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"You and Mrs Murthy will be staying with me Nandini, in the Malhotra Mansion, and as for the job, that'll discuss with you later," Manik answered calmly.

"No. We aren't staying with you at any cost Mr. Malhotra" Nandini said with no emotions in her voice.

"Why?" Manik asked calmly though inside he was apprehensive.

He wanted Nandini to come and stay with him snd his family so that he'll get a chance to stay closer to her and of course protect her.

"Because for one I don't want to be dependent on anyone I may not be earning right now, but I know how to fend for myself and my mom."

"Look Manik, I'm really thankful for what you did for me and my mother and nothing can suffice the support you have given us but... you know my condition, what has happened to me. keep yourself in my shoes and think.  Manik will you be able to trust anyone if your most trusted person would have betrayed you and used your dignity, your self-respect for money. I have no heart to do that again, I'm not that strong, and coming with you means trusting you. It will take a very long time for me to trust anyone other than my mother. I don't even trust myself." 

"You understand where I'm coming from right?" Nandini asked anxiously, don't ask why, but she was anxious to know what is Manik thinking.

Manik didn't speak anything, it was as if he was thinking something deeply. 

After a few moments of silence, he opened his mouth to speak. 

"You are right Nandini, I know how it feels when someone close to you betrays you, use you for their own benefits." Manik's voice was soft but filled with ache which stung Nandini's heart for a moment. 

"Manik" Nandini called taking manik out from his daze. 

Manik looked up to her with a sad smile and spoke slowly analyzing each word. 

"I need your six months Nandini, just six months after that you'll be free and I promise I won't be interfering in your life after six months. You and Mrs Murthy both are in danger, Nishant isn't what he looks like, I know you have seen his real face but he is much more than that Nandini, I just need six months to destroy him completely and then I'll transfer all your property on your name again. And about you working, i'll sort something out I promise. Please Nandini, just this time believe me." 

Nandini did nothing other than looking at him intently. She didn't know what do to do, but this was the first time in years her heart and mind both agreed to trust Manik. She wasn't in the state to take risks with her mother's life, she was already in pain because of her mistakes and Manik was right though Manik told that she didn't know the worst of Nishant but she knew how wrong it was! Nishant can do anything to have what he wants! 

And for the first time in months, her heart has agreed to take a risk again, risk of trusting someone.

Trusting Manik. 

Nandini took a deep breath and nodded her head in affirmation causing Manik's eyes to sparkle and the corners of his mouth slid upwards.

He melted her wall a little when he shared the most captivating smile of his. 

"I'll take your leave now, rest and take care of yourself if you need anything just say it to the nurse and your genie will be here in front of your madam," Manik said bowing down dramatically with trying to speak in a British accent but failing miserably in it, causing Nandini to crack up.

"Why thank you, kind sir!" Nandini also gave him company in his act. 

Manik grinned at her response, he was thoroughly surprised.

He thought she would roll her eyes and say nothing but her this act gave him hope.

Nandini will be his within these six months, now all he had to do was work hard. Very hard! 

"Manik," Nandini called him when he was about the leave her hospital room. 

"Yes," He turned around to look at her with a confused face. 

"I don't know what happened in your life, but I can tell it was anything but good. You are strong Manik, you faced all the difficulties fought with it and now here you are standing and helping a girl with baggage. Your family members are proud of you."

"You aren't baggage Nandini if anything you are stronger than me." Nandini nodded on his words but Manik knew she wasn't convinced.

⋇⋆✦⋆⋇

"Six months, only six months! Are you kidding me bhai, how will you make Nandini fall in love with you in these six months!?" Meher panicked and the ladies nodded their heads in agreement.

They agreed with what Meher said, six months seemed very less, had it been another girl with no past experiences which are ready to bite her every moment they got, six months would have been sufficient. 

Manik discussed his talk with Nandini to everyone. 

"Meher," Manik called, but he was harshly interrupted by his sister again. 

"No bhai, what if you fail to make her fall in love with you, what if she doesn't love you in these six months!" 

"Your both the sentence has the same meaning little sister!" Manik chuckles

"You have got to be kidding me! Here I'm worried for you and you are pointed out my grammar and meaning of the SENTENCES!" 

"Meher! Will you relax and let me explain." Meher took a deep breath and nodded. 

"Thank you. I don't know what the future held s, but I know that I won't be believing any stone unturned to make Nandini fall in love with her as much as I do!" 

"But bhai... wait what!?" Meher was stunned

"HOLY SHIT!" The boys mumbled

"FINALLY!" Deven and Mishti heaved a sigh.

"OH. MY. GAWWD!!" The ladies were most definitely the excited souls.

Manik rolled his eyes at everyone's exaggerated reaction on his confession. 

"Guys you all are exaggerating."  

But everyone ignored his comment and started cheering and clapping! 

"About time you understood that you love her, you idiot." Cabir cheered

"I'm so happy for your son, may God bless you with all the happiness." Deven blessed

"How did you got to know you are in love with her? When did you get to know! What even happened?? Start speaking before I burst out of happiness Malhotra!" Sharanya threw a series of questions at him.

"Pregnant women!" Manik muttered under his breath but explained nevertheless. 

"Umm... I shared a tiny part of my past with Nandini indirectly, I never knew I trust Nandini so much that I can share my past with her." 

There was an eerie of silence, this was a sour subject for everyone in the room but they were also bewildered to see that Manik shared a piece of his past, though not directly, but still, he shared something in his heart of Nandini. 

But that's what love does right!? Makes you do things which seems impossible normally. 

"That's when I realized I'm okay to open my heart in front of her, though fear is still there that she won't accept me with my past, no one will, but the way she consoled me today, gave me hope. Hence I knew my promise of six months will work. I'll do anything in my might so that Nandini accept me with my past." 

⋇⋆✦⋆⋇

"Manik are you sure!?" Shikha asked with hesitation clear in her voice. 

Manik sighed, this was the umpteenth time Shikha was asking the same question, though he was not irritated because he can slightly understand what was going in both mother-daughter duo's mind, he was surely tired of answering the same question again and again. 

"I can absolutely assure you, ma'am, I'm 100% sure, it's for your and Nandini's safety and I know what you are thinking but believe me you and Nandini will not be a burden on Malhotra family." manik said with utmost sincerity, he meant each and every word he said. 

It was very head to convince Mrs Murthy, harder than her daughter.  These were Manik's thoughts when he exited Shikha's room yesterday late afternoon. 

Though she agreed to consider her daughter's safety, her reluctance was hard to not get noticed by anyone. 

But Manik was relived, she agreed, though not willingly but she did, now Manik has to make sure to make them feel comfortable. That was his first task. 

Miss Malhotra with the other ladies is on the mission to impress Nandini. It seems Meher was more worried than Manik listening to the six-months thingy.  

She has everything planned, and has asked everyone to follow what she says for six months! 

A slight mistake and you will face Meher Malhotra's warth. 

This was the exact sentence she said as a warning to everyone and they obediently nodded their head. 

"Bhai your first task will be making Nandini and Shikha Auntie feel comfortable as if they are in their second home and in this task we will help you. Remember everyone no one is gonna talk about Nandini bhabhi's past or do anything which will make her remember her ugly days, she needs to be happy-happy and CP (Mishti) you'll be helping us in this, keep Bhabhi busy as much as you can."  

And mishti being her crime partner agreed willingly. Manik smiled on remembering his sister's instructions. The warning she gave him yesterday night had him all sacred for a moment! 

"Don't mess this up Bhai or I swear i'll dig your grave beside mumma's."  

Which of course led to a full-blown fight between the brother and sister. 

"For starters lower your volume baby sister, Im the elder one amongst us, not the other way around, for the main course, I can bet you'll be the one messing everything not me, first stop calling her Bhabhi and then threaten me and for dessert get lost before I take all your chocolates for a week." 

"Oh please, big bear! You won't be able to find them and  I'm a baby so I'm allowed to do mistakes!" 

But before Manik could argue more Sharanya's hormones kicked in and she shut them both for good and warned Manik to follow what Meher said as it was for his own good, having no choice he agreed warily because he knew Meher will advise him to do something weird and he would eventually embarrass himself in front of Nandini. 

"Welcome, Mrs and Miss Murthy. Welcome to Malhotra's home." 

Cabir's enthusiastic voice broke his train of thoughts, he looked around that they have already entered the premises of Malhotra Mansion and the whole Malhotra family was standing at the corridor to welcome them. 

The mother-daughter duo looked at the whole 70mm-film-family standing in front of them. Clasping their hands together they shared a look before giving all them awkward yet thankful smile. 

The family understood their inner turmoil and gave them pleasant and welcoming smiles to soothe their mind and heart and a little. 

It will take time! 

And they all knew it, the trauma which Nandini and Shikha have faced isn't small or forgettable in a period of two days, they have been suffering from more than six months and expecting that they would adjust and trust Malhotra family in a second will be so wrong with them and disrespectful too. 

⋇⋆✦⋆⋇

"This will be your room."  Manik guested them to enter. 

"And the exactly opposite one -he pointed at the opposite closed door- will be Shikha Ma'am's." Manik continued. 

"There is no need for two rooms Manik, I and Maa can adjust in one." She assured and Shikha was also on the same page as Nandini. 

"Yes Manik, Nandini is right, as it is you are doing so much for us. I don't think we can take more favours from you." Shikha said and this time her voice was more gentle than others, which made Manik sigh in relief. 

Thank god he at least proceeded in this case, gentle Shikha was far better than glaring Shikha. 

"Ma'am for the last time you are no trouble and I'm not doing any favours on you and you are already tired I don't think we should argue on this petty issue, plus you can shift to Nandini's room whenever you want," Manik explained. 

"So all sorted?" 

Manik scurried away from Nandini's room when he saw mother mother-daughter duo giving a small smile which meant yes. He let them be but not before giving a few sets of instructions to them, they needed some time for themselves, he knew it was too much for them.

"Thank you, Manik." He heard her saying 

Manik smiled at her but said nothing. 

She was finally here! 

He took out the calendar from his cupboard and kept on the study table. 

sating at today's date he smiled and crossed over it with a red marker. 

"August 14" he mumbled. 

"5 months, 29 days more!" 

Sighing he kept the calender back and moved to the dinner table. 

Why do I feel this is gonna be a long night!

Tantaddaaa!

Hello pretty people, the update is here, I know its more like a filler, but don't worry I won't make you wait now because the next chapter is half-written already! 😂

Btw did you notice some changes in my writing!? 🤔
Other than me not editing it like always! 😂😂

Now moving on today is AMI ke CB ka day! 😂😂

So for sure, it's gonna be a blast! 😁😁

The editing credit goes to our love story's Nyonika/Harshad/Aryaman anu_champ. Thank youuu angel. 😍😘

I love youuuu CB 😘😘😘😘

And Happy CB day! 😂😂😂

Now your next hint!

" Go to our home and meet the momma, she is ready with the chocolates!"

Go go go!!! 😂😂😂😂