"Nandini belongs to me. She belongs to Lucifer," Manik whispered, taking a sip of his beer.
"She will never be yours, Manik. You killed her fiancé," Cabir shouted, his voice filled with anger.
Manik pulled out a gun from his pocket, pointing it at C...
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"I doubt, we can save Manik this time," Mukti lamented. "We don't even know where the cops are keeping him? Aryaman will undoubtedly testify against him tomorrow."
Cabir took a puff from his cigarette, a sly smile on his lips.
"I'm not worried about Aryaman speaking against Manik," he retorted. We will force him to change the statement, just as we did with Nandani months ago. What really worries me is whether Manik will admit to his crime."
Abhimanyu chimed in. "Have you not seen how much the doctor loves Nandani?" he asked. "He was willing to sacrifice everything, even his own life, for her. It's highly unlikely he'll change his statement. And as for Manik, he's not a fool. He won't dig his own grave!"
"Well, Aryaman's vulnerability lies in his younger sister, Soha Khurrana who is a student in Lancaster," Cabir sneered. "Our men broke into her house and has held her captive. Now, all we must do is patiently await Aryaman's discharge from the hospital. Once he returns home, we'll compel him to change his statement."
"But Aryaman will be discharged tomorrow morning, and a court hearing is scheduled for 1 p.m. We must act quickly. Just a single testimony from him could destroy Manik's life," Mukti rasped.
"Just a few hours ago, while watching the news, I noticed a striking headline on every channel: 'Public Demands Death Penalty for Lucifer'," Adam added. "We will have a hard time getting Manik released."
"I couldn't agree more, Adam," Abhimanyu said. "Even if we manage to get Manik released, the entire nation will erupt into chaos. The public is seething with anger, boldly speaking against 'The Manik Malhotra' after Nandani's demise. They got the balls!"
"You know, deep down, I knew that this Nandani would bring nothing but ruin to Manik's life. I warned him time and time again. If only he had heeded my advice even once, the circumstances today would be different," Mukti raged.
Cabir was quietly listening to what they were saying. He remained deafeningly silent.
☽༓☾
Aryaman was discharged from the hospital the following morning. His heart was heavy with grief. The police escorted him back to his house. A hundred cops were stationed around his bungalow.
"Please don't cry, bud. I understand the depths of your pain. I know you loved Nandani immensely," Damon whispered, comforting Aryaman with a gentle rub on his back.
"He...he killed my beloved Nandani right before my very eyes, and I couldn't do anything," Aryaman's voice quivered. "I couldn't save her. I couldn't save her from that beast."
"Don't blame yourself. It's not your fault. You put your life at risk to protect her." Damon spoke softly. "Your love for Nandani is immeasurable. Lucifer will face the consequences of his actions. Lawyers, the public, and the media are united. They demand death penalty for Lucifer."
