4|| Bonds and Business

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As I finished getting ready and descended the stairs, I was greeted by the sight of my family gathered around the dining table, laughing and chatting

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As I finished getting ready and descended the stairs, I was greeted by the sight of my family gathered around the dining table, laughing and chatting. It warmed my heart to see them like this. Sure, I may have a reputation for being a bit bossy, but when it comes to my family, I'm more of the bubbly and soft-hearted type.

I took my seat at the table, and my brother, ever the responsible one, said "You're late, Shreya."

I flashed him a playful grin. "Well, you know I came back home late yesterday, so I got a bit of a late start this morning."

But then he dropped a bombshell: I had a meeting today with the Rajputs. My juice suddenly felt like it was going down the wrong pipe.

"A meeting?" I sputtered.

"Yeah, they've been trying to get in touch with us for the past couple of weeks," my brother explained, his tone serious.

I couldn't help but voice my disbelief. "But aren't they kind of like our rivals?"

My dad, always the voice of reason, chimed in gently. "No, sweetheart, they're not. And besides, this could be a profitable opportunity for us."

I nodded slowly, trying to wrap my head around it all. "Okay, I guess I have no problem with it. Just asking out of curiosity."

My brother reminded me sternly, "Remember, the official meeting is tomorrow. Today, you just need to hear out what deal they're proposing. It'll be just you and the representative from the Rajput Empire, so please behave."

I nodded again, attempting to hide my nerves by quickly devouring a bite of my favorite aloo ke parathe. "Got it," I mumbled between mouthfuls.

My mom, ever the peacemaker, interjected with a hint of annoyance, "Alright, let's put a pause on the business talk for now."

We all burst into laughter, the tension dissipating as quickly as it had come. Ah, family – they always knew how to keep me grounded.

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