Manik's eyes are on me holding my piercing gaze, I shifted my gaze to the lady's fingers clung on his shoulder's, glaring at them. How can he! A sudden urge to peel of her hands from his body strangled me, but the bitter truth of him not mine any more stopped me from doing such things, and who knows may be I would be the one who get humiliated in the end. To my dismay I can't even read his smouldering eyes on me, to realise what was brewing in his mind. But I can say he is not so comfortable in her proximity. He turned towards that girl, moving her hands off him in process.

'Natasha, listen don't call me that. Got it. And I am not interested in dancing. Go and find some one else who is interested in you. Leave me' He cut her off, in a demanding yet calm tone. He is trying hard to restrain himself from showing his angry self. So she is not his girlfriend or some one close to him. I gasped heavily letting out a deep breath of relief .

'Manik but, ' Before he can respond to her, another manly voice sputtered in.

'Hey nandu, oh you both are here to. Hi Manik, Aryaman. We meet again.' Whipping around i saw Shravan dixit standing beside me, a flirty smile playing along his lips.

' Yeah, Mr Dixit, what a pleasant surprise. You know I was waiting for you to show up ' Manik snapped in a sarcastic voice, sipping the drink in between. He scrunched his brows in displeasure and uneasiness.

' Manik, but you don't look much happy seeing me ' That guy asked  incredulously.

' Nope. I am all okay. I think it's the atmosphere, you know some unwanted people over here' He said deliberately, clenching his fist around the brim of the glass. Who he meant by unwanted is unknown, may be it's me, or that guy or the girl still beside in a hope that he will regard her.

'Nandu, actually I didn't expect you to be here' This guy is unbelievable, again nandu rant.

'Oh yeah' I passed him a fake smile.

'Your kids, they are not here ?' I heard a raspy chuckle escaped from Manik, hearing his question.

'Nope. ' How can I forget my son's feisty encounter with this guy.

'Good. I mean kids will feel left out in this kind of parties' I clenched my jaw in annoyance. Who is he to be concerned about my babies wellbeing.

'Nandu, can I have a dance with you' What ? Dance. Really. An angry growl was heard behind from me, you know from whom.

I sighed before snapping. ' Sorry to disappoint you, I am quite busy' I am here, in an internal battle , that how I am exactly going to present the matter before manik, he is asking for a dance.

'It's only one dance, won't take much time' He is not in a mood to get the matter off easily.

'Please, Shravan, try to..' I was interrupted by a loud thud of chair falling, behind me. I turned around to see manik stomping away in quick movements. His dark form shouted anger. Where is he going, I need to speak with him.

' What's with this guy. Leave it. Nandu you didn't give any answer. ' I turned around to cut him off, but soon interrupted by another voice, in my convenience. My brother came to my rescue.

' Mr Dixit, I think you can  dance with Natasha as she is also looking for a partner. What say' Oh so that girl was still here. I looked behind to see that girl relaxing, sipping a drink and she was sitting adjacent to the place occupied by manik previously.

'Yeah. That seems a good idea and please excuse me, I need to find my boss' I made a sudden escape from the spot, looking for manik, without waiting for their reply. It looks like my brother too had escaped from there after hooking them up.

I made my way, passing known and unknown faces, in search of the man whom I need to have an emergency conversation with. But I failed to spot him in middle of such a large crowd.

Stepping in the washroom, i glanced on my own reflection, studying it. I stood there for fair amount of time looking deep into my own form, a huge heap of unsettled questions emerging in my mind,every passing seconds. The door cracked open interrupting me, i saw the reflection of the man of my thoughts walking in towards me, carrying an indignant and annoyed facial expression. I turned around facing him, the scene seemed surreal, am i imagining or is he real. Stepping closer to him, I moved my hands around his waist, engulfing him in a warm hug, placing my head on his chest, inhaling his intoxicated scent . I don't know what came over me to  make such an extreme attempt, but his proximity ailed in calming down my inner conflicts, relaxing me to some extent.

May be surprised by my sudden act of  warm gesture, he stood still, but act immediately to push me off his body, but not before caressing my back.

'What?' He spatted .

'Sorry' I murmured awkwardly, avoiding his piercing gaze. 'It's just...' I stuttered, in lack of words.

'Nandini stay away from him' He snapped, silencing me. Shoving his wrist in his pant pockets he stood there, an unreadable expression mirrored on his face.

'Whom?' I retorted.

' Don't play innocent with me '

' Manik. What is your problem? How can I know, the brilliant ideas culminating in your mind. Do I look like a mind reader' I sighed.

' No, you are not. You know better, I can assure that' Clear sarcasm and taunting filled in his each words, pierced my inner wounds, deepening it's pain. If he is going to judge me like that he can, who cares.

' Manik I need to talk with you '

' Why, i thought flirting with that dimwit is more  important for you, than talking with me' Flirting, when was i doing that, this man is impossible, unreal, and utterly stupid. He can be proud of himself for his particular ability to irk me, all the time we met  after my come back.

I snapped back calmly' Surely, i was the one who letting a bimbo cling to me, oops, stick on me like fevicol, shamelessly. What a logic? Seriously, flirting?'

'Nandini, look its none of your business.' Clenching his teeth, he pointed his finger  towards me in anguish.

'Indeed. Your business. Wow Perfect. You can do whatever you wish, but i cant even talk to Shravan or Varun or any other guy. Manik Malhotra you dont have any right in my life to order me what to do or not to do, you had losed that right 3 years ago, when you picked your so called evidences over trusting me and my love for you, over our relationship, over my fidelity ' I shouted back mustering  all the anger i have for him, for distrusting, me, my love and my dignity.

Burning anger in his gaze pierced through me, trembling me in the intensity. An unwelcome fear conducted through my spine in response. 

'Nandini, enough ...

A familiar tone of my phone interrupt his line of words targeted towards me. Shifting my eyes to the phone screen, i realised that my boss is calling me.

' Sir'

'Sorry sir. I will be there . Yeah sure'

' Okay sir' Ending the call i turned to manik.

' I need to go'

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