The day dragged on with a suffocating heaviness that pressed down on Manik's chest. After freshening up and trying to compose himself, he wandered through the house, unable to find peace. The usually serene atmosphere of Paradise Point felt hollow and eerie, a stark contrast to the joyful memories that filled every corner of the house.

Manik's mind was racing, replaying the events of the previous night over and over again. He couldn't shake the image of Nandini being pulled away, her tear-streaked face haunting him. The silence of the house was deafening, broken only by the soft rustling of leaves outside and the distant sound of waves crashing on the shore.

He checked his phone repeatedly, hoping for a message, a missed call, anything. But each time, the screen remained blank, and his heart sank a little further. The emptiness gnawed at him, making it impossible to focus on anything else.

Cabir found Manik sitting on the couch in the living room, staring blankly at the wall. "Manik, you can't keep doing this to yourself," Cabir said, his voice gentle but firm. He placed a hand on Manik's shoulder, but Manik barely reacted.

Manik's eyes flickered to Cabir, but they were distant, lost in his own turmoil. "I can't stop thinking about her, Cabir. I need to know she's okay. What if... what if something happens to her?"

"She's with her family," Cabir tried to reassure him, though his own concern was evident. "They won't let anything happen to her. You need to trust that."

Manik shook his head, frustration bubbling up inside him. "You don't get it, Cabir. Nandini... she's fragile right now. I know her. She needs me, and I can't even reach her." His voice cracked, and he buried his face in his hands, trying to hold back the flood of emotions threatening to spill over.

Alya and Mukti, who had been hovering nearby, exchanged worried glances before approaching. "Manik, you need to eat something," Alya said softly, holding out a plate. "You haven't had anything since last night."

Manik barely looked at the plate. "I'm not hungry," he muttered, his voice hollow.

Mukti sat down beside him, her tone more assertive. "Bhai, starving yourself isn't going to help Nandini. You need to keep your strength up. For her."

Manik sighed, running a hand through his hair in frustration. "I don't even know if she's eaten, Mukti. Her phone is off. What if she's... what if she's alone, and I'm just sitting here useless?"

"She's not alone," Raj said, joining the group with Neyonika. "Vishakha may be angry, but she's still Nandini's mother. She'll take care of her."

Manik looked up at his father, his eyes filled with pain and desperation. "But she's not me, Dad. I know Nandini. She shuts down when she's hurt, and she won't talk to anyone. She won't let anyone in."

Neyonika knelt beside him, her heart aching at the sight of her son in such distress. "We'll figure this out, Manik," she said softly. "But you have to take care of yourself too."

Manik's phone buzzed suddenly, and his heart leaped as he grabbed it, only to see another missed call from a business associate. His hope deflated, and he tossed the phone onto the couch beside him.

The day wore on, each hour feeling like an eternity. Manik paced around the house, constantly glancing at his phone, his anxiety growing with each passing minute. He tried calling Nandini's number again and again, only to be met with the cold, mechanical voice telling him the phone was switched off. Each time, it felt like a punch to the gut.

"Her phone must be with her mom," Abhimanyu said, trying to reassure him, though the concern was evident in his own voice.

Manik didn't respond. He knew they were all trying to help, but nothing could ease the gnawing worry in his chest. The thought of Nandini being hurt, alone, without him, was unbearable.

As the night approached, the others tried to distract him, pulling him into conversations about anything but Nandini. They talked about work, plans, and even light-hearted memories, but Manik's responses were minimal, his mind elsewhere. The dark clouds might have lifted from the sky, but for Manik, the storm was far from over.

The morning light filtered softly through the curtains of Nandini's room, but the warmth of the sun did nothing to dispel the cold heaviness in her heart. She lay curled up on her bed, the events of the previous night replaying endlessly in her mind. Her eyes were swollen and red from crying, and her body felt numb as if the life had been drained out of her.

She stared blankly at the ceiling, her thoughts a chaotic jumble of fear, guilt, and longing. Every time she closed her eyes, she saw Manik's face-his worried eyes, his desperate pleas. The memory of her mother's harsh words and the stinging slap brought fresh tears to her eyes, but she forced herself to hold them back, biting her lip until she tasted blood.

Nandini let out a shaky breath, feeling the tears she'd been holding back begin to spill over. She pulled the blanket tighter around herself, trying to find some comfort in the familiar warmth, but nothing could ease the pain in her chest.

Time passed slowly, each minute stretching into an eternity. Nandini lost track of how long she'd been lying there, the weight of her emotions pressing down on her, making it hard to breathe. She felt trapped, suffocated by the walls of her own mind.

A few hours later, there was another knock on the door, this time more firm. Before Nandini could respond, the door opened and Mahir stepped inside, followed closely by Bela. They exchanged a glance, both of them looking deeply concerned.

"Princess," Mahir said softly, walking over to the bed. "We need to talk."

Nandini turned her face away, not wanting to face them. "I don't want to talk," she said flatly.

Bela sighed, sitting down on the other side of the bed. "We know you're upset," she said gently. "But we're worried about you, and you've been in this room all day."

"I'm fine," Nandini said, though her voice was devoid of any conviction.

Mahir frowned, not convinced by her response. "Princess, we care about you. We want to help, but we can't do that if you shut us out."

Nandini finally turned to look at them, her eyes brimming with tears. "I don't need help," she said, her voice trembling. "I just want to be alone."

Bela reached out and took her hand, squeezing it gently. "You don't have to go through this alone," she said softly. "We're here for you, Princess. Please, let us in."

Nandini shook her head, pulling her hand away. "I can't," she whispered, her voice breaking. "I just... I just need to be alone."

Mahir sighed deeply, exchanging another worried glance with Bela. They could see how much she was hurting, but they didn't know how to reach her. "We'll give you some space," Mahir said reluctantly, standing up. "But if you need anything, we're here. Don't shut us out, Nandini."

They left the room quietly, the door closing softly behind them. As soon as they were gone, Nandini buried her face in her hands, her body wracked with silent sobs. She felt so alone, so lost, and there was nothing she could do to make it better.

A few hours later, the door opened again, and this time it was Vishakha who entered the room. She paused at the sight of her daughter curled up on the bed, her heart clenching painfully. She had always been so strong, so determined to protect Nandini from the pain she had endured, and now she felt like she had failed.

"Nandini," she said softly, approaching the bed. "We need to talk."

Nandini didn't move, didn't acknowledge her presence. She kept her face buried in the pillow, her breathing shallow and uneven.

Vishakha sat down on the bed beside her, reaching out to gently stroke her hair. "I know you're upset with me," she said quietly. "And I know you think I'm being unfair. But I'm only trying to protect you."

Nandini finally lifted her head, her eyes red and swollen from crying. "Protect me?" she said bitterly. "You're tearing us apart, Mumma. How is that protecting me?"

Vishakha's heart ached at the pain in her daughter's voice. "I'm doing this for your own good," she said, though her voice wavered slightly. "I don't want you to make the same mistakes I did."

"But I'm not you, Mumma!" Nandini cried, her voice breaking. "I love Manik, and he loves me. Why can't you see that?"

Vishakha sighed, her own emotions threatening to overwhelm her. "Love isn't enough, Nandini," she said softly. "It doesn't last. It fades, and then you're left with nothing but pain."

"That's not true," Nandini said fiercely, tears streaming down her face. "Manik and I are different. We've been through so much together, and we've always come out stronger. Why can't you just believe in us?"

Vishakha looked away, unable to meet her daughter's eyes. "I'm sorry, Nandini," she said quietly. "I can't."

Nandini felt a fresh wave of despair wash over her. "Then what's the point, Mumma?" she whispered, her voice trembling. "If you can't believe in me, in us, then what's the point?"

Vishakha didn't have an answer. She reached out to touch Nandini's arm, but Nandini pulled away, turning her back on her mother. "Just leave me alone," she said flatly.

Vishakha hesitated for a moment, her heart breaking at the sight of her daughter's pain. But she knew there was nothing she could say to make it better, nothing that would change how she felt. She got up slowly, her steps heavy with the weight of her own guilt and sorrow, and left the room without another word.

As soon as the door closed, Nandini collapsed onto the bed, sobbing uncontrollably. She felt so alone, so completely lost, and there was nothing she could do to change it. She wanted to reach out to Manik, to hear his voice, to feel his arms around her, but she knew it was impossible. Her phone was with her mother, and even if she had it, what could she say?

Navya returned to the room later in the afternoon, bringing a tray of food with her. She found Nandini sitting on the bed, staring blankly at the wall, her eyes dull and lifeless.

"Nandini," she said softly, sitting down beside her. "You need to eat something."

Nandini didn't respond, her mind a million miles away. Navya sighed, placing the tray on the bedside table and gently taking Nandini's hand. "Please, Nandini," she said, her voice filled with concern. "You're scaring me."

Nandini finally turned to look at her, her eyes filled with unshed tears. "I don't know what to do, Navya," she whispered, her voice trembling. "I feel like I'm drowning."

Navya's heart broke for her friend. She reached out and pulled Nandini into a hug, holding her tightly as she cried. "You're not alone, Nandini," she said softly. "We're all here for you. You don't have to go through this alone."

Nandini clung to her, her body shaking with sobs. "I just want Manik," she whispered, her voice filled with pain. "I just want to be with him."

Navya didn't know what to say. She held Nandini close, trying to offer what comfort she

could, but she knew there were no words that could ease the pain in her friend's heart.

As the day wore on, Nandini remained in her room, her emotions a constant storm of grief, anger, and despair. Mahir and Bela came to check on her again, offering words of comfort and support, but Nandini was too lost in her own pain to respond.

Vishakha tried again to talk to her, to make her understand her fears and concerns, but Nandini's responses were cold and distant, her heart hardened against her mother's attempts to reach out.

Night fell, and Nandini was still curled up on her bed, her body and mind exhausted from the day's emotional turmoil. She felt empty, drained as if there was nothing left inside her. All she could do was lie there, staring into the darkness, waiting for sleep to take her away from the pain, even if only for a little while.
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Hope u all like the chapter.....

Few words for Manik....

Few words for Nandini....

What were your favourite moments???

Will Manik and Nandini be able to come out of this situation???

Thank u 🙂🙂

Love,
Kiara ❤️❤️