A Part, Yet Apart

Chapter 19- Million Dollar Mistake

"Athayya!" Nandini asked her confused. Nyonika wiped her tears off and smiled. Shrikant gently pat on her to calm her down. "My father was a Punjabi but my mother is from Andhra. They both had a love marriage back then and he shifted here for my mom" Shrikant said. Nandini now knew how this Punjabi family got settled in Hyderabad. "I'm so sorry if I had made you feel bad" Nandini said. "No, not at all. In fact you have reminded me of my mother in law. She was my saas for name sake but she is truly my mom I never had" Nyonika said.

"My dadi used to make this pickle every year and after her death, we never had this at home" Mukti said to Nandini. "My mom learnt this from her mother. Every year she makes this pickle and distribute it to our dear ones" Nandini said. Nandini had breakfast with them while Manik noticing her didn't go unnoticed by her. ''Mom, can I go for cake selection today? engagement cake!'' Mukti asked excited. ''Kyu? Abhimanyu is also coming?'' Aryaman asked Mukti. ''Of course, we wanted to order a designer cake, 2 to 3 bakers decide kiya humne'' Mukti gleamed. ''So, aaj cake hunt hone wala hai Nandini aur Manik ke saath'' Aryaman gave an evil look to Mukti. ''No, I'm not going anywhere today. I have an important meeting'' Manik announced. Nandini breathed a sigh of relief and then Manik asked Aryaman to go with Mukti and Nandini.

Everyone dispersed from the breakfast table and Manik approached Nandini in a second. ''So, are you trying to impress my family?'' he asked her straightly. ''No, why would I? I had two extra bottles of pickle so I got them here. You can return those if you don't like it'' Nandini said with equal energy. ''You now know that mom value them, so why are you asking back?'' he asked. ''Exactly, I now know that your mom likes it. How am I supposed to know everything that your family likes? I don't need to impress anyone'' Nandini said. ''Then why did Abhimanyu and his family is so stubborn on hiring you as event manager'' Manik asked and Mukti came there. ''I didn't even know who Abhimanyu family members are! I don't remember seeing him before'' Nandini said trying to recollect.

''Abhimanyu ka mama ka beti ki shaadi mein thi ye'' Mukti cleared. ''That's so sweet of them to remember me and hiring me again'' Nandini said to Mukti smiling. ''Oh hello, it is we who hired you and that too on his family's insistence'' Manik revealed. ''I now understood why you don't like me at all. It was never your decision. It's ok if you don't want me to take this over'' Nandini said. ''We really wish we could do that but sadly no!'' Mukti's cold behavior irked Nandini. ''Ab yaha tamasha ho gaya tho baahar chale'' Aryaman asked Nandini. ''Sure!'' Nandini walked out from there followed by Mukti and Aryaman. Nandini was about to sit in the back seat of the car but Aryaman stopped her. ''Main tumhara driver nahi hu jo tum back seat mein baithne jaa rahi ho'' he said. ''But I thought Mukti will sit on the front seat'' Nandini said innocently. ''I'm not coming with you'' Mukti said not looking at Nandini and Abhimanyu came there out of nowhere. 

''Hi Nandini'' Abhimanyu cordially wished her. ''Hi Abhimanyu'' she smiled at him. ''Chalo na!'' Abhimanyu asked Mukti. ''Aren't we going to the baker to taste the engagement cake?'' she asked Abhimanyu. ''Not us, it's just you and Aryaman'' Mukti said and the love birds flew away. Nandini cursed her luck as she sat in the car with Aryaman. ''Are we really going to select a cake? or is it just some time pass?'' Nandini asked. ''Kyu kaam karne ka mann nahi hai?'' Aryaman asked in his sweet voice. ''How weird can you get? Firstly your brother, he called me like we're on some ISRO mission. He said he would finalize engagement rings, cake, catering, return gifts and he randomly vanished, and then your sister who lied to your family to go out with her fiancé.  I mean who does this with their boyfriend cum fiancé? And now you! I hope you don't disappear all of a sudden now'' Nandini said. 

''I'm so sure that you are going to pay for every word you spoke now'' Aryaman said casually. ''In your dreams! Anyway, unlike 3 of you, I have to be focused on what I'm doing'' Nandini said and Aryaman started the car and drove her to the place which Mukti already suggested. Aryaman was completely engrossed in his phone while Nandini spoke to the vendors. He was just there to enter the PIN number in the debit card which he gave for Nandini to purchase the items needed. It was almost lunch time and Nandini is famished but she didn't feel like asking him if they can go out for lunch. Not even for a minute, he spoke to her. She was sitting in the car beside Aryaman and was about to speak something when she felt a hand pulling her out of the car. ''Are you out of your mind?'' Nandini heard a familiar voice as she closed her eyes. She was forcefully dragged out of the car and closed her eyes in shock. She then opened only to see Manik in his monster avatar. 

''What happened?'' she asked in a low voice and Aryaman got down too. ''Who the hell spends 87,000 on a cake?'' he asked showing a message on his phone. Nandini took the phone from his hand and read the message again. ''You have spent INR 87,000 at Baker's Inn''  the message stated. Nandini looked at Manik again. ''Who did this?''  he asked fiercely. ''Bhai, it was just 8,700. I've entered the PIN number without looking at it'' Aryaman said. ''For God's sake, come out of your mobile ki duniya, please be serious sometimes!'' he said. ''And you! I already said that I don't trust you with my money. He was ignorant but were you paying attention while paying bills? Do you even know how hard earned money would look like? Maybe no! Because all you do is just shopping and arranging things and you got money in a jiffy'' he said clicking with his fingers. ''I hate who don't know the value of money. 87,000 Seriously! Have you closed your eyes or the baker did promise you some amount to trick Aryaman to pay this sum of amount?'' Manik accused Nandini of stealing his money.

Nandini couldn't utter a word as she too was at fault for not being cautious beforehand. ''To hell with you both'' Manik said and asked Aryaman to follow him. Like an obedient kid, Aryaman sat back in the car and went off from there leaving her alone. Nandini went back to the baker and asked for the refund. They said that they were waiting for them to come back and take money. Nandini went to Manik to return back the money. ''Here's your 78,300'' Nandini said giving back the money. ''I made an online transaction, why are you giving me money?'' Manik asked. ''So that you can count them'' Nandini said. ''I can't trust anyone with money, I should be careful with you'' Manik said. ''Actually I should not be working with you, I quit'' Nandini said. ''You can't do that now! Engagement is in 2 days and Abhimanyu's family won't approve it'' Manik said. ''You're in a fix, you can't leave'' Manik said arrogantly. 

''I'm sick of you and your family. I don't want to work with you anymore. Aaj galti Aryaman ki bhi hai but you just blame me only. And Mukti, she needs someone who is submissive in nature. And you monstrous nature needs no mention'' Nandini said in a flow. ''Submissive'' Abhimanyu said as he stood near the entrance along with Mukti and Aryaman. 

''Mukti is nor dominant and I'm not submissive either'' Abhimanyu said in his high pitched voice which was rare sight.