Adhiraj cannot sleep. He is staring at the ceiling, his hands tucked behind his head. Every time he closes his eyes, his arms remember the exact weight of Lakshita’s body pressing against his chest.

He has never let anyone close enough to feel "peace" before. The fact that a single, accidental touch from her completely wiped out his exhaustion terrifies him—and captivates him. He looks down at his chest, his palms tingling with the memory of how soft she felt.

In her room, Lakshita is staring at her own reflection in the mirror. Her heart is still hammering. When she stumbles into him, her face had been pressed right against his broad chest. She can still faintly smell his sandalwood and rain scent on her own skin.

Both were not able to sleep all night

Ever since that hug, Lakshita’s mind has been a chaotic mess. To protect her heart and keep her distance, she throws herself entirely into her work.

It's been week to that hug incident and she was successful in avoiding adhiraj since then but today luck was not her side as one of servant inform her that prince is meeting every head worker of entire palace to make sure everything is going smoothly as she was working as head of food distribution dipartment prince called her for meeting, her heartbeat were rapid as the mere thought of facing him

On other side adhiraj was trying to approach lakshita so he can apologise for his behaviour but he noticed that how smartly she is avoiding him since then , but today he finally decided to meet her through this meeting plan.

Lakshita slowly entered in his working chamber as soon as adhiraj saw her he got up from his seat and aproch her

You called me yuvraj? Asked lakshita

"Yes how's everything going with food distribution work? is everything fine do you need some help?" He asked

"No yuvraj i don't want any help and everything is fine i also prepared the list for things which we need for upcoming feast" lakshita replied

Adhiraj was impressed by her work before she could walk away he stopped her and said about that night...

By mention of it lakshita's breath hitched

He let out a slow, heavy exhale, consciously forcing the sudden tension out of his broad shoulders. He stepped back just an inch, giving her room to breathe,

"I am sorry, Lakshita," he murmurs, his voice deep, quiet, and entirely sincere.

Lakshita blinked up at him, startled. "Y-Your Highness?"

"For that night," Adhiraj clarified, his dark eyes holding hers steadily. "You stumbled, and I caught you. But I held onto you for far longer than I should have. It was ungentlemanly of me to cross that boundary and cause you such distress. I did not call you to make you feel unsafe, or drive you to hide from me in the dark corners of the palace."

The sheer sincerity in his apology made Lakshita’s throat tighten. The burning blush on her cheeks deepened from a sudden, overwhelming warmth. "I... I wasn't hiding," she whispered softly, her defenses melting against his respect. "And I didn't think you were ungentlemanly. It was just... an accident" we should forget about this.

After saying this lakshita turns away to leave the room but stumbled on her feet but before she could hit the ground adhiraj held her arm and make her stand properly

Lakshita looked down in embarrassment

Adhiraj chucked said " sambhal ke chala kijiye lakshita ji varana agali bar agar aap meri bahon main giri to shayad aapko hamesha ke liye meri bahon main hi rahana padega"

(If you fall into my arms again then I won't let you run away from me. I might just hold onto you forever.")

Listening to his words lakshita's eyes got widened and her entire face heat up ,she quickly run away from there once again stumbling 🤣

Adhiraj laugh aloud seeing her

The Weight of "Forever": His parting words loop endlessly in her mind. “I might just hold onto you forever.” The phrase doesn't terrify her—it makes a sweet, heavy ache blossom deep in her stomach. Since morning lakshita couldn't stop smiling