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Saying I was surprised at my assistant waiting at the end of the hallway in the morning for me to join her in the cabin, was an understatement.
As soon as I reached the end of the hall, she had her every day formal polite smile pasted on her face, no traces of the disaster she had the previous day.
"Good morning, sir." She greeted me. I expected her tone to be rather... gravey from crying or screaming- whatever option she chose to cope up with.
"Morning, Ms. Rudraksh. I thought you'll be on leave until the end of this month?" I asked her, wary of her reaction. Even if her honeymoon plans were now ruined, I predicted she would like to take this month's time to cope up with her emotions.
"Since the reason of taking leave had decided to find an easier escape, I thought I might as well join back." She shrugged.
I assessed her calm expressions aa I tried to fathom the reason of her willingly coming back to work. Did she fear I might cut hrr paycheck?
"You know I would pay you this month's salary even if you avail your leave, right?" I asked her, rather than wondering myself.
"I certainly do, sir. It's just that..." She paused. "I would prefer working over overthinking. Anyday."
A slow smile crept up on my face. This woman is as messed up as me. I remember the time period after having my heartbroken...
Shaking my head in an attempt to physically shove my thoughts away, I concentrated on the wonder woman in front of me. I wonder how mumma will feel meeting my assistant.
"My mother asked you to dinner. Will you be okay to join us at the Palace on Sunday?" I asked, refusing to beat around the bush.
It's not like I was asking her on a date or taking her home with me to introduce to my parents as my prospective other half. She was my assistant of two years, a really strong woman and on my mother's guest list for the upcoming weekend.
Vaani's eyes practically widened at my question as she fumbled around with her thoughts.
"Like your mother? Rani sa? Like Mrs. Sanskriti Rathore?" She rambled her questions.
I chuckled before nodding my head. People often had a fan moment around my mother. I wasn't surprised at my assistant's jumbled thoughts.
"Yes, Ms. Rudraksh. My mother." I chuckled out.
"So, I take your answer to be positive?" I half-teased her. She squealed lightly before rambling on.
"Ofcourse, silly!"
A moment or two later she realised what she did. Recomposing her posture, she apologized for her frankness and cleared her throat to compose a better answer.
"Sure. I originally had plans about unpacking my apartment..."
And like flash everything about yesterday seemed to flash through her mind. Her expressions composed down to melancholy before she switched to being formal, again.
"So, what do we have on our schedule today?" I clapped my hand to gain her attention and did what she had absent mindedly asked me to do- distract her from yesterday's events by filling her in with work.
Walking into the cabin, I patiently noted down the schedule she dictated.
"The day starts with a meeting with the Mehrotras at ten about their latest tender.
At two, you have a lunch meeting with Mrs. Prisha Rathore, your sister in law, about involving NGO workers in the upcoming project for Indiana Fashion Contest.
At five, you have a teleconference with Mr. Chopra about Rajasthan Riders.
And then you have to go through your emails and tell me what events and galas you have finalised to attend this month." She told me.
"Galas? Aren't my parents attending them?" I asked her as my eyebrows furrowed in confusion.
"Eh, about that. Your father's assistant called and canceled all their galas and instructed to out you forward for the parties. You'll have to ask your parents about the reason yourself." She told me.
Making a mental note to ask mumma about their withdrawal later, I nodded.
"Also..." My assistant paused before she heaved a sigh.
"Also you'll be expected to take dates into the galas." She told me. No wonder why she was hesitating to speak her mind out.
"Where the fuck am I going to get dates now?" I absolutely intended to whine though that would be a little too informal considering we are still at work .
Vaani shrugged her shoulders cluelessly. "Had you been a regular CEO, I would have suggested you to ask models and surging actresses to accompany you. But that would be inappropriate for a crown prince to accommodate."
"I'll make sure I wrack my brain to find you appropriate dates. Until then, please get ready for your meetings. Do you want me to get you coffee?" She asked me. I shook my head in negative before thanking her for asking. I was too frizzy for coffee to help me. Moreover, I prefer tea over coffee anyday.
The day passed by as I commenced to the meetings awaiting. I made sure Vaani accompanied me to each one of them and was busy taking down the notes, atleast busy enough to not let overthinking cloud her head.
Soon, lunch arrived and so did my meeting with Peri-Peri.
Prisha Vedansh Rathore, my sister-in-law had been my bestfriend ever since my brother brought her home. She is exactly the softer version of my mother and runs after me, literally, to make sure I am being taken care off.
After a tragic rape incident, Prisha bhabhi or Peri-Peri, had been determined to help all the victims through her NGO in tye way my brother took care of her.
She makes sure she not only bursts the sex rackets all over the provision but to actually rescue them. She pays for therapists and makes sure legal action is taken against the offenders with the help of my brother, Vedansh Singh Rathore, who is again the District Magistrate of Jaipur.
Last year, my mother advised me to help the victims rescued by Peri Peri's NGO by involving them in the production.
Hence, I decides to make them produce the attires for Indiana Fashion Contest held by a famous fashion designer of India. Luckily, this year's theme is fusion- India and Europe.
Pretty gowns, suits and long coats, scarfs and mittens, socks and summer dresses- everything would be made by the NGO workers which would not only help them earn a larger gig of money but also help me in winning the contest. A win-win.
As I sit infront of my sister-in-law, I notice her face toned down. Even though her skin glowed like everyday, she seemed to be nervous.
"Peri-Peri? Are you okay?" I asked her.
She seemed to be in a state of contemplation, whether to confide me or not.
"Promise me you won't say a word to Ansh?" She asked me.
Mocking a zip on my lips, I sign her to continue.
Biting her lips in contemplation, she finally caved into my constant urge of sharing whatever had her mentally disturbed.
"I had been to the gyneac last week. I and Ansh are constantly trying to have a.. a baby. It was initially my idea but later Ansh has been emotionally invested into conceiving too. It has been more than an year since we have been trying. Ansh claims it's normal for couples to not being able to concieve under an year and that I shouldn't let my motto down over this and that he is more than happy to keep trying-" I cute her off.
"TMI, Peri-Peri."
My sibling's sex life was the last thing I wanted to hear about. Red hue covered my sister-in-law's cheeks as embarrassing realization flooded her.
"Anyways, I just had a hunch about something just being wrong about... me, in this whole conceiving fiasco. And I just went to the gyanacologist without informing Ansh. I told her all about the... past and she took my samples to check. But she told me it is mostly impossible for me to get pregnant. My vagina had been too damaged back then."
Her eyes turned glossy. It was hard to guess whether she was emotional over her past or the possibility of never being able to conceive. As technologically advanced has the society been, it is still difficult for women about thinking of the prospect of not having a baby inside them.
"I am still holding onto the hopes of some kind of miracle in my tests but the doctor's words are playing in a loop. And overthinking is exhausting!" She groaned out.
I smiled. From shying away to the deepest corners of the palace in the beginning to being comfortable enough about discussing her appointments with the family, she has surely come a long way.
"I'll pray for the miracle to happen. If, god forbid, any thing is wrong with the reports, we all are with you, bhabhi." I told her.
"More or less, I can still wear a diaper and cock-block bhai any day you want me to!"
This surely earned me a laugh.
This chapter was a kind of filler so no targets today. I really hope you still vote and comment.