Apologises for the delay. This week has been really hectic for me. My college started so studies and travelling has been taking most of my time. I am not even sure if I will be able to update next Saturday at all, but I will try my best.

Thankyou for giving the last chapter all your love, this one is quite a short one. Shortest I have written in this book but it is kind of a turning point, so yeah. I hope you guys enjoy reading this one, and do share your views.

And Enjoy Reading! ✨

By the time Manik reached Murty Mansion, his mind was an absolute mess. There were five missed calls from Nandini he had missed around an hour back. He had no idea what he was going to say to her, to her father who trusted his daughter with him. Manik felt like he had disappointed the old man and he didn't know gow could he face him now.

What could he possibly say to him?

However, everything came to a halt when he was stopped at the door itself. Ananya stood there, on the other side with a glare on her face.

"Why are you here, Manik?"

"Ananya, get aside. I need to meet Nandini." He tried to walk pass her but she didn't let him. Manik sighed, his patience running out.

Ananya scoffed,"Nandini di is not inside. She has already left."

Ananya's words were enough to take away his breath. Manik stared at her in shock for a moment. Left? Nandini left? Where? When? How? Why?

Why did he not know?

Is that why he had those five missed calls from her? Is that why she tried so desperately to call him when he was dealing with the aftermath of the whole mishap himself.

No. No. No. This could not happen.

"Where? Where did she go?" He dared to ask.

"Why would I tell you that?"

"Why wouldn't you? ," He raised his voice, but then rubbed his face and took a deep breathe, trying to calm himself down,"Ananya, I request you, tell me please. Where did Nandini go?"

"Manik-"

"No. You have to tell me. I am requesting you, Ananya. I am sorry for rejecting you." Manik blabbered whatever that came in his mind to convince her to tell him. He needed to know her whereabouts,"I hurt you. I know but please, please tell me. I promise I will apologize again, properly - just tell me now. Where is Nandini. I can't reach her. I - fuck, I can't let her go. I am running out of time Ananya!"

Manik was almost on the verge of crying. He looked franatic - Ananya had never seen someone crying this way - apart from her sister, ofcourse. Nandini was an emotional fool, but Ananya was different.

Manik was different. It irked her the way he was crying, almost begging to know where Nandini was. Ananya didn't like it. She didn't like Manik.

It was in that one moment - realisation struck her hard, that maybe, maybe she never loved Manik. Yes, it hurt so much when he rejected her, that too for her married, divorcee and a single mother sister but Ananya had never cried the way Manik was crying for Nandini. Yes, she did cry, but it was because the rejection hurt. She was left embarrassed and her ego was hurt. She also cried because it brought gaps between her and her sister.

Ananya hated herself for hating her sister. It was the truth she didn't dare accept, until now - seeing this man cry infront of her, so desperate to know her sister's whereabouts.

What was that - that made him hold onto this relationship? What was he getting out of it? Why did her sister look like she has no life left in her when she walked out of this very door sometimes back.

But again, Love didn't come with offers. It was painful, and it came unannounced - barging in like it always belonged there with tears and uncalled heartbreaks.

Love was a mere illusions wrapped in the pretence of happiness, because the insides of it were ugly. They stinked, every single scar - it burned. Every single heartbreak felt like the end, only it never ends, but leaves one with the never ending pain.

The pain her sister had been going through, the pain the man infront of her was going through.

Ananya felt pity for him.

"Please tell me." Manik still looked at her with his eyes filled with hope.

"London." Her voice was quiet as she watched him slouch down more, in defeat or relief she didn't know. She glanced at the time on her phone screen before looking up at him,"She might be on her way already to the airport. She had to pick Maya from her house. Her flight leaves at twelve. You must hurry if you want to stop her."

Fuck. It was five eleven thirty.

He muttered a quick thankyou before rushing out, or more like running. Ananya watched him until he sat inside his car and drove away. She turned around to go inside, and saw her father standing there a few steps away.

"I am sorry, Appa." She muttered."Nandini di deserves to be happy."

Mr.Murty smiled as he walked forward and wrapped his arm around her shoulder, taking her in a side embrace.

"So do you bacha. You deserve to be free of this burden too, you do not have to carry it for your whole life."

She nodded, wiping away her tears,"and besides, I deserve better than Manik. He looks ugly when he cries."

Mr.Murty laughed, and so did she.

Manik didn't know what he was doing. His hands were numb, his chest tightened with anxiety. He drove like a mad man, like he had cops on his tail, like he would die if he drove any slow.

He didnt see anything. No traffic lights, no horns - nothing was enough to stop him today.

Nothing but a call from her. Because the moment the ring of his phone went off and her name flashed on the screen, Manik pulled the breaks of his car at the side of the road to pick up her call.

"Manik."

"Nandini -" He interrupted, panic taking the best of him,"You - Stop please. Stop. Don't go. We can handle it. We can solve this together."

"We can't, Manik." She let out a sigh from the other end.

Nandini sounded so calm. Manik fell silent, gears turning in his head. He needed to think. He needed to stop her but somehow, that nasty feeling - the one that told him she didn't want to stay - took over him.

"Why?" He dreaded the answer, somewhere knowing what it was even before she told him.

"Your father came home." She said.

"I know."

"He broke off the engagement."

"Did he?"

Nandini gasped,"He did." He knew. Did he not?

"So what did you do?" Manik demanded an answer. He fought his father, but did she even oppose his decision? "Did you tell him no?"

"How could I have, Manik? He is your father."

It didn't make sense. Nandini knew what she was going to utter would hurt him, break his heart but she said it anyways.

"Besides, I think it is for the best."

"Whose best?" Manik was losing his calm already, tears blurred his vision as he spoke,"Is this the best you think I should have? Of the best my father thinks I deserve?"

"You are selfish." His tone was bitter, the accusation stuck hard. Nandini shook her head as he continued,"You are so selfish, Nandini."

"Manik-"

"I wanted to fight for us. I told dad I would." He told her, everything."But tell me, who do I fight for? Because the woman I want to fight for, thinks it is for the best if she leaves me."

"I am sorry, Manik."

"No. Don't apologise. Don't say sorry because your sorry makes me want to understand you, Nandini and I do not want to understand this."

Manik hated this so much. Ugly fat tears rolled down his cheeks and his eyes burned, so did his heart. Every word he uttered pierced his own soul first before it did hers.

Manik didn't want this.

"I do not understand any reason that makes you leave me."

"Manik- Please," Nandini cried,"All I wish for is your happiness. My Ruhi's happiness. Staying here, it is only going to mess up things. I want to set everything right, Manik and the only way to do it is for me to stay away from you."

"I am really sorry, Manik."

Her words faded in the dark night as the line got cut. Nandini was leaving. Manik didn't stop her, he just sat there, crying, clutching the steering wheel with his hands.

It hurt, Nandini leaving him behind it hurt so much. Manik wished happiness for her too, but never did he wish to part ways with her.

He didn't chose this, she did and he hated her for it. He hated himself more for understanding her situation and for letting this happen.

Because it was not only Nandini who left today, it was him who let her go.