How many hours was I inside the box? I don't know, but surely it opened after alot of dragging and dropping. Through the tiny gap of the box I saw that I was in a jeep and I traveled so far away from the mansion.

Am I happy that I am escaping that marriage tonight? Yes.

Am I scared that I am being taken away to somewhere far away? Yes.

I stayed mum all the time not wanting to get killed or make my kidnapper angry. Okay, so this is how it feels like to get kidnapped. How much money will this kidnapper demand from me? I don't even have a single piece of jewellery on me to negotiate with him. What else could I give to release myself?

Finally, the vehicle came to a halt and my box was carefully unloaded and got carried into some dark place. I shut my eyes tight as soon as someone opened the box.

I am broke so you will benefit nothing from kidnapping me. Money broke, food broke, marriage broke, my broke is broke. I tried convincing him so that he would leave me.

"Nandini."

You got postive karma points for kidnapping me from the mansion but you will get negative karma points for not releasing me.

"Nandini." He touched me and I shrieked with fear.

I opened my eyes to see an unexpected person infront of me in this well lit room.

Manik?

"Hahdhh hebheb" I said making my eyes wide.

"Your hands are free, Nandini. You could remove the tape from your mouth and speak." He said with a sigh.

My mouth is taped? Then he didn't hear me negotiating? Did I negotiate everything in my mind?

Emotional damage!

I pulled the tape harshly in an excitement to speak all the unsaid words. My mouth stung in the process making me yelp.

"Careful." He touched my lips with concern.

I danced internally feeling his touch after a long and I no need to push him away. I am no longer tied to anyone and I can be happy.

I can feel his gentle touch, I can kiss him and I can pull his hair. Nobody can stop me.

I looked down at my fingers feeling shy and saw the dress I am wearing bringing all my memories back.

Shit! It's his wedding too.

What is he doing here? I pushed his hand away from my face and stepped out of the box.

"What's this Manik? You kidnapped me?"

He chuckled.

"Do you think anyone has guts to cross Malhotra Empire territory and get into my mansion to kidnap you?"

"Why did you kidnap me?" I questioned him. "Where am I?"

I looked around the place I am in and remembered this mansion. It's Manik's office, where everything started here. This is where he brought me after burning my mansion, this where I performed my first surgery on his unconscious form, this is where I met my vegetable friends.

"You tell me, why are you running away?" He counter questioned me.

"Because I don't like your bullock cart brother and your mother. I don't want to marry." I said loud and clear.

"You are going back on your father's promise? That's interesting." He looked surprised.

"What? It's my life and my choice!" I said standing tall.

He muttered something under his breath and I couldn't hear but I am sure he was passing a sarcastic remark.

"What about you? Why are you here? You must be getting married to Alya right?" I said with a worry laced voice.

He shrugged.

"Shrug? Just a shrug? Dude, you must be joking! Why are you here with me without getting married to Alya? Tell me, Manik. What's happening?"

"What should I tell you?" His voice was loud. "I am not marrying so that I wouldn't lose you. Happy?"

Manik ran away from his marriage? He doesn't want to get married to Alya just to be with me?

I was in lost of words as I stared at his serious face.

"But what about your promise, Manik? A Boss never goes back from his words? It would bring a bad remark in your history and might cause you trouble." I said as my breathing quickened.

"I don't know and I don't care. I want to be with you. That's it." He said ruffling his hair.

What should I say?

A small smile rose on my face seeing Manik standing infront of me running away from his marriage, from his promise, from his mighty Boss rank just to be with me. He looked like a prince who was madly in love with his princess from the fairytales.

"You left everything to marry me?" I said not believing anything happening here.

He stopped in his tracks. "No. I said I am not marrying, not you, not Alya and not anyone."

What in the English alphabets is happening here?

"I didn't understand, Manik. You said you ran away from your marriage to be with me. Then you are saying you don't want to marry me. Can you explain?" I said as anger slowly seeping into me.

He stood calm.

"I want you to be mine and you did not agree to be with me if I marry anyone. So, here I am, I will not marry anyone in my life and we could be together."

"No. No. You got me wrong, Manik. I did not say like that, I said if we have to be together we have to get married and nothing else. No consort or no girlfriend, only wife." I said shaking my head at his reasoning. "I don't even love you and you took all the risk without asking me."

He gently pulled me close and tucked my hair behind my ear. "Why? I am willing to do all these things for you, can't you take just one step towards me? How can I melt your heart?"

My heart was already beating rapidly against my ribs seeing him this close and speaking softly. But I can't stay like this forever right? I want to marry someone at one point and settle in my life. But if Manik locks me with him without marrying me then I can't do anything.

I pouted. "Go to your mansion and marry, Alya. I am good staying single."

I ran out of the living room and sat on the steps infront of the main door. Manik followed me and removed his jacket and covered me with it, protecting me from the cold air.

He gathered a few wood logs and began hitting it with an axe to break them into smaller pieces. Every time the axe hit the wood my heat skipped a beat seeing Manik in his vest.

His biceps tightened with every move and his strong chest heaved as he took deep breath. A thick lock of his hair fell on his face disturbing his view bringing a frown on his face as he worked his magic on the wood logs.

I felt my cheeks getting hot seeing Manik in this look. He looked extremely charming and attractive while making an effort to make us warm.

"There's a sexual tension between us, but the mighty princess won't accept it." He said it aloud while putting all the woods in a same place.

I squirmed under my seat hearing his bold words. How can he speak so confidently? Well, that's another reason making him attractive.

He lit the woods creating a fireplace a few feet away from us in the front yard. He came back to me and sat beside me. He rubbed his palms together and kept my cold palms between his warm ones.

How sweet! Someone please stop my heart from coming out of my chest.

His skin glowing in the light of the fireplace as he looked intently at me. I dropped my eye lashes to cover my eyes hoping that it would help me from getting more shy.

I unknowingly went closer to his face and he gently placed his lips on mine. That spark feeling is back! I fisted my palms in his hold as he pressed his lips more into mine.

We did not deepen the kiss but enjoyed the presence of being together after all the hardships. It's the kiss I adore as it told me there is no need to hurry as we have all the time in the world.

His lips detached from mine and he kissed my forehead. I kept my eyes closed as a soft smile played on my lips hearing the fire crackling sound and our heartbeats.

"See, we don't need anything else to be together except for our honest feelings and concern." He whispered against my skin.

"Yes." I replied. Nothing mattered to me at that moment other than being in the arms of Manik.

I felt him smile and I came out of my world. "No. You manipulated me into agreeing with you. You Mafia people are dangerous."

I pulled away from him and regretted losing the warm contact.

"We Mafia people? Sorry, then what are you? Mainland citizen?"

"I am a Mafia princess, Manik. I do not kill, manipulate, or confuse people. That's why it's best not to get involved with Mafia Boss." I reasoned.

"Really? What about the princess father? Mr. Murthy is also a Mafia Boss! But I don't see you getting angry at him." He said showing a hint of green shade in him.

"My father only deals in kidnapping the mainland people. He doesn't manipulate people and give demands in a straight tone. He doesn't kill or confuse anyone." I said defending my father.

He raised his eyebrows. "Wow! I don't have a brave daughter to defend me so I give up against your logical points."

I smiled winning against the Mafia Boss. "That's why marry me and we can have a daughter who will defend you."

We looked at each other and immediately faced our opposite sides in awkwardness.

Shit! What did I say?

There was a pindrop silence between us and only the fire crackling sound filling the place.

"Dude!" I snapped out of my awkwardness. "The bride of one marriage and a groom of one marriage is missing from the marriage hall."

He closed his right ear as I shrieked. "You know how to destroy a romantic moment, don't you?"

"Manik, I am serious! Do you understand what just happened?"

"What?"

"Everyone will think we eloped! They will find us and punish us." I said getting worried.

"I don't care what others think and nobody punishes the Boss. I make the rules here." He said leaning back on his elbows.

"But I care, dude! I will not mind if they think we eloped if we end up marrying, but no, I don't want such tags for nothing." I said folding my arms above my chest.

"Why are you getting worried for everything? You have the top rank Mafia Boss on your side, Dammit! You think I will let anyone hurt the person, I love?" He is getting annoyed.

"That's the problem here, I don't love you."

We stayed silent once again before he spoke up gently. "What is love, Nandini? I want to hear from you, I want to know your definition of love."

Love is.... I don't know. I forgot ask myself this question before telling I don't love him. Think, something, Nandini. Think.

"Whatever it is, I don't love you, Manik." I said fumbling for words looking anywhere except him.

In a millisecond I saw blood splashing over the white walls of the mansion and I screamed in horror.
...

How is the update?

Did you guess Manik to be the kidnapper?

Woah! Even Manik is not marrying Alya. Now they both are single and we can patch them up with the help of vegetables friends.

What will happen next?

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