Chapter 2

 At night,

Nandini is sleeping on her side, but Manik is wide awake. He is looking at Nandini, sitting on the bed taking support from head post. He is staring at her and thinking: "Nandini, you have to struggle and work so much to complete our day-to-day necessities, I don't know how will you react when you get to know that I am the son of the country' s one of the richest men ".

Flashback Start :

I am Manik Mittal, My family consists of my parents and one elder brother Dhruv Mittal. My grandmother lives in a village in our ancestor's home. I have everything in my life money, status, power every luxury except one thing love. My parents are always busy with business and parties. My brother and I were brought up by caretakers. My elder brother is also like them he also remains busy in business and parties, but I am not like him that's why my father doesn't like me much. I don't want to become machine-like those who just do everything for society and money. I spend the most time with my friends playing music, partying in a club, and drinking, in short, enjoying my life, but I am not happy because deep in my heart I am craving for love which I never get. Then a girl enter into my life Alya Sharma, I thought she will give me the love that I always crave. We are the most popular couple in college, she is our family friend's daughter.

We are happy with each other and tell about our affair with our parents, which drops the bomb that Dhruv and Alya's marriage has been fixed since childhood as a business deal. I fight for our love, I begged my parents, her parents but nobody listen to me. Finally, I asked Alya to get married secretly, but she refused. Her words still rang in my head: "Manik, I love you but only love is not enough for the future. You have no future, you rely on your father and brother for money and as your wife, I will never get the respect that I deserve.No matter how much you deny, money is important ".She breaks my heart for money and finally, I left the house to start a new journey.

After I left my house , I called my all so-called friends but nobody help me, everyone ignored me some directly, some indirectly.

I spend two days on street, without eating anything. And finally, I met my savior Ram Murthy, Nandini's father who saved me when I was going to hit by the car. He saved me and took me to his home. The first time I saw Nandini when was she brought water for her father and for me. Her father asked me, who am I . I don't want to reveal my identity so, I told them I am an orphan and searching for a job. His house was small but his heart was too big, he helped me to get a job as mechanic and arranged my living with Cabir, his neighbor. Cabir is my best friend now, he is an amazing guy and married to Navya who is also sweet and kind-hearted just like Nandini.

My days passed well, Nandini always brought food for me and Cabir. By her look, I knew she had started liking me but now I don't believe in love. So,I don't want to give her any false hope ,I cant love anyone after Alya's betrayal and started keeping distance from Nandini, but testing wants something else.

I am happy in my life, I have Ram uncle and Cabir, who love me not because of my money or surname but because of the person I am. But happiness doesn't live longer, as one day while returning from the garage, Ram uncle saved me from the truck and himself come under the truck.

We had taken him to the hospital, but Doctor told us they cannot save him, Ram uncle know about his situation, he on his death bed request me to marry Nandini as she had no one after him, he will be at ease if I will marry her because I am the only person he can trust with Nandini after Cabir. I was to refuse, as I could not love her ever and I don't want to trap her in a loveless marriage but when I saw hope in his eyes, I could not refuse him and marry Nandini on the same day. And finally, Ram uncle leave the world happily after giving his blessing to me and Nandini after our marriage. At that time, I promised myself I will always protect Nandini, maybe I will never love her but I will always protect her and fulfill all her dreams.

Flashback end 

Manik comes out of his trance when Nandini moves in her sleep, he strokes her hair so, her sleep will not get disturbed. After some time, he again goes to memory lane and remembers how they consummate their marriage.