“Nandini!” I shouted as she fainted and heard Trilok laughing. “I will use this fear of hers to make her give statement in my favor and will torture her, her whole life,” he said and I laid Nandu on the bed who was unconscious on my shoulder and stood up and went to him. “Who are you to torture her or give her pain? No creature on earth has any right to hurt others then who are you? I won’t let you win, good wins over bad and same will happen,” I said holding his collars. He jerked my hands from his collars. “Awww so much love? Tch tch tch, don’t love so much, maybe this love will make you helpless one day,” he said and eyed Nandini lustily.
“Don’t you dare! Don’t you dare even look at my wife, get lost!,” I said and pushed him out calling security asking them to throw him out. “I will come back, I will get her back,” he said. “She’s mine, she was never yours,” I shouted back and shut the door. I went to the jug and took some water in my hand and splashed it on her face. She squeezed her eyes and shook her head and suddenly sat up with a jolt. “No, please no,” she said and I rubbed her back. She looked at me and calmed down. “Manik, he came here right? Is he still here?,” she asked and started sweating.
“He won’t come, I am here,” I assured her and the door opened. “Nandu,” said a voice and it was her mother. “Mumma,” said Nandini with joy as she came and hugged her. “Mumma, that Trilok, he came here,” she told her. “Oh, are you ok?,” she asked her. She nodded in positive. She kissed her forehead. “Don’t ever torture yourself again, what condition have you made of yourself?,” she asked scoldingly. “Aunty, I already scolded her a lot, so that isn’t needed,” I said and she looked at me. “Beta you are here then I am not tensed for my daughter, but she’s so sensitive, even I did so much bad to her,” she said. “No aunty, forget it,” I said. “It’s past.”
I saw Nandini lost somewhere. “Hey cutie pie, why don’t you sleep? You need rest,” I said and she kept her head on my shoulder. “How can I sleep? That monster will come again to my dreams too,” she said. “No, he won’t, I will come to kiss you to wake up from the bad dream,” I said and saw her smile. Her head slid down to my lap and I saw she was asleep. Though I acted all strong, I wasn’t strong, I can’t handle her getting hurt, she’s my life. My love. I moved her hair from her face and kissed her forehead. “Sorry I won’t go by your side ever, I should’ve been careful,” I said in tears.
I laid her properly and slept holding her hand. Later at morning, I saw Nandini wasn’t on the bed, I got scared and looked for her everywhere. My eyes went on the chit on the bedside table. I went to pick it and unfolded it with trembling hands. “I have taken your Nandini with me, once again I will make her mine, Trilok,” the chit fell from my hand and beads of sweat started forming on my face. He’s giving her mental relapse. I started crying. “Manik, sir won’t come right?,” her words echoed in my ears. “God please help me,” I prayed and ran outside the hospital in my car and sat inside driving off to Trilok’s house after asking his address from Nandini’s mother.