MaNan: Breaking Free

33|The Unexpected

Nyonika's POV

2 hours.

It's been 2 freaking hours since the bodyguard went inside Nandini's room. What the hell are they even doing in there. I have a very strong desire to barge into my precious daughter's room and scream my lungs out at her and also fire that goddamn bodyguard. But what would that yield?

Absolutely nothing.

And I never do anything without causing consequences. Ever.

"Call Jenny." I order the maid who is giving me a manicure. She nods and leaves. I close my eyes and lean back into my chair, a million thoughts crashing against the walls of my skull.

What is actually going on between Nandini and..that guy...Manik? How far have they gone with each other?

The maid returns, breaking my chain of thoughts and quietly bends down next to me. "Jenny will be here shortly, ma'am."

Seconds turn into minutes and minutes into hours. When Jenny finally decides to show up, it's been an hour since I sent for her and I am fuming.

"You called?" She asks casually.

"Yes, about an hour ago." I glare at her. She seems unfazed.

"Oh, I kept you waiting! My bad." She gives me a sweet smile. "I was busy with important stuff." She settles down on the sofa.

"Important stuff!" I bark out a laugh. "Like what? Cracking million dollar deals?"

"No, just watering my plants."

The nerve of this woman!

"How dare you? Nyonika Singhania does not take anyone's rubbish." I snarl at her.

"Nyonika Singhania! Huh." She laughs. She really laughs at me. "Sorry. I just remembered you saying the same thing to me some years ago, except, you said Nyonika Murthy that time." She rubs her hands together and looks at me gleefully. "Do you even remember what surname you were born with? I wouldn't if I were you." Her taunt stings every nerve of my body.

"SHUT UP! If you want to live, don't ever say all that to me again woman." I get up and grab her arm tightly, piercing my nails into her wrinkled skin. She flinches and I tighten my grip on her.

"I repeat, nobody messes with Nyonika Singhania." I whisper menacingly, looking straight into her old eyes.

"You will always be Nyonika Singh to me, the girl who ran away from her middle class parents because she was hungry for power and money." She snarls back, her eyes shining with anger and disgust, just like they always do while looking at me. But I don't care.

"I said shut up. You are nothing but a petty, useless nanny." I wish I could burn her with the fire in my eyes.

"And who are you?" She yells back. "A hollow, worthless parasite who latches on to people for money." I am taken aback by the sudden venom in her voice and my grip on her loosens. She grabs the chance and pushes me back.

"This verbal spat is not taking either of us anywhere tonight. So let's just stop. Why did you call me?" She settles down on the sofa again.

"What is going on between Nandini and the bodyguard?" There is no point in having a screaming match, I realise. Jenny closes her eyes for a minute and when they open again, they carry loathing and fury of such intensity that I look away.

"Listen to me, Nyonika." Jenny gets up and whispers in an eerily calm voice. "Whatever is going on between Manik and Nandini is none of your rotting business. You've done enough damage. Now leave. Nandini. Alone." With a final seething look at me, she leaves.