Chapter 65

Nandini got ready in a cute top and skirt. She could only manage those with her still wrapped up hand. It was really early in the morning and she planned to sneaked out without Manik noticing her.

She was almost successful as she made no sound till sje came to the door. She was about to hold the handle to open the door when a voice froze her.

"U claim to be a brave girl but you are sneaking out just like a thief."

She turned around fiercely, "Excuse me! I can very well just get out of here. I don't need to act like a thief."

"It didn't look like that. Where are you going?" Manik said unfolding his legs and sit straight on the couch.

"My shop."

"I think I told you to not go anywhere near heat and not to work. Then why are you going please explain it now!"

"That's exactly why I was going to sneak out. In one sentence he is saying please and ordering me simultaneously." Nandini murmured lowly.

"If you are saying something then say it clearly."

"In two days, you are going to have the party. You didn't let me work on anymore new flavors but at least I have to teach my workers how to make those few new ones."

"Can't they just do it with the recipe?"

"They can but it won't go anywhere where I wanted it to be."

"You can just video call."

"Manik, don't be stubborn! I need to go and instruct them. I will take care of myself, don't worry."

"Alright if you insist." Manik said and Nandini blinked.

"You..... agreed?"

"Yes, because I know you are not going to stop and it's not good to keep a woman who means business away from her shop, isn't it?"

"Umm.. Yes, I guess." Nandini frowned not having any answer.

"Good, driver is waiting for you outside. Have a good day at work."

"You, too."

Nandini still couldn't believe that he let her get away. 'Maybe finally he got his wit back. I am not some prisoner and now even my hand is a bit okay.' Nandini thought.

"Ah, finally I will be going back to my baby!"

Hayat woke up from her sleep when she felt a bit cold. "Why it's so cold?" she murmured and opened her eyes slowly. Her eyes roamed around the room and she knew exactly why.

Murat was not in bed in fact his place is close to become cold. The clock showed its seven in the morning. Hayat yawned and got up from her bed.

After her finishing her business in the washroom she was going to make breakfast for them as she thought Murat, probably gone for jogging.

But before she could do anything the door opened and Murat came in with a proper English breakfast.

"Good Morning, sweetheart." Murat said and chirped, putting the tray on a small table. She felt odd as Murat and chirpy can not stay in a single sentence.

"What’s wrong?" Murat asked when she didn't reply. He went close to her and pulled her close.

"Why are you not saying anything?"

"Err nothing. Actually I just woke up and my mind is not working properly. So, Good morning. I see you made breakfast."

"Always you make breakfast for us so I thought why not surprise you today. After all today is a big day."

"That's so sweet of you. Let's eat, we need to go and check everything for the last time."

It's been only few days when they both decided to forget every bad memories. From then they started to behave normal. They would cook together, feed each other, talk about their days and work, would watch a movie under a blanket sitting cozily, occasional kisses here and there and that's it.

They started to behave like husband and wife except the intimacy. The tension between them became very evident sometimes but they both choose to ignore it. They were behaving like sweet innocent teenage lovers.

After breakfast they both got ready and went to the office together. Everyone was running around with package, boxes, etc. Hayat still can't believe they finished their biggest project. In an hour, they need to fill 3 trucks with their boxes.

"Did you count the boxes?" Hayat asked her manager.

"Yes, mam. 40 packets to each in 200 boxes."

"Gather people and start loading. We will miss the ship if we don't start in an hour."

"Yes, Mam." Manager started to bark orders and Hayat started to check the boxes. Sealed boxes with tracker on them. No one knew that she put tracker on her boxes. Stolen trucks were very common and she never want to face the loss it would occur.

Hayat hummed in satisfaction and saw the workers loading the trucks. They could start early with the speed everything was working out.

Hayat felt she completed her dream, her working place were never this busy. She felt her eyes watering. She blinked hard, it was not time to be emotional. She knew it's not the end. The ship will reach to it's destination in two days till then anything can happen and she can't relax.

In this she failed to notice his gaze on her. He was standing there watching her dreams to come true. He pulled her close to him by her shoulder and she rested her head on his shoulder.

"We are going to tail them till they reach to the shipyard."

"Really?"

"Yes, it's your first overseas delivery so we will."

"Okay." Hayat smiled cutely and he smiled back.

Angela shook her head with a smile, "He is spoiling her."

"No no no. First mix that baking powder with a bit of salt and flour. The whole taste will change if we mix them directly in the mixture."

"Are you wrestling here? Desert is delicate and you need to make them delicately or else it will be as hard as a stone!"

"You left the sugar syrup on the gas! Why the heck I kept you in my shop!"

"Did the pictures show you that I plated my desert like this? Everything running hete and there!"

"We always makes suger free or diet sugar deserts. Who the hell brought the normal one?!"

Nandini was dead tired. She didn't did anything only sat on the chair and literally barking. She thought she has a very capable team but she didn't came to the shop for few days and everything was a mess.

As if Manik's soul entered in her body and she was feeling like firing everyone. But she didn't have much time so she had to deal with her not so capable team.

"Listen, you must be panicking but don't panick. This party is very important. If we are successful in this party then we are going to have many VIP customers. Our business is going to flow like never before. So calm your nerves, clear your mind and focus."

Seems like Manik's soul left her on her own. Nandini tried to relax but there was too much going on. She was feeling hot and thirsty. She clearly failed to take care of her.

"Not like that. We don't want three colors to mix. Let me show you." she took the three edible color bottles, "You need to devide the bowl into three parts in your mind or think about a big 'Y'. Now put these three colors into three parts." she put the colors and took a small spoon.

"Now mix each color slowly so that they don't get out of their range and mix with others."

Nandini was showing her workers how to do this and that but when she tried to open an oven to bring out a cake, a hand stopped her.

Nandini slowly turned around and saw Manik looking at her blankly. 'I will take care of myself, don't worry' Manik mimicked her words and glared.

"This is how you take care? You are sweating and you are opening a oven too."

"Manik, I am fine, I kept my hand safe...." She trailed of as she saw the colors on her bandage.

"I know you are not done yet, so, do as I say or else you will be going back to the house." he didn't need to say anything else as she did exactly what he was saying.

She sat on her chair again. Manik, brought a small battery fan for her and gave her cold orange juice. Nandini was really thirsty so she drank it in one go. Later she realized Manik was staring at her, disappointed. She gave him a meek smile and tried to focus on her workers.

She instructed what to do and what not to. Manik kept feeding her fruits, salad, food much to Nandini's irritation but she couldn't complain. She couldn't even get out of the chair and see how they were doing. They tried to work perfectly after Manik came because he was glaring everyone who would ask two question back to back.

Manik was about to stuff her mouth with another dish when Nandini stopped him. "I think, in these three hours, I have enough food in my tummy. Give me the medicines and you have your lunch. You forget to take care of yourself when you start caring about me." Nandini had very soft and affectionate look.

Manik gave her a look, "I always care about you."

"Yes but sometimes you become over caring like right now. I thought you let me come here so you won't have any problems with me moving a bit but I should have known you will be keeping your eye on me."

"Eye? I was sitting outside of this shop whole time."

"Manik! You have several industries to manage and an upcoming big party but all you do is to sit with me and bury me with your intense look."

Manik raised his hands to caress her cheek, "I can't concentrate, I have to take care of you more than anyone ever did. You are bound to melt, my love."

"Melt what!?" Nandini was confused but instead of answering he started eating.

Hayat and Murat stayed on the shipyard till the ship was out of sight. Hayat recited a quick prayer and noted that it's been a while since she visited a church.

They started their journey back to their office when Hayat discreetly tried to check the location of the ship in her tab.

"The ship didn't even pass the country border, Hayat."

Hayat froze for a second and looked at him wide eyed. "H-How do you know?"

"I know everything about you, darling."

Hayat still was in unbelievable daze. She didn't share it with anyone still he knew. Murat noticed her expression and hold her hand. "I know you are afraid but with this tracking device you are going to have a heart attack when those will fail to give you any signal at the time of strom."

"Storm! I didn't even-" Murat cringed as he just gave her another thing to worry.

"Hayat, this is business. You take risk. Nothing will happen." To distract her he further added, "I was thinking as your workers worked so hard for this project why not give them bonus. They deserve it."

Hayat was successfully distracted as she gave him a beaming smile, "That's a good idea. I am so blessed to have such hardworking and talented people to work for me. They even stayed for nights without any complain, They earned their bonus."

"So, let's announce it and gave them a half day work today."

"Yes. They are going to be very happy."

True to Hayat's word the workers cheered and shouted in joy when they heard about their day off and bonus.

The feeling of happiness of overwhelming for Hayat. Everyone was happy and had a big smile at their face. Her face started to ache after holding her biggest smile for a while.

She moved back from everyone and went towards her cabin. Angela hugged her and bid her bye as Angela was leaving after getting the day off.

But before going she winked at Hayat and shouted 'All the best'. Hayat found it odd but shook it off.

She entered in her cabin only to find it filled with flowers. She saw a card on her table and picked it up. Before she could read it she saw Murat standing at the door. He motioned her to read the card. She looked down and found something written in bold letters,

"WILL YOU GO ON A DATE WITH ME, MRS. MALHOTRA?"