Manik's Flat: Bedroom: 8:15 am:

Manik's words, "She snatched my opportunity"...forced Nandini to lift her face from his chest. She looked at his pain-induced eyes.

Nandini: (With quivering heart) "Tell me in detail."

Her voice was laced with worry and discomfort. Manik slowly loosened his grip on her body and stepped back to sit on the bed...slouchingly.

Manik: (With a choked voice) "I did so much hard work on this project and she just nullified my all efforts within a second. You know she said my designs are lacking uniqueness. Company needs some out of the box idea and I am lacking in this."

Manik's voice became shallower proved he was suffering from self-doubt. Nandini perched beside him and took his hand on hers.

Nandini: (In a composed tone) "What is more important to you?...Soha's judgment or your self-confidence?"

Manik looked back at her. He was trying to gauge her every word. Nandini paused for a moment and continued with the same authority.

Nandini: "You didn't compromise with your hard work and put your best foot forward. You are confident with your talent and work then who the hell is she to evaluate your calibre in just 24 hours?... and that is because of, you already know, the rejection she had to face. She just wants you to taste the same bitter medicine of rejection. But that is not her ultimate goal. She wants to demolish your confidence and in this way you are only making it easy for her."

Nandini hissed out her words while Manik could only see her with perplexed eyes.

Nandini: (With arched brows) "What?...don't expect me to console you with some lovey-dovey words because you are not any poor soul who will leave this matter so easily and silently accept her dirty game. The man I know as my husband, as Manik Malhotra never gives up so easily. Especially when someone unethically tries to put him down. He gets what he deserves."

Nandini kept on looking at her husband. In her mind, she was breaking to see him like this but she knew that it's not the time to show her weakness rather it is her responsibility to help him regain his self-confidence. Manik was staring at her. His eyes were shimmering with love and reliance. Gradually a broad grin appeared on his lips.

Manik: "Mrs Malhotra, you know exactly how to push your husband's limit and provoke him to show his swagger. But this time it's his boss and I can't overrule her power and position."

Nandini: (With clenched jaws) "She is your boss...not the owner of this company. By the way, have you discussed this matter with other VPs and the Board of Directors? I am sure they are aware of this abrupt change. Apart from this, have you checked the final project papers? Does it have any of your previously submitted designs?"

For a moment Manik stared at his wife with wide eyes, seemed he was trying to calculate the whole thing all over with a new perspective. Suddenly he sprung up from his place.

Manik: "Oh...Shit...how stupid I am...how can I forget?...she told me that company has hired some freelance designer to continue this project. But as the company rule, they need my consent too for approving that person as I am the Senior Architect. Without my approval, this appointment is invalid unless and until I voluntarily step back."

He turned back to Nandini. His eyes and expression were beaming with excitement. He came nearer to Nandini and pulled her to stand in front of him.

Manik: (With strenuous tone) "That means...."

Nandini snatched his line,

Nandini: (Tried to quell her excitement) "That means, either she misled the other VPs and Board of Directors about your consent or you are still part of this project. She just wants you to be demoralized and unavailable for further designs so that she could showcase it as your unprofessionalism."

Manik: "Wait..wait..wait...now I could remember..that mail was sent by Soha only and it was not copied to any other members of this project. It was her web of lies...My God...what a player she is. And what stupid I am to step in her trap so easily...without any cross-check...Damn."

A nonchalant smile crept on Nandini's lips. She couldn't hold her tongue to tease his husband.

Nandini: (Bit her inner cheek) "No doubt about this... Ask me how am I baring?...but what would be your next step? Are you planning to confront her? Face to face?"

Manik didn't notice her teasing rather focused on her next question.

Manik: (With his famous smirk) "Nope...I am not going to do anything like this. Let her bask in her glory that she has trapped me in her trick. I will go slowly and stealthily that when she will come to know, there will be no place to stand for her. You rightly said Nandu...Manik Malhotra gets what he deserves and he returns back what he gets. It's the time to serve her back with a tit for tat."

His eyes were sparkling with mischief. Nandini brightly smiled and encircled him in a tight hug. Manik reciprocated with the same intensity. He lifted her tiny frame more than one ft from the floor and twirled in a full circle. Suddenly something struck his mind and he halted. Nandini was still lifted in his lap.

Manik: (Frowned) "Wait a minute...what did you just say? Ask me how am I bearing? Care to explain...what exactly are you bearing and in what you have no doubt about?"

Nandini observed her position. Now She has no way to escape. She bit her lips and sheepishly said,

Nandini: "That..you are stupid and...I am bearing your stupidity for the last 2 years..."

She bit her tongue and squinted her eyes in anticipation.

Manik: (With pretentious seriousness) "Hmmm...so you are bearing my stupidity. Let me show you what else you have to bear about me apart from my stupidity."

Next moment he threw her on the bed and topped on her pressing her both hands on either side of her head. His eyes were shining with mischief.

Nandini: (With wide eyes) "Manik...Manik...sorry...I was kidding...please, not this time...look at the clock...it's 9:15. I have to go...you have to go...please...please."

She helplessly kept on pleading as she barely could move under his mighty frame. Manik was observing her blabbering and controlling his laughter. He glanced at the wall clock and finally left her hands. He quickly pecked her lips and leapt up from her lying body.

Manik: (In a fake threatening voice) "I am leaving you now...but don't think that you are forgiven. I will punish you in the night and don't dare to plan for a night stay in your friend's house again. Then your punishment would be harder...remember that."

He stirred his finger as a warning. Nandini got up from the bed. She was really late for her school but Manik's words reminded her of something.

Nandini: (In a serious tone) "Manik...I have to discuss something with you about Navya and Cabir. But now it's too late. Remind me in the night. It's urgent. Now be ready and come for breakfast."

She playfully threw his shirt at him and bailed out the room.

........................................

Cabir's office: His term: 12:30 pm:

Cabir was engrossed in sorting out the advertisement banners when his phone rang.

Cabir: (Unmindfully) "Hello..."

Aryamaan: (With fake annoyance) "Hell with your Hello...here I am getting crazy to fix your date with Navya and you are chilling out there.."

Cabir distanced the mobile from his ear as Aryamaan almost burst his eardrum.

Cabir: (In a chilled out tone) "Hold on...hold on...first of all, I am not chilling out here. It's my office and I come here for work...not like you who took his teaching profession as a hobby despite being the only son of a rich businessman...how could you empathize my pain."

His voice was laced with pretentious complaints.

Aryamaan: (Scoffed) "Hell with your empathy...I know how much pain are you bearing at your workplace. That is nothing but a cakewalk for you. And by the way, who told you that I have taken my profession as a hobby? Do you know how much my students love me? And it is not my mistake that I was born with a silver spoon in my mouth."

Cabir didn't let him finish,

Cabir: "Students love you not because of your teaching skill but for your heroic look..ha..ha...I wish this can put the same impact on your heroin Nandini and your love story starts.."

Aryamaan: "Shut up...now listen to me...Nandini has convinced Navya to go for a blind date...that is you. I told her to not disclose your identity before this meeting as by your grace...you didn't put any great impression on Navya. She might refuse the proposal after knowing your name. That's why it would be a blind date for her but for you, it would be the last chance. So now tell me...where do you want to meet her? And please don't choose any crowded place because I am not sure about both of your temperaments. It would be another social embarrassment."

Cabir: (Exuberantly) "Blind date!... Oh God...feeling like a teenager...ummm...why don't you choose the place on behalf of me? You know you are more experienced than me in all these. Please...Please."

A sigh of acceptance was heard and Cabir grinned brightly.

Cabir: (Teasingly) "By the way, I have never said it to anybody but...I LOVE YOU...I LOVE YOU...I LOVE..."

He raised his voice but suddenly his eyes fell on somebody who was gawking at him with an open mouth. His hell surprised boss. It is truly said,

Over enthusiasm often invites problems.😉😉😉

Author's note: Plz do inline comments. Keep voting and keep reading.🙏🙏🙏❤❤❤