Honestly, there's nothing more beautiful than two people learning how to love together. Yeah, that's where MaNan are in this book. 😭✨

Enjoy Reading!

Nandini remembered the first time Vihaan had gotten aggressive with her. It started with words and ended up in physical wounds, each harsher than the previous. Nandini remembered wiping her own blood when she had cut her skin with a glass shred from the mirror Vihaan had punched in frustration, or the cut she got on her head when he pushed her and she hit the side of her head on the corner of the table.

It was a sharp pain, stinging but what hurt more was the fact that Vihaan found it so easy to hit her. Like, Nandini wasn't a human, she was a mere punching bag he could remove his frustration on.

Sometimes, Nandini wondered if not for Ruhi, where would she have been now? Maybe she would have still been sitting in a corner of that house, all bruised and beaten up. She would have never gathered the courage to run away or fight.

But Nandini was past those days, Vihaan was in jail and his mother could no longer trouble her. Still, the shadows of the man she once loved wouldn't stop following her. Nandini hated the way she couldn't even distinguish between Manik and Vihaan at times.

Manik was nothing like that man. She knew, but her mind - it couldn't still process. She couldn't wrap her head around the fact Manik didn't get angry like Nandini had expected him to. She was such a mess of thoughts and expectations. Nandini even had an explanation ready but nothing fit yesterday.

And even now as they sat across each other at the dining table for the breakfast, and Manik focused on eating, it troubled Nandini more than it should have. She could hardly gulp down her own saliva let alone the delicious breakfast Mr.Murty had cooked himself.

They all ate in silence except for the sounds Ruhi made. Sometimes, she would hit her spoon on the plate and when Nandini offered to feed her, she would argue stating how she wasn't a baby anymore. Even then, the little devil fed her clothes more than her stomach.

"Ruhi has grown up." Manik spoke out of nowhere amidst eating.

"Yeah, she can speak more clearly now." Mr.Murty smiled at him while Nandini wouldn't even look up at him. Manik wondered why. He thought they were past the ignoring each other phase. He let out a sigh as he looked at Mr.Murty.

"Appa, can I talk to you alone after breakfast?"

At this, Nandini did look up but this time, Manik didn't spare her a glance. If he was to solve the mess they were in, he needed to know the basics before doing anything else.

Mr.Murty nodded and after breakfast, both the men sat in the study. Mr.Murty told him how he had handled the matter back then, got rid of the published articles and sued the old woman along with a restriction order. She wouldn't be able to come near Nandini any time soon. Manik was relieved to hear about it. There hadn't been anything on the matter in the news and it took several months for it to die down in public. Yet, nobody from Murty's addressed the matter even for once.

"What about Nandini?" Manik asked then, "How did she cope up with it, Appa?" He wondered.

The elder Murty let out a sigh, "Not well. I won't lie to you, Manik. I never expected Nandini to not take this separation well, but to this extent? It was a surprise to me as well. I thought being away from you, she would be able to focus on her business at least, but Nandini couldn't. She has been struggling these six months."

Manik could see it yesterday, or even in the morning. "I - She told me not to contact her."

"I am not sure if it is my place to tell you, Manik but Nandini was scared. Your father - he wasn't very polite that day," Mr.Murty looked sorry as he spoke. He didn't want to blame Manik for his father's actions, "I - Nandini and Vihaan had a love marriage, Manik. And his mother never really liked her. She always thought Nandini was from a rich family, in a post higher than her son and she would always look down on Vihaan."

"But Nandini would never -"

Mr.Murty nodded, "I know. She would never, his mother just didn't like her. My Nandini, she doesn't even know how to hate someone, Manik. Even now, she doesn't hate Vihaan. She is scared of him and the day she overcomes her fears, she will forget about him."

It made sense. Manik hadn't seen Nandini getting impolite with anyone for no reason. Every time she was at his home, despite his parents obvious distaste about their relationship, Nandini had always been respectful, bringing flowers and fruits as a token of love and respect.

"She's scared of me too, Appa."

Mr.Murty didn't even look surprised, as if he had expected it.

"I expected it." He confirmed, "but, please remember, Manik. Nandini let you in too. She had no plans to marry again but she did say yes to you. No matter what anyone says, I know my daughter gave her best. I have seen her look at you with so much love and admiration in her eyes, Manik. She - her time stops when her eyes are on you. I have seen it. She is as deep in this as you are." Mr.Murty paused, giving Manik the time to process his words. "But I am also aware it must not be enough and that's why I did try to warn you before."

"I get it, Appa. But, in the morning, Nandini cried. I only asked her if she was okay and she said I should be angry. I told her I was but she cried more." Manik still couldn't comprehend the reason behind her behaviour. It couldn't be because he was angry - Nandini herself told him to be.

Mr.Murty's sad smile at his words only made him frown more. "Manik, do you know the kind of anger she has seen before?"

It took two seconds for Mr.Murty's words to register in his brain before Manik's heart dropped, eyes widened and he had to look down to hide the anger that crossed his face. He clenched his fists and shook his head.

"Vihaan was aggressive." Mr.Murty showed no mercy as he continued, "He was not like you, Manik. He loved Nandini, sure. But his anger got the best of him in the end."

"How come you had no idea of whatever was happening to her, Appa?" Manik didn't know if he was upset, or if he was angry. He had no right to do the latter but the fact Murty's were so powerful and yet Nandini suffered that way didn't settle well with him.

"Nandini never told me, Manik." Mr.Murty let out a sigh, "Do you see the makeup on her face?"

God. Manik felt sick. He looked down, trying to measure the extent that the bastard had ruined her. Love or not, nobody had the right to treat her that way. He could picture it, a scared Nandini – scared of being hit, of being talked down – the heartbreak on her face every time she was insulted. It made his chest tighten.

"She even left her job for him."

Manik remembered the sadness on her face. She must have loved him so much to do that. He also remembered her condition of wanting to work after marriage. Everything made sense now. It was all there, and he had ignored it like an idiot.

All the while when he was living his fairytale, Nandini must have been so scared.

Manik could not sit there anymore. "I- I need to go, Appa."

Mr.Murty gave him a nod and Manik didn't waste an another moment in walking out of the study. Every step he took towards Nandini's room was heavy for Manik didn't know what was he supposed to talk to Nandini about. Did he even have any right to get angry anymore? Angry at what? Nandini was only protecting herself, and she had every right to do so.

His family disrespected her, and she had every right to choose herself over him at that moment.

With the same thoughts plaguing his mind, Manik walked into her room. There was an extra guest room available but since Nandini had not told him to take it, he did not bother doing so either.

Inside the room, Nandini and Ruhi were sprawled on the bed, playing with her toys. Ruhi was showing her mumma different toys she had and how they worked, while Nandini would feign surprise, clapping her hands followed by Ruhi.

Manik didn't have the heart to disturb them but the matter at hand was important. He had been ignoring his calls and he needed to get back to his friends and family which he couldn’t do until he talked to Nandini.

He knocked at the door softly to gain their attention without startling them. When Nandini looked up at him in surprise, he cleared his throat, opening his mouth to say something but then stopped as the moment passed. Manik had nothing to say.

Nandini seemed to have read his mind somehow. She told Ruhi something and the next moment Ruhi was running out of the room with her toys.

"Where- Where is Ruhi going?" Manik knew how much of a pathetic attempt it was to start a conversation but he could not think of anything else.

"Appa." Was all that Nandini answered. Knowing well he was here for answers, and deserved an explanation, Nandini looked down, a silent gesture for him to enter, "We need to talk."

Manik answered her with silence as he walked to her with slow steps fused with hesitation. He still had no idea what to say. Talk? About what? He already knew why she walked away from him. What was he supposed to say now? Should he apologize for his father’s behavior? Or was he supposed to ask her to apologise for the way she left him? Because even when Manik understood everything, a small part of him still hurt at her rejection.

"Nandini-"

"Manik-"

They both spoke at the same time and stopped mid way. Nandini frowned, and then she was holding his hand and making him sit on the bed. Manik didn’t say a word until she sat down in front of him, on her knees and still holding his hand. He moved in surprise and tried to stand up, "Nandini - What are you doing? Get up please."

"Let me do this, Manik. Listen to me for this once, please?"

Manik suddenly wanted to reprimand her. Did she think he would listen to her if she did this? Did she not know all she had do was ask and Manik would dare not walk away again.

Nandini smiled at him. The more she looked at him, the more she felt her words getting all jumbled up in her head. Manik could turn her heart and mind into a puddle with his eyes alone. Gentle and kind as always.

"I am not angry if that's what you are thinking about." Manik clarified seeing her not saying anything.

Nandini shook her head instead, "Be angry." When Manik stared at her in confusion, she continued, "You have all the rights to be angry, Manik. My trauma doesn't give me the right to hurt you."

"Nandini - that's not what I meant."

"I know." She said, "That day, I panicked. I thought - I thought I was back to sqaure one. There were articles, and I was so scared that - woman - she could do anything, Manik." Nandini shivered and Manik was quick enough to clasp their already entangled hand into his free one. He gave it a slight squeeze and she nodded, "I - I am sorry, I left. I just wanted to protect Ruhi, you and myself, Manik. But the truth is, my decision only hurt us both in the end. I am sorry it had to end that way, it was my fault for being selfish."

"You did what you thought was right, Nandini."

"Only that it was wrong. You have always been so understanding from the start, Manik. I- not even for once you asked me about anything. I am sorry. Please let me make it up for you, Manik?" She added, "Only if that's what you want."

Manik was silent for a long moment, processing everything she said. He was speechless but more overwhelmed, and – he did not know.

Then he looked down at their classped hands with a smile filled with guilt, "Appa told me to leave if I wanted to." He told her and his heart clenched at the thought of the hurt her eyes would display at his next words, "I thought about it, Nandini."

Manik didn't even dare to look up. He felt horrible now. Why did he think of leaving her?

But Nandini only shook her head, "It is okay. You don't have to be guilty of something you did to protect yourself."

Manik tightened his hold on her hand in such urgency in response and shook his head repeatedly, "No. That’s not what I meant. I- I don’t need to protect myself from you, Nandini." He was being honest, "I- It is just all of this is very new to me. I am just scared I will mess it up."

Nandini laughed with a soft chuckle, "If any one of us is to mess up, it would always be me, Manik."

"I can handle it," He smiled, "You can make any mess you want to, I will always be here to back you up."

When instead of replying, Nandini continued to stare at him as if she was trying to believe he was a dream or reality, he suddenly became shy. Loosening his grip on her hand slightly, he drew her attention, "I can take some pampering though. Tell me, how will you make it up for me?"

Nandini shrugged her shoulders in hesitation, "I- I don’t know. I will do it however you want me to? I will give you three blank promises or wishes, you can ask for anything."

"So if I ask you to get up as the first one, will you?"

She bobbed her head, warmth taking the place of the hesitation clouding before, "Are you sure you want to waste it on that?"

Manik nodded his head firmly. He helped her stand and guided her to sit in front of him instead.

"For the second," He thought for a second, "Take me somewhere?"

Nandini frowned in surprise, "Where?"

"I don’t know." He shrugged, "You upset me, hurt me, made me cry, and ran like this behind you. It is only fair that you decide now where you want to take me now."

"Well, you didn’t practically run here." Nandini teased.

"Nandini!" Manik whined, "I did. I almost thought my heart would jump out of my chest. You were unconscious and I had no idea what to do."

Nandini’s face fell at the mention of it. She did dread this conversation with him.

Meanwhile, Manik looked guilty for even mentioning it, "I am not asking you to explain anything, Nandini. You can do it whenever you feel like and if you don’t want to, then we will leave it to what it was."

Nandini nodded, unable to say anything else. She did not even want to tell him about it. Manik would never know what she was in the past. He would never meet the woman she had stopped being.

"Let’s talk about something else?" He asked, sensing her mood worsening, "Why don’t you tell me what did you do in these six months without me?"

Oh, they were due a long conversation for the time.