Chaotic Relations

Chapter 52

Hi guys!

The new chapter is here! This book is already competed on Scrollstack along with 10 chapters of the next book in this series-Vengeful Relations. If you want, you can check them out. The link is on my profile.

Enjoy Reading!

As their car pulled through the ornate iron gates, Ruhanika practically pressed her nose against the window, trying to figure out where Papa was taking her. The building in front of them looked like something straight out of a fairy tale - all grand arches and intricate stone work, with ivy crawling up the walls like it had been there forever.

"Papa, yeh kya jagah hai? (what is this place?)" she asked, her voice bubbling with excitement.

Anant's face lit up as he helped her out of the car. "This, meri jaan (my life), is the Royal Heritage Library of Jodhpur. One of the oldest private libraries in all of Rajasthan, and..." He paused, looking almost shy. "It's where I used to hide when being a prince got too overwhelming."

Ruhanika's eyes went wide. She'd always loved books - they'd been her escape when things got tough at the Senghals'. But this place looked like every book lover's dream come true.

"When I was around your age, maybe a bit older," Anant continued as they walked up the marble steps, "I'd sneak away here whenever royal duties felt suffocating. The quiet, the smell of old books, all that knowledge just waiting to be discovered - it saved my sanity more times than I can count."

An elderly man with kind eyes greeted them at the entrance. "Maharaj! What a wonderful surprise. And this must be the princess everyone's been talking about."

"Namaste uncle," Ruhanika said politely, though she was practically bouncing with anticipation.

"Such lovely manners," the librarian beamed. "Princess, you're more than welcome here. It's been far too long since we've had a young person who might actually appreciate what we have."

The moment they stepped inside, Ruhanika gasped so loudly it echoed. Three stories of books stretched above them, with wooden balconies running along each level, every inch packed with volumes. Sunlight streamed through stained glass windows, painting rainbow patterns across the polished floors. The air smelled like paper and leather and centuries of stories.

"Papa, yeh toh... yeh toh sapno jaisa hai! (This is... this is like a dream!)" She turned in a slow circle, trying to take it all in at once.

Watching her face light up like that made Anant's chest tight with happiness. This was exactly the reaction he'd hoped for. "Go on, beta (child). Explore all you want. I'll be right here."

She didn't need to be told twice. Ruhanika practically skipped to the nearest bookshelf, running her fingers along the spines like she was greeting old friends. There were classics in Hindi and English, thick history books, biographies of people she'd only heard about in school, science journals that looked way too advanced for her, and an entire section that seemed dedicated to Rajasthani stories and culture.

"Papa, look at this!" She pulled out a gorgeous book filled with pictures of old palaces and forts. "The illustrations are incredible!"

Anant wandered over, peering over her shoulder. "I remember this one. Spent hours studying it when I was taking architectural history classes. See that fort right there? That's actually one of our family properties."

For the next hour, they explored together like a couple of treasure hunters. Anant would point out books that had shaped his thinking as a teenager, sharing stories about late nights spent reading when he should have been sleeping. Ruhanika soaked up every word, occasionally asking questions that made him realize just how sharp and curious his daughter really was.