Stand By Me Darling
Chapter 202: Couldn’t Have Happened to a Nicer Guy

Chapter 202: Couldn’t Have Happened to a Nicer Guy

"That was..."

Talia sat in the seat beside Rebecca not knowing how to describe what happened just then. "You’re fine, right?" she asked Rebecca and her furrowed brows only got relaxed after seeing Rebecca nod.

"That was really... unexpected," Rebecca said, her eyes fixed on Joe who was standing by the exit, making sure that Mr. Crawley and Rachel are really leaving.

"You can’t be this trigger happy, Sir Robert," Joe mumbled at Mr. Ed. "Do you know that you cannot draw a weapon without the intention of shooting to kill?" Joe really wasn’t happy that bodyguards of Talia readily draw their weapons and point at people. Shouldn’t they be a bit more responsible?

Joe understood he is trying to protect Talia and he won’t intentionally harm Rebecca, but still, won’t his priority be Talia? Then what about his wife?

"Who said I have no intention to kill once I draw a weapon?" Mr. Ed pointed his weapon at Joe’s face making him go all pale.

Joe just wanted to protect his wife and didn’t think he’d offend this Knight. And now he was scared. But he still didn’t want to back off. He stood by what he said. He wanted his wife’s safety.

Mr. Ed was a bit agitated, especially after everything that happened with his Princess sometime before. How can their Princess be confronted by nobodies like that? These people don’t even have the right to watch her from a distance and they dare to point their finger at their Princess’ face? The nerve of them!

But he could understand why their Princess allowed it. She wanted to protect her old friend. So he had to swallow it with difficulty.

And now this guy advises me how to handle my weapon? Is he courting death? Does he know I am a trained guard serving His Majesty, The King of Rosandale. That I’m trained to kill?

Talia noticed Joe provoking Mr. Ed. His voice wasn’t loud, but she could hear it from where she was sitting. She herself sometimes gets scared of Mr.Ed. He is not someone to be trifled with and she admired his courage.

"Look at your silly husband who has the nerve to call out a Knight... He must have balls made of brass," Talia said jokingly to Rebecca.

"Yeah... He always gets squeamish around weapons..." Rebecca answered Talia, but her eyes were filled with worry seeing the standoff between Joe and Mr. Ed.

Talia noticed the worry in Rebecca’s eyes and bowed her head with a little smirk. It seemed like Rebecca wanted to jump right in between those two, with her cape fluttering and rescue Joe from Mr. Ed.

"Joe, he is a Kingsguard! Don’t mess with him!"

Talia shouted and that broke the standoff between the two. Mr. Ed felt placated that their Princess acknowledged his capabilities and Joe was relieved seeing that big guard, putting his weapon back in the holster.

"A man trying to protect his family is attractive, isn’t he?" Talia nudged Rebecca’s shoulders with hers. She could see the adoration in Rebecca’s eyes.

"He is..." Rebecca said with a sigh. She really found him very attractive just then. She has firsthand knowledge about how much Joe hates weapons and he stood up against one trying to be protective of her. How can she not be moved?

When she saw him leaving in a hurry during the commotion, she didn’t know what to think for a moment. But when she saw him getting Rachel’s purse and even pushed her down doing that... She felt her heart getting warm. She could understand Joe realised Rachel would use her pepper spray and if she did, Talia’s guards would have opened fire, making it more unsafe and so he acted first to get the pepper spray away from Rachel.

She was moved.

She didn’t feel surprised he did that. She always knew he is that guy who would protect his little family. That’s why she fell for him. Unlike the other members of his family, he always was very caring and protective of those he considers family.

"Okay, then... Have your little talk. I’m thinking that Cordelia, you and me can meet somewhere tonight. I’m going to leave tomorrow after all. I’ll text you the details." Talia tried to stand up to leave.

Joe seemed to be not in good terms with the Crawley family and he knows something. And also, there seemed to be some sort of understanding between Joe and Rebecca and she didn’t want to be a big lightbulb between them.

" No! Stay please, Tallie... " Rebecca held Talia’s hands and Talia sat back. "I need to ask him about Rachel. Stay with me..."

Rebecca spoke in a begging tone. Everytime she talked about Rachel with Joe, it never ended well. She needed to talk about it since she knew it was the only trouble between them. Although Joe seemed distant from Rachel now, Rebecca felt the need to clear it all up in case the same problem manifest once again.

Talia agreed although she felt a little uncomfortable listening to the issues between a couple. But looking at Rebecca who obviously needed a support, she decided to stay.

---

Talia drank her second cup of tea and she felt bored by the stifling silence between Joe and Rebecca.

" What happened to Peter Campbell?" she asked Joe, who was in deep thoughts.

"Peter...?" Joe looked at Talia for a couple of seconds with surprise. "Someone mugged him...he’s getting treated in the hospital," he said taking a sip of water.

Seeing his confusion, Talia could sense that he doubted that she was behind his mugging. She wasn’t. But she can’t say with certainty that those who around her, protecting her have no hand in it.

" It happened a couple days ago. The guy who mugged him was found dead. They say he was a gangbanger and he was killed in some dispute among the members of the gang. That guy had never mugged anyone before... But I don’t know why Peter got mugged... It was not even at his area... "Joe expressed his doubts.

The case was closed, but still it was fishy with many loose ends. Someone powerful must have been involved in this for the case to be closed like this even after the intervention of Peter’s father a former Senator.

Talia could understand that someone must be involved if this is the case. And judging by the reaction of Rachel’s father, the one involved must be powerful. With what Peter did to her recently, it should be someone from her side; most probably.

"What happened to him?" Talia asked. It seemed like like Rebecca didn’t know all these details either.

"He hit his hands... Both of his hands and wrists has a lot of broken bones. Apparently Peter passed out from the pain. The doctors are saying that it would be hard for him to gain usage of his hands again..." he paused seeing Talia running her fingers through her cup in a contemplative way.

" Don’t worry. Karma got him. It couldn’t have happened to a nicer guy! " Joe shrugged. He used his hands to hurt Talia, pulling her hair. So what if his hands got useless now? He deserves it!

Talia nodded. She couldn’t say who would have done it. Either it could be Arthur or it could be Mr. Ed who orchestrated it.

Whatever! Joe is right. It couldn’t have happened to a nicer guy.

There was that suffocating silence once more and it was Rebecca who broke it this time.

"Are you going to talk to me about Rachel?"

"Yes!" Joe nodded as he subconsciously sat with his elbows on the table. He seemed uncomfortable as his eyes darted at Talia.

Talia felt squirmy. She knew she shouldn’t be here, but she felt Rebecca’s hand gripping her skirt.

"She’s staying. Everytime we talk about Rachel we end up fighting. I don’t want to this time. She’d be the neutral party between us. " Rebecca was certain about this.

Joe wanted to roll his eyes. Like Talia would ever be a neutral party between them. He didn’t want to talk about his private stuff in front of Talia.

His Adams apple bobbed up and down as he gulped looking at Rebecca in the eyes. It seemed like she was adamant about this as she required a support. His heart hurt realising his wife finds support in someone other than him, but it is what it is. This while situation is his fault and it was her friend who supported her through these hard times.

Even if he talks in secret, he knows that Talia would know what he says word for word from his wife. So why bother?

"Where should I start?" he cleared his throat, looking down playing with the coaster on the table. His relationship with Rachel... It really was a brotherly relationship for a long time, even though they dated in the past. It is the truth. Everyone saw it that way too and that’s why Rachel could act cunningly, riling up Rebecca. Maybe that’s why she needed Talia now to sow up that doubt among those in his circle using that article.

No one would have believed their relationship was more than that of siblings. And that why when his own wife doubted him, he felt wronged and was very disappointed. And that’s why he believed Rachel more than his own wife as Rachel used that disappointment he had towards his wife properly.

He knew he was the stupid one. He was the one who believed the wrong woman.

However, he has realised it now. The better way to get over the past mistakes is by acknowledging his mistakes first.

For that he needed to explain why the relationship between him and Rachel was purely familial. And he has to poke around his old wound for that. He didn’t want that old wound in his heart to hurt more and so he kept this fact from his wife and that separated them. He just expected his wife to believe what he says as the truth. But he is not entitled to be believed like that. No one is. He had to think long and hard to arrive to that conclusion.

So he will tell the truth. The truth that has been hidden for years.

"My sister..." Joe said looking up. His hands were tightly clasped over the table. His eyes were reddened and his his lips went dry.

"My sister... She’s Rachel’s sister too," he said letting out a deep breath and rested his forehead on the table.