Manik's POV 

"What did you say Arya?" I asked Aryamann who's face turned pale hearing me. 

Arya-" Umm.. nothing bro I was saying what what is all this, like this is so fishy." He kept the papers on the table and gave me a weird smile 

"Aryamann are you sure it's nothing? Well let it be as it is I'm too much stressed and now all of this is going up my head. I will see what can be done--" My phone rang showing Raj uncle's name.

"Hello, yes uncle." 

"........."

"Ohh.. ok I will be there in half n hr."

Aryamann was still standing there lost in his thoughts when I cut the call. 

"Aryamann, listen I need to go now to the lodge. Can you please hide all of this in my secret locker, even this pen drive I have transferred all the photos from my phone in this, can't take any risk. Bye bro and take care of yourself." With this I grabbed my phone and car keys and moved out.

               《~~~○~~~○~~~》

Lodge 

I walked inside to see only Raj uncle and Raghav sitting in the hall along with Dr. Sharma, there was something very unsettling about the way he was looking at me sitting at the farthest corner of the hall with a medical box in his hand. What caught my attention was that he was looking everywhere other than me.  

" Greeting to you Mr. Malhotra, Mr. Raghav and Dr. Sharma, you called me." I bowed down towards them. 

Raj-" Manik today I have a very important work for you and I want it to be done without you asking any question. This is the only way out to put a full stop to all our miseries." I just nodded. 

Raghav-" We have got an information about Sanvi and Siddhant. You along with some of our men in that year are going to attack them. Here is the poisonous sword just kill them and then take away their blood and come back. The rest of the work will be done by our men." As as soon as he completed I looked at Dr. Sharma who had bent his head low and forwarded the sword to me and even Raj uncle looked at front without any emotion. 

"What the hell Mr. Raghav, this is against the principles of the Lodge. We can't harm any time traveler come what may and here you are asking me to kill them. I will not--" 

Raghav-" I think you forgot what the Guardian said Manik, you are no one to question here. This is important and if something or someone is harming the circle then they needs to be taken care of. If you won't kill them then they will kill you any which way. Why are you being concerned about them Manik?" With his chest puffed with arrogance he puffed his cigar asking me with his penetrating gaze lingering on me. 

Raj-" Manik, just do as it is said. You need to leave right now and meet the men first as they will not attack before you come." 

1960

Standing outside 60's bungalow of the Malhotra was not a new thing for me. I had been here a lot of times but when I was 10 years or something and in my time. The white 3 store building had always been the most beautiful one be it in the 60's or in our time. I went inside in search of that person who would help me and understand me.   

"Dadu I need your help they are planning, this is wrong and against our principles. I can't live with a tag of a murderer that too when I now know that things are wrong on both sides." I told Dadu aka Tuhin Malhotra everything about the attack. I requested Moloy Uncle to set the time an hour before the actual time of attack and somewhere near to Malhotra house. He is the one who is the most trusted one and sets the time of the elapse. No one will know at what time I left and for how many hours. 

Tuhin-" This is ridiculous, how could they do this and specially Raj who is the guardian the protector of the rules and the time travelers. You don't worry Manik I have my trusted men here who will look after things, you just need to pretend that you did fought well but Siddhant and Sanvi had their own men. You leave I will send my men behind you." He was very much infuriated with knowing the current happenings and I guess this was a good idea. 

              《~~~○~~~○~~~》

Present

Nandini was sitting along with Aryamann and Mukti after telling them about her little expedition to the basement record. All this while Aryamann was silent and didn't even react.

Nandini-" Aryamann are you alright? What happened, did Manik get anything when he came back home?"

" Nandini I feel you should tell Manik everything. As what I saw today makes me feel that there is something really big about to happen. The manuscript we read and the one that Manik has are completely different. He had been misguided."Aryamann's voice had an edge while his eyes were struck on Nandini trying to make her understand the seriousness of the situation.

"What happened? And did you tell this to Manik?" Nandini asked the question that first came in her mind. Today itself Manik told her that he has started trusting her and if now he gets to know that she hid something from him it may go wrong.

I didn't say anything but still he caught my surprised face. Actually today after coming from the lodge Manik was fully engrossed in finding about the missing pieces of the manuscript and what can be wrong. And when I casually took a look at his copy the verses were somewhat different as to what we had got in that manuscript which you have. And I'm hundred percent sure that either the Lord himself or Sanvi and Siddhant have made the changes. Even Manik couldn't get the links right as the original book has something else written while you all have been made to read something else. Which ever way it is Nandini, it can only be solved if both you and Manik come together." Aryamann reasoned to Nandini and even Mukti nodded her head.

" Where is Manik right now?"

" He got a call from the Lodge and he went there some hours earlier." Aryamann informed her and Nandini took her bag and the manuscripts getting ready to meet him.

"Nanz you will go right now to tell Manik? I mean he is in the lodge. What if someone hears you?" Mukti tried stopping her.

"No Mukti, we don't have time. And as it is I should have told him in the morning. And if he gets to know from somewhere else then he will misunderstand me. Don't worry I will be careful." One last look at both of them while they gave me a thumps up with an encouraging smile. 

             《~~~○~~~○~~~》

Manik's POV 

I finally reached the place where I was suppose to be, a deserted lane close to Howrah bridge. According to the instructions given to me the attackers would meet me there and from there we will go ahead to the other side where Siddhant and Sanvi were suppose to come to have their regular evening walk. The men recognized me when I showed them my ring. I need to make some changes in this plan if I want Grandpa's men to reach us soon. 

"There is a sudden change in plan we are going to attack from the east side of the coast. So you all will stick to me come what may and follow my instructions. We need to be as careful as we can be." The attackers nodded and we moved ahead, Just 5 more minutes for Siddhant and Sanvi to reach, I hope they have got my cue which Dadu has sent. I changed the position of the attack as the rescue team was to reach us through the east side which is close to the bank of the river, and those people will be in disguise. 

"Attack!!!! they are here." I roared as those people circled Siddhant and Sanvi from every side. They were shocked will be an understatement but Siddhant had quick reflexes as he held Sanvi behind his back shielding her fully while taking out his hand sword he stood in attention position. I was standing at the far end as according to Grandpa's instructions I need to be away from them till the time his men come. 

Siddhant-" Manik Malhotra I didn't know that you people can stoop this low for that scoundrel man. Don't you have any shame or guilt in you that now you want to kill a time traveler of their blood? I pity you Manik Malhotra I pity you!" his every word was filled with disgust and I could not even look into his eyes as I knew that what all he said was right. If I had not known things being wrong and have been the old Manik I wouldn't have felt a bit of guilt for following Guardians orders. 

As those men were about to attack both of them some other men dressed in full black jumped in. The fight was going on in full swing but what was surprising for Siddhant and Sanvi was the men in black who were protecting them. I sighed in relief but still pretended to fight. With both sides of the people attacking, my men were also surprised. The fight went on for some time with all of us fighting. The men in black had almost killed all the attackers. As I saw the last attacker die with one long slit on his throat by Siddhant Malhotra. I looked around only to find all the attackers dead so I dropped my sword. 

" I mean no harm! trust me I want to talk with you guys." I shouted while Siddhant pointed his sword towards me. 

" Thank Mr. Tuhin Malhotra for the help." I told the men as they were ready to leave. All this was seen by couple who were perplexed with what exactly was happening. 

"Can we talk somewhere? I promise I will tell you everything and I didn't want to kill you people. Please believe me once. I want to know the truth of you people escaping 18 years back." I tried convincing them. 

Siddhant-" You feel that after almost attacking us now you will play this drama and I will believe you? No Manik, I'm not such a fool but for sure I will not kill you, leave before I do something which none of us want__" 

Sanvi-" Sid, I feel he is speaking the truth. He didn't mean any harm to us and how will Baba ( Tuhin Malhotra) send his men to save us if he won't have been told. He didn't even caused me a scratch during the fight when he could have actually killed me two times.  We should once listen to him. Manik come with us." Sanvi stopped Siddhant while he made a face but dropped his sword down. I gave them a small smile and then had a look at my watch which said I had about half n hour left to elapse back. 

Sitting inside a cosy eatry shop I was sitting with Sanvi and Siddhant at the farthest corner of this beautiful restaurant. The air around us was a bit tightened with apprehensions with Siddhant Malhotra still grilling holes on me with his eyes Sanvi Basu.. oops Malhotra was giving me a worried smile controlling her husband. They did look cute, I had always been told about their bad behaviours and stuffed my head with hatred but right now sitting with them did feel good. Though it was awkward but it felt warm as well. 

Sanvi-" Manik what will you have? Let's order something first for you. The food in 1960's were very delicious." She broke the ice first asking me politely while I could feel Siddhant was not liking this a bit. 

Sid-" Give him our blood to drink darling, he is just thirsty of our blood like his masters." He passed on a comment earning a snap on his bicep from Sanvi. 

Sanvi-" He is your nephew for god sake Sid. Stop being so harsh on this boy." 

Siddhant-" A distant nephew for the first, and also who had attacked us some time back."  He has the ever arrogant Malhotra trait which made me smile a bit. Though he is right that I'm his distant nephew from his cousin brother but still the Malhotra blood always have worked on all of us to be arrogant and stubborn.

" Sanvi Ma'am I don't need any anything, I just want to know that why did you escape with the chronograph and that too in the past. Why don't you want the circle to close?" I asked the question running on my mind from a all this while. 

Siddhant-" And why do you think we will tell you?  You have no right to know this." 

" I know Siddhant you don't trust me, I know I was a fool to be following all the rules and decisions made by the guardians blindly but now I have a gut feeling that there is something wrong. I also searched for clues in the basement record room but only found the torn sheets of the prophesies book. The letter you had sent through Dadu made me think. I want to know that what is wrong with everything? Why are those pages torn and what is it that I should read between the lines?" I pleaded in front of them to answer my questions. This mystery is eating my head, I don't want to be part of something wrong which will haunt me through out my life. 

Sanvi-" Did you had a talk with Nandini also? Does she know about you fining things?" She asked me.

"Yes I had a talk with her but even she doesn't know anything. Ma'am please tell me what is it that you people know and took such a drastic decision of leaving your family and your time behind." 

Siddhant -" To protect our loved one, to protect you both." They looked at each other talking with their eyes which was glistering with tears. I sat there confused trying to understand that how can the closing of the chronograph harm me and Nandini. 

"What? to protect me and Nandini but what will happen to us? The prophesies doesn't say anything happening to us being in danger. It talks about the greater good and something which will help the world when being hit by a massive destructions." 

Sanvi-" That is just a façade to cover up the ritual which the Lord want's to get fulfilled. He manipulated the entire prophesies to let his work be carried forward smoothly. You want to know right that what will happen if the chronograph closes, then go and ask Nandini for the manuscripts we gave her." Sanvi's words hit me differently, Nandini has something regarding this but how?

Sanvi-" Manik do not take Nandini wrong, we were the one's who asked her not to share this  with you. You also know the reason behind it as you won't have believed us. But yes the last meet when we met with Nandini and you thought we were attacking her that was when we gave the sheets to her. You both have to work together Manik or else you may loose each other." She put a hand on my shoulder while I knew that what she said was true. If Nandini would have told me then too I would have taken her wrong. 

Siddhant-" I don't trust this boy Sanvi why did you tell him all this. He should not be anywhere around Nandini. What if he harms her." Siddhant's words made me scowl, why does he trust Nandini more than me? Even she is a time traveler and for sure even she can be wrong.

"Why are you having issues with me and not Nandini? For your information she is not the blood line of Malhotras, but I'm. and also a time traveler who have less knowledge about time travelling than me. Still you are counting on her and gave her such a dangerous task." I asked him being all irritated. He can't just keep on insulting me. 

Siddhant-" She is more intelligent than you Mr. Fool. Atleast she knows what is right and what is not. If it wasn't for her then I won't have taken any pain to make a run to the past. Don't give yourself so much of importance as you have none." He snapped at me making me go red with anger. He is such a rascal but don't know how he got an angel like Sanvi. 

"Why so much of love for your wife's niece Mr. Malhotra?" I asked him being agitated standing up on my place with even Sanvi standing up to calm us down.

             《~~~○~~~○~~~》

Nandini's POV

That suffocating feeling which had crawled up around me caging me completely from the time I left my home to tell Manik everything was easing as I was nearing the Lodge. I'm not keeping any secrets from him from now on. He believed me, trusted me and took me with him to that basement. Manik has finally realized that things are not right and if that is the case then when I will give him proofs then he will understand. 

I thought of calling Moloy uncle and ask if Manik has returned or not. It will be better that way as if anyone see me in the lodge then they may take have a doubt. As I was busy dialing Moloy Uncle's no. I saw my mother's car parked outside the lodge. 

* What is Mom doing here in the lodge? She had said that she has a very important meeting today, was this the important meeting she was talking about? But why here... wait No!!! Manik told me that the guardians are after my Mom and think that we are hiding something. Shit ! I hope they haven't got to know anything.* 

With this last thought I ran inside the lodge in a hurry I have to stop them, Mom doesn't know anything and I can't let her falling into any trouble cos of me. The receptionist greeted me with surprise as I was all huffing and puffing. 

"Anna, where are the guardians right now? I need to meet them right away." I asked her with my escalated breath. 

" Raj sir is not here right now but Raghav sir in a very important meeting right now and has strictly ordered none to disturb him. If you want I can pass on a message that you have come." Anna informed me picked up her cordless when I stopped her. 

" No! I mean that's fine I came to meet Raj sir, it's fine I will just meet Mary she had asked me to come and give my measurements for some outfits." With this I gave her a smile, she didn't add my name in the visitor's list to my relief. 

Once reaching Mary's room I took the stairs which went straight up to hall. It's a long route but then none should know that I came inside the lodge. With slow and steady pace I was nearing the hall when I heard some loud voices or someone quarrelling. It was Mom's voice but why did it felt like she is sobbing? Glancing left and right for one last time I moved near the door and opened it slightly to hear properly by hiding myself behind the wall. There stood Raghav sir all angry and was throwing some papers on the table in front of my Mom who was sitting right on the other side. 

" Do you have anything to say about this Mrs. Rajvansh? I'm asking you for the last time that why did you not tell us about Nandini before? There was no reason for you to put your daughter's life in danger by not giving her proper training." 

Nidhi-" Even I have made myself very clear about why I didn't want my daughter to not be in this business. And I was in opinion that as Aliya was also born on the same day so she would be the gene carrier. The difference between their birth was of some minutes. Why am I being called here to keep repeating my side of the story I don't get it." A frustrated groan left my mother's mouth as she repeated the same thing which she said when I was being brought here for the first time. 

Raghav-" Are you really sure of all this? Why are you sweating and going hyper with my questioning?" He roamed around her with his hawk eyes not leaving my mom even for a second. 

Nidhi-" You want me to write this shit on a stamp paper that I THOUGHT MY DAUGHTER WAS NOT PART OF THIS TIME TRAVELING CRAP!" She roared at him standing up on her place. Well this is what I love about my mom she can't take anyone's accusation.  

Raghav-" I know that Mrs. Rajvansh but what surprises me more is the reports which I have got just some time back from our team of doctors about YOUR DAUGHTER." he forwarded another file to my mother after reading which I felt her going stiff. 

* What the hell is in that paper that Mom got all stiff. Why are these people so twisty and need to always create more suspense.* 

Raghav-" What happened Mrs. Rajvansh? Why are you so surprised reading this? I should be the one surprised here right? Give your reasons Nidhi Rajvansh why is the test negative? You had said that you can write on stamp paper that Nandini - your daughter was not part of the traveling thing but here these papers say that Nandini is NOT even YOUR DAUGHTER. The DNA test of yours and Nandini, says that you are not her biological mother, both of your DNA does not match. Why is that so Mrs. Rajvansh?"

 The words slipping from Raghav's mouth left me in utter shock. The ground beneath me feet felt shaking and so did my legs which had become jelly.  What crap is he saying? How... how the hell can this be possible? No there is definitely something wrong with the reports, definitely there is something wrong. My mother is Nidhi Rajvansh, I'm Nandini Rajvansh. Why is my mother not shouting or slapping that white mouse for talking nonsense. 

Nidhi-" This... this is wrong. It's not true Nandini is my daughter." I heard mom speak and I felt my tears streaming down my eyes. Yes mom you are right. 

Raghav-" Lie!!! You are lying again! Nandini is not your daughter and this DNA report proves the same. But you know what's more shocking that Nandini's DNA matches with the Basu's. Definitely she is a Basu as she has inherited the time traveling genes. So WHO is her parents Nidhi Rajvansh, answer me."  This time Raghav roared making my mother to break down into tears. 

*My mother?! Should I even call her my mother? Why did she hid this from me.*

Nidhi-" She... she is the daughter of______." 

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(Chapter over!!!!!!)

What happened? What more? Want to know who are Nandini's parents? *scroll* 

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The cold air rushed through me as my limbs felt numb. I don't believe on what I heard, of course I won't as it is all a crap. This can't be true, all my life can't be a lie and those people have misunderstood it all. But a nagging sensation seeps at the back of my neck as I could hear some cluster of noises but my mind can't decipher any of them. As I walked on the middle of the road on a winter afternoon, the freezing cold air gushing and the busy streets of park street speeding. My mind repeating the same line I heard some moments back on a re-play mode. 

*NANDINI IS THE DAUGHTER OF SIDDHANT AND SANVI.*

That is when I heard some loud honking and the next thing I could realize was a speeding car hitting me and I'm flying up in the air and then thump on the road with a sharp pain shooting from the top of my head to the tip of my toe. The last I saw Manik running towards me and his voice could be heard.

Manik-" NANDINI!!!!!! Nandini please open your eyes. Look you can't leave me Nandini open your eyes." My head was held by Manik while my eyes drooped and darkness engulfed me. 

《⚊⛤☆⚊⛤☆⚊⛤☆⚊⛤☆》

So here is my compensation for not posting the update for 2 weeks. 4000+ words😉

Hope you liked today's update.

A major twist in the story!!!!!
Nandini is not Nidhi Rajvansh's daughter.

What twist will this bring in her life?

But wait!!!! Will she survive as she got hit by a car.

What will Manik do now? How did he reached her?

Lord was lying to everyone all this while. Will his real motive be out soon?

To know all the what's and how's keep reading the book. And if you like this share it with your friends❤

I will see you with another Update. Till then take care and be safe. Hope you took the vaccine.

Toodles!!!!!

Your writer
Satakshi (Neha) ❤