An Arranged Journey To Forever

Part 41

The Murthy mansion was alive with joy, laughter, and chatter. Radhika, along with Mukti, Alia, Cabir, and Dhruv, was keeping everyone on their toes, spreading her vibrant energy all around. Nandini sat quietly with Abhimanyu, trying to ignore his playful teasing that was driving her to the edge.

Fed up, she stood up and walked over to join Navya and Radhika. Radhika immediately jumped onto Nandini's lap, her tiny arms wrapped around Nandini's neck as she snuggled in.

"Masi, I'm so tired. Can I sleep here?" Radhika mumbled, her eyes already half-closed.

Nandini smiled warmly, brushing a lock of hair from Radhika's face. "Sleep, baby," she whispered, pressing a kiss on her forehead.

As Radhika fell asleep on Nandini's lap, Navya looked at her with a soft smile. "She loves you so much, Nandu."

Nandini gazed down at the little girl resting peacefully on her, a smile tugging at her lips. "I love her too, Navya. I can't imagine my life without her now."

Just then, Mukti and Alia entered the room, joining the conversation. The girls were finally bonding well, and it was heartwarming to see the positive shift in their dynamics.

Alia, with a playful glint in her eye, turned to Nandini. "So, Nandu, shopping tomorrow?"

Nandini hesitated for a moment, then smiled apologetically. "I'd love to, Alia, but I've made plans with Bhai for tomorrow."

Alia nodded understandingly. "Of course, no problem at all."

Mukti jumped in, "What about the day after? Navya needs to finish her shopping before she leaves."

Nandini's face lit up. "Perfect! Let's plan for the day after. It'll be fun!"

Navya happily agreed, and the conversation continued as the girls gossiped and laughed, enjoying each other's company.

Around 8, the doorbell rang, and Nandini grinned. "That's probably Manik," she said, standing up gently so as not to wake Radhika.

Cabir winked at her. "Bhabhi, you stay right there. I'll go get him, don't want Radhika waking up."

Nandini nodded, appreciating his gesture.

Manik stepped inside a few moments later, his presence instantly lighting up the room. He greeted everyone, and his eyes immediately sought out Nandini. He hadn't seen the Fab 3 in a while, and his heart swelled as he met their gazes, but all his focus remained on her.

"How's everyone doing?" Manik asked, flashing a grin at his friends.

Dhruv, always the easy-going one, replied, "We're great, man. What about you?"

Alya couldn't resist teasing. "Look at his face, Dhruv. It's glowing with happiness."

Mukti added, "And love. We can see it all over him."

Alya chuckled. "No doubt about that."

Cabir smirked, glancing at Manik with mischief in his eyes. "So, Bhabhi's magic is working, huh?"

Manik immediately slapped Cabir on the back of his head, playfully scolding him. "Stop with the nonsense, man."

Cabir raised his hands in surrender. "I was just stating the truth! No good ever gets recognized."

Mukti rolled her eyes. "Enough with the drama, Cabir. Let's focus."

Nyonika, sensing the energy shifting, quickly intervened. "Alright, everyone, let's get back to the task at hand."

Everyone nodded and took their seats in the living room. Manik scanned the room, his eyes finally landing on Nandini. She was smiling at him, and it made his heart skip a beat. He couldn't help but smile back, his entire world seeming to brighten in her presence.