CHAPTER 9- Judgement Without Mercy
377 Words
The silence in the room did not feel empty.
It felt… deliberate.
Amina remained on her knees, the broken fragments still scattered before her like proof of something she could not undo. Her fingers hovered slightly above the floor, unsure whether to gather the pieces or leave them untouched.
The prince did neither.
He simply watched.
“What is that?” he asked quietly.
Amina swallowed. “A decorative piece, Your Highness.”
“And now?”
Her throat tightened. “Broken.”
His gaze lingered on her for a moment longer before shifting to the shards. He stepped forward, his shoes brushing lightly against the polished floor, stopping just close enough to make her aware of his presence.
“Do you know what this is worth?”
She shook her head slowly.
“No, Your Highness.”
“It is not just about the cost,” he said, his tone still calm, almost too calm. “It is about carelessness.”
The word landed heavier than anger would have.
Amina lowered her head. “I understand.”
“Do you?” he asked.
She forced herself to meet his gaze again, even though everything in her wanted to look away.
“Yes.”
There was no trembling in her voice this time.
No excuses either.
Just acceptance.
That seemed to interest him more than anything else.
Most people, he knew, would have rushed to defend themselves. To explain. To beg. But she did none of that.
Instead, she owned the mistake.
The prince exhaled softly, then straightened.
“Clean it up,” he said. “And report to the head supervisor after.”
Amina blinked.
That was it?
No shouting. No punishment. No immediate dismissal.
Relief washed over her, but she didn’t show it.
“Yes, Your Highness.”
He turned to leave, then paused briefly at the door.
“Be more careful,” he added without looking back.
And then he was gone.
Amina remained still for a second longer before finally letting out the breath she had been holding.
Her hands moved quickly now, gathering the broken pieces.
But her mind wasn’t on the object anymore.
It was on him.
Because somehow…
That hadn’t felt like a warning.
It had felt like a test.
- Writer
