Threads of Friendship, Bonds of Marriage

Chapter: 28

{Asha Multispeciality Hospital}

Manik: From now on, I'll never lie to you. You can ask me anything, and I'll give you the truth.

[Nandini hesitated, her heart pounding in her chest as she finally gathered the courage to ask the question that could change everything.]

Nandini: Do you love me?

[Manik's heart pounds in his chest as he loosens his grip on Nandini. The question she just asked catches him completely off guard, hitting him with a force he wasn't prepared for. The sterile, clinical smell of the hospital room suddenly feels suffocating, and the beeping of the heart monitor in the background seems to echo the turmoil inside him.

Nandini pulls away, her warmth replaced by a sudden coldness that chills Manik to the bone. The space she creates between them feels like a chasm, an endless void that gnaws at him. His hands twitch, wanting to reach out and close the gap, but fear roots him to the spot.]

Nandini: Tell me, Manik.

[Her voice trembles, teetering on the edge of vulnerability and determination. The words hang heavy in the air, a plea wrapped in fear. Manik runs his fingers through his hair, a nervous habit he can't shake, and forces himself to meet her gaze.

Her eyes, wide and searching, are desperate for answers, and he knows he can't lie. The sterile white walls seem to close in, suffocating him under the weight of unspoken truths.]

Manik: To be honest, I don't know.

[Nandini's eyes flicker with hurt, her expression tightening as if his words have physically struck her. She instinctively takes another step back, the cold draft from the slightly ajar window seeping into the room, chilling Manik's heart even further. He frowns, realizing she's interpreting his words all wrong, and the tension between them thickens like a fog.]

Manik: Listen to everything I have to say first, and then you can draw your own conclusions.

[Her angry glare pierces through him like a dagger, but there's a flicker of amusement in his eyes. Manik can't help but smile, a sweet, almost tender smile that feels out of place in the tension-filled room. He's trying to lighten the mood, to ease the growing storm inside her.]

Manik: (with a sweet smile) I'm not sure if what I feel for you is love. Maybe it is, but I don't want to rush into labeling my feelings. What I do know for sure is that I like you. And not as a friend, if that's what you're thinking. I like having you beside me. When you're with me, I don't feel stressed about anything. I can just be Manik with you. It doesn't matter what my status is or how many fans I have. I don't have to worry that you'll judge me because of some scandal.

[His voice, though calm, carries the weight of raw emotion. Nandini stands still, lost in his words, her eyes reflecting the turmoil inside her. Manik watches her intently, every second feeling like an eternity as he tries to decipher her thoughts.

The room seems to shrink, the world outside fading into oblivion. Manik can see the frown deepening on her forehead, a sign that she's processing everything he's said. The silence between them is thick, laden with unspoken fears and insecurities.]

Manik: Nandini, I've never experienced true love, so I can't say for sure what these feelings are.

[Nandini's face hardens, her doubts resurfacing like dark clouds on a stormy night. The tension between them crackles with an electric intensity, the air in the room growing colder by the second.]

Nandini: If you're still confused about your feelings, then why rush things? If this isn't true love, what if you find those feelings with someone else? Are you doing all this just because you have to get married in a month?