TRUE LOVE NEVER GIVES UP

Chapter-59: His Side of Story

Manik stood in the middle of the living room, his eyes wide with disbelief, his heart shattering into a million pieces. He had been so close, so sure that finally, after everything, he and Nandini would be together. But now, it felt like the ground had been ripped out from under him. His world was crumbling, and he was powerless to stop it.

“I lost her again...” he whispered, his voice trembling with pain. His eyes were hollow, filled with the kind of despair that comes from losing something precious not once, but twice. “Why is this happening to us? Why?”

FAB 4 and Abhimanyu exchanged worried glances, unsure of how to comfort their friend. They had seen Manik go through hell and back for Nandini, and now, seeing him like this, so defeated and broken, tore at their hearts.

“Manik...” Cabir began softly, trying to reach out to him, but Manik shook his head, his eyes distant, as if he was looking at something far beyond the room.

“I just don’t understand,” Manik continued, his voice barely above a whisper. “We were so close... We were going to be together... And now, she’s gone again. Why does this keep happening to us? What did we do wrong?”

Vikrant sat on the sofa, his mind racing, trying to make sense of what had just happened. The atmosphere in the room was heavy with tension and confusion. Soha was beside him, her face twisted in worry as she looked between her father and Manik.

“Dad, what’s going on?” Soha asked, her voice filled with concern. “Why did they react like that?”

Vikrant rubbed his temples, the weight of the past bearing down on him like a physical burden. “It’s complicated, Soha... There’s a lot of history between us, things I never told you about.”

“But why?” Soha pressed, her voice rising in frustration. “Why didn’t you tell me? And why did she act like that? What happened between you two? Who was she?”

Vikrant’s face hardened as he grappled with his emotions, memories of a time he had tried so hard to forget flooding back. But the words wouldn’t come. Instead of answering, he stood up abruptly, his expression unreadable.

“I need some air,” he muttered, turning away from his daughter and the others. “I’ll be back later.”

Soha watched him go, her heart sinking as she realized she wasn’t going to get any answers tonight. She looked back at Manik, who was still standing in the same spot, lost in his thoughts. The room felt oppressive, filled with the weight of unresolved emotions and unspoken words.

Manik suddenly turned to the others, his eyes pleading. “I just... I need to be alone for a while. Please, just give me some time.”

Cabir wanted to argue, to stay and help his friend through this, but he could see the look in Manik’s eyes—one that said he needed space, not words. “Okay, Manik,” Cabir finally said, his voice soft with understanding. “We’ll be downstairs if you need us.”

Others nodded in agreement, their faces etched with concern. They watched as Manik turned and walked slowly up the stairs, each step heavy with the weight of his emotions.

When he reached his room, Manik closed the door behind him, shutting out the world. The room felt cold and empty, starkly contrasting to the storm of emotions raging inside him. His eyes landed on a small photo frame on his bedside table—the one he always kept, with a picture of him and Nandini. They were smiling, their eyes bright with the love and happiness they had once shared. It was a moment captured in time, a memory of better days.

Manik picked up the frame, his fingers tracing the outline of Nandini’s face. His chest tightened as a wave of despair washed over him. “Nandini...” he whispered, his voice breaking. “Why does this keep happening to us? What did we do to deserve this?”