Later that night Niel called for a family meeting. Gaurav sat in front of him while Ayush was on his phone.

Annoyed, Gaurav snatched the phone away with a stern glare. "Tere bhai ne kuch important bolne ke liye bulaya hai humme yahan....pay attention!"

Ayush rolled his eyes with a grumble but looked at Niel. "Haan bhai...boliye."

"Actually...uhm....woh...main...."

"Wow bhai...yeh toh sach mein boohhhooooot  important hai!" Ayush joked with a chuckle.

"Shutup." Niel glared at his brother.

"Niel...ignore him. Tu bol....kya bolna tha?" Gaurav replied.

"Uhm Dad....I have been dating someone. Woh yahan nahi rehti hai but we met a couple of yrs ago on a dating website...."

"What! You joined a dating website?" Ayush exclaimed. "Seriously bhai? Aap itne desperate they?? Hahahaha!" 

"Ayush...." Gaurav gave him a look before turning back to Niel. "Why didnt you tell me this before?"

"Aapke paas time kaha hota hai." Ayush mumbled but Gaurav heard.

"Main jo bhi karta hoon tum dono ke liye karta hoon Ayush. Din raat kaam karta hoon tabhi tum dono ko yeh lifestyle mila hai" Gaurav replied.

"Yeah well I didnt-"

"Dad! Ayush....pls not now!" Niel spoke up, stopping the argument before it could start. "Im sorry Dad....I wanted to tell you before lekin bas mauka nahi mila. Lekin....we have been thinking of getting married. I mean....her parents want to meet you and you know..."

"You said woh yahan nahi rehti so....where does she live?" Gaurav asked.

"Mumbai.....hum vaise bhi India mein expand karna chahte they right? So this is the perfect opportunity. Thakur Enterprises ka naya office bhi khul jayega and meri shaadi ki baat bhi hoga." Niel said.

"Hmmm......ok then. Uske parents ko inform kardo that we will be coming soon. Bas yahan kuch formalities complete karna hai." Gaurav replied.

"Thanks Dad." Niel smiled & hugged Gaurav. 

Gaurav smiled back & then went into his study.

"I cant believe you didnt tell me!" Ayush complained to Niel. "I mean come on...main aap ka chota bhai hoon!"

"Toh maine kab kaha behen hai? I told you na...mauka nahi mila." Niel defended himself.

"Oh pls Bro....I know woh bas ek excuse hai for Dad but main Dad nahi hoon. Mere paas toh time hi time hai...aap mujhe bata sakte they." Ayush replied.

"Ok baba...Im sorry. Ab toh pata hai na?" Niel replied.

"Acha vaise....Mom India mein hai na?" Ayush asked.

"Shayad....paata nahi." Niel told him. "Hum pehle Delhi mein rehte they but divorce ke baad Mom, Nandini aur Ranbir wahi rehte hai ya kahi aur shift ho gaye....I really dont know."

"Aap ne koshish nahi ki to keep in touch?"

"Mere control mein hota toh main Mom aur Dad ko alag hone hi nahi deta." Niel sighed sadly. "Lekin...I was 9, mere control mein kuch nahi tha."

1 Week Later

Mumbai, India

A large mansion is shown that has the name plate Malhotra Mansion. In one bedroom, a man is seen coming out of his bathroom with nothing but a towel wrapped around his body. He was looking devilishly sexy but that was nothing new for him.  Yup....Im sure you all guessed by now....its our handsome, Manik Malhotra.

Manik opened his closet and quickly scanned through it,  frowning when he couldnt find what he was looking for. "Deepak! DEEPAK!"

"Ji sir." A servant ran in.

"Where the hell is my black suit?"

"Woh-"

"You know mera important meeting hai aaj aur mein sirf wahi suit pehnta hoon on important days."

"Ji woh-"

"Kya woh woh laga rakha hai? And where the HELL is my morning coffee?!" Manik yelled. 

Deepak  looked sacred. "Main...dekh ke aata hoon."

He quickly ran out.

"Wait...what about my black suit!? Urgh!"

"Manik...." A girl looking around the same age as Manik entered and shook her head. "Subha subha chilla kyun raha hai tu?"

"Yaar Avni...mera na dimaag kharab ho raha hai abhi! Roz subha mera black coffee tayyar rehta hai mere liye by my bedside table lekin aaj nahi hai....and jab tak main shower leke bahar aata hoon tab tak mera suit bhi bed pe ready hota hai....woh bhi nahi tha. Forget being ready...mera black suit toh pura ka pura gayab hi hai mere closet se! Mein 2 hafte ke liye business trip pe kya chala gaya aur sab ka yeh haal hai!"

 Avni, Manik's sister stared at him for a moment before bursting out laughing. "Haha Hahaha Haha!"

"What?"

"Oh my dear dear brother....its not ki tu 2 hafte ke liye business trip pe gaya hai. Its that Nandini aaj yahan nahi hai ISS LIYE yeh haal hai! That morning coffee....tera suit ready rakhna...uske saath matching tie and everything woh ghar ke naukar nahi Nandini roz karti hai and then before you come out of the shower woh office ke liye nikal jaati hai."

"Wait what.....Nandini roz subha yahan aake Itna sab karti hai and then reaches office before me?" Manik was stunned. "Lekin...maine toh kabhi nahi kaha that she has to do all that? Phir?"

"Mujhe kya paata? Hum sab ne usse kaha hai ki she is already an amazing employee she doesnt need to do all that lekin woh sunti nahi hai." Avni shrugged.

"Im sorry! Im so sorry Manik! Dry cleaning walon ne deri kar diya!" Nandini ran in with Manik's black suit, panting. 

"Avni....I need to have a chat with Nandini." Manik said.

"Manu...dant mat isse." Avni warned him.

"Avni...pls."

Avni finally had no choice but to leave the room and Manik closed his door.

"Kya hua?" Nandini asked confused. Manik took the suit from her hands and threw it onto the bed. "Arre....abhi abhi dry clean hoke aaya hai!"

Manik wrapped one arm around her tiny waist and pulled her to his chest. 

"Manik!" Nandini gasped. "Kya kar rahe ho? Koi dekh lega?"

"Hmmm woh kya hai na Nandini ji, mere family members ke paas x-ray vision nahi hai unfortunately.... toh darwaze ke aar paar nahi dekh sakte." Manik replied sarcastically.

"Ha ha....very funny." Nandini frowned and tried to get loose. "Chodo mujhe......main na gussa hoon tumse!"

"Really? Naraz ho phir bhi mere liye mera suit dry clean karwake le aayi ho....and not just that but mujhe paata chala hai ke tum roz mere liye coffe tayyar rakhti ho, mere kapre tayyar rakhti ho and then also reach office before me." Manik said. "Kyun karte ho woh sab? Woh toh tumhara kaam nahi hai."

"Tumhare mann mein ladoo phut rahe honge na? Hawa mein udh rahe honge...." Nandini asked with a sarcastic smile. "Ki maine yeh sab tumhare liye kiya? Well...I didnt, toh zameen pe aa jao Mr Malhotra."

"Mere liye nahi kiya? Toh?" Manik asked, confused. 

"Tumhare naukron ki mental health ke liye kiya." Nandini replied.

"Eh?"

"Yeah....ek din main subha yahan aayi thi tumhara signature lene ke liye on some contract aur main dekha ke tum chilla rahe they bechare Deepak pe woh bhi iss liye kyunki tumhara coffee time pe nahi aaya and then I reached office lekin tum pure 2 ghante late they! Baad mein Avni di na bataya ke tumhe apna koi bhi cheez nahi mil raha tha aur kyunki Shreya Aunty aur Avni Di dono yahan nahi they tumne phirse naukron ko danta....infact do teen naukar toh ussi din tumare darr se naukri chod ke gaon wapas chala gaya." Nandini said. "Issi liye maine socha ki main roz subha yahan aake sab tumhare pasand ke hisab se tayyar rakhungi...so that tumhar gussa bechare naukron pe na phutey!

"Ok fine...mere liye nahi kiya. Par tum gussa kyun ho mujhse?" Manik asked.

"Because I just am." Nandini pouted.

"Ok main abhi gussa gayab karwa deta hoon tumhari." Manik pulled her even closer and leaned towards her.

Knock! Knock!

"Manik! Tu kya kar raha hai? You better not be yelling at Nandini!"

 "Yaar....yeh Avni ke paas aur koi kaam dhandha nahi hai kya?" Manik grumbled.

Nandini glared at him. "Manik....Di hai woh tumhare. Aisa koi bolta hai kya?" 

"Manik!" Avni called out again.

Knock! Knock!

Nandini turned to opened the door as Manik let go of her but he stopped her.

"Acha listen.....thoda sa drama karna." 

"Kya?"

"Haan...I mean band darwaze ke piche agar main tumha dant nahi raha hoon toh kya kar raha hoon? Shaq ho jayega na? So...just pretend I yelled at you."

"Hmm..." Nandini nodded. She opened the door and....suddenly she was crying. "Avni Di!"

"Nandini? Kya hua? Danta isne tujhe? I just knew it!" Avni got concerned. 

"Dekhiye na! Just because Manik mera boss hai he thinks woh mujhse kaise bhi baat kar sakta hai! I mean...main subha subha aake woh sab karti hoon jo mere job description mein bhi nahi hai aur yeh mere upar chilla raha hai just because Im late bringing his stupid suit! Matlab....main kya khud apne haathon se saaf kar rahi thi? Dry cleaning waalon ne deri kar di toh isme meri kya galati hai?" Nandini sniffled, tears running down her face. Manik just silently watched at Avni glared at him angrily.

"Nahi Nahi...teri koi galati nahi hai."

"Aap itne ache ho aur aapka yeh bhai....kitne dusht hai!" Nandini complained.

"Yeh toh aisa hi hai...paidaishi kamina! Tu roh mat..." Avni wiped her tears as Manik looked offended. "Come..."

Avni led Nandini downstairs to the sitting area where Viren & Shreya Malhotra were chatting. They both stood up seeing Nandini cry.

"Arre Nandini beta...tu roh kyun rahi hai?" Viren asked.

"Apne iss khadus bete se puchiye!" Avni told her Dad. "Kitna danta isne Nandini ko."

"Manik? Tune Nandini ko danta?" 

"Dad main toh bas..."

"Tu toh bas kya huh? Kitna karti hai yeh bachi tere liye aur tu dantega?" 

"Main toh saalon se bol rahi hoon ke isko bohot zyada gussa aata hai. Har waqt bas gussa gussa gussa!" Shreya spoke up.

"Haan sahi bol rahi ho....iske gusse ka kuch karna hoga." Viren nodded.

"Mom Dad...we should send him to an anger management group!" Avni walked over to her parents. The three of them were dicussing what to do with Manik while he stood there confused as to whats happening. Manik walked over to Nandini.

"Itna drama bhi nahi karna tha Nandini....tumne toh mujhe puri family se dant khila diya." Manik whispered in her ears.

"Good....ur jao mujhe chodke 2 hafton ke liye!" Nandini whispered back.

"So THAT'S what this is about...." Manik realized. "Nandini...I-"

"Uncle Aunty..." Nandini spoke up. Manik's parents & sister looked at her. "Mujhe office ke liye nikalna chahiye ab....varna Manik SIR mujhe phir dantenge." 

"Bol toh aise rahi hai jaise main roz danta hoon isse....ulta isne mujhe dant kilwaya!" Manik thought to himself.

"Haan tu ja...lekin iss khotey ki chinta mat kar. Isne phirse tujhe danta toh mujhe bol dena main apne joote se saari bossgiri nikal dunga iska." Viren assured her.

"Wonderful....kaun kahega yeh MERI family hai?" Manik chuckled to himself. As Nandini left, Manik also went upstairs to get ready for office.

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Thoughts on this chapter?

Thoughts on the bond between Manik's family & Nandini?

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