Stand By Me Darling
Chapter 162: Press Meet

Chapter 162: Press Meet

"Don’t you know? I’m divorcing Joe and going to marry my dear friend Talia in a sunny tropical beach. You are not invited to our wedding!" Rebecca wasn’t fazed and retorted pointing her finger at Arthur as she sat at one end of the L-shaped sofa with her feet up.

"Marry your friend? Do you hear how stupid you sound?" Arthur gnashed his teeth and pulled Talia wbo was about to sit beside her friend, to sit beside him at the other end. "Do you realise you’re missing an important anatomical part your ’friend’ likes?"

"Oh really? What might that be?" Rebecca made a stupid face seeing Arthur holding a provocating smirk.

"Oh shut up you two!" Talia banged the coffee table and Rebecca snorted and turned to the side, curling her lips.

Arthur wrapped his arms around Talia’s shoulders and kissed her cheek. "Throw her out," he whispered in her ears, fixing her eyes on Rebecca. Although he whispered, he wasn’t trying to be speaking in a low voice.

"Can’t you two get along?" Talia got irritated. Why do these two act like school children?

"Tell him that!"

"Tell her that!"

But of them said at the same time making Talia sigh in exasperation.

"Rebecca, I wanted to tell you that Arthur and I-"

"You’re going to trust him? He has an official fiancee, Tallie!" Rebecca looked deeply at Talia, placing her feet on the floor and she really seemed worried. "Never trust a man with another woman in his life, Talia. He will betray you one hundred percentage! It may all seem good at first but it would only be a matter of time before he realises who is actually in his heart. And it definitely won’t be you."

Maybe because she spoke keeping Joe in mind, her eyes reddened a bit. Talia held Arthur’s hands tightly to stop him from saying something inconsiderate back. She really regretted bringing Arthur here without telling that Rebecca is separated from Joe and is seriously thinking about divorcing. She thought he might have known since he’s working with Lockhart family and Mr. Ed and they might have given reasons why Rebecca is staying with her this long.

But turns out, he really didn’t care to learn why Rebecca is staying with her this long! He might be too busy to learn every details around her.

It didn’t cross her mind even for a moment that he might know it, and chose to quarrel with Rebecca because he wants to hurt her. She knew deep in her heart that he is a good guy. He won’t deliberately hurt someone, especially her friend just for the sake of it.

Arthur looked at Rebecca who really seemed to be hiding something and didn’t say anything. Seriously, he didn’t like this woman who stayed with his Iris when even he can’t be near her, but he is not heartless to beat someone when they are down and certainly not Iris’ friend.

He remembered Talia saying that Rebecca had a tiff with Joe. And he really couldn’t believe that someone whom he considered to have a strong bond in marriage like Joe and Rebecca will end up separated.

It made him want to hold on to his Iris more dearly. Relationship is hard and needs to be nurtured regularly for it to be developed and maintained.

And his current situation with Iris only gave him more fear.

"Don’t worry, I won’t hurt your friend," he spoke softly and he really felt bad seeing Rebecca battling with a teardrop that wanted to leave her eye.

"Well, good!" Rebecca stood and walked to her room and Talia followed her.

"It’s fine, Tallie... I’m fine. Go spend some time with him. I knew you had something going on with him and it’s fine. You do have a complicated life. I understand why you couldn’t talk to me about it." Rebecca held Talia’s hand and said with a smile. "He is not bad. I’m fact, as I was bickering with him, I really felt like I had no worries."

"In a way, you for Arthur, are like Rachel is for Joe..." Rebecca smiled dryly, "You two have history and it would be hard for someone else to come between you. I saw some pictures of him with that other woman. She has no chance. So you can rest assured."

"I’m not Rachel..!" Talia was not pleased. "He is not married and he is not in love with Sophia. And I won’t let him marry another woman and then try to get him. He’s only mine. Also I’m way prettier and way smarter and way wealthier than Rachel!" Talia pouted and Rebecca’s face brightened up.

"And way snobbier!"

Both friends laughed as Talia really couldn’t refute Rebecca. She knew in her heart, if she met Sophia now, she’d tear her to shreds; politely.

"Iris..."

A knock on the door was heard and Rebecca with a smile asked Talia to leave.

Talia left the room to end up in his embrace.

"Will you listen to me, Iris?" he asked resting his chin over her head. She could hear his heartbeat and his hold was so tight as if he was distressed.

"What?" she wanted to know.

"You aren’t checking my schedules anymore?" he asked.

"No... I lost interest. Why? " Talia bit the inner part of her cheek as she felt silly. She knew he was here and she stopped checking. She checked before since she wanted to know if he was scheduling to meet Sophia.

No need to look for that now, is it?

Arthur’s lips curled slightly seeing the guilty expression in her face, but he didn’t want to out her. This silly girl! She is so jealous!

"I’m here for a press meet regarding the new project we are starting in this country. And since I’m the President’s son, I’m being invited to the State Dinner hosted for King Louis although I’m not as important-"

"You’re important to me!" Talia wrapped her hand around him and rubbed his back.

She is one of the important guest to attend the State Dinner he mentions. And as she thought, she knew it is going to be this way unless something changes drastically. She is a Princess by blood and Fred is just a rich person. Although both are from higher status, her status trumps his any day.

In diplomatic settings and in aristocratic settings, she’d be given more preference and respect that Fred.

As a man, will he be able to handle this disparity?

Talia knew this disparity caused misgivings between her parents. Will it cause rifts between her and Fred too?

"Really?" Arthur made her look at him. "How important?"

Talia placed her hand on his cheek with a gentle smile running through her face, "Very important. Important enough to breach protocols if needed," she stood on her tiptoes and kissed his lips.

"Oh? That much, huh?" Arthur held her around her waist and placed his forehead over hers.

He knows what protocols she is talking about. Rosandale Royal family is pretty strict in following their traditions and rules. For them their blood tie is very important and they have separate laws for them.

As a member who marries into that family, he’d be required to attend all the engagements she requires to attend, with proper disposition. During official engagements, he’d be required to walk a step behind her since she is the Royal and she’d be introduced first to anyone and he might act very well like a prop beside her.

For a man with pride, that kind of life would be a nightmare. No wonder she is feels the need to say this to him.

"I know my worth, Iris. My pride won’t be wounded by walking a step behind you at certain times," he missed the tip of her nose.

" I don’t know Fred... Time passes and the initial passion will dwindle and by then even a little thing will blow up to a gigantic issue and... I really don’t want to lose you at any part of my life. Thinking about this... I feel like I need to reconsider my decision of accepting the title of-"

" Silly... " he banged her head with his making her yelp. " You should do what you want to do. Ask your heart. Being a Princess is hard work too. If you like being a Princess, you should do it. If you gave up something you like for me, that would make me feel terrible and that will hurt my pride the most. Imagine being the man who is so thin skinned, his wife had to give up what she loved to do, to stroke his vanity! Eww! I don’t want to be that man!"

He fixed the little hair falling on her forehead and continued seeing her touched expression, " You may not know, Iris. I don’t know if I’ve ever told you this, but I’m where I am because of you. Pursuing you is the reason I now have the most enviable position at the wealthiest conglomerate in the world. I don’t doubt myself and I will never doubt your attitude towards me. No matter where you are and where I am, I’ll be your Fred and you’ll be my Iris for each other, " he nudged her nose with his.

Talia heard what Fred said and she felt like a thousand roses blooming in her heart, spreading their perfume all around and making her smile.

She looked in his eyes that were reflecting hers and she felt so touched as her heart was warmed by his words. He wasn’t doing lip-service but was actually speaking from his heart.

" You’ll be the King of my heart forever, Fred," Talia kissed his lips and he kissed her back, deepening the kiss.

Both were glad they had this little talk. Relationship is hard work and they need to discuss things to not dive into misunderstandings.

"Umm... Wait... I wanted to tell you something," Arthur pushed her back. He picked his vibrating phone from his pocket and accepted the call, still not letting go of his hand around her waist.

"It’s time? I’ll be there in five," he said and ended the call.

"The press meet... You’ll attend with me," he said and Talia was confused.

"Why? Isn’t this a Northern Star press meet?"

"It’s.... Important. And your grandfather left thirty three percentage of his shares for you and in the board, you have two votes. With major shares and two votes, you’d be the Chairman of the board. But we don’t have to tell the public tahr for now. For now, I need you to make appearance and let them know that you still are Jerome Brunton’s granddaughter and still have a say in the company," he placed his hands on her shoulders.

Talia felt her head spin by the details he said.

Grandpa left me shares? I have voting power in the board of directors?

"What statements can I make? I never did press meet. I know nothing..."

"Don’t worry. I’ll be sitting beside you and there won’t be cameras at your face. I’ve made arrangements to keep them far away. Speak your mind. You’re smart and I can spin it how I want. You want to be connected to Rosandale and Esteria right? It is necessary for you to do more than leaking your visa application requests before you leave for Rosandale. I believe in you, Iris! Don’t worry, you can always storm out if you don’t like it there," he kissed her forehead and holding her hand, lead her out of the suite room.

Talia was still frozen.

Meeting the press? Me?

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