“Yes.”
“Immediately?”
Yamini closed her eyes briefly. “Immediately.”
Pooja sat back in her chair and looked at Yamini with a wide grin. “That is the most dramatic, ridiculous, wonderful thing I have ever heard in my life.” Pooja grabbed her hand across the table. “Tell me everything.”
Yamini told her. The contract, the lawyer's office, the heir clause, her grandmother's inheritance conditions, the temple in the mountains, the ceremony with no guests. Then the visit to the Rewa Palace. She kept her voice low and matter-of-fact, watching Pooja's face shift through approximately forty expressions.
“It's a contract marriage,” Yamini finished. “Three years. Heir clause on both sides. Nothing more.”
Pooja was quiet for a moment, which was unusual enough to be alarming.
Then she said, “It sounds like a romantic movie with a happy ending.”
Yamini stared at her. “It’s more of a legal document.”
“He flew his runaway bride to his ancestral temple in the mountains and married her,” Pooja said dreamily. “That is not a legal document. That is a fairytale.”
“Pooja—”
“I'm just saying what it sounds like.” Pooja’s eyes brightened. “So Rani Suchitra Devi knows, and you’ve met her after the wedding?”
Yamini nodded. “Yes, but…”
Pooja's eyes sharpened. “But what?”
Yamini shrugged, keeping her voice light. “Rani Suchitra wasn’t exactly thrilled. The wedding was a surprise for her. His grandmother was particularly... clear about her feelings.”
Pooja waved a hand dismissively. “Oh, please. You are the best they could ever get. Beauty, lineage, and spirit. What else would they want?”
“You're biased,” Yamini said with a laugh. “You're my best friend. Of course, you’d think I am the best they can get.”
“Absolutely,” Pooja agreed without hesitation. “But I'm also right.” She propped her chin on her hand and looked at Yamini dreamily. “You know what else would be the best?”
“What?”
“Your babies.”
Yamini choked on her chai.
“They would be breathtaking. You and Bharat Jogra. Think about it. His cheekbones. His eyes. Your dusky skin and smile. Your children will be absolutely—”
“Stop it!” Yamini said, her face heating.
Pooja grinned. “I'm just being realistic.”
“You're being ridiculous.”
“I'm being both.” Pooja squeezed her hand. “I'm happy for you. Even if you're not happy yet. I think you will realize you are his chosen one.”
Yamini shook her head. “I told you it’s just a contract.”
“Oh please. I’m sure—”
“We have separate bedrooms,” she said.
Pooja's smile dimmed slightly. “Oh.”
