As the haze of unconsciousness slowly lifted, Nandini's eyes fluttered open. The room came into focus, and the first thing she saw was the concerned faces of Vishakha, Mahir, Bela, and Navya surrounding her bed. Their expressions were a mixture of relief and worry, the weight of the past hours evident in their eyes.

Navya immediately leaned forward, her hand gently cradling Nandini's back as she helped her sit up. "Easy there, Nandini. Take it slow," she said softly, her voice filled with care. Nandini winced slightly, feeling the residual heaviness in her head. Bela, with a gentle smile, handed her a glass of water, and Nandini took it gratefully, sipping slowly.

Before she could fully process everything, Vishakha's arms were around her, holding her tight. Nandini could feel her mother's body trembling, and she realized Vishakha was crying. "Mumma..." Nandini's voice was a mere whisper as she instinctively wrapped her arms around her mother, trying to comfort her.

Vishakha pulled back slightly, her face streaked with tears. "Don't you ever do this again, Nandini," she said, her voice thick with emotion. "I can't lose you... you're the light of my life, the reason I keep going. If anything happened to you..." Her voice broke, and she struggled to continue. "I was so scared, Nandini. Please, promise me you won't do this again."

Nandini's heart aches to see her mother in such a vulnerable state. She reached up, wiping away Vishakha's tears with trembling fingers. "Mumma, I'm fine," she reassured her softly. "I'm so sorry for scaring you. I didn't mean to... I just... I felt so trapped. But I'm okay now, I promise."

Vishakha clung to her for a moment longer before reluctantly pulling away, her eyes searching Nandini's for any sign of lingering distress. "You have to take care of yourself, Nandini. Please, for me," she pleaded, her voice a mix of love and desperation.

"I will, Mumma. I will," Nandini promised her voice firm but was gentle.

Mahir, who had been standing silently by, stepped forward and placed a comforting hand on Vishakha's shoulder. "Let's give her some time to rest, Vishakha," he suggested softly. "She needs to regain her strength."

Vishakha nodded reluctantly, wiping her eyes as she stood up. Navya, understanding that Nandini needed a moment of solace, quietly handed her phone to her. "Manik's been worried sick about you," Navya said softly, her eyes reflecting a deep concern. "He asked me to make sure you call him as soon as you woke up."

Nandini's eyes lit up at the mention of Manik, a spark of happiness breaking through the exhaustion. She clutched the phone, her heart beating a little faster at the thought of hearing his voice. But just as she was about to dial his number, she caught Vishakha's hard expression from the corner of her eye. It was clear her mother had something to say, something that wasn't going to be pleasant.

Before Vishakha could utter a word, Bela stepped in with a firm look. "Vish, not now," she said quietly but sternly. "Let her talk to him. This isn't the time for any more arguments."

Vishakha opened her mouth to protest but then saw the determined looks on both Bela and Navya's faces. With a sigh, she nodded, backing down for the moment. "We'll be outside if you need anything," she finally said, her tone softer but still laced with concern. She turned to leave, and the others followed her, giving Nandini some much-needed privacy.

As the door closed behind them, Nandini let out a long, shaky breath. The room felt quiet, almost too quiet, except for the soft hum of the phone in her hand. She quickly unlocked it and dialed Manik's number, her fingers trembling slightly. The phone rang twice before it was picked up, and the moment she heard his voice, all the tension in her body seemed to melt away.

"Nandini?" Manik's voice was soft, yet the worry was palpable. "Are you okay? Please tell me you're okay."

Nandini felt a lump form in her throat, hearing the raw emotion in his voice. "I'm okay, Manik," she whispered, her voice breaking a little. "I'm so sorry... I didn't mean to scare you."

Manik let out a deep breath, and she could almost hear the relief in it. "Thank God..." he murmured. "Nandini, you have no idea how worried I was. I felt so... so helpless."

Nandini closed her eyes, trying to imagine him beside her, holding her like he always did when things got tough. "I'm sorry, Manik. I just... I didn't know what to do. Everything just felt so overwhelming, and I... I lost control."

"Nandini, listen to me," Manik said firmly, his voice steady and strong. "You're stronger than this. I know you are. When did you become so weak, huh? Where's that girl who used to fight for what she believed in, who never backed down? You can't let this break you, Nandini. You have to stand up straight and be strong. For yourself, and us."

Tears welled up in Nandini's eyes, but they were different this time. They weren't tears of despair but of realization and determination. "You're right, Manik," she whispered. "I'm not weak. I can't be. I promise you, I won't let this break me. I won't feel weak again."

"That's my girl," Manik said softly, a small smile evident in his tone. "We'll get through this, Nandini. Together. You're not alone in this. I'm always with you, even if we're miles apart."

Nandini felt a warmth spread through her chest at his words. "I wish you were here," she admitted quietly, her voice laced with longing. "I miss you so much, Manik."

"I miss you too, Moonshine," Manik replied, his voice tender. "More than you can imagine. But close your eyes, and feel me there with you. I'm right there, holding you, just like always."

Nandini closed her eyes, allowing herself to be enveloped by the comfort of his words. "I can feel you, Manik," she whispered, a tear slipping down her cheek. "Thank you... for always being there for me."

"I'll always be here, Nandini. No matter what," Manik promised, his voice filled with a quiet strength. "You're never alone."

For a few moments, they just sat there, listening to each other's breathing, finding solace in the connection that transcended the physical distance between them. It was as if, at that moment, the world outside ceased to exist, and it was just the two of them, bound by an unspoken understanding.

"I'll be strong, Manik," Nandini said after a while, her voice steady and resolute. "I promise you, I won't let anything break me again. We'll get through this, together."

"I know you will, Nandini," Manik replied, pride evident in his voice. "And I'll be right here, every step of the way."

They stayed on the phone for a while longer, talking about everything and nothing, just relishing the sound of each other's voices. At that moment, despite everything, they felt at peace, knowing that whatever challenges lay ahead, they would face them together.

As the day slipped into the quietness of the evening, Nandini found herself alone in her room, the dim light of the setting sun casting long shadows across the walls. The events of the day had left her drained, both physically and emotionally, yet she knew that she couldn't afford to break down again. Not now. Not after everything that had happened.

She stood in front of the mirror, staring at her reflection. Her eyes were slightly puffy from crying, her hair a bit disheveled from the chaos earlier, but there was something else there too-something she hadn't seen in herself for a while. A spark of determination.

With a deep breath, she reached up to smooth her hair, her fingers trembling slightly as she did so. "You can't fall apart now, Nandini," she whispered to herself, her voice shaky but growing stronger with each word. "Manik believes in you. He's fighting for you, for both of you. You can't let him down. You can't let yourself down."

She turned away from the mirror, pacing the room slowly as her thoughts raced. "We've been through so much already," she continued, her voice becoming firmer as she spoke. "We've faced our fears, our insecurities, and we've come out stronger each time. This... this is just another challenge. And you're not alone. Manik is with you, even if he's not here physically. His love, his strength-they're with you, always."

Nandini paused, her eyes catching a glimpse of the bracelet on her wrist-the one Manik had given her on one of their first dates. She touched it gently, feeling the cool metal against her skin, and a small smile tugged at her lips.

"He gave me this to remind me that I'm never alone," she murmured. "And I'm not. I have him. And I have to be here for him too. I have to be strong for us."

She walked over to the window, opening it slightly to let the cool evening breeze in. The fresh air filled her lungs, giving her a sense of clarity. She closed her eyes, letting the sounds of the outside world calm her racing heart.

"You're stronger than this, Nandini," she said firmly, her hands gripping the window ledge. "You've faced your fears before, and you can do it again. You're not the scared girl. You've grown, you've learned, and you've loved. And love... love is the strongest force there is."

She opened her eyes, looking out at the horizon where the last rays of the sun were disappearing, making way for the twilight. "Manik is right," she whispered. "I can't let this break me. I can't let anything break me. I have to fight for what I want, for who I love. And I will."

Her mind wandered back to their conversation earlier, how his words had soothed her, and pulled her back from the edge. She could still hear his voice in her head, telling her to stand up straight, to be strong. "He believes in me," she said, a determined gleam in her eyes. "And I believe in him. Together, we can face anything."

Nandini walked back to her bed and sat down, her mind now clearer, her resolve firmer. "You've always known what you want, Nandini," she said, her voice steady. "You've always fought for it, even when it seemed impossible. And now... now is no different."

She leaned back against the headboard, pulling her knees to her chest as she let her thoughts flow freely. "Manik has his own battles to fight," she mused. "But he's still here for me. He's always been there, even when I didn't realize it. And now it's my turn to be strong, to stand by him, no matter what."

A memory flashed in her mind-Manik's voice when he had told her about the importance of fighting for what they had. How his voice had been so sure, so certain. "He's right," she said softly. "We can't let anything tear us apart. We have to hold on, no matter how hard it gets."

Nandini felt a surge of strength flow through her, the kind that comes from deep within, from knowing that you are loved and that you love in return. "I'm not going to let fear control me," she declared. "Not anymore. I'm going to fight for us, for our future. Because that's what we deserve."

She stood up, her movements now purposeful and confident. Walking back to the mirror, she looked at her reflection once more, this time seeing not just a girl who had been through a lot, but a woman who was ready to face whatever came her way.

"You are stronger than you think, Nandini," she said firmly, her eyes shining with determination. "And you will get through this. For yourself, for Manik, for everyone who believes in you."

Nandini's thoughts turned back to the day they had decided to keep their relationship a secret for a while, to take things slowly. It had seemed like the right decision at the time, but now she wondered if it had been a mistake. "But no," she told herself, shaking her head. "We did what we thought was best. And now, we'll figure out the rest, together."

She took a deep breath, letting the air fill her lungs, steadying her heart. "I won't fall weak again," she vowed. "I will stand straight, I will be strong. For Manik, for me... for us."

As the evening deepened into night, Nandini felt a sense of peace settle over her, a calmness that came from knowing that she was not alone in this battle. She was ready to face whatever came next, with Manik by her side, in spirit if not in person.

And as she prepared to close her eyes for the night, she whispered one last promise to herself, one that she knew she would keep: "I will be strong. For love, for hope, for everything that matters. I will not give up. I will fight for us, every single day."

With that thought, Nandini drifted into sleep, her heart lighter, her mind clear, and her spirit unbreakable.

In Vishakha's room, the atmosphere was thick with tension as Bela and Mahir sat across from her, their expressions a mix of concern and determination. The room, usually a haven of peace for Vishakha, now felt suffocating with the weight of the conversation that was about to unfold.

Bela was the first to speak, her voice soft yet firm. "Vishakha, we need to talk about Nandini. Today was a wake-up call for all of us. You saw her condition. This can't go on."

Vishakha's eyes flickered with emotion, but she remained silent, her hands clenched tightly in her lap.

Mahir leaned forward, his tone gentle but insistent. "Vishakha, Nandini has had panic attacks before, and all of them are connected to being away from Manik. You can't ignore this. Your stubbornness is hurting her more than anything else."

At Mahir's words, Vishakha's composure began to crack. Her eyes welled up, and she looked away, trying to hold back the tears threatening to spill. Bela noticed this and moved closer, placing a comforting hand on Vishakha's knee.

"We're not asking you to do something that goes against your beliefs," Bela continued softly. "But Vishakha, you need to reconsider. Nandini's happiness is at stake here. Manik isn't Vikrant, and Nandini isn't you. You can't let your past dictate her future."

At the mention of Vikrant, something inside Vishakha snapped. She let out a choked sob, her frustration and helplessness bubbling to the surface. "I know I'm hurting her!" she cried, her voice breaking. "But how can I let her go down the same path I did? I lost everything because I made the wrong choice. I can't stand by and let her make the same mistake."

Mahir exchanged a glance with Bela, both of them understanding the deep-rooted pain Vishakha was holding onto. "But Vishakha," Mahir said gently, "Manik is not Vikrant. You can't compare them. Manik has proven time and again how much he cares for Nandini. He's not going to hurt her the way Vikrant hurt you."

Bela nodded in agreement. "And Nandini is not you, Vishakha. She has her own mind, her own strength. She loves Manik, and he's her happiness. You've always wanted the best for her, but maybe it's time to see that Manik *is* the best for her."

Vishakha shook her head, tears streaming down her face. "You don't understand," she whispered, her voice trembling. "I can't... I just can't say yes. Every time I try, the memories come back. The pain, the betrayal... I can't bear the thought of Nandini going through that."

Mahir reached out, gently taking Vishakha's hand in his. "We do understand, Vishakha. We know how much you've suffered, but you can't let that fear control you. Look at us, Bela and I had a love marriage, and we're happy. Just because you had a bad experience doesn't mean Nandini will too."

Vishakha looked at Mahir, her eyes filled with a mixture of hope and despair. "But what if it does happen?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper. "What if she ends up just like me? I won't be able to forgive myself."

Bela squeezed her hand gently. "Vishakha, you can't predict the future. But you can't hold onto the past either. You're not alone in this. We'll be here, supporting Nandini and Manik, just as we've always supported you. But you have to give them a chance."

For a moment, the room was silent, the weight of the conversation settling over them. Vishakha's mind was a whirlwind of emotions, her heart torn between her fears and her love for her daughter. She looked at Mahir and Bela, seeing the sincerity in their eyes, and for the first time, a sliver of doubt crept into her resolve.

"I... I don't know if I can do it," she admitted, her voice shaking.

"You don't have to do it alone," Mahir said softly. "We're here with you, every step of the way. But you have to trust Nandini and Manik. They deserve that much."

Vishakha nodded slowly, her tears still flowing but her heart beginning to soften. She knew they were right, but it was still so hard to let go of the past. But for Nandini's sake, she knew she had to try.

Bela and Mahir exchanged relieved glances, seeing the shift in Vishakha's demeanor. They knew it would take time, but this was a start. Vishakha was finally beginning to see that Nandini's happiness was worth the risk.
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Hope u all like the chapter.....

Few words for Manik....

Few words for Nandini....

What were your favourite moments???

What will Nandini's do now???

Will Vishakha accept their relationship???

Thank u 🙂🙂

Love,
Kiara ❤️❤️