A/N: Hello readers! Here we are..almost all of you are waiting to read Manik's reaction to the news of Nandini's accident, right? Well, here you have it! This is a super LONG chapter.

Hope you enjoy. Happy Reading!

***

It felt like the entire world around him was moving at the speed of light and there he was rooted to his spot, unable to move, breathe, think or process. The blaring white light panelled in rows, at the ceiling of the hospital, was infiltrating his senses and washing over his deep, dark mind and lighting up dark corners that he desperately wanted to keep in the dark. The light was refreshingly bright, like it won't let a spot stay hidden but that was Manik's bane. In this exposed moment of clarity, he could only think of ways his life would fall apart if Nandini left him forever today.

"Too late, Manik.."

Those were her last words to him, what if they became her last words to him forever? No. He wouldn't be able to live, then.

He squinted his eyes to make sense of his surroundings, but he was not able to grasp much, owing to his preoccupied mind that was scattered in fear of losing Nandini and his tear smeared eyes that made every sight before him blur. There was Cabir, moving around and arranging for bumping up security on the floor & ensuring no one other than them could step in, Ranbir & Zubin on the other hand was managing the crowd & the press outside and ensuring no inside news escaped. Aryamann, Alia, Zain & a few other of Zain's close friends, were huddled in a corner, discussing something with morbid faces and his mother was sitting next to Navya and Mukti, with the girls reassuring her that Nandini would be fine.

Everybody seemed to know what to do, and him? Strangely, he noticed, no one was assuring him and promising him that his Nandini will be fine. Why? Were they afraid to lie to his face or they thought she didn't matter to him? Standing outside Nandini's OT, as he let the dread of losing his one true love wash over him, Manik felt a sob threatening to unfurl, and curbing it back took all the efforts he was left with. He shut his eyes, letting the momentary darkness in the back of his eyes sooth him, as memories of the recent past rushed back in.

Manik was working with Zubin & Navya when a rather frantic Ranbir had called him to inform that he had just received a call that Nandini had met with a terrible accident. Manik had frozen for a moment, as a truckload of questions ensnared his senses. She was with Zain, right? Then why was she out on the road? Where was she headed? Why was Ranbir not with her? How bad was the accident? Who was with her? Had she been admitted to a hospital? What hospital was she admitted in? How was she doing?

Manik gulped and held back his questions, as he tried to make sense of the information that was passed onto him, without feeling sick at the pit of his stomach & resisting to throw up in panic at the same time. His voice was hoarse, as he tried enquiring where she was and his insides choked him when he asked the inevitable question, that was going to be the foundation of all his rest reactions.

"Ranbir, she..she..my Nandu..she's..she's still the..there, right?"

Upon affirmation, his heart calmed a little, but instantly his mind was plagued with worry for her condition, with the grim tone with which Ranbir had affirmed she was alive. Was she going to make it for long enough to recover?

Manik vaguely remembered, dropping his phone, as his hands shook violently when Ranbir with a choked voice had advised him to hurry up and reach the hospital before it was too late. Too late?

"Too late, Manik.." he shuddered as her voice played in his mind.

The rest of it was all a big swift blur, where Zubin and Navya had taken his phone to receive the news; they managed to make Manik reactive enough to move, drove to the hospital in Godspeed, beat through the sea of flash lights at the entrance of the hospital, asking abhorrent questions, videotaping his reactions, making ungodly polls about Nandini's chances at life, all in an attempt to garner more TRPs, till, with the help of Cabir & Ranbir, they escaped the madness and entered the hospital, rushing to the floor where Nandini was being treated in.

He remembered the doctor trying to inform him about her health status, when he was shoved aside by a visibly disturbed Zain, claiming he had the right to know as her fiance. Manik was pushed away and the doctor kept talking to Zain; Cabir tried intervening, to know first hand details, but he? He moved aside quietly. Nothing was making sense. One moment ago he was with her, they were making love, they wanted their baby girl back & in the next moment she was walking towards the gallows of death and all he could do was weakly see her go. The weight of the fear was so damn much, that it didn't let him cry, weep, shout, scream or make sense of anything. He was only breathing, as long as Nandini was breathing. Numb. It had been a few hours since then.

He remembered her calm, serene face from last night, sleeping peacefully, snuggling close to him. Her face was radiant, her skin was glowing, she was with him, she had loved him through the night. She was clutching him close to her; her warm breaths were tickling his chest & he had found a kind of peace, he had never known existed. He was at more peace then he had ever been in, in all his years of life. The legendary Manik Malhotra for the first time had felt the power of a soft loving hand on his chest. He felt protected, he felt safe, he had felt he was at home, at long last. Manik sighed, remembering his momentary oblivion, lifting his reality of unbridled pain & taking him to a loving peaceful paradise..

"Son, don't worry. We've got the best team of doctor's here looking after her, she will be fine. You need to breathe." Manik jerked his eyes open as the harsh reality was slapped back on him. Shamsher Malhotra was talking to him, his eyes kind and voice soft. If it were any other time in the past, Manik would have fallen for this act in a heartbeat, but the Malhotra's were generational actors; the craft ran in their blood. He was not to be fooled anymore.

As Manik stared at him, he noticed his father was standing right next to his grandfather looking bored; and then suddenly, it all made sense! Shit. Yes. Of course! It was their doing! They had attempted to kill Nandini after seeing the video! An anger so deep rattled inside him, that even old Shamsher Malhotra could feel the tremors from where he stood.

"You did this, didn't you?" Manik's voice was cold as death.

"Whatever do you mean, son? Why would you think that? Agreed we don't approve of her, but we love you. We promised you her safety! Why'd we.." began Shamsher Malhotra, looking deeply shaken.

"..listen Manik, had we done this, she wouldn't still be breathing & fighting for life in a fucking hospital, we'd make sure of that!" It was Shrikant Malhotra's sharp jab that had done the job, and before Manik knew what he was doing, he shoved his grandfather aside, and landed a straight punch on his father's jaw. If the loud cracking noise was to be believed, Shrikant Malhotra had just gotten his jaw broken.

As if in reaction, his father balanced himself, and while holding his jaw with one had, he yelled, "You fucking, bastard!" and advanced towards him to land a punch, but Shamsher Malhotra shoved him aside and stood before Manik, holding his son from attacking his grandson.

"Shri, just calm down you dumb, dumb man!" he hissed, before adding, "..people are watching." Shrikant hissed in pain, but got back his control and moved back, still glaring at his son, as Shamsher Malhotra turned to Manik with a grim face.

"The love of your life is fighting for life in the next room, and this is what you want to do, instead of praying for her life and thanking people who are trying their best to facilitate your wish?" His voice was gruff, but he managed to hold a grand-parently look before their onlookers, who were staring at them in shock.

Manik was about to respond saying how he wasn't going to fall for their facade, when he felt his mother holding his wrist sharply. "Manik, they won't ever harm Nandini, you know why, or I will ensure they never see another light of day! I called them here to pull in a few plugs to help get the best treatment for Nandini.." she whispered to Manik, while eyeing her husband menacingly.

"Mom, they will never help Nandini." Manik whisper-snapped back, trying to hold onto his thoughts, as he felt more paralysed with fear, as more time passed with no news of Nandini's betterment.

"..but they will help themselves. They know jail awaits them if they so much as hurt a hair of you or Nandini." Nyonica replied, calmly, brushing the pad of her thumb on Manik's knuckles reassuringly.

"Shri, you and Manik need to hug it out, for the other's to think it was Manik's momentary frustration, seeing Nandini's state. We don't want this going out, it won't help anyone!" Shamsher commanded and Nyonica sighed but nodded at Manik too. Manik was just about to protest when his father begrudgingly hugged him and loudly whispered for his 'audience' to hear, "I get it son, you are scared; please know we want your happiness above all else & for that I will fight with death if need be, to get our darling daughter back to you.." he said, and dropped a few fake tears. Manik could only stiffly nod.

Nyonica looked at her son, and she weeped inside, seeing him untethering for the woman he honestly didn't deserve initially, but then did everything possible in his existence to protect. Love was such a complex thing, she thought in misery. It lay nestled right between all the boundaries of wrong doings and right, amidst the chaos of monstrosity, and selfless acts. It grew its roots in places where it cannot survive, and each time it was axed, it seemed to grow deeper. In many ways, loving someone wasn't a choice, it was destiny. Love was an invisible red thread tying two hearts together and pushing them ungraciously in the laborious mouth of destruction. Love has nothing to do with the two people between whom it grows, love is a test of love's strength & that when woven intricately with the complexities of two human hearts, it is always destined to be the driving force of life. People can't nurture love, they can't control love, they can only fall in love, so indeed hearts don't choose love, love chooses hearts. Therefore, love isn't about making choices, it is about flying aimlessly in the winds like two dry leaves, knowing that they will land when the wind wishes and they will land together or far apart as the wind designs them to; her son, Manik & Nandini were mere props too, that love chose to drive through this time. No wonder, after all that purposed through their lives, when Manik was hurt, Nandini was crying & when Nandini is hurt now, Manik was weeping. Love was hauntingly beautiful Nyonica thought wretchedly. Sadly, people focus so much on the beautiful part that they miss the haunting part.

"Manik, come with me son." she whispered, after a while, trying to move him away from all the prying eyes. She could see him breaking down bit by bit as time passed, she didn't want the world to see her son crumple, not when Nandini wasn't here to collect all his pieces together and reframe him.

Manik followed his mother in a numb way, as she directed him to a small waiting room on the floor that was vacant. It was only them now. He saw his mother eyeing him with soft loving eyes, he could almost see pity there. Why was she pitying him? Was he about to lose Nandini? A sudden fear gripped him, as he suddenly clutched his mother's hand and looked at her with hopeful eyes.

"Nandini will be okay, right?" he asked her earnestly.

"Have faith in God, son. He isn't unkind." Nyonica replied, trying not to make promises.

"Mom, I will die without her." it was a statement, and Nyonica knew how honest his confession was, it freaked her out, but what comforting could she say? She tried to divert his thoughts instead.

"Son, all the news about you and Nandini..did you both work things out?" she asked, softly. Manik looked at his mother, all those moments seemed like they happened years back.

"Yes..no..I really don't know, mom.." he replied, with a sigh.

"..she was returning from Zain's when this horrible accident happened. I was wondering, was she visiting him to call things off with him, now that..?" Nyonica asked this time. It's true, while the whole world was scandalised by the videotape of Nandini leaving Manik's in the morning, she had leapt in happiness, seeing hope for them.

"I just know, she was going there to tell Zain, the videotape was a lie." Manik replied, trying to avoid the gory details of the morning.

"Was it a lie?" Nyonica asked, thoughtfully.

"No.." Manik whispered, and seeing his mother's frown, he decided to come clean with her. He told her about how he was done fighting to stay away from her & had taken the leap of fate, now that she knew why he had hurt her in the first place & that his father & grandfather were culprits. He told her Nandini knew everything, and that made Nyonica shudder. Did the Malhotra's know that she knew everything? Then it was quite possible that they had pulled this act on Nandini, but she decided to keep quiet for now, for Manik's sanity.

Manik on the other hand told her how he had seen his old Nandini, in her new found manipulative ways and was hoping to get her back with love, and after that, even if before the world they couldn't be together, for her safety, they'd secretly be together for life. That was the best bargain this life had offered him.

"Mom, all this would have worked out, if Nandini had understood how powerful & vindictive Shrikant & Shamsher Malhotra can get; but no. She had to fight for justice. First for Abhimanyu, then for daadi, as she got to know about her murder. Mom, I am tired of trying to tell her that for the death of two she was risking the life of one more - her life; and if she didn't survive, I wouldn't either. I want justice too mom, but not at the cost of losing Nandini" Manik gave way to weeping this time.

Nyonica looked at her broken son, and prayed hard that her Nandini made it; otherwise not only would she lose her beloved daughter, but her son too. She knew in her heart that Manik wouldn't be able to survive Nandini's loss; for now, she had to give him strength & keep his faith in God, that He will save Nandini and save them all.

"You know son, the woman you fell in love with..Nandini..she is no ordinary girl. Look at her life if you want proof, love. She survived every attack that destiny launched on her, and if that couldn't kill her, it only made her stronger. She is a star, son, a true one; not like you me or the rest of showbiz..and if there is one thing we know about stars, it is that they cannot stand the darkness. They will burn themselves to extinction, but as long as they live, they will light up the sky. They can't help it, it's their nature. So, in many ways, Nandini's choices were written in stone, even before she began this journey, son; because at the end, stars choose self destruction over their life, just to bring light in the darkness.." Nyonica whispered.

Manik had quietened down by now. Her last words hit him hard.

"...in the end, stars choose self destruction over life.."

He wished, life gave Nandini another chance, and he could be her star & shine for her to live forever.

***

One month later..

Nandini was eyeing Cabir, as he came for his weekly visit to take a report on her security status, the accounting for the influx of guests and items that made its way to Nandini, the medicines that were administered on her, the update from her doctors etc. The last two weeks, since she had woken up, she had been a witness to a number of changes, but putting a pin on that thought, she focused on Cabir. He was as dutiful as he always was. He did his job meticulously and ensured nothing harmful reached Nandini. She of course knew whom all his elaborate reports were going to, but she had noticed that Cabir was more impersonal with her than ever. He asked her the regular business-like questions about how she was feeling, if she needed something more, if the food was fine, if there was some discomfort she felt or if the hospital was treating her well, but nothing beyond that.

In fact when Manik hadn't visited her even after a week of her gaining consciousness, she had asked him, the moment she saw him, about Manik's whereabouts and his answer was a noncommittal "He is on an outdoor schedule, Nandini."

Honestly, Nandini was not only surprised but even a tad bit hurt that even after knowing she was in such a serious accident, Manik hadn't rushed in to see her, the first thing after she woke up! Well, to be fair, he didn't know the truth about Zain & the Malhotra's did he? When did Nandini get the chance to tell him anything; so for all he knew, the last memory he had with her, was she walked out on him saying she would take an after pill, after making love all night, to have their baby girl back. If he was upset, he was rightfully so, Nandini had taught herself. It was not that he wasn't around after the accident!

Two weeks back when she woke up, she woke up to a plethora of surprises. When she was knocked out in the accident, she was an infamous celebrity castaway, struggling to mark her place in showbiz as an actor, but when she woke up, she was a star!

How?

According to Ranbir & Zubin, 'someone' had leaked her movie reel with Manik to the masses just a few days before the release & hoped for her to never make it to the silver screen & be an accomplished actress. The pirated copies had floored the market so much so that not many made it to the theatres to witness the much gossiped-about MaNan chemistry. Yes, Nandini's first movie did tank & that caused a big dent in her producer Dhruv Vedant's pocket. If there was one thing this was going to lead to, it was to ensure DV banners, the biggest production house in the country, wouldn't sign her up again! Her game was over before it began!

This information had devastated Nandini, and more when the duo clarified, the someone who leaked her reel, was none other than Manik Malhotra, who had promised to his family that he would see to it that the MaNan movie tanked! This shocked Nandini! It didn't make sense. Manik hated his family, right? Why would he ruin Nandini for them?

It was only when Aryamann and Alia came to visit her, that the two put some sense into the story & then suddenly it made a whole lot of sense!

"Nandini, do you really think, Manik of all people is out there to ruin you?" Aryamann looked livid and Nandini couldn't hide a smile seeing their relationship take the full circle. Manik & Aryamann had started off as rivals and ended up being close friends and confidants.

"I don't want to, Arya, but why would he tank his own movie?" Nandini asked, hurt.

"...Nandini, if he didn't, the Malhotra's would. At least this way he could control the damage and manoeuvre it to your favour." it was Alia who replied looking at her meaningfully. Nandini was confused.

"You know when a new movie leaks, it always hits the producer, but guess who it also benefits?" Aryamann asked, trying to help her understand.

"Who?" Nandini asked in all naiveness and Alia & Aryamann smiled indulgently at her.

"You. The newcomer!" Alia replied.

"How?" Nandini asked, more confused!

"If the movie released in fancy theatres at high prices like all Manik Malhotra movies, it would reach only that percentage of the audience that can afford a multiplex ticket & lifestyle; but you do know about seventy percent of the Indian population resides in the rural areas with lesser means to spend on entertainment. You'd never reach them the way you've reached them now! Why do you think stars make movie promotions in television shows or a star becomes a superstar only after endorsing a pan masala brand, Nandini? It is because this is what takes them to more masses! The larger the share of masses you can capture, the bigger star you are, Nandini & this is what Manik Malhotra did for you! In his family's eyes, he kept his promise & closed a big banner's door for you but in doing so he made you reach more people than you ever could as a newcomer in a first movie! Now you are so famous & loved and accepted that no big banner can afford to ignore you! That's what your Manik did for you, Nandini.." Aryamann answered.

"Today, Nandini Murthy, I can rightfully say that a new star is born! You are that star & in many ways, Manik Malhotra gave this to you!" Alia added, with misty eyes. Nandini had no idea her eyes were teary too!

After giving each other a few moments, Nandini asked the bigger question. "Where is Manik? It's been two days since I woke up & he's not come to visit me?"

Alia and Aryamann both looked uncomfortable for a moment, but before Nandini could ask, Alia replied saying he was on an outdoor schedule. "Babe, you were out for fifteen days, the world couldn't stop for so long, right? Manik had a tanked movie after years! Now if he stopped meeting deadlines, in order to pull you up, he'd go straight down!"

"Would that be such a bad idea, since that would make me number one!" Aryamann joked and they all laughed it off.

So, after that it made sense to see thousands of bouquets & good wishes cards pouring in from fans, media channels, socialites; nurses and doctors looking a little starstruck when interacting with her. Everyone was nice to her..well except Cabir. Now, just as Cabir nodded at her and was about to walk out, Nandini decided to break the ice.

"Cabir, umm, do you have a minute?" she asked with a tentative voice. Cabir paused and turned to face her. Seeing her act normally, he nodded slightly and walked to her.

"Yes?" he asked, not meeting her eyes. This frustrated her.

"Why are you behaving so coldly with me, Cabir?" She sounded more hurt than she meant to. Cabir flinched a little.

"Nandini, there's nothing like that. You are just bored here with nothing to do, so you are letting silly thoughts bother you." Cabir replied, curtly.

Nandini glared at Cabir. The nerve of the guy! "Yes, I am bored, considering you folks don't think I am fit enough to browse through television, or watch some content on the iPad or even have my phone so I could browse through the internet or call a few friends!" she spat back.

Cabir sighed. Only he knew how he was holding it together before Nandini without breaking down, but an order was an order.

"Nandini, in the accident you broke your jaw so badly that it needed reconstructing & a plastic surgery. You can't keep pratling on the phone with all your friends, when you are not allowed to talk much for now. As for the television or iPad, well, as you are aware, other than your jaw, your skull cracked, harming your frontal cortex and you went through a complicated surgery that led to a four day comatose state; so as instructed by the doctors we cannot give you anything that stimulates your cognitive functions more than it should on a regular day with few people visiting you." Cabir replied in a matter of fact voice. Nandini looked scared, and that softened Cabir. He sighed again and tried. "Look Nandini, keeping you alive was one of the greatest struggles Manik has faced in his life and with him not around, I cannot risk your health with anything. You only made it alive because the airbags popped on time and saved the rest of your body from any penetrative injury. Please comply with all the rules, till I can hand you over, back to Manik, safely?"

Nandini gulped. She knew she was seriously injured, but was she this close? And what did Cabir say about Manik? Keeping her alive was the biggest struggle of his life? She was sure Cabir was not lying, but then now that she was here, where was he? Shooting? The Manik she knew would give a flying fuck about his work commitments when Nandini was fighting for life, then what was this coldness? Was it all because she had walked out on him to go to Zain, that day?

Zain. Another monster. He was the worst. Worse than the Malhotra's! He had no moral scruple at all! She had known his true colour before the accident but before she could tell people, she was down. She expected him to keep the charade till she opened her mouth, but it looked like he had made no such effort; otherwise why was it that even after two weeks of waking up, he didn't come to see her or pitch his innocence? She, of course, kept her mouth shut too. Now that she knew the extent to which the senior Malhotra's could plot, Nandini thought it was only safe to share what she knew with Manik first, before anyone else, but where was Manik?

"Anyway, if that is all, I shall make a move, now" Cabir's voice brought her back to the present.

"No. I have one more question. Umm, where is Zain? When can I see him?" she asked, trying to read Cabir's reaction. She didn't need to read it at all, since Cabir flipped at the drop of a hat hearing his name.

"Oh even after all this, you are worried about Zain, huh, Nandini? I mentioned handing you back to Manik safely, I don't see you asking when he's coming? Has it really come to this, Nandini?" Cabir snapped.

Nandini's head shot up. "I know where Manik is. He is busy working, remember? I asked because no one seems to know where Zain is." she replied, taken aback.

Cabir, in a moment of fury, lost the plot and said something he later regretted terribly. "Oh everyone knows where he is, Nandini, just that no one wants to tell you what a great guy you had chosen for yourself. A guy who tried to kill you because he thought you were infidel to him, and landed up in jail! Well, that's not much different from the guy who loved you and wanted to save you too, right? Since he ended up in jail too! Even then, between the two you want to know about Zain!" having spat that, even before his words sank within Nandini, Cabir dashed out of the room, to control himself from making more damage. As Nandini saw him storm out of the room, banging the door behind him, the shocking information sank into her heart, piercing her & choking her.

Her accident was a murder attempt by Zain? He was jailed for that?

And..Manik Malhotra was in jail! Why?

Something was terribly amiss & she had to find out what, before it was too late.

***

Word Count: 4,750

A/N: I must say, I am a bit disappointed seeing, how you all don't engage in conversation, hardly drop in-line comments and are reluctant to vote for this story. I know we are in the end game here, but taking it for granted when I deliver 50+ chapters feel a bit harsh, you know.

Anyway, I will ask a few questions as I always do, but this time I will publish the next chapter only when I feel you all have shown me enough support in this chapter. :(

Here's my set of questions, which I'd be very glad if you answered.

1. How did you feel reading Manik's state of mind after hearing about the accident?

2. How did you feel about Manik & Nyonica's dialogue?

3. What are your thoughts on Manik's ways of ensuring Nandini gained stardom despite tanking her movie, without the Senior Malhotra's jeopardising it? DId you guys imagine Nandini's first movie would be a flop?

4. Manik is in jail? Why do you think that is? Bring it in, all the crazy hypothesis! :D

5. Any other thoughts & feedbacks that you have for the story, chapter, theme?

Thank-you for reading, and sorry for leaving you with a cliffhanger; but this is how I feel when I write a long chapter and hardly find you readers engaging with me. :(

So, as mentioned earlier, my next update, whether it will be next Sunday, or the one after or the one after that, it depends on you. I wont put targets, but I'd like to see, how many of you readers are willing to support me with some encouragement, this time.

I don't mean to upset any reader, but when you put your heart & soul out there and week after week the engagement, the vote declines, it feels very demoralising.

Anyway, I hope to come back soon.

Keep reading & stay safe,

Your writer,

A