23

Third Person's POV

"It is all your doing, isn't it, Manik?" Nandini barges inside their room, knowing Manik will be there.

Frowning at Nandini, he keeps his laptop aside and climbs down from the bed.

"What are you talking about?" He asks her, feigning innocence.

"Oh, please, Manik. Don't you dare pretend. I know you did something because of which Samrat is now taking Aastha to the ball instead of me. After all, you wanted to be my date to the ball, and I know you can do anything to get what you want."

Manik shakes his head at Nandini.

"Hmm, you are right about me wanting to take you as my date to the ball," he tells her. "But you are wrong about me having to do anything with Samrat going to ball with Aastha."

Not believing a word he said, Nandini narrowed her eyes at Manik. "I wonder why I don't believe that."

"Well, you are free to believe whatever you want to, Nandini," Manik says. "But think about it. I am an extremely busy man with a billion-dollar company to run. Do you really think I will have time to play these games just so I can take you to the ball?"

Nandini scoffs, hearing Manik. "Well, you were running the same billion-dollar company when you married me too. Why did you have no qualms then about playing your games and destroying my life just to get your petty revenge?"

Feeling a jolt in his heart due to Nandini's words, Manik sighs, rubbing his face with his hands.

When he looks at her after a few seconds, he has a severe expression marring his face.

"I know I have made mistakes, Nandini. I am not proud of what I did. I was blinded by the anger due to the betrayal I faced," he says. "But I am trying to own up to it and mend what I have destroyed."

"It does not work that way, Manik." Nandini sits on the couch, exhausted after the busy day in the office.

"Just because you suddenly want to mend the things you broke, the pieces will not glue back together," she tells him.

Manik, too, sits on the couch in front of Nandini.

"I have understood that now. I have realized I need to wait for those pieces to want to be glued back together," he says to her. "That is why I have decided not to force anything on you, Nandini.

"I will give you all the time and space you need to decide for yourself. It will be your choice also whether or not to give our marriage a chance.

"But you also need to give me a chance to at least try and mend things I broke. Shun me all you want, but please do not deprive me of the opportunity to repent."

Nandini looks searchingly at Manik, wanting to confirm if he is honest about what he just told her.

When she does not speak for a while, Manik breaks the silence. "Please say something, Nandini."

"No matter how much you try, if I still decide to divorce you. What will you do then?" She asks, gauging his reaction.

"I will let you go," Manik replies, honesty ringing in his voice. "It was my decision to marry you for revenge. Also my decision to give our marriage a chance. So, the decision to whether or not to stay married to me will solely be your decision, Nandini."

Nandini stares at Manik for a while, unable to believe what he just told her.

'Such growth in him? How?' She wonders, still staring at him.

"Why are you looking at me that way?" Manik shifts in his seat, feeling slightly uncomfortable due to Nandini's unwavering gaze. "I am telling the truth."

"I also think you are." Nandini sighs, standing up from the couch.

"Five months, Manik. You have five months to try," she tells him. "If you are unable to make me believe that you are serious regarding committing to our marriage for the lifetime, I will file for divorce. And you will sign those papers, agreeing to the mutual divorce."

Manik nods at Nandini. "Five months it is then—five months to try and see whether our relationship will mend or break."

***********

Standing in front of the kitchen's countertop, Nandini is lost in her thoughts as she kneads the dough to make roti for dinner.

She has given Manik five months, but now she wonders if she did right by doing that.

'He said he would let me go if I decide to divorce him. So, the decision will still be mine.' She nods at the thought, blowing the few strands of hair that fall over her face.

However, the strands do not get blown to the side and continue to bother her.

Getting distracted by them, she tries to get the strands to the side with the back of her hand, but that does not work too.

She is about to walk to the sink to wash her hands so she can properly adjust and tie her hair, but before she can do that, she feels someone tucking those strands behind her ear.

Surprised by that, she turns around to see who it is, intending to fully berate the person, but gasps when she sees Manik softly smiling at her.

"Wh..what are you doing?" She asks him, moving to the side to make some distance between them.

"I saw you were getting bothered by it, so I tucked those strands behind your ear." Manik shrugged, walking toward the refrigerator to take out a water bottle.

"You can't just come in here and do something like that," Nandini tells him, feeling slightly annoyed at him.

"Well, this is a kitchen, and I absolutely can come here. In fact, anyone who lives in this house can come here," Manik says. "And about me tucking your hair. I did it only because I thought you were getting bothered by it. Your hands were also engaged in kneading the dough, so I thought to help you."

"I don't need your he—"

"Ok, got it. I am sorry," Manik interrupts, walking closer to Nandini. So much so that, although he was not touching her, she could still feel the warmth radiating off his body.

"I will ask you the next time." He winks at her before turning around and walking out of the kitchen.

***********

He caresses the photo in his hand, smirking as he looks at her enchanting face and alluring body.

"I have waited enough, Nandini. It is now time to make you mine."

He continues caressing the photo for a few more seconds before putting it on the table in front of him.

He then picks up the paper cutter from the side and starts creating a few scratches over her body.

"How fun it will be. To torture you, see the tears pour out of these beautiful eyes, watch you plead, beg, and finally submit to me."

He feels excitement run through his veins as he imagines her screams, her sobs, her painful whimpers.

"Oh! Such beautiful sounds," he whispers, knowing those pitiful sounds will be the music to his ears.

"Just a few days more, Nandini. Then you will be mine. Only and only mine," he says, violently creating more scratches on the picture and maniacally laughing while doing so.

Sensitive content ahead. Reader's discretion is advised.

***********

Third Person's POV

"This is so beautiful," Nandini says, running her fingers over the soft fabric of the gown.

It was a light blue gown with elegant lace works and a full, floor-length skirt.

The lace works seem so intricate that she is in awe as she runs her hands through them. She has never owned a dress so beautiful.

"I am glad you liked my work," Latika says, smiling at Nandini.

"Of course, Latika. Anyone would like your work. After all, you are one of the best designers we have." Nishitha beams at her friend, also in awe of the gown she designed for Nandini.

Nodding gratefully at Nishitha, Latika looks at Nandini. "Can you come to my boutique tomorrow evening, Nandini? I was supposed to bring the jewelry for you to wear with this gown, but I could not because it was not ready yet. Since it is specially designed to go with this gown, we needed to make sure to use the perfect stones in them."

Nandini frowns when she hears that. "Jewelry? But I thought you were only designing the gown. I can wear the white diamond set that Mom gave me after the wedding. I do not need the specially made jewelry for it."

Latika gasps, making a face as if she is horrified by Nandini's words. "Of course not, Nandini. A white diamond set with this gown? It will completely take away the essence if you do so."

Saying that, she turns to Nishitha. "Is your daughter-in-law really going to wear the set?"

"No, Latika. Don't worry. I will bring Nandini to your boutique tomorrow," Nishitha reassures her friend.

"But, Mom—" Nandini tries to interject when Nishitha interrupts her.

"Nothing saying, Nandini. That set won't go with this gown. And you should be happy you are getting a new set. All women love jewelry, after all," Nishitha smilingly says to Nandini.

'But I only love the jewelry that I can afford. And right now, I can't even afford a simple gold chain, let alone the specially designed jewelry by one of the country's best designers.' Nandini sighs.

"That's good then," Latika says, and taking the gown from the couch, she hands it to Nandini. "Go and wear this, Nandini. I have made it according to your measurements, but we still will need to check if the fitting is fine.

"Only seven days are left for the ball. So, if any alteration is needed to be done, I will need to finish it before that."

"Umm, sure." Smiling at Latika, Nandini walks to her room with the gown to wear it.

***********

"I am sorry. I can't go out with Aastha today," Nandini tells Samrat.

They are both seated at Nandini's desk, with Riya sitting on the desk beside Nandini's.

"But why? I also needed to do some shopping, and I was hoping to tag along with you and Aastha," Riya says.

"Sorry, Riya. I have some work to attend to in the evening. Otherwise, I would have definitely come," Nandini replies to Riya.

"What important work?" Samrat asks, and Nandini shifts uneasily in her seat.

After all, she cannot tell them she is going to Latika's boutique with her mother-in-law in the evening to get the jewelry suited for her gown.

They will go nuts on her if they find out she is not only married but married to Manik Sisodiya, Riya's boss and Samrat's friend.

"I cannot tell you about it, so please don't ask," she says, standing up from the desk. "I need to get these papers signed by Manik."

Saying that, she is about to walk to Manik's cabin when Samrat stops her.

"How about tomorrow then, Nandini? Can you please go with Aastha tomorrow?" Samrat asks. "Actually, Aastha really wants to meet you. She says she is curious to know you after I told her so much about you."

"Yes. I also am free tomorrow. Please, Nandini? Let us both go with Aastha and do some shopping," Riya adds, looking hopefully at Nandini.

"Ok. Let's go out tomorrow then," Nandini says, shaking her head as she looks at the excited faces of Samrat and Riya due to her answer.

***********

"I need your sign on these documents," Nandini says once she enters Manik's cabin.

Nodding at Nandini, Manik checks the documents first before signing on them.

"It's surprising that you have any work done with Samrat sitting at your desk all day," he says, slightly miffed.

Nandini sighs, hearing Manik. "He does not sit there the whole day, and you know that."

"But I don't get why he sits there at all. You don't see me hanging with you and Riya on your desks, talking and laughing with you two. This is our workplace, and we come here to work."

Nandini chuckles, unable to stop the image being conjured in her mind.

Manik frowns at that. "It is not a laughing matter. I am serious, Nandini."

"I know you are serious. It's just that when you said you don't come to my desk to talk and laugh, I imagined you doing that, and you looked funny," she explains, but Manik's frown deepens hearing her.

"What do you mean? I look funny when I laugh?" He asks.

"How would I know?" Nandini counters. "I have never seen you laugh."

Standing up from his chair, Manik walks toward where Nandini is standing.

Once he reaches her, he takes her hand, tightening his hold when she tries to take it away.

"What are you doing, Manik?"

"Let's go out for dinner tomorrow," Manik says.

Shaking her head at him, Nandini tries harder and is finally able to free her hand.

"I am not going anywhere with you, Manik."

"But why? You said you would let me try, Nandini."

"Right. I had said that," Nandini tells him. "But trying does not mean ordering me around. If you want to go out with me, find a way to make me say yes to that."

Saying that, she takes the signed documents and walks out of the cabin, leaving confused Manik behind.

***********

"I do not want you to screw this up. Do you understand?" he says, grabbing her hair and yanking it back, making her hiss in pain.

"I understand, Sir. I will do everything according to your plan," she replies, looking fearfully at him, making no attempt to free her hair from his grip, no matter how much it hurt her.

Satisfied by the way she fearfully looks at him, he smirks, tightening his grip on her hair for a few seconds before pushing her to the floor.

"Kneel," he orders her, smiling as she immediately takes the position.

Sitting comfortably on the couch, he looks at the kneeling girl in front of him.

'Soon, Nandini. Soon, this will be you. Doing everything as per my command,' he thinks, imagining how beautiful she would look with his fear marring his face and marks given by him marring her entire body.

"Stand up and strip, Nandini," he instructs the girl.

She stands up but does not strip. "Sir, I am not Nandini."

Balling his hands into fists, he stands up from the couch and walks to the girl.

He glares at her with such potency that she cowers under that look.

She lowers her head in fear, but he clutches her jaw roughly to make her look at him.

"I don't care what your name is. You are just one of the toys I collected to play with, and being your owner, I have the right to call you by any name I want. Get that?"

"So..ssorry, Sir," she stutters, tears gathering in her eyes as he rips her clothes.