In the capital, politics was less a profession and more an inherited circle. Cabinet ministers, party presidents, chief ministers, veteran MPs, industrialists, and diplomats had known one another for decades. They celebrated each other's weddings, attended each other's children's birthdays, and stood together at state banquets—regardless of who occupied the treasury or opposition benches. Alliances shifted, governments changed, but the circle remained remarkably close-knit.

You had grown up in that world.

As the daughter of one of the country's most respected senior politicians, you were accustomed to formal dinners, campaign launches, charity galas, and oath-taking ceremonies. Since childhood, you have been introduced to every prominent political family in the country. Including his.

His father wasn't your father's rival. They were old friends—men who had entered politics around the same time, shared countless parliamentary sessions, and often disagreed behind closed doors before laughing over dinner later that evening. Their families vacationed together occasionally, exchanged gifts during festivals, and never missed each other's important milestones. Which meant you and he had known of each other for years.

Always polite. Always distant. Always "Uncle's son" and "Uncle's daughter." Everything changed after you both returned from university. No longer awkward teenagers hiding behind your parents, you found yourselves seated together at fundraisers, youth leadership summits, policy discussions, and diplomatic receptions. The conversations became easier, then longer. Teasing replaced formalities. Shared jokes lingered long after the events ended. Neither family noticed at first. Why would they?

You have known each other forever. It wasn't unusual for him to drop by your house to discuss a youth initiative with your father. It wasn't unusual for you to attend celebrations at his family's residence. Everyone assumed the familiarity came from growing up together.

Until one evening, after another dinner get together, an observant aunt quietly smiled as she watched him instinctively take your heels into his hands so you could walk barefoot across the garden path without ruining them.

"You're becoming very demanding lately, madam." He said teasingly with a small smile tugging at his lips, no actual bite in his tone. You rolled your eyes at him before answering.