It was a good night sleep indeed.

I am back in my room and Manik is with me. Not on the same bed but atleast he is still with me just a few feet away.

I stretched my arms and looked at Manik sleeping peacefully on the couch. There was no anger or negative emotions on his face but pure peace.

I like this Manik.

He woke up a few minutes later and a frown immediately appeared on his forehead looking at me.

Welcome back Mr. Frown Malhotra.

"What?" He questioned me.

Good morning. Love. Honey. Sweety. These are the things we expect from someone first thing in the morning. Not what or why or when?

"What what?" I questioned back.

"Why are you staring at me?"

I rolled my eyes. How come he lost the romantic bone from his body along with his memory?

"I am not staring at you, Manik. My vision balls organ are directed towards your muscle, bone filled skin organ." I explained.

He shook his head. "Not first thing in the morning."

"Well good morning to you too." I replied dropping the bedsheet down and stepping out of the bed.

Manik wasn't looking at me now and he was either closing his eyes or looking at the floor.

What's with him?

Anyways, I have to get ready for the day. So I stretched my arms once again and walked towards the backdoor to open it.

"Where are you going?" He questioned me.

I smiled. "Are you missing me already, Manik?"

He gave me a side eye.

"I am going to my room, Duh! To shower, change and get ready for the day." I said and turned the knob to go out.

I was halted in my steps when I felt his arms on my shoulder. My breath hitched feeling him so close to me. He wrapped the shirt he was wearing last night over me.

"You are not leaving like that." He said tightening the hold on the shirt.

I turned back slightly to see him shirtless and paying his complete attention to me. His eyes were sincerely looking at me while I am finding it difficult to look at him without dropping my eyelashes in shyness.

A knock on his door crashed my whatever dreamland I was staying. I immediately ran out of this place without giving him a chance to speak.

I opened the door to my room and locked it behind me. As soon as I am in my safe place I clutched my chest and took a deep breath.

"Woah! What's with him anyways?"

A gentle smile unknowingly formed on my face as I felt his clothes on my skin after a long time.

This time he gave it himself.

Since it's a good start I have to do another good thing. That is to take a shower. Yay!

I wore the boring body fitting black dress without any frills or amusing material on it. I didn't like the dress but it's okay since it's on my body and it's beautiful.

I walked down the hall to eat my LukFast but got confused as there were many people gathered in the hallway.

What happened?

I tried to look at the centre where everyone's eyes were fixed but it got impossible as these men were tall and muscular while I was short and petite.

I finally made my way from the crowd and spotted Manik. He was standing there looking at his mother with unsaid pain filled in his eyes.

Niyonika was continuously wailing while the doctor was consoling her.

Who's dead?

Finally my eyes landed on the reason behind the chaos as soon as the doctor moved aside.

Harshad Malhotra.

He was lying on the stretcher as the medical team surrounded him. He is dead and that's why his mother is crying and Manik is feeling guilty as he is fighting between his duty and family.

"It's okay Manik. Let's forgive him for entering the territory. Afterall a dead person could not go back if we order right?"

Manik didn't utter anything and opened his mouth in surprise. It was his mother who began wailing out loud.

As much as I don't like her I have sympathy for the mother who is mourning for her child.

"Queen, please control yourself. We can bury his body inside the Empire and forget the punishment of breaking all his bones for crossing the border. He never had a soul so not sure what happens to him after he is buried."

"He will die." The doctor announced.

"Huh?" I didn't understand him.

"If you bury him he will die from suffocation." The doctor repeated.

"But he is already dead." I said.

"No. He is in a coma and very much alive." The doctor announced and Niyonika wailed louder and louder.

"Lol." I said.

"She meant lots of love." Cabir tried to cover my words.

I don't care about anyone here. "No. I meant laughing out loud."

Niyonika rounded her eyes in shock.

Yeah! That's the reaction I was expecting.

"This Bullock Cart is pulling some tricks and that's funny because I am not falling for it." I said crossing my arms over my chest.

"What's funny, Nandini? My son in such a miserable situation or you living a lavish life?" Niyonika questioned me.

"No, Queen. Funny thing here is you are falling for this Bullock Cart lying in a Coma. He is such a fake person and a bad actor." I replied.

"Okay, we must believe that you were in a coma for two months and we must also believe that this man is in coma for almost a year." She said pointing towards Manik. "But it's funny only when my angel is in Coma, right?"

Everyone were silent except me. "Yes."

She gaped. "Ofcourse, my son and I are of no importance in this mansion. It's always Manik and only about him. We don't need your wealth and we will live in my maternal house."

I rolled my eyes. "Perfect. The moment you step out of this mansion your Angel child will miraculously wake up. Because he can't risk losing Malhotra Empire wealth unlike his stupid and dumb mother."

"You dimwit." She raised her hand to slap me.

"Enough." Manik yelled startling everyone. He looked at everyone and closed his eyes shut before opening them once again. "Nobody is leaving this mansion."

Niyonika scoffed. "Ofcourse, we need permission to stay in my own house."

I gritted my teeth at her attitude. "Manik, seriously? Are you seriously believing his act of being in a coma? He is not worth to even step into this Empire let alone the territory or the mansion."

"Nandini, why are you against Harshad living here?" Manik questioned me in a calm voice.

No. I am not going to listen to him and let this monster enter in our life once again.

"First question why he is not living inside our mansion?"

"Because he lives in the States and he met with an accident on his way to the Empire?" Manik explained and I realised how they lied to him.

"Lol. No. He was thrown out of the Empire as he lost the right, Manik. You threw him out because he was not worth of being a Malhotra. He was ..." My words were cut with Niyonika's huge wailing.

She fell on Manik's feet who moved away a few inches not letting his mother touch his feet. "This woman is believing only in the Rathore's and not in the truth of my son. She is suspicious that my son is the Rathore's man. How can she still think like that when my son is battling for his life here."

"Ma..." Manik was torn with his mother's tears.

"You were never my son. If you were then you would understand a mother's pain. You wouldn't ask me to get out of this mansion along with my Angel child believing a woman who is dimwit and who entered your life a few moments ago." She kept hitting her head while falling over Manik's feet.

"Ma, I never asked you to leave this mansion. We are a family and Harshad and you have the same right as much as I do. Please don't cry over such little issues." Manik gulped his emotions and tried to hug her.

Niyonika pushed him away and went back to the Bullock Cart and wailed over him. "It's okay my angel, we will stay in this deceitful mansion till you are healthy after that we both can go to the mainland. Just be well."

Manik gasped. "Why would you leave me, Ma? What's there in mainland? We all can live here."

This version of Manik works only with emotions. Damn! I prefer the older version who thinks rationally.

"She's bluffing, Manik. Don't believe her." I said with disgust which made Niyonika sad.

Manik saw his mother's sad face and he was against me now. "Nandini, get inside." I didn't move an inch so he added. "Now."

Niyonika gave a winning smirk at me as soon as Manik shouted on me. I stomped my feet and marched towards our bedroom unconsciously as my feet took me there.

I don't like where this is going. Emotional Manik, Manipulative Harshad, Helpless Cabir and Dumb Niyonika.

"Argh!!"

...

Precap

How is the update?

What is happening in the precap?

Is Harshad really in a Coma?

What will happen next in the story?