Nandini remembered her marriage with Manik like it was just yesterday. The twins were 5 at the time but very close to Nandini as their own mother couldnt find time for them. She barely cared about them while she was married to Manik so of course after the divorce, Natasha Bedi didnt even try to stay in touch with her kids. Nandini on the other hand had loved the twins since their birth, as her family was always close to Manik's Dadi, she used to visit the family often. Those visits were usually during the day when Manik was busy and seeing her as free labour, Natasha dumped her kids on Nandini while she was either shopping with her friends or partying. So long before she became Mrs Nandini Manik Malhotra....she was already a mother to Mayank & Arohi. This was why Kavita Malhotra had gotten her married to Manik. 

Nandini herself had been in love with Manik for as long as she could remember and was heartbroken when Manik married Natasha. Still, she knew that for Manik she didnt even exist so marrying him was just a dream, until his Dadi made it a reality. Since then she did everything to make him happy, she changed herself, no... she LOST herself in the quest to gain his love.  Manik was very rude to Nandini...he had married her for his kids and his Dadi but after what Natasha did, he didnt trust Nandini at all. He thought all women were the same....money minded gold-diggers. Of course, he did respect Nandini for one thing....the love she has for his family & kids which is why he stayed married to her all this time.

Now, 5 years later things were a bit better. Manik wasnt as antagonistic to her, some days he might be rude which isnt a big deal as he is rude to most people and some days he was just indifferent. For Nandini, both hurt because it came from someone she loves with all her heart.

Today, was Raj & Nyonika Malhotra's 40th Marriage Anniversary. The two love bird had gotten married very very young. Nyonika was 18 and Raj was 19...so although legally adults, they were technically still teens....but they were your typical high school sweethearts. They didnt want to wait so both eloped and got married. Raj's parents accepted them as he was their only child where as Nyonika's strict parents disowned her and hasnt spoken to her since. Kavita loved her as her own daughter and Nyonika also loves all her daughter-in-laws like daughters too.

"Nandini.." Navya entered the kitchen to see that almost everything was ready. "Arre, tune toh saara kaam kar diya woh bhi akele?"

"Bhabhi...aap aur Mukti Bhabhi pure din kaam mein busy they aur phir ghar aake aapne saare decoration bhi kar diya, main kya itna nahi kar sakti?" Nandini replied.

"Vaise Navya...acha hai ki Nandini ne kitchen ka kaam sambhal liya." Mukti smiled and hugged her youngest devrani from the side. "Itne tasty khaana toh pure ghar mein iske elava sirf Dadi hi bana sakti thi."

"Kya bhabhi...aap bhi na." Nandini blushed slightly. "Khaana banane mein Dadi ki barabari koi nahi kar sakta."

"Mmmnn....kya khusbhu hai!" Navya sniffed the air. "Mann karta hai ki main hi sab kuch khaa jaun!"

"Acha chalo...sab tayyar hone chalo. Mehmaan aate hi honge." Mukti said. Nandini closed the lids on her food and the three Malhotra Bahus left to get ready.

A few hours later, everyone was ready and guests had arrived. The kids were playing with their friends and Raj & Nyonika were getting many gifts from friends.

"Happy Anniversary Mom, Dad!" Cabir & Abhi hugged them.

"Happy Anniversary Mom. Happy Anniversary Dad." Manik smiled and hugged them both too.

Manik's Look

Nandini's Look

Cabir's Look

Navya's Look

Abhi's Look

Mukti's Look

Raj's Look

Nyonika's Look

"Happy Anniversary Ma, Papa." Nandini, Navya & Mukti also hugged them.

"Haaye...meri teeno bahuein toh bari pyari lag rahi hai aaj. Nazar na laage." Nyonika grinned.

At that moment the front door swung open and a tall woman entered. Seeing her, everyone was in shock.

"Natasha." Manik growled. Natasha smirked and walked over to Manik, here heels clicking against the floor.

"Hi Honey." As she tried to hug him, Manik grabbed her wrist roughly and pushed her back.

"What the hell are you doing here?"

"Kyun? Aaj Mom Dad ki Marriage Anniversary hai na? Main apni khud ki saas sasur ki anniversary party mein kyun nahi aa sakti?" Natasha asked. Everyone just stared like she was crazy.

"Oye pagal aurat...tu shayad bhool rahi hai ki teri aur Manik ki divorce ho chukki hai....saalon pehle." Navya said. Natasha whipped her head towards Navya and glared.

"The name is Natasha...and actually humara divorce kabhi hua hi nahi." Natasha replied happily. 

"What nonsense!" Manik shouted. "I signed those papers...tumne bhi sign ki thi!"

"Haan lekin maine submit nahi ki na." Natasha said. Nandini stumbled back in shock and Mukti supported her.

"Kya bakwas hai yeh sab?" Raj asked. "Kya matlab submit nahi ki?"

"Actually Dad-"

"DONT call me that." Raj warned her.

"....main uss waqt kaafi busy thi so I didnt get the chance to submit it. Ab soch ke dekh rahi hoon toh acha hi hua na?" Natasha just ignored Raj. 

"Kya acha hua? Tum kis haq se yahan aa ke tamasha kar rahi ho? Humari bahu Nandini hai...Manik ki biwi Nandini hai!" Nyonika told her. 

"Huh...kaun? This girl?" Natasha gave Nandini a condesending look. "Oh Pls Mom...Rockstar Manik ki wife toh sirf Supermodel Natasha Bedi hi ho sakti hai...not this nobody! I mean...yeh toh meri substitute thi...like an understudy? But now that the main star is back...iski yahan koi zaroorat nahi hai. Im here to take back whats mine!"

"HOW DARE YOU!" Abhi shouted. "Nandini is not a substitute!"

"Whatever....I really am not in the mood to argue. Kaafi lambhi flight se aayi hoon. Now where are my babies?" Natasha looked around and then she saw Pihu & Nikhil who looked scared and very confused and she opened her arms out with a wide grin. "There you are! Come to Mommy babies!"

"Omg...really?" Mukti just scoffed. "Matlab seriously? Tum apne aap ko Ma bulate ho...aur apne bachon ko bhi nahi pehchante? Like for a second bhool jaate hai ki its been 8 years since you last saw them aur woh bade ho gaye hai so they cant be Mayank & Arohi...lekin you dont even remember what they look like?"

"What?" Natasha was confused. 

"Woh mere aur Mukti ke bache hai...Mayank aur Arohi wahan, apni asli Ma ke paas khade hai." Navya replied. Natasha looked to Nandini and saw the 10 year old twins standing on either side of her. They knew exactly who this woman was and they were not happy. Natasha turned to Mayank and again spread her arms.

Natasha's Look

"Mera raja beta...Come to Mumma!" 

Mayank wrapped his arms around Nandini and didnt moved. Natasha got irritated but turned to Arohi.

"Aru princess...come."

"Mujhe sirf meri Mumma Aru bula sakti hai!" Arohi replied.

"Arohi...I am your Mumma, woh aurat nahi!" Natasha was angry.

"Aap humari Mumma se aise rudely baat nahi kar sakte!" Mayank spoke up and glared at her.

"And agar aap humari Mumma hai toh batao, meri favourite food kya hai?" Arohi asked. Natasha didnt know what to say. "Mayank kis cheez se darta hai? Bolo!"

"Nandini...tumne mere bachon ko kitna bigar diya! Apne aap ko samajhti kya ho tum? You brainwashed my kids!" Natasha screamed at Nandini who was in tears.

She looked to Manik but although he looked angry to see Natasha...he didnt say a word to support her.

"Yeh kya mere bache mere bache laga ke rakha hai?" Cabir spoke up. "Ma jaisi kaunsa kaam kiya hai tumne? Jabse yeh dono paida hue hai, inka diapers Nandini badalti thi...inko lori Nandini gaa ke sunati thi. Inka homework Nandini karawati thi...sab kuch Nandini ne kiya. How dare you call your self their mother?"

"Aur tujhe kya laaga ki humare ghar mein aake tu humari bahu ko insult kar sakti hai? Bilkul nahi!" Nyonika yelled. "Nikal mere ghar se!"

"Tsk Tsk meri pyar sasuma...you havent been listening have you?" Natasha laughed. "Meri aur manik ki divorce kabhi finalize hui hi nahi so that means legally main aaj bhi Manik ki wife hoon and according to the papers jo Manik ne khud mujhe gift kiya tha on our 1st Anniversary....as his wife, main iss ghar ki 50% owner hoon. So Im so soory to tell you....lekin main kahi nahi jaa rahi hoon."

Everyone was stunned and speechless. They knew she was right and they had no way out of it.

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Note: Thoughts?

What did you think of Natasha?

Next Update, Dadi will come to help Nandini out.