There was an eerie of silence, Nandini's moment halted as soon as words escaped from  Manik's lips, Nandini looked at him and then at the wall his back was facing to, since then its being five minutes none of them spoke. 

"Say something Nandini." Manik finally when he couldn't take it  any more. His heart was beating at at lightning speed and worry was clearly written on his face and the silence that surrounded him was thickening minute by minute.  

"Let's get some sleep Manik." Nandini finally decided to speak 

"Nandini... this is not what I meant when I said, say something Nandini." Manik let out an exasperated sigh, he couldn't believe the woman standing in front of him. 

Nandini wiped her hands with the kitchen towel and looked at Manik, sighing she tried explaining him though she knew it was very absurd of her, if it would have been her in place of Manik and not getting desired response from him she would have gone ballistic, but now, she was tired, she just wanted to forget everything and give her self to the night to lull her in the world of dreamless sleep, at least there was freedom from every issues, 

"Its four in the morning Manik, we only have three or so hours to get some sleep, we both have a job to attend so better get some sleep and be ready for tomorrow." 

"I'm the boss Nandini, I'll grant you leave, I'll take a leave my self but please talk to me about this." Manik shrugged his shoulders, and answered in 'I can handle everything' tone, both of them forgetting it was Sunday tomorrow. 

"Manik. Please I don't have energy to even think right now, can we do it tomorrow? Please?" Nandini pleaded. She knew if she stood here for a moment more, she'll break down and she didn't wanted to be vulnerable in front of Manik, making him see how weak she was. 

And at that moment Manik knew he was not gonna get any sleep tonight. 

"Yeah. Good night Nandini." Manik agreed reluctantly, seeing Nandini's demeanour 

"Good night Manik." 

⋆✦⋆　 

Nandini was again twisting and turning on her bed unable to get the scene of them washing dishes, giggling and having fun was roaming in her mind repeating the same scene like a broken recorder. She didn't even notice until now, how care free she was around him today. How she didn't pretended to be happy, didn't pretended that she was healing. She was happy, genuinely happy, despite of the Nishant news. 

Was it effect of the sleepless night, or the bitter sweet today or rather say yesterday or the happiness of Manik appreciating her cooking skills, she didn't knew what it was. Heck she didn't even knew was it a person making her happy or the situations. 

And then there is the harsh reality of her life, no matter how much she try she can't get rid of it but that's not what is troubling her, her thoughts were. She isn't even thinking about what Manik told her, her mind was just replaying the scene of them giggling, laughing and enjoying. She was forcing herself to stop thinking about it and focus on the main issue. 

Here Manik too wasn't going through any different problem, how beautiful his future can be if this happens? Him coming home, greeting his family, cooking with Nandini, heck he is even ready to wash all the dishes for her, taking her in his arms soaking in all her affection and giving away his and both of them enjoying each others warmth filled with love. 

Manik groaned irritated at himself for dreaming, the thing which he never did since he was kid. He only had aims but never dreams and Nandini was changing that but he had to make those dreams turn into reality. He was motivated  to bring his dream to life and this has to start from tomorrow, no matter what decision Nandini takes. He'll plan something else but now he won't let this progress go in the gutter for Nishant or any other reason. 

⋆✦⋆　

Next morning everyone was  was lazing around as it was Sunday, Cabir was applying ice on his right cheek due to the punch he got yesterday. He vouched to hide every broom, rolling pin, boxing gloves present in the Mansion. The action which he got yesterday was enough to keep him quite for the rest of the Sunday.  

"We thought Cabir will have action on the bed, but..." Mukti stifle a laugh looking at Cabir and then at Navya who was proudly smirked sitting beside him peeling the peas for Mutter Paneer, low key feeling bad for her husband, she also knew how much of a drama queen Cabir was, but no matter how much he teased her she also knew he was the best husband she could ask for, hence today she decided to pamper her husband by making all his favorite dishes and fulfilling all his demands also surprise him with complimentary massage or may be more than that, may be. 

"Chup reh Bheem, sab tumlogo ki galti hai, I knew it somewhere that message was a hidden threat message but your 'action in bed' distracted me and I got distracted if not for that I would have saved myself yesterday." Cabir huffed which caused eruption of giggles and smiles from everyone present their except one soul.

"Yesterday se yaad aaya Nandini kal ke Gulab Jamun bache hai?"As soon as he spoke he  groaned in pain when Navya pinched him and this also brought Nandini back from train of her thoughts.

Listening to Cabir's sentence the 'Gulab Jamun se vanchit infuriated Manik' threw the rubber ball at Cabir, "Oww. What was that for?" 

"Saale ek toh itne saare kha gya apne female version ke saath and now you want more." Manik snapped at them. 

"Haa toh, it was your mistake that you didn't come home early. Haina Nandini?"Meher spoke keeping her head on Dhruv's shoulder more comfortably. 

Nandini gave a small smile and nodded but all of them could notice something was disturbing her and only Manik knew the reason. Meher was about to ask her but a phone call disturbed them. 

Nandini sighed thanking her stars for the call, she wanted to escape from everyone and everything because she knew how much traitor her tears were, and god finally accepted her plea. Excusing herself Nandini went to attend the call leaving tensed and worried audience behind. 

Everyone was perplexed questioning each other through their gazes, concern about the reason of Nandini's behavior. Till yesterday night everything was good, she was even opening up to them, making small talks and answering their questions enjoying with them.

"Manik?" Shikha and Deven implored at the same time. If it was some other time the younger clan might have teased Deven for this, but this wasn't the place or time. They were genuinely worried about Nandini. 

Both Deven and Shikha felt that, may be Manik knew the reason, making Manik victim of everyone's prying eyes. "I'll go and see." Manik said escaping from their eyes also to clear things with Nandini. 

⋆✦⋆　

A broken heart is all that's left
I'm still fixing all the cracks
Lost a couple of pieces when
I carried it, carried it, carried it home
I'm afraid of all I am 
My mind feels like a foreign land 
Silence ringing inside my head 
Please, carry me, carry me, carry me home I've spent all of the love I saved...

Nandini hummed expressing her emotions, her words in the form of the song. The feelings which was feeling wasn't understandable to her to even name it but she stopped abruptly knowing she couldn't sing it anymore without chocking from tears that were flowing freely. 

'What is happening to you Nandini, why can't you just get him out of your mind, just five or less months more and you won't even exist in his life. Don't make this hard for yourself Nandini. Please. You are gonna get hurt again, one wrong decision have proved you that love isn't for you. You aren't lucky to get the iconic love of your life and live happily ever after with him as absurd and cliché as it sounds. Your life is flawed and their will be no one who will be willing to step in handle your baggage and help you make it happy. Not even Manik once he understands the gravity of the fact  that he not only has to accept you but also the fact that you were a prostitute, the one who is used by many, the one whose self respect was crushed and thrown away every night just like her clothes. No man has the guts to accept that and I can't even blame them because they aren't wrong. Everyone wants the spouse or the love of their life to be only theirs not the one who has slept with many and Manik is not an exception. You have to be strong Nandini, just do whatever it requires to be done, get rid of Nishant once and for all, and then say a forever good bye to Malhotra family and build a life for yourself where you are capable of loving yourself where you don't need a man to make you feel happy.'  Nandini thought, wiping her tears and straightened herself. She let out a deep breath ready to give Manik her answers when she heard, 

"You sing so well Nandini." Manik praised her making her thoughts to come to halt as he joined her on the terrace, he was searching her when the maid informed in that Nandini was on terrace and the sweet yet painful humming stopped him as if him even stepping would disturb the humming and he didn't wanted that.  

"Thanks." Nandini looked at him and gave her the classic small smile making him sigh in relief in audibly. 

'At least she was not throwing her cute angry glares.'  Manik thought and smiled back at her. 

Both were looking at the lawn which was properly trimmed and phenomenally green but painfully circular as far as they can look, can't expect anything from the mansion built on acres of land. 

"I want to know the whole plan Manik." Nandini decided to break the silence much to Manik's relief as he was still in dilemma to how to start the conversation but this was not what he had expected... again. 

"Hmm?" Manik raised his eyebrows and forwarded her upper body more towards Nandini. A gesture of 'Did I heard you right?' 

"I need to know the whole plan Manik, I'll move in with you Manik but before knowing the plan." Nandini repeated herself, this time with intricacy. 

"YOU WILL!" Manik exclaimed, and an ear to ear grin greeted his features after Nandini's confession. 

"Shh, why are you shouting?" Nandini looked around them for any witnesses, but thankfully there was none.  

"Sorry, I'm just... I'm just shocked?" Manik said once he calmed down, though his last statement came out as a question, he was confused with the words he should use, he was happy, so happy that Nandini trusted him once again, but he did not wanted to say that out loud and create a misunderstanding between them, "Thank you so much for trusting me Nandini." his voice was soft, which showed how genuinely thankful he was, Nandini didn't knew her this action could mean so much for him and that made her heart flutter, making her go weak on her determination she took just few minutes back. 

'Not even an hour Nandini and you are already reacting on his words. Great!' Nandini's conscience mocked. 

'I never knew my words and actions could affect him so much and its not my mistake that his words are affecting me, its beyond my control!' Nandini justified her actions. 

"Come with me." Manik gently took the hold of her hands bring Nandini out of her monologue and started dragging her towards his office simultaneously messaging Cabir to come to his office along with Deven the boys and Meher. 

As soon as everyone gathered in Manik's office, they saw Nandini sitting on the couch observing Manik who was looking through his bulletin board displayed widely infact covering the whole left wall of his office which was hidden by the sidling doors for privacy or the prying eyes or may be both. 

Manik was rearranging his board keeping the unnecessary documents down, so that no one could get confused. Rearranging the papers, pinning the phots in line and connecting the dots with rubber band he was ready to finally tell his plan to everyone. 

"'Ghor se dekhiye iss shaqs ko' wale uncle nahi lag rahe big bear aap sabko?" Meher whispered who was seeing her brother first time in his 'Mafia Head' mode but her whisper was loud enough to reach everyone's ear. 

Nandini who heard it smiled at Meher with a nod of disbelieve while, Cabir, Abhi, Rehaan were snickering and Ansh, Deven, Dhruv and Vihaan were giving 'Shut up or Manik will kill you look.' while she winked nonchalantly almost saying 'I'm not scared of him.' 

"Meher Malhotra, if you want to joke around I suggest you join some comedy club, this isn't your forte. You may walk out of my office now."  Manik spoke in the no nonsense tone, making Meher straighten her posture, not only her but everybody present in the room. The tone made them all realize the gravity of the situation.  

"NO. Meher shouted almost immediately gaining another flare from Manik, seeing that she regained her composure and spoke in soft yet professional tone, "No...no. I'm sorry. I'll be quite." 

Manik gave her a curt nod and addressed everybody present in the room in an commanding voice, "Good. Take a seat gentlemen..." Meher was about to interrupt him for not addressing her but before she could Manik beat her to it, "and lady." Meher grinned and obliged to Manik with taking a seat near Nandini. 

Seeing everyone settled down Manik took a deep breath and started narrating his strategy,

"Our main aim is destroying Khattar. We won't be attacking him directly because that man will provide us with nothing if we just abduct him and we will end up having no proofs against him if we decide to go by judiciary nor we'll go where he keeps the girls and where he supplies them. Hence we will be breaking him fraction by fraction so that he has no idea what is going around him, this will obviously make him confused, irritated and angry which will lead him to do something idiotic and that can work in our favour and our first target will be ambushing him financially." Manik explained and looked at everyone, after noticing their body language he concluded that everyone understood what he spoke till now. 

"Concentrate on the screen now." 

"This man," He pointed at the huge wall projector screen and continued  which displayed the picture of a man with Nishant discussing something with a blue file in his hands, "his name is Raghuveer, Nishant's most trusted. He is the only person who knows about his economy. How many accounts does he hold, which one is his personal one, which are the forgery ones, where the money comes from, where it goes, black, white, Swiss. Everything. Once we get hold of him we can also have the information about all his accounts and once we have that, the hackers will get to their work that is transferring all the money from his account to ours making him completely broke and the work will be so smooth that Nishant wouldn't even get a hint of it until we have all his money." Manik smirked looking at the screen, he was ready and the only thing required now was seeing that everything goes according to his plan that is if Nishant doesn't die of a cardiac arrest seeing all his accounts sealed and money vanish in thin air. 

He then looked people who were observing him keenly, a sign that he had their undivided attention, "Hence our first target is catching this man. Currently he is London, having a trip with his family. Ansh Bhai, Dhruv and Vihaan will be going to London to catch Raghuveer. Wait for my instruction to attack till then only follow his suit. Leave no proof behind, handle the family well and Nishant shouldn't know about this." They nodded firmly, Manik looked at Ansh who blinked his eyes, a silent vow to keep himself and others safe and that he could trust him on this. Manik gave him a small nearly non existent smile. 

"Your fake ids and passports. Choose your men, you people will be leaving tomorrow." Manik gave each one of them a package which had their names written on it and in all this Nandini was a silent spectator just looking at the screen that displayed Nishant's picture along with Raghuveer which brought so many sour memories up piercing her heart more.  Wiping the corners of her eyes she looked at Manik who was already looking at her. 

"  I have a question." 

"I know Miss Murthy. I'll explain." 

"Why starting with his finance, Right?" Nandini nodded her face giving the out how surprised she was. "The answer to that question is Nishant will go insane once he gets to know that he owns absolutely no money in any of his accounts right now, selling the land etc., will take him little time to bring few bucks in his account and till that time you will prepare for your battle and we will prepare for our step two." 

"And that is?" Meher piped in curiosity clearly itched on her face. 

"Getting our fingers on his investors and clients. We need to spoil his name in the market and buy his investors. That'll handle. Once he loose his investors in the prostitute and escort business he will have nothing with him, absolutely nothing, because that is his preeminent source of money and that's when I come into the picture." 

"How?" Nandini questioned raising her perfectly arched eyebrow. 

"You'll get to know!" Manik smirked that said, patience is virtue making Nandini narrow her eyes at him Manik shifted his gaze from her eyes to others who was silently watching them.

"Till then me and Nandini will be shifting to my apartment. For now everyone get to work, Cabir find a perfect apartment for us and stock it up with the required things. Everyone dismiss now except for Meher and Nandini." Cabir gave him a thumbs up sigh muttering On it, while both the girls looked at Manik in confusion and then at each others asking through their eyes if they anyone of them knew something. 

"Mamu?" Manik called Deven just before was to cross the threshold of his office, Deven turned and looked at his Nephew with a smile, "You okay with this?" Manik asked and Deven could clearly hear the slight nervousness in his tone. 

"You are the boss now Manik not me, when will you stop asking for my decisions every time? I'm here to help you with my experience and to guide you." Deven said for the umpteenth time knowing the fact that Manik won't listen to him. 

"I won't ever Mamu. I'll keep irritating you with this all the time. You know your decision means a lot to me." Manik grinned, he knew how much irritated Deven gets when Manik asks his and the person he admires the most permission before doing anything and everything. 

"I'm proud of you my boy and he is is too." Deven patted his shoulder with a proud glint in his eyes. The guilt pf not saving his sister and almost loosing his Ne[phew and niece eats him till date but the relief he gets everyday looking at Meher and Manik is inexplicable. 

Seeing Deven off Manik came back to the girls seeing them engrossed in talking god knew what, but when he observed it was only Meher blabbering and Nandini listening to her... as usual. 

"Meher Malhotra," Manik called to her attention which he got almost immediately, not very likely of Meher at all, at least this gives away that she is serious regarding her job, 

"First rule of to survive here is, Never show your emotions." Manik looked at her with grave orbs showing how serious he was. "Train not only your face but your eyes too. The only emotion that should exist in your diary in nothing. You don't want to give your opponents the satisfaction of reading your emotions through your eyes that will be your biggest mistake. This was your lesson number one. From tomorrow you will be training with the newbies. You are dismissed." 

"But..." Meher was about to show her disapproval regarding training through her words but Manik didn't let her. 

"You are not trained to survive the mafia world Meher. Either this or you are not working with me." Manik gave his verdict making Meher succumb to his demands. She nodded understandingly and gave a huge smile to him showing her appreciation. 

"Thank you for accepting me. This may sound absurd but it was my dream to work with you. To be a part of your mission and kick everyone's ass." Meher exclaimed. She was excited to be with her big bear. Manik spread his arms inviting her for an hug and it didn't even took a second for Meher to jump in hi arms. 

"Pagal." Manik muttered kissing her crown. 

"And you love this Pagal. Bye for now I'm taking Mishti to the park." She informed him and then looked at Nandini who had a visible smile on her face not the small one but the one which graces your face when you admire something, "Nandini you coming with us." 

Before Nandini could utter anything Manik reminded them, "No, I have work with her." 

"Ooooooh! Okay. you guys enjoy." Meher went anyway giving a wink and mischievous smile to Manik making him shake his head. As if they were going to do something other than talking in here. 

Manik looked at Nandini and gestured her to sit, "Nandini, I hope you are okay with this plan, at any point of time you feel you are not ready or any changes are to be done, you come to be without any fear okay? Do not forsake your intuition at any point of time." 

"I understand Manik." Nandini nodded understandingly earing a grateful smile from Manik. 

Manik made himself comfortable in front of Nandini because the next thing which he is going speak is going to take a lot of time, "You are the only person I'm discussing the whole plan with Nandini, its not like I don't trust anyone, but this is the way I work. I don't reveal my whole plan to anyone, it risks their life. People may attack them if they know anyone of them knows my whole plan and I can't take the risk, but you... this is your battle and you need to have all the information about this." 

"I understand Manik. Tell me." Nandini again nodded in understanding and encouraged Manik to tell her everything. She knew it from inside she was ready to fight with everything and anything now, the fire in her was growing day by day and she only Nishant's destruction and turn the fire into sparks. 

Manik exhaled deeply after explaining Nandini the whole plan, it had struggles for Nandini, so many that he himself was having seconds thoughts with this plan but he assured him and Manik trusted him wholeheartedly, Manik was engrossed in his thoughts when he heard Nandini speaking for the first time from the time he started narrating his plan. 

"So you mean I need to meet Nishant... as your mistress?"

And now I officially announce it you guys that the, The battle has begin!!!!!! *drum rolls* 

And mind you not only battle with the villain of the story but also with their emotions! Its gonna be so much fun seeing them walking in love with each other! I won't be speaking anymore, because if I did I'll end up giving spoilers to you guys. 

Hope you all liked the chapter! Thank you so much for showering you votes and comments to the story and oh, which was your favourite part of the chapter? 

With love, 

Amaya.K