As the evening drew to a close, Aryan escorted Shruti to the palace. When they arrived at the palace entrance, Aryan bid Shruti a gentle goodnight, his eyes crinkling at the corners as he smiled.Shruti smiled back, feeling a sense of gratitude towards Aryan for being such a wonderful escort. She stepped inside the palace hall, expecting the warm glow of the chandeliers and the soft murmur of the palace staff.Instead, she was met with a scene that made her heart sink. Her father, the king, was standing in front of her, his face thunderous with anger. Her mother, the