It was morning when nandini woke up in her room. The room was as usual arranged. All objects were replaced by new ones.  But those memories were playing like a video in Nandini's mind. She couldn't just forget what happened previous night. When nandini got her consciousness back, the first thing she was looking for was her husband. But manik wasn't there.

A thought crossed Nandini's mind.

"manik didn't return home the last night? "

"if not, then where is he? "

Nandini didn't understand if she was worried for manik or not but at that moment she decided to go and search for manik.

After Coming out of the room, nandini met dhruv who wasn't in a very good mood. Rather is seemed like he had something on his mind.

"dhruv.. Manik wapas aa gaye? " asked nandini.

"han bhabi.. Poori raat bahar the... Abhi morning ko hi aye hai.. But... "

Nandini was relieved to know that manik had returned home. But then the question was where is he?  Why is he not in his room. And adding on to it,  there was a 'but' which dhruv was gonna explain nandini.

"but? "

"app khud hi jake dekh lijiye... Bhai guest room mein hai"

Dhruv departed to his room and nandini decided to pay manik a visit and sort everything out.

After opening the guest room door,  a shocker awaited for nandini.

Infront of her... Was sleeping a drunk manik and beside him sleeping was priya.

What the hell is priya doing here? And why is she sleeping with manik?

Nandini had some anger issues these days. And priya was really starting to piss nandini off. She decided to reach her a lesson this time.

Nandini picked up the jug from the nearby table and poured the whole water on priya.

Priya got up, all drenched,  to see a angry nandini staring at her.

"hello mam... "

"app mere ghar mein,  mere pati ke saath , ek bed par kar kya rahi thi? " nandini sounded strong as if she is using her 'wife's lien' 😂😂 but whatever it is, nandini felt that it's the right thing to do.

"woh mam,  sir ne kal raat bahut drink kar liya tha so maine unhe ghar mein drop kar diya... Phir jab sir ko mrin unke room mein chodne jaa rahi thi tabhi sir ne mujhe guest room jane ko bola.... Aur jab mein unhe guest room mein chod kar jaa rahi thi tabhi unhone mera hath pakad liya aur mujhe jaane nahi diya"

After hearing priya's explanation,  nandini folded her hands and priya knew that she didn't manage to convince Mrs Malhotra.

"accha!! Aisa hua thaa.. Unhone tumhe roka aur tum ruk gayi.. Koi self respect hai yaa nahi tumhare pas.. Kisi ke bhi pati ke saath soo jaogi kya?  "
Priya was standing quietly cause she knew that if she tried to defend herself then she may get in more trouble.

"dekho... Itni insult hone ke baad bhi yahan besharmo ki tarah khadi ho!!  Now please leave and manik ko ghar drop karne ke liye thank you... And yahan se mein manage kar lungi.. Hmm.. Plz leave"

Without saying another word,  priya left the room.

**********

Priya entered preeti's room while she was sitting beside the mirror and was watching her beautiful face. She smiled after she saw priya standing at the doorstep.

"kaam ho gaya? "

"yes... Apne jaisa kaha tha... Waisa hi hua... "

Flashback:

After manik left the house the previous night,  preeti called priya.

"hello,  tumse jaisa kaha gaya hai waisa karna... Bhai abhi pohancte hi honge... Au unhe poora drunk karne ke baad hi Medicine dena.. Air listen iss baar dose increase kar dena... "

Preeti ended the call with a devil smile.

Present :

Nandini decided to clean manik up... So she dragged manik to the shower... Manik was in a semi conscious state.... But whilst in shower he noticed nandini..

"Nandini, mujhe pata hai tum yahan nahi ho.. I am just hallucinating.... Aren't i? "
Manik was so drunk ki he couldn't even stand properly

" manik sabhal ke... "

Nandini tried to support manik
But manik pushed her.

"nahi chahiye tumhara support.. Tum toh yahan such mein ho hi nahi... Yeh toh mera dil chahta hai tumhe dekhna.. Issiliye tum dikh rahi ho.. Warna tum toh kabhi meri care karti hi nahi thi.... "

Manik,  all drenched after the shower came out of the washroom.

Nandini too followed him

The floor was covered with water and  in the attempt to help manik nandini slipped and collided with manik. Manik caught nandini in his arms and after looking at her for a few seconds, manik pushed nandini towards a wall..... Though it didn't hit hard still nandini could feel the pain in her forehead.

"ahh!"

Manik turned around to see nandini in pain and suddenly he was all concerned about nandini.

" nandini!!  Are you ok?? "

Nandini looked at manik's face and there she could see sincerity and love.

Manik cupped Nandini's face in his hands and checked the forehead. That was not a very bad hit... Still manik felt guilty. And adding on the list, manik was heavily drunk.

He sat beside nandini.

"nandini... I know tum yahan nahi ko... Yeh sab real mein nahi ho raha hai... Tumhe pata hai... Meine bahut kosis ki... Tumhe khud se dur rakhne ki.... Kuinki jab bhi tum mere paas ati ho mein tumhe hurt karta huin... But phir bhi... I wanted you to atleast like me... But i know ki mere jese insaan se koi pyaar nahi kar payega... "

Tears were clouding manik's eyes....he knew that this is the time he opened his heart.

"pata hai.. Jab mein chota tha... Tab mujhe bahut saal tak apne papa se dur rahena pada.... Jab school mein parents teachers meeting hoti thi tab sabke papa mummy ate the... Lekin mere papa Aur mummy ke paas mere liye kabhi time hi nahi tha.... Kabhi kabhi toh woh log mujhe school se lana hi bhul jate the... Phir mein Wahi  beytha rehta... Akele...jab tak mujhe koi ghar nahi drop kar deta ya phir mein khud chal ke ghar naa pohunch jaun... . Ek chota saa baccha... Itne bade school meina akela baitha rehta tha.... Aur har waqt gates ko dekhta rehta tha ki kab uske bhi parents ayenge aur usse ghar le kar jayenge.... Raste mein kahin uss bacche ko ice cream khilange ....(tears rolled down manik's cheeks)  pata hai... My mom never bothered for me... Unhe shriff paise se matlab tha.. Ghar, family unke liye matter nahi karti thi.... Par papa... He used to love me... But woh bhi humare saath nahi rehte the... Mom toh week mein 3 baar bahar dinner karke ati thi... Aur mere liye there was no food... Mein aise hi soo jata tha.... Phir ek din, papa hume finally apne ghar le ke gaye.... Wahan mujhe mere cousins mile... Ek family mili.... Then mujhe pata chala ki mere dad ki pehlo bhi ek wife thi... Waqt ke saath saath mein sab bhulta gaya.. But mein mom ko kabhi woh respect de hi nahi paya... Kuinki woh respect deserve hi nahi karti... (now manik was crying)  nahi karti woh deserve.... Phir ekk din accident mein papa chale gaye... And that completely broke me.... Mere paas abb koi nahi tha jisse mein apna keh sakta tha... No one cared for me....all i wanted was love.... Tum bolo.. Was i expecting more... Meine kabhi God ko kuch nahi manga kuinki i had it all my life ki God ne mere kismat mein kabhi pyaar likha hi nahi tha.... I am like a black shadow... Jisse mera rista judta hai, usse barbad kar deta hun.... Tumhare saath bhi maine waisa hi kiya... But tumare liye mere feeling were clean... Still i could never control myself from hurting you....so i want you to stay away from me... Tum mujse kahin dur chali jao... I promise ki mein tumhe kabhi nahi rokunga.... You are free to go because i don't want ki tum apni life iss hell mein rehkar spend karo.... Tum meri fikar mat karna... I was alive till now... And kaise bhi karke I'll live my whole life... I won't commit suicide or something. Please... I request you ki tum chali jao... Chali jao mujhe chod kar please... "

Till now nandini was just listening to what manik was saying. Without evem knowing tears were their in Nandini's eyes too... She could feel her husband's pain. And it was the 1st time manik shared something with her. She was happy.

"manik please... App yahi rukiye.. Mein apke liye lemon water le kar ati huin"

Nandini got up and walked towards the kitchen. She knew that if she remained in the room with manik for some few minutes more then she would have taken a much daring step.

But in the kitchen,  preeti was waiting for her.

"kya hua bhabi? "

"bhaiya ne app ko harm toh nahi kiya naa?? "

Nandini didn't understand what preeti was saying

"mujhe pata hai.. Bhaiya ne jo bhi kiya hoga.. App kuch nahi bolegi.. App toh tolerate kar legi.. Jaise humesha karti hai...par this time.. Humne unhe thoda jyada meds diye the.. Toh i guess iss bar thoda jyada torture sehna pada hoga... I am so sorry " said preeti with a evil smile

Nandini smiled

"you know what, Tumhe nee apni planning thodi badalni hogi.. Kuinki abhi tumare unn meds kaa asar manik par nahi hota"

This shocked preeti. She froze from head to toe.

"no" she thought  "her plan can't fail"

"don't be shocked.... And yah...for your kind information.... Manik ne mujhse ajj bahut kuch share kiya aur mujhe bilkul bhi harm nahi kiya...."

"umm tum ek kaam karo... Doctor se koi aur medicine mangwa lo... Koi aur powerful medicine... But i promise... Tumhari koi bhi medicine abb manik pe koi asar nahi karne wali... Now if you will please excuse me... I need to take care of my husband "

Saying this nandini took a glass and the lemon juice jar and walked out of the kitchen.

*****

Guys,  the new cover is here. Hope you guys will like it.

Happy reading.