The hours in the hospital room seemed to stretch into eternity as everyone sat around Nandini, waiting, watching for any sign of movement. The silence was thick with tension, hope, and fear. Then, as if their prayers were heard, Nandini’s eyelids fluttered. Her fingers twitched slightly, and a soft murmur escaped her lips.

“Nandini?” Manik whispered, his voice soft but filled with urgency.

Slowly, Nandini opened her eyes, blinking away the haze. Her gaze found Manik, who immediately reached for the glass of water by her bedside. He gently helped her sit up, holding the glass to her lips. “Here, drink a little, okay? You’ll feel better,” he said softly.

She took a few sips, her throat still parched. As the cool water soothed her, she let the glass fall from her lips, and her eyes brimmed with tears. Without warning, she threw her arms around Manik’s neck, clutching him tightly as if she feared he would vanish.

“Manik...” Nandini sobbed, her voice cracking with pain. “Manik… why… why did this happen? Everything is so broken! Everything...”

Manik’s heart clenched as he held her against him. His fingers gently caressed the back of her head, soothing her like a child. “Shh… it’s okay, Nandini. I’m here now. You’re safe. I’ve got you. It’s all going to be okay.”

But Nandini shook her head in his embrace, her sobs growing louder, her hands fisting his shirt as she poured out everything that had been bottled up inside. “No! It’s not okay! Nothing is okay! They lied to me… everyone lied to me… Mumma… Mom… Pops… no one loves me. No one wants me!” she cried, her voice filled with raw, unfiltered pain.

Manik’s heart broke at her words, but he didn’t interrupt. He held her tighter, his lips brushing against her hair as he whispered, “I love you, Nandini. Don’t say that. You’re everything to me. You’re loved, more than you’ll ever know.”

Nandini continued to sob, her face buried in his neck, her body trembling with emotion. “Why… why did they lie to me, Manik? Why didn’t they tell me the truth? I’m so lost... I don’t know who I am anymore.”

Manik’s hand gently cupped the back of her head, pulling her closer, his voice a tender murmur. “I know it hurts, Nandini, I know… But we’ll figure it out. I’m not leaving you. Ever. We’ll face this together, okay? You’re not alone in this.”

As he whispered soft reassurances, Cabir stepped forward cautiously, his face lined with sorrow. “Nandini… can we talk?” he asked, his voice soft, yet filled with hope.

But the moment Nandini saw Cabir, her expression tightened with fear and hurt. She instinctively moved back, her body pressing deeper into Manik as if he were her shield. Her eyes flickered with distrust, the same way they did with Vishakha earlier.

“Stay back,” Manik said quietly, his eyes conveying more than words as he met Cabir’s gaze. Cabir swallowed hard, nodding in understanding, and stepped back, his own heart aching. Vishakha, who had been waiting anxiously by the side, moved forward too, but Manik gave her a gentle but firm look that spoke volumes. Now was not the time.

For now, Nandini needed peace. She needed to feel safe.

“It’s okay, Nandini. No one’s going to push you,” Manik whispered into her ear, brushing her hair back softly. “For now, just relax. We’ll talk about everything later. Right now, you need to rest, okay? I’m not going anywhere.”

His words seemed to calm her, and slowly, her sobs subsided into soft sniffles. Her grip on him loosened, but she still clung to him as if afraid to let go. To distract her, Navya, Mukti, and Alya stepped forward, offering soft smiles.

“Nandini, how are you feeling now?” Navya asked gently, sitting by the edge of her bed.

Mukti nodded, her voice filled with affection, “Yeah, we were so worried about you. You’ve been giving us all a tough time, girl.”

Alya smiled softly, trying to ease the tension in the room. “You’ve got some catching up to do, Nandini. We’ll fill you in when you’re ready.”

Their presence seemed to calm Nandini a little more, and for a few moments, the room wasn’t so heavy with grief. But behind that, the air was still thick with unspoken emotions, especially for Vishakha, who had been watching her daughter from the corner, every breath feeling like a punch to the chest.

Unable to control herself any longer, Vishakha turned and ran from the room, her sobs echoing down the hallway. Manik noticed, his heart torn between staying with Nandini and going after Vishakha. But something inside told him he needed to talk to her now. He gently pried Nandini’s arms from his neck, whispering, “I’ll be right back, okay? I’m not leaving, I promise.”

He kissed her forehead softly before standing up, giving Navya and Mukti a grateful nod to keep her company. Then, he followed Vishakha’s footsteps down the long corridor.

He found her in a silent corner, huddled against the wall, her sobs muffled as she buried her face in her hands. Her whole body shook with the force of her grief, and she looked so small, so lost. Manik’s heart softened as he approached, quietly kneeling beside her. He placed a gentle hand on her shoulder, the touch was soft but grounding.

Vishakha looked up, her tear-filled eyes meeting his, but she said nothing. She didn’t have the strength to speak.

Manik’s voice was soft, almost a whisper, as he spoke. “Ma’am… you need to stay strong for Nandini. She needs you. She’s your daughter… no matter what happened. You haven’t lost her.”

Vishakha’s lips quivered, fresh tears spilling down her cheeks. “She… she hates me, Manik. She doesn’t want me anymore. I’ve lost her… I’ve lost my daughter.” Her voice broke as the weight of her words crushed her spirit.

Manik shook his head, his eyes soft but determined. “No, you haven’t. She’s just hurt right now. It’s a lot for her to take in. But I promise you… I will bring her back. She’s your daughter. She needs you, even if she can’t see it right now.”

Vishakha broke down further, her sobs racking her body. “I… I tried to protect her, Manik. I tried to keep her safe… But… I made everything worse, didn’t I? I pushed her away…”

Manik’s gaze was filled with understanding, yet his tone remained gentle but firm. “You were trying to protect her in your way. But now, you need to trust her. She’s stronger than you think. Just give her time… I promise you, I’ll give you your Nandini back.”

Vishakha looked at him, her face drenched in tears, unable to form any words. Manik stood up, giving her shoulder a gentle squeeze before walking away, leaving her to process everything.

As Manik walked back towards the room, Bela and Mahir approached Vishakha, their faces somber but full of empathy. Bela placed a hand on her shoulder as Mahir sighed deeply.

“Vish… do you realize now?” Bela whispered, her tone gentle but pointed. “He’s the same boy you tried so hard to keep away from Nandini… just because of your past. He’s the one who’s holding her together right now. Maybe you need to let go of the stubbornness.”

Mahir nodded, his voice was soft but firm. “Look at him, Vish. He loves her more than anything. You tried to protect her by pushing him away, but he’s the one bringing her back to you.”

Vishakha’s tears didn’t stop, but she nodded slightly, finally seeing the reality she had refused to acknowledge for so long. “I… I didn’t see it before,” she whispered, her voice broken. “But I see it now.”

Bela gently pulled her into a hug, comforting her as Mahir stood by, offering his silent support. “It’s not too late, Vish. She needs you. And Manik’s right… she’ll come back. Just give her time.”

Vishakha buried her face into Bela’s shoulder, her sobs quieter now but filled with a mother’s regret, sorrow, and hope.

Manik walked back toward Nandini’s room, his mind heavy with the weight of everything that had happened. As he approached the door, he noticed Cabir sitting outside on one of the chairs, slumped forward, his face buried in his hands. It was a sight that made Manik’s chest tighten—Cabir, usually so strong, always the one cracking jokes or lightening the mood, was utterly broken.

For a moment, Manik stood there, unsure of what to say or how to approach him. He knew that Cabir had been holding it together for so long, trying to be the rock for everyone else. But now, it seemed as if everything had come crashing down on him. Taking a deep breath, Manik quietly walked over and sat beside him. The silence between them was deafening, the tension palpable.

Without lifting his head, Cabir sniffled, wiping at his eyes roughly, as if ashamed to be caught in this vulnerable state. Manik didn’t say anything at first. He just sat there, his presence alone enough to let Cabir know he wasn’t alone.

Minutes passed before Cabir finally spoke, his voice muffled by his hands, his words shaky and broken. "Manik... I don’t even know what to do anymore, man. I… I thought I lost her once, but now…" His voice cracked, and he paused, trying to hold back the sob threatening to escape. "Now she doesn’t even know who she is, doesn’t trust any of us... doesn’t even know me as her brother. It’s like I’ve lost her all over again."

Manik felt the raw pain in Cabir’s voice, and it tore at him. He looked over at Cabir, who was still hiding his face, trying to keep it together. Reaching out, Manik placed a hand on his shoulder, giving it a firm but gentle squeeze. "Cabir... she’s just confused right now. She’s hurt, and scared. Finding out everything like this… it’s a lot for her to handle."

Cabir finally lifted his head, his eyes red and puffy from crying. He looked at Manik, his expression one of utter devastation. "But, Manik, she doesn’t even see me as her brother anymore. She thinks I’m just another person who lied to her. I saw the way she looked at me in there… like I was a stranger. Like I didn’t matter to her at all." His voice broke again, and he lowered his head, his hands trembling as he wiped at his tears.

Manik swallowed hard, feeling the weight of his friend’s pain. He knew how deeply Cabir loved Nandini, how protective he was of her. This was tearing him apart. "Cabir... you didn’t lose her. You’re still her brother, her twin. She’s just overwhelmed by everything right now. I promise, once she gets through this, once she processes everything... she’ll come back to you."

Cabir shook his head, letting out a bitter laugh that was tinged with sorrow. "And what if she doesn’t, Manik? What if she never forgives me? I don’t want to lose her…"

His voice trailed off, and he choked back another sob. Manik’s heart clenched at the sight of Cabir, this broken version of his friend that he’d never seen before. Cabir had always been the strong one, the one who kept everyone else together. But now, he was falling apart.

Manik turned slightly in his chair, facing Cabir more directly. "Cabir, listen to me. You didn’t lose her. She’s not gone. She’s still here, and she’s still your sister. She’s just lost right now, confused about everything. But she’ll find her way back to you. She just needs time."

Cabir looked at him, his eyes filled with doubt and pain. "How do you know that, Manik? How do you know she’ll come back?"

Manik met his gaze, his expression unwavering. "Because I know Nandini. She’s stronger than you think. Right now, she’s scared, she’s hurt, and she feels betrayed. But deep down, she knows who loves her. She’ll figure it out. It’s just going to take some time."

Cabir ran a hand through his hair, his frustration evident. "I just don’t know how to make this right, Manik. She’s been through so much… and I couldn’t even be there for her properly. I failed her."

Manik’s grip on Cabir’s shoulder tightened. "You didn’t fail her, Cabir. You’re here now, and that’s what matters. You’re her brother, and nothing can change that. She’ll realize that in time. But for now, all we can do is be patient. Give her the space she needs to process everything."

Cabir stared down at the floor, his hands clenching and unclenching as he wrestled with the storm of emotions inside him. "I just want her to know that I’m here for her, that I love her... That I’m sorry for keeping this from her."

Manik nodded, his voice gentle but firm. "She’ll know, Cabir. She’ll know. But right now, she’s too overwhelmed to hear any of that. You saw how she reacted in there. If you try to push her right now, it’ll only make things worse. Give her some time to breathe."

Cabir’s shoulders slumped, and he let out a deep, shuddering sigh. "I just... I don’t want to lose her again, Manik. Not like this. Not after everything."

Manik’s heart ached for him. He understood the fear, the helplessness. He felt it too, every time he saw the fear and confusion in Nandini’s eyes. But he also knew that forcing things now would only push her further away. "You won’t lose her, Cabir. I promise you, we’ll get through this. Together."

For the first time since they’d sat down, Cabir looked at Manik with a glimmer of hope. It was faint, but it was there. He nodded slowly, wiping at his eyes one last time. "I hope you’re right, Manik. I don’t know what I’d do if I lost her for good."

Manik gave him a small, reassuring smile. "You won’t. We won’t let that happen."

Cabir took a deep breath, the weight on his chest is still heavy but a little more bearable now. "Thanks, man. I don’t know what I’d do without you either."

Manik patted his shoulder, his eyes filled with understanding. "We’re family, Cabir. We’ll get through this. One step at a time."

For a moment, they sat there in silence, the enormity of everything still weighing heavily on them, but somehow, at that moment, there was also a sliver of hope. It wasn’t going to be easy—nothing about this situation was—but they had each other, and that was enough to keep moving forward.

Cabir sighed, leaning back in his chair, and staring at the ceiling. "I just want her to be okay, Manik. That’s all I want."

Manik nodded, his heart heavy with the same wish. "She will be, Cabir. She will be."
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Hope u all like the chapter.....

Few words for Manik....

Few words for Nandini....

Will Nandini accept Cabir???

Will Nandini forgive Vishakha???

Thank u 🙂🙂

Love,
Kiara ❤️❤️