Stand By Me Darling
Chapter 201: Why Now?

Chapter 201: Why Now?

Rebecca’s heart stopped for a moment seeing Rachel’s father hitting her like that. Her eyes immediately darted back to Joe who was looking in the direction of Rachel and his jaws were clenched as he withheld his emotion.

What is he thinking?

Joe was thinking why Talia felt so strongly to give back to Rachel now, when she is already leaving the country. This was not the first time Rachel’s troubling her, so why now? Maybe if she gave a proper rebuttal the first time Rachel acted up, Rachel won’t have escalated this far.

But... Did Talia hold back because Rachel was my friend and that her connections are essential for our Firm? Still... Why is she hell bent on getting back at Rachel now particularly?

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Talia took a step back as she didn’t expect Rachel’s father would actually hit her. His cheeks were trembling out of anger and that slap was not a light one. Talia who was never been in such situation before, felt a bit bad for Rachel.

Imagine getting slapped by your father in a public place, in front of your enemy.

Talia shivered unconsciously. But she didn’t want to let go of Rachel that easily.

She still isn’t saying my name right! And she still haven’t gotten enough.

Also for her, Rachel’s father seemed to be caring more to look upright in front of Talia, more than teaching his daughter.

Mr. Crawley was fuming. His daughter, after all the advice from him, still dared to speak rudely in front of this Princess. Does she not know what happened with Peter Campbell? She wants that to happen to her? He didn’t want this Princess and those around her to get angered.

His intent of hitting her was to show Talia that he is taking Talia’s side and not because he wanted to teach discipline to his daughter.

"What do you expect me to do, Ms. Crawley?" Talia fisted her hands to compose herself. "You published an article about me in a tabloid and so I should do the same?" she snorted. "So what about everything you did to me in the past? I should just let it all go? How long were you attaching me and my friend? And... That article you helped to publish would have been the truth if my name was replaced with yours. To return fairly, Should I have released an article explaining that it was you who came between Joe and Rebecca and not me? Is that what you wanted? " Talia stood with her back straight, folding her hands over her chest and smirked seeing Rachel getting enraged.

The moment Talia saw that article, the first thought that came to her mind was that weird insult, accusing that she was the reason for the separation between Joe and Rebecca. Talia guessed that Rachel might have thought that Talia would clear her name by throwing Rachel under the bus saying Rachel separated Joe and Rebecca, which was the truth.

Talia purposefully didn’t want to expose Rachel in this matter. Why give her the satisfaction?

Rachel saw the smirk on Talia’s face and fisted her hands. She did want Talia to bring her up and that’s why she willingly accepted that she was responsible for the article. If Talia released her name, she could’ve acted pitiful with Joe saying her good name was spoiled by Talia and could have gotten back on his good terms. Joe really cannot stand her pitiful look.

But why is he still not looking at me? And this woman... She spoilt everything by touching her father’s business.

"You’re a nobody! You will always be a nobody!" Rachel lunged towards Talia grabbing a glass of water in the table and Talia took a side step. At the same moment, Mr. Ed and Amy pointed their weapons at the father- daughter pair shouting to get out.

Rebecca watched Joe getting up from his seat and ran towards the area of commotion and Rebecca stood up from her seat.

The entire place was chaotic as the water splashed right beside Talia and among the shouts of the bodyguards, another slap was heard.

"Do you want to live?" Mr. Crawley was livid.

"I don’t care... This b*tch-"

Seeing that arrogance in his daughters face and the insults still coming out of her mouth, he hit her once more. Rachel’s face reddened and even swelled by the tight slaps her father gave.

Mr. Ed and Amy both stood by Talia’s side pointing the weapon at Rachel. It was like they were about to shoot if she made a slight move.

"Mr. Crawley, I cannot accept this kind of behaviour towards me. I, don’t want to hear the Crawley name anywhere around me in the future. Stay in your place, far away from everything and everyone I love. If by any chance I ever hear that name, I can promise you, the whole world will hear that name - for the wrong reasons before it would be forgotten forever," Talia said and turned to leave.

"Mind the pepper spray!" Joe shouted and at the same time Rachel tried to get her hand inside her purse. Her father was too stunned to move and Joe running towards Rachel, pushed her on the floor, grabbing her purse. On the way to the floor, she hit her head at the corner of the table.

"Don’t f*cking shoot here! What if the bullets ricocheted or something? My wife is pregnant for f*cks sake!" Throwing Rachel’s purse to the side, Joe shouted at Mr. Ed.

Mr. Ed didn’t care and still didn’t lower his weapon and Talia turned to see Rebecca stunned and walked to her. Talia knew Rebecca is not someone who gets tensed seeing this stuff and Joe is acting up since his protective instincts got switched on.

For a man, protecting his woman and his child will be the top priority. How could he be an exception. On any other day, he wouldn’t mind this commotion and would have made his escape. But today, be still needed to talk to his wife and he couldn’t leave and he wanted to keep the place safe for his wife and his child.

Mr. Crawley was stupefied by the threat he received. He didn’t even look at his daughter on the floor with blood dripping from her forehead. If it was anyone else, he would have laughed at this threat. But if it is her...

"Princess... Please... Forgive my stupid daughter. She still didn’t learn from Peter after what happened to him..." he tried to step forward when Mr. Ed stopped him from moving forward.

"Peter? Peter who? And what happened to him?" Talia knew he was mentioning Peter Campbell, but didn’t know what happened to him.

"Please... Me and my daughter... We won’t get closer to you. I swear!" Mr. Crawley said and pulled up Rachel to stand.

"I’m not the one who need your promise, Mr. Crawley!" Talia’s clear voice echoed in that room. "I’m not someone people like you can get close to, even if you wait for a thousand years! " she spoke, her tone filled with contempt.

It was then Joe realised why Talia did what she did now, when she is leaving this country.

She is leaving a protective shield around her friend... His wife, who is humiliated enough by people in his circle as a lower person, now has the same status as a Princess ; by association.

Just now Talia said people like Crawleys are unworthy to get close to her, but Rebecca is worthy to be called her friend.

Ha! Here I threw a farewell party for Talia and why is her parting gift the best?

"Take her and leave, Mr. Crawley! We don’t like seeing you hitting your daughter in front of our eyes," Rebecca who was silent till then spoke loudly.

"Hmpf! Don’t worry, Becky. It’s all an act. If only he showed half this vigour when I told him that his daughter tried to separate me and you, I would have respected him as a man and a father. But... What should I expect from him? Breaking up families... Why would he care or feel guilty about it? It pleasures him! " Joe spoke in a mocking tone filled with spite.

" Just leave! Don’t ruin our day for your troubles! " he waved his hand dismissively, stunning everyone.