-• the plan •-

I'm an indecisive person.

Because as I sit through the dinner with everyone else, I keep contemplating inside my head whether my decision to say yes to Yuvaan is right or not. In greed of keeping one person on my side, I might end up making an enemy out of another. I know there's some bad blood between me and Agastya, but it hasn't reached to the point of no return. However, if I involve myself in Yuvaan's plan, and someday it's revealed, I'll be put in an unwanted spotlight. What if Dad thinks bad of me? He already believes I can never do wrong. Then what if he finds out I did something very wrong to one of his sons in the first week of my stay here?

But honestly, whatever I'm doing, is it really that wrong? If I look at it from different perspective, then I'm just bringing someone else's wrong-doings in the light. It's Agastya's fault for having the little tête-à-tête with the enemy's daughter, who's not only seven years older than him, but also engaged.

I glance Agastya's way, who's busy in a conversation with Arush. The two really gel well, don't they? Their personalities match though, both of them equally short tempered, obnoxious, narcissistic and always rude.

Exposing Agastya's dirt will affect his favourite confidante as well.

"Arush is in the same class."

A new fear settles into me.

Yuvaan is already twenty. He must be in the university now. But Arush, Ayush and Agastya are still at school. On top of that, Agastya must be a senior.

Damnit. Do I really want this?

I can vouch for their popularity in school just by looking at them. Both of them extremely good looking, ladies' men, confident and cocky. Is it really worth making an enemy out of them? What if they make my life at school a living hell?

But who will tell them you did it?

Right.

I'm new.

I've no idea of their past, or their past conquests. What they do behind the closed doors is none of my business. And why would they even suspect me? I'm a recently found, sixteen year old, newly brought home half sister. There's no way I can get my hands on their past dirt. If anything, Yuvaan will be their prime suspect, since he was talking about getting even with Agastya. That's one of the reason Yuvaan doesn't want any evidence pointing fingers at him.

Maybe I can do this.

I'll get Yuvaan on my side, equally intimidating like Yuvraaj.

And I'll also be able to help Tarun out of his predicament.

Maybe this opportunity willingly came walking through my doors. I would be a fool to turn this down.

All I've to do is wear a maid uniform, sneak inside Yuvraaj's room -- God, even the thought is enough to make me shudder in fear. I just hope nothing goes wrong. I'll sneak inside quietly, put the envelope on his desk and flee the room.

That's right.

I can do this.

I might not be well versed in sneaking around to create troubles, but I've watched enough spy movies to know how it's done. I just need to be confident in my skills.

"Tara," a touch on my shoulder shakes me from the cycle of thoughts.

"Huh?" I look at my father clueless.

"Are you okay?" He asks, sounding concerned.

I glance at Yuvaan, who quickly looks down at his plate. "Uh, yeah, I'm fine. Why would you ask?"

"Because I've been calling your name for the last ten seconds now," Yuvraaj speaks, a hard edge to his tone, laced with annoyance and impatience, obviously not used to being ignored for so long.

"Oh," I turn my head to him. "Sorry, I was thinking about something else."

"What?" He inquires.

"Uhm," I glance around, buying some time to come up with an excuse. "Just-"

"Missing your mother?" Dad interrupts, indirectly helping me.

I sigh in relief. "Yeah, sorry about that."

He wraps an arm around my shoulders and kisses me on the top of my head. "I miss her too," he whispers, audible enough for my ears. I feel bad for lying, but it's not like I've any other choice. He releases me with a soft squeeze.

"What is it?" I ask Yuvraaj cautiously.

"How are your classes going?"

"Good," I nod hesitantly. "Good," I repeat undecided of my next words.

"Are you learning something new or just skimming through the classes absentmindedly, like you did just now?" His dark onyx eyes settle on me firmly, strong forearms planted on the table, thick fingers interlaced together. Can someone please ask this man to roll down his sleeves? He's terrifying me with that sheer body strength and ice cold eyes fixed on my hunched form. I swear if this man was an animal, he would be the wolf. The leader of the pack.

I swallow and turn away, relaxing when Vivaan sends me a comforting smile.

He'd definitely be the giant panda. Cute and gentle.

"I learned the table manners today," I answer meekly.

I see him nod from the corner of my eyes.

"What did you and Agastya bake today?" He asks further.

Timidly, I point at the muffin tray.

"Serve them," he orders the maid.

She goes around putting one on everyone's plate.

"Did you make them?" Yuvraaj confronts.

"Of course. Ayush was present in the kitchen to witness it." I say confidently.

"Yeah, these definitely look like she made them," Vivaan comments, eyeing the sloppy lump of frosting sitting on the muffin.

"Bhai!" I whine, offended.

He laughs and takes a bite. His eyes go wide in surprise. "Oh, it actually tastes good."

My jaw drops. "Bhai! I'm not giving you the extra two I kept aside for you and Dad." I decide in pettiness.

"What? We get extra two?" Dad exclaims with a smile.

"Yes, you do. Not him anymore." I narrow my eyes on Vivaan. "I'll give them to Ayush and Yuvaan Bhai."

"Hey no, these are mine." He quickly steals the two of remaining four muffins, putting them on his plate with a goofy smile.

"Wait, they get extra two?" Ayush pipes in sounding offended.

"Yup."

"Why?"

"Because I like them more." I shrug.

"Okay, I understand Dad, but why him?" He points at Vivaan.

"Because he's my most favourite in the ranks of most to least!" I grin at Vivaan who smiles back fondly.

"Aw, I love you."

I giggle shyly.

"And me? I'm always nice to you!" Ayush whines.

"You're my second favourite!" I reassure him.

"And what about me?" Yuvaan leans in with a smirk.

"Third." I splay my three fingers at him.

"I'm sure I'm last." Agastya regards me with a mocking smile.

"Yes,"

"And me?" Arush asks reluctantly.

"Second last." I answer.

"Okay, so I'm the most favourite. Then Ayush and then Yuvaan. Got it." Vivaan reaches forward with his fist. We fist bump and I sit back. "You're my most favourite too!" He declares.

I beam at him.

"Wait, what about Yuvraaj?" Dad intervenes.

I glance at Yuvraaj who's busy on his phone.

I shake my head at Dad, not answering verbally.

"He's not in the list?"

I sigh, stealing a glance at Yuvraaj who looks unbothered about our conversation.

Oh, thank God.

I shrug off the statement, not denying it but not accepting it either, and stuff the remaining two muffins on his plate. "Eat more." That's enough to distract him and he happily goes back to satiate his sweet tooth.

Post dinner, Yuvaan accompanies me to my room. Ayush tags along with force.

"Don't keep me out of the loop," Ayush takes a seat on my desk chair.

Yuvaan grabs a can of diet soda from the fridge and rests his waist against the table. The can clicks open with a fizz before he puts it to his lips and swallows a mouthful of it.

"What the fuck?" He looks down at the drink in detest.

"It's a diet soda." I inform him.

He grunts and slams down the can on the table, shoving his hands in his pockets. Ayush and I wait for him to proceed with the plan details.

"How long do we have to wait?" I question nervously.

"Until twelve." He answers. "After dinner, he takes a shower, reads a book and takes a power nap of thirty minutes. Post which he goes to his study and doesn't come out until three. Then he sleeps for another two hours before waking up at five for his morning jog. Then he hits the gym, eats his breakfast, grabs a shower and is off to office for the entirety of the day."

Something in me feels depressed just at the thought of leading a life like that. So mechanical, desolated, unhappy.

"That's so unhealthy. Was he always like that?" I ask.

"No. He changed after the -"

"Ayush," Yuvaan cuts him off mid-sentenced. "It's not our place to tell."

"It's been nine years, Bhai."

"I know. But still."

"What is it?" I ask, now even more curious than before.

"C'mon Bhai, people might not talk about it anymore, but it wasn't a secret between the families." Ayush rolls his eyes. "Yuvraaj Bhai was married."

I blink in disbelief. "No way."

He nods. "They got divorced nine years ago."

"He changed after the divorce?"

"Not really," Yuvaan shakes his head. "But yeah, he was different around the family. More softer, more emotional. Now he's just an empty vessel of life." He sighs in pity.

"Who was it? The woman he married?"

"Sara Rajawat." Ayush answers. "She went to the states after the divorce. But that was nine years ago. No one knows where she is now. Not even her family."

"Yeah, that's a little hard to believe, honestly. Because Rajawats and we've been allies for more than hundred years now. Their ancestors ruled Rajgarh. It's a city near Jaipur."

"More like a part of it now." Ayush educates.

"That's not the point. It's just hard to believe for a family with so much political affluence and power to not know where the daughter of the house is."

"As if we knew about Tara two weeks ago. Every family has their own secrets."

"Yes, but that's because we weren't aware of her existence. They are. And the moment we found we've a sister seven seas across, each one of us was determined to bring her back home."

Oh.

"Do your remember how Yuvraaj Bhai almost lost it that night?" Ayush shudders. "God, I never saw him that angry before. He looked ready to kill someone."

"It was dad's fault." Yuvaan displays a scoff. "He shouldn't have kept Tara's existence hidden from us." He looks at me regrettably.

I fiddle with my fingers.

They are talking as if I'm not in the room with them. My eyes drift to the clock on the wall to read the time. It's only eleven thirty right now. Thirty minutes more to pass.

A knock on the door startles all of us.

"Who's it?" Yuvaan whispers at me.

I shrug and get off the bed. "Maybe a maid?" I walk to the door and pull it open.

Vivaan stands at the threshold with two paper bags in his hands. I glance over my shoulder at Yuvaan.

"Are you with someone?" Vivaan frowns.

I step aside to let him in.

"Yuvaan? Ayush?" He looks at the two in apparent confusion. "What are you two doing here?"

"I dragged us to watch a movie. There's no way I'll settle on being second best!" Ayush chimes in, releasing Yuvaan and I of the tension. "Just wait and watch how I steal your spot."

"In your dreams," Vivaan rolls his eyes. "Right, my love? I'll always be your most favourite." He wraps an arm around my shoulders and pulls me closer. I nod in response. "C'mon here," he drags me to the bed and sits me on the edge. "You told me to bring you some snacks, so here you go. But don't eat them all at once. Otherwise you'll get a chestburn or indigestion, okay?"

"Yeah, thank you so much." I smile up at him.

He drops a peck on my cheek and puts the bags on the nightstand.

"Alright, good night, you guys. Don't wait up until late." He ruffles Ayush's hair on his way out who quickly gets up to close the door. Yuvaan walks to the nightstand and looks through the snacks, tossing two packets at Ayush, one at me and grabs one for himself.

I look down at what he chose for me.

"What is this?"

"Kurkure Masala Munch," Ayush replies. "Just try it. It's yummy."

I nod and grab the packet in the center, struggling to tear it open. Witnessing the losing fight, Yuvaan sighs aloud and comes over, swiftly tearing the packet for me. I look at him impressed as he resumes his own snack.

I dig through my packet and grab a crooked orange stick in the pinch of my fingers. It looks spicy at the first glance. I can see all the spices coating the thick crunchy stick. I put it in my mouth and holy shit, I'm sold.

It's spicy and it's tangy, and it's just a multitude of flavours packed in one small puffed stick. It's amazing.

"See! I knew you would like it!" Ayush points at me.

I nod eagerly and eat another.

The fun comes to an end pretty soon when the clock strikes midnight.

Yuvaan keeps the half eaten bag of chips on the table and goes inside the bathroom to wash his hands. "C'mon, wear this." He hands me the maid uniform.

My stomach knots in a bundle as I take it from him and walk inside the washroom. I put on the latch and put the uniform on the closed toilet seat before stripping off mine. I wear the uniform and step out of the bathroom.

"Your clothes?" Yuvaan demands.

I hand them to him.

He transfers them to Ayush who puts them in his backpack. "I'll be in the first room of the corner west corridor. Once you're done, come there and we'll get you out. Okay?"

I nod.

"Let's go first."

"Let's take the stairs." I tell the boys when they make a move to take the elevator.

"Good idea," Yuvaan nods.

We reach the ground floor without catching anyone's eyes. Thankfully the maids are asleep in the alert room and the guards are posted outside. I twist my finger anxiously when my feet touch the threshold of living room. God, if I get caught, there's no way I can bamboozle my way out of this.

"Are you sure this is a good idea?" I whisper nervously.

"Yes, now shut up. Don't make noise." Yuvaan scolds. "His room is on the right of the corridor. The second last. Don't even go near the last one. It's his study. And it's connected to his room. So just drop the envelope and get the fuck out of there."

I nod.

"Ayush and I are going to the theatre room. The CCTVs are only in corridors. So as long as we don't get seen anywhere around his room, we are safe. You come out and directly make a dash for the first room of the west corridor. We'll be there waiting for you."

"Okay," I blow air through my mouth.

"All the best," Ayush pats my back.

"Keep your promise, okay?" I look up at Yuvaan. "Of helping me win the reward."

"Yeah, I will."

I nod again. "And if I get caught, don't expect me to keep my mouth shut about your involvement. You know he scares the shit out of me. I won't be able to hide your names for long."

"Alright, fine, now go." Yuvaan says in a hiss, his strong hands pushing me into the fire willingly.

"May God never give any sister a fate as bad as mine," I grumble under my breath.

Ayush chuckles.

"Miss. Drama, we'll appreciate your theatrics later on. Now move!" Yuvaan glares at me.

I flip him a bird and run off before he has time to react.

The severity of the situation settles in when I reach the hallway. My gaze drops to the floor, head falling extremely low to obscure my face from the watchful eye of the CCTV. I clutch the envelope tightly in my fists, ignoring the volcanoes erupting in my stomach. Blood pounds in my ears louder with every step, and the more distance I cover, the more my courage thins. There are limits you're willing to cross to get something you want, but this, this was not it.

Yuvraaj Chauhan is no safe line. He's a warning. The longer you tease it, the further you fall into the trap of no return. And from the time I've come here, I've been testing it, poking at it, and there's only so much I can abuse before his patience finally snaps. I wonder if this is the last strike.

Sweat trickles down my temples when I reach in front of his room. The moonlight streaming from the window casts a shiny glow on the knob. It looks like a time bomb to me. The moment I open the door, countdown will begin.

1

2

3

Before the ultimate boom.

I wipe my sweaty hands on the black skirt and lift the same hand to grab the knob. I tap the card key on the scanner and twist the knob. The door opens with a click. Any other time, the sound would be drowned, too light to be heard. But right now, at this moment, it feels like someone thumped the drums.

My stomach drops in the bottomless abyss and I hold my breath as I push the door ajar. I glance around the room carefully, gently closing the door behind me. I don't waste time admiring the Crown Prince's room and walk towards the nightstand. Slowly, I pull the drawer open, and what I see inside rattles my bones with shivers.

A freaking gun.

Black, thick, dangerous, and unguarded.

Fear grips my stomach, so tightly that it growls. Fuck, I've to use the bathroom. I clutch it gently, rubbing it to soothe the pressure and drop the envelope in the drawer, pushing it close just as softly. I turn to leave, and that's when I hear them.

Footsteps.

Coming closer.

Determinedly.

Thumping against the tiles, echoing in my ears like an alarm.

The time bomb is about to go off.

I think fast and slide under the bed, ignoring the clench of my stomach. I've to use the toilet fast before terror exposes me and humiliates me all at the same.

The connecting door opens and I squeeze a hand on my mouth, forcing myself to not breathe louder. My whole body is drenched in sweat. It trickles down my temples and arms, tickling me, imposing shivers. I grit my teeth when my stomach twists and I pray to the lord it doesn't make any noise.

Slip-on loafer clad feet cross the room, disappearing inside another door. Probably the closet or the bathroom. They return, pause right in front of the bed, and my heart practically rips through my chest. I clamp my lips shut, my toes curling because of the pressure in my stomach. I can feel a sob bubbling in the back of my throat, so close, almost in my mouth, ready to be released. But I hold back.

The feet walk back to the study and the door firmly shuts.

I count to three before scrambling out of the room. Closing the door shut, I scurry down the hallway with my head low.

Ayush opens the door for me. I quickly walk in and locate the washroom door.

"Here-"

"Later. I need to use the toilet first!"

"Just take them with you." Yuvaan thrusts the clothes in my hands. I let out a resigned sigh and rush inside the bathroom, dropping the clothes on the floor haphazardly as I quickly sit to use the toilet.

Fifteen minutes later, I step out, more relaxed than before.

"Let's go, we don't have much time to waste." Yuvaan beckons me closer.

They help me out of the window before using it to get out of the room. I follow them through the dark and inside another window. It turns out to be the theatre room.

"The movie's about to finish. Let's just wait until then." Ayush suggests.

I sigh and plop down on the chair, closing my eyes to the brightness coming from the big screen.

"Were you that scared?" Ayush sits on my right.

"I was terrified," I breathe out. "I was about to leave when he entered the room."

"Fuck, did he see you?" Yuvaan asks in panic.

"No, I quickly hid beneath the bed."

Relief washes over their faces.

But a sigh leaves my mouth.

"Hey, it's okay. Bhai is scary, but he wouldn't have killed you." Ayush reassures.

"I saw a gun in his drawer."

"It's a licensed gun. It's for his protection." Yuvaan informs.

"Let's just pray this works out without us busting our asses," Ayush leans back on his chair.

Right. Because all we can do is pray.

Lmao, she's so me. Like, if I'm scared, I'm just not scared, but also panicking to find the bathroom. It's a disaster. 😭

Hope you enjoyed the chapter. Don't forget to vote and comment. Makes my day.