RAGHAV walked further into the utility room, closing the door behind him. His hands were in his trouser pockets.


    Rina sighed, she was beginning to feel safe and rxed with him these days, order than nervous and tensed as before.


    “Good morning Your Grace”, she slightly bowed.


    Raghav halted and smiled, then looked round, nodding.


    “Morning beautiful Rina, how was your night?”


    Jeez, butterflies… more butterflies. He just called her beautiful? Wow.


    “My night was fine Maharana… and yours?” She added, putting her arms behind her.


    Hmm, she is now bing brave, he thought.


    “Fine as well”, he began walking towards her.


    “I understand you are the one to do myundry?” He asked.


    “Yes my Prince”, she nodded.


    He halted and looked at her.


    “You were teamed up with Alina, so I learnt”.


    “Huh?” Her eyes widened in disbelief, “Alina? But she told me I am to do it alone”, she stressed.


    “Well Rina, she has a punishment already, I have told it to Prag”, he said.


    “Punishment? Why?”


    “For wanting to kill you with job, I mean, does she have an idea what you mean to me?” He spilled.


    Huh? Did he just say that? Like really, she means something to him? Oh my gee, she couldn’t believe it.


    She kept mute, saying nothing.


    “Anyways, let’s forget that. We are going to wash this together, so where are you?” He drew nearer her.


    “What!” She eximed, her eyes widened.


    “What is what?” He asked, he was taken aback.


    She sighed.


    “My Prince please, I want to plead with all due respect to let me do this alone, I will be fine”, she said.


    He smiled.


    “We are in this together, nothing is going to happen, and besides… I am the Prince, nobody questions my actions”, he winked.


    Her shoulders dropped in disappointment. She quite understood him but was he not getting the picture? This was the Queen involved, she sighed.


    “Let’s start. Do you…”.


    “I don’t know how to use the washing machine”, she interrupted him in a haste.


    He smiled.


    “Oh, I am sorry for interrupting”, she pleaded pouting.


    “So you should actually be grateful for seeing me here, and not chasing me away”, he winked.


    She looked away, smiling.


    “I… I didn’t chase you”, she said.


    “Let’s get down to business”, he walked up to the washing machine.


    “You first put on the switch, and connect it”, he said and proceeded to carry it out.


    Rina watched with keen interest.


    “Then you put in the water. It’s already easy, there are taps on the wall with hoses, just direct the hose into the machine, then turn the tap on”, he winked.


    “Wow”, she mouthed smiling.


    “Let me do that my Prince”, she said with a rush.


    He smiled and stepped out of the way, then Rina did exactly as he said. When the water had entered enough, she turned off the tap.


    He then directed her on how to get on with the washing, and together they did theundry.


    “So, how did you find your way here?” Raghav suddenly asked as they worked.


    “Huh”, she flinched, she wasn’t expecting the question.


    “Don’t you get?” He asked.


    “I did my Prince, it’s just that… I wasn’t expecting the question”, she sniffed, transferring some clothes to a basin.


    “Alright, I get. But you have to answer me”, he said and she turned to him, their eyes met.


    “Fine”, she looked away.


    “A friend helped me”.


    “After high school?”


    “No… um.. yes, I mean no”, she stuttered.


    He dropped his hands, looking at her. Her eyes were lowered to the ground.


    “What are you trying to say Rina?” He asked.


    She exhaled deeply, then raised her face to look at him.


    “I… dropped out of high school”, she said in a whisper.


    “What? Dropped out?” He asked.


    She nodded.


    “Why?”


    “Well my Prince, it’splicated, but the bottom line is I didn’tplete high school”, she said.


    My goodness, the news was so much a burden for him to bear, he couldn’t believe it.


    He instantly knew it must be something rted to finance, he winced.


    This was supposed to be his job as a Prince, to make sure all inhabitants of the kingdom never sufferck.


    He sighed, then turned to her.


    “I am sorry”, he said in a whisper.


    Huh? She looked at him, he is sorry for what? She chuckled sadly.


    “It’s fine my Prince”.


    “I do hope you going to tell me theplicated issue one day, I’m interested in knowing”, he said.


    She pretended not to have heard him, cing some clothes in the dryer.


    Just then the door opened and Alina entered, huh?


    Alina froze on seeing the Prince, she never was expecting him there, never.


    “Oh”, she mouthed. Why was he always everywhere with this Rina girl, why? She winced.


    And oh jeez, he was working with her, they were both doing theundry together.


    “Good morning Maharana”, she genuflected.


    “Have youe to see how far she has gone with the job allotted to the both of you?” He thundered.


    What! He already knows they were both teamed up for the task, how had he known? How?


    Rina stood as she watched them in silence.


    “Um… my Prince I…”, she stammered.


    “You know what? Just leave”, he ordered.


    “My Prince…”.


    “Leave”, he pointed towards the door, and she ran out instantly.


    *


    *


    *


    ?? New York City ??


    Club Xhrine


    The sounds from the sound systems in the club was so defeaning and ring as always that airy evening.


    Be sat still, a stub of half smoked cigarette stocked in between her left fingers, as she smoked.


    She hadn’t been herself since Raghav left the states without her, she had felt broken and used.


    But she wasn’t going to relent or give up easily, never, she had ns to execute her wish well, she gonna be the bride of the Prince, if not now, thenter.


    Raghav can’t just toy with her heart and leave just like that, she wasn’t someone any guy ys with.


    Just then, a hefty looking man joined her, taking a stand beside her.


    “How is it?” She asked, puffing out smoke from her nostrils and mouth.


    “Boss, it’s moreplicated now”, his deep voice spoke.


    Huh? She turned to look at him.


    “What do you meanplicated Leroy?” She asked.


    He sighed.


    “Boss, the girl we put up as a maid to watch over the Prince has been fired”.


    “What!” She eximed, the stub of cigarette in her hands fell off.


    Leroy instantly picked out another from the packet tossed carelessly on the table, lighted it and gave it to her.


    She epted with shaky fingers.


    “I’m sorry boss, but that is the info I got”, he said.Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.


    “Jeez, what nonsense? What’s that her name again?…”.


    “Aashvi”, he said.


    “Yes Aashvi, why couldn’t she just cooperate? And why are you just getting the info now?” She asked.


    “I’m really sorry boss, she was fired about a week ago, why the info was dyed, I don’t know”, he said.


    She sighed, puffed in smoke, and puffed out.


    “Leroy we have to do something, and do it fast”, she said.


    “Yes boss”, he nodded.


    “As for the Aashvi girl, make arrangements for her toe over, she needs to be punished”.


    Leroy nodded.


    “Noted boss”.


    “We really need to do something. Set up a private investigating team and send them down there”.


    “Alright”.


    “They need to keep an eye on Prince Raghav, watch his every movements, his every steps”.


    “Okay boss”.


    “I need to be updated on his every move”.