Page 119 of Trapped By the Maharaja

Ram descended beside her, his stride long and purposeful, his presence commanding even in the fading light. The bodyguards snapped to attention as they approached the marble steps, but Sanjana barely noticed. Her mind was still on the confrontation with Suchitra Devi.

The palace staff bowed deeply. “Welcome back, Maharaja. Maharani.”

Sanjana smiled at them, happy to see the familiar faces of people who wanted her in the palace. Ram’s hand rested on her back.

He guided her towards the grand staircase. By the time they reached the master suite, she felt the weight of both the day and her own silence pressing down on her.

As soon as they stepped in, Ram shut the door and looked at her. He didn’t say anything at first, just watched her, his gaze intense, burning through the quiet.

“You look like you’ve fought a war… and won,” he said finally, his voice low.

Her throat tightened.You have no idea.

Before she could find a response, he bent and lifted her easily into his arms.

Her startled gasp echoed in the quiet. “Ram, what are you doing!”

“Beginning another war,” he murmured. And without giving her a chance to argue, he carried her to the bed, laying her downbefore covering her body with his. “Let’s see if you will win this one as well.”

Even before the battle began, she knew she would willingly surrender to her ruthless maharaja.

CHAPTER 52

Sanjana stepped out of the operating theater, her scrubs damp with sweat, but her mind was relieved and energized.

The boy’s small, fragile chest had risen and fallen under her steady hands, and after hours of tension, the beeping monitor now showed a steady rhythm of life.

The boy’s parents’ faces looked at her in fear, and when they saw her smile, their faces smoothed into relief.

“Your son is doing well. He will be awake in two hours, but you can check on him now.”

“Thank you, Dr. Shetty,” the young boy’s mother said with a sob.

Sanjana patted the woman’s arm gently before allowing the parents to check on their son.

With a smile, Sanjana walked the hallway to take a much-needed break. Just as she turned a corner, she saw Dr. Rao. His lips were pressed together in a tight line. She knew he was unhappy because she had just performed surgery on a patient he had refused because it was high-risk. But now, he must have gotten the news that the surgery was successful.

She braced herself, expecting a snarky remark, but shockingly, the older man remained quiet.

That’s strange.

She also noticed that Dr. Rao hadn’t been passing any remarks or taunts for a while. She wondered what had caused the sudden change.

Whatever it was, she was glad that she didn’t have to deal with constant disparaging remarks.

The staff room was empty when she stepped inside. She pulled off her cap and dropped it on the counter, running her fingers through her hair. The familiar scent of antiseptic clung toher, mixed with the faint smell of chai lingering from someone’s earlier break. She let out a long exhale and sank into the chair by the window, letting her body go slack for the first time all day.

A soft knock came at the door.

“Sanjana?”

She looked up. Rajesh stood in the doorway, his white coat crisp, his stethoscope slung around his neck. In his hand was a paper cup, steam curling from it.

“You look like you need this,” he said, stepping inside.

Despite her exhaustion, she smiled. “You’re right. I do.”

He placed the cup in front of her. “Chai. Extra cardamom, the way you like it.”