Alya's demands made everyone to stay silent. It was Harshad who broke it with his loud voice, "There's no way you are getting anything from my share. She is giving me as her son and not for Nandini. Mama, let's not give anything to anyone and I will stay here for the next three years."

Niyonika patted his back. "It's alright, Harshad. Let her have her share of my wealth, it's not like we are broke. You are my son and you will earn alot more than this and will shut everyone's mouth."

"No. Mama, you are not understanding, why must you give it to her? It's mine, all this must belong to only me." Harshad yelled pulling his hair.

"Angel, please calm down." Niyonika tried to calm him but he pushed her away and she fell down.

"Don't act as if you love me, old hag. Give me the money or else I will kill you and kill myself." His words were surprising to Niyonika and me.

Niyonika gasped. "I am such a bad mother to make an angel like you angry. I am sorry son, I can offer you only so little. Please don't deny your mother's love and accept the 6 billion of my wealth."

Harshad shoved her away once again and yelled on her face. "Then why did you give birth if you are not wealthy enough to invest in your son. You are a dumb woman and so is that Nandini."

"I didn't know things will turn out to be like this, Harshad. I thought I could trust Manik with our family wealth but he turned out to be heartless and is enjoying his family members in misery. Please don't get angry on me, my son." She continued requesting him.

Harshad immediately straightened his posture hearing Manik's name and looked at him while sweating. "I am sorry, I didn't mean to yell at your mother. It was an accident..." He tried to make some excuses.

Why is he behaving so different? He was nothing like this the first time he came to the house, then how did he become so violent? Did we turn this innocent man into a violent person? Or was he always this violent and I never noticed it?

Manik did not say anything and simply stared at the scene as if it was not his mother and he was just a passerby.

Niyonika wiped her tears and stood up. "Why are you asking his forgiveness, Harshad? You have full rights to hurt me as a dutiful son, unlike him who never behaved like my son nor treated me like a mother. All he cares is his business, but you always cared for me and I am not at all angry on you."

Harshad did not speak this time and peeped to look at Manik from time to time to see his expressions. But he stayed calm confusing me more.

"Mama, I just want to go away from here." Harshad's voice was shivering. "Give me anything you have, I will take it. I am happy getting married to Nandini within this week."

"Now, that everyone is happy to kick you out of the Malhotra Empire's territory, you better behave yourself, Harshad. You will be living only on your mother's wealth, and I am afraid your wrong emotions might cost you that as well. You will walk out of my territory leaving every single thing belonging to this Empire. And if I find you sneaking anything out," He paused and questioned Cabir for the punishment for stealing.

"Removing three fingers on either hands and slicing the tongue." Cabir's answer made Harshad gulp in fear and he nodded agreeing to Manik's terms.

Manik took a step forward to leave this room but stopped seeing my teary face and turned back to Harshad once again, "Most importantly, she is still not your wife and you do not have any right on her. You will stay 50 metres away from Nandini all this week, even if she stands in your room you have to follow this rule."

Harshad held Niyonika's fingers and looked at the floor. "If I do not have any right, then with what right you are putting this rule?"

Manik smirked. "Murthy Mafia comes under my territory which means Nandini is mine." He confidently said it infront of everyone. "And you don't want to hear the punishment for disobeying this rule infront of your mother." Manik said sparing a glance at Harshad's pants making him run away from this room.

Niyonika cursed Manik openly and limped towards Harshad out of this room. I saw Manik looking the bleeding foot of Niyonika as his eyes filled with pain. Why isn't he openly caring for his mother if he has so much love for her?

Our thoughts came to a halt with Alya's voice. "Boss, I don't want to hear anymore reasons. We have already delayed getting married and this time I want it to be done by this week."

"How can you decide it without my permission, Alya?" He said with anger replacing his face and Cabir stood beside him.

Alya shrugged. "Are you planning to kill the Rathore or not? I don't know about you, but every passing second is making me mad that the Rathore is still alive." She gritted her teeth. "I want his head as my first gift after the wedding and you will get access to my firearms factory the moment you say 'I do' as per our agreement."

Manik closed his eyes and his chest rose and fell with every breath he took. He opened his eyes and looked at me infront of him. "Cabir, Alya, let's speak in my garden."

He walked out of the room and Alya followed him leaving me alone. Well, everyone has someone to care for them except for me.

I sighed and walked to my room and removed the cape to look at my arms. My forehead was now red and my arms had bluish bruises due to Harshad's harsh behaviour.

I ran my fingers over my arms and winced in pain. It was so sore and I doubt if the orange water can cure it. But wait, I have seen the same type of bruises on somebody's arms as well. Who was it? It was so recent and I saw it very close? Who was that person who got hurt? I tried hard to remember the person's face or name but it felt impossible.

Navya!

Yes, it was her. I saw her arms with bruises one day and she tried to cover her arms. She was crying just like me, and was hurt. But what happened to her? I remembered the way Harshad treated me and how he had a different face from his usual.

Did Harshad hurt Navya?

That thought itself is scary! He is the only person I trust who doesn't belong to the Mafia world, who is gentle, who believes in justice. And the doubt of him being a monster is scaring me. Suddenly, I felt the room getting smaller and smaller as I felt difficult to breath.

I opened the door to get some air and calm myself. I must not overthink and push the only person in my life away. Please stop, I have only seven days and I must not have second thoughts. Please make everything right, please remove all the negative thoughts and let Harshad be the angel. Please don't let me doubt my parents choice.

I saw Manik first thing as soon as I opened my eyes. He was standing in the Hallway directly looking at Niyonika while pretending to work on his documents. Niyonika was getting her bleeding foot tended by her maid while Manik stood behind and carefully observed till she got first aid. The maid nodded her head at Manik secretly and he sighed in relief knowing Niyonika isn't hurt badly.

Manik walked ahead to leave the living room and our eye met bringing the entire world to an abrupt stop. I had so many questions so does he but we do not have any time left. From this second, our lives our different just like our destinations.

I broke our eyes contact and ran inside my room and shut the door. I pulled Mr. Pillow Malhotra from the couch and hugged him tight while tears fell from my eyes. "Why am I feeling like this, Mr. Pillow Malhotra? Shouldn't I be happy getting married to the gentleman, Harshad? Why do I want to be with Manik, isn't he a monster? Manik doesn't care about anyone, he is selfish. I started crying only after meeting him."

I inhaled the hoodie to calm myself. "But Manik never hit me, he didn't even yell at me. It was Harshad who hurt me, then why am I seeing him as an angel and Manik as monster?"

I pulled my hair with confusion and fell to the floor along with the pillow and cried more. "Why must Manik kill my parents? It would be nice if he didn't do that act and maybe things would be different..." I trialed off as sleep took over my tired form.

Knock knock

I woke up with a start as someone knocked on my door. Who could it be? The room is now dark and I can guess its night already as I fell asleep in the noon. My sleeping habits have to change!

I opened the door and two overly enthusiastic men barged inside my room. "Hello, my little pumpkin." The said together and made themselves comfortable in my room.

These designers!!

"What are you doing here?" I questioned.

One of the designer rolled his eyes at me. "To prepare you for your wedding, duh!" He sat on the corner of the bed. "I mean, who gets married in a week, that's so short notice to prepare everything. Your new year party was better than your wedding, as I had atleast more days to prepare." He kept rambling.

The other one pulled out different types of sample fabrics catalogue and began discussing things with his partners.

And this is where I realised my life will no longer be normal as I have to face my most important exam of my life. I have to prepare myself and face it.

...

How's the update?

Don't worry there won't be Harshad and Nandu scenes as their wedding is only within a week.

Why does Manik behave cold towards Niyonika but care for her behind her back?

Do you have any ideas for Manan scenes you wish to read?