Thank you for your response to the previous update. I usually unpublish the story as soon as I complete writing it, that's my style. I am writing only for my current readers and not for later babes. ;)

...

"How the hell did you let this happen?" Manik yelled at Cabir.

"Manik, I ..." Cabir started. 

"You know how much I hate this stupid, little thing who did not even develop basic senses, the how the fuck did you let me get married to her?" He roared and I flinched. 

"Who is he to marry us? We love each other and we got married." I spoke even though my voice was heavy with emotions. 

"Did I ask you to speak?" He questioned me directing his cold eyes towards me. I shook my head negatively in response. "She? Out of all people on the earth!"

He is clearly regretting marrying me. 

Cabir bowed his head in shame unable to meet Manik's eyes who were seething in anger. 

"How did it happen? Alya and I are supposed to get married. How did Alya agree to all of this?" Manik rubbed his neck with his fingers.

I held his hand in mine. "Alya is super chill after knowing that we love each other. We got married recently and you..."

"Will you get the fuck out of my sight?" Manik shouted at me. 

My eyes burned with tears unable to bear his rude treatment towards me. My Manik is not warm towards me. 

I stepped out of the room leaving Cabir and Manik to speak. Even though I was sitting outside my eyes were glued towards the door, hoping that Manik would open his arms and pull me into his arms. 

After a long one hour talk, Cabir came out of the room with a dejected face. He sighed and walked away without even stopping a second in front of me to speak. 

I want to run into Manik. I want to hug him and tell him how much I missed him. But he is not at all looking at me, he is treating me like a stranger which I did not like even for a tiny bit. 

My feet once again took me towards Manik who was leaning against his bedrest. His eyes were closed and a frown was on his forehead as if he was in so much pain. 

"Manik." My voice cracked as I couldn't see him sad. 

"I saved your life. I could have saved Alya, she would be alive now if I was not with you. Why? Why didn't I save her?" He said with his eyes still closed as if he did not even like to see me. 

I sobbed. 

Was it my fault that Alya was not with us?

"Why did I prioritise you over Alya?" 

Great. Now he is regretting about saving me too. 

What can I tell him? Should I tell him that he did not think about his own life let alone others just to protect me? 

"It was nobody's fault, Manik. We did not have so much time to think or prioritise on whom to save. Everything happened so fast." I explained. 

He didn't say anything further. He didn't want to have a conversation with me and stayed in his place without a movement. I didn't mind it as long as my eyes could hold his image breathing in front of me I could stay in silence for centuries with him. 

"Mrs. Malhotra," The staff called me and Manik tightened his fists hearing that title for me. "The visiting hours completed for this day. Don't worry, we shall discharge the Boss in a week's time." 

The elderly woman's smile is out of the place as none of us are ready to accept hospitability let alone happy faces. 

I nodded my head and stood up. Looking at Manik for the last time I stepped out of the room and descended the stairs only to find Cabir patiently waiting for me in the car to drive me home. The entire drive was silent, unlike any other day. 

All these months when Cabir drove me to see Manik I would chatter nonstop about Manik and me irritating the hell out of him. He would occasionally roll his eyes at our stupidity and sometimes would gasp not believing Manik would do something like that. It was an entertaining ride but now everything changed. 

That time we had a hope that Manik would wake up and that hope would lead us to look forward for that day. But now after his consciousness, his behaviour is slowly killing the hope in us. Even staying closer to Manik we were still distant as if he was not the person I knew. 

The ride has ended with us reaching the mansion. Cabir dropped me here and zoomed out of his car without waiting for a second. He was broken too and I understand that he needs space. 

I saw Niyonika walking out of her room to have her evening tea and I smiled brightly at her. At least there is someone whom I can talk to about Manik. "My Queen, Manik woke up."

She paused her step for a second and continued to walk further. "So? What should I do?"

I mentally banged my head against the wall for even thinking about sharing the news with this stupid woman. She doesn't care if he is doing good or not, she is living in her own dumb world. I didn't waste another second in front of her and walked directly into our room.

I fell on the bed and opened my heart out to cry. I hugged Manik's pillow which is cold to touch right now without his presence. 

I missed you, Manik. Please hug me.

I chanted all night trying to sleep in this uncomfortably cold room. 

A week passed by and the day has finally arrived, the day Manik came into the Mansion. Cabir was the only person who visited Manik and also took backlashes. He is now driving Manik back to the house while I patiently wait outside to welcome him. Finally, the car stopped and Manik stepped out looking handsome as ever. Nobody would believe he is coming straight out of the hospital, thanks to Cabir who brought him the signature black suit. 

Manik looked at me for a second and instantly diverted his gaze. He stepped inside the house without me as I stared at his retreating back. 

This is not how I imagined things to be, I wanted to run into his arms as soon as he came into the mansion and he would twirl me around but it's completely different. 

"Ma, I am home."He called out for his mother like a dutiful son.

Niyonika looked at his face and then went back to do whatever she was doing. "Okay."

Okay??

That's all she has to say?

Manik was hurt by her indifference towards him but he did not show it out. I am surprised that he called her Ma instead of My Queen like he used to do when I was here in the initial days. What made him change the way they address each other? I wondered and before I could speak with Manik he was already walking into his office. 

Like hell? Bro, he has just walked out of the hospital and he is already at work? Why can't he just have his Lukfast? I was frustrated with everything and ate my food alone, without Manik, without him feeding me. 

The day passed gloomily and finally, it was night. This is the moment we get to have our own private time. Now he won't escape from me anymore. I laid on the bed patiently waiting for him to come inside but it took him hours to feel the need to sleep. 

The door finally opened when it was midnight and took a deep breath. "So, finally you remembered you have to sleep."

"What are you doing here?"

What's that question? It doesn't even make any sense to me.

"Surgery?" I said raising my eyebrow. "What else will I do at this time in our room, Manik. Of course, Sleeping."

"Leave this room. Now." He said sternly.

I sat up now as it was hurting to see him asking me to go away. "Where will I go?"

"There are many rooms in the mansion, many territories in the Empire. Go anywhere except near me." He said throwing the file on the floor. 

"But that is the only place I want to be, Manik. Near you." I bit my bottom lip preventing myself from crying out loud in front of him. 

The next moment he yanked my arm from his bed and dragged me out. He pushed me out of his room with his red eyes directed towards me with anger. 

"Did you think that your life would be easier just because you married me? Were you dreaming that you would be living like a princess getting pampered as the wife of the Boss? Snap out of your stupid dreams, because you are a nobody to me and I would never spare a glance at a person like you." He paused to look at me from top to bottom. "You do not have any quality to become my wife and the first lady of this Empire."

Tears now flowed freely from my eyes as Niyonika, Cabir and the Professor were out listening to us but Manik still insulted me without giving a damn about my feelings. 

"We got married only for love and none of the reasons apply to us, Manik," I whispered looking at the floor. 

He pulled my jaw harshly with his hand and made me look into his eyes. "I. Do. Not. Love. You."

He stressed every word and shut the door on my face. I collapsed in front of the door not because he said he didn't love me but because his eyes were saying nothing but the truth. 

Manik doesn't love his Nandini anymore. 

...

How is the update?

What must Nandini do now?

I need you all to be as interactive as possible as I am writing the story only for you. If you don't speak I will get demotivated and I will not be able to update the story.