Bella's Bar

A car stopped outside. A man with dashing personality came out. It was none other than Manik Malhotra, the young and most handsome billionaire of the country. 

From a distance, people would misjudge him having a lavish life, happiness everywhere. 

But don't forget the keyword: misjudge. That is not what he is. Lavish life isn't always proportional to happiness. Sometimes, it is proportional to more loneliness. He had everything, could get everything in just a minute, but did he really want any thing? Nope! 

He just wanted a feeling: LOVE. After seeing his parents' separation at such a tender age of 10, he didn't want to choose any one of them. Why would he, when his parents themselves didn't think about how would he tackle this situation, this change? So he decided to live with his grandparents. He had lost his belief in love after seeing his parents shouting at each other, cursing like nothing, but he regained his belief after seeing his adorable grandparents. The intensity of their love was this strong that they didn't die individually but together, as if wanting to have another honeymoon in the heaven.

His grandparents were always an inspiration for him. But, after losing them at the age of 20, he didn't have anyone on whose shoulder he could cry. In the ears of whose he could whisper how vulnerable he is.

In a nutshell, for the world, he was a billionaire but in reality, he was a poor person, having nobody whom he could call His. Only this bar had been his solace in these 3 years. Many girls tried to throw herselves on him, but he had made up his mind, not to fall in those false love traps and have a pretty love story, just like his grandparents. 

Like everyday, he walked up inside the bar and sat at his usual corner seat, not wanting anyone to see him. Like everyday, he ordered his standard alcohol brand. But, unlike everyday, he listened a girl shouting at the bartender to give her vodka and not wine.

Does she really know the difference? Maybe not, concluding from the innocence her face possessed.

He was a little surprised, coz one, there was a girl in the bar and two, at 1 am.

"Waiter! Why did you bring vodka for me? I asked for wine!" She said irritatingly. From her voice, it seemed like "Chad gayi hai".

It was strange for him to notice her and more strange when he went near her.

"Excuse me?" He asked obediently.

"Koun hai be?" (who is it) She said in a swag aggressively.

"Hey! Relax. DO you know the difference between vodka and wine?" He asked.

"No, why?"

"So why were you fighting with him for delivering the wrong order?"

"Whatever the difference be, the names were different."

"But both are alcoholic. You shouldn't drink." He said concerned.

"Why? even you are in the bar, obviously for drinking, why are you doing it then?"

"Coz I have no one to share my problems with." I said sighing.

"Ohh, congrats. Me too! Both in the same boat, sorry same bar." She said giggling.

"Right! Your name?"

"Nandini, you can call me Nandu" She said smiling with half-closed eyes.

"Ohk, so Nandu, what are you doing here, at this hour?"

"Wo, I just broke up with my boyfriend, so thought to celebrate." She said shrugging her shoulders.

"Boyfriend?" He said with wide eyes. Maybe he didn't like the idea of her being in a relationship with someone else.

"Ha so what? Everyone has one nowadays. Don't you?" She said with o-shape mouth.

"No, why would I?"

"On the first hand, why would you have a boyfriend? You don't look like a gay!" She said giggling.

"I am not one too!" He said huffing.

" Chalo anyway, now I will take your leave. Coz I think I have celebrated enough." She said standing up, almost tripping.

"Wait! Lemme help."

"I hope you won't take an advantage."

"Ohh! You got the plan" He said with a bored look.

She giggled and he held her in his arms, made her sit in car and went to drop her at home.

It was already late till the time he dropped her so skipped the plan to drink and went home. He knew, without alcohol, he wouldn't be able to sleep but still, with a heavy sigh, he laid on the bed and closed his eyes. On closing his eyes, he saw giggling nandini. He smiled with closed eyes and continued seeing her without knowing, he went to sleep.

Next morning, he woke up discovering this strange activity of sleeping without drinking. He smiled to himself at this new improvement and got ready for the day.

He went to office where he discovered a new person to interview for one of the post vacancy at their place.

He called his secretary.

"Karan, have you asked him/her if they drink or not? You know we have non-alcoholics in our office."

"Yes sir, she said she hasn't got drunk in her whole life."

"Great, call her inside. Let me interview her."

Karan nodded and then went outside the cabin whereas Manik fixed his eyes on laptop. On a soft knock, he muttered a 'come in' and heard steps approaching him.

"Good morning sir."

He saw in his front listening a similar sound and got shocked seeing Nandini in front of her.

"Nandini?"

"Yes sir. I got to know about the personal secretary post."

"I think she has forgotten yesterday's events. Nice chance to play her." He said in mind and mentally smirked.

"Yeah, my current PA is shifting, so there is a vacancy." He continued at her positive nod. "So, you see Ms. Nandini, I have no problem with the behaviour of my PA unless just one bad habit of her which is she shouldn't drink. I hope you don't do it." He saw her face faltering smile for a moment and then regaining it.

"Y-yes sir.. I-I don't."

"Great then. By the way, do you know the rules of working here?"

"Yes sir."

"Okay then, you must have a talk with Karan for the arrangement of projects and meetings."

"Thanks a lot sir. I would do that." She said standing up and held the knob of the cabin when heard his voice.

"Oh Nandini, by the way, do you where is this Bella Bar?"

"Oh yeah sir, it's just in the opposite of Shivaji complex in the...." she stopped mid-way realising the blunder she caused and then looked at him with scared eyes.

"How did you land at your home yesterday with drunk state?" He asked smirking.

"Um..sir..dri..drink... I don't drink." She said stuttering, eyes not meeting his.

He went near her, held her chin and made her look in his eyes.

"Did you drink last night?"

"Yes" She whispered, finding herself drowning in those deep eyes of his.

She stepped back after sometime only to be pulled back in his hard chest.

"I dropped you last night at your home."

Her eyes widened in shock and she blabbered "Sir..wo..I.."

"Shuuuu" He said keeping a finger on his lips.

"I won't fire you from this job but on the condition to never lie again."

She nodded meekly, tugging her hair behind her ear.

They continued their work and so did the time passed. After 2 months being his PA, Nandini now had started knowing everything about him, about his dislike of coffee to his grandparents' love story, from his insecurities to his yearning of love. And unknowingly, she had fallen for him. For his heart.

"Coffee at 5?" She messaged him and got an instant positive reply.

They met at the nearby cafe.

"Yes Nandu." He said, settling himself on the chair.

"IloveyouManik"

"Umm, can you be a little slower?"

She took a deep breath and said: "I love you Manik."

All she got in return was his blank face.

"Manik, say something atleast. Look I know, our first meeting was unusual, I even lied to you, I am clumsy, even my laugh is haunting but-"

"I love you too." She heard his manly voice, making her look at him as if he asked for her kidney.

"W-what? Pardon..please"

"Yes Nandu. I love you. From the time I realised that I can sleep without drinking, just drowning in your thoughts. I am in love with your flushed face when you lie. I am in love with your action of tugging your hair behind your ear. I am in love with everything."

"MANIK"

She squealed in happiness and crashed upon his chest and he too, held her close to him, sighing and feeling HOME.

A/n: Do vote and comment!

Stay safe!