Not happy with the response in previous update, but I'll let it slide this one time only for those who did ❤️🌙

Vote , Comment and Share and also reach out to me on Ig:)

Ps- some sweetness Manik did in this chapter, check your sugar level :)

Pps- the starting scene is inspired by a page on Instagram:)

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Hosh walon ko khabar kya
be khudi kya cheez hai,
Ishq kijiye phir samjhiye,
zindagi kya cheez hai!!"

--- 💌 ---

"Mumma?"

"Hnji?"

"I wuv you!!"

(I love you)

Nandini looked at her daughter with a surprised face which was replaced by a big smile as she took her daughter in her lap and hugged her closely.

"I love you more, bacha!!"

Anahita giggled in happiness and looked at the kids playing in the park, while she sat with her mother under a tree. She then looked back at her mother and cupped her cheeks with her small palms.

"Mumma!!"

"Yes?"

"You are cute!!" Nandini was surprised but chuckled and hold Anahita's cheeks in her hand.

"No, you're cutest." Anahita frowned and pouted before shaking her head.

"No Mumma, you don't know. You are cute."

"But for me, you're cute!!" Nandini replied smilingly as she was enjoying her expressions.

"No. You are."

"Ok, let's do one thing, on the count of three, whoever says it first is right, okay?" Anahita bobbed her head in yes and Nandini started the countdown.

"3. 2."

"You are cute!!"

"But I didn't even finished counting." Nandini argued and Anahita frowned.

"Ok let's do it again, this time whoever blinks first is the cutest, okay?" Anahita again bobbed her head and Nandini chuckled when she opened her eyes wide.

"Let's stat Mumma." Nandini too opened her eyes looking at her daughter, who blinked in next three seconds.

"Okay fine! I am more cute. Okay?" Nandini chuckled at her drama and tickled her which made Anahita laughed out aloud, which brought instant smile on Nandini's face.

Nandini stopped tickling Anahita abruptly when she felt someone standing ahead of them because of the shadows falling on her. Her gaze fell on three pair of shoes and as her eyes traveled above, the smile on her face disappeared and she sat straight.

Anahita too saw the change in her mother's posture and looked above to find the same three men, whom she saw the other day when her mother had cried silently in her room. She huffed and her instant reaction was to hide Nandini with her small figure and she put her mother's face in her chest.

Her this act surprised the three men who looked at her adoringly yet with pain. Do their sister need to be protected by them too, they wondered.

Nandini's heart swelled with love for her daughter. She broke the hug with her and smiled assuringly at her but the frowns on Anahita's face were still there.

"Should we go home bacha?" Anahita bobbed her head and ignoring the three men, Nandini stood up and hold Anahita's hand in hers. She had took a step when Rudra's voice stopped her.

"Don't we even deserve your presence around us Nandini?" Nandini closed her eyes tightly and opened them after inhaling a deep breath.

"Ask from yourself." Without turning around she answered and was about to take another step when Rudra came and stood infront of her.

"We had asked. Everyday. Every minute. We had asked this question to ourselves billion times only to get an answer in No. But- but our heart- it - it doesn't agree. We- we." He stopped saying anything as his eyes welled up with tears and his words choke.

Nandini fisted her kurti tightly in her free hand not wanting to fall weak. A part of her was screaming at her for making them suffer, making them cry, but another part was fighting with that part.

Anahita was watching the scene with her green eyes unblinking. She could feel her mother's sad face, but she could also see the men standing in front of her were not happy either. She blinked as she saw Rudra crying and not being able to stop herself she moved towards him.

Rudra wiped his tears and looked down when felt a tug on his jeans. He smiled with tears still in his eyes seeing Anahita tugging it and signalling her to bend down. He bend down on his knees and raised his hand to cup her cheeks but stopped thinking of himself undeserving to even touch this bundle of shine. Anahita noticed this and took a step forward such that now her face was automatically in between his palms.

She giggled at Rudra's surprised face and raised her hand and wiped his tears which made him bit his lip to stop himself from bursting out.

Nandini blinked away her tears and she felt her heart feeling peace seeing the scene in front of her. The thing which she was craving to do, was done by her daughter.

Shivay and Omkara too had tears in their eyes. They chuckled in tears when Anahita gestured with her hands to them to come near her too. They too kneeled down in front of her and one by one she wiped their tears too. Shivay held the back of her head and kissed her forehead with all the love. His gaze traveled to his sister who closed her eyes when he kissed her daughter's forehead.

"Aap Mumma ke fendz ho?"

(Are you Mumma's friends)

The three brothers looked at their sister who was looking everywhere but at them. They then looked at the little one and bobbed their heads not knowing what to answer.

Should they tell her that their are her mother's brothers, who failed to protect her.

"Mumma naaz h aapse? Aapne pakka Mumma ko hurt Kia hoga."

(Mumma is angry with you? You would have hurted Mumma)

"Bahut! Bahut zyada." Omkara whispered with pain as he looked at Nandini who met his eyes only to avert them and wiped her tears.

(Very! Very much)

"Vely bad. I should not help you phir toh, but you are crying too, it means you wuv My Mumma. So, I should help you, becoz this will make Mumma happy." Anahita started with a pouty face but by the end she grinned, making the three chuckle and Nandini looked at her daughter in adoration.

"Yes! We- we love your- your Mumma. Very much. Very very much." Shivay spoke clearing his throat while looking at Nandini with all the love.

"Then go and hug her. You know, when ever I do silly mistakes, and Mumma gets angly, I go and hug her and kiss her cheeks. Then Mumma smile and we become happy happy." Shivay, Omkara and Rudra chuckled as she spoke while doing action with her hands.

"Just like your Mumma?" Omkara asked remembering how their sister used to do the same thing whenever she would do any mischief.

"Now hug Mumma!!!" Anahita ordered them and made them stand up. They looked at Nandini with unsure face but she was looking down and fidgeting with her hands. Nandini was on the verge of running away but at the same time flinging herself in her brothers' arms.

Anahita dragged Shivay holding his hand and made them stood infront of her mother. She signalled them to do what she said with a smile. They three took a step forward only to halt midway when they saw her taking a step back.

Nandini blinked away her tears and looked in the eyes of her brothers with pain, and their faces mirrored the same expression. She want to hug them, but she doesn't want to at the same time.

"Mumma?"

"Let's go Anahita." She spoke in her hoarse voice and turned around to leave but stopped and turned back again. Her heart broke seeing the look of pain on their faces but she stopped herself from feeling their pain.

"Please stop whatever you're doing. I don't even understand why you're doing it, now. But- but it- it is never going to bring my gour years back. Stop destroying your own family. Please!"

For the last time glancing in their eyes she turned around and left with Anahita. In the last two days, Goenka Empire has been in news for various not good reasons. Those who respected them till now are talking about them with hatred. And Nandini knows that who is behind all this. But she doesn't wish to do this. Anything now, can never bring her happy life back. Anything now, can never mend her broken self. Breaking them can never.

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Please come outside *inserting Princess' puppy face*

10: 10 pm

Nandini stared at the message on the screen and looked at the clock hanging on the wall that was showing time which was twenty minutes past ten. That meant she was staring at the message for ten minutes now.

She exhaled a deep breath and clutched her phone tightly in her hand. She looked at the empty bed where Anahita usually sleeps, but tonight Ishita asked her to sleep with her.

Nandini again looked at her mobile and tapped her feet in indecisiveness. She wants to go, but at the same time she doesn't. But everytime she thinks that she won't go, Manik's face would appear in front of her eyes making her decision weak.

Exhaling again she finally stood up. She looked at herself and frowned seeing that she was clad in a plain white suit. Biting her lip she moved to her wardrobe and took out a pink kurti which would go with the white pant she was wearing. She was about to close the cupboard but stopped.

Why was she getting ready, she wondered. Shaking her thoughts she kept the kurti back in the cupboard and turned to move. Her gaze fell on mirror and she sighed. She quickly grabbed the pink dupatta from the cupboard and combed her hair. Her heart was beating fast. She doesn't have an idea as why was she feeling so nervous. For God sake, she wasn't going on a date.

Not wanting to think much Nandini came out of the room and stood behind the closed main door, with her hand on the lock. She closed her eyes making the final decision and finally opened the door. Nandini shivered as the cold breeze of December hit her. Although her kurta was full sleeve but still it was chilly. Stepping out she closed the door behind and turned around and her gaze fell on the person standing some feet away from her decked up in a plain black tee and brown jacket.

Manik's breath literally hitched when he saw her coming out. He had lost all his hopes of her coming out a few seconds ago but now seeing her he finally found himself breathing properly again. But seeing the angel dressed up in white moving towards him, was enough for his heart to miss a beat and then beating with abnormal pace.

He bet he could prove the science wrong today, which said that a normal heart beat seventy two times per minute, his was beating at the double rate.

He was afraid that now when she was standing just three feet away from him, she could hear his heartbeat. He shook his head and rubbed his heart above his chest trying to calm it down.

Nandini tilted her head seeing him rubbing his hand on his chest above his hear and looked at him. She fiddled with her fingers while her own heart was palipitating.

"Hey!!" Manik cursed himself for the breathy greeting he made.

"H-hi!" He found himself chuckling at her innocence but covered it up when she looked at him with narrowed gaze.

"Shall we?" Nandini looked at him as he gestured her to walk ahead. She wanted to ask him question but today, she decided to go with her heart, just today. And her heart asked her to follow him so she did.

Manik smiled when Nandini started walking and he fished something out from the inside pocket of his jacket.

"Nandini," Nandini stopped and looked at him as he says, "Hold this."

She looked at his hand which had a white scarf with pink pola dots on it. She looked at him confusingly as he asked her to hold one side of it. Without questioning anything she held the one part in her left hand fist and grinning at her he wrapped a small portion of other in his right hand. Looking at her questioning gaze he smiled.

"I didn't knew if you'll be comfortable in holding hands or not, so this is my way of holding hands."

Nandini stared at him unbelievably. This human in front of her amazes her like no-one else. She started moving when she felt him tugging as a signal to move.

Nandini looked at the stall and then at him while he looked forward. Her heart again felt something when on the road he swapped their places and now he was on the vehicle side and she on footpath. She bit her lip feeling a different kind of emotions erupting in her heart. She was feeling at peace. At home. At that moment she felt like that she can walk with him like this to anywhere he want. And as much as the thought should've scared her, it didn't. Rather she felt joy in that thought.

She looked around when they stopped walking and found herself in a park, which was quite dark. Sbe looked at him and he just gave her a smile, which ultimately relaxed her inner self.

She is safe, she is with him. She is safe, she spoke to her inner self and her mind was relaxed.

Manik somehow understood her inner turmoil and he bit his lip. Nandini panicked when she saw him unwrapping the scarf and asking her to hold it fully.

"Nandini! Trust me. Relax. I'm not going anywhere. Yes?" Nandini nodded slowly as she clutched the scarf in her hand and saw him taking some back steps. Her mind was still imagining so many bad scenarios but she chose to trust him. She finally heaved a sigh of relief when saw her coming back with a jar in his hand and a smile on his face. Although it was dark, but his eyes were shining.

"Hold it!" Nandini took the jar covered with cloth and lid in her hand and looked at him with confusion.

"Open it Nandini." Nandini did what he said and opened it and her eyes shined when she saw fireflies coming out of the jar, lightning the surroundings.

Manik saw the smile appearing on her face. Her eyes sparkled with the light. She has little innocent demons inside her eyes, and they recklessly play with matches. He could bet on his whole existence, he have never seen sparks so pretty.

When the lights of fireflies died lamps in the park lit on and Nandini looked at Manik with a surprising and smiling face. He too smiled and tilted her head a little.

"When the days are shades of grey and there is no light in your line of view, you will not be left alone Nandini, 'cause I will be there with you."

Nandini looked at him with admiration. And he looked at her like there was something in her worth looking at.

Nandini walked upto the swing and sat on it. She touched her feet with the ground and the swing started swinging slowly. Her hair were talking with the winds as she pushed her swing to catch the speed. Manik smiled and walked upon the other swing and sat on it.

He frowned when due to his height he was unable to push his feet as he was too tall for him to swing on his own. He grumbled something internally and was about to stand up when heard a melodious sound. His head snapped in Nandini's direction and he had lost the count that his heart has missed it's beat tonight, when he saw her laughing looking at him. He never knew that it would only cost her one laugh for him to feel the richest person of the planet.

Nandini's laughter decreased to giggles as she looked at him. Slowly slowly it died when she saw him staring at her with admiration. Her cheeks suddenly felt hot despite of the cool Breeze and she rubbed them before looking on the other side to calm herself down.

Manik who has noticed her blush smiled and scratched the back of his neck feeling giddy himself.

There was silence afterwards. No words exchanged, as if they were absorbing each other's presence. Still sitting on the swing, both were gazing at the stars with different thoughts in their mind.

"Manik." Nandini broke away the peaceful silence not being able to control her thoughts which were wavering over the negative side.

"Yes Love?" She looked at him and he was looking at her only. The stars were as if shining in his eyes.

"I- Even if I want, I- I feel my thoughts overpowering me Manik. As much as I- I feel safe with you, I feel unsafe with my thoughts. I- I am very difficult person to be with Manik."

Manik felt his lips twitched a little hearing her sharing her thoughts. If anything he desire more than her love, then it's this- her sharing her all thoughts, her getting vulnerable in front of him without any fear, her trusting him without thinking for a second even.

"It can't be more difficult than living without you Nandini. You're my person Nandini, even if I'm not yours."

Nandini gulped the lump in her throat and her eyes welled up with tears, tears which for the first time in past years were not of sorrow but of entirely different emotions.

She never wanted love, but wanted to be loved, and today, she felt loved.

And she couldn't stop the next words coming out of her mouth on their own.

"Aasmaan se tut kar gir rhe sitaare ko, ek panaah.de paaoge kya?"
Chaand kho chuka hai khud ko andheron me, use roshan kar paoge kya?"

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Humari Nandu toh poet nikli 😀

An early update so c'mon meri praises Karo , I'm bookhi for them 🥴

How was the update. Writing this was so wholesome for me 💌

How was the first part, the siblings meet.

Felt kinda bad for ShivOmRu.

But our Iti is such a goof ball 🤍

And how was MaNan's unofficial date??

And don't even talk about Manik, why the hell he is fictional, doesn't he know that Nandini jaisi Kai ladkiyan real life me bhi h who needs him 😤

My Nandu too, she was almost getting ready and then she say she is not in love, hah!

Which was your most like most favourite part?

~Mine was literally when Manik did that scarf thingy 🥺❤️

Will be waiting for your reviews:)

Next- Sunday/ Monday

Ps- this was a sweet update but next won't be (any guesses?)

3100 words!!

~A ♡