The Royal Deal

23.

Not fragile like a flower,
fragile like a bomb.
-Unknown

*****

Shaina Singhania.

"Shaina, what?" Bhai looked at me to confirm if he heard me right or not.
"Yep, I had the same reaction. But what's done is done." I shrugged and he sighed.

We're at his office discussing my conversation with Yuvraaj Singh Shekhawat from yesterday evening. Given that I'm not on talking terms with Sid and I needed to let this out, I came here to get a hug.

"You fell right into it." He said and I watched lines of tension forming on his forehead

"What?" I whispered and Dev bhai left his seat, "He gave you a choice, Shaina. An option to leave him, given that there are high chances of Yuvraaj getting crowned this year itself." His words shook my world and I found it difficult to breathe.

I'm stuck. With that man?

"Bhaiya..." I only managed to whisper that as our eyes met, my vision blurred

"What did I do?" I asked him in a voice that was weak and broken. I am a fucking moron!

"Shaina." He sighed out my name as he patted the back of my head to calm me down.

"Back out, I'll handle everything." He said, his voice determined and stern that brought more tears to eyes. I let them fall, he's one of those few people who I allow to watch me break, vulnerable.

If only I had someone to tell me the same thing when dad dragged Sid into this, when he used Aryahi for his own good. I hope my big brother was here to shield me from all that, then.

I don't resent him for anything, it's just the fed up part of me who's so done with fighting the world that she needs rest. That part of me is screaming at me to find someone who I'll be leaning on knowing that I won't fall and bhai is that person but I don't expect him to be there all the time.

I let myself sob at the thought of Dev bhai standing between me and dad telling him that I am not going to get married to a man I barely know. I'm not getting married because marriage of this kind brings you to ruins.

I hope he was there, I hope I didn't have to fight it all by myself.

Pathetic. I felt it in my bones because what are all these thoughts? I never needed anyone to pull my sword to fight the battles I have to. Then what is wrong this time?

I just stared into nothing and he kept quiet as he caressed the back of my head. I looked up at him and Dev bhai softly patted my head and passed me a box of tissues

I dabbed my face clean. He looked more stressed because I rarely cry, he's probably the person I'll always lean towards in my bad times yet I felt bad for dumping my baggage on him.

"I'm so sorry bhaiya. I couldn't control it anymore." I told him in a soft whisper and he rolled his eyes

"Shut up, Shaina." He dismissed my apology and motioned me to sit down
"What'll you do?" He asked me as he leaned back on his wooden desk.

"I don't know." I told him as I grabbed my mobile phone from my bag
"Why can't you say no?" He asked me

"I just can't." I whispered and peeked at him through my lashes. He looked frustrated yet his tone was in check because I just cried.

"Do anything you wish to." He grumbled and got back to his seat as he opened the file he was reading with a stubborn force.

I let him be for a second as I searched a contact number I saved as Demon Prince.