PLAYING YOU (#2)

CHAPTER THREE

Thank You so much for all of you for sending such warm and lovely brithday wishes. i am so sorry i have been super busy and hence i couldn't respond to them. But big hugs to all of you.

And here goes the next part which was long overdue. 

Hope you guys get a few of your answers.

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Manik entered his office premises and was gretted by all of his employees with flowers and warm wishes for his newly wedded life. He called in for a quick meeting in the central hall to thank everyone and left them with smiles, walking to his office.

Walking inside he saw a figure sitting on his chair and he quickly recognized the intruder. 

"Why are you here now?" Manik questioned simply not interested in the person's presence.

"Rude" Alya bent of the table infront of her putting her hands on the table.

"You shouldn't be here. People might get suspicious and my family will not probably like it." Manik reasoned looking around trying to avoid her piercing gaze. Well his morning was super sweet and awesome until now and he really didn't want to spoil his mood.

"Your family won't like it or your wife." Alya snapped back.

"Alya how many times have i told you not to drag her into this. Nothing's happening between us okay. I am with her until the papers are signed and then she hands all of her property to me." Manik replied anger visible in his voice but he was powerless.

"Fine fine i am not here to spoil your mood. I was just hoping we could go out for lunch just like old times." Alya spoke in her sugar coated voice trying to calm out the tension arising between them. Letting him slip from her hand wasn't the plan.

"I can't i just joined office and i can't just walk in and out." Manik replied.

"But baby-" Alya tried speaking but was interrupted by manik " I can't Alya i have work to do and also i promised dad that i will be early for dinner today. And i am trying to mend things with him here." 

"Fine whatever you say but just so you know i won't eat anything today then." Alya warned him pointing his freshly done acrylic nail towards him.

"Alya try and understand we can't just go around pushing our work under the bus." Manik tried making her understand.

"Either you take me to lunch or i starve. You decide." Alya gave him a final choice and walked out of the room leaving a frustrated and powerless Manik.

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The day and Nandini's office was filled with super packed up meetings and signing some previously due paperwork. Since the time Nandini had put her father back home , handling the entire company on her super solid shoulders she had started feeling like a queen rather than her dad's princess. A knock at her office door startled her from the paperwork she had drowned herself into.

"Can i come in?" cabir peeped throught the door and Nandini smiled at her best friend. This was all the reason she had been working hard. Her family. people that were important in her life.

"You don't ever have to ask me that." Nandini chuckled and cabir walked inside.

"I have to since you are the boss here." Cabir teased only to be snapped by an "Hey" from nandini.

"Okay i won't tease you but mind having lunch. It's already 3 p.m. you've been working since hours." cabir asked nandini and it made her realise about the meeting she was supposed to have with HIM in an hr.

"Oh shoot!! I haven't realised. I have to be somewhere." Nandini spoke in hurry collecting her items from the table.

"Hey hey hey powerpuff girl. Slow down there. Where are you going?" cabir asked holding ehr by her shoulders.

"There is someone that i have a meeting with." Nandini replied walking back to the door.

"Already going out on couple lunch dates. How cute." Cabir teased her.

"Cabir no." Nandini replied and walked out of her office sitting in the car that Manik had sent her thing morning.

"where to ma'am?" the driver asked.

"Umm can you take me to the Barbeque grill. two blocks from here" Nandini replied.

"Sure ma'am" the driver drove the car to the destination and nandini constantly checked her cellphone. If they don't get a traffic and everything goes fine she'll be there 10 minutes before.

A message popped up on her phone :

I am here 

          - Duffer

 Will be there soon

        - Nandini

Putting her cell phone back Nandini thought about what Manik must be doing right now. Will he be working or hatching a plan against her.

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On the other hand at some fancy restraunt Manik couldn't help but cringe at Alya's choice of materialistic things over anything normal and sweet. The way she always thought and talked about herself, her problems which mainly comprised of soem jwellery, any sort of stupid designer dress that she couldn't dress and so on. He so wished to just walk out of the place leaving her alone to blabber to herself.

 But alas he couldn't.

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Nandini reached at the grill and thanked her driver. Walking in the beautifully lit place she greeted the sweet girl at the counter.

"hey Jasmine" 

"Hey Nanz long time no see girl. where have you been?" Jasmine asked in excitement.

"Nothing just work and family as always." nandini chuckled at her schoolmate's excietement.

"I heard you got married? How is he?" Jasmine threw questions at her like a ball machine.

"Yes i did. And he is a charming husband.Umm hey Jasmine" Nandini asked.

"Yup you want something to eat. I am sorry i got so excited that i forgot to take your order." Jasmine slapped a hand on her forehead crusing at herself.

"I will but later for now can i use your back door." Nandini asked with glinceneing eyes. i always worked though.

"Umm ya sure. " jasmine replied not knowing what was actually happening.

"Thanks" Nandini gave her friend a quick hug and left through the back door. Infront of her was an old building and she ran up the stairs to the top of the roof. 

Standing at the door she admired the shadow infront of her. Someone who was really close to her heart.

"Always punctual as always"The man spoke without turning back.

"as if you are never the most punctual one" Nandini chuckled walking and standing beside him.

The man turned around and giver a tight hug at which nandini melted in his arms like a puddle. Slowly and steadily tears started streaming down her pretty face and the only sound around them were of her sobs. The guy kept rubbing her back shusshing at her.

After a good 10 minutes of silence they pulled apart.

"You okay?" the guy asked.

"Guess i needed that." nandini replied wiping away the left over tears "I missed you Zeke" 

"I missed you too Nandini and i am so sorry for whatever that has been happening to you."Zeke spoke with pure sincerity. "I never wanted you to go through what i did." 

"I know but i am glad i heard what i needed to and now we have to do what we have to do" nandini spoke looking at the scenery below her.

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This is most probably a filler for the story and by end you might have had some hints here but for knowing the full plot and answers you have to read the next part.

And i haven't explained the little lunch date between Alya and Manik beacuse

1. It wasn't important.

2. I assumed not many of you guys would be interested in that.

But if you want to know i can write it as a bonus chapter at the very end. Just the date scene.