• When I lost in the valley of past, I realized there is nothing which can last.. •

***

~Murthy mansion~

Manik stopped the car outside the mansion and looked at her, while she was continuously looking outside at the door of mansion, all he was wondering that what has happened to his feisty Mrs. M..

Manik : "You'll be fine right?"..He broke the uneasy silence and now she looked at him with something very unusual in her eyes which he don't appreciate at all, her eyes are filled with pain, guilt, sorrows which is the reason of his tormented heart right now.

Nandini : "I will. Good night. Bye.."..She murmured softly and very formally, her this coldness makes him feel worse than ever, when she tried to step out of car, he held his hand and she stopped. She turned around to look at him and she feels a magnetic pull in his eyes.

Manik : "If you need anything, Remember am only a call away.."..he ensured her and slowly moved her hand to his lips, while she is gazing at him like never before, he kissed her knuckles while looking in her eyes and surprisingly she didn't fought back.

Nandini : "Sorry for the trouble I caused today."..Her warm tone made him smile, he tugged a hair strand behind her ear and looked straight in her eyes.

Manik : "You. Are. Mine."...He emphasized on each and every word in his domineering tone... "You've no idea what I went through in some hours and I don't even want you to picture it.".. his words left her in deep thoughts but she didn't said anything. She just leaned closer and kissed on his cheek, he closed his eyes to feel her touch on his body which cured his bleeding heart.

Nandini : "Take care.."..She whispered in his ears in a slow yet so seductive tone which evoke the evil in him but still he controlled from not taking her then and there.

She moved back but this time he held her hand more tightly, she looked perplexed but then he leaned closer and kissed her cheek, softly, slowly and passionately. She closed her eyes to feel him, to feel his passionate moves.

Manik : "Miss me!"..He ordered her after moving back, she just rolled her eyes on him and a smile touched her lips unknowingly which brought a smile on his lips as well..

• Your smile makes my whole world shine, Darling! you're only mine and will always be mine.. •

Nandini : "Certainly​ not!"..She answered back in full attitude and smirk on her face, which brought breathe back to his lungs. She stepped out of the car, and waved him but he didn't ignited the engine which made her confused.

Manik : "Am not leaving till you enter in, I don't repeat my mistakes. Go in."..He ordered at the end and she just made a face but gave a smile, then after bidding him a good-bye she walked inside the mansion and security guards locked the door.

Manik : "You've shown me a side of mine which I thought don't even exist."...He thought to himself totally unaware of his own feelings which had blossomed in his heart..

****

~Inside the Mansion~

Shabd , Naina and Cabir all three are sitting in the hallway waiting eagerly for Nandini, restlessness and worry is clearly visible on their faces. Just then Nandini entered and found them worried there.

Naina : "Nandini!"..she stood after finding Nandini there and this made all of them look straight, Shabd's eyes filled with tears after finding his daughter safe and sound in front of his eyes.

Shabd : "Thank god!"..he thanked silently, while Nandini walked towards them with slow and steady steps. She is feeling guilty right now to even come in front of them, she never wanted to disclose things at least not the way it came out.

• My world fell apart the day I lost my soul, now am my world is darker than coal..•

Naina instantly hugged her daughter and sobbed in her arms whereas Nandini cried slowly in her arms.

Naina : "Why you left us darling?"..she asked after breaking the hug and Nandini just lowered her face, Shabd walked towards them while Cabir is standing there silently.

Shabd : "You hate me Nandini?"..he suddenly asked in his broken tone and  Nandini looked at him with painful eyes, she hugged him tightly and both cried their heart out.

Nandini : "No dad, I can never hate you. Never!"..she answered in her broken tone and he hugged her more tightly. Being a father he can't take hatred from his own daughter, no matter what happened in past but the reality is he has always loved both his daughters.

*****

~Nandini's Room~

Cabir and Nandini are sitting in Nandini's room, she is holding Aahana's locket in her hand which has Nandini and Aahana's picture inside it.

Cabir : "He was really worried for you Nandini.."...he told her softly and she smiled weakly.

Nandini : "Di must be very angry on me today, I made her king cry.."..she answered after opening the locket and Cabir looked at her with pain.

Cabir : "Don't you think you shouldn't have told them about Aahana?"..he asked after placing his hand on her cheek.

Nandini : "Yes! I shouldn't but they have the right to know about their daughter Cabir.."..tears eloped from her eyes but he has seen some determination in her eyes today..

Cabir : "Aahana's death was unfortunate Nandini, but am worried for you. I know her death has shaken you but stop restricting yourself Please."..He tried to explain things to her but she seems to be adamant.

• My pain is not that plain which can be understood in a small time frame.. •

Nandini : "Let's not talk about that Cabir! We'll discuss this some other day.."..She answered nonchalantly and stood up but Cabir instantly held her hand, and stood up. She too turned around to look at him.

Cabir : "Am leaving tonight for Sydney!".. he told her with cold expression, she looked at him with shock but gave a weak smile.

Nandini : "Navya needs you there! Take care!"..She hugged him but before he could hold her she moved back and turned around. Cabir wiped off his tears while she took silent sobs.

Cabir : "I know you have grown up, I know I don't have much right on you but still if any day you feel like am worthy enough to share your agonies, to share what's that you have buried in your heart, feel free to come to me because I'll be waiting for you always! .. Bye! ".. he poured all his emotions in some words but Nandini didn't turned up, she still standing there showing her back to him and he knows how persistent she is, thus he left from there with a heavy heart..

Nandini : "Am sorry Cabir, you have full right to know the whole truth but am not capable enough to utter that ugly reality, you already know a lot which you shouldn't and now I don't want you to be in this shit in which am living. It's better you people stay out of this as I can't handle one scratch on you people!"....she thought while tears cascaded down her eyes..

• My eyes are wet but tears have been dried, in the darkness of night I've only cried.. •

***

Cabir : "Am leaving India that doesn't mean I am leaving Nandini, I can only trust you please be with her.".. he talked on phone and after getting a positive reply he drove away in the silence of dark night..

****

Nandini walked out of her room towards Aahana's room, she is in need to be with her sister's memory today after all these months she has cocooned things inside herself and all these are making her suffocated.

When she reached Aahana's room she is surprised to find the door ajar, she peaked inside and found her father sitting on the round bed with several things all around him, he is holding Aahana's scrapbook in his hand and a painful smile is crept on his lips. This scene itself broke her down​, she placed her hand on her mouth to seize the sobbing sounds, tears eloped from her eyes but still she get the grip on herself and after wiping off all her tears, masking a strong face she entered inside with slow and steady steps.

Nandini : "Dad!"..She called him in her smooth tone and he raised her face to look at his angel!

Shabd : "Am such a bad father."..His expression is so bleak, cold, and filled with anguish which is breaking her bit by bit, she kneel on the floor and placed her hand in his lap.

Nandini : "Di would never appreciate your words dad.."..She tried to explain him the depth of her love for him, but seems like today things has gone out of hands and he is plunging down and down in darkness.

• Nothing is painful than loosing a part of your soul, and that one departure creates a never healing hole.. •

Shabd : "I took away your sister from you!"..The anguish is plain in his voice as he sink deeper and deeper into the abyss, shrouded in despair​. She feels like she isn't able to accumulate him and deep down she is feeling more guilty for telling him the reality but still from outside she didn't took off the mask of strongest woman.

Nandini : "Stop accusing yourself for the crime you never committed, Di Always loved you dad.."..She again tried her level best to accumulate him, to cajole him and this time it worked he gave her a small smile.

Shabd : "Aahana used to be very upset whenever you call her di!.."..He told her and she too drifted in the memories of her only sister who was like a mother to her.

Shabd : "How she died Nandini?"..He suddenly countered her and this one question is enough to make her world upside down, she recalled a heart wrenching event.

No! Please! Don't! Stop! Nooooooooooooooooo! ...

She shut her eyes tightly as that scary moment passed in front of her eyes like a storm passed through her. When she opened her eyes again they are clearer,full of resolve and again they are hard to read.

Nandini : "You really wanna know the depth?"..She asked with uncertainty and he closed his eyes as if in pain.

Shabd : "I think I don't.."..He murmured painfully and she took a sigh of relief.

Shabd : "Was she happy?"..He asked after holding her hand and she looked at him weakly..

Nandini : "Partially! She used to miss you so much Dad.."..She told him and he nodded his head as if he knows that.

She hugged him and provided him the much needed relief..

Nandini : "Dad! It's too late, please go and sleep. "..She broke the hug and took away the scrapbook from his hand and made him step off the bed, he too complied, with weak and slow steps she took him to his room. And then she came back to Aahana's room once more..

****

~ Malhotra Building ~

Manik is standing in the balcony looking at the darkness spread all over the city, but those city lights is giving some kind of peace to his soul. Every now and then her face is flashing in front of his eyes, her broken shattered face is giving him tough time.

Manik : "What you are hiding Nandini?. You are full of mystery to me and the worst part is am not able to solve it.."...he thought while drinking his wine and looking at the city lights..

He walked inside his room and closed the glass door which connects room and balcony, he placed his wine class on the table and sat down silently on the bed.

Manik : "With her it's always been so easy to sleep at nights, this huge building became home to me when I brought her here and now it's really giving me an impression that this building is nothing but worse than hell. She was right, it's ivory tower only, she really termed it correctly. There is definitely something in her which always pulls me towards her,but the more I try to unravel her the more she closes herself, I don't know what she's hiding and why? But one thing is for sure, I want to know each and everything about her. She. Is. Mine. "... His tone is authoritative and determined while he is watching the whole room wrapped in the darkness with only a lampshade lighting in the corner.

• She has became my biggest possession, but still I wonder is this only infatuation?.. •

*****

Hey pals! today was one hell tiring day for me and only I know how I completed this update, If I wrote today then it's only for you people but you people made me upset with the last update response 😖😖 .. I expect inline comments and i'll appreciate more if you all please do that for me and I guess in return I can ask this right?

Am very much elated to know that many of you missed me and many played the smart trick like "missing your stories means missing you!", must say good move😝😝

Love you all 

Your storyteller..❤😘