Hard to believe I know!

How come I didn't give an update after a month?

This might be your question right?! 😂🙈

But the reason you guys!

Yup, you guys gave such a heartwarming and gratifying response on my previous chapter, it really really motivated me to write and give an early update to you guys, so here I'm with your update

NOT EDITED

*****

"Bach gya," Cabir said but this time it was audible to everyone except Nandini who was in her happy bubble.

"Sach mei bach gya!" Manik agreed with him while his gaze was still fixed on Nandini.

After a few moments of silence, Manik turned towards the Cabir and commanded,

"Cabir, meet the guards and ask them if they found something suspicious when we were not here," Manik commanded and Cabir nodded his head in affirmation.

Manik turned to face Vihan and commanded to him too "Vihan, escort Meher till the car and ask few of the guards to follow her." Vihan muttered and audible okay.

Manik turned to face his sister who was now pouting, looking at his brother.

"Meher go with Vihan and call me as you as you reach home, okay?" Manik asked but all of us know it was a command rather than a question, request, or plead.

"Bhai, please let me be here, please, I didn't even talk to Nandini bhabhi properly. Meher pleaded to show her famous puppy eyes to her brother but Manik knew better.

"Meher, of you go, I'll see you when I come home!" Manik said in his stern voice and Meher also knew better than to enrage her brother more. She looked sad which did pinch Manik's heart but he knew what he was doing is right.

Meher nodded and turned looked at Nandini who was moments before in her happy bubble but her attention went to the group of people who were whispering and frowning time to time

Meher waved at Nandini with a sad face, an indication that she was going.

Nandini didn't say anything but waved at her nonetheless.

After Vihan and Meher went Manik turned to face Cabir, Cabir also gave him a crut nod and waved at Nandini with a toothful smile on his face.

"Will meet soon Nandini, till then tolerate him," Cabir said waving at her, and pointed at Manik asking her to tolerate him which made Nandini chuckle and Manik fume in anger. though Nandini's happy face did its magic on him.

"Tumko badi hasi aarahi!" Manik taunted which made her chuckle more but she remembered about Meher and so she thought to ask the person standing in front of her.

"Manik why did Meher go so early?"

"Umm... Wo she had some work at home so she had to leave." Manik lied

"Oh! But why was she looking sad?"

"Who named you Nandini?" Manik countered questioned instead of answering her.

"Sorry?"

"You should be. Instead of Nandini na your name should have been question bank. How many questions do you ask?"

"GO TO HELL MANIK!!!" Nandini gaped at him and stared for a few seconds, coming out of the momentary shock she shouted and threw the nearest thing available to her which was a flower vase.

"Oye... Lady Singham, cool down you are looking like a clown right now, with your red puffy cheeks and cherry red button nose." Manik teased her more.

Nandini again gaped at him with her mouth opening and closing like a fish.

"You... You called me a clown?" Nandini asked not believing what she heard

"I think, I did!" Manik smriked.

"MANIK MALHOTRA OUT OF MY ROOM NOW!" Nandini yelled again.

"Shhhh, Nandini calm down if not, me and you both will be thrown out of the hospital," Manik tried to calm her down but all went in vain.

"Then stop irritating me, and get out of my room. Oh, no...no...no wait, you stay here I see myself out of this room, I need to meet my mother."

"Haa and what makes you think that I'll let you there all alone?" Manik questioned

"My independent self and my two legs!" Nandini sassed.

"Ya Miss independent girl with a broken leg, if you haven't noticed still you have sprained your leg yesterday and doctor has strictly told not to put pressure on your feet." That's when Nandini noticed a compression bandage rolled around her left ankle.

"So wait here till I bring the wheelchair." Saying Manik turned to move out of the room without even listening to Nandini.

"Yeah, as if I'll listen to you muttered but fortunately or unfortunately Manik heard it.

"Nandiniiiiiii" He stretched the letter 'I' in a sing-song manner to irritate her.

"You step out of this room and I'll make sure you never step out of this room till you are healthy. The choice is yours." Manik shrugged his shoulders.

"Agghh! you are a monster, Manik!" Nanini huffed in anger

"I know, something else you want to talk about?" Now it was his time to sass.

"Okay fine. I won't step out of this room till you come." Nandini finally agreed to him which made him give her a victorious smirk.

"Wise decision Miss Murthy. I had started doubting your sensibility for a moment, but I think you are fine." He left the room leaving an again gaping at his retiring figure Nandini.

After a few minutes, Manik came in with a wheelchair while seeing this Nandini twisted her lips and glared at Manik.

"Do I really need to sit on this? Manik I seriously can walk," Nandini tried to melt Manik with he puppy eyes in which she was winning but Manik didn't give in looking at her state.

She surely wasn't in the sate to walk and he didn't want to take any risks with her.

"Nandini you have two options, either you are sitting with me or you are coming with me in my arms." Manik was standing in akimbo position tapping his foot on the floor.

"Manik, what are you doing there, stop standing like a statue, and help to get on this wheelchair!" Nandini commanded as soon as she heard his options while Manik chuckled at her face and antics which was worth watching.

He shook his head in disbelieve and moved towards her. He bent down and thrust his right arm under her knees and left arm under her neck taking her in his arms in bridal style, causing Nandini to shriek out of shock.

"What are you doing Manik?" the shocked Nandini asked.

"Helping you," Manik shrugged his shoulders nonchalantly.

"A fair warning before doing this act would have been better. And why taking me in your arms when you can help me walking towards the chair?"

"No straining your leg remember and I can't risk anything concerning you," Manik spoke and for a moment her heart fluttered hearing him, but she composed herself and looked sideways.

"And I love having you in my arms!" He muttered under his breath and hearing him whispering Nandini looked at him and questioned.

"Kuch bola tumne?"

"Haa, I just said, stop talking and let me make you sit on the wheelchair, you are really heavy Nandini." Nandini just glared at him and Manik made her sit properly in the wheelchair.

Meanwhile Nandini did her favorite thing which she is doing from a few moments that is gaping at him!

After coming out of the shock she glared at him and answered "You were the only one who was very eager to pick me up. Who asked you to then, when I said I'm very much capable to walk."

"My empathetic self" Manik said with a proud grin

"And yes, you aren't capable of walking, but whatever makes you sleep in the night." Manik gave her a look of sympathy which a blind person can also tell was fake.

"Manik Malhotra! If you don't start walking this instance, I'll walk to my mother's room all by myself, the choice is yours." Nandini said repeating a similar sentence like him.

Manik made a bad face but started nonetheless. After they reached Shikha's room the guards bowed at Manik who's demeanor changed like the chameleon changes its colour or faster than that and Nandini noticed it too and she rolled her eyes at him.

One of the guards opened the door of Shikha's room and Manik wheeled Nandini's chair furthermore in the room.

As soon as they reached near Shikha's bed, they saw a petie figure lying there with a pale face.

Nandini saw her mother lying on the bed and her body attached with different kinds of wires and her hand pierced with needle for saline. She remembered how much her mother is scared of injections and needles yet here she is lying on the bed with the needle attached to her veins just because of her... just because of her stupidity!

Thinking of it unknowingly a sobbed escaped through her mouth which took both Manik's and Shikha's attention.

Shikha tried to open her eyes hearing some voice, adjusting to the hospital lights she looked around her only to see her harshly sobbing. Her daughter with an unknown man who was standing with a frown and worry on his face. Who was he was the only question swirling in her mind?

Her daughter's continuous sobs brought her out of the thinking process.

"Nandu" Shikha called her daughter in her sweet yet hoarse voice as she was parched because of waking up after a long time.

Nandini's eyes snapped at her mother and now her sobs turned into tears that were flowing down freely.

"Mumma?" Nandini whispered to make herself believe that her mom was fine and sitting in front of her.

Shikha tried to get up from bed but she hissed when she felt a stinging pain in her neck due to continuous sleeping for two days.

Nandini was quick to get up, she was halfway through getting up fully but before she could do that Manik kept hands on her shoulders making her sit again.

"I'll help you," Manik said and moved towards Shikha for help, Shikha looked at Nandini who blinked her eyes. She then looked at Manik and nodded her head slightly agreeing for help. Getting the permission, Manik supported Shikha and made her sit comfortably on the bed, staking the of pillows for the support of her back and neck he made Shikha more comfortable.

Shikha gave him a small smile and Manik gladly returned back. Shikha looked at Nandini who was ready with the glass of water. Shikha took the glass giving Nandini a thankful smile and gulped in a go.

Manik thought the ladies to leave alone so that they could have the much-needed talk with each other.

"I'll take your leave now, I'm standing right outside if you need anything or me, Nandini just press this red button I'll be here in an instant," Manik said handing Nandini remote like gadget. Nandini muttered okay giving Mnaik a small smile much to Shikha's interest and shock.

Only one thought was roaming around Shikha's head that why is he being so caring towards her daughter and most importantly who is he. She kept thinking while looking at his retiring figure.

As soon as Manik's figure was out of Shikha's eyesight she looked at her daughter who was gazing at the door from where Manik went out.

"Nandini?" Shikha called her daughter to gain her attention and that did get her attention.

"Mumma," Nandini said and kept her head on Shikha's lap immediately and as soon as he did that, her mother's hand automatically started caressing her (Nandini's) hairs giving her the warmth she needed from two days.

"I was so scared mumma" After a moment of silence Nandini spoke. and she stopped caressing her hair.

"Why? My baby is toh so strong, haina?" Shikha continued moving fingers in Nandini's silky hairs. A trait she got from her mother which Shikha admired the most.

"She is, but she is nothing without her mumma, she needs her mumma with her, to support her, to scold her to caresses her hairs like this, and most importantly to love her," Nandini whispered and a lone tear escaped from Nandini's eyes thinking of the sate her mother was in.

Shikha sighed knowing her daughter was guilty.

"Stop being guilty Nandini, none of this was your mistake." Shikha attempted to console as well as put some brain in her daughter, but who was she kidding she knew how stubborn her daughter was.

Nandini got up from Shikha's lap and shook her head in the negative, wiping her tears harshly she looked at her mother.

"Everything was my mistake mumma, I'm so sorry, I'm the one who should be held responsible for what happened to you. Only if I didn't make that mistake only if I wasn't born, none of this would have happened, I'm sorry mumma, you have to bear all this because of me. I'm such a bad daug... daughter." Nandini hiccuped and wiped her tears with the back of her hands.

"Nandini" Shikha called her, but this time with a stern voice.

"Just because I'm ill and won't be able to slap you right across your face doesn't mean you will keep on speaking anything or everything that comes in your mind. You aren't the one who should be held responsible for my or your condition you very well know who should be. I'm very proud of my daughter and won't be bearing anyone saying anything wrong against her even if she is my own daughter. I'm I clear?" Shikha glared at her daughter and demanded an answer in a stern voice and Nandini immediately nodded her head but with a pout hearing scolding from her mother which brought a smile on her mother's face.

Not to dwell on this topic anymore Shika forwarded har both the arms in front of Nandini indicating for a hug and Nandini didn't waste any time, she jumped in her mother's arm forgetting about her injury.

She hissed a little but covered it up very quickly before her mother can catch her and scold her for being careless moreover she'll take stress on this minor injury.

Nandini came out of the hug and cupped Shikha's face a traitor tear left her eyes leaving the wet patch on Shikha's hospital patient gown. She was looking at her mother's pale face and Shikha shook her head indicating not to cry.

"I'm so lucky to have you mumma, thank you for coming in my life and making it living worthy," Nandini said with the feeling of gratefulness swimming in her.

"I can say the same, my little munchkin," Shikha muttered, pinching her soft cheeks while Nandini chuckled a little.

Shikha took a deep breath and asked the question she wanted to ask for so long.

"Who is that handsome hunk of a man standing right outside the door?" Shikha wriggled her eyebrows

Nandini looked confused at first but then it clicked her that about who she was talking.

"He is Manik mumma."

"Manik," Shikha repeated after her daughter and nodded her in understanding.

"How did you both meet?" She shot another question with caught Nandini's tongue. She got flashes of their meet in front of her eyes but she composed herself and answered her mother.

"Umm... You know Navya Malhotra right, Mishti's mother?" Nandini asked and Shikha nodded after a moment.

"He is Navya Malhotra's brother in law when we were nowhere to find and instead of us she saw only the manager since months she took her brother in law's help to find about us and he found me and also he knows everything about us or everything that happened to us," Nandini whispered the last sentence with closed eyes.

She took a deep breath and stared at nothing in particular while Nandini was staring at her palms, thinking why just she said only half-truth to her mother? She didn't want to stress her mother more with her problems, she reasoned herself. Though this was partially true, she also knew it was because she didn't want to Manik's image to get spoil in front of her mother and the reason for it was still unknown to her.

"Call Manik Nandini!" Shikha spoke in grimed voice scaring Nandini a little.

Will you guys believe that the next chapter is also updated?? 🙈

See it for yourself 😂