You brought me sunshine when I only felt rain,
You brought me laughter when I only felt pain.~
Nandini and Manik had an eyelock as they fell on the floor. He eyed her beautiful face for couple of minutes, his arm was wrapped around her waist whereas her hand fisted his shirt. He moved the hair from her face and she closed her eyes feeling his touch. He thought of how Shivani was always just wanting to do shopping and how he never felt the same with Shivani as he feels for Nandini, even though he married Shivani, he never loved her but as Nandini entered his life, she became a blessing from which everyone turned away their face.

Sapna jahan dastak na de
Chaukhat thi woh aankhein meri
Baaton se thi tadaad mein
Khamoshiyan zyaada meri
Jabse pade tere kadam
Chalne lagi duniya meri
Mere dil mein jagah Khuda ki khaali thi
Dekha wahan pe aaj tera chehra hai
Main bhatakta huaa sa ek baadal hoon
Jo tere aasmaan pe aake thehra hai
She named her whole life for him while he betrayed her. He caressed her hair and kissed her forehead but as she realized the situation, she pushed him away and stood up from the floor. ‘Do you have any other work besides romance? I want to change my clothes my dear. When I m back, I want to do shopping with you,’ she said smiling at him boldly posing as Shivani and traced his jawline kissing his cheek and went to washroom taking her clothes sighing in relief. ‘I know you’re Nandini and not Shivani, but I wonder where’s Shivani,’ he said to himself.

Shivani woke up in the cell as she went unconscious after she got beaten up and sat up by difficulty. ‘Mom, Manik, take me from here, dum ghut’ta hai mera yahan par,’ (I feel suffocated here) she murmured and started crying and was soon grabbed by the monsters in the jail and was made to stand on the floor. She tried hard to get free of their grip but they were too strong. A woman watched all this from the cell adjacent to hers who was least interested in torturing others because being there was the biggest torture ever.

She got out of the cell and came in Shivani’s cell eying her. ‘What are you doing to her? Leave her. She’s Nandini. I know her, she can’t even think of murder and all,’ said the woman. ‘But who are you? I have..,’ Shivani said but stopped seeing the pleading look on her face. ‘Leave her and let me handle her,’ said the woman and they left Shivani and the woman went to her. ‘Who are you?’ Shivani asked. ‘Nandini its me, Ishita Bhalla, remember the social worker who saved you that night? Don’t worry I will get you out of here,’ she said.

‘Oh so you’re the one who saved Nandini that night, ab to tumhari maut nischit hai,’ (now your death is necessary) Shivani said and reached her hands out to throttle her and kept on pressing her hands on her neck making her short on breathe and Ishita gasped for air. She was shocked on her act and the monsters once again came and grabbed her pulling her away from Ishita as she eyed her in a shock. No, this can’t be Nandini, Ishita thought to herself exiting her cell going in her cell.

She stood pressing her back hard against the wall of her cell and slid down till she reached the floor. She eyed Shivani for a while and recalled Nandini’s words. ‘Di, they’ve trapped me to save my lookalike Shivani, I haven’t done anything. I don’t even know where is chachi and Rishu and if they’re fine or not, aunty I want to know about them.’ Ishita was deep in thoughts and just then everyone were called outside to have food. She stood up and went outside with her eyes still on Shivani, she collided with one of the monstrous lady.

‘Aey, dekh kar chalna nahi ata kya? Bari aai usay bachanay chali thi, hogai teri pungi, mahaan kahin ki,’ (hey! Can’t you watch where you go? You came to save her right? But she shot at you only, really great you are) said the lady and Ishita sat on a table to eat alone. Even she had got someone else’s crime on her head, well not a crime but a mistake. Her daughter Pihu had mistakenly pushed her bua’s daughter Ananya from the stairs and so she took the blame on her head to protect her kid. Shivani came.
She sat on the same table with Ishita and ate without talking. ‘If I m not wrong then you’re actually Shivani right?’ she asked and Shivani nodded in positive. ‘Oh, why did you trap Nandini to hide your crimes?’ she asked while eating. ‘None of your business lady, don’t forget you belong to the same prison like me. If I am a criminal then you’re also a criminal, did I ask you what’s your crime? Be in your limits,’ Shivani said enraged and suddenly she felt something lingering on her arm, she screamed seeing the cockroach and stood up, Ishita looked on while the others laughed.
Nandini came out of the washroom dressed as Shivani and saw Manik sitting on the bed. She wore a black crop top and skinny jeans. ‘Why aren’t you ready yet?’ she asked creasing her eyebrows and walked to him. She held his wrist trying to make him stand but he pulled her instead by which she fell in his lap and they had an eyelock. ‘For the last time, stop acting like Shivani, you’re not Shivani, you’re my beloved sweet Nandini.’

She sighed and slapped him hard. ‘You spoiled my mood, its the limit now, come I will make you meet your Nandini, come,’ she said standing up from his lap and pulled him out of the room. He didn’t protest as he didn’t want anyone to know what he knew. They went out of the mansion and sat in their car. ‘Nandini, no, don’t go there, why don’t you understand that whatever I did was for your benefit. I saved you because..,’ he was cut in between. ‘Shut up! Yes I m Nandini so what? You get happy by calling me Nandini right? Its OK.’
‘Tum hogi Shivani dunia k saamne, lekin tum Nandini ho mujhe pata hai, mera dil tumko har roop mein pehchanta hai, yeh log bekhabar hain par mera dil jaanta hai k Nandini, tum mere pas ho or meri humsafar ho,’ (you maybe Shivani in front of the world but I know you’re Nandini, my heart can identify you in every attire, these people are unknown to this fact but you’re Nandini, I know, you’re with me and you’re my soulmate) Manik said and she turned to him and held his collars shaking him violently. ‘Kyun mujhe sata rahay ho uske naam se? Kyun? Tumko main nahi chhorungi. Chhorungi nahi tumhe main,’ (why are you irritating me by her name? Why? I wont leave you) she said angrily slapping him hard. He held her arms pulling him a little close. ‘Tumhari thappar bhi insaan ko Kashmir pohncha sakti hai,’ (your slap can also make a person reach Kashmir) Manik said and laughed.
She jerked his hands in confusion. ‘Kashmir? What’s that?’ she asked creasing her eyebrows. ‘Heaven,’ he replied laughingly and she turned her face away and started driving the car. ‘Where are we going?’ he asked as she drove away. ‘You wanted to meet Nandini, right?’ she asked. ‘Nandini is in front of me,’ he said and she completely ignored him. They reached the police station and she hesitated before going inside but Manik held her hand and she looked at him. ‘Nandini chalo andar, main tumhe kuchh nahi honay doonga, asli gunehgaar to andar band hai na? Phir kyun darr rahi ho? Aao chalo,’ (Nandini let’s go inside, I won’t let anything happen to you, the real culprit is locked inside right? Then why are you scared? Come let’s go) he said and they walked inside together.