Family is Everything and so is "LOVE"r

(Nandini's POV) The day Manik was to leave, he came to say bye. He told that Dhruv would still be here working with his Dadaji while he worked from his office. Around mid of June, I went back home. Mom was ecstatic to see me. That very night, she called everyone home. I wasn't ready to meet anyone yet. When all of the family came to dinner, I wanted to run away. Though I met them separately, I was scared since this is the first time I came home after I ran away. I felt butterflies in my stomach. Someone knocked on my door. I really didn't want to open it.

(Nisha) "Hey Nandini, open it before I break it down."

(Nandini's POV) Nisha shouted from outside. I was nervous and hoped that I didn't show it. Just as I opened the door, Nisha jumped on me and hugged me. She almost pushed me down.

(Nisha) "You scoundrel! How dare you leave home and don't even contact us! I was so angry with you!"

(Nandini) "Nisha, you didn't come to see me."

(Nisha) "I am not an idiot! Only when you apologise, I will come to your place. Otherwise, forget it!"

(Nandini) "I am sorry."

(Nandini's POV) I slowly pushed her away from me. Other than Manik, I still can't tolerate anyone else's contact. I am somehow happy, maybe overwhelmed.

(Rishabh) "So, that idiot barged her way in."

(Nisha) "Don't call me an idiot when you are one, Rishabh."

(Rishabh) "Stop hogging her for yourself and come down for dinner."

(Nandini's POV) He seemed mad. Must be because it has been very long since I came back. I didn't dare to tease him cause his anger is no less than dad's. The only difference,

Rishabh shows it and dad doesn't. We were having a merry dinner, out of nowhere Nisha asked the question.

At the dining table, Rishabh, Radhika Bhabhi, The Kids, Kavita Didi, Nisha, Mom and Dad were sitting. When Radhika Bhabhi spoke,

(Radhika) "Hi Nandu, so how is work going on?"

(Nandini) "Just going good Bhabhi. I miss your food too much"

(Radhika) "Come home some day till whenever you stay here and i will cook all your favourite dishes."

(Nandini) "Definitely Bhabhi"

But their talk was interrupted by Nisha

(Nisha) "I wanted to ask, what is that ring in your hand? And why is it in your ring finger?"

(Nandini's POV) I completely forgot to take the ring out of my hand when I came here.

(Rishabh immediately) "What ring? Show me."

(Rishabh on seeing the ring) "Isn't this the same ring that was given by that bl**dy fellow Manik during your fake engagement?"

Nandini just kept quiet so Rishabh screamed again

(Rishabh) "Nandini!" He yelled.

(VM) "Rishabh, don't make a fuss during dinner. Interrogate her how much ever you wish after dinner. Not now."

(Nandini's POV) Dad replied to him. Even he didn't seem pleased when Manik was mentioned. Manik, you have a war in front of you, I thought. After dinner, as I was silently trying to make my escape.

(Rishabh again screamed) "I don't care if you are sleepy or not. Come to the study right now! Radhika you go to home along with kids i will come after sometime."

(Nandini's POV) Rishabh ordered me. I looked at dad. He didn't give in. As I entered the study where Kavita and Dad made themselves comfortable, mom and Nisha followed me.

(VM) "Nope. Nisha, go on with your work. You are not staying to see your elder sister get scolded."

(Nisha) "Fine." She pouted and sulked as she left. When mom was about to enter, VM said "You are not joining us either. You always support, Nandini. We have pampered her enough. It is time that we put her in place."

(Nandini's POV) Hearing those words sent a shudder through my spine. Mom looked worried but he closed and locked the door after me. As I was about to take a seat,

(Kavita) "You keep standing, Nandini."

(Nandini) "Why?"

(Rishabh) "Why do you care? Its not like you are pregnant anymore that you shouldn't stand too long!"

(Nandini's POV) What did Rishabh just say? How did he know? Wait! I looked at Dad and he didn't seem shocked. He sat there, calm and composed. Kavita looked indifferent to it.

(Nandini) "Ho.... How.... do...."

I couldn't talk. Words stammered. I was shaken. I didn't want them to know and yet, here they are, sitting right in front of me, fully knowing.

(Rishabh) "How do we know? It is not a mystery. I am not like Dad to figure it out in one shot as to why Manik was so intent on seeing after we came to know where you were and why you disappeared to run away from him. It took me some time since dad never told me that he saw Manik with you when he found where you were."

I couldn't stand. I sunk to the ground, with the same feelings of sinking in my stomach.

(Kavita) "But I should say, Manik did his best to hide what he did. But when Dad told him what would have happened, he just gave away."

(VM) "Rishabh obviously guessed it when Manik came here. But I told Kavita about it. That is why she told Manik the reason for your fear."

(Nandini) "Why did you tell him? Why Did You Have To Tell Him? Did You Want The One Man Who Loves Me to Go Away?"

(VM) "Do you hear what you are saying? He Is A Man Who Got You Drunk And Raped You! And You Are Defending Him?"

(Nandini) "I am not defending him, but why did you have to tell him?"

(Kavita) "Does he hate you because of that?"

(Nandini) "He Hates Himself!" I still remember his look so depressed and broken when he realised what he had actually done to me. For the strong and unbreakable Manik, I saw him weak and helpless for the first time then. First time, I felt my past hurt someone aside me.

(Kavita) "Isn't he acting? I heard he is a good actor."

(Nandini) "He really cares about me. Every time I pushed him away, he came back again and again. If all that was acting, then my whole life isn't real."

(Kavita) "And you know this how?"

(Nandini) "Because he shows it."

(Kavita) "I already told you he is good actor."

(Nandini) "Just Shut Up, Kavita! You Don't Know Him!"

(Kavita) "You are fooling yourself. You have not been around anyone except him."

(Nandini) "I Am Not Isolated. I am working. I Am Not Just Around Him."

(VM) "Nandini," Dad called me softly, yet sternly. "All your crying and force of emotions isn't going to get you anywhere. We are not trying to rationalise anything but are you sure? He raped you without you realising it, he got you pregnant, confessed his love to you and you still believe he is sincere?"

(Nandini) "He is, Dad. How can I show you that?"

(VM) "The thing is you can't. Only you can tell."

(Nandini) "Dad, if he was infatuated with me or acting, then he has no necessity to flatter me. Why spend every free time he gets with me? Why prioritise me over everything? Just

to sleep with me? Then, he had plenty of chances that he didn't use."

(Rishabh screamed) "Nandini! Please control your tongue"

(Nandini) "No! I am not going to lie about his feelings and mine."

(Rishabh) "If he was serious about you before he raped you, then why splash scandals all over the paper?"

(Nandini) "He Wanted Me To Get Jealous, Okay? Obviously both of us did what we could to get the other person's attention, yet we never cared for our actions. We were so blind of the consequences......."

(Kavita) "Sigh. Well, he did seem sincere when I talked to him."

(Rishabh) "Are you not infatuated with him?" Rishabh asked me again.

(Nandini) "No, I Am Not." I glared at him. Now, they doubt my feelings.

(Kavita) "How can you be so sure of it?"

(Nandini) "I am sure."

(Rishabh) "That still doesn't answer my question." How far do they intend to take this? I didn't want to tell them why I am so sure. "You still haven't answered my question? The way you acted around him, it felt like you didn't care if he was there or not. You seemed like you can live your life without him on the contrary to what he expresses. It doesn't see like you are really desperate or in love."

(Nandini lost her compassion and shouted) "I Am Not Scared When He Hugs Me Or Kisses Me, OKAY?............ Got It?...........I feel safe in his embrace. I don't feel disgusting. He is the only person I can accept. No One Else! Even You Or Mom! I can't even shake hands with anyone. If it is infatuation, Why Is It That I Am Feeling Safe With Him? Why Do I Feel Content By Him?"

(Rishabh) "This is madness. I am not going to approve of your relationship."

Saying this Rishabh went out banging the door. He would never understand.

(Kavita) "I am not sure what to say anymore. You seem decisive enough not to listen to any of us, go ahead and do what you want."

Kavita saying disappeared the same way Rishabh did. Dad just kept quiet seeing them leave.

(Nandini pleadingly) "Dad, please don't tell me even you don't understand."

(VM) "Sadly, I do. So do both of them. But I am not happy, Nandini. He made you cry, he hurt you and I can't believe you want us to accept it. Give me some time to think over this."

(Nandini) "Fine."

(VM) "Come here, little girl" Dad called out to me gently. Without any resistance, I went and sat down, with my head on his knees. He stroked my head. "It is not like we are objecting to your relationship. Its just that we don't like the person you are having the relationship with. I cannot simply accept this man who almost took you away from us. It was really tough finding you when you disappeared. I don't want to see you cry."

(Nandini) "Dad, if I am hurt and pained because he is by my side, then I am worse when he isn't. As much as I was angry at him for raping me, somewhere inside me, I was happy that it was his child; it was the child of the man I love. Even when we worked together, the reason why I never confessed my feelings for him were mainly because I firmly believed that we could never live together. But that is not so now. He promises me dad that he will be there with me at every moment of my life as I will be in his. What more could I want when he is ready to give up that much?"

(VM) "You know as the Company's Head he can't do that"

(Nandini) "You are also Company Head, do you not spend time with mom?"

(VM) "Nandini......"

(Nandini) "Come on, Dad. I am not a country girl. I also know how tough yours or his position is. I don't know if I will struggle with him or not in the future. We may have huge fights. I may end up staying here for god knows how many days but I am sure that I will go back to him sooner than I think."

(VM) "That is what I am scared about. I don't want you to be unhappy"

(Nandini) "What makes you think I am or I will be?"

(RP) "Manik makes me think."

(Nandini) "I won't say he has changed dad but he considers me closer to him than anyone else. He isn't hesitant to be more open with me. He is still embarrassed about showing his weak side but he doesn't mind showing it."

(VM) "Please, Nandini. Let me think."

(Nandini) "Okay."

(VM) "Do you still feel like running away when I pat you?"

(Nandini) "Not really. Manik does that often. Somehow, I am used to it."

(Nandini's POV) Dad stiffened instantly on hearing Manik's name. But it is the fact. Every little change in me, good or bad, the past year is all because of Manik.

(VM) "Alright. Get to sleep." He patted me.

(Nandini)"Dad?"

(VM)"Yes?"

(Nandini) "I want to go to Sujatha Chachi's place after a few days. Is that fine?"

(VM) "Yes. Do whatever you like.".

(Nandini) "Good night, Dad."

(VM) "Good night."