Kaisi yeh Yaariyan Season 3

Chapter 114

She rang the bell thrice, frantically, before someone opened the door and, without asking whether Manik was at home, they just stormed in, looking for him. For some reason, it hadn't struck them at all, that Manik could be out, lying wasted in a nondescript bar, far away from home.

Nandini was just about to climb the flight of stairs to Manik's room when a deep voice, asking her where she was going, stopped her in her tracks. Who was this man with salt and pepper hair? Nandini gaped at his face intently....why did he look so uncannily familiar? Why did it feel like she had seen him somewhere? but where...

Ranbir, on the other hand was completely clueless. What was this middle aged, handsome man, looking dapper in an expensive suit doing at Manik's house?

"What the hell are you guys doing here?" Did he know them? Ranbir and Nandini exchange glances. However, the man appeared more surprised to see them here, than they were to see a stranger at Manik's house.

Yes, Raj Malhotra was surprised. Surprised, would in fact be putting it kindly. He was stumped...stumped to see these people surface from what he had thought and known, was a long closed chapter. Cabir Dhawan was assumed dead and Nandini Murthy was supposedly finished. Manik had no remembrance of either and he was seeing a girl in Panchgani. Then what tied them all together, why were they here? What was going on, right beneath his hawk eyes and since when?

"What if I asked you the same question...what are you doing here? In fact who are you" Ranbir asked him in return.

"Well incase you didn't know, this is my house, I am Raj Malhotra!!!" He replied with practiced ease, as if it was just another introduction. If he was dumbfound, he didn't let it show on his face. He had to be in control of the situation. He wouldn't give these folks the pleasure of knowing they had thrown him off guard. Decades of ruling the business world had taught him this one thing- "never show your true fears. Never let your opponents know, you are 'un' or 'under-prepared' ". But, from inside, where no one could see, he was scared, he was damn scared. Because Manik wasn't a property or asset that he could afford to lose & hope to earn back. His son was way too precious for him to be put at stake, infact his son was the only connection to his old, innocent self, the only loving reminder that once upon a time, he used to be a good man, a man with a heart. But he also knew what power these people in front of him had over Manik. He had seen it once, seen Manik put his life at stake for these bunch of losers and that's why he had crossed every single barrier as a human being, done the most wretched of things to throw them out of Manik's life.

And yet, they had paved a way back in Manik's life?

'Raj Malhotra..Malhotra....RAJ MALHOTRA!!!!!!.. HOLY FUCKING CRAP SHIT!!!' Could this day get any worse? Ranbir wondered. First Neel, then Nandini's accident, then Manik's disappearance, then Amms and now Manik's dad ?!?!?!

Nandini's mind had stopped working. She had not imagined, she would land up here, infront of Manik's dad like this. She wasn't bothered about the inevitable faceoff she was bound to have with him. Instead, what knocked the daylights out of her, was that it would all happen in front of Manik. She had been dreading this forever, Manik getting to know his father's truth, and losing trust in yet another person he truly loved.

"What a pleasant surprise, to see you guys here,...Nandini Murthy and Cabir Dhawan..if I am not too wrong?" Mr. Malhotra extended his hand for a handshake.

Nandini tried to avoid the confrontation, "Can you please call Manik? ..its urgent."

"I wish I could help you nandini, but Manik isn't home." came the immediate reply.

Nandini knew better than to believe his words. Last time too, he had done the same thing when Dhruv had called him to ask about Manik. He had told them point blank that they should stay away from Manik, and it had been a blatant lie. A lie, because he had convinced Manik otherwise and promised him that he would take care of everything, which he never did. "See, its really urgent sir, Manik needs us right now." She pleaded.