Living in a Mirage

Chapter Twenty-Eight

"People should either be caressed or crushed. If you do them minor damage they will get their revenge; but if you cripple them there is nothing they can do. If you need to injure someone, do it in such a way that you do not have to fear their vengeance."

― Niccolo Machiavelli

***

One month ago

Dr. Shah's assurance hadn't convinced Manik. He knew all the talk about how he would bring Mr. Malhotra before the court were merely that—talks. He knew his father far too well to believe he hadn't already come up with something to manipulate Dr. Shah and hide his lies. Knowing him - even though that haughty man probably never imagined he would get caught - he must have made arrangements to get out of the hazardous circumstance that his falsehoods had created. Most probably even before he had asked Dr. Shah to be Manik's therapist. Such was the egocentricity of Mr Malhotra...

Therefore, Manik knew he had to plan everything himself. Mr Malhotra had to pay for what he had done. To Manik, who had spent four years trying to prove he wasn't running behind a mirage; to Nandini, who had to search him everywhere for four years even though Mr Malhotra and Nyonika had declared him dead; to Cabir, who had spent those four years in dilemma yet still stayed by Nandini's side to fulfill the promise he had made to Manik; to Nandini's family, who had helplessly seen their sister and niece suffer so much, and to everyone else who had suffered because of the web of lies Mr Malhotra had created.

To avenge everything and everyone, Manik had to hit Mr Malhotra where it hurt him the most...

He had to do it well. There couldn't be mistakes or cracks for Mr Malhotra to prey on. Manik knew he had to come up with a meticulous plan. After considering everything, he decided that his first step would be to get his father dismissed from the CEO position as that would be a devastating blow to him who had built the London branch from the ground up. Granted that his grandfather had laid the foundation for Malhotra Groups, but it was Mr Malhotra who had expanded it and put it on the international map, solidifying his hold on his empire by transferring the command from India to the London branch. There was no denying that Mr Malhotra loved nothing more than his business achievements. Even though he was reaching the age of 78, he was still as megalomaniac as when he had assumed leadership of the Malhotra Groups in his twenties.

However, the fact remained that nothing Manik planned would make up for the hurt their separation had caused them. Nothing would alter the events that transpired, nor the fact that the previous four years had molded them into distinct individuals. Now, they were practically strangers. The Manik and the Nandini they remembered and loved each other for no longer existed. And despite their best efforts to ignore reality, it was evident that they could never return to what they were. They had to re-learn and re-love every new bit of each other while dealing with insecurities and personal dilemmas.

"I called home today," Nandini said, breaking the silence.

They sat on Manik's apartment balcony, their eyes on the starlit sky. Ever since they were reunited, their relationship hasn't changed all that much. It was almost six months later, yet there still were topics they avoided discussing, wounds they didn't dare to open, and truths they were reluctant to acknowledge. Unfortunately, they didn't have the luxury of time to avoid reality. As time went on, they realized they could no longer avoid the real world.

"Chacha, Chachi, and Rishab want to meet you," she said with a half smile. "They were so relieved when I told them that I found you. Navya too."