Nandini's POV

After taking a refreshing shower, I headed to my closet and pulled out some comfortable clothes. The jetlag was starting to hit hard, and all I wanted was to crawl into bed and sleep for hours. But I knew if I didn't call my friends, they would absolutely freak out. So, reluctantly, I grabbed my phone, dialed them in a conference call, and waited. I didn't even get a chance to say hello before they bombarded me with questions.

"Nandini! Are you okay? Did you get to the mansion safely?" Navya's voice came through, full of concern.

Before I could even open my mouth, Viraj chimed in, "Nanz, where the hell are you? Your flight landed an hour ago, and you didn't call! Are you safe?"

And then Ranveer, always the overprotective one, added, "Do we need to come there? Why aren't you replying? Are you hurt?"

I smiled at their panic, but it wasn't over yet.

"Why are you silent? What's wrong? Damn it, Nanz, answer us!" Aksita's impatient voice broke through, and I could practically hear her pacing.

I opened my mouth to reply, but thankfully, Amrit stepped in to calm the chaos. "Guys, chill! Let her speak first. You're all shouting too many questions at once."

I sighed in relief. "I'm fine, guys! Relax. I reached the mansion safely, and I was just about to call you after getting freshened up. You know I hate the heat. I needed a shower before I could do anything," I explained, feeling their collective relief through the phone.

"I swear, you guys worry way too much."

"We don't take any chances when it comes to you, Soulie," Navya said softly.

"I know, I know." I smiled, knowing how much they cared. "Anyway, I'm fine, and yes, I will tell Dadu and Amms about my... secret."

Viraj's voice came through with reassurance. "If Dadu doesn't understand, I'll talk to him, don't worry."

"Thanks," I said, appreciating his support. I knew telling Dadu and Amms that I was secretly running an empire and practicing law was going to be tough, but I had to face it.

"Make sure you eat something," Amrit's voice reminded me. "I know you didn't eat on the flight. Don't eat oily junk. Something light and healthy."

"You know me too well, don't you?" I chuckled. "Alright, alright. I'll eat something healthy."

"Good," Aksita added, her voice now softer. "Get some rest afterward. I need to crash too—big meeting tomorrow."

"Yeah, you better sleep," I teased. "Goodnight—well, morning for me, night for you."

"Goodnight, Nanz," they all echoed, and we hung up.

I sent a quick message to Amms, letting her know I was going to take a nap, and she responded saying she'd call me when it was time for lunch. With a satisfied sigh, I flopped onto my bed, closed my eyes, and drifted off into a deep, peaceful sleep.

Writer's POV

Meanwhile, downstairs, Veerender and Kalyani sat in the living room, chatting casually. It was almost lunchtime, and Kalyani began to worry.

"Nandini ab tak nahi aayi," Kalyani said, fidgeting slightly. "She must still be asleep. I'll go wake her up; she shouldn't miss lunch."

"Ruko, mein bhi chalta hoon," Veerender said, getting up. "She's been working so hard lately. I don't want her health to suffer."

They both made their way up to Nandini's room, gently pushing open the door, as she rarely ever locked it. Seeing their granddaughter fast asleep, they shared a quiet, affectionate glance.

Veerender sat on the edge of her bed, softly running his hand through her hair. "Gudiya, wake up. It's already lunchtime. You can sleep more after eating, okay?"

Kalyani sat on the other side, patting Nandini's arm gently. "Khana, wake up, bacha. Have some food first, and then you can rest all you want."

Nandini groaned softly, snuggling closer into her grandmother's lap, her eyes still closed. "Amms, I'm not hungry... please, just let me sleep a little more."

Kalyani exchanged a look with Veerender and shook her head. "No arguments. You need to eat first. Then you can sleep. Now, get up."

Reluctantly, Nandini sat up, rubbing her eyes. "Fine, fine, I'll go wash my face."

Veerender smiled and kissed the top of her head. "That's my girl."

As Nandini shuffled off to freshen up, her grandparents went downstairs to wait. A few minutes later, Nandini joined them at the dining table, where the butlers had already laid out the meal.

As they sat down to eat, Veerender looked at Nandini, a proud glint in his eyes. "Judiya, I have something important to discuss with you."

Nandini raised an eyebrow, curious. "What is it, Dadu?"

Veerender exchanged a brief glance with Kalyani before continuing, "I've decided that I want you to become the CEO of Murty Industries' Mumbai branch."

Kalyani, catching up to the news, smiled warmly. "That's wonderful, Nandini. You'll be perfect for the role!"

But Nandini wasn't smiling. Her expression was serious, a slight frown creasing her forehead. "Dadu, that's... a big responsibility."

"Of course, it is. But you've studied business, and I trust you completely. You're more than ready for this," Veerender said confidently, not noticing her hesitation.

"Dadu, Amms, I need to tell you something first," Nandini said, her voice turning serious.

Veerender and Kalyani exchanged glances, their attention fully on her now.

"I should have told you this earlier, but I was waiting for the right time. Now seems like that time," Nandini began, taking a deep breath. "I'm NM. The owner of NM Enterprises... and I'm also a criminal lawyer."

For a moment, there was complete silence. Veerender and Kalyani stared at her, shocked by this sudden revelation.

Finally, Veerender broke the silence. "So... you're the NM? The one the whole world talks about but has never seen?"

Nandini nodded hesitantly. "Yes, that's me."

After a brief pause, Veerender's face broke into a wide smile. "I'm so proud of you, Gudiya. You've always made me proud, but this? This is incredible."

Kalyani, still processing the news, finally spoke, "And here I was thinking you were just busy with some small side project. But... NM? The entire business world is terrified of you, and no one even knew!"

Nandini smiled sheepishly. "I didn't want to use the Murty name to make a name for myself. I wanted to build something on my own."

Kalyani nodded understandingly, a soft smile tugging at her lips. "You don't need to apologize, bacha. I knew you had your reasons."

Veerender beamed proudly. "You've done something amazing, Gudiya. But... does this mean you won't take on the CEO role?"

Nandini shook her head gently. "I'm not saying I can't help with the Murty Industries. But I don't want the official title of CEO. There's just too much on my plate right now. I'll always be there to support you, Dadu, but I need to focus on NM Enterprises too."

Veerender nodded, understanding her position. "Alright, Gudiya. You do what's best for you. But don't forget—we're always here for you."

After the intense conversation, Kalyani changed the subject. "Tomorrow we're going to the temple, khana. Please wear something colorful, and no black. I know it's your favorite, but I want you in something bright."

Nandini chuckled and nodded. "Okay, Amms. No black tomorrow."

The rest of the day passed by smoothly as they spent time together, laughing and reminiscing. The weight of secrets had lifted, and Nandini felt lighter, more at peace. She wasn't just Nandini Murty anymore—she was NM, and she had finally told her family.

And as the day came to an end, one thing became clear to her: Life wasn't about hiding who you were. It was about embracing it, no matter how scary that might seem.

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