The Prince's Indentured Bride

filial situations

I finally collected my scattered away thoughts and replied, “You sound so shameless Gabriel. And I like someone.”

“That doesn’t concern my offer to you Vhrea.”

In the whole time he had finally used my name and suddenly it felt how serious of a conversation he was trying to have with me right now. “Gabriel, you know people are people. And we just can’t forget them.”

“Whatever do you mean of it?”

“It means that you, and I, don’t share the best of parting history,” I waited for him to react, but he just sat there unmoving, “You left me, Himachal Pradesh, without a proper goodbye, nor an explanation. And now out of the blue, without any proper explanation, nor reasoning you are asking something very big.”

“Vhrea, I understand why you would resent me,” Resent? That was a very small word in explanation to what I used to feel towards him after he broke my heart, “I really want to explain you, but you were a ch–aracter variable I thought I would never have in my life.”

My heart just dropped ten feet inside the ground, fragile enough to break into four parts, he almost called me a child just now, and what is his meaning of calling me a variable he didn’t want?

I waited for him to continue, which he didn’t, so I came to the easiest conclusion that pulling this matter further will do me no good, and if someday he really is sorry to me then he will do what he is supposed to do. For now, clearing this messy situation is more important.

“I don’t know how to trust you at all.” I explained my stance. He blinked once, and then leaned forward. That action itself sent my heart racing to the drunk kiss, and I didn’t want a repeat. Then he pulled my left palm to interwind with his right; sandpaper rough, and rock hard as always was his hand, but they held an unknown warmth.

“We are us Vhrea. Do you feel scared? Shall we go trekking and check our trust issue?” I simply stared at him, the natural lighting from outside breaking his colder demur into a sun kissed prince attire.

“No. It is not uncomfortable.” I replied, being confused to what this was leading to. “Exactly my point. People are people, and we don’t have only one side of us. You and I were not just damaged lovers, before that we were business partners and we excelled in it.”

He paused to give me a slow glance. “We just need to do business.”

Saying so he gave a tight squeeze to our locked hands with his free hand, and released my hand.

He continued, “You can like anyone you want, just don’t marry them.” The fudging sick unsensual thing he was talking about.

“You’ve lost it Gabriel. Sir Kongee is a very good and renewed expert in his field and is a friend of mine. I will talk to him about you.”

Sir Kongee wasn’t letting me to take appointments, how could I even get one for him? But, right now, he seemed to be looking extremely stupid to me. Who has lost everything and doesn’t know how to continue living?

“It is just a three months Contract. You can shift your business here for the time being.” Now he was playing the business card he was an expert on.

“Considering your business idea, you should know that I am either all in or no in. There is no in between for me.”

“I will give you enough power to help you find the person behind your father’s murder.”

That hit directly to the spot, into the centre of my heart and I was becoming unnecessarily emotional, and angry!

“Gabriel, don’t stoop so low, Don’t use my vulnerable side to make a deal.” I gave him a clear warning.

“You are taking me wrong again. I want you to help me, you marrying me, and adding my name to your name is the power I will attain equal to giving you the authority to investigate anything you want.” I still didn’t get his point at all.

He was desperate was the only thing I could understand. “How can your power help me unveil a murder in India?”

“Don’t underestimate the power of a ruler, and never forget that the layers of small cake make a storey cake.” He seemed to be talking in a puzzle I couldn’t understand.

“Did you go through the marriage contract I sent you?”

“No. My lawyer is on it.” I replied honestly. I’ve asked Ganesh to check it more thoroughly. I wouldn’t have given any chance to such a weird proposal but it was Gabriel who sent it, and I share a blissful history with him.

“I need your presence here, and I will pay it back. I can’t put it anymore better than this.”

The edge in his voice, the authoritive tone, and everything else was gone by now. Only his exhausted and desperate to make me understand the profits of this merger spoke. But I didn’t understand one thing. Why me?

Money? I don’t think I have it more than he has. He said he was a king of this state.

Brain? I didn’t match his thoughts in anything, starting from our choices of eatery.

National ties strengthening? I wasn’t the daughter of some chief minister or prime minister of any state, or country.

I didn’t see why and ow could my presence and name give him power powerful than the one he already holds?

“What are you not telling me?”

“It is going to be my 31st birthday this winter. And if I don’t bring a bride, it shows I am not a responsible ruler, and is not worried about the future of the country. And that puts me in a predicament, that is, I need to get married to claim all the land and property. Or else it will be equally distributed among the councillors.”

I didn’t understand anything out of his explanation, and my understanding on the situation turned even more complicated. “In human language Gabriel.”

“I need to get married. I can’t marry someone from here, because it is a small country, and the powerful names are always around me. If I marry one of the names’ daughter, or granddaughter, the other’s will make it a life mission to make my wives life a living hell. I don’t want that spotlight.”

I think I should offer him some water. He seemed too much out of breath trying to explain his situation to me.

“So, I want to marry you and put an end to their control over me, and each other. It is a political move, and there is no other girl I could trust in this situation And I have very less time.” Few of the things the man by the principle book spoke started making sense now. His situation seems to be too stuck out. I am still not sure if this is a deal which will benefit me enough, or in a positive margin.

I will definitely need a new set of eyes.