Don't be stupid Nandini! Love, Me, and Manik. Three different words in one sentence is not possible.

This question made all my tiredness go out of the window and now I am pacing the entire room, occasionally tripping over the things I threw earlier.

First of all, Manik is a Mafia Boss and I am a princess. We come from different world and there is not even a single match about our day to day life. He wakes up to kill people and I wake up to ... eat? Whatever, I wake up because it's morning! Duh!

But love doesn't happen according career right?

I have to love only a Prince because that's what is said in every fairytale for a happy ending. But who is a Prince?

Prince is someone who is handsome, caring and looks after his people selflessly.

I would be lying if I said Manik isn't handsome. He is the most attractive person I have ever seen with those caramel eyes, chiseled jaw, those strong muscles, his height, and most importantly his hair. That black,  thick hair on his head which I love the most about him.

And care? I like how his brows knit together seeing me sad. He was ready to burn Navya alive for hurting me. Those maddening eyes looking at a drop of blood on my face. He even sat up next to me all night when I was unwell. I mean a Mafia Boss who could make any work by a click of his fingers sat next to me only to personally look after me.

Aww Manik!

Okay, let's concentrate. His evidence of looking after his people is their loyalty towards him. The soldiers were ready to kill or die for Manik, which explains that he is a gem of a person.

He has all the qualities of a Prince. But how is it possible? He is a Mafia Boss and still checking all the boxes just to annoy me.

But he doesn't want to marry me. Why must I love someone who doesn't want to marry me? Donkey, Monkey, Penguin. Why can't he just marry me and we could tick this box as well and it would be easy for me to finally fall in love with him.

Argh!!

Just as I would drop the plan of my concept of love I remembered him running away from his marriage just to be with me. I laughed at the thought of Mafia Boss running away to be with his lover. He even kidnapped me so that I wouldn't marry Harshad.

Breaking my father's promise and stepping back from marrying that white Bullock cart is a huge step in my life which I never thought in my right mind. I did it for myself, for my happiness. But Manik broke his promise for me, giving importance to my feelings.

He broke his promise of marrying the Boss of Saxena territory. He knew it will be a bad remark in his flawless history of his leadership but still he backed off. Only because I didn't want to be his consort.

Did he love me so much that he is ready to stay unmarried for all his life, risking his position and title ?

If the Mafia Boss of the powerful Malhotra Empire can sacrifice so much for me, why can't I a normal princess give up on the dream of marriage? I can sacrifice this much for him right?

I clutched my heart as I felt uneasy with giving up my dream. What's the problem if we stay together forever? I believe in Manik, he would never let me get hurt. Maybe, we can marry later but even if he doesn't want to, it's alright. Sacrifice has no limit when one has fallen in love.

Now that the line is clear Am I in love with him?

I hit my chest as it started beating erratically. Shut up, stupid heart. I have to find reasons to prove it wrong. Then let's see if I still have feelings for Manik or not!

He killed my parents. Exactly! This is the most important reason as to why there is a barrier between Manik and I. No matter how hard I fall for him, or if he move mountains for me I can not forget the fact that he killed my family.

But Manik doesn't do anything without a reason!

Shut up. There's no going back after this thought. I said trying to calm my stupid heart going crazy over a size foot handsome prince.

Manik's main motto is to look after his territory and his people. Never did he harm anyone without a reason. If he really wanted to kill he would have killed me by now for annoying him till no end. But he was so patient!

A patient man wouldn't just kill an entire territory and that too a territory under his Empire.

What if there's something more to it? What if Manik knows something about my family that made him to kill them? What if he was protecting me from my family?

With this thought in my mind I am starting to have a doubt if my parents are some sort of vampire who is sacrificing me that full moon night and Manik a werewolf saved me. My parents really resemble Vampires though!

Stop overthinking!

It's better if I ask Manik the reason instead of making one myself. After staying with Manik all these months I came to know him personally. He is a Man of values and I trust him. Even if I don't know the reason, even if the question was not about my feelings, I will trust Manik, our Boss.

I smiled at the thought of calling him my Boss. He would be so happy to hear that, wouldn't he.

So, shall we finalize now that there are no reasons to say no to my feelings.

I bit my lower part of my mouth shaping organ as excitement filled my every blood supply straw of my body. My blood pumping organ is expanding so much that I took more than needed gaseous state body in me.

I am in love!

I twirled around and hugged Manik's jacket tight enough to feel his presence.

"Hey Jacket, I love Manik. Hey, Pillow, I love Manik. Hey, Bedsheet, I love Manik. Hey, glass, I love Manik. Hey, Water on the floor, I love Manik. Hey, Bed, I love Manik." I announced it to each and everything in the room with a huge smile.

I am unable to stop smiling and my lips hurt putting it in the same position for a long time. My voice turned raspy at the same time high pitched. I do not feel the ground beneath my feat as I felt lightweight and flying in air.

Is this what love feels like? If yes, I am in love. I want more and more of this feeling. I love Manik. I love our Mafia Boss. I loveeeeeeee Manik.

I must tell this to Manik. Tsk tsk. My love Manik.

I covered my face with my hands feeling shy addressing Manik Malhotra as my love. Oh! Those butterflies are back in my stomach.

But how do I meet Manik? Soldiers are around everywhere not letting anyone walk into Manik's room. I was stubborn and stayed in this headquarters and didn't go to the mansion. But that's my limit!

I have to make a plan, afterall I love the Boss and I have to think in his range.

After an hour of thinking I made a plan which is fail proof.

The women infront of my door, they are easy. All I have to make a stupid reason of walking around the mansion for fresh air and they will fall for it. Next is the male guards in charge of the floor. I have to sneak behind the pillars and not let them see  me.

Finally, Cabir who is guarding Manik's room. I have to hit him with this water jug and make him lose his consciousness. That's it. Enter the dragon, Nandini Murthy.

I gave a dramatic laugh and picked up the silver water jug from the floor. I wore Manik's jacket on top of my dress and tied my hair into a bun.

I must be looking like a Boss with messy bun, unmatched outfit and a jug in my hand.

I opened the door and was welcomed with Anupama's curious eyes. "I am going for a walk around the mansion for some fresh air."

"With a jug?" She questioned.

Shit! I didn't prepare for this question.

"Why is there any rule in our Empire where walking with a jug is prohibited?" I questioned. "You all have no problem when lovers hold each other's hands and go for a walk, you have no problem when owners take their pets for a walk then why is it a problem when I walk with my jug? A jug life is also life despite it being a non living thing."

Shut up, Nandini. Not a word more. Please.

Anupama looked confused and decided to let me go. She started following behind me and I raised my palm at her face. "I need to be alone. Nothing more nothing less."

My heart fluttered as I imitated Manik and the women stood back obeying me. Yay! First task completed.

I went to the floor where Manik is staying and saw the guards sparsely located. I can do it! I took a deep breath and hid behind a pillar. Great. I entered in the floor and now there are six more pillars till I reach Manik's door. I counted sixty numbers everytime I jumped to hide behind the pillar and finally reached infront of the door.

Yay! Second task also completed. But where is Cabir? I don't see him infront of the door. How should I complete my final task?

"What are you doing here?" I heard Cabir's voice from behind and I immediately turned on my feet to hit him with the jug.

He rolled his eyes at me and pulled the jug from my hand with an ease. "If you were trying to hide from the guards in charge of the floor then you failed miserably. You have to remove this lid before performing a circus behind the pillars and making noise."

Cabir pulled the lid attached to the jug with his bare hands. He broke the metal with his hands. How is it possible? Unless he is a robot.

But damn! Did I really make sound while jumping behind the pillars. Shit. All my efforts were in vain.

"I want to meet, Manik." I said looking at the floor.

"No. As of now you are my enemy who tried to harm my best friend. If not for Manik I would have shot you dead." He said clenching his teeth.

All my anger on Cabir subsided as pain and helplessness took over me. It felt like Cabir is a strong force stopping me from being close to Manik and I have no power.

I immediately joined my hands together in a prayer. "Please, Cabir. It's been four days and it's the longest I did not get to see him. I am ready to sacrifice my food, water and air as soon as I meet Manik. Please, just let me see him once." I cried and said everything with much difficulty.

He sighed. "Now I understood why Manik is helpless infront of you. Your stupidity brings a mighty man to his knees as well as put him in danger." He threw the jug away. "Alright. Stop crying."

"I will stop crying only if you let me meet Manik. Otherwise, I will cry a desert."

"You mean Ocean?" He took a deep breath. "Only Manik can deal with you, follow me. Remember, he is still unconscious so don't pull any tricks there."

I nodded my head and wiped my tears. "I will just see Manik from far. I won't even talk or touch. Pinky promise." I said with my left hand as a devilish grin appeared on my face.

...

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Readers, Nandini loves Manik. Voters, Nandini loves Manik. Commenters, Nandini loves Manik. ♥️

What will happen now?

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