Stand By Me Darling
Chapter 199: Familiar Warmth

Chapter 199: Familiar Warmth

Behind that man was that strawberry blonde Rachel, dressed in the latest collection from a popular brand from head to toe.

Rachel still had that haughty expression with her chin up and looking at Talia, she rolled her eyes. Anyone could see that she was not here on her own volition, but was forced to be here. Rachel’s eyes darted to Rebecca and Talia watched Rachel’s eyes turned murderous.

"I’m here," instinctively Talia stood in front of Rebecca and spoke in a clear voice. She turned to look at Rebecca and placing her hand on her shoulder, nodded, assuring she can handle it and stepped forward.

Rebecca looked at Joe who seemed worried as he looked at Mr Ed and the corner of her lips got raised mockingly.

Yeah, what did she really expect that Joe would actually not care for Rachel? Hmpf! He must be worried since a weapon is being pointed at Rachel.

She bowed her head and played with her fingers when she suddenly felt a shadow over her and she was shocked seeing Joe behind her.

"Let’s go over there... What are they thinking... drawing a weapon with a pregnant woman in the room... What if something goes wrong?" he spoke in a displeased, low tone and lead Rebecca to a corner.

Rebecca, looked at Joe’s hands protectively wrapped around her and felt her heart skip a beat. His hands were warm and the familiarity made her feel safe. It’s been a while since she felt this way. They’ve been married for more than three years and this is the first time he is acting this protective towards her... No, it’s not the first time... She remembered that dinner where he introduced her to his family and his mother wasn’t pleased and started saying hurtful words and Joe held her the same way and left the dinner midway.

Her heart beat crazy that day, just like today. How did she forget that? He always protected her whenever she really needed it. Whenever she felt like she was not enough, whenever she was hurt by the words of others, he would be there by her side, no matter what the time is, saying sweet nothings and help her reclaim her confidence.

Everytime she felt like she is worthless because she couldn’t get pregnant, he would sit by her side, calming her down. He never complained if she acted up and would give in, calming her down along the way.

It was Rachel... She was his only weakness. His demeanour would change once she mentions Rachel. It was the thing that hurt her the most.

Talia looked at Mr. Ed and Amy and they retracted their hands holding the weapon, but they still didn’t look relaxed.

"She should be addressed as Her Royal Highness, Mr. Crawley," Mr. Ed spoke in a stern way, lowering his hand, but still not keeping the weapon back in the holster.

He really didn’t like someone addressing their Princess by her name. Who is he to address her that way?

" I apologise, Your Royal Highness," Mr. Crawley spoke with a smile. Talia knew this smile. This is the sycophantic smile, people who try to accommodate others give. She’s used to see this smile on many people whenever she was with her grandfather. She hated that smile.

Talia’s eyes darted to Rachel. She expected her to speak, but she didn’t. It seemed like she wasn’t wearing much makeup and left in a hurry. Was she dragged here to meet me by her father?

"Take a seat, Mr. Crawley," Talia spoke in a clear way with a slight smile pasted on her face. "You too, Ms. Crawley," Talia extended her hand towards a seat, urging Rachel to sit. Talia concealed all her emotions as she saw Rachel looking extremely uncomfortable to be there. Her eyes darted to Joe often, but it seemed like he wasn’t looking at her and that disappointed Rachel so much, she gnashed her teeth.

Rachel’s father glared at Rachel and Rachel with her lips pressed looked at her father uncomfortably.

Talia could only hold back her snicker. Her father must have brought her here to apologise and here she is... Unwilling to do so.

"Ms. White-"

"Rachel!" Mr. Crawley harrumphed and then looked at Talia with a smile to assure that Talia wasn’t offended.

Talia pretended to not see him and ordered tea for herself. She found drinking tea to be calming.

"Your Royal Highness!" Rachel said in a slightly loud voice to grab Talia’s attention.

"Yes," Talia looked at Rachel with a smile and obviously for Rachel, Talia’s smile seemed to be mocking her. "This is nice, isn’t it?" Talia continued speaking leaning on the backrest of the chair and crossed her legs. "This way you wouldn’t forget my name, right Ms. Crawley?"

Mr. Crawley looked at Rachel and his eyebrows twitched out of anger. Seems like that helping to publish that negative article about this Princess was not the only wrong his only daughter committed.

" I apologise... Your Royal Highness, for every crime I ever commited against you," Rachel said with her head bowed and no sincerity in her tone.

Talia stared at her for a couple of seconds and as expected Rachel with her face red out of anger looked at Talia. Her nose flared up and her cheat heaved up and down.

Talia didn’t mind. She is going to leave this country and she wanted to make sure Rachel doesn’t hurt Rebecca in the future in any way.

"Like what?" Talia asked, "I don’t remember much." she shrugged.

Rachel’s eyes squinted out of bewilderment and she stared at Talia confused.

"I’ve said some pretty hurtful things..." she mumbled.

"Mmm...You mean like... You used to say I’m a nobody and you’re a Crawley and that you belong to the upper echelon of the society while no one would care if I live or die. Or...that someone like me have to work to pay their bills while you have no such needs.... You’ve said that you wear all the latest fashion while I... " Talia waved her hands.

"Never mind! That never bothered me anyway," she said with a magnanimous smile.

Rachel although unwilling to talk to her, realised how stupid everything she said to Talia in the past would have sounded to her. She felt like Talia had just stick a knife in her abdomen.

She is a Princess. AN EFFING PRINCESS!!! And also the only granddaughter and the heir to the wealth of Northern Star? She is at least fifty times richer than her.

"I mean... I was always like a cloud, floating above all of you." Talia continued to speak, this time her eyes were shimmering with pride.

Why shouldn’t she be proud? If that Rachel could be proud of what she is, how much more prouder should she be of herself?

" Why would a cloud care about a barking dog, right?" Talia snorted.

Rachel who had her head bowed got angered getting compared to a barking dog.

"Really, Natalie? You purposely hid who you were and made me act that way towards you. How sly are you to trap others?"

"I trapped you?" Talia snorted. "Who taught you to treat people of lesser status as someone beneath you, Rachel? Are we all not human brings? Don’t we all have red blood? It was your fault to treat anyone that way. I was not brought up that way," she looked at her father accusingly. The fault lies entirely with him.

Talia herself was haughty as she grew up. Her mother used to feel sad about her behaviour and punished her at times. But her grandfather taught her to be polite. He himself was polite with everyone, including their staff and watching her grandfather, she learnt from him.

"Your Royal Highness, I was the one who didn’t teach my daughter well. I apologise for that." Mr. Crawley spoke sincerely. He was a bit angry that this Princess avenged him for his daughter’s deeds and now he understood why she did what she did.

"Mr. Crawley, I’m glad you realised that. You can take your daughter back and teach her-"

"You’re going way overboard, Natalie!" Rachel pointed her finger at Talia and Talia stood up.

"Stop it!" Mr. Crawley held back Rachel who tried to lunge towards Talia.

"Let go, dad!" Rachel shouted and her voice echoed in the café. Although it was fully furnished, there weren’t many people inside and her voice resounded.

Rebecca knew she was in the wrong and what followed was retribution. But still she couldn’t accept that someone she tried to bully for years, hurt her this much just by moving her fingers. All these years, she tried to rile up that polite and smart COO who was admired by all even though she was quiet, but failed. And now the one time she acted, that lying b*tch made her father so mad, he threatened to cut her off entirely. How is that fair? How could someone she thought she could swat like a fly end up being that powerful?

"Yes, I hate you for deceiving me! And so I wanted to teach you a lesson and published that story in the tabloid. Why did you touch my father’s business? Even my father’s PR firm abandoned him. Do you know what your little act did to our business? You’re a heartless-"

*Slap*

" Shut up!"

Mr. Crawley’s voice almost shook up the place and the tight slap he gave Rachel echoed in the café .

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