Page 161 of Claimed By the Maharaja
Her family had influence, yes. But this level of reach?
She turned his words over slowly.
The photos. The timing. The speed of the divorce. The collapse of his business.
None of it sat neatly.
She straightened her shoulders. Whatever had happened to Rahul was not her problem. He had made his choices. She had made hers.
Still, the crease between her brows didn't smooth.
Rahul had always exaggerated. Manipulated. Shifted blame.
Yet one thing bothered her. He sounded genuinely afraid.
She knew she should put the phone down and get back to work, ignoring the call. But something made her pick up the phone again.
She found her brother's number and called.
He picked up on the third ring. “Yamini?”
“Bhai.” She kept her voice low. “I need you to answer something honestly.”
His tone shifted immediately. “What is it?”
“When I divorced Rahul, did Papa intervene? Did you? Did anyone from our side send the proof? Push the legal process?”
A pause.
“What?” Arjun said. He sounded genuinely confused. “We only found out when you called and told Ma.”
Her chest tightened. “You didn't know before?”
“No,” he said. “Papa didn't even want to discuss it. He was furious. Embarrassed.”
“And you?”
Silence.
“I wanted to come,” Arjun said softly. “Ma wanted to come too. But Papa stopped us. Said you had chosen your path.” His voice dropped further. “I still can't forgive myself. You called Ma crying, and I still listened to Papa’s order.”
Her throat tightened unexpectedly. She had needed them then. She had told herself for five years that she hadn't. But she had.
“I know how Papa is,” she said. “I don't blame you. Or Ma.”
She heard him exhale.
There was a moment of quiet between them.
“My ex-husband called me today,” she said. “He's accusing our family of destroying him. He said Papa sent those photos of him cheating and then had his company collapse.”
“What?”
“He thinks someone used influence to ruin him.”
“It wasn't Papa,” Arjun said. “It wasn't me either.” A short pause. “I wish it had been and that we had that kind of influence. That bastard deserved everything he got and more.”
Yamini believed him without hesitation.
