Her eyes shined like the stars in the sky yet she refused to shed them. Life had always been cruel for her, even before her mother birthed her in this world. And this was just another obstacle to fuck up her life.

Asking her to care for him and knowing her love for children, she knew she would fall in love with his innocence. But, that wasn't the problem. The problem was that she didn't know if she could ever survive when he might be snatched away from her a year later.

She blinked her eyes, her heart breaking as she heard a sob resonating through the silence.

So, always making the best of every situation and with optimism that he may get well, she breathed out and stepped inside the room, looking at the still form of the huddled figure, covered with a blanket, at one side of the bed. Sitting on the edge of the bed, she gently lowered the blanket, making him innocently peak at her with his bottom lip wobbling as tears lined his eyes.

"Meri Jaan," Nandini murmured, as he tried shrugging off her touch, "Nanni Mumma ko maaf kardo."

(*Please forgive your Nanni Ma.)

He shook his head and whispered, "Aap gande ho. Mujhe Riya Aunty ne kaha tha ki Ma apne bache ko humesha protect karti hai. Aur jab–jab woh sab mere pe hasee toh apne mere ko protect nahi kiya. Aap unke pass beth ke unse bate kar rahe the. Aur hass bhi rahe the. Aap meri Nanni Mumma nahi ho."

(*You're bad. Riya Aunty told me that a mother always protects her children. But‐but when all of them were laughing at me, you didn't protect me. You are not my Nanni Mumma.)

Shaking her head, she said, "Aaj ke baad essa bilkul nahi hoga. Mai kisi ko aap ko hurt nahi karne dungi. Ek baar maaf kardo, please."

(*After today, this will not repeat again. I'll never let anyone hurt you. Please forgive me this one time.)

He stared at her for a moment before taking out his hand and holding out his finger before asking, "Pinky promise?"

Nandini nodded her head, intertwining her finger in his and smiling, as she said, "Pinky promise."

As she was about to get up, he held her wrist, wrapping his arms around her waist while his head rested on her stomach. Breathing out, slightly surprised yet feeling good as he seeked her warmth, her hand raked through his hair as she asked, "Kya hua?"

(*What happened?)

"Mujhe akela mat sulao na please. Bohot gandi gandi dreams aati hai," Manik whispered.

(*Please don't make me sleep alone. I get very very bad dreams.)

"Thik hai," she said, giving up the urge to ask about his dreams for now. She pressed a kiss on the top of his head, he looked at her and his lips curved upwards, beaming at her in happiness, making her heart flutter. She cupped his cheek, smiling slightly and said, "Chalo ab. Aap ek baar betho aur mai aapki medicines ke saath milkshake leke aati hu. Aap ne khaana bhi ache se nahi khaya na."

(*Okay. ** Come on. Now, you sit here for the time being and I'll bring your medicines and milk shake. You didn't even have your dinner properly.)

He scrunched up his nose at eating those bitter medicines and bad milk, shaking his head in refusal. Nandini arched her eyebrow, pressing her lips together to keep in a smile, knowing about his possessiveness as she said, "Nahi? Fir mai vo tasty tasty milkshake Jas–"

(*No? Then shall I give it to Jas–)

Pouting, he tightened his hold around her waist and said, "Nahi. Mai piyunga nahi. Aap usse mat dena. Aap meri Nanni Mumma ho. Uski Mumma usse de gi na."

(*No! I'll drink it. Don't give it to him. You're my Nanni Mumma. His mother will give him.)

"That's like my good boy," Nandini praised, making him beam at her once again before he loosened his hold to let her go. A few minutes later, she helped him drink his milk along with consuming his medicines. She arranged his blankets before switching off the lights.

As she laid beside him, she looked as he twisted and turned for a few minutes. When he faced her, staring at her longingly, she slightly forwarded her hand and said, "Aaja."

(*Come.)

As if waiting for her word, he immediately shuffled closer to her and placed his leg atop her, wrapping his arm around her waist while his face rested on her chest. It wasn't long before the rhythmic movement of her chest, rising and falling along with the softness of her protruding flesh lulled him to sleep.

Looking at his peaceful face, she knew that unlike every time, from today onwards, she wasn't going to curse her fate because she is no longer Nandini Murthy. She is Nandini Malhotra.

And Nandini Malhotra will not beg for her happiness. She will fucking earn it. Along with him.

•••••

Nandini gradually released herself from Manik's hold, placing his head on the pillow and patting it to lull him back to sleep as he opened his eyes slightly. After his eyes closed, she arranged his blanket and got up. Opening her bag resting on the couch, she grabbed a simple suit along with a shawl before getting ready in it.

She closed the door behind her quietly before she moved downstairs and stepped out of the house. Raising the shawl to her head, she covered herself with it and walked on the street before stopping an auto rickshaw. Letting him know the address, which was five minutes away from here, she settled in, staring at the blurring environment outside, her hands fidgeting in nervousness.

On reaching, she handed the cash to the driver and got down. Tightening her hold on the cloth, she stared at his back as he waited on the edge of the pond, breathing deeply and unable to comprehend the feeling that twisted in her heart at the prospect that meeting him might be seen as using Manik's innocence against him, even though she knew her intentions of this meeting were pure.

On hearing footsteps behind him, Akash turned around, his lips turning up in a smile as he watched Nandini walking towards him. Nandini froze as Akash hugged her, patting his back uncomfortably, while he frowned at her action as he released her and stepped back.

"Nandini?" Akash said, taking a step towards her with raised hands and Nandini immediately moved back. Nandini breathed out, her eyes shining with tears as she watched him lower his hands with clenched jaw, understanding dawning on him.

"You can't be serious about being with that mental case, are you?" Akash snapped.

"Akash! Mind what you say," Nandini snapped back, her eyes blazing with anger.

"Oh and what else am I supposed to say to that retard?" Akash asked, his voice laced with fury and jealousy as his love defended that idiot man child.

"Akash, I'm fucking warning you to stop insulting him," Nandini threatened and when he glared and opened his mouth to spew out more shit about Manik, she cut him off and said, "Since you don't wish to end this on a good note, fine! If you truly cared about me, Akash, you would have grown a spine and wouldn't have allowed your mother to marry me off to Manik."

Akash couldn't control himself and spatted out, "But, I did because he was the best option and even Ma wouldn't be disappointed. You can be married to him, but how does it matter? He doesn't even understand anything."

Nandini opened her mouth, then closed it as she tried to comprehend his words. She shook her head slowly, utterly disgusted, and huffed out, "I thought you knew me but I was clearly proven wrong when you thought I would be interested in an affair. I hope you keep your mother satisfied now. Fucking spineless bitch!"

Nandini turned around, done with the conversation but yelped when she felt him tugging at her arm roughly, turning her around. She shook her head as he held her face in his hand while his another arm wrapped around her waist tightly. He smiled sinisterly and moved his lips closer to hers and whispered, "How dare you refuse to give me what you promised, huh? After marriage. That's what you said. Should I take you down the memory lane?"

"Fuck off!" Nandini gritted out, whimpering in pain as he fisted her hair and tugged harshly, forcing her to look up, trying to terrorise her with his narrowed eyes. Nandini smiled as she mumbled despite the pain, "You know marrying me to Manik, oh my sweet baby, is the best decision I think I took so far and it wouldn't have been possible without your shitty plan."

"You–" Akash started before screaming as Nandini kneed him between his legs, cupping himself as Nandini turned around and ran away in a flurry of a motion, flailing her arm like a mad woman as she tried to stop a cab passing by.

She rushed in the back seat of the cab, telling him the address and as she watched Akash limping towards her furiously, she shoved her hand out of the window and gave him the middle finger as they pulled away from the lake towards her destination. For better or for worse.

Manik Malhotra.

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