#Eyes crinkled too slightly but the smile formed on face was so visible that it lit up my home #

"Cabir! Mene bola na I'm fine. It's just a cut." I held onto the bloody cloth that was tied over the wound on my hand.

"Shut up! You had a hammer scratch at your skin. It even fell on your hand. Stop blabbering and listen to what I say!" I stared at him blank faced before nodding at him. I can understand his care. I would have been acting the same way if I were in his place.

But I'm just not used to care or affection anymore. It suffocates me.

"Doctor! Doctor, please take a look at his hand." I heard Dhruv speaking and I looked around, feeling bored because I'm not allowed to talk.

"Please come in. Nurse, check his wound."

I forwarded my hand to the nurse in front of me who inspected my wound before the doctor took over and they did the talking about how bad or good my would could be.

Meanwhile, I looked up at the person who's aware of what exactly happened.

Navya!

She stared at me helplessly, with her gaze fixed at my wound in worry and I managed to grab her attention towards my face. The moment her gaze was locked with mine, I asked her, wordlessly. No words and I hope my eyes did the talking that she could understand.

And she nodded at me assuringly which lead me to heave a sigh of relief.

—A few hours ago—

"No! I need those files now and by now means, within five minutes. I don't need to know how and when you can do it but you must. I don't understand how big of a job you think this could be. This is s..." I stopped short the conversation on phone, on seeing her.

Nandini.

She was smiling down at Annahita who was drawing something on a paper. Flicking her nose with her finger, she started to type in something on her laptop.

She was working.

I remember Charan telling me that she's handling the PR team of their company. She works on hybrid mode because she doesn't like to work out once Annahita is back from her kindergarten.

She was a working mom, yet she was balancing both her professional and personal life. She knew how to give time to both her career and her family.

Unlike my mother!

Unlike how I assumed she would be if we get married and decide to have a family.

I shut my eyes tight in shame. How could I doubt her? How could you, Manik? How could you?

"—this won't happen. I'm sorry. I'm really sorry, Sir.." and I hung up on the person before turning away.

"Annu! No. Don't go there."

Her voice.

No!

Get away, Manik. She's not yours anymore. Move! Now!

"Annu!!!"

My gaze shot back to where she sat and I saw her running to some place ahead of her. I followed her gaze confusedly and I saw Annahita trying to climb the tree where a kite was stuck on its branch.

"Shit!"

"Annahita! Come down! You are going to hurt yourself. Annahita!" I rushed towards the tree the same moment she reached there. Although our gaze met for a second, she was quick to look up at her daughter.

"Annu! Come down!"

"Ma, that's my kite. Bhai was playing with it. I don't know how it went there."

"Annu. We'll get it later. Oh God! Hold onto it."

"Shh! Stop shouting. You'll scare her and she might fall." I shushed Nandini, who looked back at me. Her gaze full of worry and anxious.

"She's going to fall if I don't ask her to climb down. Tumhe idea bhi hai iss bath ka?"

I nodded before we both looked up at her.

"Annahita. Hold onto that branch tightly."

"But that's my kite." I saw her tearing up and I knew there was no climbing down. "Okay. Why don't I come up and help you get that kite?"

And she looked down at me.

"Don't look."

"Close your eyes,Annu!"

And she palmed her eyes which made my eyes widen.

"Annu"

"Annahita"

She was falling. I had to act quick and I climbed one branch up and before I knew she fell into my arms. Safe and sound.

"Hsss. Damn!"

I hissed when I felt a scratch and I looked at my left to see that it was a hammer that fell on my arm and scratched at my skin cutting it open.

Who keeps hammers on a goddamnn tree?!

"Haw! Your hand, Maneek!" My gaze shot to the little girl in my arms and I felt my lips twitching into a smile again. "Well, that's not a problem An-nee."

As I got down with her, Nandini grabbed her from me and hugged her tight.

"Annu!" I saw her eyes filling up with tears. She held onto her daughter and cried silently. I stared at her wordlessly letting her cry.

And when her gaze fell upon me, it flickered towards my arm.

"Manik! You're bleeding."

But it was not the way she took my name that ignited the feelings in me. It wasn't the care in her eyes that melted the cold in my heart.

But it was the gentle touch on my bloodied arm that awoke thousands of memories. Memories that I buried in my being.

"Manik!"

Even though I was taken away from her by my friends to the hospital, I couldn't help but wonder why she still had care in her eyes for me.

Or maybe, why she still had Manik's Nandini in her!

—Present—

I bit into my nails!

Hard!

I couldn't shake the feeling that bubbled up inside me.

After all these years, I still couldn't see him in pain. Even though it was always him the reason for my miseries and broken heart, I still cared for him.

To hell with this feeling!

Why can't I just forget him? Why can't I just be okay thinking that he could have done that for any kid for he could be a monster to me but has always been a soft hearted guy who wouldn't think of hurting other people?

Why can't I just...move on from him?

Have I loved him so much that I can't even let go off those dark shade of eyes that looked at me in pain a few hours ago?

Have I?

"Ma?"

"Huh?"

I looked down at Annu who was sitting on my lap.

"You did this to me. You hugged me very tight." I widened my eyes at the finger prints on her left hand, which must have happened when I held her close to my heart.

"Oh my God! Annu, Ma..Ma didn't see it bacha. I-I'm so-so sorry!" I rubbed at her hands hoping the fingerprints would fade away and I could erase the pain.

How could I hurt my daughter?!

"Ma!" Annu held my face and rubbed at my cheeks, as the tears were flowing freely. "It's not paining. I promise."

I sighed and hugged her while kissing her head.

"I'm sorry Annu."

"It's okay, Ma." She looked up at me to smile and I felt the peace getting back to my heart, which hadn't been with me for a few hours now.

"Do you think Maneek is going to be fine?"

I stared at her face blankly.

"Maneek?" I questioned and she nodded. "He may be, Annu. It was only a small cut, yeah? He's a big man, so he'll be okay."

She smiled sweetly at me and bobbed her head.

"You like him?" I asked her and she smiled so bright that I was left surprised. "Yes, Ma. Annu likes Maneek. He makes me laugh. And he also never asks about Annu's Papa."

I didn't know when tears made its way out, but I held onto my emotions before kissing my daughter's head.

"You don't need your Papa, Annu. You are going to be happy and grown up into a beautiful girl without a Papa. You will have everyone else to make you laugh. Not every girl has a Papa. Ma did not have one."

She listened to everything I said before looking up at me expectantly.

"But Annu's best friend has Papa. He loves his Papa. His Papa is his hero."

I gulped the lump in my throat before nodding at her.

"Yes, it's a boy right. Boys need Papa to make them good men. But sweet girls like you need only Ma and Mamma. And then you'll be a beautiful woman one day."

Her eyes lit up.

"You promise?"

I held onto her little finger and joined our foreheads.

"I promise, Annu. Nandini Promise!"

We smiled at each other before I felt a presence in this room. Looking up at the intruder, I froze a little.

Oh no!

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