“It’sperfect.” Pooja pointed the fork at her. “And what about you? Did he look at you?”
Yamini’s heart jumped like it had been waiting for that question. She kept her face neutral. “I was working. I stayed out of his way.”
“That wasn’t my question.”
Yamini took a bite, chewing too long, buying time. “He… didn’t say anything.”
Pooja stared at her as though she could see through her lies. Then she sighed dramatically. “Fine. Keep your secrets for now. I’ll get it from you later.”
Yamini rolled her eyes. “You’re impossible.”
“Thank you.” Pooja leaned back, making herself comfortable.
Yamini reached for the cola bottle to pour herself a drink when her phone vibrated on the table.
It was an unknown number. Wondering if it was related to her job application, she picked it up.
“Hello?”
“Princess Yamini Gaur?”
The name was spoken softly, but it jolted her.
Yamini’s fingers stilled around the phone. Across the table, Pooja paused mid-bite, sensing the shift.
“Yes,” Yamini said slowly. “Who is this?”
“This is Mr. Sharma calling from the Sandhu Royal Trust Board.”
Yamini’s jaw tightened. Her mother must have given them her number because the royal trust belonged to her mother’s family.
“Yes,” she said. “I’m listening.”
“This is a formal reminder regarding the inheritance left to you by your late grandmother, Maharani Lachmi SahibaSandhu. As per the trust conditions, you have three years remaining to fulfill the eligibility criteria.”
Yamini’s grip tightened. She already knew what that meant.
“You are required to be legally married within the royal community and have an heir before the age of thirty-one in order to claim the inheritance. Given your personal circumstances over the past five years, the board has made a one-time adjustment to the original deadline. You have three years remaining as of today. Failure to meet these conditions will result in redistribution.”
The words were calm and precise, delivered without hesitation, as though they were not outlining the course of her life.
Yamini leaned back slightly, her eyes unfocused.
Five years ago, her mother’s voice had sounded just as calm.
Maharaja Bharat Singh Jogra is the right match.
Yamini had laughed back then.“You think I care for his money or titles?”
Her mother had looked at her steadily.“I know you are too proud and independent to spend your husband’s money. But you will gain your grandmother’s inheritance after marriage. You can use it however you wish… for your photography. Papa won’t have a say in it. In fact, Papa will approve of your marriage with the Jogra Maharaja.”
Those words had played a huge role in her decision to accept the alliance.
Not for the title. But for the freedom the inheritance would offer her. And for her father’s approval.
But then she had met Bharat Jogra. A man who hadn’t even looked at her on their engagement day. That had made the decision to give up the inheritance easy.
“I’m aware of the conditions,” Yamini replied in a steady voice on the phone to the Royal Trust enforcer.
