TRUE LOVE NEVER GIVES UP

Chapter-44: Shattered Peace

The morning sun filtered through the curtains, casting a soft glow across the room at Paradise Point. But for Manik, the light brought no comfort. He lay on the bed, staring blankly at the ceiling, his mind trapped in a whirlwind of emotions. The events of the previous night played on a loop in his head, the shock, the heartbreak, the helplessness. His world had turned upside down, and he felt as though he was drowning in a sea of uncertainty and pain.

The sound of the door opening barely registered in his mind. Neyonika, Raj, Fab 5, and Abhimanyu quietly entered the room, their faces etched with concern. They had never seen Manik like this-so broken, so lost. Usually, Manik was the one holding everyone together, the one with the strength to face anything. But now, he was a shadow of himself, and they didn't know how to reach him.

Neyonika was the first to move closer, sitting on the edge of the bed and gently placing her hand on Manik's head. The touch seemed to snap him out of his trance, and he jerked up, eyes wide with panic as he frantically asked, "Where's Nandini? Is she okay? I need to see her!"

"Shh, calm down, Manik," Neyonika soothed, trying to keep her voice steady despite the worry gnawing at her. "Nandini is safe. She's with her mother. You need to calm down."

Manik let out a shuddering breath, running his hands through his hair before leaning back against the headboard, his eyes distant and filled with despair. "I'm sorry... I'm sorry I didn't tell you all earlier. I never wanted to hide anything from you. But every time I had to, it felt like a knife in my chest. I was betraying all of you... betraying myself."

His voice cracked with emotion, and Neyonika felt her heart clench at the sight of her son in so much pain. "We're not angry with you, Manik," she assured him. "We just want to understand. What are you going to do now?"

Manik shook his head slowly, his eyes glazing over as he stared at some distant point beyond them. "I don't know... we never expected this. We've been through long distances before, but this... this separation feels different. It's like a part of me has been ripped away. How am I supposed to breathe without her?"

His words hung in the air, heavy with the weight of his anguish. The others exchanged glances, feeling the depth of his pain but unsure of how to help. They had seen Manik go through tough times before, but this was different. This was a pain that they couldn't just fix with a pep talk or a hug.

"Manik," Cabir started, his voice gentle yet firm, "you need to eat something. You can't just sit here and waste away."

Manik shook his head, his expression vacant. "I'm not hungry. I can't even think about food right now."

Mukti, with a knowing look, stepped forward. "Bhai, we're all here for you. You don't have to go through this alone. But you need to take care of yourself, for Nandini's sake. You know she'd want you to eat, right?"

The mention of Nandini seemed to stir something in him, and with a resigned sigh, he nodded. "Fine... I'll eat something."

Neyonika relieved that he had agreed, started to stand up. "I'll make you something. Just tell me where everything is since this is... well, your and Nandini's place."

Manik blinked as if realizing for the first time that they were all in his and Nandini's secret haven. He looked around the room, a flicker of warmth in his eyes as memories of their time here resurfaced. "The kitchen is stocked. We were here a few days ago, and I made sure we had everything we needed. I'll show you where everything is."

He stood up, a little unsteady at first, but determined to keep his promise. Neyonika followed him into the kitchen, and as he opened cabinets and pointed out where things were kept, she couldn't help but notice the tenderness in his voice when he spoke about their time here.