1 year back.

One week passed by- internship period at MM enterprises is going with full of boredom. Nandini Murthy desperately wanted to be a part of such reputed organization, and working with Manik Malhotra is more than living a beautiful dream but as usual Manik has his own modus operandi and he isn't interested in giving any kind of training to any fresher, thus he asked his HR head Sneha Vashisth to ask Nandini to work as a freelancer who is going to communicate only through emails and doesn't require to pay visit to the MM enterprises.

One whole week passed by, and here Nandini is waiting for Manik to assign some work but he never replies to her emails which annoys her to the greatest extent.

She threw away her MacBook in extreme anger, as from last 3 hours she is waiting for Manik to reply her one email but as always he didn't responded. Frustration built inside her soul and she end up breaking her MacBook Pro.

Nandini: "What the hell he think he is? If he didn't wanted any intern in his office then why the hell he hired me at the first place? Such handsome face paired up with filthy mind- the worst combination ever."...she started talking to herself while sitting in her dorm.

They say "first impression is the last impression" but that doesn't applicable universal, sometimes the followed impression fade away the first one and you realize that your first one was nothing but delusion.

Care just then entered inside and found whole room a perfect mess, well! It isn't any rare vision for care as Nandini is never a cleanliness freak but a utmost messy girl, she isn't one of those girls who like everything on it's place, she never follow principle of order in her life which her lovable sister Aahana always try to put in her but fail badly everytime.

Care: "Wow! You have a very beautiful dorm girl.."..she added with sarcasm while Nandini isn't in the mood to listen her keep-your-dorm-clean lectures.

Nandini: "Care, am not in mood. Back off!"..she answered after sitting on the window channel with a red diary in her hand, care chuckled at her behavior and without any more interrogation she called the only person who can keep Nandini in control.

Care: "Emergency!"..she said as soon as Aahana answered her call, Aahana too chuckled at her word as she is well aware of Nandini's temper. Hiding her emotions isn't Nandini's cup of tea, whether she is hurt, angry or sad it clearly signifies in Nandini's actions.

Care: "Here"..she forwarded her mobile to Nandini, on which she gave her a nonchalant look. "Your solace is here.."...care added and this made Nandini snatch the phone and instantly place it tightly near the ear. Care left the dorm with a smile as she want both the sisters to have some privacy.

Aahana: "So again Mr. M? "..she asked with a playful smile on her face but Nandini is furious.

Nandini: "He is on my head, I wanna kill that asshole.."..she abused without even realizing she did.

Aahana: "Language darling.."..she warned but still in her soft melody.

Nandini: "Am giving resignation. He has no right to humiliate me like this, am wasting my time and talent here. "..she is really furious and being a professional she is right somewhere, she isn't there for sitting idle whole day but to learn something which she can apply in her future workplace.

Aahana: "Are you sure kiddo? This is a big opportunity for your future endeavors and you ...."..Nandini cut her in mid before Aahana start with her down to earth traits.

Nandini: "There is no point to reconsider di, I would have think twice if this job was doing some good for my career but this Mr. M he has a perfect douchebag, I wonder how can such handsome beautiful face carry high ego and over the top proud.."..she cribbed like a small baby at the end which made Aahana giggle.

Aahana: This guy has definitely something in him, after all he made you think about him. No other boy has this impact on you before.."..she added with a playful smirk but this made Nandini dwell in the memories, when she first saw him in his college then she heard his voice during the interview.

Aahana: "Kiddo! Kiddo! You there?".. she called out and this broke her reverie.

Nandini: "Yea! Am here only. Network issue perhaps!"..she tried to cover up with a lie but forgot one thing Aahana isn't any random girl but her soul sister who knows her in and out.

Before Aahana could say anything more, Nandini heard a whistle sound and the melody is quite audible, it didn't took her a minute to register the song in the whistling sound "Lag ja Gale ke fir yeh haseen raat ho na ho". But before Nandini could ask anything to her, Aahana bid bye to her.

Aahana: "Kiddo I'll call you later.."..she disconnected the call but Nandini did heard Aahana's giggling sound as if someone was tingling her.

Nandini too smiled assuming "The Prince" to be there with Aahana. She felt immensely happy for her soul sister as she is happy in her world.

After disconnecting the call, Nandini opened her Gmail and wrote a instant official resignation to the HR team as she was hell sure she isn't going to work with him anymore.

After about 2 hours of sending the email, Nandini received the call from Sneha- HR head.

Sneha; "Are you sure you want to leave this internship in mid? You are not on roll thus you can quite instantly without serving the one month notice period.."..she was Crystal clear and Nandini was adamant. In her rigid mind she has already made the decision and nothing or nobody can break it but............ And there is always a BUT in every story.

Nandini: "Yea! Am sure.."..she answered without second thoughts, Sneha felt bad as she very know that Nandini is competent enough and she was ready to take her on board after the completion of internship period but even she can't do anything when the CEO himself isn't ready to drop down his high ego a bit to train a fresher.

Sneha: "All the best for your future endeavors"..before she could disconnect the call, someone called her from behind and that masculine voice halted Nandini's move, though that voice is projecting more like a machinery but she can still feel that intimidating aura in it. Sneha too didn't disconnected the call and Nandini- she was spellbound.

Sneha: "Sir I was about to call you back.."..there is bit terror couple up with extreme nervousness in her tone.

"When were you about to? Waiting for the meteor shower?"..there is nothing but taunt in his tone.

Sneha: "Sir..."..she stuttered because of his intimidating personality. Nandini is calmly listening to that voice which is coming from the speaker phone placed next to Sneha.

Manik: "I don't have whole day for your stammering. I want to know where the hell is that intern whom we hired from NY campus? "..he is sounding furious but that's nothing new, his angry mood is always on. This made Nandini more attentive towards his talks instead of his charming alluring voice.

Sneha: "Sir she left in mid.."..she answered slowly in almost inaudible tone but Manik did heard her clearly.

Manik: "Just great, firstly that girl didn't tried to contact me, now when I thought I should train her then she left. Wow!"..he added with sarcasm but not to mention he has hell infuriated right now.

Nandini: "What the hell?"..she said in her heart recalling all the times she emailed him but he didn't bothered to reply.

Sneha: "Sir actually your email address is not functioning properly, today only I contacted with the IT team, they said there is some issues from the server end. Perhaps! She did contacted you.."..she added with a hope that he'll consider Nandini again but none of it happened. Manik earlier also wasn't interested in knowing her name and right now as well he wasn't interested in someone who had no professional etiquettes. But after hearing Sneha's words Nandini felt like she did one heck of a mistake.

Manik: "Hire another intern, and this time I want some one who knows the value of working with MM enterprises.."..he disconnected the call after scolding Sneha.

Nandini too disconnected right after Manik disconnected. She felt like banging her head on the nearby wall.

Nandini: "I should have considered all the aspects. God! What did I done.."..she sulked but nothing can be worked.

Later in the night, she was tossing on her bed. Sleep is far away from the doors of her eyes, every time she tries to sleep her mind occupy her with several thoughts, but all includes only one name- Manik Malhotra.

She sat back on her bed after throwing pillow in the side, she is hell frustrated within herself. Somewhere she still want to stick around him no matter how mercurial he is or how rigid he is. She would love to work with him. He has that factor in him which made her intrigued about his personality, she wants to unravel all his secrets and know him deep from the heart.

Nandini: "I can't sit idle. That stupid Sneha why she didn't told me about some idiotic server issue? And that IT team they should have made this issue priority. Good for nothing IT team."..she cursed everyone but her, somewhere she knew she took a impulse decision of leaving and it happens with everyone, we usually take decision in haste and then remorse. But here Nandini wasn't totally wrong, as she was keeping her career on top and every other thing on second place, this can sound selfish but the one who is ambitious only that one can know the value of each and every second in the corporate world.

Nandini opened her new MacBook pro as the one she broke in the morning itself in her extreme anger. She was about to login from her personal email address but then thought otherwise. She made a new email ID on Gmail with anonymous name.

Next, She opened her portfolio and attached it in a new mail, she wrote a nice body in the email which can grab anyone's attention in an instant. She pasted Manik's official email address and with inhaling a deep breath she sent him the mail.

Nandini: "Now let's see how can you not consider me."..she smirked, put the screen down and slept with a big broad smile on her face.

Next morning when she woke up, she has the first thing to do and that is to check her email. And indeed her expectations fulfilled when her email showed "I new email from Manik Malhotra". There was a big broad smile on her face, and she instantly opened the mail box.

This is one fine piece of art. I was waiting for something extraordinary and this is exactly something I was expecting, the interiors clearly explains you love to play with colors and one thing is for sure you've magic in your imagination. But one thing is still unclear to me, why there is no watermark to your work? Anyone can steal it, however that anyone can be Me as well. Care to explain such a thing.

Regards,
Manik Malhotra
CEO- MM Enterprises

She read the whole mail and there is only smile on her face throughout, this is indeed one of the longest mail Mr. M has wrote ever, and the way he answered clearly explains that he is quite very impressed with her. She instantly wrote the answer with a huge grin.

Anonymity has power Mr. Malhotra. Glad to know you acknowledged my work and this explains a lot about your professionalism. I don't bait on the looser horse but on the shining stars in the darkest night, and I am not stupid to can't differentiate between the two. Hence, it explains No-watermark theory in my work.

Regards,
Anonymous

She sent the mail and waited for his reply, it was clearly evident from her mail that she wants to keep Manik intrigued and indeed his next reply clearly defines the same.

Quite impressing. Can I know who you are? Would like to associate with you in near future.

Regards,
Manik Malhotra
CEO- MM Enterprises

She read his reply and felt like she hit the jackpot. She started dancing on her fluffy bed, there is rush of happiness in her veins and she can literally feel a different energy building inside her. After celebrating her  victory, she calmed herself. She thought a lot and then something stuck in her mind.

Far away from the reality, and a little behind the illusion. I can be your that virtual reality which can help you accomplish your dream project. Don't ponder on secondary things much, just be informed that if you want a magical touch in your next Espire project then you found the right hand.

Regards,
Khawab

She hit the sent button with a big grin on her face, and that name on the screen she placed at the end hit on her like a magical band as if it provided her some kind of heavenly power. She feels extremely nervous around him but today she was anything but nervous, there is some other level of confidence in her which herself enjoys to the greatest extent.

In reply she received something which made her grin like a teenager girl.

Khawab :) Am officially intrigued. Soon you'll receive an appointment letter from our end. My instincts are telling me this project is going to be life changing.

Regards,
Manik (that's what you can call me) ;)

With what ease he flirted with her made her blush, there is something sweet as well about him she got to know today only. Otherwise she has only witnessed his ruthless professional avatar.

***

Back to present

Sitting on the bar counter of the famous "Rush- night club" he is dwelling in the events of yesterday night which took away the only light ever entered in his life. She was right yesterday when she said "You are going to regret this tomorrow" and indeed he is despising every single thing he did yesterday. Somewhere he knows he did one utterly unforgiven crime by raising his hand on her but perhaps! His male ego is way too high to accept his own mistakes.

One after another, 12 continuous shots of tequila gulped down his throat but instead of healing him a bit, every toxic shot makes him more vulnerable and on top "Hollow from inside". Every now and then he is covering his guilt with a fake blanket of accusing her only, it's the biggest escape - putting your mistakes on someone else shoulder and walking out free but it's your own soul who knows exactly who is to be blamed.

Her words are still ringing in his head "To fulfill your lust? To warm your bed or to give you one pleasurable sexual experience"..those words keep haunting him from the previous darkest night, there was such venom in those words and in her eyes that he wasn't able to keep his anger in check & hence end up raising his hand even though when he didn't wanted to.

Arjun is standing a bit far from Manik which even Manik isn't aware from the fact that even after his strict orders of not following him, Arjun came behind him. The reality is Arjun knew well that Manik isn't in the right state of mind and he definitely can't take the chance of leaving him on his own. Just then his phone started ringing and he noticed Rihaan calling him, he asked one of the security guard to keep an eye on Manik and he himself walked out of the club as it was filled with extreme noise.

Rihaan: "Where is he?"..he asked as soon as Arjun answered the call, there is concern in his tone but it do has a ounce of anger in it.

Arjun: "He is inside the Rush club.."..he answered maintaining his professional tone but there is tension & worry for Manik in his voice.

Rihaan: "Is he okay?"..he asked softly keeping his anger in check as he knows he can't be angry on Manik for long.

Arjun: "Trying to be but failing miserably.."..he answered honestly and Rihaan just hmm'ed. They both hung the call but Rihaan instructed him to stay with Manik only.

***

After a good time, Rihaan reached the night club as he entered inside the club he noticed that the sound of music is quite high than usual and it's totally evident that Manik has asked this. He can't forget one of the worst habit of Manik - listening music at the loudest volume, just to keep his conscience quite.

Rihaan called the manager and as the manager found Rihaan on the door he almost ran towards him in fear as if he is going to loose his job. Rush is one of the thousands clubs which Malhotra's own rather to say Manik Malhotra owns as these clubs has nothing to do with the ancestor's property.

Rihaan: "Lower down the pitch of music it's making me deaf.."..he curtly stated, manager looked towards Manik who is sitting near the bar counter with a long face.

Rihaan followed his eyes and found Manik sitting a bit far from them, he then looked towards manager and smiled.

Rihaan: "Relax! Am right here, he won't fire you but if you won't low down the volume then surely am going to do the honor of throwing you out from this club."..his statement made manager terrified and he instantly ran out of the scene in order to save his job.

Rihaan looked at Manik who was staring at the glass filled with alcohol, by one look he can judge that Manik is anything but fine. He walked towards him and sat down right next to Manik on the bar stool. Meanwhile, the pitch of the music lower down and it actually made a easy environment to talk but this irked Manik, he shouted to high the volume which scared everyone in the club but the one who is sitting beside him nodded a strict NO to the workers.

Just then Manik realized someone is sitting beside him as entire staff is passing nervous stares to the one sitting beside him, he looked in his right side and found Rihaan sitting there as calm as always.

Manik instantly adopted silence, if Rihaan is here to talk for what he did yesterday then he is surely not in the mood to listen his "What's good or what's bad" lectures. He looked away and drank the whole alcohol in a go.

Rihaan: "Go ahead, alcohol is very good for health.."..he passed one more glass towards him but Manik didn't reacted.

Rihaan: "Don't think am here to say sorry for slapping you because am sure as hell not sorry."..he cleared the air for Manik but he already knows that Rihaan isn't there to apologise because that wasn't some wrong doing but the utmost right.

Manik: "Last time I checked you were mad at me. Then why you are here?"..he asked looking straight to the several bottles in the bar rack. Rihaan too looked straight and took a sip of fresh orange juice. Yea! Sitting in the wealthiest rush Mr. Rihaan Sighaniya isn't touching alcohol not because he don't drink but he surely wants to be in his senses while talking one douchebag.

Rihaan: "Am still mad at you but that doesn't mean I can't put brain in you."..his blunt answer made Manik roll his eyes.

Rihaan: "Stop behaving like her exit hasn't left any impact on you, any idiot can tell how much she affects you. "..he said something Manik didn't wanted to encounter with..

Manik : "Certainly not"..he is in a denial mode whereas his heart already knows what's the actual truth is and so as Rihaan.

Rihaan : "Really? Then give me one valid reason of spending whole day in this good for nothing night club of yours and drinking alcohol like a addict."..he asked in his super annoying tone but Manik remain silent, he has no rational explanation for this.

Rihaan: "Don't let her go Manik, Don't let your ego ruin your relationship. I have never seen you this much hurt and shattered not even when Khawab left..."..last some words made Manik look at Rihaan furiously.

Manik : "Don't start about khawab, not right now."..there was only anger in his tone and Rihaan already knows the consequences of keeping the subject of khawab at the first.

Rihaan: "I would have never started if you had put an end to it. But you didn't, you are still looking for khawab. Don't you?"..he asked and now Manik closed his eyes in immense anger. He took the glass of alcohol and drunk it in a go.

Rihaan: "You shouldn't have raised your hand on her, and you know that well than me. " ...he stated blankly keeping the khawab topic in a side.

Manik: "I didn't wanted to, she talked shit. How could she think so low about me?"..he complained and Rihaan noticed the pain in his voice.

Rihaan: "You never given her any right reason to have one good opinion about you. You like to be this way, you like people to hate you because you are scared if they get close to you they will be able to see those scars of yours, how broken you are within yourself. Manik, remember one thing what happened in the past it didn't only happened to you, it happened to us, we both have equal share of pain  or perhaps! I lost a bit more than you but am not sulking, then why the hell you are?"..just the mention of past from Rihaan, Manik's eyes welled up with tears and instantly all the hatred for his own parents came back rushing to him.

Manik: "She has the power to shook my soul."..he admitted and Rihaan gave him a weak smile. And held his hand.

Rihaan: "She has touched your soul Manik, don't let her go. Before you loose something very precious, go behind her and get her back. Because more than her, you need her."..he finally put some brain in Manik and his statement made Manik ponder on lot of things.

Manik: "what should I do?"..he asked being clueless

Rihaan: "Go get the girl.."..he said in matter-of-fact tone.

Manik : "It's almost 24 hours, don't know where she went. Am totally clueless.."..he is still confused and Rihaan made him look at him.

Rihaan: "You are Manik Malhotra, suck it up.."..he answered with utmost confidence. Manik too smirked after a while as he knows Manik Malhotra has his own ways.

***

Happy belated friendship day all of you, extremely sorry for not able to answer you all. Am preoccupied these days with my work and plus had an amazing weekend with my family after a very long time.

Hope you all are doing fine, I'll update slow only as I said am hell busy thus I rarely get time for writing. Only I know how I managed to complete this one.

Loads of love and care..
Your storyteller ❤😘