Manik's POV

Punching on the punching bag with bare knuckles, I dodge when it rebounce back at me and then again I fisted on it with another hand. Currently, I'm doing some work-out at my gym room, vest wet with my sweat, muscles oozing out of it giving a perfect view to anyone... But no one is here except me.

A part of my wanted 'that someone' to be Nandini.

Yesterday night... I know,
I shouldn't have shouted at her like that, taunted at her like that, doubted at her like that...

What could I do? I'm a cold-blooded demon who's not wanting to open his door to anyone and here... she's continuously knocking on it without her knowledge and much to my pleasure yet difficulty.

I've very few persons close to me, whom I could call mine, my family: Cabir, Dhruv, Alya, Sid n Roshni and after the Devils entered our life... They r impaling into my comfort zone every now n then.
With someone with the same name as my Cutie and behaving the same like her is around me, & then the other one, her soulie, her BFF, who happens to stop my breath drowning to death and burn my cold-heart getting close to guys around. They both have managed to stir this attachment towards themselves in me, which I fear of.

Actually, it's not the attachment I fear of... it's the betrayal n hurt n pain it brings along with it...

"The worst thing about betrayal is to know that it's done by someone you trusted the most."

"What hurts the most, is when you trusted someone blindly, and that person proves to you that you're really blind."

"Sometimes the person you'd take a bullet for, is standing behind the trigger... ... That pains beyond imagination"

You tell me,
How will you feel?.. when you come to know that your mother who's the most perfect lady in front of ur eyes, who takes care u, loves u unconditionally, attend to ur wounds with tears in her eyes, and who was there with her children all the time when their father's busy earning bread for them... One day you came to know, whatever you think she is till now is just a delusion... an act... a complete deceit!

Not only she kicked away her own husband because he can't get her money n luxury that she urged for, but also she became so heartless to separate her inseparable kids and depart from her own son, depriving him of his mother's love at his childhood.

Just because she got some rich partner to fulfill her demands, she heartlessly took away her 7yrs old daughter and left out of blue... disappeared in thin air...

How would you have reacted to this when you're just 10 that time and got separated from ur mother's love along with the one n only girl in the world whom you love the most... your cute, little sister, your Cutie, your Mukti? How could you live without them?

Not only this,
When you finally get yourself together after a day-long of shedding tears on ur loss... you get the news that...

...Your father has jumped off the bridge not being able to bear the weight of his losses...

...Leaving you behind... all alone! to survive?

How can you live after everything from you got snatched away from you in a day or two? How the hell? HOW?

How can anyone survive with the pain of betrayal in his heart?

That's why I simply never trusted women and love.
I always had thought that there was love between my mom & Dad. Is that love? Really? Bullshit!

After that, the sweet, caring, kind-warm-hearted Manik is gone giving birth to this cruel, ruthless, merciless, cold-blooded demon, The Manik Malhotra, The Mafia King!

Then comes to picture... Nanz, Nandini Murty!

What is she? I still wonder.

She came like a typhoon and dashed on me creating havoc in and around me.
She's soft n sweet like candyfloss yet dangerous n fierce like a tigress. She dances so feminine with her curves at the perfect place while her punches blow stronger than our men. She reacts so responsibly, mature n practical sometimes yet another time you'll find her all childish n rubbish.
She pulls me like chewing-gum yet pushes me like a disease.

But Whatever she is... There is something deep for her... in me, which I can't explain, can't name...
But There Is!

And the moment I saw those photos: DGP of Police from the Police force who's hell-bent to find n eradicate all criminals & mafias from India... with Nandini, like standing together at the roadside n then getting her a cab.

The old strings of betrayal stroke in and it get the worst out of me... On top of everything... Thinking the person who's betraying me to be 'Nandini' is what made me lost it...

Above all, it enraged me to no limits when she cuts me off, shows her dominance over me, and made me shut right on my face looking directly into my eyes.

I mean, as much as I was enraged n infuriated, I was amazed too... on her audacity to do that when no one... I repeat! No one, not even my friends dare to act as such. But she did! Without any fear in her eyes.

After that, she shocked me... not only me but, all of us by revealing that DGP is Navya's Dad. We never thought that after all, they are also doing thing against law, even though they r helping common people but since they r killing without authority, the police are behind 'The Devils' too. So, we never in our wildest imagination have guessed that a high-rank Police could be a close relative of Devil.

Then without another second, she just dashed out of the mansion. I wanted to run behind her instantly... but then, 'What would I have said after that?' question stopped me & I rather decided to focus on the first thing; knowing what Navya has to say?

Flashback of the previous night:

After Navya ends the call with the DGP who apparently happens to be her Dad, she searched for Nandini who's long gone.

Navya sighed before opening her mouth to direct me "You should have asked her once before accusing her of betrayal?"

"I asked!" I replied as a matter of fact.

"That's not called asking or talking.  A literal war was going on between you" Mukti said is the same tone.

"Is he really your father?" Suddenly Cabir asked out of the track with a white face. Actually, it's on track!

"Yes, Cabir! I'm DGP Satya Naveli's one n only daughter." Navya replied looking directly into Cabir's eyes while they have an eye-talk.

"I know, what you... you all are thinking. Let me answer your doubts:
He knew about us being 'The Devils' but not anything about you. He just has an idea that you're powerful or connected to someone powerful as we're staying with you. But he never intervenes in our work unless it's that important."

We just stood there listening to them while Abhi added "He's our mentor, our guide and our teacher and also the one who brought us together so that now we are what we are, The Devils."

"You can also say that he's one of the reasons why Police still do not have any single idea of who 'The Devils' are? He's sometimes helped us with the internal information so that we can protect ourselves as well as those who're needy but Police and law will take a quite longer time to reach them." Mukti continued and we all get to know what exactly DGP means to them, all of them.

After they all left, I stood there feeling bad for yelling at Nanz out of impulsion. Crap!

But suddenly a hand landed on my shoulders, only to see it's Cabir's who is still suckling. "Pata nahi aur kinte pariksha dena hoga mere pyaar ko? (God knows how many more tests my love has to pass through?)"

I passed him a questioning look. "Firstly she was not giving me attention, but as soon as I grab her attention a bomb explode revealing who she is and who we r? After that slowly-slowly our love train started running only to get another jerk to derail it named 'DGP'. If my father-in-law came to know that I'm working for Mafia... not any mafia but Mafia King... I'm sure he'll come with his police gun for my encounter rather with his daughter's hand for marriage.
Haayyee, my bad luck!" he remarked dramatically making me shake my head.

END of flashback

Sighing n standing up, weeping the sweat off my body and my heart-breaking past off my mind... I walked out of the gym room and dashhh...

before that figure kisses the floor, I caught her wrist n pulled her up. She quickly sighed in relief and straighten herself making an irritating face and cursing her long skirt for this...

"This nonsense piece of cloth. I can never get how ladies handle it. God! Why do I have to take the challenge of wearing lady-like cloth?" she picked up her floor-length skirt while muttering under her breath but louder enough for me to hear.

"Why don't u change if u r not comfortable?" I said with a brotherly concern knowing that she's not so fond of girly thing, mostly girly dresses. She's a tomboy after all.

Manik's words grab Mukti's attention as she, for a moment, had ignored Manik while being busy cursing this dress n Navya for it. She looked up to see a bit of concern in his face. Even though Manik has been inexpressible, but now-a-days he can be read, at least sometimes.

"I can... but I won't. I'll show Navya that when Mukti takes a challenge she can complete it." She said with confidence n determination and then looked down at her skirt n picking it up, whispering "No matter how hard it is!"

Her muttering made me laugh inwardly. Such a child she is!

How would have My Cutie be like now? This thought is more than enough to instantly sadden my heart.

I've searched everywhere for her, every possible towns, cities, village, all rich men's houses, everyone who's reputed, every state of India, even in social media... till date I've been continually searching for My sister, my Mukti. But always failed. I could only pray for her well-being, if God really listens then I want him to bring back my Cutie to me. I miss her a lot.

I hate that woman more n more for taking my only sister away from me. And I won't ever forgive her... Once she comes in front of me, I can't guarantee which cruelest way I would use to get her death. I so hate her for everything she's done to my life.

"Mukti" my thought-chain broke with the shout of Navya. Navya walked towards us, first eyed me then ignored turning to Mukti. I know, she's kinda angry on me for yesterday night, she's on ignoring terms.

"Mukti. Let's go. Nandu called n want us at Dad's house as soon as possible. Abhi is busy with something, we both are going." Navya spoked making me fully attentive hearing about 'Nandu'. Where was she full night? Is she alright as she left in anger?

And moreover, whatever she said about the favor; we need to talk.

"Um-Let me drive you guys." I said in the intention to meet Nanz.

"No need. We know driving." Navya replied instantly and turned to leave. Mukti looked at me while I don't know what to say more.

"Ah-You're saying that you need to go to the office right? Our stop is on the way only." Mukti said loudly to me while Navya stopped walking to turn back.

When did I say about going to the office? I looked quizzically at Mukti.

"Fine then, you drive us. We should not waste petrol when we're in the same way. Also, it causes pollution na." She added n I got her.

"But-" Navya got cut off my Mukti who pulled her locking arms and shouting louder while walking away

"Come soon... We are waiting." And I ran inside my room to get dressed in a minute to drive them.

Thank you, Mukti!

------------------------

We reached a bungalow at the VIP area of Mumbai city and it's clear that it's DGP's official quarter. Jumping off the car, we walked inside the pavement to locate a small lawn in front of the house's entrance, and there stood Nandini facing us back lost in somewhere.

Navya did look at me when I walked along but Mukti whispered something in her ears n she huffed walking ahead.

"I help you with the chance, don't make Nandu angrier this time. She was not looking well yesterday." Mukti came to me side n whispered before jumping ahead to Navya and walking along.

Hearing the footsteps, Nandini turned at her place; her face looked the palest I've ever seen, no smile, no emotions except pain n hope, her eyes have dark circles as if she has not slept all night, her hairs are blowing mess but she cared the least. And one thing; she did notice all of us coming to her, but her eyes are stuck at Mukti as if looking at her fullest ...for the last time.

Then she stepped ahead: one step... two step... three step... with her pace increasing every time, all the while eyes at Mukti and she ran to hug her making her startled for a minute.

They hugged tightly; Nandini as if her life depends on her and Mukti with concern.

"Nandu? Are you okay?" Mukt whispered caressing her back to which Nanz reluctantly broke the hug before nodding with a faction of eye-contact.

"I'm-" her voice was so hoarse that she herself stopped n cleared her throat before continuing "I'm fine. That... that has come to meet you."

"Meet me? Who?" Mukti was confused even Navya n I too.

"Your... Actually, she was there ...that night." as soon as the whispered left her lips, instantly Mukti n Navya tensed. And only I'm confused; who? which night? what's going on?

"So?" the only word came from Mukti's mouth as she stood completely full of emotions... so many that can't be figured out.

Nandini looked at her face and managed to mutter "She claimes that she had her daughter with her whom she's lost since then. You need to identify her"

"But I don't remember!" Mukti replied instantly throwing her hands as a matter of fact but her face shows other things too.

"Maybe she could recognize or you could recall." Nandini said and there they stood for a minute or two in complete silence looking at each other with so many things going on in their minds.

Even though I'm clueless here, not getting properly what they talking about, but from the tension prevailing in the air, I could tell;

it's something very...very...very serious!

"let's get in" Nandini whispered as slowly as she can, entwined her hands with Mukti's, and stepped ahead slowly.

Navya silently followed them n I too. But somewhere, I have this gut feeling, as if something is coming... something is going to happen... something big, drastic, unanticipated and unpleasant.

With every foot, I step in the house there is something saying something's wrong... heartbeats are increasing unusual and hormones are rushing on their own.

... Dhak-Dhak...

... Dhak-Dhak...

...Dhak-Dhak...

...Dhak-Dhak...

...Dhak-Dh.............

And the footstep stopped along with the heartbeat ...at the sight of the familiar feminine figure draped in black saree, staring back at us with her those big brown orbs flooding with emotions which I'm sure is fake!

"Mrs. Nyonika Mal-"

words slip out of my lips on their own only to get halt at the sudden yell cutting me.

"Muktiiii" Nandini n Navya shouted trying to hold Mukti who's lost her consciousness out of blue. Nandini n Navya are constantly patting her, calling her name in their panic state, all others too ran to check her while I stood at my place motionless staring at them.

Even though my eyes were on them, but I could only see the flashes of my past in front; how I'd a happy family, how suddenly my so-called Mom left taking my sister with her, how she destroyed everything, how disheartened I was all along, how much I cried for them, how much I missed them, how I was left all alone?

And now, after 17 long dark years of nightmares... she stood there... right in front of me!... looking fit n fine like before... when I'm not!

*****

Tell me about your feelings? What's next?

Why does Mukti get unconscious suddenly? What happened to her? What will happen when she gains conscious?

What's your opinion about Manik's Mom?

How does it felt learning Manik's past? Are his behaviors justifying?

I know, many of you want some Manan moments, but this revelation is important. So, after this got over, many many Manan moments are awaiting! :)

                              Target Votes- 200.

Till then... Stay safe, stay healthy!

Stay tuned!!