68.1
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Two Weeks later
In just two weeks, everything had turned upside down. The Malhotra family, once filled with laughter and warmth, now felt eerily empty. Ever since Nandini left, it was as if all the happiness had been sucked out of their home. No one knew how to deal with the overwhelming silence, the suffocating grief that settled over them like a dark cloud. The revelation about Nyonika and Nia had already shaken everyone to their core, leaving them stunned and struggling to make sense of it all. But what made it worse, what truly sent them into a spiral of fear was Manik’s sudden disappearance.
The day after Nandini left, Manik vanished without a trace, taking Mickey with him. No note, no calls, no hints as to where he had gone. Just gone. And with everything else happening, no one had the strength to process it properly.
Raj and Nia, however, had finally started talking. In the midst of all this chaos, they found comfort in each other, trying to mend the pieces of their shattered world. Siddharth, on the other hand, was drowning in the painful truth of his parents’ deaths. The weight of it crushed him, and no matter how much Mukti and everyone tried to reach out, he shut them all out. He didn’t want to talk, didn’t want to face anyone.
The Malhotras, Nia, and Nishant did everything they could to contact the Raghuvanshi family, but every attempt was met with silence. Calls went unanswered, messages ignored, even their visits were turned away. Desperation pushed them to try reaching Nandini, but her phone was switched off, cutting off any chance of getting through to her. Meanwhile, Veer and Manik’s friends searched everywhere for Manik. Every possible place, every possible connection but there was nothing. It was as if he had disappeared off the face of the earth.
On the other hand, the Raghuvanshi family had an entirely different atmosphere. To them, it felt like a festival, celebrating the fact that their daughter was alive. After all the pain, all the times of believing they had lost her, they finally had her back. But their happiness was overshadowed by the reality of Nandini’s condition.
She wasn’t okay.
The separation from Manik, the emotional turmoil, the unbearable stress had all taken a toll on her. The weight of it was too much for her body to handle, and she fell seriously ill. A high fever consumed her for five days straight, leaving her weak and exhausted. And when the fever finally broke, she shut herself away, locking herself in her room. No one was allowed in, no one except her mother and sister-in-law.
Nandini’s POV
I don’t know how many days it’s been.
Maybe five. Maybe ten. Maybe more.
Everything feels like a blur, like I’m stuck in some endless loop where the world keeps spinning, but I’m frozen in place. The fever came and went, but the weight inside me never left. It sits heavy in my chest, making it impossible to breathe, impossible to think. My body feels drained, exhausted beyond measure, but my mind? It won’t stop. Won’t give me a single moment of peace.
My family. I know they’re celebrating. For them, it’s a miracle. Their long-lost daughter, the one they thought was gone forever, is alive. Safe and back home.
But me? I’m anything but alive.
Because the moment I walked away from Manik, the moment I left him standing there alone, something inside me died.
They’re celebrating Nandita—the girl who survived. But the Nandini who belonged to Manik? The one who loved him with every breath? She didn’t make it. She died the second she stepped out of that room, leaving her soul behind.
And now, there’s just… emptiness.
Every time I close my eyes, I see him. His face, his touch, his voice, it’s all still there, haunting me like a cruel ghost. The way he held my hand, how his grip tightened because he didn’t want to let go, yet he still did. The storm in his eyes, the silent plea. I can still feel the warmth of his hands, the way his fingertips burned into my skin as if he was trying to memorize me before I was gone.
And the worst part?
I don’t even know if he’ll come for me.
Will he fight for me? Will he search for me?
Or did I hurt him so badly that he finally gave up?
A sharp pain cuts through my chest at the thought. Tears slip down my face slowly, but I didn’t wipe them away. What’s the point? The one person who had burn the world just to keep a single tear from my eyes… isn’t here.
I let out a hollow chuckle. The irony of it all.
There was a time when this room was my safe place. The four walls that sheltered me, where I spent nights curled up with nothing but my thoughts of Maanji. But now… after knowing him, after loving him, after choosing him, I can’t even breathe without him.
Every second drags like a slow, torturous knife slicing through my heart.
The family that once brought me comfort, the one that calms my storms, can’t do anything for me now. How could they? They were the ones who tore me away from the only person who ever truly made me feel whole. They took him from me, my husband, my life.
I hear voices outside my door sometimes, Bhaiya or Papa. Their worried or desperate voices called out my name, begging me open the door but I don’t answer. I don’t move. I don’t do anything.
Because what’s the point? They keep telling me I should rest. That I should eat. That I should talk. But I don’t want to.
The moment I'll step out of this room, I’ll have to face them. I’ll have to hear them telling me I don’t deserve Manik. That I deserve better. That he’s cruel, dangerous, unworthy of my love.
Blah, blah, blah…
They’ll look at me with pity, convinced I got the worst husband. That I need to be saved from him. But they don’t understand. They never will.
I curl up on the bed, pulling the blanket tighter around me. My mind is relentless. It keeps playing the same nightmare and numerous questions over and over.
Did he look for me? Or… does he hate me now?
Is he taking his medicine? Eating properly? Or is he just as broken as I am?
Bhai beat him to pulp. I saw it. Heard it. Felt it. I know it must’ve hurt him badly. Who’s taking care of him? Is he alone? Or is someone there for him?
A fresh wave of tears spills over, and this time, my body shakes from the sobs. But I don’t bother stopping them.
I just wish… I just wish he would come.
Even if it’s just to be angry, to yell at me, to demand why I left. Anything.
Separation is the cruelest punishment. And right now, that's all I have.
Then suddenly someone knocked on the door. I ignore it. But it doesn’t stop.
"Nanhi, open the door! It’s me, your Mamma. Bacha, please open the door!"
Mamma’s voice sound so desperate, her fists banging against the wood continuously. Is she okay?
I sigh, glancing at the clock. 12:30 AM. What is she doing here at this hour?
Forcing myself up, I grab the wall for support. My legs tremble beneath me, weak and unsteady. This is what I’ve become without him. Dragging my feet, I reach the door and unlock it.
She steps inside, pushing in a food trolley. The scent of fresh food fills the air. I sigh, already knowing why she’s here.
“Mamma… what do you want?” I asked.
She gives me a look before sitting on the bed, carefully placing my favorite dishes on a plate.
“Come and eat your food,” she says softly. “You haven’t eaten since evening. This isn’t good for you.”
I shake my head. “Mamma, I don’t want to eat. Please…”
Her face darkens. Her voice turns sharp as she says sternly. “Shut up, Nanhi. If not for yourself, at least think about the little soul growing inside you.”
I freeze and look away immediately not able to face her.
She stares at me, her eyes filled with something unreadable. “If you don’t want this baby, tell me clearly. I’ll get your….. abortion done.”
My breath hitches. How could she say something so ridiculous? My hand automatically went to my stomach, as if to shield my baby, the one thing keeping me grounded.
“What the hell are you saying, Mamma?” I whispered. My voice is sharp, disbelief laced in every word.
She glares right back. “Then what do you want me to say, huh?! Look at yourself, Nanhi! You barely eat, barely sleep. Your fever keeps coming back because your body is shutting down. The stress you’re carrying isn’t just hurting you, it’s hurting the baby too! Whatever little food you do eat, you throw up!”
Her voice shakes, but she doesn’t stop. “Do you want the whole world to find out you’re pregnant? Is that what you want?”
My throat tightens. My hands tremble. I open my mouth to speak. To say something or anything. But no words come out because she's right. I'm not taking care of myself even after knowing I'm pregnant.
She sighed heavily before guiding me to sit on the bed. She took my hands in hers, her touch gentle yet firm.
“Nandita, you have to take care of yourself. Not just for you, but for the little soul growing inside you,” she murmured, her voice filled with worry. “I know you’re missing your husband. I know you want him back more than anything. But tell me, how will you fight for him if you keep going on like this? How will you make your father and brother see the truth about your husband?”
I looked down, silently at my hand.
She cupped my face, making me meet her gaze. “If you want them to see how good your husband is, you need strength and for that, you need to eat.”
She picked up a spoonful of food and held it in front of me.
My throat tightened, but I forced myself to swallow a bite. The moment the food touched my tongue, tears welled up in my eyes, spilling over before I could stop them.
She sighed and pulled me into a hug, stroking my hair softly.
“I know it’s hard,” she whispered against my head. “But if you stay strong, you’ll get through this. You know how much your father and brother love you. If they truly see the kind of man Manik is, if they see how much he loves you then they will help you. They won’t stand in your way, beta. They will reunite you both so try to be happy.”
I let out a bitter chuckle against her shoulder.
“But how, Mamma?” I asked, my voice cracked as fresh tears rolled down my cheeks. “How can I be happy when the one person I want to share my pregnancy news with isn’t even here? I don’t know if he’s coming for me… if he’s okay… if he’s even eating properly.”
I sniffled, clinging to her saree like a child. “He needs me, Mamma and I’m not with him. What kind of terrible wife am I?”
She shook her head and tightened her embrace, pressing a kiss to my forehead. “No, Nandu, you’re not terrible. This situation is wrong.”
Her voice wavered slightly, but she held me close, trying to anchor me. “I don’t know what was in that parcel that made your father so angry. But you don’t need to worry. Once he sees Manik himself, sees how he takes care of you, how much he loves you, he will understand.”
I bit my lip, struggling to believe her words.
She pulled back and gently wiped my tears. “But for that, you have to step out of this room. You have to talk to Vikram ji.”
I hesitated for a long moment, then gave a small nod.
She smiled softly before feeding me the rest of my meal. Once I had eaten, she handed me my medicine and waited for me to take it. As I swallowed the pills, I noticed the way she was hesitating, her fingers nervously fidgeting with the edge of her saree.
My brows furrowed. “Mamma… do you want to say something?”
She looked up, almost startled, then gave a small nod. Taking my hand in hers, she exhaled deeply.
“Nandu… come out of your room tomorrow morning and talk to your father before your Bua arrives.”
My stomach twisted into knots, my gut screaming at me with a bad feeling. I blinked at her, confused at first. “Nia Bua? Papa is talking to her? Did he forgive her?”
She shook her head nervously and a cold chill ran down my spine. Something wasn’t right.
I stared at her for a long second before realization hit me like a punch to the gut. My eyes widened in horror as I realised whom she was talking about. I felt like I couldn’t breathe.
The walls of this room were start closing in, suffocating me. My chest felt heavy, like someone had placed a thousand bricks on it, pressing down until I couldn’t even take a full breath. My hands trembled as I held onto Mamma’s for support, my fingers ice-cold despite the fever that still burned inside me.
Why was she coming here? Why now?
Just when I thought things couldn’t get worse, fate decided to throw me straight into hell once again.
My legs felt weak, my body swaying slightly, but the fear inside me was stronger than any sickness. A sickening lump formed in my throat, making it hard to swallow. My mind was screaming, telling me to run, to hide, to do something or anything but my body refused to move.
She was coming. The one person who had spent years making sure I suffered like hell.
A woman who had made my life miserable, who had filled my father’s mind with poison against me time and time.
And now, she was coming back. No. No, I wouldn’t let her. I couldn’t let her.
Tears welled up in my eyes, but I blinked them back furiously. Crying wouldn’t change anything. It wouldn’t stop her from coming. It wouldn’t stop the nightmares from crawling back into my mind.
I squeezed my eyes shut, a painful sob shaking my entire being. "No," I whispered to myself. "No, I won’t let her. I won’t."
I shot up from the bed, ignoring the sharp pain that shot through my weak body. “No. No, no, no! I’m not staying here if she’s coming!”
Mamma stood quickly, grabbing my hand to stop me. “Nanhi, calm down—”
“No, Mamma!” I pulled my hand back as panic clawed at my chest. “She hates me! Why is she coming here? Does she know I’m here? What if she—what if she does what she did last time?!”
My breathing turned erratic. “What if she sends me to that mental asylum again? Or worse… what if she throws me out of the house?”
My voice cracked as I stumbled back, gripping my temples. “No… I won’t stay here! I can’t!”
She grabbed my shoulders and shook me hard. “Nandita, come to your senses!”
I froze, panting. My entire body trembled violently.
She held my face firmly, forcing me to look at her. “Bacha, listen to me. Nothing like that will happen, okay?”
She tried to soothe me, but I could hear the worry in her voice.
I shook my head, my breathing was still uneven. “Why is she coming, Mamma?”
She sighed, rubbing my arms gently. “I don’t know. That’s why I need you to be strong. I’ll support you, no matter what. But you know how she is.”
I swallowed hard. Of course, I knew.
My bua, Yashwani Rajput, was a living nightmare.
She was Papa’s elder sister and her words were like pathar ki lakir for him, unchangeable, unquestionable.
She never liked me. Not even as a child. She always looked for ways to belittle me, to hurt me, whether through her words or her actions.
And her son—Akshit. A disgusting, perverted bastard.
Since the time I was nine, every time Bua visited, Bhaiya would send me to Siddharth and Nishant’s house, just to keep me away from him. Because Akshit always found ways to touch me inappropriately. To whisper disgusting comments when no one was looking.
But we could never tell Papa about this because it would break our family apart. And now… Bhaiya wasn’t here to protect me. Siddharth and Nishant weren’t here to shield me.
What would happen to me this time? A shiver ran down my spine.
I swallowed the lump in my throat, gripping my hands into fists. “Is she coming here to make my life hell?” I whispered.
She stayed silent. Because we both knew it was true. I know she was scared too and that terrified me more than anything.
Because if even she wasn’t sure she could stop her… then who would? Who would protect me? Who would protect my baby? Baby? Yes my baby….
But the moment I thought about my baby, about the tiny life growing inside me, I felt my entire body tense up. I wrapped my arms around my stomach protectively, a sharp panic seizing my heart.
What if she found out? What if she did something? What if.... what if she convinced Papa to get rid of my baby?
A choked sob escaped my lips before I could stop it, my whole body shuddering as fresh tears spilled down my cheeks. I felt like I was drowning, like the ground beneath me was crumbling and I had nothing left to hold onto.
I’d already lost Manik. I couldn’t lose this baby too.
I clenched my fists, my nails digging into my palms. The thought of losing my child sent a rage through me, a fire that burned brighter than my fear. If they tried to take this baby from me… If they tried to take away the only part of Manik I had left… I wouldn’t hesitate. I would die before I let that happen.
“Mamma… if she does anything to my baby…. if she even tries…I swear on my life…” I looked her dead in the eyes. “I will kill myself without a second thought.”
Her eyes widened in horror and she whispered my name in disbelief. “Nandita!”
I took a shaky breath, my voice barely above a whisper now. “And then… you all will have to handle Manik’s wrath.”
She went pale as she knew that if anything happened to me or my baby, Manik wouldn’t stay silent. He would burn the whole world to ashes and this time, there would be no turning back.
She reached up and cupped my face, her warm palms cradling me as if she could shield me from the storm raging inside my chest. Her voice was gentle but firm, a quiet plea wrapped in love.
"Nandu, why are you getting scared, baby? Nothing will happen to you. Your father and brother will protect you from your Bua, don’t worry."
A bitter laugh forced its way out of my throat. Protect me? My body went rigid, my pulse roaring in my ears. Anger surged through my veins, burning away the fear for just a moment. I shoved her hands away, my breath coming out in sharp, uneven pants.
"How, Mamma? Like last time?" My voice cracked, and something inside me broke a little more. I felt the tears building behind my eyes, but I refused to let them fall. Not yet.
"I agree that Vidyut came into our lives because of me, but did I tell him to cause the Bhai and Bhabhi’s accident when Bhabhi was heavily pregnant? Did I?" I exclaimed, my voice rose, raw and shaking, my heart pounding so hard it hurt. "No, right? Then how am I responsible for it?"
She flinched, her lips parting slightly, but I didn’t give her a chance to speak. The dam had already broken.
"I was kidnapped because of bua. Because she threw me out without thinking about what would happen to me!" My nails dug into my palms, trying to ground myself, trying to stop the memories from suffocating me. "Vidyut kidnapped me because of her."
The moment I said it out loud, a wave of nausea crashed over me. My hands trembled violently as I forced the words out, each one slicing through me like a dagger.
"He torture me.." I swallowed, but my throat felt like sandpaper. My stomach twisted painfully, my body remembering everything even though my mind begged it to forget.
"He gave me a mark that will haunt me for the rest of my life. And the scars… the ones he left on me…" I shuddered, bile rising in my throat.
My skin burned with the memory of his touch, the pain, the helplessness. I wrapped my arms around myself as if that could keep me together, but I was already falling apart.
"I never even told Manik, Mamma. How could I?" I let out a broken sob, my chest heaving. "How could I tell him the condition Papa, Siddharth, and Nishant found me in?"
I could still see their faces in my nightmares, etched with horror, pain, helplessness or maybe in Disgust.
"I can’t… I can’t even look into their eyes sometimes. They saw me like that. They saw me naked, vulnerable, something no one should have to see. I—" My voice hitched as tears blurred my vision. "He… he almost…almost raped me."
The words barely made it past my lips, but once they were out, there was no taking them back. The room spun around me, the air suddenly too thick, too heavy. My hands clutched at my plazo, gripping it so tightly my knuckles turned white. I can still feel him. I can still hear him mocking me, calling my name.
My body convulsed, silent sobs wracking through me as the walls around me shattered into the past, into the dark room, the cold floor, his cruel laughter and his dirty touch.
Mamma's arms enveloped me, her grip tight and desperate. She rocked me gently, her body shaking as she cried with me.
"I know, Nandu… I know everything," she whispered, her voice breaking, her fingers stroking my hair in soft and soothing motions.
I clung to her like a lifeline, but the pain didn’t stop. The memories didn’t stop.
"I never told Papa the truth, Mamma," I sobbed. "I never told him that Bua was the one who threw me out. Because of her, I ended up almost getting raped. I kept quiet, thinking maybe she was just angry because Bhai and Bhabhi were in such a condition. But she blamed me for everything. She said I wanted to meet Vidyut, so I planned all of this."
I shook my head, hot tears spilling down my cheeks. "And Papa? He just let her say whatever she wanted. He didn’t stop her. He didn’t defend me..... I hate him!"
She pulled back slightly, cupping my face with both hands. "No, Nandu. That’s not true."
She wiped my tears, her own eyes red and swollen. "Your Papa didn’t say anything because at that moment, you were his priority. Not Di. Do you remember? He sent Di away immediately when she blamed you. He couldn’t stand anyone pointing fingers at you, and once he finds out what really happened, once he knows that Di was the reason you suffered—he won’t forgive her either. You know your Papa, don’t you?”
I shook my head in frustration. "Then tell me, Mamma. If Papa really loved me, why didn’t he say anything when Bua sent me to a mental asylum after Vidyut leaked those pictures? Why didn’t he stop her?"
My voice cracked again, my breath hitching as I forced out the words. "I just had a panic attack seeing those pictures, and she turned it into proof that I went mad! And Papa? He believed her. That’s his love for me?"
She shook her head, taking my hands in hers "No, Nandu. Your Papa didn’t believe her. He sent you away to protect you.”
I frowned, blinking away my tears.
"Think about it. When you were there, did you ever feel like you were in a mental hospital?"
My breath caught in my throat. No. I hadn’t. I blinked rapidly, my heart pounding in my chest wildly. My hands tightened in my lap as I thought back. My room… It was huge, luxurious. It had everything I needed, everything I loved. It was nothing like the actual hospital wards. I had my own space, away from the main building. Siddharth and Nishant were there with me. Every single day.
The doctors—they were never harsh. Never forceful. The nurses had treated me with kindness, not like a patient, but like someone precious. I had been terrified of that place, convinced I had been abandoned. But now, looking back… It wasn’t a punishment. My stomach dropped. I wasn’t in an asylum?
I clutched her hand tightly and asked. "I… I wasn’t in a real asylum, was I?"
Mamma smiled sadly, shaking her head. "No, baby. Your father would never let that happen to you." She stroked my hair. "He sent you there to keep you away from this toxic environment. He wanted to help you to heal, Nandu. You were suffering, and he did everything to make sure you got the best treatment. The best security. The best qualified doctors in the world. Everything was arranged for you.”
I felt my heart squeeze painfully in my chest. How could I have not seen it before? A choked sob escaped me as realization settled in. "I’m… I’m terrible, Mamma. I… I thought Papa also believed I was mad. I thought he left me there because he didn’t love me anymore."
I buried my face in her shoulder, sobbing uncontrollably. "I thought so wrong of him.”
She pulled me tightly into her arms, whispering against my hair, "No, Nandu. You’re not terrible. Anyone in your place would have thought the same.”
She held my face, forcing me to look at her. "But now you know the truth, don’t you? Now you know your Papa will always protect you.”
I nodded weakly.
"Then be my strong girl, hmm?" she whispered. "Sleep now and tomorrow morning, talk to your father. He’ll make everything right."
I swallowed the lump in my throat and nodded again. She helped me onto the bed, tucking me in as if I were a child again. She stroked my hair softly, humming under her breath, until my breathing evened out.
When she finally left, closing the door softly behind her, I opened my eyes. My fingers instinctively went to my stomach to my baby as I thought about bua.
I inhaled shakily, whispering into the darkness, "I won’t let anything happen to you, baby. No matter what. Until Papa comes back, I will protect you. No one will hurt you. I swear it."
As exhaustion pulled me under, my mind drifted back to the moment I found out I was pregnant.
