An Arranged Journey To Forever

Part 97

It was already the month of June, and two months had passed since life had started taking a turn for the better for Manik and Nandini. Their personal lives were flourishing, filled with warmth and understanding. However, Navya remained unchanged—if anything, she had become even more cutting with her words. No one could quite understand why she refused to acknowledge that everyone genuinely cared for her. She had a tendency to get upset over the smallest of things—like when Nyonika prepared a dish that happened to be Nandini's favorite. These seemingly trivial matters were gradually chipping away at the peace within the Malhotra household.

Cabir and Navya frequently found themselves at odds, their arguments becoming a daily occurrence. Yet, without fail, Navya always managed to find her way back into Cabir's good graces by the end of the day, only for the same cycle to repeat itself the next morning.

One Friday afternoon, Navya approached Cabir hesitantly, her hands clasped together as if steadying herself for the conversation ahead.

"Cabir, I need to tell you something," she said, her voice softer than usual.

Cabir barely looked up from his reflection in the mirror as he styled his hair. "Please don't tell me you want to pick another fight with Nandini, Navya. I'm exhausted." His tone was laced with irritation as he ran a hand through his neatly gelled hair.

Navya took a deep breath. "I'm pregnant."

The gel bottle slipped from Cabir's grasp, hitting the floor with a thud as he turned to face her, his eyes wide with disbelief. "What?"

"I'm pregnant," she repeated, standing firmly in front of him.

For a moment, Cabir was too stunned to respond. Then, as the reality of her words sank in, a slow, joyous smile spread across his face. Without another word, he pulled her into a tight embrace, holding her close as his heart swelled with happiness. He was going to be a father—nothing in the world could compare to that feeling.

That evening, the entire family gathered in the living room as Cabir and Navya shared the news. Nyonika, Raj, Manik, and Nandini were overjoyed, their excitement evident in the way they congratulated the couple. It was a moment of unity, a celebration of new beginnings.

However, as days passed, a new kind of anxiety took root in Navya's heart. A sense of insecurity gnawed at her, whispering dark fears into her mind. Would her child be considered a true part of the Malhotra family? Would they be granted the rights and recognition they deserved? The questions plagued her thoughts, keeping her awake at night.

As she lay in bed, staring at the ceiling, she knew she needed to do something—to secure a position for herself, her unborn child, and Cabir within the Malhotra family. And deep down, she already knew what she had to do.

One afternoon, Nandini's phone rang, and she answered it with a bright smile.

"Hi, Manik!" she greeted cheerfully as soon as he picked up.

Manik chuckled. "Mrs. Malhotra sounds exceptionally happy today. What's the reason?"

"Yes, I am! Bhai just told me that he likes someone," she shared, excitement bubbling in her voice.

Manik, who had already learned about this from Mukti, played along effortlessly. "That's great! When do we get to meet her?" he asked, feigning surprise.

"Soon, he said he'd plan a meetup. What are you up to?" Nandini inquired.

"Nothing much. I was about to leave the office when Mr. Sinha, our advocate, called me. He needs my signature on some documents. I'm not sure what they're about, but it'll take me an hour or so," Manik explained.

"Okay, message me when you leave. Come home soon," Nandini said.

"I will. Bye."

By the time Manik returned home, it was past ten at night. His demeanor was visibly off, his expression clouded with a mix of frustration and disbelief. As soon as he stepped inside, Nyonika and Raj noticed his somber mood and inquired about his whereabouts. Though he responded, there was an unshakable dullness in his voice.

Nandini observed him carefully. Something had changed. When they had spoken earlier, he had been fine, but now, he seemed burdened. What caught her attention the most was the way his eyes lingered on Navya, filled with an unreadable emotion—discontent, perhaps even anger. She needed to find out what was going on.

After dinner, everyone retired to their rooms, and so did Manik and Nandini.

Manik went about his nightly routine, meticulously tending to his hair and skin—his obsessive ritual that never failed to amuse Nandini. But tonight, she didn't comment on it. Instead, she sat cross-legged on the bed, watching him with quiet patience.

Once he finally settled beside her, resting against the headboard, she reached out gently. "Manik," she called softly.

He turned his gaze toward her, his eyes betraying the turmoil within.

"What's bothering you?" she asked, concern lacing her voice.

Manik exhaled slowly and opened his left arm, inviting her into the warmth of the blanket. Without hesitation, Nandini moved closer, resting her head against his chest.

After a long pause, he finally spoke. "Navya asked Mr. Sinha to prepare legal documents that state everything registered under Dad's name—except the business and the house, since those are under Mom's name—should be transferred to Cabir."

Nandini stiffened in shock. Her mind reeled at the revelation. She had never, not even in her wildest dreams, imagined that Navya would consider dividing the family's assets in such a manner.

"We need to tell Mom and Dad," she said urgently.

"I already informed Dad," Manik responded. "He needed to know, and he'll speak to Mom about it." He paused, his voice turning heavier. "That's not even the real issue, Nandini. If Navya wants Cabir to have the properties, fine. But what about everything I've worked on? The NGOs, the Rajpur Road project—those are under Dad's name, but I built them from the ground up. I invested my own time, effort, and money into those projects without asking Dad for anything. And now... they're slipping away just like that?"

His voice wavered, the weight of his emotions pressing down on him. He loved Cabir, but the thought of his years of hard work being taken from him left a deep ache in his chest.

Nandini tightened her embrace around him, pressing a soft kiss to his chest. "Things will fall into place," she whispered, offering him the only solace she could at that moment. "We'll find a way."

And as Manik closed his eyes, absorbing her warmth, he could only hope that she was right.