ENCHANTED - BY INNOCENCE (ongoing)

85

Hi lovelies, this chapter has 3700+ words and ends with a question. Make sure you read till the end ❤️

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*** Pritham ***

I rushed back to my office, my heart racing, wondering why Bapu was here...

Did he find out about Mayil? Did I do something wrong? Did I embarrass him again?

All my thoughts were interrupted the moment I opened the door and found Vinod talking to my father.

"There he is," Vinod said, pointing at me with a smile. My Bapu turned his eyes towards me, and they slowly grew moist. His eyebrows softened, his face carrying a strange mix of amusement, pain, and guilt.

"What did you..." I turned to ask Vinod, but instead chose to focus on Bapu.

"Did I..." I hesitated as I stepped forward, "Did I do something wrong, Bapu?"

My father shook his head... slowly.

"Uncle came to enquire about the officer who introduced new policies in the East," Vinod explained. I turned to him as he continued, "I told him it was his own son. He didn't believe me, so I brought him here and showed him the files."

I gulped.

My father saw my files... what if he finds a mistake? What if I did something wrong? What if I took a wrong decision?

I slowly felt my father's hand reaching towards my cheek. I didn't flinch—I was used to it. I expected a slap and looked down... but instead, his touch was... gentle?

I lifted my eyes, surprised, only to find his filled with guilt.

"Ba-Bapu..." I hesitated. "Did I... did I do something wrong?"

"No... no, son," he barely whispered. He glanced at the files spread across my table. "Did you... did you do all this?"

I barely nodded.

"You... challenged the King for this?" he asked.

"Hm," I nodded, still unsure what he thought of my actions.

"You convinced the King to visit the East?" he asked again, his voice trembling.

"Yes," I whispered, then spoke louder, summoning courage. "But Father... I only did what I thought was best. If there is anything... wrong... let me know, and I will correc—"

"I am so proud of you," my father interrupted. My mind went blank, my eyes widening in disbelief.

"Wh-what?" I stuttered, unable to even comprehend his words.

"My son," my father repeated, cupping my cheek, "I am very proud of you."

The moment those words reached me, tears rolled down my face. My chest tightened, heavy with emotion.

"You... you are?" I asked again, needing to hear it once more, needing to believe it.

"Very much, yes," he repeated, tears glistening in his eyes.

My hands began to tremble slightly, my legs weakening beneath me. My father is proud of me?

Bapu is proud of me? Of me!?

"You okay, Pritham?" Vinod asked, stepping closer. I barely nodded, wiping my tears quickly.

"I..." I cleared my throat, desperate to hold myself together in front of him and my father. "I just remembered—I need to give this file..." I picked up a random one from the table, "...to General Sir."