Hello Fam :)

A/N - This chapter went longer than I thought initially. So, I had divided it into two parts. The next part will follow shortly. 

Warning: Manik Malhotra being his annoyingly perfect self. :P

Happy Reading...

Nandini was on a call with her assistant when Manik returned to the room from wherever he wandered off after breakfast. He sat down on the couch bouncing his leg and she could literally see the gears turning in his head.

"Yeah, mail me those files. I will talk to you later", she told and cut the call. "Are you fine?", she asked Manik.

He nodded in answer. "Are you free today and tomorrow? Can I ask you something to do for me?"

"Of course, Manik. What's going on?", she asked and sat beside him.

"I want to make things official about our deal. Since you want to join Murthy Industries after the wedding, we have only today and tomorrow", he said.

"What is your plan?", she asked.

"I can get the paperwork ready by tomorrow. All I want you to do is a brief presentation introducing the legacy of Murthy Industries. I don't want people to think that I am doing this only because I married you. Is that okay?"

Seriously, Nandini thought, it's not okay. She is more comfortable doing it over a Skype call and it was only recently that she had started switching on the videos when it's her assistant or inner circle of Murthy Industries. Hell, most of the new employees haven't seen her in her office, and walking into Malhotra Industries and convincing them that she was a capable person was too much. But as she had thought the previous day, Nandini decided she wouldn't back away and gave a positive nod.

Manik gave her a brilliant smile and dropped a kiss on her head. "I am so proud of you", he said before leaving for work.

Nandini sighed. A presentation and a talk. The presentation she can do. She can think about the talk later. "One step at a time", she muttered to herself.

XXX

"Bhai, do you think it's the right thing to throw her into that meeting? She is just recovering", asked Cabir in the car. He chose to wait for him outside the house as Manik dropped the bomb on Nandini.

"I know. But if Nandini isn't facing the crowd how could she join back in Murthy Industries?", he told.

"What?"

"Nandini wants to physically join back to Murthy Industries after the wedding. In our office, everything would be in our control. If she isn't able to give a talk in front of us, how could she handle Murthy Industries where she is the boss and has to take control of everything? I don't want to do this too but we don't have much time. If something happens tomorrow, we can handle it, right?", he explained.

Cabir nodded. "You are really precious, do you know that?"

Manik sighed and turned his head to look out of the window. He wasn't precious, just a normal guy doing his duties. There is no point in arguing against Cabir. He wouldn't listen. Instead, Manik could always ignore him.

XXX

It was almost five in the evening and Manik was trying to complete his pending works to free his schedule around the wedding. He glanced at his mobile. He hasn't checked upon Nandini ever since he came to the office, giving her time to wrap her head around tomorrow's meeting. He half expected her to cancel it and he knew he wouldn't blame her if she would but deep down inside his heart, he believed his head girl wasn't the one to back away from a challenge. He was disturbed by a knock followed by Meera entering in. She gave her the file about Murthy Industries since Cabir was busy with something important.

"Thank you", said Manik, going through their clauses to sign the deal. He needed to read that once again. "Have you cleared my schedule for tomorrow?"

"Yes, Sir. There is one meeting that couldn't be rescheduled."

"The Mishra's, right? That's fine. When do we have that? Eight in the morning, right?", he asked.

"Yes", said Meera. "But that's just to finalize the points since we already decided the agreement."

"True, that shouldn't take much time", he muttered. "Anyways, get the conference room ready for tomorrow by ten. Is the mail gone to every employee?"

When Meera nodded, Manik thanked her. "Have a good day, Meera. I will stay for a while."

She stood up to leave but then Manik's phone rang. He looked at the caller id and saw Nandini. "Meera, can you sit down for a minute, please?", he told her. If Nandini is backing away, he might have to change his schedule again. "Hey, Nandini. Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I am fine. When are you coming back?", asked Nandini.

"I will take some time. There are few things I needed to finish here and also, Cabir is busy with something. Do you need me for anything?", he asked and crossed his fingers.

"No, I had just finished with the presentation."

"That's great, Nandini. But are you having any second thoughts about tomorrow?", he asked. There was a moment of silence where Manik held his breath, giving her the time she needed.

"No, I want to do this", she told.

Even though it didn't feel like she was fully confident, Manik let it slide. "I am so happy that you are taking this step. Take some rest. I will call you once I am starting, okay?"

After hanging up, he sighed. "I thought, if she was having any second thoughts, we might have to cancel the meeting tomorrow. But she's fine as of now", he told Meera as an apology for making her wait.

"Can I ask you something personal?", asked Meera.

"We are still friends, Meera. Of course, you can ask me anything. If I feel it is inappropriate, I wouldn't answer. It's simple, yeah?", he said, with a smile. Meera was his first friend after college and he wouldn't let one bad incident affect that.

"You said you have been in love with Nandini for four years", she asked.

Manik nodded. "I met Nandini during college when I shifted back from England. She was my classmate and the head girl of our college. She was also one of my first friends."

"Cabir sir said you grew up sheltered."

"I am not getting into details but my day consisted of going to the boarding school with permission to go home in the evening to do my homework and return the next day. I was only surrounded by the security mom had appointed for me. I understood she had a reason and I really didn't live another life to compare until returning to India."

"Is that why you said you were scared of the world?", asked Meera.

"You throw a person into this huge world after pretty much living his whole life alone, you ought to be scared to breathe in here. People were different from what they had pretended to be. There were good people who are ready to throw you off the cliff and then there are really sweet people who hide behind their tough exteriors."

"And she taught you to differentiate between them?"

"More like protecting me from them. She was there for me when I was a stranger when I was simply Manik to the world. She was there when the world ignored the scrawny teenage Manik Malhotra who couldn't defend himself. She was there when the people threw themselves over the hot nerd Malhotra as they called him. She has been there when I was the most vulnerable and molded me into a person who is capable to sit in this chair."

Meera nodded, deep in thoughts as if she was trying to figure something from Manik's words. He waited for her, giving her time to understand him and what Nandini meant to him. He didn't have to but he believed he couldn't love anyone more than Nandini ever. Hell, he didn't even know if he could love anyone other than Nandini and he couldn't help it. There were four years for distraction but his head girl had comfortably taken refuge in his heart, refusing him to leave, and now when she was in his life, he didn't think it was even possible. There could be a lack of trying, as Cabir once screamed in his anger when he wanted Manik to move on, but as far as Manik was considered, he didn't want to try. God, he was so whipped. But then the head girl had him wrapped around her fingers, always has been.

Meera huffed, laughing to herself. "I have never seen you even looking at a girl once or cared about any advances they made towards you. They throw themselves at you without knowing there has been someone always in your life."

"There has been someone always in my life", said Manik, agreeing to her.

"One last question. Why did you forgive me?"

Manik sighed. "Four years back, Nandini was my best friend when I had proposed to her. We weren't on the same page and she had rejected it but she didn't hate me for loving her or even pushed me away for that reason. We parted ways but that was for something entirely different", he told. "Meera, you haven't committed a crime. You loved someone and sometimes when we are in love, logic switches off. I understand. And if we are punishing everyone for loving, there might come a time when people would be afraid to love someone and that's a really cruel way of turning the world into."

"I don't think I could stop loving you ever. No one could after knowing the person you are. But I understand now what Nandini is to you and that no one can replace her in your life. I can't believe how you have been so normal without her in your life."

Manik laughed. "I am someone who falls in love with fictional characters without ever meeting them in your life. Hell, they don't even exist in real life. Loving Nandini is so much easier, you know", he said.

Meera smiled, shaking her head in disbelief but didn't say anything.

"Meera, it's very rare to find someone who loves us for who we really are and I am really grateful for getting that love from you. I wish the universe would bounce back all the love to you through the right source", he confessed.

"That came straight out of your novel, right?", she teased. "I guess it would happen. I never believed before that if it's meant to happen it would but listening to your story, I believe it. Right?"

Manik chuckled. "You don't know when the universe would surprise you."

"I will get going. Thank you for sharing this with me. Made me feel loads better", she told.

Manik nodded. "Thanks for the talk", he told when she stood up to leave.

Meera rolled her eyes. "I should be the one thanking you but I guess I shouldn't be surprised after working four years with you."

When Meera left the cabin, he sent a quick text to someone and dropped his head on the table. What the hell was he doing? If this was continuing he would be a lot in trouble when reality hits him hard on the face.

XXX

Cabir went to the front lobby to get himself a cup of coffee. He was done for the day and coffee would relax him after all the work he has done. Seriously, office work doesn't tire him more than the numerous personal projects he had to do without anyone noticing.

Since the office hours were almost over, there were hardly any people staying. Hence, he was surprised when a man with a bunch of flowers was talking at the reception. Their receptionist, Natasha, was frowning as the man was explaining something.

"Any trouble here?", said Cabir, leveling a stern gaze at the man. He heard Natasha sighing in relief.

"Sir, I am just here for a delivery", said the man. "She isn't believing me."

"Sir, he doesn't have an ID or any proof that who ordered this. Who am I supposed to give it to? He is refusing to call his company to get the details too", said Natasha.

"Madam, the guy who was supposed to deliver these is my friend. Since he had some work, he asked me to deliver it to Malhotra Industries. I have no extra information than this. If I am calling his company, he would lose his job", said the guy.

"Let me see", said Cabir and searched for any card. These weren't any special flowers, just a tiny bunch of white flowers and as he turned them around, he found a small slip with Nandini written. What the hell? He stopped his urge to laugh and thanked the delivery guy. "I will take them but don't come without an ID card next time or the order details. At least, you should know whom to deliver when it's a public workplace."

As the man scrambled away from the office, Natasha thanked him. "I am sorry, sir. Usually, Meera ma'am takes care of these but I think it's a late order and she had left long back."

"It's fine. You don't have to say sorry for all the strange people in the world", he assured. Including his idiot brother. "Anyways, what are you doing here still?"

"I didn't check the time while solving these questions", she said.

Natasha was preparing for her masters and wanted a job with less workload at present. She impressed Manik with her honesty during her interview as she told him about leaving the company once she clears her exams and gets an opportunity. A few months later, seeing her dedication, Manik offered to take care of her education but she refused and instead chose to work by herself, gaining the respect of everyone. Since she was the youngest one too, she shared a good bond with everyone.

"Do you need any help with those, Nat?", he asked.

Natasha chuckled. "Don't you think I should be going to Manik sir if I had a doubt with these than you?", she teased.

"Cheeky brat", said Cabir, before patting her head. "I think Manik ordered these. I will check with him but you should leave by now. It's already late."

"I will leave in a minute. Manik sir ordered flowers? That never happened before", muttered Natasha.

"As I said, strange things."

"Are these for his wife? Does this mean he is happy with her?", she asked.

"Oh, trust me, he would be dancing inside his head if he wasn't worried about breaking a few office rules", said Cabir. And he promised, his brother would be dancing out in the open soon enough. Cabir was interrupted when he heard Natasha groaning.

"God, are you plotting?", she muttered.

"As always, baby girl. Get going and text me after reaching home", he told before leaving for his next personal project.

When Cabir went to Manik's cabin, he found Manik hunched over a few files with his head dropped to his hands. What caught his attention was the slight shake in his posture. He frowned, strolled inside the cabin, dropped his coffee and the flowers onto the table, and then grabbed Manik, engulfing the older man in his arms without moving him from his chair. With his hands stroking his brother on every part of his body Cabir could reach, he felt the tremors coming from Manik.

"Hey, Manik. Are you listening to me? You know Natasha was solving those stupid questions you really enjoy and when I offered her help, she was being a brat and said she would rather come to you than me. Seriously, Bhai, why don't anyone respect me in this world?", he blurted out, continuing to alternate between squeezing Manik's neck and arms to bring him back and stroking his hair for assuring him that he was safe. "Last night, I talked to Navya. You know she again lost her mobile. I think she would be your perfect partner in losing mobiles. The difference is she never gets back and you hardly use the mobile so it's somewhere in your room or cabin. Do you realize you haven't given me any chocolates during the whole week? Should I start worrying that you don't love me anymore? If I am not getting any chocolates by the end of this week, I will steal the office from you with signed documents and convert them into my personal zoological park. Mom could stop me from going to space but she couldn't do anything about this right?"

"Mom would kill you", muttered Manik, his voice muffled by Cabir's body. He sounded more weak and exhausted.

Cabir sighed in relief. "Oh, thank god, you are fine", he muttered, stepping away to let Manik breathe but close enough to reach out for him if necessary. "Do you need some water, love", he said, giving a smile to his brother as he poured down some into his glass from the bottle before forwarding it to Manik. "Slowly, easy sips. Take it easy, love. You are fine", he whispered repeatedly and rubbed his back.

When Manik's breathing became stable and he dropped his head down on the table, Cabir stroked his hair. "You never had a panic attack this bad in years. Do you want to talk about it, Manik?", he asked.

Manik shook his head.

"Okay, you don't have to talk about it. And I am here to listen whenever you are ready", said Cabir and let his hand ideally rest on his head.

Manik had a few panic attacks in England and shortly after coming back to India. Months after their farewell night, Cabir waited for him to break down or kept an eye for anything triggering his panic attack. What he observed was Manik was capable of handling any amount of stress when it came to his profession but once the trouble started touching his personal life or anyone close to him, the stress would build up day by day until he couldn't take it anymore. Like today.

He pulled his mobile out of his pocket using his free hand and sent a quick text to Nandini asking if she was fine. He breathed in relief when he got an instant reply from her. At least, she's fine.

"Acha, Manik. Did you order these for Nandini?", asked Cabir once he felt his brother was fine. After taking an affirmative answer, he crossed his hands. "And pray, tell why are you giving your married wife white roses instead of red?"

"Don't be dramatic", he muttered. "Red roses are overrated. White ones are more peaceful."

"And you are making a peace offering to your married wife? Are you sure you didn't fight with her?"

"Trust me, kid. That's the last thing I would ever do", said Manik. "Can we go home? I am tired."

That straightened him up, pushing the rest of the questions and theories out of his mind. On their way out, if he threw an arm around Manik's neck in a dramatic display of affection to mask off his worry for his brother, no one needs to know. If Manik didn't push his hand arguing he was fine and stop treating him like a glass doll as he generally would, he could only imagine the mental toll his brother was taking on himself.

XXX

Manik was looking a lot better when they reached home.

"You feeling any better?", asked Cabir.

"Loads", he said. "Thanks, kid."

Cabir rolled his eyes but didn't say anything. "Are you sure about the flowers though?", he asked, eyeing them in skepticism. "Remember last time when we tried to give her flowers?"

Manik huffed. "I am not waxing poetries at her, Cabir. It's just a friendly gesture. Actually, I was talking to someone and I just felt like giving them to her."

"Hey, Manik, it's a nice gesture, okay? I hope she will be happy."

XXX

Nandini was pacing in her room. It was a calming exercise after working on her presentation. All she had to do now was to work on her nerves to give a talk about it. She thought she could take some help from Manik and was surprised to find him walking inside the room as if he were carrying the burden of the whole world. "Manik, are you okay?", she asked.

"I am fine", he said, somehow managing his brilliant smile even if the exhaustion was written all over his face.

She was even more surprised when he gave her a bunch of white roses.

"Something reminded me of you today", he told.

"Thank you", she said, laughing awkwardly. Growing up, she never had anyone bring her flowers and she didn't expect Manik to be the 'bringing flowers to a woman' kind of a guy. She believed a bunch of flowers always followed by a higher ambition, either a date or a deal but it's Manik and hence, she didn't throw him on his face like her gut usually told her to. "I don't know what to do with these but-"

"I don't know why I bought them either. I felt you deserve to have nice things", he told, rubbing the back of his neck. And then there was her favorite blush creeping across his face.

She took them from him, putting him out of his misery, and inhaled them. She never appreciated them but when someone was giving her without expecting anything in return, she thought it increased the beauty of the flowers. "They are really pretty and smell nice. Thank you."

He gave her a brilliant smile and excused himself for having a shower. She didn't understand how can someone be so happy by giving someone a present rather than receiving them but she guessed maybe because it's Manik Malhotra. He would give his whole love to the entire world and still would be happy without expecting anything in return.

After coming back from the shower, Manik scrolled through his mobile before locking it down. "How is the preparation for tomorrow's meeting going? Could I help you in some way?", he asked.

"It's going okay. I just don't know if I will be able to face them or not", she told.

"Of course, you will be able to and we will be there. So, if something is going wrong, we can handle it. Don't stress on it", he assured.

"You look like you are about to faint though. Are you really okay?"

"Yeah. I am just tired. I am planning to call it a night. Will you inform mom if she's asking something?", asked Manik.

"Sure but you haven't had any food. Shall I bring something for you?"

"No, Nandini. I can't eat right now. If I am hungry, I will have something quick later."

"Okay. Why don't you take the bed and have proper rest? I will go and talk to Cabir."

When Manik agreed without a protest, she realized how tired he really was. It took him only ten minutes to crash on the bed and to drift into sleep. Groaning at his stupid habit of pushing himself to exhaustion, Nandini went to meet Cabir after switching the lights on her way out.

XXX

Cabir was talking to Nyonika when Nandini came into the room. "Please tell me, you didn't punch my brother", he asked.

"What kind of a greeting was that?", asked Nyonika.

Instead of answering his mom, he raised an eyebrow at Nandini.

"Why would I punch Manik?", she asked.

"Oh, I don't know, Nandini. The last time I tried to give you flowers, you threatened to throw me off a cliff", he said. And after that, he had to run to save his brother from professing his love to the head girl. Who knows Manik would have survived because she was always so lenient on him but if she had traced back the confession and got to know that he was the reason behind that, he would be dead within minutes. He felt a shudder running through him. That was one terrifying experience for him.

"You know, Nandini", said Nyonika eyeing Cabir, "Instead of introducing yourself as a Murthy to me during your college, if you would have told me about this or the number of times you had shut my baby son's mouth, I would have been more impressed. Who knows, I would have been even forgotten the rivalry between our companies and invited you for dinner."

Nandini shrugged casually. "Too many to recollect on spot."

Cabir gaped at them. He so knew these two together would be hazardous for his dignity. He was never wrong. "Mom, what the hell?", he spluttered because he couldn't come up with any better comeback. Nyonika dismissed his protest with a burst of laughter. His own mother.

"Okay, I will let you two talk. I have some things to be done before dinner. I will meet you for dinner, yeah?", said Nyonika, standing up.

They both nodded and the moment she was out of the room, Nandini turned around to face Cabir. "Is Manik fine? He went to sleep early. He looked so tired too."

"Aren't you here for complaining about the flowers?", asked Cabir.

"Cabir, darling, that's Manik. He has a reason for everything he does. He just might not be up for talking about the flowers yet but they are really beautiful and if you don't shut up about the flowers now, I would really consider throwing you off the cliff", she threatened.

Why didn't anyone just love him? It's too difficult to find love in this cruel selfish world. To show that he agreed to her, Cabir made a dramatic gesture of zipping his lips.

"Is Manik fine?", she asked again.

Guess, it was inevitable now. He sighed and patted the place beside him on the couch, asking her to sit down. "Manik was fine when I met him during lunch but when I went to meet him after the office hours for asking about the 'gift that he gave you', he was having a panic attack", he told, without mentioning the flowers.

Nandini rolled her eyes at the mention of the gift but grew concerned after listening to the panic attack. "Manik has panic attacks?", she asked.

"It wasn't frequent and usually occurs when he works himself up", he assured. "I don't know what triggered it today though. I won't lie to you but it was bad. Something is bothering him so just look out for him to open up. I am doing the same."

She nodded. "Is there anything else that I can help with? You know, if something like this happens again."

Cabir smiled. He smiled so brightly because this was the girl who always protected his brother. He just wished she would realize that constantly trying to protect someone is really loving them in a precious way. He shook his head. She might really throw him off the cliff if she had heard about it. Instead, he wrapped an arm around her, taking her in a loose side-hug. "If he is having a panic attack, just hug him tight and talk about something random. Bring him back to your voice. Doesn't matter how stupid it might be but he would cling back to the words and the voice. Seriously, Nandini, it's not that bad. He will be fine by morning, okay. Anyways, how is your presentation going on?"

To be continued...

A/N - Next part in an hour. :)