thinking to myself if whatever Aryaman said had a little bit of truth in it. But then, Manik's behaviour towards me surely had changed over the course of tome especially after his recovery and we were completely on a different footing now. Just as I was about to have a sip, I spat the drink back into the glass feeling someone slide his hand over my buttock.

Infuriated, I twisted my neck to murder that asshole only to discover Manik pass by chatting with another actor with his dark eyes on me. I knew then Aryaman wasn't wholly wrong because such kind of gesture from Manik screamed how much he wanted to put his tag on me.

There was not a single person from office since it was his exclusive party so I didn't have much people to talk to. Quaffing drink after another, I looked around planning to leave since the host was nowhere to be seen and my heart paced at the thought of him cornering one model against the wall and guiding her to his room. It was heart shattering to imagine such a thing even and I had to inhale thickly to avoid such pessimism until someone in a whisper requested me to turn behind. There was a staff who handed me a piece of paper which seemed like a note and I verified thrice from him if that was meant for me. Who in this unknown party would send me notes?

'I hope you haven't forgotten to carry your swimsuit. I'll see you in the hot tub exactly in 10'

My heart was literally not in its place when I was folding the paper but the words still were being repeated in my head. Respectfully, thanking him, as I was looking around for a clue, my mouth opened partially at the snitching of oxygen as I found Manik from a corner, in between the girls of course, staring right at me already. I closed my mouth to breath a little civilly and the more I looked into his eyes, I understood that he was understanding me getting his dark desires and so deepened the smirk on his lips. Girls were talking to him but his eyes were stuck on me getting me grow more and more self conscious. It was time when he said something to them, probably an excuse me, never breaking our eye lock as he started making way towards his stairs throughout bolting our gazes together.

I saw him open a button or two of his shirt as he was walking up the stairs and he made sure I noticed that. In no time when he was gone, I cleared my throat placing a hand on my heart only to feel it beat erratically as I looked around to learn if anyone witnessed our little eye-to-eye conversation.

It was one of the boldest decisions of my life to make and though I knew tomorrow morning when I'd wake up, I'll probably again lose him but parts of me wanted to find out what had he planned for the two of us for just this night. The two of us. I literally loved the sound of it. I had nothing to lose since he had my heart since the beginning and thus, following my instincts was all I wanted to do. Needless to say, I was greedy for his attention and so whichever piece I was offered, I couldn't stop saying yes to it even if it meant my destruction.

For reasons staying in this mansion during my illness, to some extent, I very well knew which to be found where and I also knew that Manik Malhotra had two goddamn giant swimming pools in his house and so, finding the little hot tub wasn't difficult.

5 mins later:

My eyes were blessed as I reached the rooftop finding the black sky and thousands of twinkling stars shining to enhance my courage but that was not why I said my eyes were blessed. My eyes were blessed seeing in the smokey bright blue hot tub, Manik soaking his bare upper body with his wet hair pushed back. His arms were relaxed on both sides of the tub edge whilst his eyes were drowning in the stars. Quickly, I peeked to see if anyone else was there but no, it was just him probably waiting for me.

Fighting with my own judgement I took baby steps clearing my throat and when his eyes found me taking shaky steps being wrapped in a bath robe with hair tied up in a bun, his eyes shone brighter with a gentle smirk on his lips.

"Took you forever!" My eyes averted to the little droplets of water rolling down his buttery chest and ribs and no matter how I tried to bite back my thoughts, alcohol was having the best of me.

"I thought there'd be a pool party or something but this... honestly, got me in a ... I can't find the exact word." I spoke sitting on the edge of the tub and the hot smoke coming out was relaxing my body although I haven't dipped my legs yet.

"Someone came prepared." He taunted watching me from head to my knees and slowly down my bare legs as his muscle flexed while grabbing his half finished drink from the edge where his arm rested. Whenever he moved, his chest shone a little magnificently and for the first time I noticed, how great of a body he has. He must have to work out like a beast to get that dream body which men only dream of.

"I don't exactly call this preparation." I tried to look unaffected but my eyes were saying differently.

He sighed, "Get rid of that robe."

Did I just say how sexier he looks whenever he sounds so bossy?

I can't necessarily shove the blame on the alcohol in my system since there were springs of different kind of emotions bubbling in the pit of my stomach. Slowly, untying the knot at my stomach, I let the robe slip down my shoulders and his eyes were exactly where they were supposed to be. His smirk deepened when the gown pooled at my feet and times were numerous when his hungry eyes were moving up and down my bare skin full of goosebumps in my black floral bikini with a high waist.

The confidence in me was newfound which only grew better since his smirk kept telling me he liked what he saw. His fingers slapped the pool gesturing me to step in and God, I so wanted to run my fingers through his wet pushed back hair. I so wanted to breathe him in. Looking around just to buy time, meekly, I set my foot in and exhaled feeling the warm water to be overtly comfortable. I rested my back on the edge while he stayed on the other and I knew my heart would explode any moment if this happened to continue, especially the way his eyes touched me as his lips touched the cold glass. The blue ray coming out of the tub made everything heavenly and the warm water was actually doing wonders to relax my stiffened body.

"There's a drink behind you." My eyes popped to my back finding a glass of red wine paired with a bottle waiting for me and flashing him a smile, I took hold of it.

"What are your guests going to say?" I remarked sipping a good amount of the oaky taste of the wine which is essentially soft on my tongue.

"None of them matters. The one who does, I think, is dense enough to overlook it." He exhaled mildly which his muscular chest rising up and down and deltoids bulged as he rested his elbows on the edge.

"I'm too scared to notice." My eyes glistened with emotions.

"Why are you so far?" He whispered and although I was slouching basically 5 hands away from him, I decided to obey him by bridging the distance in between.

He stood up to his full length and I could tell how short I was feeling without those heels around him. I was basically half his height. Even though he was soaked in water, his body smelt amazing like he was immersed in woody floral fragrance which made him all the more attractive.

"Let's fix your hair." His tone was so pleasing to my ears.

"What is-is there..." My tongue froze as he wrapped his wet arms around my shoulders loosening my hair band and carefully placed each strand of my hair on my shoulder like a decoration.

"I like it when you let your hair down." With his thumb, he brushed just over my earlobe and my knees were already turning jelly at the spice of his touch.

"My heart is beating abnormally fast." I breathed.

"It's okay. You'll be fine." He tucked a wet strand behind my ear and it got so difficult to breathe. His hands moved to my naked shoulders where his thumbs kept caressing my skin to calm my nerves and it kind of helped.

With both of his palms cupping my cheeks, he made me look into his eyes. "Were you flirting with my brother on my birthday?"

"It's not even your birthday." Nervously, I tittered staying in the cage of his fingers on my cheeks.

"You didn't even dispute the flirting part." He uttered softly and it was impossible to stare at those obscured eyes.

Closing my eyes, I breathed in. "I know you'd probably hate me for saying this but he's a great guy."

"You don't even know him." His tone was softer than I expected.

When I fell quiet looking at our feet underwater, tenderly he placed my hand on his rock hard packs on his ab. God, am I dreaming? If this be the dream please nobody wake me up. This moment was too delicate for me since I didn't know what to do with my frozen fingers. This was what I always wanted but I didn't want to move my fingers in a way that'd offend him in comparison to all his previous partners or just stay there, not doing anything?

"What's wrong?" He mumbled leaning over my head. To sum all the worse, self consciousness was making its entry.

"I..." I dropped my hand into the water causing a splash. "..am not perfect in comparison to all the women you have been with before." I tried covering my body crossing my arms. "Neither do I have the perfect super model like fitness nor I'm as gorgeous as your costars. I'm... just someone ordinary who is dreaming open-eyed with the superstar of her dreams." His eyes melted into mine as he inched forward unwrapping my arms so he could slid his hands around my bare waist and pull me in. I saw thousand different colours in my eyes as he stood a breath away from me with his hand securing me like he was my safe haven. And, he was.

"I have never compared you with anyone since the day I got to know you properly. And, if you go on comparing yourself with somebody else, then you'll always find someone way better than you are. In life, there's always going to be someone who's better than you in so many different ways. There are men out there better than me too and none of us is perfect. But you are Nandini Murthy and that's what should make you perfect and not some stupid waist size or size of your breast." I didn't know why but I hallucinated hundreds of firecrackers in the sky.

"But I still lack in a field." I muttered pouting. "I'm so much shorter than you." I giggled making him look up at the sky, smiling.

"Well, that's something we can think about." He tittered.

Like a kid who sees the carnival for the first time, I squealed as lifting me off the floor, he wrapped my legs around his waist. My eyes popped out in disbelief while his grin deepened the more I started laughing throwing my head back.

"Are you kidding me?" I laughed enveloping my arms around his neck.

"Now you're taller than me even." I continued laughing disregarding the fact that we were closer than ever before.

"Who knew Manik Malhotra had a romantic bone in his body!" I rolled my lips up in amusement while swaying my body in his arms on my bum, he rotated me until I started shrieking back again.

"Put me down." I giggled.

"I don't plan to." He smiled and soon our foreheads were pressed against the other and then without giving this wild idea another thought, I did something I never thought I could.

Leaning on, I pecked the corner of his lips quickly before dropping my eyes in embarrassment. The peck, I don't know but it changed his face altogether. There, the murderous sexual tension was sending the both of us in a state of dizziness but sure my head spun when he couldn't stop staring at my trembling lips.

"Um.. I wasn't thinking." I didn't know what to say since his gaze was so bloody intense. Did I ruin the moment? But the fact still remains, tasting his lips for a millisecond forced me to crave the taste again for longer hours. Why is the forbidden fruit always the tastiest?

Before I could request him again to put me down, his pink lips smashed mine eating me like he meant every bit of it. My eyes closed and arms started pulling him closer, only if that was possible. Electricity sparked up and down my body as I wanted to get closer and closer. The heat of the water was having us insane urging to never part.

Why was this connection between us so dangerous?

Sadly, he parted not at the lack of oxygen but just to passionately bore his eyes into mine, breathing in my mouth. I knew he didn't love me back but I could never resist this man who paused a kiss just to look into my eyes that ardently like his eyes wanted to savour his effect on me. I wanted to pull away from that burning gaze before I lose myself but how could I move a magnetised body from him that craved for him more with every passing second.

The next thing I knew, he had slammed his lips to mine back again and nearly knocked all the wind from my lungs. I hardly had a moment to react before he pressed his tongue to the seam of my lips and, at my grant of access, delved inside my mouth. The strong scent of old wine being exchanged in the intermingling of our billowing breaths forced my arms reach up and tangle around his thick, strong neck whilst he kept squeezing my bare back pulling me closer. We didn't aim to stop. My fingers pulled his hair, the one I so badly wanted to feel which was turning him all the more on. When I suffered from a lack of little air, he allowed me to lift my chin and draw some sanity from the sky while his mouth kept kissing my jawline like it meant the end of world. I leaned my body against him as his arms helped my back from not falling giving him more access to my soaked neck where he exhaled his warm breath sealing with a sloppy kiss with his thumb leaving me breathless as he played with my belly button. I was so going insane and I'm sure he too had lost his mind.

We moaned at the same tune and my nails dug deep into his skin. His hands tightly grabbed my bum grinding my body into his until I started laughing and he froze not believing that I actually chose laughter where I could lose my virginity to him at any given moment.

"I don't believe this." He slammed his lips on mine again like he wanted to lose himself in me but that only increased my laughter.

"I'm sorry I just couldn't stop thinking about what to do with my hands and started laughing." He dropped me from his arms and I sank into the water, quickly standing up again laughing.

"Remind me to never kiss you again." He rolled his eyes.

"You need a reminder?" I stuck my tongue out.

"Whatever!" With a splash on my face, he made me breathless.

Laughing my ass off as I tried reaching for my glass of wine but he took it away. "You've had quite many drinks tonight."

Since when did we do this role reversal?

"You didn't even notice me." I rolled my eyes.

His face fell, "Right. I didn't."

He put some ice cubes in his drink turning his face away but there's something that went off instantly.

"Wait, what?" Holding his forearm, I requested. Did I say something that I wasn't supposed to?

"What? You're right. I didn't notice you." Nonchalantly, he answered sipping wine.

"No, if there's anything that I said wrong you can tell me." I didn't like this sudden change in our moods. I wanted that Manik back who was beaming like the brightest star a while ago.

"There's nothing for you to say, Murthy. You were right, I didn't notice you." He curved his lips to give a smile that hardly reached his eyes.

"Look, I'm sor-" My heart fluttered as he swiftly spun my body ending up with his lips on my ear and his hands on my waist.

"I didn't notice anything. I didn't even notice the way his fingers tangled in your hair. I didn't notice the way you admired your sparkly shoes, nor did I notice you curling your hand with your finger. I totally didn't notice how you retouched your lipstick or how you choked on the drink or how your eyes twinkled when the deejay played your favourite song. I failed to notice how many men ogled at you wishing it was them you had your eyes on but did you even notice how I wanted to corner you from everybody so as to get to alone just to myself?" His hot breathing on my ear and shoulder spun my world.

Blushing hard, I pressed the back of my head on his chest as he was comfortably slouched in the water.

"Do you see that star?" I pointed towards the only brightest one close to the moon.

With a peck on my shoulder which instantly ruined me, he followed my finger. "The North Star, you mean?" His hand slid up my entire arm which was pointing at the star and he intermingled his fingers with mine.

I hummed as he wrapped his other hand around my body from behind and we stood as one in the water. My ears could hear the music of his heartbeats and their vibration spirited my existence. "You're that North Star to me. Whenever I lose my way, you bring me home, Manik."

Removing hair from my shoulder, he nibbled my nape making me groan at the pleasure. "Who writes your lines? I want to kiss the hand of that person."

Tittering, I lifted my hand freeing it from his lock under water and he gracefully kissed the back of my palm as I stood pressing my back to his front. I didn't want this moment to be history and even it does, I know I'd treasure this for the rest of my life because there always going to be a piece of Nandini Murthy that'll belong to Manik Malhotra forever.

"Hey? Merry Christmas!" I chirped to which he responded with another peck.

"Are you allowed to torment my heart this much?" I asked and smiled when he raised my manicured nails angular to the moon; brushing his thumb over with his lips painting colours of togetherness on my bare back. Throwing my head back, I bit back a moan which made him smirk against my wet shoulder.

"Maybe because I want every shattered, tormented piece of you to scream my name." I inhaled as his nose brushed on my shoulder and it was one of those many moments around him that I was about to faint.

If right now I look back, I can see how far we have come and that I thought to myself maybe in another perfect world, when I'd love him, he might love me back.

We both shuddered as we heard shattering of a glass nearby and we distanced quickly as Manik frowned shouting who was it.

"Do you think anyone from downstairs could come up?" My question made him all the more concerned as he jumped out of the pool with fountains of waters raining down his every wet inch and tight black shorts. Unexpectedly, he advanced his hand for my assistance and with his support I did. He could be caring at times if he wanted.

"Get your clothes on. I'll just see...." He didn't finish the sentence as wrapping a robe, he went inside cautiously and turned around at me, puzzled.

When I followed his eyes, I found a glass which had alcohol in it broken and does that mean there was someone spying on us or someone just happen to stumble there accidentally? How long was that someone there for and how far did he or she witness?

When Manik went inside, my body hugged the robe with long wet strands over my shoulders which I was too careless to wrap with a towel Manik left for me. I looked around suspiciously but the second my eyes landed on the pool, flashes of our steamy moments made my cheek burn. The secrets and emotions we left behind in that water was sending warmth to my cold skin.

Biting my lower lip, I turned around tucking a wet hair behind slapping my forehead when suddenly my feet stepped on something leathery. Kneeling down, I grabbed a gents' wristband which was not Manik's. Less scared I was for someone recording us and more concerned for that wristband was extremely familiar to me but I just couldn't place my finger on the man.

Who was watching us?

[A/N- Hey there! I wanted to thank all of you for voting, commenting and loving the story. I love you all and I'm grateful forever. Please don't forget to vote, comment and share if you liked the update and comment more and more if you'd like a quick update. Who is this mystery man now! Woah!]

All the love,
Rai. Xx