Entangled

Part 23

On the day of the celebration, Nandini and Navya put their plan into execution after disguising themselves. Navya managed to get hold of Mukti's phone and she replaced it with a dummy. Using Mukti's phone they messaged her friends except Manik that she wouldn't be able to make it to the party since she wasn't feeling well. They responded appropriately when her friends replied. That ensured that only Mukti and Manik would be present at the hotel.

        Mukti came in first. They bribed the waiter and added medicine to Mukti's drink so that she would have to use the restroom very soon. By the time Manik came in, Mukti had gone to the restroom. When Mukti went to the restroom, Navya followed her and locked her in the restroom.

        Then they spiked Manik's drink. Manik was in no hurry to start the celebration, so he didn't try contacting his friends to check why they weren't there yet. Instead he was thinking of Nandini whose loss had become the reason for their celebration.

        When Nandini sensed that the spiked drink had started taking effect, she went to Manik and took him with her. Though she was in disguise, Manik felt it was her so he went with her.

        Manik : "Where were you? I have been trying to reach you, but you haven't been receiving my calls. I looked for you everywhere, but couldn't get in touch with you. .. How are you?"

        Manik : "Why aren't you saying anything? .. Why would you after what I did to you?.. I am very very sorry Nandini. .. I became your partner with the intention of taking revenge from you, but I backed out the moment I realized that what I was doing was wrong. .. I really care for you, I wasn't pretending. .. I wasn't expecting .. I thought you didn't want to fall in love, then how..?"

        Manik : "I know you won't trust me anymore, but I am saying the truth. .. My guilt is killing me. ..Will you be able to forgive me? .. It is okay even if you don't forgive me, but don't get more depressed because of what happened. This love dove doesn't mean anything, so don't spoil your life in it's name.  .."

        Nandini wasn't saying anything in response and he couldn't keep his eyes open any longer. She laid him on the bed and Manik fell into deep sleep. He hadn't been able to sleep peacefully from the past few days. He had tried to say everything he had in his mind which he wanted to tell her when he met her.

        Nandini's eyes were fixed on his face for sometime. She knew that this would be the last time she would be seeing him.

        Nandini : "I am sorry Manik. I didn't want to do this to you, but this is the only way I could think of for now."

        Nandini hesitated at first, but she remembered the incident when Manik had unbuttoned his shirt in front of everyone at the orphanage and was cool about it. She unbuttoned his shirt and sent a message to Navya. Navya unlocked the door for Mukti and left a message at Mukti's table when she returned. Mukti didn't see Manik around and she had figured out that her phone was stolen, so she couldn't call him. She saw the message on the table. It read :

        "A girl took the guy who was with you to room no.101 in an intoxicated state. - a well wisher."

        Mukti immediately went to the room and knocked at the door. Nandini opened the door and hid herself quickly. Mukti found Manik on the bed, and looked around, but couldn't find any girl. She tried to do everything she could to wake him up, but she wasn't successful. She buttoned his shirt and made him sit. With great difficulty she managed to get him out of the room and take him home.

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        Next day morning, Manik and his friends got a message from Mukti's phone telling that she wanted to meet them immediately. Mukti got a message from the office boy telling that Manik wanted to meet her. So everyone met at the specified time. The door was locked once everyone had got inside. Mukti found her phone there.