NEVER IN A FOREVER (Manan)

51

Nandini

Before I could fall, Manik was behind me, his arm wrapped around me holding me steadily.

“What the hell was that?” I jumped hearing the voice from the main entrance. Maa and Papa. Shit. Dhruv too. Damn, this is going to be a big scene now.

“What is happening here?” Papa walked to me, his steps fast and angry and he removed my palm from my cheek, making me hiss.

He shut his eyes with a sigh before maa walked towards me and took me in her arms, hugging me tightly. I cried. I cried again, but I can’t hold it anymore.

I wrapped my hands around her and hugged her back as tight as I could and started crying.

“Shh Nandu, calm down” She said softly but I could feel how stiff she was. I don’t know if she was holding back or anything but she was tense at that moment.

“How dare you raise your hand on my wife?” Manik’s yell made me flinch. Maa just tightened her hold on me, turning me in a way that I couldn't see what was happening there.

“She is our daughter” Dad argued but Papa took a step forward and he shut up.

“She was never your daughter Mr.Murthy, she is our daughter and my son’s wife now and you have no right to raise your hand on my daughter” papa didn’t raise his voice at all but it felt so cold that I shivered, despite crying.

“Is this what you wanted, Nandini? Now you are really making us look like villains in front of your in-laws” My mom spatted hatefully.

Why mom? Why are you doing this to me?

“She didn’t make you look like villains, you are actually villains in her life” Maa spoke and I turned numb. The bitter truth.

“What?” My mom acted innocent.

“Drop with your act Priya, I know how you’ve been treating her. She is no more minor or Murthy anymore, She is a malhotra now, Manik Malhotra’s wife. How dare you raise your hand on our pride huh? This single act would have cost you everything that you and your husband have been earning from scratch” Maa broke the hug and took a step forward while Manik stood in front of me, hiding me from my own parents.

“We are the one who gave you the so-called pride Nyonika” Mom didn’t back down.

“Sorry to pop your bubble, but no, my son wanted to marry her and if not for Nandini, we wouldn’t have even turned our faces to you and I’m glad he liked her. We got a beautiful soul in our lives and saw your real faces” Maa was speaking so clearly and confidently that you can’t help but give all your attention to her, no wonder she is a business woman.

“The one you are calling a beautiful soul is a damn curse” my mother’s words made me cry all over again. I clutched Manik’s shirt from behind, not understanding how this even started.

“You have no right to speak about my wife like this and if I ever hear you curse her again Mr. and Mrs. Murthy, I’m getting restraining orders against you guys and announcing this publicly on how you treat your daughter” Manik threatened them and my eyes widened.

“I can make you guys pay for raising your hand on a Malhotra right now at this damn moment” Papa didn't back down either.

“Even if she didn’t get married to Manik, you have no right to raise your hand over a kid, mainly a girl and she is a major, she could herself put you behind the bars for the mental abuse you are making her go through” Maa said seriously.

“You were saying that my wife didn’t said that my hand got wounded right? Flash news Murthys, your daughter got hurt because of me and my anger issues and it’s not even three days that we got married and you as her parents are more worried that your attendance didn’t get marked here but you didn’t even asked how your daughter is doing” Manik shook his head in disbelief, his voice was calm but it was laced with anger, as if he is holding himself back.

He slowly removed my hands from his shirt and walked to dad, glaring straight into his eyes and spoke with a venom filled voice.

“The only reason I’m not raising my hand back on you for hitting my wife is you are older than me and you are the reason I got married to her, but if this repeats again, if you guys even raise your voice slightest at her, I’m not going to hold back, I’ll drag you on roads with zero penny, put cases on you and make sure you get struck in illegal cases and never get out of jail” Manik’s voice made me shiver in real.

He is getting so protective and possessive about me that my stomach is having butterflies, despite the worst situation I can ever face.

“The only time you can meet her is when she has a Malhotra around her, and you have to attend public functions and show fake concern or whatever it is, but if I ever find that she is hurt because of you guys again, we are going to sue you” to my absolute shock, it was Dhruv.

“Now leave and never come back until you are invited to and she is never stepping in Murthy’s mansion again” Maa said, showing her hand towards the entrance, asking my parents to leave.

They looked at her for a moment before looking at Dhruv, Manik and papa and walked away and never looked back.

And when they left without saying anything and didn’t even turn back, I felt dead. I lost my parents forever. I hope I don’t lose my brother too.

My knees felt so weak at that moment and I can’t even hold myself and slipped on the ground on my knees as a fresh stream of tears made their way out.

I was orphaned before but I didn't feel abandoned now. The tears came with a feel of freedom and light heart