Tangled Beliefs

Chapter-43: Whispers in the Boardroom

He doesn't ask questions, and I don't offer answers. Maybe it's easier this way—to exist side by side, pretending the walls between us don’t exist.

Manik’s POV,

A sharp, repetitive sound pulled me out of sleep. My brows furrowed as I groggily opened my eyes, squinting against the soft morning light filtering through the curtains. The alarm clock on my bedside table was buzzing relentlessly.

I reached out to turn it off when I noticed movement in the room. My eyes drifted toward the walk-in closet, and that’s when I saw her—Nandini.

She was already awake, standing in front of the mirror, adjusting her earrings. Her long, damp hair cascaded down her back, droplets of water clinging to the ends. She was dressed in a pastel blue blouse and fitted black pants, exuding elegance and professionalism.

“Good morning,” she greeted upon noticing me awake.

I ran a hand through my hair, still trying to wake up. “Morning.” My voice was hoarse from sleep.

She gave me a small nod and turned back to the mirror, adding finishing touches to her appearance. I sat up, stretching my arms, feeling the stiffness in my muscles.

Before I could get out of bed, Nandini walked over to the closet, pulled out a neatly pressed navy blue suit, and placed it on the bed. Along with it, she kept a white shirt, a matching tie, and cufflinks.

I raised an eyebrow. “What’s all this?”

She straightened up and replied casually, “Your clothes for the day. I figured you’d need them.”

I stared at her, a little surprised. “You didn’t have to do that.”

She shrugged. “It’s no big deal.”

Her voice was neutral, professional—like this was just another part of her job. It felt oddly domestic yet distant at the same time.

As I reached for my phone to check the time, I noticed her slipping her watch onto her wrist.

“I’ll be leaving for the office in half an hour,” she said, adjusting her watch strap.

I frowned slightly, my half-awake mind taking a second to process her words. “You’re going separately?”

She nodded. “Yeah. My car arrived yesterday. If I don’t go at my usual time, office people will ask questions.”

I tilted my head, observing her. “You mean about us?”

She sighed, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. “Yes. I don’t want unnecessary attention. We’ve already kept our marriage a secret from the office, and it should stay that way for now.”

I leaned back on my elbows, contemplating her words. She wasn’t wrong. The last thing we needed was people gossiping or treating her differently.

“Alright,” I agreed. “But remember to arrange a meeting with the board of directors for today.”

She gave a firm nod. “I’ll take care of that.”

With that, she grabbed her handbag and turned to leave.

I watched as she walked out of the room, her posture straight, her expression composed.

The door clicked shut behind her.

A part of me wanted to stop her—to ask if she was really okay if she was adjusting well to this… us. But I held back.

She was doing what she always did—keeping her emotions guarded and handling things on her own. And I… well, I wasn’t exactly any different.