Celebrity Castaway | COMPLETE | MaNan Fiction

15| We Are Pregnant

A/N : Well! Some of you did guess it right after all! And for the rest..ah-what? Pregnant?! Freaking how? :P You will find out in a jiffy! :D

So, firstly, I would like to wish all my readers a very happy & prosperous 2023! The last 2 yrs have been trying for everybody. We've lost our loved ones, we've fought a global crisis. It took it's toll on interpersonal relationships too, breaking homes for some and making for some, as a whoopy amount of babies were born as well! :P (I contributed to the baby boom too! XD ). All I want to wish for this year is, let us finally embrace the scars, that the pandemic of a lifetime has left us with, and will undoubtedly roll on in history as the darkest times of the modern era, and say grace.

Today's dawn was new, it's the starting of a beautiful beginning. Let us all walk into the light with empathy in our hearts, love in our lives & learnings we've inherited from the had times. Let's all hope for not just a better, but a freaking great tomorrow, booming with love, faith, hope & a wide array of opportunities for us & our future generations.

Amen.

Now, coming back to the book. I know you guys have lots of thoughts on how Nandini should react here; some want her to hit back, some want her to respond with love, and both ways are great! However, this chapter will give you a glimpse of the path I chose for MaNan in this story, and I hope you will give it a fair chance to propel the story. I promise you, as a reader, you won't be disappointed. On that note, Happy Reading!

Catch you on the other side!

***

"Nandu, I know, this will hit you hard, but I just want to tell you this, as your friend first and not your newly appointed MaNan brand PR. You do not have to do this, if you don't want to. Please know, I am not happy about this & I won't force you no matter what!" Navya pep talked to her to begin with, as she saw Zubin and Cabir nodding mildly in support.

"What is it Navya, you guys are freaking me out now" Nandini mumbled.

"Nandini maám you will be rejecting Aryamann sir's movie offer because of your pregnancy." Zubin answered, cutting the chase.

There was still silence.

"Excuse me?" Nandini broke the silence first. She was sure she had misheard him. Her voice sounded hoarse to her own ears.

"Nandini, it's not for real." Cabir countered.

"Of course. Much like my marriage to Manik, or my reconciliation with him. I get it, but seriously Cabir? Zubin? This is your great plan? I understand Manik can go up to any unscrupulous level to get what he wants, but you guys? Is there an iota of ethics left in you all? Forget ethics, bare minimal humanity?" spat Nandini with disgust in her eyes.

Her words stung Manik. He didn't know how low she thought of him, that she was not surprised to imagine him suggesting such a thing. He couldn't counter argue either, could he? Afterall he agreed to this, no matter how much he detested it from his heart; the point was he didn't stop this plan.

"Nandu, I know this is an atrocious idea, but from a marketing PR point of view, there was no other cover that could work out without hurting the image of the Malhotras and Manik Malhotra of course." Navya added in. Nandini stared at her with narrowed eyes. Her best friend was just one day old in showbiz, and she had learnt their tongue.

"Nandini, if it were only about my image, I'd never ask this of you, but the Malhotra name is also involved, so.." Manik spoke for the first time & finally a tear rolled out of Nandini's eyes, as she laughed mechanically hearing him. "Of course, everything is legit if it is done in the name of the Malhotra's image"