Hello Fam :)

I felt the chapter was a bit clumsy. Tell me what you think.

Warning: Nandini is trying to realize something. Just be patient. :P

Happy Reading...

Nandini went home and found Cabir talking to Yash. She went in and made coffee for all the three before returning to the living room to glare at her best friend.

"Nandini, let's talk like two adults instead of glaring at each other like kids", said the idiot.

"Glaring at each other involves two people. Here, I am the only one allowed to glare at you", said Nandini.

"Baby girl, let's listen to what he has to say", interrupted Yash. "And then we both can together glare at him."

Cabir gasped. "You broke my heart right there, love."

She whacked his arm. "Stop flirting with my dad."

"Okay, sit down and listen to me first."

He repeated everything that he had said on the phone in a slower tone this time.

Nandini sighed, slumping on the couch beside her dad. "I thought he would at least try to grow up after I left but I have lost any hope now."

"That's all fine", said Yash, "but what about your job, Cabir? You have been impulsive today."

"Dad, Harshad forces people to be impulsive. I screamed at him, I punched Raghav before leaving and today he forced Cabir to resign."

"You punched Raghav?"

"Dad, that's not the topic right now", interrupted Nandini. She hadn't told this to him yet and she wasn't sure how he would take this. "Cabir, what do you have in your mind?"

"Seriously, I am clueless. I thought of going back home, taking a break, and thinking about what's next", said her best friend.

Nandini nodded. "Or you can come with me tomorrow and give a shot at working with me for the Malhotras."

"Will they agree? I mean your in-laws?", teased the idiot.

Nandini threw a cushion at him. "They aren't my in-laws. Shut up and be ready at eight tomorrow." She excused herself when there was a call from one chaotic idiot and left for her room.

XXX

The next day Raj asked to meet Cabir alone when Nandini told Abhimanyu about him being her best friend. One day passed into seven and she hadn't seen the King throughout the week. She didn't think it was weird. He was the King and he had other priorities but there was something going on that she had an instinct about. It wasn't until the next meeting that it confirmed her suspicions.

"Hello, Ms. Majesty", said Yash in a greeting, from the door.

Nandini smirked. "Well, if not for the best lawyer this castle has ever seen. What an honor to be in your graceful presence, Mr. Murthy."

"The pleasure is all mine, Princess."

"Don't go saying this outside. Mukti might get offended and throw me out of the castle", she said, teasingly. "Anyway, what are you doing here, dad?"

They discussed the work for some time. After finalizing the work, he asked her to get it signed by Raj. Nandini sighed. "Dad, it's been a week since he met me."

"What? Is he fine?", asked Yash, frowning in concern.

"Yeah. He might meet you even but he is avoiding me ever since he came back from meeting Manik", said Nandini and halted abruptly when something struck her. "Shit, dad, is it related to Manik? Did I do something?"

"Baby girl, calm down. Is Manik talking to you?"

"Actually no. But he is busy with some camp and told me that it would go for a few days. Drops a text here and there."

"I think it would be better to talk to the King directly instead of drawing our own conclusions", said her father before handing over the papers to her with a wink. "Better excuse to meet him. See you later at home, kid."

Nandini waved at him before taking the papers and barging towards the study room of Raj Malhotra. She met Abhimanyu and Cabir outside his room. "Nandini, what are you doing here?", asked Abhimanyu.

"I need a few signatures from Mr. Malhotra", she told.

Cabir smirked but Abhimanyu had a panicked look on his face before he composed himself. "Give it to me, Nandini. I will get it signed."

"Do you consider me stupid? I know what's going on and you are actively helping him. I don't care if you are the royalty. Keep me in dark about something I didn't do and I would throw you in the basement with food appliances as your only survival. You would food poison yourself with your legendary cooking", she warned.

"How do you even know that?", spluttered Abhimanyu.

"I am friends with both Mukti and Manik. Not very difficult to get it out from them. Now step aside or do you want me to punch you?"

"Nandini, what the hell?", whispered Cabir.

"Cabir, don't come in between this", she told.

"Bro, better to listen to her?"

Abhimanyu glanced at Cabir before nodding at Nandini and stepping aside. When Nandini stepped in, Raj Malhotra was staring out of the window but the moment his eyes landed on the intruder, he scrambled to open a file. "Nandini, I am busy. Can we talk later?"

"You were just enjoying a scene while I entered in. Stop lying to me on my face."

Raj sighed, dropping his act. "What do you want?"

"You are avoiding me. What did I do? Don't bother lying again because I know you have been fine with everyone except me including Cabir whom you hardly know", she told.

"Do you want to go out with me? On a stroll along the castle garden?"

She nodded thinking it might relax him. She followed the older man outside and waited as he dismissed his personal security guards, leaving the two of them alone. They walked for some time in silence. Nandini could almost see the inner battle of the man beside her.

"Nandini, I love you", said the king, surprising her. "And I love my son. I was happy when you came into my son's life because there's no one I could trust his happiness more than Yash's daughter but then I met you, I interacted with you and realized you were more than Yash's daughter. You were Nandini, the best girl I could ever find for my Manik or our family. I am talking both as a family that has the responsibility of taking care of this village and the normal family that stays hidden behind the walls of this castle. I was so excited for Manik to realize, for you two to realize your love for each other and get married and become an official part of our family."

Nandini waited throughout his monologue before clearing her throat. "This feels like a parting away speech. Are you firing me? Did you already start loving Cabir within a week?", she teased.

Raj rolled his eyes. "I am never firing you. You are working here until the day you want to."

The sincerity in his voice surprised her because they had hardly known each other for a few days and Raj Malhotra was already trusting her with everything. Almost.

Raj continued as if he hadn't blurted out the biggest statement for Nandini. "You brought Manik back to my life. You gave me the courage to take a step forward and I have him with me. I would forever be grateful for this, Nandini. But I am a cruel and selfish person. I want my son to be the happy ever even at the cost of yours. I feel like I am betraying my kid for my other one and it feels suffocating to even look at you."

Nandini halted in her footsteps. Raj was confusing her more. She wanted to call Manik to make sure he was fine. She wanted to call Yash to ask her to pick her up away from the confusion. Instead, she took Raj by the hand, startling the older man, and took him to a nearby bench before taking a seat beside him. "I know you wouldn't hurt me but if you had to choose Manik's happiness over mine, I would be happy. Manik tries so hard to put a smile on the face of everyone around him and he deserves every happiness in the world. So, I wouldn't blame you for it. But I would really hate it to be in the dark. Can you instead talk to me about what's going on?"

Raj nodded with a sad smile gracing his features as he caressed her hair. "I haven't ever seen Manik in Delhi. I have always known him as a brat even if he is the most responsible doctor I have met. At least from what I have heard. After seeing him in Delhi, the way he has taken everything in his life under his control and living his life with such peace and contently, I don't have the heart to force him here, Nandini. I want him to live his life on his own terms. But you being here, I don't know what to do now."

Nandini stopped her urge to roll her eyes at both father-son duo. "Mr. Malhotra, uncle, you aren't compromising on my happiness. Manik's happiness matters the most to me too. If his happiness lies in Delhi, I wouldn't force him to come here. We will think about it when everyone has calmed down, okay?"

Raj sighed without lifting his head.

"And stop avoiding me with your overthinking. I will let you know if you are causing me any discomfort or hurting me in any way."

"You promise", he asked.

"I promise."

XXX

It was another week and Nandini and Raj were closer than ever but sometimes she found him looking wistfully at her as if he thought he would lose her soon. She pulled him out of his thoughts during those times and threw another discussion in the room, involving the King. Their previous conversation didn't affect her much at that time but when Manik went MIA during the past two weeks, she couldn't help but think if there's any truth to it. It was another night surviving on coffee as she read through her pending files.

"I thought your boss was treating you well, kid."

Nandini raised her head to look at her dad coming down the stairs. She gave him a weak smile before glancing down at the time. It was three in the morning. "Dad, what are you doing up already?"

"What are you doing so early in the morning? Actually, scratch that. What are you doing without sleeping all night?"

When Nandini failed to answer at once, he shook his head and went into the kitchen. Minutes later as the aroma of her favorite coffee attacked her nose, a smile crept on her face when Yash returned to the room with two mugs of coffee.

"So, what's going on? You said you would leave the job if you didn't like Raj and as far as I know, he dots on you as much as he does Mukti. Which leaves Manik. Did you two have a fight?", asked after some time.

Nandini wanted to joke on his deductions but she felt the energy draining from her body. She felt constantly tired these days and she didn't know whom or what to blame. "We need to talk to fight, dad."

"Manik isn't talking to you?"

"Manik is busy with some medical camp. Our timings aren't matching and by the time he is returning to the room, he is mostly tired."

"That's his profession and I don't think that actually bothers you", said Yash.

If anyone knew her well, it would be him. She nodded and pondered on her thoughts about the cause of her upset. It was one thing that Yash had taught her. To trace back to the actual cause of your upset because sometimes the reason is really small but all the other things add up to make the issue huge. When she got her reason, she frowned. "Raj Malhotra avoided me for a week after coming back from Manik", she started and explained her conversation with the king to her dad.

"That conversation added with Manik's disappearance messed up your mind. Okay, understood. Not your fault though", said Yash, sipping his coffee.

"But I shouldn't, right? As you said, it's his profession and I know Manik's job is his utmost priority."

"But?"

"Dad, the way Raj Malhotra talked on that day, for some reason he doesn't want me in Manik's life."

"And that hurts?"

"That definitely hurts. I never thought it would. Until that day, I thought I love him but I don't need him in my life and that I could be happy without him as I am with him but the thought that I can't be in his life is messing me up, dad. I am already missing his presence. I don't know when did he become that important to me and his absence has significance now. It feels weird to say this but I don't talk to him and my day feels empty, dad", she told, ducking her head. Nandini had never been in a relationship. Instead, she used to mock them along with Cabir. She has seen her parents so in love yet, she has never understood the concept of emotionally depending on someone other than her dad until now.

"Remember you refused to share your day with anyone after coming back from school when I was out of town? Yet, there comes Manik and within only a few months, he knows almost everything about you. You let him in, you trust him, and more importantly, you brought him to meet me. Somewhere inside your heart, you want him to be a part of our family. Right?"

Nandini shrugged. "Manik is a good guy."

"So many guys in your friend circle are good people, kid, but I haven't met anyone other than Cabir until now and even Cabir I met him because I visited you at your place. Anyway, I am not defending why Manik is special to you because I guess you have plenty of reasons to answer that. All I am saying is, he has been special to you for a long time. It's you that haven't realized it yet."

"Is that why everyone was asking me about when I would get married to him?"

Yash chuckled. "Baby girl, you were adamant about not taking advantage of Manik that you refused to notice when that boy has become an integral part of your life. And you really can't take advantage of a person who wants to be with you."

"I wasn't sure about him but now I wasn't sure if he feels the same or not. Manik said he could see a future with me outside our home during a casual conversation. I didn't think it was serious. Dad, you always said I should choose someone without whom I can't live. Manik was just a friend with whom something was building but now I think he is the one. I don't know about him yet."

"You know we are going in circles. The best way to know this is to talk to him. How many more days will his camp go on?", asked Yash.

"One week I guess."

"If you can't manage to talk to him, go and visit him. Now go and sleep before you make yourself sick, kid."

She had the first smile in few weeks. As she gathered her things together to get some sleep, Yash called her.

"Nandini, Raj doesn't want to compromise on Manik's happiness. He isn't against you being in Manik's life. You just have to make sure where Manik's happiness actually lies. In Delhi or in his profession."

She nodded and walked away to the room. The point had struck her oddly. If Manik's happiness lies in the profession he was in, was there a chance for them to be together even if he isn't in Delhi? She let the thought slide away before sending a quick text to Manik asking if he was okay and went to bed.

XXX

Manik was tired. Just after his dad visited his place, the hospital had set up a medical camp for the underprivileged and he had been working tirelessly for two weeks now. He hadn't realized when it had happened but talking to Nandini has become a regular routine for him so much that every conversation reminded him of her until he talked to her again. Ever since the camp has started, they had hardly texted, let alone have a decent conversation. Right now, he was at the hospital after returning from the camp. Manik finished his regular rounds before returning to his cabin. He sighed and pulled out his mobile to text her but then aborted in the last minute looking at the time. It was almost three in the morning. Nandini must be sleeping. There was a knock on her door and a nurse barged in.

"Sir, there is an emergency."

"I am coming. Get the ICU ready", said Manik, putting his mobile away and following the nurse outside.

Three hours later when he returned to his cabin, there was a text from Nandini. It brought a smile to his face, forgetting the day's tiredness. When he called her, it was picked up at the first ring.

"Were you waiting for me? Didn't even wait for it to ring properly", teased Manik.

"Nandini is sleeping, Manik", said Yash on the other side.

"Uncle, I am sorry. I saw her text and called her. I am sorry", he told, cursing under his breathe for calling without checking the time.

"No, it's okay. She was working all night. Went to sleep an hour back. Maybe she sent a text before sleeping. Anyway, how are you? Nandini said you are busy with some medical camp?"

Manik explained about the medical camp and his timings. They talked for a while until Yash had to leave for the court. After cutting the call, he thought if he would have time for a quick nap or if he has to return back to the camp after freshening up when there was another knock. This time it was Shanaya, his colleague.

"Hey, Manik. I was thinking of a quick breakfast before going to the medical camp. Do you want to come along?"

Since it was the most sensible thing to do right now, Manik agreed.

"Let's go in my car. I want to take you somewhere. I will drop you at home and pick you up on my way to the medical camp. Is that okay?"

"Sure."

XXX

"Nice view, Shan", said Manik. "I have never been here."

"This is one of my friend's places. Best for breakfast."

After ordering food, Manik noticed Shanaya fidgeting. "Shan, what's up? You look nervous?"

"You were always the one to read the people at best", she teased.

"And you were the one to come straight to the point. What's gotten into you today?"

She took a deep breath before glancing up at Manik. "I want to tell you something but promise me I wouldn't lose you after this."

Manik frowned but nodded. He wasn't stupid but it was definitely unexpected. As Shanaya talked about how she fell in love with him during their first meet and how the feelings had just returned when she returned back to the city a month back, he listened to her. He waited once she finished talking and gulped down his glass of water. Luckily for him, the waiter arrived with the food, buying him some time to reply. "Shan, thank you. I am overwhelmed that I am worth getting your love even and I love you too. Just not enough to share my life with you. You have been my friend for years and you wouldn't lose me but I already have someone in my life and she is the one for me."

"Would I have a chance if I had talked to you sooner?", she said light-heartedly.

Manik chuckled. "You know how many proposals I have got during college and after I started working", he said, teasingly, and glanced at the sea-view in front of him. The waves reminded him of Nandini. Calm and professional when she was working but everyone knew she was a force to be reckoned with and could take down anyone within a minute if she wanted to. He saw the sun rising from the sea and was reminded of the way she just popped into his otherwise dull life, bright like a sun. He glanced at the hot steaming coffee on his table and was reminded how the girl couldn't go a day with at least a dozen cups of coffee. The thoughts weren't strange. It had been a couple of days when everything around him reminded him of Nandini. It was also the reason why he realized he can't live without her because how can he when everything anyone does remind him of how Nandini would react to that, good or bad. The girl had settled comfortably on his heart and mind without his knowledge. He was startled when Shanaya squeezed his hand.

"You zoned out for a moment there."

He blushed. "Yeah, seems to happen a lot recently", he muttered, barely audible.

"Is she the reason behind that?"

"Nandini", he told. "We met and she wasn't like anyone I have met before. I thought she was just a friend but only a few months and I realized she was so much more. Nandini is quiet to my chaos. There are things in my life that I am not comfortable talking about, there are things that I don't want in my life and she is there to calm me down. She knows exactly the solution to my every problem. She is incredible and I really can't explain anything accurately about why she is the one. All I know is I was at a mental war with myself before she came and I would lose myself if I would lose her. She stabilizes me in a way no one could."

Shanaya nodded. "I am glad you found someone worth holding on to. I have never seen you talking this passionately about anyone before unless it's some new method of therapy you read about."

Manik laughed. Nandini was worth more than any therapy method to him. She was his therapy. They had their breakfast silently with much lighter topics before Shanaya dropped at his apartment. "Shanaya, thank you and I am sorry."

"Don't be sorry for loving someone with all your heart. I hope I wouldn't lose you as a friend either?"

"Never", he said, sincerely.

Shanaya smiled at that. "I will pick you up in an hour."

After she left, Manik rushed to his apartment and sent a quick text to Nandini if she had woken up before going to take a shower. When he returned back, there was a call from her, and dialed back, praying he wouldn't miss talking to her again. He sagged in relief when she picked up the call and heard her voice after what felt like ages.

"Hey, doc. Busy saving the world?", she teased.

"Busy trying", he replied. "Nandini, I need to tell you something."

"Yeah?"

He narrated his conversation with Shanaya to her. Somehow, he felt she had the right to know about it. Hiding it felt like cheating her and Manik didn't want any misunderstanding creep in their relationship. Nandini was silent for a moment and he held his breath.

"You said she is your friend. Is all this making you uncomfortable?"

"No", he told. "She is a friend and we really can't control whom we fall in love with. So, it's okay for me." He heard her let out a breath.

"Then why tell me, Manik?"

Manik frowned. More than upset, Nandini felt tired. "Because it felt wrong hiding it from you. Leave that. Nandini, are you fine? You sound tired?"

"I am fine, Manik. Went to sleep late last night. Might take the day off. You going for the camp?"

"Yeah. Waiting for Shanaya. My car is at the hospital and she offered me to give a lift."

"Okay. See you later then?"

"Yeah. Take care, Nandini."

The conversation felt awkward but Manik wasn't sure if it was about what he told or as Nandini has said, she was tired due to the lack of sleep. He couldn't ponder on it because Shanaya had texted him about waiting downstairs and they were getting late for the camp. If things still felt awkward, Manik decided he would visit Nandini after the camp ends.

XXX

Instead of going to the castle, Nandini sent a quick text to Abhimanyu about taking leave and mailed him the work she had finished last night. She had her coffee and went to meet her dad.

She found him chatting with one of the lawyers, going through a file when she went to his cabin. Yash had a surprised look on his face but then smiled and gestured for her to come inside.

"Nandini, how are you?", greeted the other lawyer.

Since she visited her dad frequently whenever she was home, she knew most of the staff at the court. "I am fine, uncle. Can I steal my dad for a few hours if you don't mind?"

"He was always yours, kid. You know he would give up a case in between if you barged into the courtroom", teased the man.

"Now you are just exaggerating", Yash scolded the lawyer even if he was packing away his things. "I am very professional and know how to keep my cool in a courtroom."

"You are the coolest lawyer I know but you worry like a mother-hen when it comes to your daughters."

"Dad, I didn't know that. Why didn't you tell me?", teased Nandini.

"Baby girl, he is just tarnishing my reputation. I could file a defamation case after I get some energy during our lunch date", said Yash.

The other guy chuckled as he followed out and waited until Yash locked his cabin before parting ways. Yash wrapped an arm around her, pulling her towards the entrance.

"Where to now? The usual?", he asked.

"Can we go to someplace quiet?", said Nandini. They usually went to a Dhaba nearby because it was fun and both of them weren't health freaks like Alya. Yash reserved the more sophisticated places for when he was out with her sister.

He nodded, already cluing in the mood she was in before getting into her car. Nandini drove as Yash gave her directions and they went to the restaurant a little far away. Yash asked for a private cubicle and then ordered their lunch. It was eleven and though Nandini hadn't had anything after waking up, for Yash it was early for having lunch but since he knew her well, he might have guessed it would take a while.

"So, what's bothering you? Any update after our discussion in the morning?", asked Yash. "I talked to him while you were sleeping. He saw your text and called you to talk. He seemed fine to me, Nandini. Excited to even talk to you."

"He is, dad. It's just I think I am losing control over my life. He is really messing up with my mind unknowingly."

"What happened, kid?"

Nandini told him about Shanaya and her proposal and how Manik thought he should inform her because he felt wrong hiding it from her.

Yash was impressed. "He is a good kid."

Nandini nodded.

"Again, I don't understand what's bothering you in this?"

She sighed, fidgeting with her fingers. "Dad, he has someone who loves him in Delhi. He is happy there. Why would he come back here?", she asked. She felt stupid to let it bother her but then she didn't know whom to talk to.

Yash grabbed her fingers, freeing them and holding them in his hand. "Hey, Baby girl. Manik is a good-looking guy. And you said yourself that there have been many people who loved him but didn't know his life back at home and for some reason, he didn't reveal it to anyone, right?"

She agreed.

"And this girl Shanaya proposing to him today wasn't really surprising, is it?" said Yash. "It's just adding up to what Raj had told you."

"I guess."

"Kid, there have been many Shanayas in Manik's life before but the way he just informed you as soon as he got to know tells about there's only one Nandini for him and that's you. So, to answer your earlier question about why he would come back here is because he loves you, Nandini. And you aren't just any other girl for him."

"When did you start falling for him?", teased Nandini.

"When you first brought him home. I know he was special", said Yash as nonchalant. "I trust your decisions, kid."

She smiled. What Yash said made sense but when there was a choice, would Manik choose the one place he hated the most instead of somewhere he loved.

"There is still a question there, kid. Speak up", interrupted her dad.

"I was just thinking. Manik hated Amritpuri. Why would he come back here that threatened his independence instead of staying there in Delhi?", she asked.

"I would say something and you wouldn't believe me but all I know is Manik hated Amritpuri because he felt Raj was controlling his actions. But I guess that's changing. I want to ask you something else, though. Nandini, are you thinking about settling here? I thought you would leave the castle at some or the other point. If Manik was your issue, you could always go back to Delhi, right?"

It was just her dad to make keep himself attuned to her life. "Dad, it's not about me or Manik. The people of Amritpuri worships Raj Malhotra. For them, his son is their next king. If I am marrying Manik, Mr. Malhotra would want me to take care of the royal affairs instead of Manik. We had a talk. But then the people of Amritpuri don't trust me. For them, I would just be a stranger that had just snatched Manik's place in the kingdom. I don't think it would end well. That's the reason, Manik's presence is required here but if he hates the place, I don't think how it would work."

"Baby girl, you are a genius. Think of something that would keep Manik here and also love the city. I know you would come up with something."

"You aren't helping exactly", she complained.

"Trust me, kid. I want to. But then I would be making decisions on behalf of your prince charming and I don't want to do that to Manik. You both should talk it out if my instincts are right."

Her dad's instincts are hardly wrong.

Spoiler: Pata nahi. Haven't written yet. But something plotting from Nandini's side. :P