"Excuse me! Who are you?" Dhruv asked. The woman turned with a smile in her face, shocking us to core...

We could hear Alya's voice from our back. She just came in to get the shock.

"What are you doing here?" I asked in anger.

"I came to meet my old friends..." She replied very casually "-and my son" she added turning her head to Aditya, who stood in confusion.

"We are not your friends anymore!" Cabir yelled.

"Nor he's your son!" I declared shooting glares at her.

"What are you saying?... He is clearly my blood, my son!" She stated and walked to him, bending to his level.

"Hey, My Son! How are you doing?" She asked as if asking some formal friend, not her son. No affection!

"I'm not your son!" Adi declared loudly pushing her hand away.

"Ohhhhhh! looks like your Daddy didn't teach you how to talk to your mom?" She exclaimed with her brows raised.

"No problem, I'll teach you from now on!" She added and forwarded her forearm to get a hold of Adi's hands.

"Leave me" Adi struggled in her grip, but she has her tight grip on him.

And before anyone could do anything, Adi bite on her arm causing her whine back.

"Aaaaaaaahhh" She screamed away from Adi, checking the red teeth mark on her right hand. She raised up her eyes at Adi looking furiously.

"You kid!" She shouted pulling her hand in the air to offer a tight slap to Adi, who now was crawling back, being scared of her.

And the hand got caught before it could hit Adi by...

"Nandini"

I whispered as she appeared in front.

Nandini's POV

How dare she raise her hands on my Adi? Is she even a mother herself?

"How dare you?" I said in a low dangerous tone looking directly to her moist eyes due to the tight grip of my hand on her. I pushed her throwing her hand away to which she trembled back.

Adi hugged my legs in fear... and I immediately find myself turning to kneel in front of him.

My baby is scared!

"Hey! Don't cry! I'm here... Don't worry! Mumma's with her Adi" I murmured sweet nothings in his ears while rubbing his back to calm him down.

"Ohhh! So, you're his Nanny!

It's all because of you that he got this rebellious. I'll deal with you later on!" Veebha muttered angrily and moved towards Fab5. I completely ignored her and concentrate on handling my Adi.

"Hey, guys! I hope you like my surprise... and please don't tell me: 'you are not our friend, not my girlfriend, not his mom'... and all bullshit!" She cooed sarcastically to Fab5 who are standing in anger and shock.

I got the hint that there will be a big issue happening over here so, I took Adi with me to his room.

"Why do you come here Veebha?" Mukti asked calming her raging rage.

"Of course, to meet you" She replied shrugging, as a matter of fact.

"Just cut this nonsense and split the real reason." Manik growled impatiently seeing her cool drama.

"This is really one of the reasons; we are childhood buddies, after all!" Veebha answered shrugging her shoulders.

"You're never our friend from the very beginning... You are always after Manik's property and wealth. Don't think that we don't your real face!" Cabir shouted.

"Harshad was counting on you ever since you're with Manik; but you rejected him as he was not as rich as Manik back then! Then, he stole our information leading us to road and you walked to him leaving Manik." Alya added the whole truth.

"You, toh, don't even care for the child growing in your womb... How could we expect you to care about us, your so-called friends? You know what, you only care for yourself; no one else." Dhruv yelled stating the fact which everyone knew.

"Wowww! My friends has gotten smarter with time, I see...

Fine! I'm here to get my love back, my Manik back and my son back." Veebha finally spoke her real intentions with her evil smirk.

I just walked down after making Adi busy with toy cars.

It hurts: hearing her claim Manik as her, and Adi as hers too. I share a great bond with Adi to make him away from me. And Manik, he is my husband, after all! Even though he hates me... but I respect him and this marriage... and somewhere in my heart, I even know that I like him... maybe love!?

I just stood there lowering my gaze and not wanting to show the hurt in them.

Actually, I came here as Rema Kaki called me saying something is wrong. When I reached here, I ran to Adi's room as I don't find anyone down in the hall. Then I came out hearing noises.

"And why do you think you'll get any?" Alya walked forward to stand in front of V.

"Of course, I'll!

Manik loves me and I'm the mother of his son." Veebha reasoned nonchalantly looking at her.

"You're highly mistaken Miss. Veebha!

Manik can never love a bloody, money-minded bitch like you!" Alya shouted in her high pitch.

Oh My! I've heard Veebha never withstand people talking wrong about her that too in a loud tone.

"You bitch!" Veebha shouts back raising her hand to slap Alya hard.

.

.

.

But again, I caught her hand.

I sense Manik coming forward too... but I was faster.

Alya had turned her face in a reflex but again turned back not sensing V's palm on her cheek.

While Veebha turned sidewise glaring annoyed at me for stopping her hand everytime.

This woman! always ready to slap anyone... Seems like her hand is overactive!

I twisted her hand to her back and grabbed it harder making her hiss in pain...

"Can't you hear properly, lady?

Didn't they say that you'll not get anything back?" I added while twisting her hand more.

"Now, get the hell out of here, and don't show your face ever again!" I yelled while jerking her hand away.

I'm so much angry with this woman that I couldn't even explain.

Everyone flenched seeing my tone and act... I never acted so dangerously before them, after all!

Veebha adjusted herself and rubbed the redness on her hands before glaring back at me...

Still standing here, Shameless lady!

"How dare you han? How dare you grab my hand?

What do you think of yourself, you middle-class behenji?" She shouted shooting anger on me.

"And who the hell are you to throw me out of this house?"

Her question suddenly made me conscious of myself. She's right...

Who am I to mingle in their personal matter?

I instinctively lowered my gaze not finding any answer to give. But suddenly a shock made my head shot to the source...

"She is my Wife!"

Manik said in authoritative and claiming voice.

"She has every damn right on this house and she can throw any unwanted garbage like you from her house with all rights." Manik added while I could just looked at him pure shocked.

'My Wife; Her house; her rights'.... Only these words are roaming in my head while I stood wide eyed.

On the other side,

Veebha too is shocked to hear that 'Manik got married!' as she always believed that Manik loved her to moon and sun and could never give her place to any woman...

But this news was like a 440volt shock to her!

"What???" Veebha managed to speak out of shock.

"You seriously need your ears checked up!" Alya stated bored.

"Can't you hear Manik? He said: He is happily married to Nandini, his wife and living happily with THEIR son, Aditya." Mukti added taking the lead.

"Now, if you don't want us to call the security to pick you & throw you out of this house; Just take your ass out of this house, right now!" Cabir said in anger controlling his voice to be any louder.

V has no face now...

She just walked out with utmost shock in her face. She doesn't have another choice either!

She had come back because she saw Manik's regain his power & wealth more than before, and since she thought that her place in Manik's heart is fixed; she'll easily get everything back.

But now as she got to know that it's not the case; she had no choice, but to leave them undisturbed because she very well knew if she does anything stupid then she'll be crushed over by Manik's power without doubt!

Inside the house,

Nandini gets the hint that they are saying all this because they wanted Veebha to leave.

Even though it's not the case; she's hell adamant to believe that she is thinking right! Fab5 can never give any right or respect to her as Manik's wife.

So, she just started to walk out.

"Where are you going?"

Manik's urgent voice stopped her. She turned back only to see all are looking at her only!

"My break is not over yet!

I just came here as Kaki said that there is some problem. ... I'm leaving" She said composing herself and again turned to leave.

"Thanks"

There comes a voice which again made her stop at her track. She turned to see it was... Alya.

"Thanks for preventing the slap. Um- I guess you're not anywhere like her" Alya said much to Nandu's surprise and also Fab4's too as she was the one who was not ready to listen to anyone a time before.

"I'm glad that you think so." Nandini replied with a smile. She felt content that finally she succeeded in putting her point!

She turned and left before anyone could say anything.

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.

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2 more days passed like that...

with Nandini living her dreams and passion and happily talking with her son on phone and also sometimes she used to visit his school too. She too misses her husband as somewhere down her heart, she liked him, the caring and sweet him that he used to be when with his friends.

On the other side, Manik felt her importance in his life and about how she is right and he was wrong.

His days passed with hearing her voice while she talked with his son. He could felt his heart flutter with her love that she showered for Adi, and somewhere down in his heart he got jealous of him, his own son, upon the fact that he got all her love & care.

He even tracked her down; that; she was living in a hotel and working in her friend's company.

Here, fab5 too realized that they are wrong about Nandini. They are sorry for what they did; Manik regrets talking to her like that 'that night'.

He still remembers her words... "You disgust me, Mr. Malhotra... Your thoughts disgust me. ... And I regret being called as your wife for 4 years"

He badly regrets hurting her and making her cry. He is sorry for everything he said to her; for his ignorance; for questioning her character.

He made his mind to apologize her right now; he'll not wait for her to come back home.

--------------------------------

I quickly closed every file on my desk and made my way to the car to drive to the restaurant where I know; she took her lunch every day.

I just hope; I meet her there.

I quickly parked my car and enter the restaurant. I looked around to not find her. I felt disappointed.

'I want to apologize... Please god! Give me a chance.'

I prayed in disappointment turning to leave when suddenly my eyes fell on her.

SHE is there!

On the other side of the road, in the restaurant sitting outside in the shade having her food with a man, maybe, her friend.

I saw them stood up and walk to the counter to pay the bills.

I need to hurry.

I can't let her go today! I need to talk to her and apologize anyhow!

I turned my eyes at the vehicles coming from both sides of the road... I walked hurriedly watching the vehicles and also keeping an eye on Nandini as she is about to move out of the place...

I need to hurry up manh!

I ran my last steps on the road to approach her before she leaves...

And...

...C..R..A..S..H.....

In a blink of seconds, all I knew is I'm flying over... in the air; my eyes threatening to close; pain consuming all over the body.

I feel the wetness of the blood oozing out of my head, immense pain in my arms and limbs.... and I fell on the ground with a thump!

Darkness consumes me...

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

"Doctor... please see him!

He's not responding. Please doctor" I cried as I couldn't understand why it's hurting me to see him lying lifelessly in the pool of blood.

Maybe because he's my husband after anything!

"Please stay outside. We need to operate him immediately." The doctor voiced urgently whiling checking his pulse and I was holding his hands and crying like a mess.

They took him inside the Emergency ward leaving me standing with endless tears.

"Come let's sit! Everything will be alright"

That's when I remember, Arya is with me too.

I turned to him and crashed in his chest crying loudly. He just patted my head while assuring me that 'all will be well.'

"You need to fill up the documents for the patient" A nurse muttered standing near us while I followed her to fulfill the forms. Then I informed Fab4 about it to which they came running in no minutes.

"Nandini, How is Manik?" Cabir asked as soon as they approach me.

"Inside the Emergency ward" I said pointing towards the metal door... Closed!

"How did this happened?" Mukti quizzed with her tensed face.

Even I have no idea!

What the hell was he doing by running on the roads... Didn't he own a car?

"I don't know."

I kept it short. They frowned but didn't say anything.

.

.

"How is he, doctor?" Dhruv asked as soon as the doctor walked out of the operation theatre.

I was impatiently waiting for him to say 'He's good now. Everything fine'.

"He had hit his head due to which he has lost much of his blood. And he also has a minor fracture in his right hand. Even though no internal problem is found but he's weak due to blood loss and may have some pain due to accident. We've to wait till he regains conscious to know that." He informed.

"Till when he'll be conscious?" Alya asked.

"Umm... Within 2hrs." He said and excused himself.

I sat on the chair thinking of how'll he be when he'll wake up?

Others too took their seat. I saw Fab4 eyeing continuously at me and Arya who is sitting next to me consoling me.

"He's my best friend, Aryaman." I said pointing to Arya and eyeing Fab4.

If they could have recognized, then they might have remembered that he's the guy in the picture whom I hugged.

"And Arya, They are Cabir, Dhruv, Mukti, Alya" I introduced pointing to them. They exchange faint smiles and nodding.

"Ummm... Adi?" I asked them.

"He's with Rema Kaki" Mukti answered and I nodded.

I just pray for Manik's well-being!