Stand By Me Darling
Chapter 128: Attitude Changes Like Chameleon Changes Colour

Chapter 128: Attitude Changes Like Chameleon Changes Colour

Talia was calm watching Senator Campbell who was sticking like a shadow behind Prince Lambert getting shocked to his core, hearing the tone his wife used in front of the Prince.

His re-election prospects were already low if his party allowed him to run in the upcoming election. So he had used his Campbell name, as he is a descendant of the prominent Campbell family of Rosandale, to get close to the Prince and helped negotiate a big trade deal between the two nations.

He spent a lot of time with the Prince during the discussion and could understand his moods a bit even though the Prince has a poker face.

But now, even he could understand the Prince is mad. He tried to signal his wife to apologise but she just rolled her eyes at him.

Who is this woman his wife now called a ’wench’? Could this be the Princess who is supposed to attend the luncheon?

But this is the woman his future daughter-in-law likes to make fun of - Natalie the wretched orphan!

"Lambert," Talia with her back straight walked to him and greeted him with kiss in the cheek. "I just announced my plan to sue Mr. Peter Campbell," Talia said with a gentle smile and gracefully took a couple of steps back.

Lambert with his eyes sharp as a panther, looked at her for a couple of seconds with his hand on her shoulder and without a word, looked at Mr. Ed.

As Mr. Ed explained the happenings at her office lobby, Talia noticed his hands fisting to a ball.

Rebecca’s mother-in-law and Mrs. Campbell were confused as to what was happening and this little disturbance did not go unnoticed by the other guests in the room and everyone started mumbling among themselves.

Mr. Campbell was glaring angrily at his wife who shrugged without understanding the bind she had put him in. He had already started to perspire.

Mrs. Campbell didn’t care for her husband’s predicament and still was fuming about her son’s broken finger. When her son called her and told her what happened, her heart broke.

True, her husband’s power in the political party is not that good and immeasurable to that of Senator Feldstein. And that allows his daughter-in-law to hurt her son? They cannot be powerless forever, right? Lately her husband has gotten in the good graces of the Prince of Rosandale and is the main ambassador in the negotiation of the deal between their two nations. Surely now her husband has power on the party now! Without her husband, this deal won’t be signed.

So when she saw the useless friend of Feldstein’s daughter-in-law telling her that she’d sue her, she didn’t mind her. Why would she worry about a nobody like her?

Everyone in her family knows who she is... Rachel has talked a lot about her. Although she is too pretty which is a shame, She has nobody!

But as she saw her calling the Prince by name, she was a little worried. But it will be fine. She should be some girl he finds comfort in during his days here. He’ll go out with her for a while and then get bored of her and discard her. She won’t be anyone important for him to ruin the relationship with a nation for her.

Won’t the Royal family have strict rules about who they marry? They won’t let their Prince marry a nobody.

Talia could see Mrs. Campbell twirling the chunks of pearls she was wearing as she sneered at her.

Well lady, you won’t be sneering for long!

Rebecca saw the brown haired Prince listening to the man in black suits, with his lips pursed. He had a defined jaw and high cheek bones that can slice butter. And how tall is he? Nearly seven feet? He was standing upright and his fingers were holding on to the lapel of his suit.

He was just standing there, but he exuded class. One look at him and he can make women swoon!

Lucky Talia! Is he her cousin? No wonder she doesn’t easily fall for men here. She was surrounded by good looking men growing up and got numbed to beauty!

But this Prince...I wonder what his size might be. Judging by the size of the hands, it must be pretty big...

"Your friend... She knows her way around men, huh?" Rebecca’s perverse thoughts towards Lambert were interrupted by her mother-in-law’s grating voice.

Rebecca turned her head to look at Lisa Feldstein wearing a big chunky diamond necklace with a black deep neck dress and sipping on the cocktail with a disdainful smirk.

She held her urge to throw her drink on her face and was about to answer her but was interrupted.

"You girls were friends for how long...? I can’t help but appreciate you two. You cute little social climbers pretending to be classy! Hmpf! Like it isn’t obvious who you really are! But, I must say... You’re smart. You got my Joey and it seems like she went for a Prince! Hmpf!" she snorted and Rebecca gritted her teeth. "And you have good game too... You seduced Joe, tried to act posh in front of us even though you’re a country bumpkin and now that you’re pregnant, your place is settled, isn’t it?" she curled her lips looking at Rebecca sideways. "And now what do you do? You show your true colors. You are separated from Joey and what are your demands? Half his inheritance or everything?"

Rebecca was too stunned to say anything. As she looked at the woman who is her husband’s mother and the one she tried to respect even if she always throws insults at her, she felt her eyes burn.

" Will you accept if father spends time with another woman more, mom?" she asked, her voice trembled as she spoke. Talking back is not something she does ever with her mother-in-law but she wanted to know if this woman has a least bit of understanding towards her.

"Who doesn’t have one or two affairs in their marriage? In fact it would be a great bargaining chip... " Lisa Feldstein’s voice got lower as she averted her eyes and her eyes landed on Senator Feldstein approaching them. There was a slight flicker of emotions in her eyes as she downed the glass bottoms up.

" Rachel would have been better for my Joey! You wanted this place and since you got it, you can’t leave as you please, " Lisa looked at Rebecca’s belly and Rebecca reflexively covered it with her hands.

"I hope you’ll want to watch the child grow in front of your eyes. So be good and don’t make a scene during election season," Lisa said and walked to her husband with a plastered smile.

Rebecca felt her hands shake by the threat her mother-in-law put forth. She actually said she’d take her child away from her in case she wants to divorce Joe? Is this what Joe is thinking too? Is that why he now openly spends time with Rachel, knowing I won’t have a choice?

Among the chatters of others in the hall, Talia couldn’t hear what Mrs. Feldstein was saying to Rebecca, but Talia felt bad seeing Rebecca going pale.

Rebecca had complained that her in-laws doesn’t like her, but Talia never thought they’d be this cruel to her. She stared at Mrs. Feldstein walking towards a man resembling Joe. He must be Joe’s father.

"I’m appalled by the way your family treated my cousin, Mr. Campbell!" Prince Lambert said putting his hands in his pocket after listening to what Mr. Ed said.

His tone was loud and many of the guests around them heard it and they were all stunned.

"Cousin?" Mrs. Campbell shrieked and stumbled backwards.

Talia could see the President who was entering the hall, fixing his eyes at them. They are the chief guests of this luncheon. This trade deal with Rosandale is pretty important to him and the country. Sealing the deal will be beneficial for their people, and in turn will be a pretty good achievement for their party to advertise in the upcoming election.

Talia could see the President’s eyebrows twitch a little as she could sense the unrest in their area and was already inquiring his people about it.

Talia pretended to not notice the President walking towards them and looked at Lambert, "I’ve decided to sue."

"I apologise, Your Highness... I’ll make my son apologise too...." Senator Campbell felt his knees weaken hearing the word ’cousin’.

He is screwed; royally!

"Apology not accepted. Wait for the papers to arrive," Prince Lambert was really enraged. But since he was in an official duty, he cannot let his emotions appear on his face and he tried to be poker faced. If it was in another setting, he’d have punched that fat face who called his cousin a ’wench’.

Surely she is an orangutan with a stiff face, but she is certainly not a wench!

"Let’s leave!" he was too enraged to be in the hall anymore and looked at Talia.

"Princess..." Senator Feldstein tried to approach Talia and she just looked away. She didn’t want to talk to those people who hurt her friend.

Talia looked at Rebecca and smiled and Rebecca walked to her side after taking a deep breath and lifting her chin up with her back straight.

"Rebecca, why don’t you introduce -" Lisa Feldstein tried to hold Rebecca’s hand and Rebecca took a side step entirely avoiding her touch.

She could only snort. How soon their attitude changes knowing the true status of her friend whom she berated just minutes ago! Hypocrite!

I’d rather be poor than a hypocrite like them!

Talia saw Rebecca snubbing her mother-in-law and didn’t mind it. She should deserve it. Politeness is a virtue but it should not be wasted on scums.

Lambert really wanted to leave but Talia was not in the mood to leave. For one, this deal must go through for the sake of people of both countries and secondly, she needed to end the livelihood of the Campbell family.

If she leaves now, how can she end the political life of Senator Campbell?

"Hello, Prince Lambert!" the charming voice of the President made Talia sigh in relief.

He is a businessman and he won’t let this deal break.

"Mr. President," Lambert had to smile and greet back. "She is my cousin, Princess Mary Ann," he placed his hand on Talia’s opper back and Talia took a step front and shook his hand.

"Hello, Mr. President."

The First Lady was beside him and she greeted the both of them too. Talia pulled Rebecca to her right and she got her handshake with the President too and even a picture.

"You’ve grown a lot!" the President smiled at Talia and cure little dimples formed on his clean shaven cheeks.

Seeing Talia smile, he spoke in a cheery voice looking at his wife, "I used to call her Little Bo Peep when she was this tall..." he placed his hand below his waist, "She would follow her grandfather everywhere and would wear this big bow in her head. It was not some ordinary bow... It was as big as a hat and it sometimes covered half her face," he chuckled.

Talia pursed he lips with a smile, " I’m honoured you are remembering me, Mr. President," and then she looked at the first lady, "It was a fascinator. It was a garden party and so I wore one."

"Ah, so that’s why!" the first lady chuckled sweetly and there was a mockery in her eyes as she looked at her husband.

You know nothing!

"Well, fascinator or whatever. You ladies have a lot of different names for one thing," he shrugged with a laugh and the entire group laughed along.

"Well, you don’t have to call me Mr. President. Call me like before... Let’s see if you remember me," he raised his brows.

"With pleasure, uncle Tony!" Talia said with a bright smile that reached her eyes.

" Good lad! She remembers...Well, come on.... Come on..." he lead them to a separate room beside the big hall.

As senator Feldstein and senator Campbell tried to walk together with them, he gave a glare and they stopped their steps.

Talia signalled Rebecca to follow her and Rebecca with a skip in her steps walked with them.

Talia knew as a president if he converses with her, their conversations will be made official records and so he invoked the past.

As a past close acquaintance, their conversation won’t be recorded as official meeting but as a casual get together.

She didn’t care if he actually remembered her or he investigated about her, but for now they needed privacy to discuss certain things.