I was sprawled on my stomach across the king-sized bed when the sound of persistent knocking jolted me awake. Groggily, I opened my eyes and glanced at the clock on my bedside table-it was already 9:00 a.m. I cursed under my breath and sat up, running a hand through my disheveled hair. It was the first time in years I had slept this late.

Grabbing a t-shirt from the chair nearby,  made my way to the door. As soon as I opened it, there stood Vivaan, grinning like a maniac, his trademark mischief written all over his face.

Raising an eyebrow, I asked in a low, sleepy voice, "What?"

Vivaan tilted his head dramatically, his grin widening. "Bhaisa, don't tell me you just woke up. Lazy soon-to be future king!"

I narrowed my eyes, but before I could retort, he added, "Everyone is waiting for you downstairs. Breakfast's ready, and," he paused, leaning slightly closer, "and come fast we have a guest today. "

I sighed, rubbing the back of my neck. "I'll be down in a few minutes."

But Vivaan wasn't done. "Jaldi ana, bhaisa. Mehman ko intezaar karna theek nahi hota, especially when it's because of our soon-to-be lazy king," he teased, mimicking a royal pose, before abruptly turning on his heel and bolting down the hallway.

"Vivaan!" I called after him, but he only laughed, his voice echoing through the corridor. Shaking my head, I closed the door, That little troublemaker would pay later. For now, I needed to shower, clear my head, and face the day ahead.

I sat stiffly in the grand dining room of the palace, surrounded by the royal family, waiting for that khadus akdu, the soon-to-be king, to finally grace us with his presence. My eyes stayed fixed on the table, avoiding their curious gazes. The pressure of sitting among strangers, especially such an influential family, was overwhelming.

To add to my unease, a young woman, probably around my age-or maybe a little older-kept glancing at me curiously. I shifted in my seat, fidgeting with the hem of my borrowed hoodie. Yes, borrowed, because that's all I had to wear.

Earlier that morning, around 7:00 a.m., they brought me to the palace. I overheard them saying it was their dadasa's order. It still felt surreal-being plucked out of my life and dropped here. When we arrived, I barely had time to process anything before a regal-looking woman, who I later learned was the Queen of Rajasthan herself, approached me.

Her presence was commanding, yet there was warmth in her demeanor. She led me to a room, instructing me to freshen up.  "Fresh ho jao, beta. Sab kuch maine room mein arrange kar diya hai."

I nodded gratefully and stepped into the bathroom, letting the warm shower calm my nerves. After combing my hair and taking a deep breath, I stepped out, only to hear

Vivaan Sir began whining like a child, dramatically complaining to his mother, "Why did you give her my clothes, Mom?!" His face was a mix of mock indignation and amusement.

I stammered, "I'll return them as soon as I-"

Before I could finish, another voice interrupted, calm and teasing, "It's okay. He loves throwing tantrums-gets a kick out of it."

She shot him a firm look. "Vivaan, bachon jaise harkatein mat karo! Mayra ke kapde uspar nahi aayenge. Tumhare kapde theek hai."

The tension eased slightly, and I nodded, promising again to return the clothes, though I wasn't sure when.

"Chalo, sab breakfast ke liye wait kar rahe hain."

And now here I was, sitting in this majestic dining room, wearing Vivaan Sir's clothes, feeling utterly out of place. All I could think about was how much I wanted this ordeal to end. But no-here I was, waiting for him to show up, surrounded by a family that barely knew me yet seemed to have every intention of pulling me into their world.

The lady, who looked around 70, approached me with a kind yet curious expression. I assumed she was their dadisa-the matriarch of the family. Her presence commanded respect, and despite her age, she seemed as sharp as ever.

She looked at me thoughtfully and then asked, "What do you do, Ananya?"

I hesitated for a moment, unsure of how much to reveal or if I even had the right to share anything in this foreign setting. I forced a smile and replied hesitantly, "I... I was working in a small company as Graphic Designer."

Her eyes softened, and she nodded as though processing the information, though I couldn't quite tell what she thought of my answer.

"That's good," she said after a pause, her voice filled with a quiet strength.

I flinched as the voice pierced the air, a sharp shout that seemed to echo through the room. "What is she doing here? Who allowed her here?" The harshness in his tone stung, and my heart raced in my chest. I slowly looked up, my eyes meeting the man who had spoken.

He stood there, impeccably dressed in an Armani suit, his presence commanding attention. His glare was intense, aimed directly at me. Every muscle in my body tensed, and I instinctively shrank back. But as our eyes locked, I noticed something unexpected-his gaze softened, just a little, as if the harshness in his words was at odds with the vulnerability he was trying to hide.

My breath hitched, my eyes filling with tears. Why was he looking at me like that? His initial anger, so raw and biting, was now replaced by something else, something I couldn't quite place.

I entered the dining area, ready to grab my breakfast, but as I glanced around the table, my eyes landed on someone sitting there-someone I did not expect to see. She was wearing a hoodie, her posture stiff, like she was trying to shrink into the chair. The sight of her immediately made my blood boil.
I strode toward the table, my anger flaring up once more. My voice, sharp and filled with disbelief, cut through the quiet morning. "What is she doing here?" I shouted, unable to contain the frustration and confusion building inside me.

Her outfit
The room seemed to freeze for a moment as everyone turned to look. My gaze never left her, my heart pounding in my chest. I couldn't believe she was here, in this palace, sitting like it was normal.

How could she be here after everything that had happened? And why the hell wasn't anyone stopping this madness? The question lingered in the air, but I wasn't sure if I even wanted an answer.

She flinched at the sharpness of my voice, her eyes wide with fear. I could see the tear that was threatening to fall, and it hit me harder than I expected. There was something about those doe-like eyes, that vulnerability, that made my anger feel insignificant. The more I looked at her, the less I could understand why I felt this way. Why did seeing her like this make my heart ache?

I tried to steady myself, but my gaze lingered on her for too long, and my anger began to fade away, replaced by something unfamiliar.

Just then, Dada Sa's voice broke through the tension. "Humnai kaha tha Vihaan aur Rohan se Ananya ko yaha lane," he said, and the mention of her name made me feel uneasy. Why was I suddenly so aware of her presence? My mind was swirling, but I couldn't focus on that now.

I opened my mouth to argue, but Dada Sa cut me off, his tone firm. "Hum jante hain, Hriday. Aapko pasand nahi hai koi bahar wala yahan aaye. Aur rahi baat safety ki, to ghar mein kaafi guards hain."

I didn't argue. The breakfast passed in silence, and soon after, I left for the office with Rohan and Vihaan. Rohan, always cool and collected, gave me no trouble. Vihaan, on the other hand, was a bit more intense-working as the CFO, but also a genius when it came to hacking. Sometimes, even Baba Sa and Kaka Sa helped us out with projects, keeping everything in check. Meanwhile, Maasa and Kaki Sa took charge of the NGOs, along with Dada Sa and Dadi Sa.

As I stepped outside, I saw my car waiting for me. Without a word, I walked towards it, feeling the rush of relief when I saw it-my car, my sanctuary. I slid into the driver's seat, savoring the familiar feeling of the leather beneath my hands. I liked to drive my car myself. I didn't like anyone else sitting in it, and honestly, I couldn't care less if that sounded insane. This was my space, my baby. No one else was allowed in it, not unless I said so.

I reached my cabin and sat down at my desk, rubbing my temples in an attempt to shake off the anger from earlier. Ravi walked in with my coffee, handing it over without a word. As he started going through my schedule for the day, I couldn't help but mentally prepare myself for a hectic time ahead. The usual rush, meetings, and calls. It was going to be one of those days.

Once he finished outlining the day's tasks, I stopped him before he could leave.

"Ravi," I said, my voice firm, "tell the private detective to gather all the information about Ananya and her family and also about dev and his situation in Delhi. I want to know everything."

He nodded without hesitation. "Understood, sir. I'll have it sorted."

As Ravi left the room, I leaned back in my chair, taking a sip of the coffee, already plotting my next steps. The day would be long, but this new piece of information about Ananya kept gnawing at me. I needed to understand everything about her-and Dev. This wasn't over.

As the last of the family members trickled out of the dining room, I felt the heaviness of their presence slowly fade and I had no idea what to do next. Should I leave? Should I try to talk to someone? The confusion swirled in my mind. But before I could gather my thoughts, I heard a voice.

"Are tumne to kuch khaya hi nahi?"

I glanced at my plate and noticed the poha. I hated it. I didn't want to eat. My stomach felt tight, and the thought of food made me feel nauseous. I looked up to see Mrs. Rathore looking me.

Mrs. Rathore turned to Mayra. "Mayra, you also didn't eat anything either. Aisa kaise chalega? Tumhe kuch to khana hoga."

Mayra shook her head, "Maasa, I don't want to eat," her voice soft.

I felt a sense of solidarity with her. But still, I wasn't feeling well, and the poha was doing nothing to help. I stared down at my plate, trying to ignore the ache in my stomach.

Then I heard Dadisa's comforting voice, "Koi nahi, hum fruits mangvate hain tumhare liye." She ordered a servant to bring fruits for Mayra, then turned to me.

"Tume kya hua? Tum kyu nahi kha rahi?" she asked with concern.

I hesitated, then shook my head. "Mujhe bhukh nahi hai," I said softly, not wanting to make a scene. I reached for a glass of juice and took a sip, then gulped it down quickly, hoping the liquid would settle my uneasy stomach.

They all looked at me, some in concern, some in silence, before standing up.

"Thank you for breakfast," I mumbled, feeling awkward in the moment.

Dadisa smiled and called for a servant. "She will take you to your room," she said kindly.

I stood up slowly, nodding at them all, and the servant came to guide me away from the dining room. As I left, I couldn't shake the feeling of being a guest in this strange palace, surrounded by people who probably didn't know what to do with me.