Difficult time's going on guys. Please stay at your homes and stay safe!
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WARNING - Guys, this chapter has not turned out how I wanted it to because I have written more than half of it with a terrible headache. This update is here just because I promised it would be. Really sorry to make you all read such poor quality reading but please tolerate me for today. I promise better chapters from tomorrow.
Shivika's POV –
" Who is this? See, I will shout if you try to do anything. I will scream at the top of my lungs and then I will sue your ass in court I swear if you try to attempt anything so back off." I panicked and started to blabber stuff.
" You are misunderstanding me, I am not here to harm you." The man said, in some way maybe trying to assure me but darkness along with a stranger was not really a good combination with me to be honest.
" Everyone would say that even when they have all the bad intentions in the world." I said and was about to shout for help when a not so gentlemanly move was made by the man as she kept his palm on my mouth to muffle my scream as he held my arm with his other hand and pulled me towards him slightly. Thankfully, there was still a good amount of distance between us.
" Now ma'am, I am going to take my hand away but please don't scream. I am Devansh Rajput, the prince of Udaipur and I assure you that I absolutely do not have any bad intention alright?" He whispered and that is when I could see his hazel orbs almost shining in the night and my eyes widened as the truth sank in. He was the prince, not my probable kidnapper and I let out a sigh of relief.
" Do you promise not to scream?" He confirmed once again and I nodded in a yes almost as quick as the words left his mouth and found him withdrawing his hand, still probably unsure what my reaction could be.
" I am extremely sorry sir. I panicked because of the dark. Please excuse my behavior." I apologized because of the highest degree of unprofessionalism I had shown to the prince of Udaipur. Honestly, way to go Shivika.
His other hand was still on my right arm which he took away slowly when he was sure that I was not a threat.
" That's alright. No harm done but who are you?" He asked as we stood there and before I could answer, the lights were on all of a sudden.
" Oh." I managed to utter, looking around and then I looked at him clearly and yes, he looked like someone who had walked straight out of a vogue magazine. He had a navy blue suit on with his coat hanging around his arm, white shirt with the first two buttons undone and folded sleeves, could give any actor a run for his money and I on the other hand was greeting a prince with the same outfit I had on all day, probably looking like a big oaf.
" I am Shivika Kulkarni, your company's lawyer and am here with Mr. Rajat Pandey." I recalled his question the moment I was out of my trance just almost immediately as I was pulled into it.
" Nice to meet you Miss Kulkarni. Did you just get here?" He asked, giving me a small smile. I frowned at his question but of course anyone would ask that if I would roam in my suit at eleven at night.
" No your grace, we had reached a few hours back. I just didn't carry my luggage with me." I replied in honesty and my own words gave a nightmare to me. What kind of person does not get their luggage with them while travelling outstation? Yes, me and to top it all, it wasn't even my fault.
" Your grace, I have already taken a lot of your time. I'll be off now. Once again, I am extremely sorry for what happened a while back. Goodnight." I said before he could come up with a reply. I was honestly getting pissed off with all this politeness and fakeness but Rajat sir would kill me tomorrow if he gets to know that I gave tiniest bit of sass to the prince. I started to walk towards to main gate of the palace.
" Wait. You are the guest of Udaipur's royal family and it is our duty to take care of our guests. Please walk with me." He asked but it was more of an instruction than a request.
" I am honestly alright. Please don't let me be the reason to keep you away from your urgent matters." Me being me had to object.
" Please Miss Kulkarni. This way." He said once again in the same tone and I had to give in this time because apparently, you don't say no to royalty twice.
As we started to walk, I had an urgent need to eyeroll and so I did. All of this your grace, Ranaji, Ranisa and the mannerisms were too much for me to handle. I mean why can't these people just be normal? I agree, yes their ancestors were kings and queens but India is a democratic country now and they hold no power but anyway, the prince seemed a bit normal as he at least didn't demand to cutesy in front of him. Also, he did not seem to be as much bitchy as the tabloids show him to be but then again, I was only meeting him for the first time.
We then stood in front of a door as the prince knocked it. I looked on confused but didn't ask him anything because I didn't want to take any chance to offend him or as I said, Rajat sir would have my head for breakfast tomorrow.
The door opened, revealing a girl looking around sleepily but the moment her eyes landed on Mr. Rajput, she gave him a huge grin.
" Bhai, you're back!" She exclaimed and threw herself in him arms. She is the princess.
" Yes Misha but right now I want your help. This is Shivika, our lawyer." He said, turning towards me and the princess gave me a smile which I returned and then he explained my situation to her,
" No problem. Come on, you can borrow my clothes for tonight." The princess took a step towards me and slightly held my hand, dragging me in.
" Thank you so much." I thanked the prince before I got in.
" Not a problem. I will see you tomorrow Miss Kulkarni. Goodnight." He replied, nodding his head and walked away.
" I am really sorry for the trouble at this time princess." I said, attempting to strike a polite conversation.
" Please call me Misha and it is no problem at all. You are dad's and bhai's guest and helping us. This is the least we could do." She replied in the sweetest way possible as she showed me her nightwear collection.
" So this one is the last section of my pajamas. You're free to choose whichever you like." I heard her and honestly, I was flabbergasted. I had never seen so many clothes at one place, not even in shopping malls and I looked at clothes, shocked.
" Well umm....I was kinda hoping that you would just give me a Tee and shorts but this is all overwhelming for me. Give me a minute to recollect myself." I said, still scanning through to find something and then at last, found a normal pajama set.
" Yes, this will do!" I exclaimed picking that one up.
" Sure, nice choice." She said and I thanked her, wished her a goodnight and then left for my room. Going anywhere out to eat was not an option for me anymore because there was no way in the seven worlds that I would make it back to the palace without actually being lost.
" I hope I have something to eat in my handbag, a chocolate will be really lovely. You should pay more attention to time Shivika, missing meals is not really good for your mind." I muttered as I made my way back to the room and scanned my bag. Luckily, there was a bar of chocolate and a can of coke in there.
Changing into that comfortable nightwear, I hogged on the junkies, watched an episode of Game of Thrones and then finally went to bed, it was going to be a long day tomorrow.
..............................................................
Waking up to my alarm the next morning at 8:30 AM, I took a quick bath and wrapping myself in a towel, walked back to my room. That's when I recalled that I will have to wear the same suit as yesterday and I absolutely hate wearing dirty clothes but I didn't have any other option really.
As I was drying my hair, there was a knock on my door.
" Just a minute, I'll be out soon." I shouted at whoever it was but did get a reply.
" Shivika it's Misha. I have got a few clothes with me. You can wear them." I heard and walked to open the door almost immediately.
There she was, standing with a help maid with a couple of suits in those portable closet hangers.
" How am I supposed to thank you for this princess?" I asked as a smile made way on my lips.
" First, stop calling me princess, my name is Misha and yes you can thank me for this later this evening by joining me over coffee. I'd love to talk to you." She replied very gracefully and I immediately accepted. I really like her.
" Get dressed and come for breakfast now or you'll end up missing it." She said before leaving.
I selected a white turtleneck top with black pants, a black blazer and my stilettos. Brushing my hair once, I left for the dining hall wing or whatever it is said and finally managed to find it in five minutes where I spotted Rajat sir and Yash standing outside.
Shivika's Look -
" There you are. Why didn't you come for dinner yesterday Shivika?" Sir asked, as he looked at me with concern.
" I lost the track of time sir. I was reading the case files and then the next time I looked at the time, it was eleven already." I told him the truth and he looked at me in disappointment but before he could tell me the cons of not eating, the king and queen made their way towards us.
" Good morning all of you. I hope you are well rested and were comfortable yesterday night?" Ranisa greeted us and posed the question.
" Good morning Ranisa. Yes, we all were extremely comfortable. Thanks to your hospitality." I replied, giving her a thankful nod.
" Well then, let's go and have breakfast. We have a long day ahead of us." Ranaji said and we walked in the dining hall. To say that it was grand would be an understatement. It was something magnificent. The interior, décor, dining table and everything else was antique and so delicate looking that I almost feared even picking the cutlery.
Before we could start eating, Price Devansh and Princess Misha joined us too. I was sitting in between Rajat sir and Yash and opposite to me was the prince.
" Hello Rajat uncle. How have you been?" The prince greeted sir.
" Very good Devansh. You tell me, how is work?" Sir in turn asked the prince, almost making me choke over my food as I instantly gulped down the water to avoid coughing. He was on first name basis with the prince?
" Really good but this issue has been coming midst of my expansion plans. All the investors want a formal clarification of the Royal family and we cannot give one right now. The situation has been a bit messy." He replied politely and I keenly was keenly listening to the conversation. If I have to work with him, I need to read him.
" Oh yes, before I forget, this is Shivika Kulkarni who will be my second chair. She will be the one in-charge of coordinating everything so I suggest you better get acquainted." Sir introduced me.
" Oh we have met just yesterday night." The prince said, throwing a slight smirk towards me because of how stupidly I had embarrassed myself and he kept looking at me till I looked away feeling extremely awkward. His eyes were something of a magician's well, really deep. There was no end to those hazel eyes and I had almost lost myself in him, almost.
" Brilliant then. She has read all the case files and we will be presenting the plan of action in your office in a while." Sir addressed everyone and I nodded as all of us finished breakfast and sir, Yash and I excused ourselves from the hall.
" Sir, I'll fetch my laptop and meet you right here so that we can leave for the office, wherever it is." I whispered to sir who gave me a chuckle.
" The office is right in the opposite wing Shivika. Why would they get an office somewhere else when they have such a huge space right in their home?" Sir replied and I was once again left surprised. How good would it be if I had my office right opposite to my home. There will be no car gas bills then.
" Okay then, I'll get the files and my laptop and meet you in the office wing. The presentation is ready, I just have to copy it to a drive." I said and he nodded.
" Get here in ten minutes. Ranaji and Ranisa will be here any moment. Devansh will join us soon." He instructed me before I walked away.
Copying the presentation to the drive, I started to walk towards the office wing and that is when a file flunged out of my hands because of the wind.
" Jesus Christ!" I sighed, trying to bend down to collect the papers with my free hand.
" My lady, let me help you." I heard the very same voice which was mocking me at breakfast a while back and I looked up to see the prince bending down and picking the papers up.
" Thank you so much." I muttered as he extended his hand towards me and I looked on confused. What did he want?
" Hand me some of those files. We are walking to the same place." He asked humbly and I was almost as tempted to give them to him when the word Prince popped inside my head. Of course this is not something a prince would do!
" No sir. I will carry then on my own. Please go ahead, I will join you in a minute." I refused in the politest manner possible just like I tried to last night but once again like last night, He didn't budge.
" You don't like to take anyone's help, do you?" He asked as he himself took more than half of the files from my hands into his.
" Well, I like to do my own work your grace. I don't wish to depend on anyone." I clarified my stand.
" Everyone needs one person in their life whom they can depend upon." He replied, shrugging his shoulders and looked at me.
" Not really, I have never needed anyone to depend upon. I have always looked after myself." I told him something that I don't tell anybody for some reason.
He didn't say anything further, realizing my discomfort on the topic and I highly appreciated that. This is not something I ever want to discuss with absolutely anyone and he cared to respect that.
" Also Miss Kulkarni, call me Devansh, will you please. Your grace is too formal for someone I have to work with closely now." He asked as we were almost at the office, cutting through the awkward silence.
" Mr. Rajput it is then sir." I said, not willing to call a prince by his name. He is royalty after all, but this is the second time I was talking to him and this time too, I couldn't find the spoilt man that everyone loved to talk about him. But then again, this was only the second time I was talking to him, who knows who he really is.
Hey guys! This is the next chapter. I hope you all like it even when I don't hehe ;)
Please please tell me what you all think about it. Awaiting your comments.
I love you all. Until next time. Byee!!