To everyone, who relates to this book somehow - it really breaks my heart to know you guys had to go through something terrible in your lives. Just, you guys are so strong to overcome it and lots of love to you people.

I really suck at communication and I feel I am never been able to tell how grateful I feel seeing all the love you guys shower on this book.

Thankyou so much ✨❤️

Enjoy Reading :)

"I think - I am falling for you."

Manik was falling for her. Manik was falling for her.

Nandini's thoughts were clouded with the same thought from the past fifteen minutes. Her cheeks were burning hot and she could hardly focus on anything.

Manik was falling for her.

Nandini needed to lock her heart and brain which were jumping to Manik's simple confession.

But again, Manik was falling in love with her. Her heart just flipped and a smile graced her lips this time.

"Nandini?" Manik had his lips drawn in a small pout, eyes narrowing at her. It was the sixth time he was calling out for her,"Is this your new way of ignoring me?"

"What? No." She defended herself, fanning her face and Manik suppressed a chuckle. Ofcourse, he knew what he was doing with his confession.

Keeping aside the giddy feeling, he was more grateful to the fact she was not sad anymore, crying or hating on herself. Manik would confess his feelings hundred times a day if that made her so happy.

Ananya was stuck to her point and Manik knew it already so he didn't bother asking, nor was he planning to. Nandini would have told him had she wanted to let him know. She probably felt embarrassed about it and Manik was not the person to enjoy someone's embarrassment, let alone the woman's he liked.

"What were you saying?" Nandini composed herself, but the moment she turned to him, her cheeks felt warm again and she looked outside - smacking her forehead on the window this and winced in pain.

Manik stopped the car immediately, hand raising on its own and sliding her hair to check if she probably bruised it,"Are you okay?"

"I am okay."

"Sure?"

"Yeah, tell me. What were you saying?"

"Ah," Manik paused, starting the car again and thought for a moment weather to ask her or not,"Mom told me to invite you for dinner. Do you wanna come?"

Is that what Manik wanted to ask her yesterday night? Probably.

"Now?"

"Yeah. It is dinner time, Nandini."

Nandini looked at the watch and her eyes went wide seeing the time. 8'o clock. Four hours - Manik found her around three hours before and Nandini had no idea what did they talk for three hours straight.

However, she nodded her head,"I will inform Appa."

Manik agreed with a simple nod and messaged his mother to inform her as well before keeping his eyes on the road. He glanced at Nandini time to time, and smiled when her face went red at something Mr.Murty said from the other end.

Manik wondered if this was what his life was going to be like. Caring for this woman who was starting to make home in his heart already as if she always belonged there. The thought made Manik dizzy with happiness.

The smile didn't leave his lips even as he pulled the car infront of Malhotra Mansion. He handed the key to the guard, asking him to park the car over and turned to Nandini.

"Let's go."

Nandini nodded in response, staring at the Malhotra Mansion. It was huge but not in extreme. Malhotra's had guards at the gate for security purpose. The front yard smelled of roses and Nandini eyed to confirm there were roses planted all around.

"Maa loves roses, and she takes care of the garden personally. Although we have a gardener coming at the weekends to make sure they are healthy."

Manik filled her in, probably noticing her gaze. Nandini watched in absolute awe as they entered inside the mansion. There were no guards at the main entrance and the living room consisted of lively blues rather than the elegant grey and white - it gave the mansion rather a homely vibe.

Malhotra Mansion was everything opposite to Murty Mansion. While Murty Mansion was huge, more elegant with grey and white color, guards all around for security - for her own sanity, Malhotra Mansion was rather simple. Nandini compared everything and wondered why did this house smelled more like home than her own.

"Your house, it is beautiful." She said to Manik who only smiled in return.

Before he could say anything, loud voices - chit chatter of the family members caught their attention. Since it was the dinner time, they were all gathered around the dining table already.

Nandini greeted everyone and to her surprise they greeted her back. Nobody stared at her in distaste. Their eyes didn't roam around her neck, hands in search of exotic jewellery. They didn't make faces seeing her wearing a lose yellow colored kurti with a normal black plazo instead of a designer dress.

Their eyes didn't hold the hunger, instead Niyonika smiled at her with so much warmth in her eyes. Raj asked her how she was doing and Cabir even teased her and Manik by calling her bhabhi. Soha greeted her with a small smile too and if it was fake or forced, Nandini didn't even get the time to dwell over it because Manik was already guiding her to the room so they could wash up before eating.

When they returned, the whole family was waiting for them. Manik even pulled a chair for her and served her a plate before he served for himself.

Nobody said anything to him. Nobody taunted him for doing things for her. Infact, Cabir had a teasing smile on his face and Nandini caught their father smile too.

"Oh by the way, did you both choose the rings?" The question was for both of them as Niyonika looked at them in excitement. Nandini stopped swirling her spoon on her plate and looked at her.

She looked at Manik who didn't look back at her but instead replied to his mother,"Not yet, Maa."

"Manik, the engagement is in three days and you two still haven't chosen the ring?" She chided and Nandini ducked down her head in embarrassment. If only she was not a corward to cancel their plan.

Niyonika continued,"When will you two chose the rings? You both have office tomorrow, no?"

Niyonika was not wrong. Nandini had three important meetings lined up tomorrow and the pile of files on Manik's desk was already overflowing.

He still blinked at his mother, shaking his head and indicating her not to say anything. She seemed to take the hint as she looked at an embarrassed Nandini.

"I am sorry, aunty," Nandini spoke before she could,"I cancelled today's appointment, Manik is not at fault," she clarified and ignored the look Manik gave her,"Actually tomorrow I have to visit Manik for some work, we can call the jeweller there and chose the ring then?"

"Yeah, that would be awesome!" Manik interrupted with a smile before anyone could object to the suggestion.

Niyonika shook her head in dismay,"Fine, whatever suits you kids but do it tomorrow itself. Don't delay it further."

"Okay, Maa."

"Nandini, you aren't eating anything. Do you not like the food?" It was Raj who asked. Nandini was starlted at the sudden attention from the elder Malhotra. They had never interacted much except for work.

"No, No. It is delicious. I am just not hungry."

"I told Manik to invite you but he said you might be busy so I was not sure if you are coming. So I just cooked whatever we usually eat. Next time, I will cook your favourite." Niyonika gave her an apologetic smile.

"You cook yourself?" Nandini looked at her with amusement in her eyes.

"She cooks only on special occasions, Mom and kitchen are chaos otherwise, bhabhi." Cabir intervened and the word bhabhi didn't fail to make her blush again.

Manik didn't say much, and watched as Nandini interacted with his family - theirs soon. He was happy she was not closing off to herself and was making an effort even if unknowingly.

His parents, even if weren't completely happy with their alliance, they agreed for his happiness and now that they did, they would treat Nandini like a family.

Nandini even involved Soha in between who to his surprise replied without any mock. He smiled, and his eyes fell on Nandini - Manik frowned and the next moment he was raising his hand and wiping the corner of her mouth where she had got some rice stuck. Nandini looked at him starlted at the sudden display of affection while Cabir and Soha hooted from the side. His parents only shook their head in disbelief.

"Manik," Niyonika called all of the sudden,"After dinner - show Nandini around and ask her if she wants any changes in your room, okay?"

"Sure, Maa."

Manik did as he was told. He showed her each and every corner of the house, even the guest rooms. He told her the random stories, or the fact how his mother had decorated most of the house with her own hands.

Nandini listened to it all, admiring the house that seemed more like home with each passing second. She understood now why it gave the homely vibe - it is because it had been decorated with love. The home held the moments of laughter, of the sadness and success the family lived together.

Nandini wanted to be a part of it too, she wanted to live with them too.

"Your home is really beautiful, Manik."

Manik smiled ear to ear, hearing the word house change into home. He opened the last door, to his own room and entered after her.

"And this is my room, or ours now," Nandini looked around the room in awe. Manik's room was the defination of youth even if it was clean at the moment. He had various posters around his walls - of actors and of games. There was even a poster of a famous bollywood actress Nandini couldn't remember the name of. On the opposite wall, there were his trophies and medals from his school or college times.

His dressing table on the other hand was a mess, bottles of perfumes and two of watches laid carelessly. His comb and hair gel, nothing was on its place. Nandini spotted his shoes and a pair of used socks peeking from under the bed and even caught an underwear peeking as well.

Nandini stiffed in a laugh and looked at him as he rubbed his nape in embarrassment.

"I- I wanted to clean but you know -" he trailed off. He did in it hurry this morning so even if his mother opened his room, she wouldn't scold him.

"Ofcourse, kids can't clean their own rooms." Nandini teased.

Manik's eyes went wide in response,"Hey! I am not a kid!"

"Yeah, I believe you Manik." And there, Manik pouted. They were his own words and being used back on him. Nandini laughed.

"Fine, you win," he mumbled under his breathe,"Okay, tell me what changes do you want around the room? Should we change the color? Or the placement of the furniture? I am going to order in a bigger couch in case Ruhi decides to play on it sometimes. And a room for Ruhi? How about that?"

"Manik - stop," She chuckled,"We will manage. Your room is good enough already. About Ruhi's room," Nandini's voice lowered down, hesitation crowding her features as she looked at everywhere except him," the guest room beside yours, is that okay? We can make it her room?

"Sure, I will get it ready soon."

"By the way, come here!" Nandini had no time to react because Manik was already taking her wrist and dragging her to the balcony,"Let me show you something!"

And when the door opened, Nandini was met with an expensive railing and the sky filled with countless stars. It reminded her of her own balcony. Nandini loved it.

How many nights had she spent sitting in the balcony and staring at the stars? How many times had she hid herself there, hoping he would forget of her existence? How many times had she cried sitting there, waiting for someone to understand her, to be with her? Nandini had honestly lost the count.

"This is my favourite spot in my room!" Manik confessed, eyes fixed on the sky and his smile was so wide that Nandini could hardly tear of her gaze off him,"You know Nandini, I love stars. I love the way they twinkle, so beautiful. Aren't they?"

Twinkle like the sparkle in Manik's eyes. Nandini knew now - Manik held the shine of the stars in his eyes every time something made him happy.

"Indeed."

The sky was full of stars, yet she stared at him instead.