"Nandu beta utho, tumhe jaldi jaana hai na" her chachi woke her up. "Chachi sone dena, please" she pulled the duvet upon her again. "But you said you should go early kisi surgery tha". Nandini immediately sat upright on the bed. "Oh God I completely forgot", she quickly took her clothes and rushed into the washroom. "Chacha uth gaya na!" she shouted from the washroom.

"Ha ready bhi ho gaya" Nandini put on her eyeliner so that she looks fresh and applied cream and she is ready to leave. Her chacha dropped her while she dozed off in the car. "Nandu beta utho, hospital aaya". She woke up and went in. She changed into her uniform. She gave injection to Shanaya because of which the surgery was delayed. She arranged OT by the time Manik came.

Manik came to OT and saw that all arrangements are done. He quickly checks everything and talks to Shanaya. "Be confident and just smile" he smiled at her and Nandini gave anaesthesia to her. "Stella, is everything ready?" Manik asked ignoring Nandini who also equally ignored him.

He cleaned his hands and took gloves. He blocked her way while she gave a sharp look. "You wait outside, I will call you later" he said in a low voice. "But sir, everything is set" she said casually.

"I don't want anything to go wrong most importantly I don't want sleepy heads in the OT, so just leave" Stella tied the mask on his face. Nandini reluctantly left from there as Manik turned away from her.

"When he already made up his mind to not let me enter, why did he asked me to come this early in the morning, he's sick. Ayyappa, main kaha phas gayi" she talked to herself.

Mukti entered her dad's room. She hugged him from back. "Happy Birthday Dad". He hugged her back, "thank you so much beta, I love you" he was overwhelmed that she wished him. "Dad, mujhe Maa ka pyaar nahi mila, please don't push me away, I need you in my life Dad, I love you" she cried like a baby holding him.

"Mukti I'm always with you no matter what, now smile" he cheered her up. "Come now, I've made your favorite breakfast" she dragged him.

"Yeah let me freshen up" he excused himself and Mukti said that she will wait for him. He called someone, "Mukti just came to wish me so I had to cut the call, I'm sorry" he said apologetically. "Koi nahi, Happy Birthday Raman", the wish lit up his mood as it always does. His dose of happiness other than Mukti.

Nandini waited until the surgery is completed. She informed Vansh about the surgery.

"Why you are all forcing my son to accept that bad luck again in his life!" Vansh's mom taunted Nandini. "Maa, please I can do anything for you, but don't ask me to leave her" Vansh tried to explain her. "Aunty ji, you love your son so much but why couldn't you see that he loves her too". His mom left from there and he thanks Nandini.

She went to check whether others came or not. She saw Navya, Cabir and Aryaman having coffee. Navya offered another cup of coffee when she saw Nandini. "Hi, good morning everyone" she smiled taking the cup from Navya.

"Nandini I thought we are good friends now but tumne aise kyu kiya?" Cabir asked all of a sudden and she had no clue about what he was talking. "Maine kya kiya Cabir?" she had put her cup down.

"Tumne bataya hi nahi ki Manik sir humare jiju hai" hearing his name made her annoyed. "Shut up Cabir, it will never happen" she said enjoying the coffee again. "Arre what's wrong with him, dude, he is so cool, young and most eligible bachelor, most important wo he's good at heart" Cabir listed out the good qualities of Manik.

"Good at heart! My foot Cabir, he's a monster, ask Navya and Aryaman how he troubled me yesterday!" she justified herself. "Yeah I've heard from them, hota hai kabhi kabhi, Cabir ki baat maano aur chill maro balika"

"Chill baad mein dekhenge abhi main jaa rahi hu bye" she got up. "Manik sir ke paas jaa rahi ho na jao tumhare intezaar kar raha hoga!" how can he miss a chance to tease her that too when he has a chance like this. Nandini left from there.

"Oh Madhubala ji, where did you vanish after the shift I searched for you" Cabir asked Navya. "Ha Navya I couldn't find you too" Aryaman added to Cabir.

"I just got some important work and left immediately after the shift", Navya didn't know what to say when they asked. "Boyfriend se jagda hua kya?" Cabir teased her too. "Matarani please mujhe bhi ek chance dedo so that I can tease him too" Navya fake cried in front of Cabir. "You are truly a Madhubala chalo before the lady Bheem comes here" they all checked their duties and went to work.

Manik came out of the OT and Nandini waited for him. "Shift the patient to general ward after a couple of hours and keep her under observation" he instructed her. Manik warmly smiled at Vansh "Surgery is a huge success". "Matlab wo tumhare girlfriend slow-motion mein bhaagte bhaagte aa jayegi" Cabir cheered up Vansh who is worried for Shanaya.

"Slow-motion kyu fast forward mein bhi bhaag sakti hai but uske liye you should take care of her Vansh, and you need to rest too" Manik asked Cabir to take Vansh to his ward. Later, Manik informed Mukti about Shanaya's surgery.

Manik called Nandini in his cabin. "Sir" she called him. "Yeah Dr. Nandini, kaisi ho tum?" he asked with a big smile plastered on his face. "I'm fine sir, thank you" she faked a smile too. "Nandini Murthy jo kisi ke liye bhi early morning nahi uththi and she is all fine waking up so early, lifeline brings the difference in you" she gave him a sharp look.

"Looks kya de rahi ho! Now that I'm very tired, just get me a strong coffee, I badly need it now" he fantasized the strong aroma of the coffee. She looked out and searched for someone. "Don't search for anyone, you go and get it from the canteen" she turned to see him but he engrossed himself busy with his work. She went out as she had no option.

"Did I join here to serve coffee for him! What does he think of himself, I wish I could mix up something in coffee" she grumbled and got coffee for him. "Coffee" she extended the cup to him.

"Oh yeah, tumne isme kuch milaya?" he asked looking keenly at the cup. "No" she stood there without movement. "Salt or pepper, I think you like coffee with pepper,right! That's why I think you made a spicy carrot halwa for me" she understood his intentions as he asked for a coffee.

"Sir, I'm sorry, I shouldn't have done that, I actually didn't like the idea of getting married now when I have to focus on my career. I'm sorry for whatever I done from the bottom of my heart" she genuinely apologized him and he shook her putting aside his cup.

"Do you think a mere sorry would do after talking so much nonsense! Then Dr. Nandini Murthy you are highly mistaken because Manik Malhotra will never let you go so easily, you will regret every word you said and I promise you that" he said with a smirk.

Nandini was scared and confused at same time when he came near her that she forgot to breathe. "Sir Dr. Shrivastav is calling you" someone informed him and Nandini sighed. "Itni khushi itni jaldi, I will just be back Nandini", he said as he wore apron before going out.

Manik went to meet Dr. Shrivastav and saw Mukti already there. "Good morning sir, happy birthday!" he wished him. "Thank you so much, Manik". Manik looked at Mukti.

"So party kaha hai" he joked with him. "Abhi time hai and the reason I called you here is to congratulate both of you, I'm proud of both of you seeing how you handled the situation. Well we need such talented doctors here at lifeline. You've made my job easier most of the times" he appreciated them for handling Vansh and Shanaya's case.

"Mukti how are the new interns?" he asked her. "This time, there is an NRI too, I think she will join today, let's just see and so far, they're good. There's a girl Nandini Murthy who is over confident about herself and the rest are fine, even Dr. Malhotra worked with them". Mukti looked at Manik.

"Yes sir, I completely agree with her, they are quite ambitious too but they need to think with the brains while following their heart", Manik added.

"That's quite a good observation, I hope you will train them and shape their bright future and I'm sure Abhimanyu ke aane ke baad, the work load will reduce, I already called off the medical camp and he must be here any minute. I must say Dr. Abhimanyu has done a fabulous job heading a medical camp in the remote areas". Manik took the leave from them and came out. Mukti got up from her seat.

"Mukti", Dr. Shrivastav called her. "Yes" she turned back. "Don't be so strict with the interns" he advised her.

"I will give you 2 options dad, whether you want those doctors who always want their seniors guidance or those doctors who give everything for their job" he smiled at her and said "I want doctors like you. Like you, Manik and Abhimanyu who give their everything for the lifeline hospitals" Mukti left from there.

Manik called up Abhimanyu and he picked up the call. "Oh so finally tumko time mila to answer my call" Manik taunted him as he answered the phone. "Arre yaar yaha signals nahi hai" Abhimanyu complained. "You did not went to some remote areas as Dr. Shrivastav is saying, so don't act smart at least in front of me. Kaisa chal raha hai waha".

"Dude I think I've changed, last night a girl came to me and said she is suffering from stomach pain, she was really tempting but look at me maine usse bhaw nahi diya, see I've been a good boy" he said.

"You must be thinking of some other girl then I don't believe you at all" Manik laughed.

"Tum mere yaar nahi sabse bada dushman ho chal main baad mein baat karunga bye" he was about to hung up but Manik stopped him.

"Kyu koi ladki aayi thi waha pe! Ye tho batao when are you coming back?" Manik asked before cutting the call.

"I'll be there when you reach hospital tomorrow morning, and lastly I remember wo ladki kaisi thi" it's Abhimanyu's time to tease Manik.

"Which girl?" Manik asked cluelessly. "Wahi the girl your mom liked and the girl..." Abhimanyu would take the privilege to remind about Nandini to Manik.

"I will say when we meet tomorrow, I will hung up now, bye" Manik cut the call and looked around and saw Nandini going to canteen for lunch alone. He followed her.

"Dr. Nandini Murthy akeli ho?" he blocked her way. "No sir, my friends would be coming" he took her lunch box and opened it. "Oh you eat normal food like all of us, strange!" she tried to take it back from him. "Bachpan mein nahi seekhi tumne, try only when you know you can do it, why do you waste your energy to take it from me?" she stood there silently and snatched it when he was least expecting her move.

"Nice move" he bent down to her height and felt someone hugging him. Nandini opened her mouth when she saw someone hugging him.

"Manik baby I missed you so much, I love you baby" she said without leaving him.

"Alya! You here!" Manik is beyond shocked to see her.