A/N : Hello readers! I have to say I'm kinda sad right now because I have completed this book from my side. I have been writing this for so long that I really don't know hoe to not write this plot every week :)

But, all things comes to an end eventually right? So we are really at the close! So here's the bomb - this is the second last chapter of this book! Yes, there is just one more chapter left & an Epilogue!

I hope you enjoy reading this, as much as you have so far! Happy Reading!

***

24 Warren Street, Palm Cove, Cairns, Australia circa 2018

(Manik's Living Room, Poolside Villa)

Nandini Murthy

I was sitting on the couch and trying very hard to not bite my nails, I was apprehensive of the bomb Manik was going to be dropping tonight. We all were here, Appa, Soha, Cabir, Priyank & we were waiting for Manik; he had invited everyone for dinner & gone out at the last minute to apparently 'collect' some papers. Ayappa, please make everything go smoothly today!

"Did he mention anything at all, he was sounding really cryptic on the call" Soha spoke to me. I nodded my head in negative. I knew Manik was contemplating a sustainable middle ground for all of us, but he never told me what he had in mind. Honestly, I wasn't worried about how it would impact me, but no matter which way I toggled the options in my head, I didn't happen to find a middle path that'd keep everyone satisfied! It meant only one thing, Manik was going to disappoint someone tonight, and if that wasn't me, I was worried it would either be Rooh or Soha; and I wasn't sure how well they were going to accept that!

"Don't worry Soha beta, I am sure, Manik has thought of something that will work for all. Let's trust him?" Appa tried pacifying her too.

"Nandini, Manik won't hurt you again, I can assure you that" I heard Cabir whisper to me after a while & I looked at him & smiled reassuringly. A lot had happened between Manik and me since Cabir & I last spoke, so I could see why he worried about me feeling insecure. Cabir winked in a friendly manner in response.

"Thank God you're here beta, what took you so long?" Appa's voice from behind me, made me turn away from Cabir towards the door & I saw Manik had finally come back. He was in joggers and a tee, he was clutching what looked like legal docs. I wondered what they were, but Manik spoke soon garnering all our attention.

"Thanks for being here tonight, all of you. This is a big decision in my life & I didn't feel right about taking it without having all of you here for testimony" he spoke nonchalantly. I observed his face, it was vacant, it was devoid of emotions. Oh boy, this wasn't going to be good news! I glanced at Soha, she was looking as apprehensive, if not more.

"Manik, beta, I know this is quite a tricky.." Appa barely began in his pacifying tone, but Manik cut him mid way.

"Dad, please. I will do the talking first, today? This is important & pretty huge and I can't keep it in anymore. I just want you guys to hear me out first before reacting & please don't react spontaneously, give my proposal a real thought, okay?" pleaded Manik, looking at each of us. I gulped, but nodded nonetheless.

"As you all are aware by now, Soha wants to move to Sydney. I mean she is telling everyone that it is for work, which I believe it is, but where I contradict her is, in acknowledging that she is going away only for work - that there is no other reason that triggered her." Manik began slowly, I don't know about others but I was holding my breath.

"Soha, I know you will never acknowledge this, but you're leaving because of me; you are leaving because, somewhere, I have somehow managed to disappoint you monumentally. I'm sorry for hurting you Soha, but I'm not sorry for my actions. I was defending Nandini's love for me before you, that's how I hurt you - by choosing to trust her; and I will never apologize for that. However, I do acknowledge that in all these years, had you not been there for me, reaching out to me, keeping me safe, I'd probably not make it to this phase of my life where I can proudly hold Nandini's hand & say she is mine; I..I don't know how to say this, but I need you Soh. I have been fighting with myself all day thinking how to hold you back in my life, how to keep you right here, where you belong, but every road ultimately told me one thing, that if you need to go, I should let you go. I love you, Soh & only your happiness can be bigger for me than my need for you in my life. I don't want to take this decision as Manik Malhotra of the yesteryears & be selfish; so I decided to take this decision as the Manik Malhotra of today - the man you carefully curated & preserved for Nandini to find & this guy feels, if I love you, I should support you in whatever you want to do with your life. You were only twenty when you decided do the same with me, remember? You never asked me to stay back in S.P.A.C.E. and redeem myself; I made a fresh start, I became a new person & that made all the difference in the world for me. So, who am I to stop you from doing the same?" Manik whispered; his voice held immense pain & I knew separation from Soha wasn't going to be easy for him. They were so emotionally attached.

Soha's sniff brought me out of my reverie. "Thanks for understanding Manik, and thank you for letting me go" she whispered, roughly wiping her tears with the back of her palm. Woah, Soha Khurana was capable of shedding tears? Ayappa, now I have seen everything!

"That's not all Soh." but Manik continued & we all turned to him in surprise. Honestly, I thought it had gone really well so far & my Ayappa had listened to my prayers for once, but of course, we had only reached the interval, the climax was still due.

'Soh when you let me start afresh here, you didn't let me come alone. Besties don't abandon each other - isn't that what you had said?" Manik laughed sadly, remembering the good old days.

"Manik you can't come with me. You have a setup here, plus Nandini.." Soha began but Manik showed her the hand to silence her.

"I can't come, Soha, but that doesn't mean you will do this alone" he whispered as his voice shook slightly now. I was gearing up, the storm was now about to hit shore. We all looked at him curiously.

"Soha, like you have been my family for so long, don't you think I understand that even we have been the only family you had after your parents demise?" He whispered & my eyes smarted with fresh tears; of all the commonalities I could have with Soha, I never imagined, being parentless would be one.

"Soha, I want you to go to Sydney, start a new life, and meet new people. Who knows, you might even find love? But Soh, you won't go there alone. I want you to..I..uh..I want you to.." Manik stuttered. I couldn't imagine what was so difficult that he could barely speak about it. "Soh" he breathed out once and shut his eyes for a couple of seconds, gathering his thoughts and then just said the hardest thing I ever heard him say, "I want you to take Rooh with you" he finished and let out the breath he was holding.

No one moved for the next couple of seconds. Time had indeed frozen.

"What?" Soha was the first one to meekly speak out.

"Soh, if you Rooh & I have been a family and I can't accompany you this time, the least I can do is send with you the only other person we have. My heart, my soul, my Rooh." he whispered & his voice shook like a paper boat on a stormy sea.

"Have you f*cking lost it?" Soha shouted out in dismay & I nodded my head vehemently to express my affirmation to her outrage. Manik couldn't live without Rooh, I knew that. This was suicide.

"Manik, beta what are you saying?" Appa murmured in shock.

"Manik, what the f*ck?!" Cabir shot alarmed.

"Manik, so this was your grand plan?" I heard my own broken voice amongst them too.

Manik sighed looking down. His eyes didn't focus on anything in particular. "Guys, I requested you to not react impulsively. I have thought through this. I really have. Also Soha, you know I would never have convinced myself to take this step, no matter how much my heart told me this was the right thing to do, if I didn't feel this is what Rooh wanted too" he pleaded, looking at Soha and suddenly his eyes went very dry & red. Manik Malhotra was a destroyed father in the moment, as he spoke. Why did life always make us choose?

"Manik, Rooh is a child. You can't take her words to heart. She didn't mean it. She needs you as much as Soha. If you send her with Soha, she would miss you crazily" I spoke up this time. No, no, no. I couldn't be the reason for tearing a father and his daughter apart. Not even for the purest bond of love. This was a sin in my head. Ayappa would never forgive me for this. Hell, I'd never forgive myself for this! I quickly turned to look at Soha & she was nodding her head in acknowledgement to what I said too!

"I know, Nandini. I know Rooh loves me to the moon and back & I? Hell, my entire existence revolves around her. Nandini, yet this time I saw a determination in her eyes when she chose Soh. I knew that look. I could relate to it. I had the same look when Dad & Nyonica had separated. I was young, yet I knew what I wanted. I loved my mother, but I was clear I wanted to stay back with Dad & Mukti; one would argue that I didn't know better - isn't that exactly what Nyonica did? Isn't that why I was with her from thereon? But so many decades down the line if I was asked to make the same choice again as an adult, I'd still stand by that choice. Which means, even at a tender age, a child doesn't make a mistake if they need to make a choice between a parent. It's not a logical decision at all, it comes from the heart & a child's heart never lies. Rooh may be my reason for existence, Soha, but you are her first choice. I can envy you for that but I can't augment that. I know if she stays with you, she will miss me, but I also know if she stays with me, she will miss you so much more. She will be bitter, she will hate me for separating her from you, as she'd start growing up & I fear, history will repeat. I don't want Rooh to grow up to be another Manik Malhotra of the yesteryears. I'd keep my princess away from even his shadows." Manik told us all earnestly. I was stumped.

"Manik, this is ridiculous! Rooh will never be a broken child, because Nyonica never took care of you after taking you away. I know you will love Roo to your last drop of blood. She will be happy with you. Yes, she might miss me for a while, but she will get used to it! Separation of parents isn't a new thing, Manik!" Soha tried earnestly. I don't know what Soha said was so blood curdling, but Appa gasped & Manik froze. I looked at Cabir but he looked confused.

So far Appa looked as outraged at the idea as all of us were, but suddenly he got thinking & in sometime, he was the first person to support Manik. "Years back Nyonica had said the same thing to Manik, Soha beta, that separation isn't a big thing..but look how that turned out for us..I hate it, but I have to agree with Manik on this. If this is about Rooh's well being, even, I'd choose what's best for her." he whispered. I could see how deep the cracks were, that Mrs. N left in the lives of these men.

"Pops?" Soha looked at him incredulously.

"Appa, this would kill Manik" I panicked & Appa looked at me sadly. He knew I was telling the truth.

"Manik beta, I had warned you. This was going to be complicated" Appa managed to whisper.

"Manik, Rooh isn't going anywhere. This is madness. We all are here with her...plus Sydney will be a new setup. She will have to start from the scratch from school to friends..Soha will be busy with work. I mean..how?" Cabir spoke this time, he sounded as bothered.

"Once we all agree to this, we will chalk out the nitigrities" Manik mumbled slowly. Maybe he realized how big the decision is, only after really speaking out loud about it? Ayappa, Manik isn't going to survive this separation. There had to be another way.

I desperately turned to look at Soha & saw a decision forming on her face. She looked determined & some part of me knew what game she was on. I'd do it too, if I were in her place. It was her last desperate call to save Manik. In this moment, I found a deep seated respect for the woman I hated all my life. She truly could take a truck on her for Manik. Manik was lucky indeed to have a friend like her.

"Manik, Rooh isn't coming with me & that's final!" Soha said in a flat tone.

"Soha, I'm sorry but this is not just about you" Manik gave it back.

"God Manik, why don't you get it? I want to go to Sydney, start a new life. As you said, maybe meet a new man & start life afresh. I don't want Roo dangling along with me there. I didn't want her, remember? I had her because you agreed to adop..." but Manik stomped towards her & shook her so hard that Soha stopped speaking.

"Seriously Soha Khurana?! After all these years, do you still feel that way? It is that easy to abandon your own f*cking blood? The love you have for her, the affecti.." Manik halted since Soha stopped him this time.

"I love her as your daughter! Manik, Rooh to me is your daughter. You, my best friend, is a single parent & I help you out in her upbringing as a mother figure. That's how I love your daughter! Don't you ever think I have showered all my love from some misplaced sense of maternal affection! I..I don't see Rooh as my daughter, maybe that is why I can love her. Had I seen her as my blood, as my child, I'd only see Maddie's betrayal in her eyes! So now that you have your lady love in your life, don't try pushing your responsibilities on me! Rooh is yours, keep her with you, send her to a boarding arrangement, orpha.." but Manik placed his palm on her mouth. He just couldn't let her complete it. I shrieked in my place, thinking he might actually hit her or something!

"Just shut up Soha! You raging bitc.." Manik was screaming, but this time I couldn't control myself.

"Just shut up, Manik! Don't say anything you'd regret saying!" I warned him, screaming & both Manik & Soha looked at me. While Manik looked at me incredulously, Soha looked surprised & in a moment cognition dawned on her. She realized I had caught her parlor trick! She tried telling me to not spill it to Manik with her eye gesture & I silently affirmed.

"Seriously Nandini? You think I will regret telling her how fowl she has been with my baby?! To think that I was considering sending my baby with her. Sheesh. How could you Soha? How can a mother of all people break her child's heart?" Manik whispered in regret. "How are you any different from Nyonica?"he shouted and shut his eyes in dismay.

"Manik, Soha is angry, I am sure she didn't actually mean half the things she..." I began.

"Oh yes, she did. This isn't the first time she is pushing Rooh away! I mean I know Maddie has been a d*ck to you, but what is Rooh's fault in this? Why do you always punish her?" Manik cried in exasperation.

"She is his biological child. That's her fault." Soha snapped, roughly pushing her tears back with her palm.

"Soha beta, that's enough" it was Appa's stern voice that hit them this time.

"I cannot believe how reckless you both are in deciding the future of a child!" He admonished them both.

"Oh, I learnt it from the best Dad! Did you ever fight with Nyonica to keep me?" came Manik's sharp reply & there was a collective gasp audible in the room.

"That's enough, Manik" Cabir snapped this time & I slowly moved to stand by Appa. Manik's hurt eyes found me. It broke my heart further if that was even possible. I know what happened with Manik in his childhood was pathetic, but Appa had worked on his mistakes & rebuilt his life right? Manik had forgiven him too; then what was the need for the jibe? I suppose some relationships are destroyed so badly that no matter how much you patch them, some scars remain...

"Sorry Pops, you had to hear that because of me" mumbled Soha, looking positively guilty.

"Cabir, I will take him out for some coffee, you wanna come? Let these three solve this themselves. I don't think we are needed here" it was Priyank this this. Cabir nodded & Appa quietly left with them.

"I'm really sorry Appa" I whispered tearfully as he was leaving. He turned around with a sad smile whispering, "Please take care of these two beta, please don't let them play with Roo's life. Manik is right, I was wrong in the past & maybe I don't have the right to speak here, but that doesn't mean Rooh should suffer, right?" I simply nodded, whispering, "I promise Appa, Roo won't suffer like Manik did".

"That was a really low blow, Manik." Soha snapped after the trio left.

"You get to say that?" Manik snarled.

"Soha, Manik, guys please. Let's take a beat?" I said choking in my tears. I was feeling lost, disappointed, scared, upset, hurt, all at the same time. I was trying my best to not have a panic attack. I didn't want to lose Manik, Manik didn't want either Soha or me to lose, so he decided to take the hit himself  by letting Roo go & Soha? She was okay pretending to be a witch of a mother to Rooh, just so that Manik didn't lose Rooh. To think all this was happening because Manik & I wanted to be together? Were we too late in deciding that we needed each other? In all these years when we were busy love-hating each other, life happened, a lot of people joined our stories & today all their life was getting hampered because we decided to go back to being together. Was it fair on them? Was Soha really wrong in hating me? I was feeling overwhelmed to say the least.

"Nandu, I'm so sorry baby. Sh*t, the doc had said no stress. Sh*t, I never thought it would get this ugly." I saw Manik suddenly panicking after sparing one glance at me.

"Manik, I'm fine." I tried reassuring him faintly.

"Nandu, let's get you inside, you need rest" he immediately rushed to me forgetting all the hurt momentarily. It hurt me to see how divided Manik was when it came to balancing his life between us & everything else.

"I take it, now you will have no problem in letting me move to Sydney? Although I still care for your well being Manik!" Soha exclaimed quietly. Her eyes were misty.

"I'd still have a problem in letting you go Soha, if you cared a little less about me & a little more about your own blood! It's strange that you hate her for being Maddie's daughter but you can't love her for being your biological daughter too!" Manik insolently replied back.

"Manik, please!" I whispered.

"I shall leave then" I heard Soha speak curtly. Manik stopped, but he didn't turn back or stop her. I knew he was still hurting to let her go, but he was too livid to show it.

"Soha, stop!" I called out. Both Manik & Soha looked at me surprised. Wasn't our mutual hatred the starting point of all this?

"What now you will preach to me too?" Soha asked in a bored tone, Manik was about to shout back but I stopped him.

"Manik, please give us a minute" I whispered. Manik looked doubtful but he decided to respect my request. He nodded and walked towards our bedroom, calling out, "Come soon, I will be waiting for you".

I turned to Soha, she was looking at me curiously.

"Why'd you do this, Soha?" I asked in shock. Wouldn't she regret this? Wouldn't Manik be wary of letting Roo meet her now? Was that a risk she was willing to take for Manik?

"Why do you care? You have it best! I am gone, Manik hates me now so he won't stop me, so there is no question of insecurity for you. Why are you complaining?" she asked with a smirk.

I sighed, "..maybe because I am not who you think I am, Soha. I want to be with Manik but not at the cost of every one he holds dear" I whispered.

"Tch..tch..so diplomatic, Nandini. You should be a politician" she drawled, clearly trying to instigate me. Ayappa, I was trying to understand her, why was she making it so damn difficult!?

"If you think I am so abhorrent, how are you okay leaving Rooh with Manik? You know right, Rooh would spend a lot of time with me?" I shot back.

"I wouldn't risk leaving my baby with you, Nandini but I also know with Manik around, you can do nothing to Rooh. Rooh may be mine and Maddie's blood Nandini, but she is Manik's soul!" Soha replied confidently, before turning to leave.

I sighed. Ayappa, please show me a way forward from here. I want to be with Manik, I know he needs to be with me but I cannot let Manik lose Rooh or Rooh lose Soha for this. I have been raised without parents myself & in my case there was no choice, but I wouldn't ever do that to a child who has a choice. Manik feared Rooh will become another Manik Malhotra if she stayed with him against her will, but he cannot see that, by keeping her away from her both parents together, she ran the risk of growing up to be a Nandini Murthy, who'd be so hungry of an actual family, that she'd be vulnerable and fall prey to the Manik Malhotra's of the world.

I realized we all were in some way trying hard for history to not repeat itself. Manik didn't want another Manik to be raised, I didn't want another Nandini to be born, Appa didn't want Manik & Soha to become another set of Appa & Mrs. N, in all this, was there anybody who was satisfied with their own life?

24 Warren Street, Palm Cove, Cairns, Australia circa 2019

(Manik & Nandini's Bedroom, Poolside Villa)

I walked into the bedroom to see Manik sitting on the bed idly, looking at nothing in particular. He looked up at me after hearing my footsteps and all his vulnerabilities came out.

"Nandini" he whispered in pain. I dashed to him and pulled him into my embrace and he reciprocated almost immediately, like he was waiting for it. I cradled his head like a child, caressing it and he reveled in it. I realized my baby needed affection right then & even though I had many questions to ask him, for now I decided to shower him with tender love & care.

"Baby come lie down & take some rest" he whispered after some time. He was looking more relaxed now. I nodded and slipped under the sheets, snuggling close to him. Our faces were centimeters apart and I caught him looking at my lips longingly.

"Manik, I am yours. You never have to long for me, love" I whispered and immediately he captured my lips for a slow kiss. It was tender, it was affectionate, it showed how much he needed me physically close to him at this point. I kissed him back with all the love I had for him, I kissed him deeply, assuring him, no matter how bad it got, we were in this together now.

{After sometime...}

"Manik, can I ask you something?" I whispered softly. Manik nodded and pecked me on my crown.

"Please know my intention is not to hurt you, but I cannot be at peace without knowing what you were thinking today" I warned him & he nodded slowly, looking at me intently now.

"Manik, you went all Hulk on Soha, and asked her how easy it was for her to let go off Roo, but by deciding to let her go with Soha in the first place, just because she wanted to, weren't you letting her go too easily too?" I asked, carefully. I didn't want to irk him, but I was trying to understand from what point he found his decision rational.

Manik sighed, looking out of the window, hands still clutching my waist, his right leg looped over my left, as we lay facing each other. "Nandini, who knows it better than me, how important mother's are for their children? Can you deny the fact that if Nyonica had put the slightest effort on me, I'd not have been the Manik Malhotra out there ruining your life at such a young age?" he asked me slowly.

"..but Manik Roo was raised by you. She lives with you, Soha only visits her, she cannot possibly be more attached to her.. Did you decide to let Roo go because she hurt you by choosing Soha after all these years, Manik? Please be honest with me?" I pleaded. I knew I was cruising through dangerous waters now.

Manik was eerily quiet for a few moments & I could literally hear the ticking of the grandfather clock from the next room; then he looked at me with hurt eyes and answered, "I will be honest with you, Nandu, it did sting. My Rooh and I have a deep connection & so far I thought it was unbreakable. She adores Soha, but for my baby, da-da was a non negotiable deal. When did that change Nandini? I mean, my Roo could stay away from me but not Soha? I was wounded but it compelled me to realize the importance of mother's in a child's life. You had asked me, right, why I had gone to Dubai to attend Nyonica's wedding? On normal days, I'd tell you, I went there on behalf of dad. I went there because Nyonica, Dad & your brother Abhimanyu had started off a business in joint partnership & it was on the talks from the time of Mukti & Abhimanyu's wedding. Nyonica had invited Dad as a partner not as an ex husband, but Dad as you know hadn't taken it well, the whole wedding thing. Even though they were separated for so many years, it looked like their marriage meant a little something to him & that's why he didn't want to go for the wedding. However, they were partners, him missing the wedding could spark talks amongst the shareholders, speculations could affect stock value of the company, so he requested me to attend on his behalf quoting health issues. That's why I went to Dubai - but do you want to know my real reason" he whispered, guiltily. I nodded, encouraging him, by pecking his nose softly.

"Nandini, I went there to see it for myself. AK had told me, he had met them, Nyonica and his father & she was blissfully happy in life. I wanted to see it, Nandini. I wanted to see how a mother, who has been so disappointing, judgemental and at times plain manipulative with her own kids, suddenly grow familial attachments? I thought it was a charade, I had to see it for myself & reassure myself that Nyonica was still the same pathetic woman I knew all my life, nothing has changed; but guess what I saw there, Nandu? Nyonica actually seemed genuinely happy, I saw her making efforts with AK, you know? I saw her trying to adjust with her new husband, take decisions together, hell she was even avoiding work calls for them. I..I got jealous, Nandini. I know I hate her & have no expectations from her, but the little Manik in me had craved for this very love, affection & attention all his childhood. Today Nyonica was generously offering that child's share of love to random others, to AK who didn't even want it. She was doing everything Mukti & I wanted her to, but she was doing it for other's Nandu, and even though I never thought I'd own up to this before anyone, but it f*cking hurt! I felt left out, I felt abandoned all over again. I guess I was embarrassed to admit all this before you, and I feared you'd see through my dad 'wala' excuse, that's why I also hid about going to Dubai from you, Nandu. Basically the point I'm trying to drive through this, is, even today despite not acknowledging it, Nyonica still f*cking means something to me, she is capable of hurting me, so I understand how deep a mother & child's relationship is. I knew, when we'd get married, you'd love Roo that way, I was assured, but everything changed when Roo chose Soha, baby. She made a choice, and now she wouldn't accept you in Soha's place, hence I realized, I had no choice but to let her go! It wasn't easy like it was for Soha, Nandini, but it was what my Rooh wanted." Manik whispered, as two fat teardrops finally escaped from his eyes and rolled down his cheeks.

I didn't realize, but I was weeping too. If there was one thing I knew for sure, it was this, Manik wasn't losing Rooh and Rooh wasn't losing Soha either! I hugged him closer and gently caressed his back.

"We've got this, Manik & we will get through this together" I whispered again into his ears. I didn't know how many times he needed to hear this to be assured, but I'd keep saying it till I felt satisfied.

"Thank-God I have you Nandu. Your presence fulfills all the gaps in my relationships" he whispered in reverence.

"Manik, can I ask you one more thing?" I asked again. He nodded, snuggling more into my breasts and kissing them softly.

"Manik, did you for once consider the possibility that whatever crap Soha said today were all lies? Maybe she loves Rooh just like you think, but in order to keep Rooh close to you, for you, she lied?" I whispered, I was scared of how he'd react to this.

Manik stiffened at my question for a moment before relaxing back in my arms. "Consider? I already realized she was lying. That wombat.." Manik tried laughing a little in an exasperated tone.

"When did you realize that?" I asked, surprised, because Manik had reacted very badly throughout the time with her.

"The moment she tried using her behavior as an excuse to leave for Sydney leaving Rooh with me & you, hoping I'd not stop her now" he replied, shortly.

"So you're not mad at her anymore? You still want to send Rooh with her?" I asked, perplexed.

"Hell, I am mad at her Nandu, how is it so easy for her to call her own child a mistake? To suggest that I put her in an orphanage!? I know her heart was pure but even then, how dare she?! And I know it will kill me, but if Rooh chose Soha, Roo will go with her, since I can't stop Spha from going" he whispered. I shuddered to imagine how Manik would manage without his little angel. I remembered the last few days in LA when he cried out for Roo at angel's point. He really thought he'd be able to stay away from Rooh? Manik had died a million deaths in this one lifetime, and I wasn't going to let him suffer anymore; not on my account, not on anyone's account.

I could see that Soha was ready to go up till alarming lengths to safeguard Manik, but her path was wrong; it was time. It was time I tried again, with Soha. A genuine attempt, just for Manik. If we got together, we could stop Manik from suffering, and this was probably the only common goal we both would ever have in life!

"Baby, all things said and done, you were very mean to Appa today" I suddenly scolded Manik a little, remembering Appa's hurt face.

"I know, and I am guilty too. I was too riled up at that point...but don't worry, I will make it up to him." Manik mumbled, while pulling the front of my camisole down with his teeth and rolling his tongue on my cleavage playfully.

"How?" I asked, curiously.

"By getting him a new mom, to take his mind off the old monstrous one!" he joked & I playfully smacked his head laughing.

"Id*ot" I laughed.

"...and this id*ot is going to ravish you now" he said huskily as he turned us over with him on top, hovering over me; Manik had a peaceful smile on his lips. I thanked Ayappa, at least I could put a smile on his face, even in the darkest of times. I promised myself, I would do anything to keep this smile intact.

***

A/N : How was the chapter? Did you guys like it?

I have just three questions:

1. What are your thoughts on Manik's decision?

2. What do you think of Soha's drastic action?

3. What do you feel about Manik's feeling towards his mother?

Looking forward to hearing lots of things from you!

Any other thoughts?

I hope you had a fun read, see you next week same day!

Next update : 13th March, 2022 (Sunday)

Until then,

A.