TRUE LOVE NEVER GIVES UP

Chapter-48: Looking Back

A week had passed since Manik and Nandini's separation, but the pain hadn't lessened for either of them. Manik tried to throw himself into work, hoping to distract himself, but every task felt hollow. The emptiness inside him gnawed at him, and he found himself constantly checking his phone, hoping for a message or a call from Nandini. But there was nothing.

Meanwhile, at the Murthy household, Nandini had withdrawn into herself, retreating into the safety of her room. The once lively, cheerful girl was now a shadow of her former self. She spent her days staring out the window, lost in thought, or lying on her bed. She hadn't seen or heard from him in days, and it was tearing her apart.

Vishakha, aware of her daughter's suffering but convinced that she was doing the right thing, tried to reach out to her several times. But each attempt was met with resistance.

One afternoon, Vishakha knocked softly on Nandini's door and entered the room. Nandini was sitting by the window, her knees pulled up to her chest, staring blankly at the world outside.

"Nandini," Vishakha called gently, but there was no response.

"Nandini, we need to talk," Vishakha tried again, her voice firmer this time.

Nandini slowly turned her head towards her mother, her expression cold and distant. "What is there to talk about?" she asked, her tone laced with sarcasm.

Vishakha sighed, moving closer to her daughter. "I know you're upset, but this is for your own good. You need to understand-"

"Understand what, Mumma?" Nandini cut her off sharply. "That you're keeping me prisoner in my own house? That you've taken away my phone, my freedom, and are forcing me to live like this?"

Vishakha's eyes flashed with hurt, but she kept her composure. "Nandini, I'm trying to protect you. I don't want you to make a decision that you'll regret for the rest of your life."

Nandini scoffed, turning her head back towards the window. "And you think this is better? Making me miserable is your way of protecting me?"

Vishakha reached out, trying to touch Nandini's shoulder, but she flinched away. "I know you're hurting, but you need to trust me. This love, this relationship with Manik, it's not going to bring you happiness."

Nandini turned to her mother, her eyes filled with anger and pain. "How do you know? You've already decided what's best for me without even asking me how I feel! You're not protecting me, Mumma, you're punishing me!"

Vishakha took a deep breath, trying to keep her own emotions in check. "I know you think I'm being harsh, but I've seen the consequences of rushing into a relationship like this. You're too young to understand-"

Nandini cut her off again, her voice rising. "Stop treating me like a child! I love Manik, and he loves me. Why can't you just accept that?"

Vishakha's face hardened. "Because love isn't enough, Nandini. There's more to life than just love. You need to think about your future, your career-"

"I am thinking about my future!" Nandini shot back. "And Manik is a part of that future, whether you like it or not."

The room fell into a tense silence, the air thick with unspoken words. Vishakha looked at her daughter, her heart breaking at the sight of the pain in her eyes, but she stood firm in her decision.

"If you can't see that I'm doing this for you," Vishakha said quietly, "then there's nothing more I can say. But one day, you'll understand."

Nandini turned away, tears stinging her eyes, refusing to let them fall in front of her mother. "Just leave me alone," she whispered, her voice choked with emotion.