Rags To Royals (Royal #1: Book 1) | ✔

60

-• r in his name stands for red flag •-

"It's not safe."

He slams down my request without even bothering to think about it. Honestly, I didn't expect any different response. The sun will have to rise from the west for Yuvraaj Singh Chauhan to ever let me do anything as per my wish. But I'm going to put my foot down this time. We're siblings. Stubbornness runs in my genes too.

"On what accordance?" I counter. "He put my life above his. If I have to choose the safest place apart from the palace, I'd choose it to be anywhere he is."

With that I summon the scariest, the meanest looking expression on the man's visage. I swear, if he hadn't mastered the poker face, he'd prowl around looking like he's going to burn down the world any second.

"He put your life above his at my command, because he was fetching greater benefits at the expense of taking a bullet for you in the arm. People like him never do anything from the goodness of their heart, they do it because they have an ulterior motive." He states harshly, dwindling my confidence in Rudra with his choice of words. "Your safety was a liability to him. And he had to abide by it because of me. According to him, you were used as a bait to lure out Abhay Saxena. If his priority was your safety, he'd have never suggested this plan."

I frown. "What plan?"

"Who was it that knew about your relationship with Atharva first?"

Realisation dawns on me and it sticks in the tunnel of my mind like a hard pill, clogging every other thought.

"I was against the idea initially, but he knew why he made the plan. If the secret goes out, Abhay Saxena's prime suspect would be you, and also the easiest target to take me down. He let you entertain your relationship, kept it hidden from me, and when he realised Atharva's father is thinking about canceling the plan of sending the kids to States to pan out how things would work out between you both, he sneaked into the party, acted like he did you a favour and suggested you break up."

I feel the little hope in me wither away at his words.

"And how do you think Yuvaan found out you were in that cafe?" He interlaces his hands on the desk, leaning in closer, gouging my face as it paled faster than light. "He manipulates the strongest of technologies, Tara, and you think he can't manipulate you?"

I start feeling humiliated. Like I was watching the world through the red glasses, believing everything is just as it appears to me, until someone shoved me hard and the glasses fell, showing me the the brutal reality.

"Okay, I get it." My words sound shaky to my ears as I turn to leave.

"You're young, Taranya," he adds, stopping me in my place. "I understand the pull. He gets you curious. But not all dark places are safe to hide. What you see is often manipulated by your desire to what you want to see. That doesn't mean it's true."

I nod. "Yeah, sorry to disturb you."

He sighs, pulling away from the desk and relaxing back in the chair. "I've told you before and I'll tell you again, if he tries to approach you, come to me. Let me know."

I should have.

And I will this time.

"I will," I force the words out. "Excuse me now, I've to go to sleep." I say and leave his study, closing the door gently behind me. It takes everything in me to not cry right then and there. I've seen stupid girls around me defend their toxic partners and been there to shake my head at their clownery, and yet here I am, embarrassed and hurt because I did that for someone I've never met in broad daylight, whose name I found out from a third person, and whose face is a stranger to me in the crowd. Show me the bigger clown than me and I'd clap my hands.