Husband With Benefits
Chapter 198: A Family

Chapter 198: A Family

Eleanora descended the stairs to her opulent mansion slowly, not looking forward to the day ahead of her. Even though she had been living here for months on end, and yet she did not feel as if this was her own house. The entire place screamed of only professional designers and held nothing that might have personal memories or even a personal touch. She felt like a guest in her own house.

Every time she walked down these stairs, she’d imagine having a wall full of plants in the small courtyard outside. How soothing the greenery would be and yet the designer had vetoed the idea.

Lost in her own thoughts, Eleanora froze mid-step as she realized she had a few guests waiting for her-uninvited of course.

The queen stood there along with Lady Cordelia and the precious Princess Evangeline. The three women were dressed to the nines as if they were going out for a formal gathering instead of barging into her house.

With a grimace, that she hoped looked like a smile, she questioned them," Welcome? What brings you here on this fine morning?"

The queen did not deign to reply and instead looked her from head to toe with a disapproving gaze. Eleanora almost rolled her eyes at the look. The queen should be used to it now. What was wrong with wearing ripped jeans and a printed t-shirt when she was at home?

Lady Cordelia glanced between the two people and quickly intervened," Good afternoon Eleanora. We just thought that we’d visit you for a while. It has been so long since we’ve had a meal together."

Eleanora raised an eyebrow at that, "A meal? Sure sure. I have not yet had my breakfast yet, so I’ll just ask the kitchen to bring some extra pop tarts... Do you have any flavours you prefer?"

The ever-polite Lady Cordelia was also unable to stop a grimace at the mention of the juvenile and peasant breakfast and declined quickly," No. I was thinking of Lunch together. Anyway, since you haven’t eaten yet, we’ll just accompany you for now."

"And give me indigestion..." Eleanora muttered under her breath before she shrugged and went down the rest of the stairs.

Finally, when Nora had descended the stairs, the queen spoke up," Eleanora, you are a princess, even if you have been raised outside the palace. It has been more than a year since you have come back, can you not dress properly and behave with decorum? No one in the royal family dresses like this!"

Eleanora shrugged and sat down on the large table as she grabbed the box of strawberry tarts and started to munch on one, "Well, what is the point of being a princess if I cannot even dress for comfort? I’d rather live outside in poverty with my freedom..."

The queen sucked in a sharp breath while Princess Evangeline smirked and spoke up for the first time since coming to the place, "I am sure you would feel right at home in a poverty-stricken place. I’ve already told grandmother multiple times that you are not used to all this opulence and she should move you into a servant’s quarter so you would feel more at home..."

The queen directed a sharp glance at Evangeline while Lady Cordelia scolded her," Evana, don’t be snarky to your cousin."

Eleanora paused, a thoughtful expression crossing her face as she looked at Evangeline. Setting aside her half eaten strawberry tart, she met the woman’s gaze with a calm demeanour.

"You know, Evana," Eleanora began, her voice soft, "I appreciate your concern for my supposed discomfort in this ’opulence.’ However, I find it amusing that you seem to have so much knowledge about servant’s quarters. Perhaps it comes from a more hands-on experience than one would expect from a precious princess."

Lady Cordelia directed a look back at her Eleanora before looking to the Queen for help. These two just could not stand each other.

"Eleanora, please stop attacking your cousin for no reason. She has been trying to help you adapt and has only met with defensive attacks from you. No one is blaming you for coming from poverty but now you represent the Royal Family of Estania and these jeans and leather gloves are unbecoming of you. You look like a street thug than a princess."

Eleanora sighed and shook her head, giving up on the idea of a peaceful breakfast," As far as I know my uncle has given me this house. So it belongs to me. And I do not need anyone to tell me what to wear and what not to wear in my own house. And what is all this talk about me representing the royal family? No one even knows of my existence so how am I supposed to bring shame to anyone?"

While the queen looked ready to blow steam, Lady Cordelia quickly intervened," Eleanora, we have not yet made a public announcement out of concern for you. You’ve suffered so much damage in that accident. Physically and mentally. You have no memories, and you still have to wear gloves to keep your hand’s hideous injury covered all the time. We just hoped to protect you from the prying gazes. But you are going to be twenty-one in a few months so we hope to announce your presence soon. If you keep dressing like this with all your imperfections, the media will attack you and your late parents. We wish to protect you."

Eleanora’s leather-gloved hands clenched, wanting to punch this woman in the face for trying to make her feel guilty about her dead parents. How was she supposed to be filial to her parents when they were already dead? Dam* it! She needed to escape from here at the earliest.

Straightening, she coldly spoke," I need to be somewhere so if you are done with your family time, you can leave."

"Not yet. We need to talk to you about your fiancé." Queen Rosalind finally spoke directly.

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