A Part, Yet Apart

Chapter 95- Damage Control

Manik's POV:

I can't believe she said that. There was pin drop silence in the room. Nandini exited the room without speaking anything. Others had questions written on their faces. "Pedananna, this is surely a misunderstanding" Jai said again. "Mavayya, sorry" Aryaman said in a low voice. "Ho kya raha hai yaha?" he asked. We were left alone when Jai and uncle walked away. I guess we made fool out of ourselves. In the next few minutes, Tara barged inside and looked very upset. "What were you two thinking when you thought of meeting dad?" she asked angrily. "Tara, we just misunderstood this letter" Aryaman dared to say. "I know, Jai ne mujhe sab kuch bataya!" she said. "I'm sorry" I apologized her. "Seriously, I never thought you would do something like this bava" she is like a wild cat. "Aap logon ko pehle Jai ya Nandini se baat karna chahiye tha na. Or at least mujhse discuss kar lete" she said. "So you know about Jai's love" Aryaman asked. "Of course I know" she said simply. 

"I don't know how dumb you can get" she walked away with equal fervour. "Aaj sach mein sambhal ke rehna padega isse" Aryaman is almost scared of Tara. "I think you should go and apologize to her, to Jai also" I advised. "Tumhe bhi Nandini ko sorry bolna chahiye" he said. He was right, what she might be thinking about me. I searched for her everywhere. She is neither in the room nor anywhere. It suddenly clicked to me that she might be at the pool. And I was right when I saw her there. I slowly walked towards her not making much noise. She sat down and I have bent down. My hand almost shivered when I touched her. My fingers barely touched her hand but she reacted violently. "Don't you dare touching me" her voice was shaking. "Nandini, I'm sorry" she shouted at me. Her eyes were red and moist indicating that she had already cried. I never wanted to see her cry but it hurts to know that I'm the reason. 

"Who are you?" she said standing on her feet. I stood up too. "Who are you to get me married? How do you even think I'll make the same mistake again" she asked me. "Hume laga ki Jai has feelings for you" I said hesitant. "Tumhe laga ki Nandini needs a man in her life, why not get a man for her. I wish koi ye ehsaan na kare mere liye. Specially you!" she broke into tears. "Nandini, aur kitne din aise hi rahogi. Don't blame yourself for what had happened" I genuinely said. I knew what all she had faced in the last 2 years. "I meant no harm to you Nandini, I wanted to see you happy" I said. "Don't! Never do anything for me again. I didn't even want to meet you again" she said in between her sobs. I can see how much she hates me but maybe I'll never get a chance to talk to her again. "Why did you say no to Daksh, wo tho acha tha na!" I asked. She quickly wiped off her tears. "You're right I should have said yes to him. He didn't hide or manipulated me like the way you did. You knew Daksh but you have always lied that you never knew him. Shayad meri footi kismat thi jo mujhe tum mile Daksh nahi" she fled away not turning back. I can just hope Nandini will find peace one day.

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Nandini's POV: 

How dare he! Why did he do that? I can't believe Manik is still same. No, he can never understand my love for him. How can he! He is so heartless and mean. I hate you Manik Malhotra! I hate myself for loving you, for trusting you. You're the only mistake in my life. Meri life ki sab se badi galti and the rest of my life is a punishment for loving you. I feel like I can't breathe anymore. I should tell this to her, I can't fall weak in front of him again. I searched for my phone and tried to call her. "Hello" I could hear my heartbeat running faster. "Hey Nandini, what's up?" her voice calm as always. "Hello, hello" I couldn't control my tears and maybe she might have sensed that something was wrong with me. "Nandini, wherever you are, go to an isolated place, probably a closed one, a room maybe or at least a washroom where no one can see you cry" she said with a sense of urgency. I did as she asked me to. I went to my room and locked it. I closed the window and drew curtains to avoid any light. It wasn't so dark but the light cannot enter from outside. I put her on speaker.