Page 19 of Claimed By the Maharaja
Exhaling slowly, she forced her shoulders to relax.
She lifted the camera again, retreating into the familiar safety of her lens.
Through the viewfinder, Bharat Jogra was just another subject. Another assignment she would finish and walk away from.
Still, her heartbeat refused to slow.
Her pulse remained uncomfortably high as she moved along the edge of the room, camera raised, her instincts taking over even as her nerves refused to settle. She adjusted angles, framed faces, captured gestures, and the practiced rhythm of her work anchored her when her thoughts threatened to spiral.
Don’t think about him. Just do your job.
Just like in the previous event, he seemed utterly indifferent to the people around. His sunglasses were on the table, but his attention remained fixed on the document in his hand. His posture was straight, and he looked commanding without effort.
The meeting moved forward.
“The protests outside your plants are unfortunate,” the chief minister said, his tone smooth and reassuring. “But we recognize the immense contribution your steel industries have made. Development. Infrastructure. Employment for thousands of families.”
Several heads nodded around the table.
Bharat listened in silence, his hands folded neatly on the polished surface, expression unreadable as he reviewed the document.
“We are keen to work with you,” the minister continued eagerly. “A qualified environmental team from the government can collaborate closely with your organization. Together, we can create a comprehensive report, address concerns, reassure thepublic, and silence unnecessary opposition. My daughter Tina will lead the team.”
Tina, the minister’s daughter, was an environmental consultant.
Yamini glanced briefly toward the minister’s side of the table, where Tina sat composed and attentive, but frequently glancing at Bharat. It wasn’t subtle. The setup hovered in the air, thinly disguised as policy.
Her gaze slid back to Bharat.
If he noticed, he gave no sign. No shift in posture. No flicker of expression. He responded only with a short, precise acknowledgment. “My teams have been directed to cooperate.”
He sounded cold and formal.
The disappointment on Tina’s face was fleeting but unmistakable. She most likely expected Bharat Jogra to be personally involved. “Of course, Your Highness. But… we will need your cooperation too in getting a few pictures for the PR campaign.”
Yamini’s fingers tightened around her camera.
Environmental team. PR campaign. Collaborate.
Realization hit her hard.
Oh my God.
She realized that the six-month PR project she had recently signed was for Bharat Jogra’s steel industries.
She had read through the contract, but the client’s name wasn’t mentioned. She hadn’t cared because all she could see was the huge amount she was to be paid for the job.
And now, all her plans to rent a studio and begin all over seemed like a dream slipping away from her.
Her hands trembled as she continued to take photos. The meeting continued with more discussion, but her mind raced with implications.
Maybe it will be okay.
He won’t be around during the project. His team will take care of things.
And no one in his team or the outside world knew about what happened between them.
Hope grew inside her.
