The Promised Queen

𝓈𝑒𝓋𝑒𝓃𝓉𝑒𝑒𝓃

The morning sun filtered through the curtains, casting a warm glow over my room. I sat on my bed, clutching my phone, feeling a mix of excitement and nerves for my first day at work.

After showering and getting ready I sat down as my mother walked into the room with a tray full of food, a beaming smile on her face. I took in the amount of food and could not help but chuckle.

"Mumma, this looks like you brought breakfast for four people." I said. My mother tsked and sat down opposite of me, the table of food between us. She grabbed a perfectly toasted bread and held it to my mouth as I took a big bite.

"Here, since you brought so much. Eat with me. It's boring to eat alone."

I turned the bread she was holding towards her own mouth and she shook her head.

"No, laado. This is all for you. You will be working from today so you need all the strength."

I could not help but laugh fondly at her genuine innocent worry. "Mumma, Hruday is not going to make me do physical labour at the office. If I eat this much I will be asleep before lunch time!"

"Of course, Jamai-Sa won't make you work too hard. If he is there then what do I have to worry about?" My mother said with a smile, her eyes dreamy as she thought about Hruday.

"He is there and that is the biggest thing to worry about!" I said with my mouth full of food. My mother lightly hit me on the arm causing me to cough. She handed me the glass of milk as I calmed down, sipping onto the warm liquid.

"Okay, Mumma. That is enough. I have to visit the hospital before I go to the office or I will be late." I said, grabbing my bag as I slipped out of the room after touching my mother's feet and getting an affectionate kiss on the crown of my head.

"Bye, Laado.!" My mother called out and I replied her back in affirmative.

As I got into the car, my phone started ringing in my pocket. The driver started the car as I picked up the call, a smile on my face at seeing the caller ID.

"Good morning to the princess of Ajmer." I said, my voice teasing.

"Good morning to the to-be princess of Suryagarh." Nishi replied back, our happiness contagious. After reuniting after so many years, we had again become closer than we had been in childhood. The daily calls and video calls that followed only making our friendship bloom further.

"Nishi, it's my first day at the office. I'm so nervous!" I blurted out, my fingers playing with the hem of my kurta.

"Ridhima, you'll do great! Just be yourself. You've always been so good with people and handling situations. Remember our school times?" Nishi's voice was like a soothing balm.

"Yes." I smiled, feeling a bit more at ease. "But now I feel like even the school principal was less strict than Hruday."

"Ah, don't you dare criticise my Jija-Ji! I am sure he will take very good care of you." Nishi said, her voice carrying over the phone.

"Yeah, right." I said, not believing her in the slightest. "First my own mother, now you. Everyone keeps thinking Hruday is such a good man but only I know the truth."

"You wanna know the reason behind that?" Nishi asked after a pause.

"What?" I asked absentmindedly, thinking she was up to teasing me again. My eyes scanned the scenery outside the window, electricity poles flying by in a blur.

"It's because everyone except you can see the way he looks at you." I pause at her words, a sensation so warm spreading inside me.

"Should I get my eyes checked then?" I say, half-jokingly. Every time I look at him, I only find hatred in his dark eyes, almost like resentment.