THE PRINCE WHO LOVED ME

39

Yamini's heart was racing. She couldn't understand why, but it felt as though her thoughts were consumed by Rudransh. Every little detail about him, the way he laughed, the way his eyes sparkled when he was passionate about something kept playing over and over in her mind. It was as if the space between them had somehow closed, and now, the idea of him was always just there, on the edge of her thoughts.

As she sat on the edge of her bed, trying to focus on something else, she heard a soft knock at the door. Her heart skipped a beat. It was a silly reaction, she told herself, but she couldn't help it. She walked to the door and opened it.

There he was , Rudransh. He had his hands in his pockets, his expression as calm as ever, but there was something different today. His lips curled into that mischievous smile she had come to recognize, the one that told her he was up to something.

He handed her phone to her with a small shrug. 

Rudransh : You left this on the table.

Yamini took the phone, still a little flustered, and before she could respond, Rudransh stepped closer to her. His proximity sent an electric current racing through her. He leaned in, pressing a soft kiss to her cheek , so tender, so full of meaning that for a moment, she forgot how to breathe.

His lips lingered for a second, and then he pulled away, his gaze lingering on hers. 

Rdransh : Goodnight ! 

He whispered with a warmth in his voice that made her feel like the entire world had melted away.

Yamini was left standing there, holding her phone, her cheek still tingling from the kiss. She watched him walk away, her mind a whirlwind of emotions, but there was one thought that floated to the surface, clearer than all the others : 'I think I've fell in love with him deeper than i thought.'

...........

That night, Rudransh lay in his hotel room, staring at the ceiling. His mind, though clouded with the warmth of the kiss and the quiet connection they had shared, began to drift. It was strange how quickly he had let down his guard with Yamini. It felt like the most natural thing in the world, yet, as he thought about it more, he realized something : he hadn't told her about his past. About Chitra. About the heartbreak, the betrayal, and the years of unresolved feelings that still lingered like ghosts in the back of his mind.

For the first time in a long time, he allowed himself to think of Chitra. He couldn't help it. She had been a part of his life for so long, and the pain of their breakup was something he hadn't fully dealt with. He had been so focused on moving forward with Yamini, so immersed in the warmth of their growing relationship, that he hadn't allowed himself the space to confront the past.

Rudransh to himself : I should tell her ! 

He thought. But then, as quickly as the thought arrived, it faded. 

Rudransh : She's probably asleep by now.

He decided to sleep on it. He would tell her eventually, when the time was right. The weight of his past could wait just a little longer.

.............

The next morning, Rudransh woke up early, feeling a sense of restlessness. As usual, the first thing he did was check his emails. He scrolled through a few routine work-related messages, but then, something caught his eye an email from his father.

His heart clenched as he saw the sender's name : Shivarama Raju 

'Why would he be emailing me ?' Rudransh thought, his brows furrowing in confusion. The last time he'd heard from his father had been almost a year back when he had been thrown out of the house, abandoned without a second thought.