PLAYING YOU (#2)

CHAPTER NINE

Nandini fixed her shirt after she was done with her meeting and knocked on the cabin door.

"Come in" came a reply from the other side.

She walked inside along with the peon holding a few boxes. Manik looked up and smiled at his wife cocking her brows at him.

"To what do i owe your presence ma'am?" Manik asked shutting down his laptop.

"A lunch date with me." Nandini smiled signalling the peon to leave the couple alone.

Manik tilted his head with a bright smile on his face. This was exactly what he had imagined his life to be after his wedding. Something that he wanted his parents had when they got married but it's okay if his mother didn't get the reauired love and attension. He was glad that he wasn't deficient of that.

"What you actually thought i would stop being your wife when i enter the office. It's break time and we need a break from being business partners and behave more like life partners." Nandini replied opening the lid boxes.

"Agreed wifey. So what do we have for lunch?" Manik asked her.

"Paneer, thought you might like it." Nandini shifted a plate to him who sat beside her on the sofa.

Manik took a morsel of food to his mouth and made a confused face.

"This is-" Manik started speaking but got interrupted by his beautiful wife.

"I know. Sorry i had no time to cook lunch for us today. Dad called and he had something important to discuss so i asked Neyonika to make it for you. I hope you don't mind." Nandini chewed her lower lip with an anticipating look on her face.

Manik left a sigh and spoke "Nandini i know what are you trying to do here but i want to take small baby steps with Neyonika like we took. It will take me time to adjust with her and i do love your hard work here but just give it some space." 

"Okay i will. So if you dont want to eat this we can order something." Nandini turned to grab her phone to order some food for them but Manik picked his plate and said, "It's okay i don't like wasting food."

Nandini admired this baby infront of her taking in morsel after morsel enjoying the food. She knew somewhere he had accepted Neyonika but will never confess to her so soon. She had known every inch of him by now. Her trance was broken by Manik's cell phone ring and hence he stood up to pick the call from his table.

As soon as Manik read the caller id his face went pale and he looked at Nandini.

"Is everything okay?" she asked.

"Yeah everything's fine. It's just some important client give me a second." Manik excused himself.

"yeah sure. I'll be waiting here." Nandini replied and Manik excused himself to the balcony of his office space.

On call.

"I told you to not call me at office hours." Manik shouted at the caller.

" I know baby but i just couldn't stop myself from telling you this amazing nees. I never wanted to disturb you." Alya spoke in a sugar coated voice.

"Fine make ti quick. I-" he turned to look at Nandini looking at her phone, "I have some important work to do."

"Yes yes baby i will. I just wanted to tell you that i got a big modelling project with this super famous company and they want to meet me tomorrow." Alya told Manik.

"Wait what?" manik turned his focus from Nandini back to the call.

"Excititng right. I knew you'll be happy about it." Alya chirped.

"Have you freakin lost it or what. How can you even think of modelling after everything that has happened." Manik roared to her.

"But manik baby it is such a big break and you know i was waititng for such an opportunity and relax i can take care of myself you don't worry okay." Alya tried convincing him.

"Alya i said no." Manik replied back and the banter started.

Elsewhere Nandini picked her phone recieveing a text from Zeke.

"Did she call?" - Zeke

"Just like 5 minutes back. It's goin out like fire."- nandini

"You know what you have to do right."- Zeke

"Yeah leave that to me. She will attend the studi tomorrow."- Nandini

"How are you so sure that Manik will say no?"- Zeke

"Because i know him. he hates Aliya and modelling in a single sentence."-Nandini

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"Manik please" alya tried convincing.

"Alya my decision is final and it's a no. Now i gotta go have some office work that needs my focus." Manik gave his final statement.

"You are always busy for me Manik. Always. Either with office work or that Nandini. She must be there rgiht now. Am i right?" Alya replied in anger.

"No she is not." Manik lied, he didn't wanted alya to start bickering about Nandini again. "Good bye and my decision is final."

"But Manin-" Alya tried speaking when she heard a voice she despied so much.

"Manik! Sorry to interupt but the food's getting cold. Get back here." Nandini shouted from the counch. Manik thought that he had cancelled the call so he started walking back to the sofa unaware that he had angered someone to the fullest.

Alya threw her phone on the floor in anger and sat down beside her bed on the floor.

" always her Manik. Always her. After what all i have done to get you. You always lie to me for her. You know what. Now i am gonna go fullfil my dreams and you can't stop me. If you can't give me my happiness. I'll hunt it down myself. And you Nandini are going to regret getting in my life." Alya pulled down the duvets on the floor.

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Manik entered back in his office premises and sat beside Nandini munching at the delicacies while Nandini gave an evil smile looking at his phone. She knew alya heard it, she knew she was on call and her timing was perfect. Manik was so sure that he was being discrete but she was the director here. And one thing was final that tomorrow was going to be a memorable day for him.

......................
To be honest this is how i actually pictured Nandini to be.