12:00 am, Singhania Holiday Home, Anjuna, Goa.

"Mrs. Nyonika Malhotra? Aap...yahaan...kaise..." I squeaked out, still unable to believe my eyes.

The wicked smile that she held on her face broadened when she saw my confusion.

"Poor girl...caught in a game she doesn't even understand..." Nyonika said, shaking her head in mock sympathy, and moving a few steps backward.

"Like I said, I'd been saving the recording for someone special...and she's finally here to deliver what she promised..." Mukesh Singhania said smugly, as he came and stood to her side.

Madhyam followed his father's action and stood to her other side. I gulped as I saw them before me. They had taken the 'My enemy's enemy is my best friend.' philosophy very seriously! Who knew that they would gang up on me and Manik like this?!

A part of me wanted to run away at once, but the burly guards were still holding me firmly in place. Besides, I didn't want to get out of here, without making sense of the so called alliance I saw before me...

"What the hell did she promise?" I asked, rather firmly, using every ounce of courage I had left in me.

"Oh, it's a long story..." Madhyam said, with a dry chuckle.

"Why don't you enlighten this ignorant soul?" I said, through gritted teeth, giving Madhyam a nasty look.

I couldn't stand this arrogant asshole even one bit!

Nyonika cackled slightly and said. "Feisty...I like it...I finally get what Manik sees in this simpleton..."

"After Madhyam and I made the decision to spread that story about you eloping with Manik, we thought it would be an effective plan to get rid of both of you! But then, we received a call from her...and she offered us something that we just couldn't refuse..." Mukesh Singhania said, in a proud voice, gesturing at Nyonika.

"After a prolonged tell-all discussion between us, she said that if we delivered the recording incriminating her as well as Manik over to her successfully, she would immediately sell me the Malhotra Airline business for the price of peanuts! I've been after that business for many years...its valuation is through the roof! Once I merge Premiere Airways with Alliance airways, I'll be the richest man in the country! So you see, my dear girl, the offer was too attractive! I had to accept it, even if it meant getting my hands dirty yet again!" Mukesh Singhania clarified, arrogantly.

My eyes widened as I heard his words. Manik had warned me about Mukesh Singhania's depravity repeatedly, but even he hadn't foreseen that something like this would happen...I felt utterly disgusted that Amms had chosen to marry me off into this family...

"Aur tumhare loser boyfriend Manik ko provoke karna bahut hi aasan tha! All we had to do was challenge him to come and steal the recording himself! We would capture him easily...and hand him over to Nyonika...that was the plan!" Madhyam continued, as he sniggered at me.

I laughed sardonically when I heard his words.

"Your plan failed! Manik isn't here! He's far away and safe..." I shrieked at Madhyam.

"Don't you dare talk to me in that tone, you slut!" Madhyam screamed as he was about to come forward to hit me.

However, Nyonika immediately held her hand up in order to stop him. Her victorious grin made my skin crawl.

"Nandini...you have no idea how easy you've made it for us to capture Manik, by coming here yourself! If Manik had come to steal the recording, we'd have to use a dozen guards to bring him down. The entire thing would have been so messy...But now, he'll come quietly...and he'll have no choice but to fulfil my demands..." Nyonika said with a fiercely evil smile.

"Manik was right...you don't deserve to be called his 'mother'...how can you be so cruel to your own son?!" I said instinctively, forgetting the fact that this vile woman before me was incapable of feeling normal human emotions. After all, she was a cold-blooded murderess...

"A son I never wanted...." She sneered. "All I ever wanted was power and wealth, so that I could live my life flamboyantly, but he was always a hindrance to it! And now I'm going to take everything that's rightfully mine, away from him and finally put him behind bars!"

"Manik will never sign his property over to you! You'll never get your hands on it!" I yelled determinedly.

"Really? You think so...not even in exchange for your life?" Nyonika smirked.

Nyonika then called someone on the phone and said. "Get the team in!"

Chills went down my spine when I heard her words. If I was threatened in anyway...I knew...I knew that Manik would come for me...I knew he'd do nearly anything to save me without batting an eyelid...

I watched in shock when a few seconds later, a group of men walked into the drawing room. Most of them were wearing police uniform, but there were a few exceptions. I recognized one of them immediately. It was none other than the same man who had attacked Manik and me at the restaurant in Bangalore-Nyonika's henchman Harshad! Anger bubbled through me when I saw his face...

The other man was unfamiliar, but his monochromatic attire made his profession crystal clear-he was a lawyer! Fear crept through me when I realized how carefully Nyonika had planned the whole thing. The lawyer was here to initiate the signing of the property over to Nyonika...and the corrupt officers were here to arrest Manik immediately after...

No! This couldn't be happening! I couldn't let Manik lose everything he had, just because I'd screwed up and gotten caught by the Singhanias! I couldn't let them use me as leverage to trap him!

"Now that everything's in place, let's find out how much you actually mean to him, shall we?" Nyonika said to me menacingly, as she took my burner phone from Madhyam's hand and dialed the only number on the contact list.

He picked up after one ring, itself.

"Nandini, are you okay?! Did something happen?! Did you get the recording? If you haven't already, it's alright! We'll think of something else! Your radio silence is scaring me...just please come back to me...please..." Manik said over the phone, frantically.

Tears welled up in my eyes when I heard the fear and concern in his voice. These were the very emotions that Nyonika would use to manipulate him!

"Nandini?!" He asked again in desperation.

I was about to answer and warn him of the impending danger when one of the guards placed their hand on my mouth, all of a sudden. The gargantuan hand made my voice completely muffled, with the result that Manik couldn't hear a word I was screaming.

"Hello Manik." Nyonika hissed into the phone.

Her greeting was met with a deathly silence on the other end! I couldn't even imagine what Manik was feeling right now!

"Nyo...Nyonika? How...are you...how do you have this phone?" He asked, stuttering in shock.

Nyonika chuckled sadistically and said. "Did you really think you could run off, and escape? I've been watching your every move, Manik..."

There were a few more moments of silence before he answered.

"Where is Nandini? If you've done anything to her..." He spat, angrily.

The firmness was back in his voice. I marveled at his ability to absorb such shocking events in such a small time span, as I continued to try to shout out to him.

"Relax Manik...your Nandini...is fine...for now..."She said, as the air loomed with threat.

"And if you want her to remain safe, you'll do exactly as I say..." Nyonika spat into the phone.

"And what is that?" Manik asked, in a tone of squelched anger.

"Let's discuss that after you turn up here...I think it's time for you to come out of whichever hole you are hiding in!" Nyonika said coolly.

"And if I refuse?" Manik said, in a fearful tone.

"Come on Manik, you know the drill. Do you really want another dead body on your hands? If you don't show up at the mansion in the next few minutes, I'll have Harshad put a bullet in your precious Nandini's brain! So, it's up to you now..." Nyonika said, giving a slight laugh.

My relentless bites on the hands of the man who had covered my mouth finally yielded results! When he winced in pain, and withdrew his hand, for a split second, I used the opportunity to yell my lungs out and get my message across to Manik!

"Manik! Don't come here! Nyonika aur Mukesh Singhania mile hue hai! If you come, they will arrest you..." I trailed off as I felt a strong arm cover my mouth once more violently, making my voice unheard yet again...

Nyonika gave the guards a nasty look for slipping up.

She hissed into the phone. "So, what will it be, Manik?"

Please, Manik! Please! Don't come here! Don't fall into Nyonika's trap! I prayed silently as everyone in the crowded room waited for his answer with bated breath.

"I'll be there..."He said fiercely, before the line went dead.

Manik's answer filled me with dread, but it didn't surprise me even a little bit...Tears streamed down my cheeks when I realised that if he had chosen anything else...he wouldn't be the man that I'd fallen in love with...

*********************************************

12:40 am, Singhania Holiday Home, Anjuna.

"Sir, Manik Malhotra is at the gate..." A guard informed Mukesh Singhania over the phone.

My stomach dropped when I heard the news. The last eight to ten minutes had been pure agony, as I watched Nyonika, as well as Mukesh Singhania discuss the details of the contract with the lawyer. Meanwhile, Harshad and Madhyam gave me arrogant smirks which were met with great hostility from my side.

"Send him in, after searching him for weapons..." Mukesh Singhania said in a steely voice.

"Alright Sir..." Came the quick response.

"Just a few minutes more Nandini, and after that...Manik will be finished..." Nyonika said, in a tone of satisfaction.

"And I'll become the richest man in the country!" Mukesh Singhania chimed in.

If my arms were free, I would have tried to throttle both of them then and there! But unfortunately, we can't always have what we want...

My thoughts were interrupted when I heard the door clicking open, and a tall figure emerge from it.

Manik. My heart skipped a beat as I drank in his features from afar. I wanted to run to him and wrap my arms around him immediately, but the two brawny guards holding me strongly would never let that happen...

He exuded pride and confidence when he walked in and met the gaze of the Singhanias as well as Nyonika with frightening intensity. There were no frown lines on his forehead whatsoever...

However, when his eyes met mine, his features softened almost immediately. I tried to put up a brave face and be strong for him, but I couldn't stop my lips from trembling just a little bit. As he assessed me from head to toe and noticed my unkempt hair, and tear-stricken eyes, an expression of fear cropped up on his face for the first time since he entered the room.

"Nandini?" He asked longingly, and started taking long strides towards me almost as if they were involuntary.

However, before he could reach me, Harshad stepped in front of him along with the policemen in tow. He stood just a step away from me and pointed a revolver at my forehead, making me gasp in fear.

"Bahut jaldi hai tujhe Manik...abhi abhi toh game shuru hui hai..." Harshad said tauntingly, trying to rile Manik up.

Manik's expression darkened with a mix of fear and rage. He instinctively moved forward to charge at Harshad. However, he stopped himself at the last moment, and took a deep breath in order to calm himself.

He turned around to face Nyonika directly and said. "I'm here, just like you asked. Now, have me arrested if you want, but let her go..."

"Come on, Manik! Do you really think I'll let you get locked up without signing my precious documents?" Nyonika laughed raucously.

Manik let out a sigh of frustration, but his expression made it evident that he wasn't entirely surprised by this demand.

"Of course not, Nyonika! You're very predictable!" Manik said, as if he were spewing venom at her.

"So, will you sign the documents to save her? Who means more to you, Manik? Nandini or your beloved father?" Nyonika asked him with a sinful grin.

I swallowed hard at her statement. She was asking Manik to make an impossible choice...I knew how much love Manik had for his father...I knew he would much rather die before letting Nyonika have even a penny of Mr. Malhotra's property...

"Just shut up and give me the damn documents, Nyonika! I'll sign them as long as you let her go..." Manik said pointing at me.

Nyonika smiled and said. "Smart choice, Manik."

She then moved forward along with the lawyer and laid the file out on the centre table in the drawing room.

Manik moved forward as well until he was facing the document directly.

"Mr. Agarwal, kindly show Manik the places where his signatures are required." Nyonika said, gleefully, to the man in the barrister's clothing.

I wanted to shut my eyes when I saw Manik pick up the pen.

"Manik! Don't do it, Manik! Please!" I shouted.

I couldn't just stand by and watch him lose every penny he had!

"Quiet, you bitch! Or else, I'll shoot!" Harshad, warned menacingly.

"Nandini, it's okay...it'll be okay..." Manik assured me, his eyes pleading me to keep quiet.

"Sign here..." Mr. Agarwal said, pointing at the documents.

My skin prickled and my stomach churned, when I saw Manik following his instructions without protest. By this time, I was desperately trying to suppress my sobs as much as possible...

When the process was finally complete, Mr. Agarwal said. "Ma'am...it's done..."

Nyonika took the file from his hand and scanned through it, roughly.

After doing so, she had a large smile of victory on her face. I felt horrible! All this had happened because of my carelessness!

"Good job, Manik. Mr. Agarwal, please get the documents ready for the transfer of Premiere Airways in Mukesh Singhania's name. It should happen as soon as possible..." Nyonika said snappily, to the lawyer, who merely nodded in return.

"You're giving him, Premiere airways?! How dare you?!" Manik exclaimed in shock.

"Manik, they are my assets now...which means I can do whatever the hell I want with them!" She screamed.

"Mr. Singhania...I've held up my end of the deal, so it's time to give me the recording...I need it...pronto." Nyonika hissed at Mukesh Singhania.

"Of course...Madhyam, give her the recording!" Mukesh Singhania said, airily, when he observed that the lawyer had already gotten to work.

Madhyam obeyed his father and instantly handed the playback device that he'd confiscated from my bag over to her.

Manik tensed upon seeing the device in her hands. I could see how restless he had gotten...

Come on, Manik! Do something! Please! Take the recording and run! I chanted in my head repeatedly hoping that somehow he would telepathically understand what I was saying...I knew the whole reason he was being cautious and submissive was because he was afraid for my life...

"Nyonika, I've done what you asked...now let Nandini go!" Manik said, determinedly.

"Since you've been so well behaved...I guess I could grant you this small reward...you may say your goodbyes to her...because you'll be imprisoned for life after that..." Nyonika said, cockily.

"Harshad, lower your gun..." She ordered.

"Alright, Mrs M...I was having so much fun...but I'll do as you say..." Harshad said, morosely and put his gun down.

I immediately released a breath that I didn't even realize I was holding...

I felt the guards slackening their grip on my arms. The moment they did so, I broke free from their clasp, and before I knew it I was running...running back to Manik...running back to the safety of his arms.

Within seconds, I reached him and flung my arms around him as tightly as possible. He staggered backwards due to the impact, but immediately lifted me off the ground to his height and hugged me back with the same vigour.

I could hear the sound of his heart racing, as he tightened his hold on me. I buried my face into his neck and let my tears flow freely wetting his t-shirt. The strong front I'd put up, finally started to crumble, and I realized how terrified I was of having come this close to death...

I could feel the relief coursing through Manik, as he caressed my cheek and wiped my tears.

A few seconds later, he placed me back on the ground, wiped a tear from his own eye and said, hesitantly. "Are you alright? Did they...did they hurt you?"

I immediately shook my head and saw the solace that it gave him.

A ghoulish voice, made me snap out of my trance.

"Wow Dad, yeh dono...toh real life Romeo and Juliet hai! Kya bolte ho Dad, story poori karne ke liye in dono ko yahi maar de, kya?" Madhyam guffawed.

Manik's eyes shot daggers at Madhyam, upon hearing this statement.

"Come on Madhyam, we're going to be the richest family in the country! And you're still wasting time thinking of these two paupers?" Mukesh Singhania said, shaking his head.

This remark was met by laughter from all sides, and I could see the anger on Manik's face.

"Alright, Manik, I guess this is the last time we see each other...Officers take him away..." Nyonika said in a bored voice.

I tightened my hold around Manik when I saw the four policemen, come forward to cuff him.

However, something unexpected happened at that very moment.

Mr. Agarwal stood up abruptly from his seat with an expression of alarm on his face.

"Ma'am...these documents are completely useless..." He said, as sweat trickled down his face.

Nyonika swiveled around to face him immediately.

"What the hell do you mean, Agarwal?!" She shouted.

A hint of confusion hit me as I watched Manik's expression change slightly. There was a ghost of a smirk on his face...the same arrogant smirk that showed up whenever he knew he was in power...

"Manik, what did you do?" I whispered to him.

"Just watch the fun..." Manik said, winking at me.

"Ma'am...these signature's...although they are Manik's...they...they don't match the one in his passport...so..." Mr. Agarwal stuttered.

"So?" Nyonika screamed as Mukesh Singhania and Madhyam frowned.

"So...ma'am...the signatures are invalid...I can't transfer the property in your name..." He said, wiping his brow in fear.

The smirk on Manik's face grew wider and I found myself smiling as well. Had Manik really succeeded in duping Nyonika?

"How incompetent can you get, you oaf?!" Nyonika shrieked at the lawyer.

"Ma'am I gave you the documents after he signed...you hired me barely a few days ago...how am I supposed to know that you don't know what your own son's signature looks like?" He asked, defending himself.

Before Nyonika could retaliate, Manik started chuckling loudly.

"So finally, your sins come to bite you in the ass, Nyonika...if you'd been a better mother to me...maybe you'd know a little more about me...you would have known that I'm a lefty...For heaven's sake, even my fans know that I'm a left hand guitarist...but you don't...it's a pity really...you were this close to winning...but unfortunately, my right hand signatures are barely legible and absolutely useless..." Manik said, in a taunting voice.

I gasped when I finally understood why the signatures didn't match! Of course! In my panicked state, I hadn't noticed which hand Manik had used to sign the documents...

His ruse was a simple one, albeit risky...

Luckily, his plan had worked and there was no gun pointed at me anymore...

"Manik, you will pay for this! I'll make sure of it! Officers, get them! Beat both of them, until he agrees to sign!" Nyonika ordered.

"Guards...help the officers out..." Mukesh Singhania, commanded.

I watched as one of the officers charged at Manik. In a swift move, Manik finally let go of me, and directly landed a blow on his throat, knocking his breath out immediately.

As the man staggered backwards, Manik confiscated the wooden stick from the officer's hand and whacked one of the guards who tried to attack next.

The guard was so bulked up that one blow wasn't enough. Manik switched tactics and started aiming for the guard's head instead.

When I saw Harshad try to sneak up on Manik from behind like a coward, I did the first thing that came to my mind and lifted up the closest wooden artefact I could find in the drawing room and threw it at him.

I watched in satisfaction as the article hit its mark and injured Harshad, directly above his eye.

When I looked at Manik, I gasped as I saw that two police officers and one of the guards were already unconscious, and they were lying on the floor as if dead.

The aggression on Manik's face when I watched him fight the three people still standing against him was something I'd never seen before! All I could see was the whirling of the cane accompanied by loud thumping sounds.

Suddenly, my eyes flitted towards the recording that Nyonika had carelessly left on the table, in her fit of rage!

This was my chance! I had to get my hands on the recording once again!

Aiyappa, please be on my side!

With this last prayer, I made a dash towards the table and lunged for the playback device.

"What the...?" Nyonika exclaimed in shock as she came forward, to stop me.

Both of us reached the recording almost at the same time, and I wrestled with her in order to take possession of it.

She was a strong woman, but I wasn't going to let up that easily. Both of us continued to move backwards having a tug of war match with each other...

Finally, when I saw no other option, I leaned forward and bit down on her hand as hard as I could!

She yelped in pain immediately, and released her hold on the recording.

"You bitch!" I heard Nyonika scream, as I ran away from her immediately, placing the device in my skirt pocket, swiftly.

I had hardly made it a few steps when Madhyam cornered me near the bar counter.

He immediately went for my throat, and nearly choked the life out of me.

"Slut, you need to be taught a lesson!" He yelled, as he ran his hand across my chest and waist in a lecherous manner and started tugging at my clothes, under the guise of searching for the device.

I felt absolutely disgusted, and my breath was waning by the second.

I looked at Manik, but I saw that he had his hands full. He couldn't help me...

I was on the verge of giving in to the blackness...when Manik's words echoed in my head. "Nandini! Don't behave like a coward! Fight, Back!"

The incident with the goons a few days ago replayed in my head...and I decided that this time...things would be different...

I wasn't the same innocent girl that I had been when Manik abducted me...I had changed...and I would let Madhyam know that...

I flailed around as he choked me, and fortunately enough found a wine bottle on the bar counter.

I mustered up all the strength I had, picked up the bottle on the counter and smashed it on his head as hard as I could.

A few seconds later, he finally let go of me, as he crumbled to the floor, his head a bleeding mess filled with tiny shards of glass, and wine droplets.

I coughed continuously as I felt the air filling my lungs once more.

"Madhyam!" I heard Mukesh Singhania scream as he ran towards an unconscious Madhyam before me.

I took a few seconds to recover, and got up to run to Manik as soon as I could...

******************************************

Adrenaline coursed through my veins as I fought off every attacker!

The policemen were easy to handle, but the members of the security personnel of the Singhanias were quite skilled and physically strong.

However, my aggression and determination still seemed to have given me an edge over them.

The last man standing against me, tackled me and I stumbled to the floor. I tried to use the cane to block him, but his hands were tightening around my throat.

We wrestled for several seconds until I was finally able to flip our positions. As soon as I did so, I dropped the cane and immediately punched him on his nose, making it bleed thoroughly.

I then pierced my nails into his eyes almost as if I were about to gouge his eyes out. The man screamed in pain and I immediately stood up and kicked him hard on the chest, to knock his breath out and render him unconscious.

I closed my eyes and took a deep breath in order to relax myself.

When I opened them and scanned the room, the number of men that I'd knocked out seemed so large that even I felt a hint of surprise. Nyonika looked absolutely dumbstruck at the sight...

I immediately turned around to the spot where I'd left Nandini, and my heart sank when I saw it empty. The fear of losing her crept up on me once again...

"Manik?" Nandini's voice loomed in the background, and I swiveled around to see her standing safe and sound before me.

I immediately drew her close by yanking her hand and said. "You're not hurt?"

"No, Manik...Manik I have the recording...Manik, we have to run now..." She said, urgently.

As I processed her words, and observed the destruction in the drawing room, I realised that I wasn't responsible for all of it!

I saw a badly injured and unconscious Madhyam, a highly distraught Nyonika and a wounded Harshad before me. Mukesh Singhania seemed too shocked and traumatized to do much more than scream Madhyam's name repeatedly...and the lawyer was practically crouching under the staircase...

I looked at Nandini once again, as she held the playback device in her hand, triumphantly. I was in awe of her courage...she had risked herself once more in order to get me my ticket to freedom...how could I deny the fact that I was in love with her?!

And it was then and there that I decided to admit to myself that I was hopelessly and unequivocally, in love with this gorgeous, brave and selfless woman before me...

"Manik...we need to leave..." Nandini said, snapping me out of my introspection.

I nodded and held her hand firmly as both of us sprinted towards the door...

However, much to my chagrin, two brutish guards came in front of us once more.

I didn't have the stamina to take them on any more...I was all drained out...

"Recover the recording and then...Kill them..." A vengeful Mukesh Singhania, ordered.

A guard charged at Nandini, realizing that she was the one with the recording. I blocked his attack and engulfed Nandini in my arms.

They landed incessant blows and hits on my back and I sank to the ground, shielding Nandini entirely from them.

Pain inhabited my whole body as I took the entire brunt of their attack...

"Manik, there are hurting you..." She squealed against my chest, wiggling to get out of my grip and help me.

"Don't worry, Nandini...help is on the way..." I whispered into her ears, calming her down substantially.

I didn't know for how much longer I could take the beating...

Come on Cabir, where the hell are you? I cursed in my head.

I needed Fab Five right at this instant...now more than ever before...