"Here.."he extended the cup of hot chocolate in front of her "..have this.."he caressed her hair with his other hand "..you will feel better.."

She smiled as she took the cup from him."thank you.."

"Your welcome.."he too smiled looking at her."..do you need anything else.."

She shook her head and took a sip of her hot chocolate. "Yumm.."she looked at him with a look of appreciation etched on her face."This is so tasty..You made this na.."

"How do you know that.."he asked surprisingly.

"Simple..I very well know the taste of the hot chocolate that bhabhi makes...since this hot chocolate tastes completely different and there is no one else in this house apart from three of us..so it's quite obvious..don't you think.."she smiled.

"You are smart.."he said appreciatively."I am impressed...in fact super impressed.."

"Thank you..Thank You.."she smirked and took another sip of her coffee.

"You are so beautiful.."his words made her stop in tracks. She blushed and looked down which made him smile. "Of course your beauty enhances even more when you smile.."

She continued to look down as her cheeks turned redder because she could feel his intense gaze on her.

He sat next to her on the stairs of the front porch and held her hand. Her heart skipped a beat but she didn't say anything instead she continued to look down.

"Nandini.."her heart started to beat at a faster pace...but the words that he said next took her by surprise. "..are you okay.."

She peeked at him beneath her eyelashes as she put her hands over his. "I am now.."

"But what happened to you back then.."he questioned. "...though I am not complaining.."she blushed even harder when she realised what he was referring to and looked down.

He smiled but chose not to tease her...at least for now...so he continued with his question.."however I still want to know the reason of your behaviour..what happened that made you so restless...and please don't say that I am wrong..because even you know that I am not..so tell me..tell me everything..please.."

Closing her eyes she sighed."Do you know the story of.."she didn't complete her sentence but her words were more than enough to make him restless. "..HIM.."her eyes snapped wide open at his words.

"So you know..about the story.."she asked. He simply nodded his head. "....but then too you agreed to get married to me.."she finally asked the question that had been clouding her mind from a very long time.

Once again he simply nodded.

"Why.."she whispered.

This time he didn't reply but simply continued to gaze at her with an unknown emotion in his eyes.

"Answer me Manik.."she questioned."Even after knowing everything you want to get married to me.."he then too didn't say anything which irked her "Say na Manik..why are you doing this."

She shook her head."Why did you agree to marry me..even when you know that by doing so...you are putting your life in danger.."

When then too he didn't reply she lost her cool."Manik either you answer my question or I am leaving.."saying this she got up only to pulled back by him.

"Let go Manik."she tried to get away from him but he simply didn't allowed her. Though he held her with a feather touch but still grip was too strong for her to break. "Manik leave me..let me go.."

"Never.."the intensity with which he said that caught her attention. She looked up only to find him gazing at him with such intensity that made her speechless.

"Don't ever say that.."he pulled her closer. "..ever.."She looked back at him.

"You want me to answer your question na.."he asked to which she simply nodded. "Fine I will.."

Releasing her hand he entwined his fingers with hers. "I honestly don't know the answer to you question Nandini.."he looked up to meet her eyes which was already on her. "..but I know only one thing.."

"....and that is.."she questioned.

"Well.."he replied looking straight into her eyes "...lets just say that I have waited for you since FOREVER..and it's time I get my FOREVER with you.."his words left her stunned.

"I know it's hard to believe..because it's only been few days that we know each other but somehow I feel that..we..."before he could finished she spoke. "..know each other since FOREVER...as if we share a history together.."

"Exactly.."he agreed. "..do you feel the same.."

"I do.."she confessed. "...but that's what I shouldn't feel.."

"What.."he scowled. "Why.."he questioned.

"..because I am supposed to feel like this for some else.."her answered set his existence on fire. "Who.."he questioned with full authority.

"HIM."this time he was taken aback by her words. Since he didn't say anything she continued "..I belong to HIM.."

"Just because he MARKED you..it doesn't mean anything..you.."he was about to say something but before that she cut him once again."...it has NOTHING to do with my MARK..it's something else altogether.."

"Then.."he scowled. "..what is it.."

"Everything Manik..Everything..."she held his hands tightly and finally uttered the words out loud. "I AM THE ONE MANIK.."looking at him she continued."I AM THE ONE FOR WHOM HE HAS BEEN WAITING FOR SO LONG.."

Manik was about to say something but before she once again cut him in "..and I know this now that HE isn't at fault...in fact he deserves a chance at HAPPINESS..He deserves to get HIS LOVE back...but.."

"...but What Nandini.."Manik questioned looking straight into her eyes. "..but WHAT.."

"Manik.."she looked back at him."I should feel for HIM exactly how HE feels for me..but.."she held his hands tightly. "...but i don't Manik.."she shook her head in negative.

"I accept that now i totally and completely get his point..and I won't lie..even I think that he deserves a chance at Happiness..but unfortunately...I..don't.."she closed her eyes and finally let the words out of his mouth. "I don't love HIM Manik..I don't.."

He stiffened at her words but still chose to keep quiet. "I know even after knowing everything I should feel the same for HIM...but I don't Manik..I just can't..because.."she stopped abruptly.

"..because.."he questioned her.

Without looking at him she answered "I can't feel like this for HIM...because I feel like this for someone else..with whom I have fallen in love with.."

"What.."his eyes widened in horror. "With whom.." he was about to set everything around them on fire as he wanted the world to experience the same pain that he was experiencing.

But before he could do anything rash his eyes fell on her who was blushing hard and was still holding his hand.

So getting a grip over his burning rage he cupped her chin and lifted her face so that they were eye to eye. "Say na Nandini..who is it.."

Peeking beneath her eyelashes she answered him back which was more than enough to set his entire existence on fire.

"You.."

She looked at him and confessed. "It's you Manik. Only you..and that's what scaring me..I don't want you to suffer any harm..because if anything happened to you I won't be able to take it..I would die too..I would.."her words were left incomplete...

...as the very next moment his lips were on her..

...silencing her...

...with the seal of his love.

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