Third person's pov!

Mukul stared at Bhavna and Laksh in shock.

"You can't be serious!!" He muttered under his breath.

"Mukul, please come out of the shock. Only you can deal with this situation calmly and expertly. That's why I brought Laksh to you.." Bhavna said and Mukul composed himself quickly.

"Let me get this straight! Viraj Parikh, Jeevika ji's brother-in-law claimed to be an orphan and he wants to marry Nidhi! Right?" Mukul repeated, just for a confirmation.

"I am not sure if the two Virajs are the same. I once vaguely saw him when he visited the Vyas'. And I am eighty percent sure that it is the same Viraj I met here at the office. And I mentioned what happened in the temple that day! That only doubled my suspicion." Laksh said, rubbing his temples, as he felt the onset of a headache.

"I will look into this. And I seriously hope that you are mistaken and this whole thing is a misunderstanding. We have no idea how Sid will react, if this turns out to be true.." Mukul said in exasperation and the other two nodded agreeing to him.

"Honestly, I have always found him unlikeable. I only tolerate him for Viren jiju's sake. Even Sid. If not for Viren jiju, Sid would have made sure his family maintained no relationship with both Viraj and Nalini nani." Ansh said, his dislike evident in his voice.

"How the hell did Jeevika ji then fall in love with someone from that family. If Viraj and his grandmother both are dislikeable, Jeevika ji's husband might also be the same, right?" Laksh asked.

"Viren jiju and Viraj and cousins. Nalini nani is Viren jiju's father's step mother. You get it right? Viraj is Nalini nani's own grandson. Viren jiju is not. One accident wiped off the whole family, leaving Nalini nani and the two grandsons alive. And Nalini nani never treated Viren jiju well. But jiju is unnecessarily attached to his two living relatives. He is quite sentimental when it comes to them both. In fact, Nalini nani wanted Jeevika di to marry Viraj. But Jeevika di and Viren jiju fell in love and she couldn't do anything. Anyways, long story short, Viren jiju is a gem of a person, but Viraj and Nalini nani aren't. Sid hates Nalini Nani. And he just tolerates Viraj's over-polite nature. All these only because Viren jiju is an emotional fool and Sid and Jeevika di love Viren jiju very much." Ansh said, explaining the family dynamics.

It was at the exact same moment, Siddharth walked in, searching for Mukul.

"Mukul.." He called out loudly and all of them froze, worried if Siddharth heard their conversation.

"Yes, Sid.." Mukul hurried to him in worry.

"Where are Nidhi and Priya?" Siddharth asked coldly.

"Uh, Sid. They are working from home for the time being." Bhavna chimed in, as she was the one who made arrangements for that.

"With whose permission?" Siddharth asked angrily. He had hurried to the office in the morning, aching to have a look at her. He hadn't seen her after publicly announcing his feelings for her and he was worried as to how she would react.

"Laksh said Nidhi and Priya aren't comfortable coming to the office for a few days, Sid. So, I made arrangements for them to work from home." Bhavna said, scared.

"That is not your decision to make, Bhavna. Neither is it yours." Sid said hotly, his angry gaze first on Bhavna and then on Laksh.

All of them worriedly looked at him.

"I want them in the office. No matter what!" Sid ordered and walked away briskly and all of them let out their breaths, which they had no idea they were holding.

"He is never going to change. Who said love changes people and makes them a better human? If anything, he only got worse." Mukul mumbled under his breath, but it was loud enough for Bhavna and Laksh and they nodded agreeing to Mukul's words.

****

Nidhi marched into the Rey Designs office like an avenging angel and briskly walked into Sid's cabin, without even knocking.

"What the!" Siddharth looked up with a frown, which soon turned into a smile when he saw his lady love walking towards him.

"Nidhi.." He breathed out and Nidhi shot a furious look at him.

"Here.." She slammed an envelope on his desk.

"What is it?" He asked curiously.

"Mine and Priya di's resignation letter. We are not working here anymore." Nidhi declared and Siddharth looked at her in horror.

"What? How can you say that?" He asked, as he sprang up from his chair.

"You are making it difficult for me to live, Mr Raichand. You made a public declaration and I am finding it hard to step out of my house. And you have the nerve to decree that I should come to the office no matter what!" She said furiously.

"Nidhi.. I didn't think.." He began to say, but she didn't let him finish.

"Of course, you never think, Mr Raichand. You never think before acting. You don't think about how your actions affect others. You don't think about how your words hurt others. You don't think about the consequences others have to face due to your actions. You just don't think..." She trailed off, taking heaving breaths.

"Nidhi, relax.." Siddharth said as he came around the desk and stood next to her.

"Don't tell me what to do. I quit." She said furiously and walked out of his cabin, without waiting for his response.

"Damn it!" He cursed and hurried behind her, without caring that his staff were watching him.

"Nidhi, Nidhi.. Listen.." He called out as he ran behind her. But she wasn't listening to anything.

"Fine, fine. Don't come to the office. Work from your home. But please don't leave the work halfway through. You made a commitment Nidhi. I know you don't back out from commitments." Sid, ever the manipulator, said knowing very well what would hit the right point.

Nidhi shot an exasperated look and raised her hands as if to strangle him.

Siddharth leaned back because he knew she might actually strangle him if she loses her temper.

"You are such a manipulator. You will never change. But I made a commitment to this project and I will finish it before quitting for good." She said and walked out.

Siddharth let out a sigh of relief.

"Maybe, love does change people to some extent if not entirely." Mukul mumbled to Bhavna.

"Well, he wouldn't change. He just manipulated her into changing her mind from quitting." Bhavna pointed out.

"But she managed to scare him. A few hours ago, he said he wants her in the office no matter what. Now, he just said, she can work from home. I have been with Sid since he began Rey Designs. I have never seen him change any decision unless emotionally manipulated by his sister.." Mukul said and Bhavna had to agree to it.

"Well, let's just wait and see how this manipulative and arrogant Siddharth Singh Raichand wins Parinidhi Vyas' heart!"

A/N

Here goes the next shot..

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