He couldn't believe she had returned on her own. J Nandini's words from earlier had rung in his ears.
"Kahin Manyata Jiji ko kuch hogaya toh. How will we find her then?"
After the initial shock of her sudden return, J Nandini asked," If you were in the mall how come you didn't call me?"
He looked intently at Manyata.
Why hadn't she picked up their calls?
Manyata furrowed her eyebrows. What would she tell them now?
She smiled suddenly and pulled out the phone.
"I think the battery died," she quipped.
He sighed. He knew she was lying. He would get the truth from her and make sure she didn't pull a stunt like this again.
She made her way to her room and decided to try on her new kurti. She put it on and decided to join the rest of the family for dinner. However she stopped in her tracks when those glaring dark orbs greeted her.
He was angry that was for sure. However this time she felt fear. He grabbed her by her arms and pushed her against the wall.
She gazed back at him stunned.
"Humhe pata tum kisse milne gayi thi," he stated firmly.
" If you know then so be it, let me go." she stammered.
" If you try to meet him again, that will be the last you see of him," he retorted.
She looked at him horrified.
"You wouldn't dare," she said.
He looked at her fiercely.
"Mark my words they are true. I'll have him sent far from here. Best to let him live his life and you live yours," Udayveer hissed.
He took the red dupatta from the chair and wrapped it swiftly around her neck. She feared he would choke her, but he did not.
As she tried to walk away , he pulled her back and untied her hair.
"You are better than J Nandini, time to show everyone that," he stated.
He grabbed her wrist and walked her down to the dinning table.
J Nandini and Vijay exchanged looks, everyone merely smiled in relief that Manyata was fine and safely with them. They sat down.
Manyata's mind was racing. She didn't know what Udayveer would do to Akash but she would have to warn him sooner or later. She would not be able to fulfill her promises to Akash unless Udayveer backed off.
Later everyone was retiring to their rooms for the night. Manyata tried to call Akash but his phone seemed off.
"Lover boy ko phone kari ho? Leave him one last message. We all waited sixteen years for you Manyata, it's time to make up for lost time," Udayveer stated.
She turned around and glowered at him.
" What do you think of yourself? Why do you have to come and take everything I know away?," she exclaimed.
He shushed her with his finger. She froze and waited for what he would do next. In the back of his mind something was telling him he was so relieved that she was safe and back home with them. However he wondered why she didn't just run away this time. He would never tell her how he felt when he heard J Nandini's words earlier that day.
His heart had seemed to stop beating that moment in the dread he would never be able to find Manyata again. That all changed when she returned on her own. He felt like just holding her and hugging her tightly.
Instead he grabbed her wrist and took her to the temple in the palace. Komal Aunty always kept it clean and lighted. There no other human being in the room now.
He looked at the murtis. He reached down to where the sindoor was kept. Even before he could do what he planned, a breeze came and the sindoor sprayed on her maang and forehead.
She was about to reach up and wipe it, but someone approached nearby.
"Beta rehne do. This is a sign from God," Dadisa said.
Manyata turned to look at her dadi in surprise. Komal joined them and noticed her daughter's maang.
"Udayveer yeh kaise hogaya?,"Komal inquired.
" A sign from up above Komal beta. These two are meant to be," Dadisa stated warmly.
Komal smiled.
"Oh, then this is very good. Leave it for now Manyata, take it as blessings," Komal said before she and Dadisa left the area.
Udayveer and Manyata looked into each other's eyes.
She used to think her destiny was written with someone else but now this sign had turned everything she thought she had left upside down. He never used to believe in destiny. He thought it was something one could make of their own if they had the means to do so.
Today's events proved otherwise. Only time would tell if they would truly fall in love.