The Prince's Indentured Bride

Men are fools

I closed my eyes and leaned my head deeper into the nuzzle of my chair.

“Huss, I do not hate Kriag or anything. We all went through a lot and he was firstly a friend to me. I will be fine as long as you don’t make a fuss.”

She was definitely frowning; I could just see it through the phone too. “Whatever makes you happy. Anyways he is in a relationship with that girl from Miss India 2022, I guess. Anyways, tomorrow I have a holiday let meet and also visit Lyle.”

Where did Husna acquire this habit from? Maybe from her news reporting skills. But this woman speaks too much, superfast express speed.

“Yes, let’s do that. Bye. I need to get going.” I said seeing the silhouette on the glass frames near the door of Rashmi, my lovely annoying Secretary.

‘I know it damn it that I have a meeting I need to be in. You didn’t need to come and pick me up.’ I would say and then she will still keep her perfect smile on and reply with a practiced respectful tone – ‘I get paid to make your work and wellbeing easy Mam.’

And she will continue to have savage answers to all my questions. That is just so maddening! I just wish next time I get to select my PA, instead of getting a trained one sent from Ashtrick groups.

Why do I not like her? Maybe because I am jealous that her face always has a smile, be it fake or real but her zygomaticus does exercise regularly.

Or perhaps it’s just difficult to accept people in a society who has guts.

~

“Jules? Why are the lights off? Where are –” I entered his cabin and got embraced with a hospitality of gratifying smell of chicken nuggets.

Disgusting! “How could you work, eat, sleep and poop in the same place Jules!”

“Little sister can you not shout please. I am having a headache.” He said in a muzzy voice still disoriented from the sudden light in the dark room, which I had switched on for the kindness of human world.

I tried searching for evidences of, if this was a drunk cephalalgy or a stress migraine of his, knowing it is mostly the latter one. But seeing the white wine bottle on the lounge table I was quite pissed but drinking is not his thing.

“Did you drink in the middle of the day and called me over?” I asked being frustrated because it took me forty minutes to come here since he had said I was supposed to meet someone important.

Julian finally opened his eyes. “Little sister, do you take me for a fool?” He said placing both his palms on the either side of my shoulders and pushed me back, making me take a step back, and then removing his hands he glanced on the ground seeing my legs and smiled.

“What?” I asked watching my yellow chunky heels with a wider strap than the usual ones. Don’t tell me he is going to comment on my fashion choices!

“It looks great.” I smiled proudly seeing how much he had evolved as both a human and a brother.

“Thanks.” I returned the favour. He looked confused and then spoke. “Of course, you had to know your place. You just crossed the line so I made you stand at your right place.”

What the doom he is on about!?

I stared the ground searching for the so-called line I crossed but only found clean rustic wooden floor.

I gave him a long glare. If not for this 2 hours’ worth waste of time I would have completed two meetings for the new audition set which we had recently collaborated with The Acting School of Brinda.

“We have decided we will not doubt each other and keep infinite trust. So, you just crossed that line of thinking I called you here for fun.” Even if he was right about this, I didn’t hesitate to punch him which made him kiss his table.

Thankfully his teeth didn’t damage the wood or he would have definitely sued me for property damage. I can’t give my legal team an extra reason to nag me.

He snickered and settled back on his chair while I made myself home by watching the outside view from his window, which was great by the way; serene sky and a long-awaited hill view where two houses were joined by a staircase built on the top of the peak. “Mr Dutta was here.” Explains the wine in daylight.

Everybody knew that old potbelly Dutta man prioritized alcohol over tea and golf upon seduction. Knowing how gagging his personality was did no good because nobody dared to go against him for, he was the running chief of Real Business Trade Centre which every businessman needed to ensure harmless and profitable mergers.

“Jules what is the matter? Is Ashtrick Jewellers going bankrupt?” I asked with concern because I did not know what is happening with the family business, from when he has taken over completely, as I didn’t have any time to pay attention to it. Nor was it required.

He chuckled, which set me at ease. “Don’t worry I won’t ask your help even if I am going bankrupt! I feel like Dad is hiding something from us.”

Daddy dearest and secrets?

It is not possible because he has two children.

Julian is unaware of the secrets buried in me which father has shared on multiple dinner dates with me and I am sure there are things Julian and father discuss in the darkest nights which I have no idea of.

“I don’t think so.” I assured him contradicting the uncertainty in him. But if he is saying then there must be a reason so I queried, “What is your evidence?”

“He is spending too much time away from home, office and even golf clubs.”

That is his basis of suspicious? How ridiculous! And he asked me to visit for discussing this?

All men do is lie, cheat and, are fools!

“From when did you start forgetting about the – give privacy to our loved ones – statement?” I scolded him and yanked one of his hats from the coat stand and threw at his face.

Unaware of the fact that the fear of something wrong will be happening growing like a rotten seed of black dahlia inside my head.