Arya and Soha both notice my condition. Arya immediately nears me and snatches the mobile from my hand.

"Hello! Yes...No, I am her friend. What happened? WHAT? But how? Are you sure? No, we don't know anything. We didn't even know that he was going back today. Okay..I will...I will...thanks for letting us know. Thanks."

Arya cuts the call. Soha asks in confusion,

"What happened? Anything serious? Please say something, guys."

She sounds restless. However, before Arya could say something, a frustrated yell exits my mouth,

"It's a lie. He can't do this to me. HE CAN'T..."

My scream wakes up Maan. He wails in half-sleep,

"Mummum...uuuuu (Cry)...."

Soha immediately takes him in her lap. Arya mumbles unmindfully,

"Manik's plane crashed. He boarded it at 12:15 am."

I spring up from the sofa and chide at him.

"He didn't board it. He couldn't board. I don't believe it. He can't die."

"Nandini, come down. You are scaring Maan. Please."

Soha pleads and only then, my eyes fall on my son. He is rubbing his eyes and hiccupping. I rush to him and almost snatch him from Soha's lap. Maan encircles my neck and hides his face on my shoulder. I turn at Arya and declare,

"I am going to the airport. I need to check the list of those who were given the boarding passes."

I was about to head to the exit door when Arya calls from the back,

"Wait, Nandini...I will go with you. Keep Buddy with Soha. He is sleepy."

I flip and reply in an obstinate tone,

"No...I have to face it alone. If I did late to understand then it's my duty to face the consequence."

I pause for a second and rub Maan's back.

"Let him be with me. Maybe I need Manu."

I conclude and exit Khurana villa. I don't know why I am not being able to cry despite having an ocean of emotions inside me. Maybe I strongly believe that Manik can't leave me like this. That stubborn soul can't give up like this. But this time he will really face the real Nandini Murthy for pulling this stunt on me. I twist the car key and press the clutch and accelerator. The car picks up its speed. Maan is still on my lap. I mumble under my breath,

"Manik Malhotra, you wanted a closer. You wanted my forgiveness...right? Okay, I am ready. But you have to come in front of me. You have to prove my faith that you can't go like this."

I veer the steering towards the airport.

..................................................

"Why did you let her go? If her past has finally left her then why did you again push her to that dilemma? When you love her then why didn't you try to hold her back, Arya?"

Soha finally bursts out at her brother. Arya nears her with a slow gait. His eyes are beaming with unknown emotions.

"Yes, I love her but she only loves Manik and I can't be selfish enough to hold her back when I know her all happiness lies within him only."

He mouths intensely while meeting Soha's piercing eyes.

"Thinking about own happiness is not selfishness, Arya. And moreover, she doesn't want him back in her life then why are you forcing her? When she can fulfil the emptiness of your life then why aren't you giving your life a second chance?"

Soha is almost panting in exasperation. She halts for a while and continues with a bit lower tone,

"Isabella is no more but you are alive. Alive to love someone else. Alive to move on. And when God is ready to give you the second chance then why not?"

Arya places his hands on her shoulders and gives a pale smile.

"You are the best sister one can ever have. It's normal to be selfish for your brother. But try to understand; Nandini is living in denial. If she didn't want him back in her life then Manik's absence or presence didn't bother her so much. Sis, we only hate those whom we love. She can't unlove Manik. It's not in her control. And knowing that how can I separate her from her true love. Isabella taught me to love and her loving memory is enough for me to be alive. I love Nandini but Manik can die for her. I wish she gets a second chance with him. Both suffered a lot. Now, they deserve each other."

Saying this Arya is about to leave for his room when Soha again asks,

"You knew all things, right? You knew about their love before calling Manik over here?"

Arya turns and replies with a content smile,

"Yes, I knew as you knew. Stupid them! They couldn't even hide it from Carlos and Calida. Their love is so evident in their eyes. Anybody can know how much they love each other and how hard they are fighting with their emotion to stay away from each other. But it's truly said, love is not in our choice but in our fate. They are made for each other. Even God will think twice to separate them."

.............................................

My car screeches to stop in front of the Salvador Airport. I rush out. Maan is asleep in my lap. He stirs a bit in his slumber. I storm towards the entry gate. The airport authority guard stops me. I explain the whole scenario to him. After a brief battle of yes and no, he allows me to enter. I directly rush to the administrative room. I can't explain how my heart is sinking and then rising with hope. I demand the passengers' list of the flight which was going to Mumbai and crashed in between. They check and immediately inform that Mr M Malhotra is on the list. I lick my dry lips and inhale sharply.

"Abordó el avión?" (Did he board the plane)

I ask in a trembling voice. The person in front of the computer again fixes his eyes on the screen and replies impassively,

"Sí, lo abordó a las 12:15 am." (Yes, he boarded it at 12:15 am)

It feels like somebody sucks the entire blood from my body. I blackout for a nanosecond and stagger back. Probably I would have fallen on the ground if somebody didn't hold me from the back.

"Watch out! Are you alright?"

An anxious voice asks. I tighten my hold on Maan and feebly look at the person. A very pretty girl is staring at my face with her worried eyes. I nod frailly. She supports me and makes me sit on a chair. Then she rushes to a stall and manages a paper cup of water for me.

"Drink it. Relax."

She gestures at the cup. I take it and sip but a bout of cry chokes me on that. For the first time, I cry out my heart.

"Ma...ni...k.."

I let out his name in a garble. I have no energy to keep myself steady any longer.

"God, please get him back to me. Please...don't punish my son for my stubbornness."

I pray in a lower voice. The girl sits beside me and places her hand on my shoulder.

"Are you Nandini? Nandini Murthy?"

Her words jostle me in surprise. I turn at her and observe her minutely. No, I don't know her. The girl smiles sweetly and pacifies my surprise.

"No, you don't know me but I know you. Come with me. God has responded to your prayer."

She gets up and pulls my hand to make me rise. I follow her in a trance. We come out of the airport and she ushers me to a car. I speechlessly come with her. She opens the passenger seat and the sight numbs my limbs.

..................................................

Alara Demir

Some hours ago:

"Don't leave me this way, oh baby

No, I can't exist ...

I'll surely miss your tender kiss

Don't leave me this way.."

Alara keeps on fondling my back while I keep on weeping like a hapless soul. She whispers into my ears,

"Vent out. You will feel better."

I withdraw my face from her shoulder and look at her inquisitive eyes,

"Will you hear me? I need someone to listen to me. Please!"

I can't even believe my pleading voice. It is so void and shattered. Alara nods and grips my wrist to leave the dance floor. Within 5-10 minutes we come out of the pub. I get a bottle of scotch from the bar counter. I try to head to my car when she yanks me in the other direction. In some seconds, we come to the seaside. It's around 9:30 pm. The beachside is almost empty. I have my flight at 12:45 am. Samuel just emailed my ticket. Thankfully I am carrying my passport with me. He has assured me to get my belongings from the hotel and meet me at the airport. I am lucky to have such support in this unknown city. Actually, I already arranged all these things before I left the nursing home. I decided to leave Salvador when Morrone informed me that Nandini submitted her resignation letter to Decoración. I didn't want her to sacrifice her career because of me. She already has sacrificed everything for my mistake. Not anymore. I went to Khurana villa just to see Maan for the last time. I know I am stupid, whimsical, impulsive. So, I impulsively bought the Ferrari for my son. My last and only gift to my Champ. I don't deny that there was hope in my heart if Nandini at least says she still loves me. I know she can't forgive me, neither she can forget her past. But at least she can say that she only loves me. Alara and I sit on the moist sand of the beach. I break the seal of the bottle and am about to pour the liquid into my mouth, she rests her hand on my arm to refrains me.

"A person only tries to blame himself in an intoxicated stage. I want to know the both sided stories."

She mutters in a convincing tone. I keep the bottle beside me and start to narrate the story. Our story. From the very beginning when I first met Nandini in the ELYSIAN office. Alara doesn't interrupt me. Time passes along with the waves of the billowy sea.

"I finally lost her. She admitted that she doesn't love me anymore. I know being a woman you are also hating me and I deserve it. But why it is said that remorse and atonement lessen our sin? I love her Alara. In my whole life, I have only loved her."

I mouth in a shattered tone. Alara looks up at the starry sky and replies,

"Being a woman, I definitely will say that Nandini's anger and pain are justified. But as a woman, I also can say that her hatred is nothing but the other side of her immense love for you."

I look at her with confused eyes. What is she saying? I have seen the hatred in her eyes. There was no love.

"She still loves you, Man. But you are stupid to understand that."

I part my lips to counter when my mobile rings. It's Samuel. I ask Alara,

"I have to leave for the airport. Do you wanna come?"

I pause a bit and scoff out,

"At least a final goodbye from a new confidant."

Author's note: Thanks for fulfilling my request. 🙏🙏Here is the long chapter I promised to upload.🥳🥳🥳 The next chapter will be full of answers which are peeking into all my readers' minds. 😉😉Until then, keep guessing. 🤓🤓