A/N : I know, Manik is a bad bad guy and you all are really pissed. I get that :P Okay read on, and then see how you feel about today? I hope you enjoyed your double update last week & all the Diwali and related other festivals that lasted week long! Hope you've geared up now to dive right back into the story & have fun! :)

Happy Reading!

***

"Manik, what the hell is wrong with you?" Nyonica screamed at the sight of him, as he entered through the main door, but he didn't even look at her. His eyes were stuck at the petite frame of a delicate woman, standing next to his roaring mother. She had lost some more weight in the last three years and her hair had grown longer. Her eyes were still innocent & childlike but her glance had changed. It had hardened. Something moved within him; he always maintained he didn't care or miss her, and hell it was true, but seeing her after so long, didn't leave him unaffected either. Was he feeling a bit nostalgic maybe? It felt like in seeing her, he recollected the real extent of her naiveness. His announcement was going to make life difficult for her, he knew. He wished it didn't have to be this way. He wished he didn't have to meet her at all; because standing here facing her after three years, knowing what he put her into again, he didn't feel ecstatic about it. It had to be done though, he tried reminding himself again.

Nandini was not looking at him with her usual sparkling, mesmerised, lovestruck way. She looked at him with eyes that screamed of cold hollowness. Her coldness hit him and he could tell he liked her better in the yesteryears. He opened his mouth to say something to her, but his mother's voice stopped him. He finally turned to face Nyonica.

"Manik Malhotra, I am talking to you" his mother's wrath came down upon him.

"Mom, there was no other way to control the damage." he spoke, looking down, scratching his head.

"How dare you release such a statement without consulting Nandini? How dare you take her for granted, even after all these years? Just because she was kind enough to clear your name from the Soha Khurana scandal? Have you learnt nothing from your past mistakes, Manik?" she snapped at him in colossal disappointment.

Manik glared at his mother. It had been an unnecessarily stretched day & his temper was hanging by the thread at its threshold. As much as he was trying to leash it, his mother's words & Nandini's shocked eyes were instigating him further. "As I said, there was no other way" he tried replying in a sober voice.

"Really Manik?" whispered Nandini in sheer disbelief & just like that, it flipped the hood of rage inside him.

"Yes, Nandini. Really! Trust me when I say so. Also, all this wouldn't be necessary, if your boyfriend could keep himself inside his pants for a day or two longer!" he snapped.

"Manik, relax" Cabir tried stopping him, as Nandini looked repulsed at his choice of words, and Nyonica's head shot up at him.

"Manik Malhotra, you shall not talk to Nandini like that!" Nyonica bellowed.

"..but it's true mom! We had gotten Soha! Abhimanyu had recorded his statement against Soha & shared it with us, that she was planning to harm Nandini. We were to present it before the police tomorrow, thereby lodging a case against Soha & taking a restraining order. Then she was free to go back to her happy life with her boyfriend and I'd continue with my life! But no, that joker had to show up today and ruin everything!" shouted Manik in vexation, eyeing between Nyonica & Nandini.

"Manik, you could have just said, you don't know about Nandini's whereabouts, and then continued as per our plan" Cabir asked, reasonably.

"How'd I do that, Cabir, when I was told that the press already had information that Nandini was at my pent-house! How'd I explain everything to them? I couldn't tell the truth, because then the press would know, Nandini vouched for me against Soha's claim. There will be a shadow of doubt, for Nandini's allebi is bound to be biassed. I didn't want to pulled back into the character assassination drama. Then why was Nandini here at my pent-house? Tell me what else can you come up with? In my opinion, the PR team did a great job & deserves a raise!" snapped Manik, looking at Cabir.

"So what is the plan now? You and Nandini will play a fake couple, again?" Cabir asked, sounding bewildered.

"Do I have a choice, thanks to her boyfriend dearest?" shot back Manik in frustration, combing his fingers through his hair in agitation.

"Nandini.." Cabir called her out and Nyonica turned to her, still breathing hard.

"Where is Smaran?" Nandini asked in a small voice & Manik laughed like a maniac in irritation. "That's all that matters" he muttered to himself.

"Answer her." Nyonica commanded coldly, looking at Manik.

"He is taken care of." Manik replied, nonchalantly.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Nandini asked, perturbed, looking at Manik. Her concern for that dickhead bothered him.

"He knows the truth, and he's sent back to Mangalore." Manik replied curtly.

Nandini paused and breathed in a little, registering the news. It felt like deja vu. Manik was using her for his cleanups and she had no say in anything. Again. No, the times had changed, she wasn't giving in so easily this time.

"Manik, I can't play along this time. I can't help you." she spoke with conviction, looking at him.

Manik smirked looking at her. "You are not only helping me, this will ensure your safety too. Who do you think helped Smaran with the info of my whereabouts tonight? Who do you think told the press that you were to be found at my pent-house? Soha. That's right, Nandini Murthy, Soha has found out about your little favour that helped clear my name. This is all her doing. She is hitting back at us, indirectly. Now as long as you are with me, or in my house, you are safe. Soha is waiting to attack you, otherwise." he replied, testily.

"She can't attack me if she has restraining orders, right?" Nandini asked, confused.

"..tch tch tch...Nandini you are still so naive. When I wanted to be a caring ex-husband to you, you denied me. You decided to walk away snapping all ties, now we are strangers, right? Then why will I do you any favour, without something in return?" he asked, with an evil smile on his face.

"Meaning?" Nandini whispered.

"Help is a two way street, dear ex-wife. You help me with the charade, I share Abhimanyu's statement record with the police and get the restraining order; but if you don't play your part, I am not obligated to either share Abhimanyu's statement with the police or protect him and keep him safe, because we both know, by now Soha has figured who her infiltrator is! It is really your choice to make" he said silkily.

"Come on, Manik" Cabir tried, but he showed him the finger to quiet him. Nandini saw Nyonica slump back on the couch seeing her son's diabolical manipulation. Nandini looked at her ex-husband's face, he was handsome no doubt; a superstar, a heart throb, loved by millions; but he was also a devil wearing the mask of an angel. He knew very well that even though Nandini wouldn't care about her well being, she wouldn't let Abhimanyu come in harm's way because of helping her. She could see it in his eyes, that even he knew he had won. Again.

This didn't go down well with her. She was not the Nandini of the yesteryears. She wasn't going to go down without a fight this time. This time Manik Malhotra better knew where to draw the boundaries with her, because this time, she wasn't going to be his love-sick puppet to play with and discard at his will. She moved towards him with confident eyes, and Manik's eyes were on her. It didn't stop her, infact his indifferent watch gaslit her fury further as she closed the gap between them and before anybody could gauge what she was upto, there came a sound.

Thwack.

She had punched him straight on his right jaw, and Manik staggered back on impulse, balancing himself. There were gasps around her, but she didn't let Manik gain momentum, before landing another one on his left jaw.

Thwack.

And another. Thwack.

And yet another. Thwack.

By now Cabir yelped & Nyonica shot up from the couch & Manik finally grabbed her wrist and pulled her to him with an inhuman, insane, devilish expression. He was white with fury & the suddenness of her attack. Maybe a part of his brain couldn't still process that Nandini Murthy had punched him. Not once but four times!

"Nandini!" he growled.

"Manik, calm down" Cabir was instantly by his side, trying to free Nandini from his deathly grip. Manik glared at her and finally with a jerk let go of Cabir's hold and stood before her, lightly touching his right jaw.

"How dare you?" He hissed, trying to intimidate her.

"Now, I will help you." Nandini replied with a mad angry gleam in her eyes, as she breathed hard.

"What?" Manik barked suddenly hearing her last sentence, still breathing shallowly.

"Nandini, if you were to agree to help him like always, why'd you punch him?" Cabir asked, in surprise.

Nandini stared right back into Manik's eyes, as she answered, "The first punch was for making such an announcement without feeling the need to at least let me know in advance, if not consult me; the second one was for talking shit about Smaran and my relationship, the third one was for negotiating with Abhimanyu's life with me & the last one is for all the shit that I will have to go through now, in order to execute the plan in order to save Abhimanyu." she replied coldly, as she heard Nyonica sigh. She knew she must have disappointed her ex-mother-in-law today, but if she was going to be helping Manik Malhotra this time, he better knew the changed dynamics of their equation right now. No one spoke for another ten seconds as it seemed, everyone was trying to process all her words & actions.

"Fair enough, we are even now; but the plan is on" replied Manik, with a cold, calculative expression, as he finally pulled back from her. "..but on two conditions" Nandini added. Manik looked at her like she had grown two horns.

"You still think you can negotiate, after the stunt you pulled on me right now? You know I can destroy you for this." He threatened her with his menacing voice.

"Yet you won't, Manik, because you need me. You cannot replace me with someone else and continue this plan. So yes, I will only comply if my two conditions are met." she replied, looking at him coldly. Manik tried reading her expressions. Her eyes were hooded, he couldn't read them anymore. This wasn't the same Nandini he knew. He finally nodded, asking her to go ahead.

"First one, Abhimanyu will be my security in-charge, so he is always around me & I know you're keeping your promise of protecting him & second one, I will be allowed to talk to Smaran on the phone and explain everything to him" Nandini put forth her conditions.

"Done" Manik replied, promptly before leaving the room; then he turned to Cabir and ordered him to set up his bedroom, since he was moving in with Nandini for the time of the act. Cabir nodded, and left to make arrangements.

"I am really sorry Nandu beta. I am sorry for not being able to help you; but mostly I am sorry for having a son like Manik Malhotra. I tried my best to raise him differently, but how far can the apple fall from the tree? Today I realised, he is a true Malhotra; and I can tell you from experience, never trust a Malhotra man." She caressed Nandini's face gently and tears pooled around both women's eyes.

"I am sorry for punching him before you, mom. I didn't mean to hurt you. It's just that I was so angry at that moment that I couldn't control myself." Nandini whispered, looking at her guiltily.

Nyonica looked at her & smiled a little. "I am proud of you, Nandu. He deserved it & you shouldn't apologise for standing up for yourself. Ever." she whispered and then she gently kissed her forehead and promised to come meet Nandini soon. Then she left after sparing a hard glance at Manik. Manik stayed silent, as he saw his mother leave in disappointment. He looked at her walking away with guilty eyes. He loved his mother to the moon and back, but sometimes, the stakes are too high; truly there was no other way to save the Malhotra legacy name.

***

Word Count: 2,109

A/N: I swear folks, I had the last laugh when I read all your comments on how everybody wanted Nandini to punch Manik. I laughed out thinking how you'd react reading this week's update! :D

I delivered 4X your punch request. How'd that feel like? 

As mentioned earlier in the story, this Nandini of the present day is very very different from the Nandini of the past. She is not sensitive, she is not a weakling either. Being gentle doesn't make one weak right?  So don't you worry, our li'l ninja won't compromise when it comes to her emotions and will know how and when to draw the boundary around her this time! So, gear up for more of that in the coming chapters!

Now about this chapter, how do you feel about Manik's stance here? Do you think Nandini is justified in helping him finally? What are your overall thoughts about this chapter? What are you expecting now?

Lastly, readers, thank you for the lovely support you have extended for this story and please don't forget to vote, comment & keep the awesome in-line comments going! I really look forward to them! Hope you're enjoying this ride?

I will be back again, next week, same day, same time (almost) i.e. 6th Nov (Sunday)!

Until then,

Please keep the love flowing!

Your writer,

A.