The phone rang.
She wanted to end the call at the third ring when it was answered.
“Yes?”
His voice was low with a hint of curtness.
Her heart jumped.
“I—hi,” she said, suddenly aware of how unprepared she sounded. “It’s… It’s me. Yamini… your… uh… wife.”
“I know,” he replied.
Her cheeks burned.
She felt ridiculous. “Are you busy?”
“No,” he said.
She took a breath, steadying herself. “Your mother called me today. She wants to announce our marriage publicly.”
There was a brief pause.
“Yes,” he said. “That was expected.”
“I told her I needed time,” Yamini continued. “I haven’t told my parents yet.”
There was another pause. “I see.”
“I’d like you to come with me,” she said. “To my parents’ home so I can tell them.”
Silence stretched across the line.
Her pulse quickened. She braced herself for refusal, for cool logic, for some explanation about why it wasn’t necessary.
“I’m free tomorrow,” he said. His tone was curt, matter-of-fact. “We’ll leave at 10, after breakfast.”
She blinked. “You… you’re agreeing?”
“Yes.”
Just that single word, and relief washed through her.
“Thank you,” she murmured.
“There’s no need to thank me,” he replied. “Your parents need to be informed.”
Of course. It was a royal duty for him. Nothing more.
“I’ll arrange the details,” he added. “Someone will inform you of the time.”
The call ended without goodbyes.
She lowered the phone, feeling both annoyed and grateful.
It might be a royal duty for him. But for her, his presence would make her parents accept her back into the family.
Tomorrow, she would face her parents.
