Page 1 of The Defiant Wife

1. PUBLIC RELATIONS NIGHTMARE

VEERAJ

"Are you fucking kidding me, Vihaan?"

The words leave my mouth before I can stop them.

Across the conference table, my younger brother doesn't even have the decency to look apologetic. If anything, the bastard looks amused. Amused.

I stare at him in disbelief while he leans back in his chair, one arm draped lazily over the armrest, looking far too relaxed for someone who has just single-handedly managed to ruin my month.

Maybe my life.

Fine, that sounds dramatic.I know it sounds dramatic because I don't do drama.

But at this moment, sitting in one of the private meeting rooms after our quarterly board meeting, I genuinely feel like launchingmyself across the polished mahogany table and punching him square in the jaw.

Vihaan presses his lips together, clearly trying—and failing—not to laugh.

"What can I do, bro?" he asks innocently. "The board wanted a solution. I gave them one."

I drag a hand down my face.

A solution.

Right.

Because apparently being shipped off to work at an NGO for an entire month qualifies as a solution.

I turn my attention to the only person in this room who should have some common sense.

"Bhai sa." Heglances up from his phone.

The King of Udaipur.

My elder brother. Supposedly the responsible one. The one person who should be on my side.

He shrugs.Actually shrugs."It's not that bad, Veeraj."

I stare at him.Then I stare some more.Then I wonder if perhaps both my brothers have suffered simultaneous head injuries.

"Not that bad?" I repeat slowly.

Bhai sa has the audacity to nod.I laugh.A sharp, humorless sound."Not that bad?" I repeat again, because surely I heardwrong the first time. "You are asking me to go work in an NGO for a month."

Vihaan finally loses the battle against his laughter."It's not my fault you look mean and scary."

"I amnotscary."

Both my brothers look at me.Silent.Unimpressed.

I narrow my eyes."I am not."

Vihaan raises a brow."Bhai sa?"

Bhai sa doesn't even look up this time."You're terrifying."

I gape at him. "Traitor." He chuckles.