Royal Secrets (Shhhh)

Chapter 2. ~ Face Revealed ~

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Dhara stood before Samar, her hands clasped tightly together, tears streaming down her cheeks.

"Hukum, please forgive me." She pleaded, her voice trembling. "I promise I won't do it again. Give me any punishment you want, but please don't throw me out."

Samar watched her silently, his face hard and unreadable, though her teary eyes tugged at something inside him.

"You know the rules of Rajgardh." He said sternly. "Everything here is secret. You broke that trust. Do you even realize what could happen if Maharaj hears of this? He'd banish you from the palace in an instant. So tell me, what punishment should I give you? Should I decide, or leave it to His Majesty?"

Dhara sobbed harder, her shoulders shaking. "Hukum, I swear I won't repeat this mistake." She said, her voice breaking as she lightly touched her throat, a small, innocent gesture. "Please, I beg you."

" Shotti. "

Samar's stern gaze softened for a moment.

The way she said "Shotti." So sweet and childlike, melted his anger.

A faint smile flickered across his lips, though he quickly hid it.

"Alright."

He said, his tone still cool. "I'll forgive you this time, but only because it's your first mistake-and it better be your last. I don't tolerate lies or repeated errors. You may go now."

Dhara's face lit up with a small, grateful smile. "Thank you, Hukum." She whispered, pressing her hands together again in respect. She turned to leave, wiping her tears, but just as she reached the door, Samar's voice stopped her.

"Which class are you in?" he asked, surprising even himself with the question. He didn't know why he cared.

"Class 10th." She murmured softly, barely audible.

"Out." He snapped, his voice suddenly sharp again. Dhara didn't dare look back-his fierce eyes felt like they'd burn through her if she did. She hurried away, leaving him alone.

Samar let out a long breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding. "Dhara." He said to himself, a quiet smile tugging at his lips.

"Nice name." He glanced at the little "Thank You" note she'd left behind, then pinned it to his board-the one where he kept only the most important things.

For the first time in years, Samar had bent the rules of Rajgardh himself. Normally, punishment came first, questions later. But today, with her, he'd let his heart decide instead.

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Samar spent the whole day buried in work, but no matter how busy he was, one thing refused to leave his mind-Dhara. Her name echoed in his thoughts, and her innocent, beautiful face flashed before his eyes. Even during meetings, he found himself drifting, lost in a world of his own.

Abhinav, his personal assistant, noticed it all. Abhinav wasn't just an employee-he was Samar's shadow, his most trusted confidant. From the days when Samar worked in Bollywood to now, ruling over Rajgardh, Abhinav had been by his side, handling everything from secrets to strategies with unwavering loyalty. He'd do anything for Samar, and Samar knew it.

After a long day, they returned to Rajgardh and headed straight to the study room. Samar was talking about their next campaign, but his mind seemed elsewhere. When they finished, Abhinav gathered some files and said, "Good night, Ranasa," before stepping out.

Samar sat alone, a faint smile creeping onto his lips as his thoughts wandered again.

"Ranasa?" Abhinav's voice broke through, calling him two or three times.