A Part, Yet Apart

Chapter 15- Fake it till you Make it

Nandini's POV:

I stood there just like a lifeless being. I turned away from him as I couldn't hold back my tears and walked towards the room. The door suddenly opened and Cabir saw me in tears. ''Are you okay Nandini?'' he asked. I quickly wiped my tears and went inside with out a word. ''What happened Nandini?'' Navya asked. ''It's nothing, shall we go?'' I said. Navya paused for a moment but nodded her head. We were about to leave and Aryaman, Tara came to send us off. Tara took a few steps towards me and hugged. I wished I had known her earlier. ''Take care of yourself Tara'' I said after we broke the hug. ''Bye Nandini'' Aryaman extended his hand for a shake. It was so awkward to bid bye to them in this way. Nyonika aunty, Mukti, Abhimanyu and Shrikant uncle are no where to be seen.

''Mom, dad sab log ke saath baith gaye'' Aryaman said as if he read my mind. ''It's OK. Tell them that I've left'' I said. Jai happened to pass by that way and saw us leaving. ''Why do you have luggage with you?'' he asked surprised. ''We're leaving, thanks for everything'' I said formally. ''Are you for real? I thought you were kidding. Nandini, you got us here and you are leaving us behind. This is not fare'' he said. ''But what will we do staying here back'' Navya asked. ''Same as what we're doing here'' he said. ''Nandini and Navya, I know what you must be thinking but Pujari garu will come now and after the nineth day, he will again decide the muhurtham for wedding. Then it's just 9 days you guys should come back here'' he said. ''So I'd request you to stay back, please'' he said.

''Jai, please let them go, if they really want to'' Aryaman interrupted Jai. ''Bava, you and Tara keep calling her family and when it's the time for an actual family moment, you are sending her out'' Jai replied to Aryaman. ''Nandini is indeed like a family, if you're free for a few days, please stay back'' Tara obliged. Jai and Tara are looking at me for my reply but I couldn't read what's going on Aryaman's mind. Would I really be able to stay back here with Manik around? ''Please say yes'' Jai said. I nodded yes to not hurt him. ''Now that's like a good girl, you can go and rest for now. I will look after the catering for today'' he said. ''No, now that I have decided to stay back, let me do my work. Please'' I said to Jai. Aryaman ran his hands through his hair and left from there. Is he upset with me staying back? Or was I wrong to chose to stay back! My energy literally drained and I took a long hot shower again to calm myself. 

My mind and body felt relaxed as the hot droplets of water touched me. After coming here, I have discovered that Manik had never actually left my head. He was always there in my thoughts. But I was nothing for him and this crumbled my heart. I can't act as a stranger with the person I love, sorry with the person I once loved. Honestly speaking, I don't love him anymore! Not after knowing that he doesn't value my feelings. Somewhere deep down in my heart, I feel cheated by him. Maybe we were the only couple on this whole wide world, who fell out of love without actually falling in love. When I came out after the long steaming shower, I saw Navya who is definitely out of the place now. ''Are you thinking about him?'' I asked.

She then came back to this world. ''No, I'm not thinking of Cabir'' she said. ''What did he say when I went out?'' I asked her. ''Not something important, he just said that he will miss us after we leave'' Navya said. ''So he took 20 minutes just to say this'' I asked her. ''Yes, we just stood looking at each other'' Navya confessed. ''Like Heart to heart talks!'' I asked her. ''There's nothing like you think'' Navya said. ''I'm not thinking anything and I have not even mentioned his name. Maybe you are thinking about him'' I said. ''Hmm, seems like he doesn't know about my nature, if he really get to know me, he will never come back to talk to me for sure'' Navya said. ''Or should I say that he saw the real Navya and that's why he is dying to meet you'' I raised my brows to see her comeback now. ''You're still that lovesick teenage girl who is imagining all the fictional things'' Navya chucked me off.

Yes, I was that girl who believed in fairy tales and fiction. All my teenage, I believed that my prince charming would one day come to take me off of this world. But reality, had hit me so hard. In just an instance, I lost mom, dad and Manik too. As long as I was with them, they had covered me like a shield. Only my parents loved me like I'm an angel. And their death, pushed me into this devil's world. ''Dinner?'' Navya's voice brought me back. We were passing by the portico and happen to hear Cabir's voice and stopped. Neither Cabir nor Manik, knew that we have stayed back. ''Manik, is there something between you and Nandini that I don't know'' Cabir asked Manik. My eyes widened in shock hearing Cabir. ''Did I attempt to ask you what's going on between Navya and you?'' Manik didn't answer but questioned back Cabir.

''So now I know that your relationship with her is quite personal. I knew that you know Nandini and Navya since long but I just thought it was professional. But looking at both of you today, I felt something is off between you. Coming to me and Navya, yes, I like her. Her straightforwardness and her honesty, mujhe uski taraf keechi jaa rahi hai. And in business, it is important to know the strength and weakness of a partner. I have never considered your relation with your family as I concluded that you have few differences but knowing about Nandini and you is also a part to get to know you better'' Cabir continued, ''I can't work with a wrong person, if you really want to hide it, you can but remember, if you cannot share it with someone, either you are ashamed of it or you did a mistake'' Cabir seems to be anticipating an answer from Manik. After a minute of silence, Manik moved a step forward. 

''Nandini is my ex-wife. I'm not ashamed of it. We both had mutual consent divorce. Well I cannot state the reasons for our separation'' Manik quoted. ''Really? I'm sorry to learn this'' he said. ''Even my family doesn't know the reason for our separation, that's why we have few differences among us. I hope I will have to face them one day'' Manik said. 

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Hi All, 

From Next chapter, I will be writing Manik and Nandini's past story. The next few chapters will be in italics (as I have already mentioned the text in italics will be in the past). Based on the response, I will decide whether to continue the flashback story or not. 

Please comment if you want to read the flashback in detail or you want it to in a few chapters. 

Happy Reading.....