Hello Fam :)

Look who's alive :P

I hope everyone is fine.

So, I was rereading this book and I got a few ideas for bonus chapters. Before writing those I wrote this scene sometime at the end of last year and completely forgot about it.

Happy Reading...

Manik and Cabir were at a business party and Manik was getting tired of all the interaction he had to do. “When is Nandini coming?”, he asked Cabir after talking to another businessman.

Cabir smirked. “Why? Don’t you have a tracker on the air you breathe?”

Manik rolled his eyes. “Since how many months are you planning to say this?”

“Since forever”, said Cabir. 

“You know what? I will call her myself”, said Manik. 

“Of course. It’s your air that’s missing. Not mine.”

Manik ignored him. He would deal with the brat later. Even better, he could call the person who would be happy to deal with him. 

XXX

Manik was talking to one of their business associates as he waited for Nandini when someone traced their fingers on his shoulder, startling him. He turned around and found Alya. 

“It’s been ages since I saw you in person, Manik”, she said. 

“Alya?”, he said, taking a step back. “Yeah, it’s been a while. How are you?”

“As gorgeous as always. What about you?”

The man next to him cleared his throat. “Mr. Malhotra, it was nice catching up with you. I will take a leave now”, he said and excused himself. 

Manik smiled at him before turning to Alya. “I am married and happy”, he said, and gently pushed Alya’s hand again. 

“Yeah”, said Alya with a laugh. “Nandini, right? I thought you could do better than her.”

Manik shrugged. “She is the best for me.”

“Still controlling you, I see.”

“Not controlling actually, but I wouldn’t mind even if she does.”

“Come on, Manik. I know how controlling she could be. If you want to prove to me that she isn’t, why don’t we hang out like old times?”, said Alya, with a smirk. “It’s been so long and I really missed you.”

“I don’t remember any time in the past when I willingly hung out with you. Also, I could be hanging out with you to prove you wrong but I choose not to. I would rather wait here for my wife because it has been hours since I last saw her and I am really missing her.”

Alya rolled her eyes. “Missing your wife? That sounded so funny. I still couldn’t imagine someone like you, a Malhotra, marrying her.”

“Well, it’s not your fault. Imagining beyond your creative ability is difficult.”

Alya ignored whatever he said. “We would have been a dream couple on the front page of a magazine. What, with your background and looks. I am not less than a supermodel either.”

Manik crossed his arms. “Again, looking good together is a subjective opinion. Personally, I believe I look the best beside my wife.” He was startled when someone wrapped an arm around his waist but then relaxed when he glanced and found Nandini beside him. She patted at his back, calming him down, a trick which she had carried since their college days. 

“Alya, how nice to see you still hitting on guys that are way out of your league”, said Nandini. 

“So, you finally married a Malhotra. How is Nyonika Auntie treating you?”

“Like a daughter”, said Nandini. 

“Actually”, said Manik, interrupting her, “I would like to see you complain to her about my wife and come alive out of the room. She even threatened me to take my wife’s side if I ever fought with her so, it would be fun to see what she would do to you.”

When there was a call on Alya’s mobile, she stomped her feet, glared at Nandini, and left the place. 

XXX

Once Alya left, Nandini grinned at Manik. “Never knew mom threatened to take my side”, she said.

“Yeah, it’s been a while. We were not talking at that time. Remember, when I gave you the divorce papers. She thought we were fighting and said she would be an ideal mother and take your side”, said Manik, rolling his eyes. “As if I would ever fight with you.”

Nandini chuckled. Manik Malhotra makes it so difficult for her to control her blush but she has been practicing since the man is very good at uttering sappy lines to her and making her blush. “So, Alya, huh?”, she said, waggling her eyebrows.

Manik whined. “Nandini, she startled me and I missed you so damn much.”

“Missed me? You were holding up yourself really well, Malhotra. Even though Cabir made me listen to your conversation with Meera, watching you shutting up people in live is so damn hot.”

Manik ducked his head down, the redness creeping at the tip of his ears and neck. But before he could say anything, someone cleared their throat and Nandini found Cabir standing in front of them with a glare directed at both of them.

“Guys, the whole point of this party is to socialize with other businesspeople. It’s not about socializing with your spouse.”

“Cabir, I am done socializing with people for the day. I am so tired and I want to go home now”, said Manik.

“Okay, fine”, said Cabir. “But Nandini just came and she has to socialize with other people. So, be a darling and give her some time to mingle with other business prospects.”

Manik looked at Nandini to answer. Nandini wrapped her hand around Manik’s arm before smiling at Cabir. “Cabir, if I socialize with other people or my Manik, that’s none of your concern. Stop being a drama queen and let me have my moment with my Manik.”

Cabir crossed his arms, glaring at Nandini. “Mom sent us to socialize and if you are having any ‘moment’ with my Manik and if it’s in the news tomorrow, she would kill me.”

“I really don’t care if mom kills you tomorrow or not. I am getting my moment with my Manik.”

“Okay, enough of both of you staking your claim on me”, said Manik, interrupting both of them. “Cabir, I have been talking to people and I am done but you are right. Nandini has just arrived and she needs to socialize. Nandini, do you mind if I be your trophy husband for a while and you do the talking part?”

“Of course, no, sweetheart. I would love to have you around me”, said Nandini, looking at Cabir.

Manik rolled his eyes before patting Cabir’s cheek. “Calm down, yeah?”, he whispered, before accompanying Nandini.

XXX

Half an hour later, Nandini noticed Manik was really tired and dragged him towards Cabir. “Cabir, how much more time are you staying?”

“I don’t know. An hour? Are you planning to leave?”

“Thinking of. I talked to the people I wanted to talk. So, I am leaving. I guess both of you came together?”

“Yeah”, said Cabir.

“Okay. I will take Manik with me”, she said.

Cabir patted her arm. “Take care of my Manik”, he said.

Nandini rolled her eyes. “I know how to take care of my Manik.”

“Okay, both of you. Don’t start it again”, said Manik. “Nandini, let’s leave.”

“Bhai, how come you don’t say a word until now but you got the energy to talk now?”

“Because if I don’t interrupt you two, both of you are capable of keeping this drama till the end of the party”, he said. When Nandini and Cabir smirked almost identically, Manik groaned. “Cabir, stop corrupting my wife.”

“As if she needs any input from me”, muttered Cabir.

Instead of replying when Nandini stomped his foot, Manik dragged her away muttering about ‘children’.

 A/N: Many more to come. If anyone is interested that is. :)