Always late but worth the wait? So finally after my long break I'm back with a super duper long update. Yes, I've broken my own record this time.

This update is more of a One Shoot because it's 9000 words long.😂

And and, my MaNan and PaNi babies are back with Season 3. Yaaayy! ❤️

thenoynicaahuja and Gulshan_14 are my gems. Couldn't have done this without them.🤧❤️

THE NEXT UPDATE WILL BE ACCORDING TO YOUR RESPONSE BECAUSE AFTER SUCH A LONG UPDATE I DO DESERVE IT. If I don't get a desired response then the update will be late as usual. :)

Okay enough of my blabbering.

Happy Reading.🎋

~*~*~

It had been some ten days already since Manik got his first wish fulfilled, and honestly, he had the best time of his life with the woman who was the best for him. Hands down.

With their professional lives progressing at a fast pace, they made sure that they took out enough time to spend with each other. Manik always used to drop by just to have his favorite cup of mocha made by Nandini. And for her, before she could even realize, she knew that her feelings for Manik would end a lifetime. Manik's case was no different - he woke up with a beautiful smile and his mind completely clouded with just her thoughts. And he knew, he was drowning deeper and there was no way out.

Today was just another Saturday and Nandini was cleaning up her cupboard with a loose tee on and hair wrapped around in a messy bun. Just when she was about to pick up yet another heavy box, the doorbell rang - she crossed and jumped over the cardboard boxes and opened the door, just to find her favorite face with a smile - there he was. Manik Malhotra. He stepped inside her house, gentle supported the back of her head with his palm and placed a delicate peck on her lips taking her off guard;

" Good morning, sunshine." He said in a honey-laced voice making her smile widely.

" So Mr. Malhotra, how are you here this early in the morning?" She asked as she poured out a glass of water for him.

" What do you mean? I was missing you." he said making a puppy dog face making her give him an 'are-you-serious' look.

"Manik, we just met last night. And plus its just 8.30 AM right now." she said as she made an akimbo.

" Sooo? Its been more than 10 hours already." he said while a making a bad face.

" You're impossible." she huffed and moved back to her room while he trailed behind her with an amused look on his face.

" Accha vaise aaj kuch special hai ya aise safaai abhiyaan karti rehti ho tum?" he said as he pointed at the boxes scattered around in her room earning a glare from her. She sat back on the stool and kept ransacking the cupboard making him chuckle silently. She was adorable, he thought. He immediately without any second thoughts, sat down beside her on the floor and rested his head on her shoulder making her smile, finally. Achievement unlocked.

"Nanuuu, yeh sab chodho naaa. Baad mein karlena." He slurred in a super cute voice. I mean, who could resist? She was no exception. She turned her face towards him and sighed with a smile adorning her face.

" Okay. I'll do this later." She said with a small smile.

" Really? Amazing! In that case Miss. Murthy, you're coming with me." He said excitedly.

" Coming with you? Where?" She asked, in a confused tone.

" To Malhotra Mansion. Chalo challooooo. Get ready." He pulled her up and slightly pushed her towards her cupboard.

" Arrey par kyun?" She asked again.

" Because today is the day when you're going to fulfill my second wish that is, to be my master chef." He said happily.

" But Manik you should've told me earlier naa. I haven't even got the stuff I need from the supermarket. Pehle batate toh sab kuch ready karke rakhti yahan pe." She said with a bad face making him sigh.

" Nandini. Come here." He said and made her sit on the bed. He sat down on his toes in front of her and held both her hands in his.

" Nandini, I didn't demand this wish so that you toil yourself unnecessarily in the kitchen for the entire day. No. I don't want that. I'd never want that. In Malhotra Mansion, at least you're gonna have ten odd people to help you out. Please come with me." He explained lovingly while her eyes shone like glass due to the overflowing warmth and happiness for him.

" Okay." She meekly whispered with a smile, took out her clothes from the cupboard and entered the bathroom. She came out wearing a dark grey colored crop tee and deep blue colored denim. She stood in front of the mirror and combed her hair straight. Just when she was engrossed in brushing her hair, Manik stood right behind her — looking at her lovingly through the mirror. He paced a little closer and slid his arms around her waist making her skin touch with his, making her shudder and tingle almost immediately.

" My gorgeous baby girl." He whispered in her ear and placed a soft kiss on it making her look down and blush.

" Manik, are you sure we don't need to pick up anything from the supermarket? And you know what the stupid part is, that you've not yet told me that what exactly do you want to eat." She said sweetly almost with an eye roll making him chortle.

" Okay. If that's what you want then, mujhe breakfast mein aaloo ke paranthe khaane hain with lassii." He said and slightly jumped like an excited kid who was gonna get his favorite chocolate.

" Bass? Ittu saa? Okay done. Ab chalein?" She said as she picked up her tote bag along with the house keys. He moved downstairs while she locked the doors properly.

" After you, my masterchef." He said with a million-dollar smile as he opened the passenger door for her. Just when she was about to shut the door, he surprisingly kissed away her temple gently, making his lips linger there for a couple of seconds and what followed was a handsome and dazzling smile.

~*~*~

The drive to Malhotra Mansion was a cozy one with both Manik and Nandini giggling and loudly singing out their favorite songs. That's how their lives were. Simple. Despite Manik being the heir of the Malhotra Empire, he chose to stay down to earth. True that he always has a mask on his face to his real, inner self but the people who're close to him, know the kind of person he was.

They reached The Malhotra Mansion well in time and were welcomed by servants greeting them and offering them water which they politely declined. They settled themselves on the huge couch in the master living room but soon were welcomed warmly and enthusiastically by Ginger. She jumped on Manik like an excited baby who'd just met her parents after a long, long time while Nandini just sat there and admired both of them heartily. Ginger climbed up the sofa and sat right beside Manik with her jaw almost resting on his thigh while Manik kept brushing her beautiful, golden fur. Nandini slowly moved ahead and placed a small kiss on Ginger's head after caressing it lovingly making both of them smile happily.

Nandini got up from the couch and moved towards the beautiful, huge and lavish kitchen of Malhotra Mansion. She was welcomed by the cooks who asked if she needed something to which she politely said no and following that was Manik Malhotra right behind her. The servants informed that both Raj and Nyonika have gone to one of her friend's house as they'd invited them to spend the entire day with them. Nandini asked the cooks to give her all the required ingredients and equipment so that she could make aaloo ke paranthe for Manik. Although the servants literally went into a frenzy when they heard that a guest would be cooking in their kitchen but Manik very politely explained that there was nothing to be worried about and Nandini wasn't just a guest. She belonged to his family just like Fab 5 did, which made Nandini's heart swell up with extreme happiness and a wide smile automatically made its way to her lips. The servants provided her with all the required help and material. Nandini boiled a bunch of potatoes which were mashed afterward with all the required spices and finally mixed with the dough. She tied her hair up in a bun while Manik just kept observing her as he sat on the high stool with his chin rested on his palm to which Nandini just passed a kiss in the air while kneading the dough to which Manik just stretched his hand upwards and pretended to have caught the kiss. He opened his fist and sent away another flying kiss her way making her shake her head and blush profusely.

~*~*~

The paranthas were prepared within 15-20 minutes along with a jug of lassi. Nandini had already asked Manik that how many paranthas did he want to eat to which he promptly said four making her shocked. After which followed a prolonged teasing session about the diet and greed the "fitness freak Malhotra" had while all Manik said was — "Hum punjaabiyon ka dil basta hai aaloo ke paranthon mein" to which Nandini just laughed heartily and awarded him with tight cheek smooch for his adorableness.

The paranthas were all prepared to be served while Manik sat on the dining table excitedly rubbing his hands and a wide grin on his face. She placed the big plate in front of him with two paranthas, a bowl of curd and a block of white butter with the remaining paranthas kept in the casserole nearby. She nervously sat down on the seat beside him and kept fidgeting with her fingers with a nervous look on her face. He tore apart a bite from the parantha, dipped it in the curd and put it in his mouth. And while he did this, Nandini's heart made sure that it's beats had automatically doubled.

He turned his face towards her, with a blank expression resting on his face as he stopped chewing for a moment and before she even knew she was in his arms as he twirled her around in the air making her go all blank.

" Nandini, this is literally the best-estttttt aaloo ka parantha I've everrrr had in my life. Mom aur daadi bhi itna accha nahi banati yaar. This is just out of the world." He said as he made her sit beside him again and kissed her palms lovingly.

" Aaaa karo." He said as if feeding a baby and put a bite in her mouth as well and leaving it for her to devour.

After literally hogging onto the four paranthas and gulping down the lassi in just one sip as Nandini just watched him eat after she'd eaten hers. Just when he was done eating his breakfast entirely, a loud burp escaped his lips making Nandini laugh a little to which he just smiled sheepishly.

"You are a master chef, baby girl. I would've asked you to leave your job and work at some huge hotel as a top chef but kya karun, I'm just too selfish to let you go away from my sight even if it's for a moment." He said with a smile which made her smile too.

" Let's go for a walk." She said as she held her hand and they moved towards the garden. They walked around the garden surrounded entirely with beautiful flowers and lush green trees, with Nandini's arm locked around Manik's.

"Manik, tumhaare grandparents kahan hain?" She asked all of a sudden making him sigh with a smile.

"They're in London. Daadu looks after the London branch of Malhotra Empire. Although he's pretty old so he just supervises stuff there. Taking the important decisions, being present at the meetings and all that stuff and my daadi? She's my darling. She's the most adorable and the coolest grandmother ever! Oh, and they keep visiting us frequently. They're gonna come here after a month, isn't that amazing?" He described excitedly making Nandini smile too.

" You know what Nandini? I feel like swimming today. You know, like a longgg, satisfying swim." He said with a peaceful smile.

"You should if you want to." Nandini said with a smile when she observed a slight change in his body language. He was suddenly a little awkward.

"Manik, is there something you want to say?" She said as she intertwined her fingers with his making him look at her almost immediately.

" Willyouswimwithme?" he said hurriedly making her almost gape at him.

" And you were hesitating because of this?" she asked plainly making him sigh as he freed his hand from her hold.

" Nandini, I didn't want you to feel uncomfortable. That's all. I promise." He said, with his hands softly cupping her cheeks.

" I can never be uncomfortable with you, Manik. Always remember this." She said as she cupped his hands with hers on top making him smile charmingly.

"But Manik, mein inn kapdon mein kaise swim karun?" she asked with a bad face.

" Toh kisne kaha tumhe inn kapdon mein swim karne ke liye? We'll go to your place and pick up your swimming costume and all the other necessities. Simple." He said as he simply shrugged making her mouth an 'ooooh'.

"Chalo, let's go." He said as they walked ahead with his arm around a shoulder.

They reached her place in no time. Nandini got out of the car and walked towards her building while Manik sat in his car waiting for her. She unlocked her house and dumped in her swimsuit, a pair of fresh clothes, a robe, sunscreen lotion and hair serum in her bag and again locked the house back and within ten minutes she was again in his car.

"Manik, in which pool are we gonna swim?" she asked hesitantly after they came back since there were two pools in the mansion. One in Manik's room and the other in the basement.

"The one in my room." he just answered with a small smile to which she just nodded.

"Nandini, you change here in the bathroom. I'll change outside in the shower cabin okay?" he said as he fished out his swimming trunks from his wardrobe drawer.

" Manik, you're sure right?" she asked again.

"Absolutely, baby girl." he said with a wink and walked away making her smile and blush at the same time.

~*~*~

She took a little while, just about 10 minutes to get ready for the swim completely. She put on a white translucent robe which reached up till her mid thighs over her swimsuit. She was nervous. Hell nervous. She'd never swam with a man ever. Nobody apart from her brother - and with him too she was in a tank top and shorts but never a swimsuit. This was different. She could feel bubbles of nervousness erupting in the pit of her stomach; her toes were almost curling while she kept on nipping her lower lip with her teeth, again and again - contemplating over the thought that should she finally step out of the door or not. She wasn't uncomfortable. Never with a man like Manik. She was sure about her own feelings. Hell. She was even sure as to what he felt. Finally, like finally drinking up an ounce of courage she moved towards the sliding glass door and slowly tiptoed towards the swimming pool just to see him completing a lap as he stopped by the grey tiled wall of the pool at one side. He pulled his hair up and combed them with his fingers with his eyes still shut as he took deep breaths and flexed his muscles a bit. Just as if sensing her presence around him, he opened his eyes just to find her staring at him already. She softly opened the knot of her robe revealing her peach-colored printed swimsuit with its shoulder strings making a criss-cross pattern on her back.

His eyes just kept staring at her's as if touching her pious soul making things go all pitter-patter inside her. His eyes were brown. Intensely brown. Even from a distance, she could see a flow of emotions turning up into high waves. It was as if their souls were catching on fire. Their eyes pulling them towards each other like magnets, with his dark eyes smoldering right into her hazel ones as a piercing stare was locked. She slowly walked down the white stairs of the pool as the almost lukewarm water touched her porcelain skin while their eyes still bore into each other. She gently picked up the pace and swam towards his side, with her arms and legs moving in a uniform motion making him almost suck in a breath. Something between them stopped her from breaking the eye-lock, probably the air or probably their intimacy. And all this while, all he could do was stare at her without even blinking his eyes; because if he did, he thought, he'd miss a beautiful part of her. Her beauty was understated; the kind of beauty she chose to never talk about and that was what made her extremely disarmingly unaware of what a gorgeous creation of god she was. There was a shyness to her, a kind of nervousness in her body movements and a softness in her almost erratic breathing. Her long chestnut brown colored wavy hair moving so perfectly along the flow of the blue, shiny water. He had never seen a woman as effortlessly beautiful as her. She reached up to him, breathing heavily while he just stood there like a statue, not averting his gaze from her even for a second. The tiny little water droplets still running down his shoulders to his well-toned torso making her lick her lips a little and before she could even register what happened, she was turned and trapped between the pool's wall and him. Their eyes speaking their own language, their hearts creating their own beats with their breaths mingling as she smelled the slight mint flavor from him. Covering up even the negligible distance, he moved even more close to her and trapped her wholly between himself and the wall with his arms caging her from both sides. Their noses almost touching while he intimately kept gazing her pink, petal-like lips and then into her eyes again and again. With their bodies almost sticking to each other as the heat rose up.

" Stop me, please." he pleaded in the same tone while she opened her eyes just to meet his', which were flooded with intense passion.

" I don't want to." she meekly whispered, still looking deep into his eyes.

Her heart pounded; her breathing grew labored as the proximity increased and she placed her palms on his chest, her eyes deeply locked with his. Manik swallowed, his heart constricting with emotions and his blood rushing through his veins at an electrifying speed, reacting to the most ethereal sight in front of his eyes. He was enthralled and bewitched — would be an understatement to his situation. His eyes — like the wisps of cloud at twilight - stared into hers as they raked over her body, sinking into her very soul. Goosebumps broke out on her arms and her insides began to melt. She tried to look away but felt entrapped by his gaze. The intense magnetism he exuded was palpable. With a slow groan, he clasped her waist from its curve and wrenched her closer, cohering their bodies and slowly brushed his lips along her cheekbone to her ear, then down until he could nibble her jawline. "Nandini" he whispered in a raspy voice, his warm breath feather-light against her lips. He kissed the corner of her mouth making her stomach curl in anticipation. "Do you have any idea what you're doing to me? You are so, so beautiful.. so pristine and I am afraid I might. ." He paused and gaped at Nandini who had reddened and had closed her eyes. She heard him stop and asked in a trance, her voice shaking and her body holding on to his for support, "What?" Seeing her condition, Manik also started loosing and his breathing fastened. "You're making me lose myself." he said gruffly as he took her lower lip between his teeth and tugged a little. Her head tipped back and his lips touched hers. It was a whisper of a touch, so tentative, the sensation so light, she wasn't sure she'd felt it at all. Before she knew what she was doing she reached up into it. He sucked in a breath and pulled back, just the slightest bit. His wild eyes searched hers. Heat bloomed in her cheeks. Manik gazed at her lovingly, his eyes softening with tenderness before sparking with something else. Invigorated by need and unable to contain himself anymore, he lifted her chin and rammed his lips on her shivering ones, kissing her ardently, taking the lead while she slowly responded. She clutched his hair in one hand and with the other hand she grasped his shoulder tightly and clung to his body. His proximity had been a little too much for her to handle and now that his soft lips were pressed against hers, she was completely and utterly lost. Her eyes closed fearlessly, but the closure didn't let her see darkness, it instead created colors of fondness. Warmth drooped over her as her insides melted. She held him tighter and pressed herself against him, arching into him and reveling in his strength, his fire, the alchemy between them twisting and burning and melding until it felt like gold. The gentle pressure of his slim, warm lips against her cold, plump, velvety ones was so exquisite and thrilling that it sent wild tremors along her nerves, inundating every one of her senses, evoking from her sensations she had never known she was capable of feeling.

The kiss had started off sweet and simple, slow and languorous, but within seconds, any sweetness disappeared. A growl in the back of his throat, he pulled her tighter into his body, his hands running down her back, clasping her thigh, drawing her closer. The friction between their cold, wet bodies was igniting a fire that only their bodies could feel. Her heart thrummed in her chest, and she felt her knees growing weak. Manik slanted her head further, deepening the kiss, leaving her heart beating at double rate and her breathing ragged. The tip of his tongue softly traced the seam of her lips, urging her to open up for him. The soft sensuous touch of his mouth on hers was robbing Nandini of her senses. She felt her lips scorched. Her whole being flared up with heat at his sweet insistence, until she parted her lips slightly, and surrendered with a soft moan welcoming the urgent thrusting that sent a wildfire of searing flames racing through her. She whimpered as he invaded her mouth, sliding his tongue against hers and back in an erotic dance that fired every cell in her body. Just when she thought she couldn't take the intensity, he lessened the pressure and sucked her lower lip softly, brushed his tongue over it, and then he repeated the movement- caressing her tongue, her teeth, the roof of her mouth. The taste of her drove him on until he had to break free in order to breathe.

" God! You are so goddamn irresistible, baby girl." He said, breathing heavily making her blush to the darkest shade of red to which she just threw her arms around him and hugged him dearly with her head resting on his shoulder blade.

" Oh my baby girl." he said sighing dearly and kissed her cheek lightly, making his lips linger there for a moment or so.

" Wanna have some of that?" He asked her as she finally broke the hug, eyeing the two tall glasses and a platter of strawberries to which she just nodded excitedly. Red wine and strawberries were her favorites and he made sure he knew that. She sat on the wall of the pool after putting on her robe while he still chose to stay in the water, with his arms leaning on the wall.

" I really loved your swimsuit, you know. You just look too..fiery in this." he suddenly said making her turn beet red as she looked down and covered her cheeks with her hair.

" Where did you swim earlier? Since swimming is something you love." He asked all of a sudden.

"Arrey that public pool in Bandra. Vahan pe." She said while slowly sipping her wine and suddenly noticed a change in his expressions.

"Ooo hold on a moment, possessive pants. I used to go in a ladies batch where even the coach was a woman. So relax." She said while grinning as she passed a kiss in the air to him making him relax and smile almost immediately.

" So you know, you can wear a bikini next time and raise up the temperatures, yet again?" he said with his tongue in his cheek making her widen her eyes at his audacity. Her blush seared through her cheeks and for a minute she thought her face was on fire, making him chuckle as he held her hand and kissed her knuckles dearly.

"Manik, stop staring. Its creepy." she said as she covered her red-hued cheeks with her hair.

"Tere chehre se nazar nahi hatt ti nazaarein hum kya dekheinnn." He sang dramatically making her widen her eyes and blush even harder.

"Manik, I'm going." she said and got up on her feet leaving him startled.

" Arrey Nandini, mazaak kar raha tha mein." he put forth his justification.

"Stupid, mujhe lunch ki preparations dekhni hai. It's 12.15 already." She shouted as she walked away.

" I'll be there in a while." he shouted back and dipped back into the water.

~*~*~

Nandini changed herself into a fresh pair of clothes and without a doubt, she looked gorgeous as always in a plain black tee and a pair of ripped jeans. She walked towards the kitchen and asked the butlers to keep the basic vegetables, sauces and spices ready which she'd be needing for preparing the lunch. She moved out of the kitchen, busy texting somebody on her phone and before she could realize, she bumped into a rock hard like surface, she balanced herself before finally falling into his arms and looked upwards just to find a man she'd never seen. A man as tall as Manik, with the same eyes as him.

" Whoa, gorgeous lady! Relax. Calm down." The man said while Nandini just passed a nervous smile to him. She was in the arms of a stranger. How awkward could that be? Just when she was about to attempt getting out of his arms, she was suddenly pulled upwards and hidden behind him. Manik. And there he stood face to face with that stranger with his arms crossed on his chest and a stern look on his face.

" Hi, bhai." the good-looking stranger said making Nandini shocked. Manik had a brother who looked almost like him and she didn't even know. Wow.

{ Introducing ~ Manik's younger brother, Siddharth Malhotra. 23 years old. Completing his MBA from the best B-School in Canada and is in Mumbai since his semester break has started and would be looking after The Malhotra Empire in Cabir's absence }

" So Nandini, this is my annoying, little brother. Sidharth. And Sid, this is Nandini, my girlfriend." He introduced with a smile as he wrapped his arm around her shoulder to which Nandini just waved her hand at him with a smile making her chuckle mentally at his possessive behavior. Was he jealous of his younger brother? What even.

" Toh aap ho jiske peeche mere bhai deewane hai. I mean, hats off yaar. Aapko naa koi award dena chahiye inke jaise workaholic insaan ko jhelne ki. But I'm so glad that he has you, mera bhai hai thoda sadu saa but he's a gem." Sidharth said with a smile to which Nandini just nodded happily and Manik stood there making all sorts of frowns.

" Oh bhai, btw I accidentally spilled coke in your BMW. Sorry." He said and that was it, both of the well grown Malhotra men were running around the house like Tom and Jerry.

" Meri waali se flirt karna bandh kar aur apni waali ko jaake Canada mein sambhaal. Because pehli baat Nandini tere type ki bilkul nahi hai. She's that innocent and shaant baby bird. And secondly, shes two years elder than you. Toh sochiyo bhi matt. Aur vaise bhi usse sirf mein hii jhel sakta hoon." He said, panting heavily as he caught hold of Sid finally.

" That is so mean, Manik Malhotra. Ab apna lunch aur dinner bhi khudh hi banalena." Nandini said angrily and went away as she stomped her foot.

" Good luck, bhai. Aapko bohot zaroorat hai." Sid said as he suppressed a chuckle and patted Manik's shoulder, earning a glare from him.

" Arrey Nandini, sunoo tohhh.." He shouted and almost ran behind her leaving Sid in fits of laughter.

~*~*~

While Nandini was cursing Manik silently with all sorts of frowns and scowls on her face as she was mixing all the spices together for the lunch, Manik came from behind and signaled the butlers in the kitchen to leave to which they just nodded once and moved out. He softly took her in a back hug, with his arms gently around her stomach while she kept doing her work without being bothered.

"Nannuuu, arrey baba I was joking." he pleaded again to which she just turned around, shot him a glare and got busy doing her work again making him sigh.

"Accha ab tumhe uss sense se lena hai toh lelo but technically, agar mein tumhe jhel raha hoon toh tum bhi toh mujhe jhel rahi ho." He put forth an excuse again but no avail. She moved towards the washbasin to wash her hands while he just kept following her.

" Suno naaa, suno naaa, sunlooo naaaa." He sang finally making her chortle a little which didn't go unnoticed by him and had a wide grin on his face. He again took her in a back hug, a little tightly this time, with his head bent down and resting on his shoulder.

" Nandini mein sacchii mazaak kar raha thaa. I didn't mean any of it. It's just that, you know naa.." he trailed off making her smile.

" Aww monster was jealous of his own brother. Soooo cuteeee." she squealed happily making him make a bad face.

" Tum mujhe yeh cute bulana bandh karo, mein koi baccha nahi hoon." He said as he hugged her again, ironically behaving and complaining like an adorable baby.

"Okay." She said and kissed his cheek with a smile.

" Tum pakka gussaa toh nahi ho naa?" he asked again.

"Mujhe pata hai ki tum mazaak kar rahe the and you didn't mean any of it. So relax." She replied with a small smile and got busy preparing the dishes.

" Acchaa tohh kya bana rahi ho tum?" he asking excitedly while slurping a little making her laugh loudly.

" Achaari chicken, Afghaani chicken korma, fish curry and kadhaai paneer and mushroom." She finished listing out the menu while he stood with his mouth hanging wide before she could even discern, he'd caged her completely in his arms.

" Nandini, I know you've never cooked non-vegetarian dishes but you're still doing all this just for me. Trust me, you don't have to do it. Kuch aur banalo please. Something that is simple to cook." He pleaded as he looked into her eyes which were shining brightly.

" Manik, I want to do this. Not for you, but for myself. And I always wanted to cook non-vegetarian food but I could never gather the courage to. Issi bahaane I will get to learn something new as well. And trust me, I am really enjoying this a lot." She said happily and kept the fish curry on the stove to cook since it would take more time than the rest.

" Oh also, all of these are my favorite. Including you." He said with a delightful smile, pecked her lips softly and exited the kitchen leaving a smiling Nandini behind.

~*~*~

It took entire two and a half hours for Nandini to prepare all the dishes and in between Manik made sure that she was not toiling herself unnecessarily. He made sure she kept drinking water, sat down to rest for a while and the butlers right beside at her all times to help her out. Kadhai paneer and mushroom was made by the cook while the non-vegetarian dishes and the dessert, which was suji ka halwa was made by Nandini. It was finally lunch time, with the two Malhotra men sitting on the dining table as Nandini walked inside while wiping her hands with the apron.

"Hey guys." she chirped happily which immediately diverted the attention of the two men towards her. Manik sprang up to his feet and almost dragged Nandini with him and made her sit on the chair. The butlers entered the dining room with the dishes and the required crockery. They laid down the plates, spoons, and napkins for which Manik and Sid thanked them as they left after keeping the prepared dishes. While Manik and Sid inhaled the delicious aroma of the food, Nandini sat there almost eating away her nails in nervousness. Manik had a bite of achaari chicken while Sid had one of afghaani chicken korma and within a moment all she could hear was — "OH MY GOD." She was soon engulfed in a tight, squishy hug from Manik while Sid just smiled happily seeing them.

" Nandini, are you sure you've cooked this for the first time? Because I don't think so. This is just simply out of this world. This is just so damn heavenly." He said while tasting the tempting fish curry. While Sid chose to appreciate her dearly too. For Sidharth, Nandini was just the elder sister he never had and the same was for Nandini. She always wanted a younger brother and her wish was finally fulfilled. Although the gap between them was just a year and that was what made both of them extremely comfortable. While at the same time Manik was pleased seeing Sid jelling up so well with Nandini. She was indeed a heart winner. After a good span of thirty minutes, all three of them finished having the ambrosial and appetizing lunch. The servants took away the dishes and got fresh bowls for the halwa making both Sid and Manik slurp seeing the mouthwatering sweet dish. Despite the fact that their stomachs were filled up to the brim, they still chose to eat the entire bowl of their favorite dessert. I mean, who could resist sujii ka halwa?

"Nandini dii, aap naa permanently yahin shift hojaao at least roz roz hume itna tasty khaane toh milega. I swear, I have never in my life had such divine food." Sid said happily making Nandini almost blush at all the praises.

"Mein toh pehle hi isse bol chuka hoon to shift here but koi baat nahi, voh din bhi zyada duur nahi hai." He said with his tongue in his cheek as he secretly winked at Nandini to which she just widened her eyes and blushed, understanding the hidden meaning in his talks.

"Now I'm gonna go and have a niceeee sleep, thanks to my jet lag and of course, the delicious supper." Sid yawned and stretched lazily.

" See you later, gorgeous." Sid said and moved towards his room making Manik roll his eyes at the endearments he'd given to his girl.

"Chalo, I deserve a nap too now." He said in a sleepy voice as he pulled her along with him to his room.

~*~*~

They woke up after a short nap and moved downstairs again when the butlers informed that Sid had gone to meet his friends. Nandini moved towards the kitchen and came back with a bowl filled with various fruits and a glass of lemonade for Manik at which he smiled gratefully to which she just ruffled his hair lovingly. Today was officially his diet cheat day because he really didn't care if he was having mangoes instead of his healthy dragonfruit. While Manik was busy savoring his fruit salad and making gurgling sounds like a baby with the straw which was in the lemonade making Nandini chortle a little at his attention-seeking antics, Nandini spent a good time playing around and talking with Ginger. Ginger surely loved Nandini's company a lot; who didn't?

"Come, I'll show you my jam room." Manik said as he kept the bowl on the center table and held her hand as they moved towards the second floor where the jam room was. They reached the jam room which had a board outside - RESTRICTED ENTRY. Band members only - at which Nandini looked at Manik and asked if he was sure to which he just rolled his eyes and opened the door. He switched on the lights making Nandini awestruck with the interior. The jam room was huge and was divided into two parts. The first part was where all the instruments were kept along with two couches and the second half was a mini recording studio, which obviously did not look mini at all. The walls painted in subtle colors with quotes related to music written on them. Nandini immediately turned towards Manik, with her mouth ajar to which he just simply shrugged with an innocent face. She sighed and moved towards the instruments, touching them lightly with a smile on her face. She turned back towards him just to find him smiling at her already.

"Chalo, I'll teach you how to play the guitar." He said as he picked up his black acoustic guitar from its stand.

"Are you serious?" she asked almost jumping.

"Very." He replied with a smile as he tuned the guitar. He made her sit on a high wooden stool and crossed over the guitar strap around her, with the guitar in her lap. He stood right behind her. As Nandini held the guitar steadily, he held her hand which was placed on the frets from behind and told her to slowly play the strings. After a try or two, she wasn't able to handle the strings properly. So Manik just kept his hand over her hand which was placed on the strings and played along with her and all this while she kept looking at him time and again how mesmerizingly music was flowing out of his soul and how beautifully his eyes shone. She smiled a little at him and again got busy focusing on the guitar.

After about 20 minutes, Manik finally looked at her just to find her smiling at him already —

"Liked it?" he asked.

"Loved it!" She happily exclaimed.

"Okay so now, what do you want to do now?" He asked her with a smile at which she just shrugged.

"You remember the last time when I gave you a tour of Malhotra Mansion?" He asked her to which she just nodded in confusion.

"There was one place left. Come, I'll take you there." He said eagerly to which she just mouthed an 'okay' to him.

Manik held her hand as they walked into the garden making Nandini all confused since they'd visited the garden just a while ago;

" Manik, hum abhi toh aaye the garden." She said in a confused tone.

"Arrey baba, you just come with me." He said as they stopped outside a wooden door with square glass windows. She could smell the intoxicating aroma of coffee from inside which made her even more curious. Manik pushed open the door and what she saw, obviously shocked her to wits. A mini café inside the mansion? Holy fudge muffins. The interiors brown with wood and bricks, glistening with dim yellow lights, with wooden tables, high stools and green plants placed on them along with soft music playing in the background. It was indeed beautiful and peaceful at the same time.

"Good evening, John!" Manik greeted the man at the counter happily.

"A very pleasant evening to you too, Manik." John replied in an American accent. While Nandini just kept staring at both the men in astonishment. What on earth was even happening? He had a private jet, a mini theatre in his house, his own effing cafe in the mansion! Damn. Her man was definitely filthy rich and she was extremely proud of it.

"John, this is Nandini and Nandini this is John. He's been here in Malhotra Mansion for more than 7 years now." Manik introduced with a smile at which Nandini just waved a 'hi' at the chef to which he did the same.

"So John, how about you make Nandini's favorite red sauce pasta?" Manik asked John to which he instantly nodded in agreement. Manik held her hand and carefully made her sit on the high top wooden stool and sat opposite to her and held both her hands and his while she was looking around, drinking the beauty of the place.

"So, kaisa laga surprise?" he asked, breaking her trance.

"Just out of the world. I honestly never expected this." Nandini replied with a smile.

"Always expect the unexpected, baby girl." he said and kissed her knuckles making her blush. While they kept on talking, John came to their table and kept the steaming red sauce pasta in front of Nandini and left for the garden, leaving the couple all alone to themselves there. Nandini's eyes gleamed with joy seeing the white platter of her favorite food in front of her. She bent down a little and inhaled the redolent aroma of the pasta and closed her eyes in delight while Manik chuckled a little looking at her antics. She picked up the fork and fished out a bite and immediately put it in her mouth and all she could do was moan at the scrumptious and juicy pasta. Just when she was busy devouring the pleasant flavor, Manik cleared his throat to grab her attention making her snap away from her food land. She looked at him sheepishly and offered him a bite from her hand which he had readily. And before she even knew, within a few bites the pasta was finished. Just when they were talking and giggling over something, his favorite song played on the music system, he jumped to his feet and offered his hand to Nandini;

" So my lady, would you like to join me for a dance?" he asked softly making her snicker a little.

"I'd love to." she replied with a smile and placed her tiny hand in his.

I found a love for me
Darling just dive right in
and follow my lead.
Well I found a girl beautiful and sweet
I never knew you were the someone waiting for me
'Cause we were just kids when we fell in love

{ he lip-synced the lyrics alongside as they slow danced, with her dainty body caged in his muscular arms, she looked right into his eyes just to find plain truth and sincerity in them }

Not knowing what it was
I will not give you up this time
But darling, just kiss me slow, your heart is all I own
And in your eyes you're holding mine

{ he lip-synced again and bussed her forehead affectionately making her smile and blush at the million butterflies which were dancing in her stomach due to the feelings that man in front of her was evoking in her }

Well I found a woman, stronger than anyone I know
She shares my dreams, I hope that someday I'll share her home
I found a love, to carry more than just my secrets
To carry love, to carry children of our own
We are still kids, but we're so in love
Fighting against all odds
I know we'll be alright this time
Darling, just hold my hand
Be my girl, I'll be your man
I see my future in your eyes

{ he sang lovingly, as he looked into her eyes. How beautifully her eyes were shining with happiness. Happiness that was because of him. She rested her head on his shoulder, almost in the curve of his neck as her hold on his t-shirt tightened. They swayed, so lost in their own world as if floating in the air instead of doing the movements. He could feel her soft breath fanning on his neck making him smile at his woman with the heat of his palms that had consumed her entirely. }

Baby, I'm dancing in the dark, with you between my arms
Barefoot on the grass, listening to our favorite song
I have faith in what I see
Now I know I have met an angel in person
And she looks perfect
I don't deserve this
You look perfect tonight

{ she had absolutely no control over her mind and body anymore. With his hand firmly wrapped around her waist, preventing her from collapsing in his arms. The magic seemed to grow with each sway and touch. Before they even knew, the beautiful song ended, while they kept standing in the same position as she snuggled more into the negligible space between them. She was his and he was hers. There was nothing that could change that. }

"I wonder what I did to have you in my life. You are a blessing." she almost whispered, making him smile.

"The same thing that I did to have you in my life, baby girl." he said with a smile making her smile too.

" Its dark already. Let's go back." He said, making her nod as he held her hand and moved out of the mini cafe.

~*~*~

"Dinner mein kya khaaoge?" She asked him as they walked inside.

"Nothing." He immediately replied making her roll her eyes.

"I know you're in no mood to eat anything heavy so I'm making whole wheat noodles and salad for dinner. Is that okay?" She asked.

"Perfect." He grinned.

"Acchaa usmein toh zyada time nahi lagega, how about you play PS4 with me?" He suggested to which she just shrugged.

"Give me five minutes. I'll keep the noodles on the stove and then come." She said and left for the kitchen. She emptied the noodles' content, added all the needed spices and vegetables and covered it with a lid, leaving it to cook properly. She came back to the living room just to find Manik and Sid engrossed playing and fighting together. She sighed and shook her head, moving back to the kitchen. She thought of preparing cheesecake as the dessert. She prepared the batter and left the cake to bake in the oven.

"Guys, dinner is ready." She said while wiping her hands on her apron making them snap their heads towards her and looked at the wall clock, mouthing an 'oh' to each other. They moved to the dining room when Sid announced that he wouldn't have dinner since he had already eaten a lot with his friends. Now it was just Manik and Nandini, they settled down. The butlers came and placed the bowl of noodles and well-garnished salad. Nandini took a spoonful of noodles and forwarded it towards his mouth to which he readily opened his mouth and relished the taste. He took her hand and brushed his lips with her knuckles, almost like an eskimo kiss making her blush. The dinner passed away in beautiful silence with Manik holding her hand all that while. She was about to get up from the chair when his eyes chose to talk to him —

"Arrey baba, dessert lene jaa rahi hoon. Give me a moment." She said with a smile making him nod a little. She came back in no time with a small platter covered with a semi-circular lid and placed it in front of him, making him confused. He looked at her while she gestured him with her eyes, asking him to remove the lid. Just as he removed the lid, a sweet fragrance hit his nostrils while he closed his eyes in delight to inhale it. He opened his eyes just to find his favorite dessert in front of him. Blackforest cheesecake. He excitedly looked at Nandini just to find her chuckling silently looking at his expressions.

"Are you even serious?" he asked with his mouth open to which she just nodded simply, still chuckling a little. He immediately dug the spoon in the moist and soft piece of cheesecake and pushed it into his mouth and all he did was moan in awe with his eyes closed. He suddenly stood up and turned towards her; he held her nape protectively in his hand and softly pecked her lips, leaving her stupefied.

"This is extremely out of context, and I'm saying this again but you are a blessing in my life and I'm never letting you go. Never." He almost whispered and softly kissed her forehead, letting his lips linger there for a moment or so making her close her eyes in a reflex action.

"The cheesecake is magical. You know, cheesecake is my most favorite dessert in this whole world. Thank you." He said with a smile, with his hands still softly cupping both the sides of her neck.

"There's more in the fridge." she said with a small smile making his eyes twinkle which made her laugh a little.

"Manik, tum kitne cute ho." she said while giggling and pulled his cheeks a little at which he made a bad face and continued eating the cheesecake.

"Done." he grinned after finishing two pieces of cheesecake making Nandini laugh loudly. She moved ahead and wiped away the leftover stains around his mouth with her thumb. Just when she was about to wipe her hand with the table napkin, he held her hand and slowly licked away the little amount of cheesecake on her thumb leaving her body almost paralyzed with his act.

"I hate wasting cheesecake." he huskily whispered in her ear making her snap out of her reverie.

"Bohot badmaash hote jaa rahe ho tum." she said while blushing as she walked away as she picked up the plate leaving Manik to laugh heartily at her expense.

~*~*~

A while later, they finally decided to head towards his room and rest. With Nandini completely engrossed in reading her favorite book - Love Actually and Manik? Well, he was enjoying himself completely. He had his head rested comfortably in Nandini's lap, with her one hand resting in his thick, black hair and on the other hand, Manik Malhotra chose to play around with her long, dark brown tresses ; sometimes twirling her hair strang around his finger, rubbing them between his fingers, smelling them and what not. But the only thing that was annoying him was her attention, that was completely focussed on her book instead of him. Yes, Manik Malhotra was cursing a book in his head. Can you imagine? He finally sighed in annoyance and started knocked on the back of her book at which she finally sighed and kept the book aside.

"Kya chahiye tumhe?" she asked him with a poker face.

"Tum uss kaagaz ki cheez ko itni attention kyun de rahi ho jab mein yahan hoon? Mujhse baat karo naaa. Tumhaari book thodi naa bhaag rahi hai kahin." he said with a grumpy face making her smile, which she hid immediately.

"Toh tum konsa kahin bhaag jaaoge?" she asked and the biggest wonder, Manik Malhotra was left zapped.

"Haan haan. Mein bhaag jaaunga. Mein timbaktu jaa raha hoon. Huhh." he said and turned his face away.

"Bhaag ke? Accha chalo jab pohonch jaaoge tab mujhe call kardena." She said, suppressing her laughter and picked up her book again while Manik just had a 'seriously?' look on his face.

"Enough is enough." He got up from the bed, snatched away her book and kept it on the table while Nandini sat there, all shocked with his actions. He came and scooped her up in his arms and made her lie down comfortably. He switched off the lights, leaving just the side table's lamp on and lied down beside her, pulling her completely to himself while all she did was observe his actions.

"Aise matt dekho. You need rest too. And you are my priority, rest everything can wait." He said with a small smile at which she smiled back at him and snuggled more into his chest, with his tee shirt fisted in her hand.

"Good night, baby girl. Thank you for the best day ever." he said and kissed her forehead at which she smiled with her eyes closed. And within no time, due to the tiredness, she was fast asleep while Manik kept caressing her hair in utmost satisfaction.

"My precious baby." he said to himself with a beautiful smile and adjusted the duvet on her completely. They said, to make her fall for you, you have to make her smile but every time she smiled, it was him who kept falling deeper and harder.

~*~*~*~

" I don't believe in magic." said the boy.
The old man smiled and replied — "You will once you see her."

_________

• Malhotra Mansion {MANNAT} •

• Manik's Room •

• Mini Terrace's Entry •
{It's not a balcony, it's more of a mini terrace connected to Manik's room.}

• Sitting Area {Left Side}•

• Sitting Area {Right Side} •

• Swimming Pool •

[The lower ground floor/basement has at Mannat/Malhotra Mansion has an underground parking and servant quarters. Upper ground floor/ basement II has an indoor, huge  swimming pool and a full fledged gym.
Ground floor has five rooms out of which two rooms belong to Sid and Manik's parents respectively and the other three are used more like guest rooms whenever Fab5 or Manik's relatives visit. The first floor has Manik's room and his mini terrace which also has a mini-gym with just the basic equipment like dumbbells. The floor has their jam room and a mini theatre.]

______

Thankyou for reading.✨
~Vx.