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Nandini couldn't remember the last time she had gotten angry with someone. Her heart was not at peace. A part of her knew Manik was not the one to be blamed for the whole situation. He misunderstood the alliance to be with her but so did his family.

It was a mere mistake but then she couldn't ignore the fact his mere mistake had almost cost her, her relationship with her sister. Ananya probably thought she should have been more observant. She should have known Manik was thinking her to be the one but Nandini simply could not. Manik was even the same when he met her the first time, yes a little more polite and comfortable but she believed the reason was he was to marry Ananya.

How was she supposed to know what was going in his mind?

Thus, standing at the crossroad, Nandini really didn't know what she was supposed to do.

"Mam," A loud voice called her out. Nandini jerked at her place, startled and realised she was in the conference room. The presentation had ended and now her team was waiting for her reviews. But Nandini had hardly heard a word.

"Email me this one, I will check it once again." She ordered. Getting a positive answer, Nandini proceeded towards the door.

She had just come into her cabin when her assistant, Maya, followed her.

"Ma'am, Mr.Manik Malhotra is asking for you." Maya informed her. Manik had been waiting for two hours now but Nandini didn't spare him a moment.

Nandini fell silent for a moment before she nodded her head, "Let him wait. Tell him I am busy."

"He had said he would wait, Ma'am." Maya revealed, confused because she knew Nandini was free for another hour.

"Then tell him I refused to meet." She ordered.

"Yes, Ma'am." Maya nodded and left the cabin.

When she reached the waiting area, she found Manik sitting and waiting patiently. He saw her within seconds and stood up immediately.

"Sir, Ma'am is really busy right now. She said she can't meet you today." Maya noticed how his face fell immediately. She didn't know why her boss was doing this  but she felt bad for Manik. He really looked so hopeful about meeting Nandini.

"I know she refused." He muttered under his breath,"It is okay, please tell her that I will come later on." Maya nodded with apologetic eyes and Manik looked down for a moment. He then took out a small blue coloured box and handed it to her,"Give it to her, Please."

"Sure sir," Maya did hesitate for a moment as she watched the man with sympathy in her eyes but Manik only smiled politely at her before leaving the office.

"Appa! W-What was that?"

The moment Nandini knew Manik left the office, she barged into her father's cabin. He looked at her startled for a second.

"Nandini, Let's talk calmly." He asked, closing the file he was working on as Nandini sat down in front of him.

"Appa, A-Are you serious about letting Manik explain?" She asked, unable to digest the fact that her father would make peace with it. There was no way he let it go so easily.

"I did, for a moment. But now I think you are right, Nandini." Nandini frowned at the sudden change in tone of her father. He looked serious as he continued,"Manik doesn't deserve any second chance. He ruined everything. Ananya is angry and upset because of him. When I met him, I thought he was a good person, but now I can see what kind of man he is!"

"Appa! What are you saying?" Nandini interrupted, shocked hearing him. From the time she had heard of Manik from him, he had always praised Manik,"It was a mere misunderstanding, Appa. He cleared it as soon as he realised."

"That's what! It was a misunderstanding. He should have realised earlier. How can he be so stupid and immature?"

"Appa! I know he made a mistake. He misunderstood but it was only because that day he was late and it was only me he had met. He is new and he didn't know about Ananya. It is not fair to blame him."

"But you are not getting it Nandini! He took you out! He must have made you so uncomfortable thinking you are his to be wife!

"Appa-

"Tell me, did he try to do anything with you? Did he misbehave with you?" Mr.Murty faked anger, surprising Nandini further.

"Appa!" Nandini almost yelled as she stood up, her hand knocking the glass down on the floor but she cared less to even glance at it. Mr.Murty looked at her slightly tensed but then relaxed when she continued, "What are you even saying!"

"Nandini-"

"No Appa, I know he made a mistake but trust me, Manik has been nothing but a gentleman to me. He cared for me, Appa! He made me feel so special" Nandini frowned, hearing her own words but still continued,"He doesn't deserve your accusations. It was a mistake! Just a mistake!" She tried to defend him. Accusing Manik didn't feel right but hearing her father accuse him, it felt entirely wrong.

Manik was a nice person, he didn't deserve these accusations! she thought.

"So why don't you just give him a chance?" Mr.Murty finally smiled at her. Nandini fell silent, her eyes widening and the realisation dawned upon her. Her father wanted a reaction from her and he had struck the right chord. She couldn't hear an innocent person getting accused.

The more she processed her father's word, the more her heart twisted.

"I-I ca-can't, Appa! You know!" She mumbled," Y-You know."

"Nandu, Sit down and hear me calmly." Nandini took a deep breath but settled down.

"Beside the fact, Ananya was to marry Manik, what do you think of him?"

"A-Appa - thi- it is not right."

"Tell me, bacha. Do you like Manik?"

Nandini could swear she felt her stomach flip and heart twist. It was a question she dreaded the most at that moment.

Like Manik? How could she? She was not supposed to like him. She was not allowed to.

"I-I don't know, Appa!"

"It is okay." Mr.Murty smiled,"Manik is a nice person, Nandini. He likes you genuinely, give him a chance bacha."

"B-but-"

"Think about it. Ask your heart what it wants and then give me your answer. I am always here, okay?"

Nandini nodded her head, still confused.

Later during dinner time, Manik was sitting at the dining table along with the whole family. He could see his father glancing at him from the side vision. His mother nudged his arm, asking what it was but he shrugged.

"What took you so long at Murty's?" Raj asked finally. Manik had taken almost half of the day and the audacity of his son, he sent the file through Rajat's hand instead of visiting him on his own.

Manik let out a chuckle as he looked up,"So much to ask that, dad."

"Manik." Raj warned.

"Fine. I talked to Uncle." Manik muttered. Down the line, he was scared of his own parents reaction. They had been nothing but harsh to his feelings till now and although he didn't blame them for it, he did feel bad.

"About what?" His father questioned, he looked anything but calm.

When Manik didn't open his mouth, Raj banged the spoon on his plate. Manik made a bad face but looked up.

"About Nandini and I!" Manik could hear his mother gasp at his audacity from the side but he didn't move his gaze from his father.

"About what?" Raj thought he might have heard something wrong. He just didn't say what he heard.

"Uncle has agreed to give me a chance." Manik looked at his mother with a smile but it faded away when he caught her expression.

"Manik!" It was his mother,"Are you mad? You didn't even ask us!" She chided, her brown eyes glaring at him. His mother was usually a calm lady. It took a lot for her to get angry and it seemed like Nandini's name alone was enough right now.

"I told you already, Manik. You are not getting married to Nandini." Raj looked at him in the eye,"So what made you think you could go there and talk about that!"

"Dad, Why don't you listen to bhai once?" Cabir said out loud, irritated as he watched the interaction between his brother and their parents.

"I would have if he made any sense."

"Tell me dad, if tomorrow something happens to my wife, would you and Maa not want me to get married again?" Manik chuckled when his mother turned away her face. He knew her answer already. She would do anything to get him a new wife.

"Nandini is an amazing woman, Maa. And dad, had you see? She is so successful in her life right now. I don't see any reason to not like her!"

"She is elder to you, Manik."

"So what, dad? Parineeta bhabhi is seven years younger to Rishabh. You told them they look so good together. So why not me and Nandini? Why are these rules only for the women of the society?"
Manik's cousin Rishabh had married his co-worker after they fell in love. Manik remembered everyone blessing the couple with so much love. Nobody even dared to say Rishabh was so elder to her and he hated how he was being told about Nandini's age again and again.

It only made him want to rebel more. The more they told him he could not marry her, the more he wanted to.

"As much as we hate it, this is the truth, Manik and if it would have been only the age, we would have agreed too but Nandini is also a divorce. She had a three years old daughter. She is not suitable to you." Niyonika tried to make him understand but Manik only looked at her disappointed.

"I am sorry to say, Maa but for the first time you are wrong. Telling me that a woman is not suitable for me just because she is elder to me, already married and a mother. You taught us better, Maa." He replied politely. His heart was heavy with emotions as he gazed at his mother's guilty face. He gulped, pushed his plate and left the dining table.

"Maya, What is this box?" Nandini frowned, holding the phone close to her ear and her eyes fixed on the blue colored box laying in her bag. She had left the office in hurry and Maya was the one who packed her bag today. The box was beautiful but she didn't remember purchasing it.

"Oh, I am so sorry, Ma'am. I forgot to tell you about this. Manik sir left it for you." Maya replied from the other end.

Nandini's hand stilled for a moment. She heard Maya saying something but she pressed the red button.

Her hand trembled as she picked up the box. It was beautiful and looked precious. Nandini knew the box was not just an ordinary one. He might have searched a lot of shops to buy this one. She clicked it open only to reveal the bracelet he had bought for her, or snatched from Ananya.

So much went through her head at the sight of the bracelet.

She was relieved to have it back. She was worried Ananya might ask for it again. She was anxious, accepting it would mean giving Manik a positive signal. She was afraid, Ananya would hate her for accepting it.

Nandini didn't know which emotion to pick on or which one to not. Everything was a mess in her head. She was never good with decisions. She sighed and her eyes fell on the note that was inside it.

It was yours, Nandini and I am giving it to you. You don't have to wear it if you don't like but please don't give it to anyone else.

Manik.

He had drawn a smiley beside his name. Nandini's mind drifted to the day she had met him, his smile so beautiful, so contagious. She remembered how nervous he was, how he thought she was Mrs.Murty.

She chuckled, but stilled again.

The bracelet in her hand, she was not supposed to have it.

Manik was not supposed to misunderstand the whole situation.

He was not supposed to like her.

And,

She was not supposed to like this feeling.