The Wedding Investigation

Chapter Three

CHAPTER THREE | A CHALLENGE

'To be the best, you must learn to handle the worst.'

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"Sorry, what?" Manik perfectly heard what she said the first time but he still raised an eyebrow, swallowed the last bite of his pastry and asked.

"I need you to leave," Nandini repeated.

Manik smiled. "You don't need, Miss Murthy, you want. There's a difference."

Nandini's eyes widened at the audacity of the man in front of her. She crossed her arms over her chest, trying not to scream despite having every reason to.

Breathe. Just breathe.

"Alright. I will rephrase. I want you to leave," she said. "And if you don't want to be thrown out by the guards, it is exactly what you will do as well."

"I happen to know that this wedding is the stepping stone to your career, and you wouldn't spoil it by creating a scene and calling the guards. Would you?" Manik questioned, his lips curving in a smirk.

Nandini rolled her eyes. "Well, no thanks for your concern cause Alya's happiness matters more. And I sure as hell won't let her asshole of an ex cause trouble on her engagement day." She noticed Miss Marie looking at her from across the room and immediately softened her expression, afraid of losing the interview.

Manik followed her gaze and grinned. "Liar! Your career matters more. Besides, you know about Alya and my past but for all you know, we might have sorted our differences and she might have invited me or I might just be a fashion journalist," he suggested.

Nandini shook her head and muttered, "So you are a journalist, fine."

He grinned again. "Nope."

"But you said you are!" Nandini whined, raising her voice. A few people turned to look at her and she quickly softened her expressions the second time in two minutes. This man sure knew how to test someone's patience.

Manik bit his lips and smirked, annoying her furthermore. "I never said I am, Miss Murthy. I said I might be."

Nandini exhaled, wishing she could just punch him and throw him out. But if she did that, it would become a headline. There were a lot of reporters in the party and Alya's wedding was supposed to be on the front page for it's exclusiveness, not because a murder was committed.

"Look, you can't just walk in here and ruin Alya's wedding after you broke her heart." Nandini explained calmly. She really couldn't afford to make a scene and she had promised to be polite.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa. Hold on. I'm not going to break her heart." He shrieked. "I've never wished her ill and I never will."

Nandini had to hold her right arm down to avoid pulling her hair out. Or his, for that matter. She decided to try a different approach.

"What did you do to your hair?" She questioned.

"You repeat your questions a lot, Miss Murthy."

"That's cause you don't answer them, Malhotra." Her reply was instant.

Manik smiled, finally taking pity on her. He answered, "Dyed it, of course. I know a hair stylist, she uses these temporary sprays and in whichever shade you need. No ammonia, no smell. She's really good. You should try it."

"Thank you but I'll pass. Why would someone want to go from black to blonde bites me!" Nandini muttered, forgetting who she was babbling to.

Manik nodded. He grabbed his drink from the waiter and took a sip before replying, "I don't like it either but I couldn't let anyone recognize me, you know?"