Stand By Me Darling
Chapter 238: The Cold Dish

Chapter 238: The Cold Dish

Cyrus’ father?

Talia gulped. She always had a feeling that Lord Lockhart didn’t like her. And for him to keep everything a secret, what has he decided? Can’t he say it openly? At least to me?

And what can I do about it? He is the grieving father and I cannot act entitled when I was the one who killed his son.

But still... That phone... Cyrus must have left clues if that phone was kept safely by him and if it still could reveal secrets.

"Will expect you in Esteria sooner, Ms. Brunton. Don’t try to find my friend. You know he needs protection." Camellia ended the call.

She wasn’t that worried if Talia will expose the journalist to the public.

"What does she want?"

The slightly horse voice of the elder sitting in front of Camellia, made her look up from her phone.

"I don’t know what you’re thinking you can achieve by dragging this out, Mr. Lockhart. Rip the bandaid off! She doesn’t have to bear the guilt any longer."

Lord Lockhart looked at her with his eyes filled with indifference. Camellia just snorted. All the ’Lords’ in this country have this conceited look, embedded in their face.

Do they think it makes them intimidating and powerful? It’s cringe!

" Is your ’friend’ the father of your child?" he asked, his eyes fixed on her stomach. Camellia was shocked for a second and reflexively placed her hand over her abdomen, but then she rolled her eyes as she composed herself.

Like anything escapes this old man’s eyes!

" Your ’friend’ will be safe in this country. You can bring him here. I cannot let you leave with my grandson." Lord Lockhart didn’t mind the woman in front of him rolling her eyes at him.

"I don’t like this place. Why should I stay here? You know what your son did to my sister. After knowing it all why-"

"I know my son died to protect you and your son!" Lord Lockhart banged the table. His cheeks trembled as he gritted his teeth and Camellia fell silent.

That is the indisputable truth. The one good deed of a manipulative monster. If Cyrus didn’t do what he did, she’d be dead by now and Thomas won’t even be here.

Only the rustling sound of leaves from the outside was heard inside the room that was filled with books.

"My grandson will grow in front of my eyes. If you want to leave, leave without your son." Lord Lockhart drank the colourless liquor in the glass beside him.

"You’re.... Cyril will definitely kill Travis if I brought him here, even if we can keep the secret that Travis released the documentary. He thinks I’m betraying his brother by dating another guy. Both my children cannot be fatherless...Please..." Camellia begged.

She tried to keep her pregnancy secret for this reason.

"I give you my word that your friend will be safe. Cyril won’t break my word," Lord Lockhart’s tone was decisive. "That boy is more like his grandmother than his father. I cannot let him get out of my sight."

He couldn’t understand Cyril’s obsession with his eldest brother, the psychopath. Why can’t this woman date another man? It’s not like Cyrus was married to her. Even wedding vows are valid only till death!

Camellia’s heart was filled with bitterness. She could have had her normal life back in her home country. Why did she lose her mind and help attack Talia? And now she got stuck in a nation she hates to her bones!

She looked at Lord Lockhart now staring at a picture frame in his desk. It is the picture of his wife. Thomas do resemble her a bit. She knew it would be worthless arguing with him and dangerous to try and escape him. She has to learn and live in this country.

She leaned on her chair and looked through the window. The sun has started to set and the sky was painted in a beautiful shade of orange. The trees are starting to look green and the breeze brought in a mild scent of flowers

Spring is here! What do they say? Revenge is a dish best served cold... It is true!

Her heart now feels a little light after that documentary got released. The injustice faced by her sister is avenged. All the efforts she and her boyfriend put together for years have bore fruit. The members of the council who covered up what Raymond Sinclair did, all are now scrambling to save their children.

That fateful party my sister attended along with Ray and Cyrus... How Cyrus set my sister up... The nobles who covered it all up...

Mom... Dad... I got justice for my sister! So rest in peace.

They learnt that Ray’s father was going to send Ray to a rehabilitation centre after he learnt what he did to her sister. He wanted to do a chemical lobotomy to suppress his psychopathic tendencies. That was a very brave decision by a father.

But the Lords came to knew of what Ray did and did a cover up and threatened that they will tell others that it was Gregory Sinclair who tried to save his son by covering up what he did.

But maybe it was karma that finally got Ray, Arthur ended up killing Ray. In a way, Ray got what he deserved. So they didn’t expose Arthur in that.

And Talia... That girl, smart as she is, can be a fool when it comes to Cyrus. The last messages that were sent by Cyrus, would be the proof she needs to know that Cyrus is not who she thinks he is.

Cyrus is a heartless, manipulative monster who can only feign care and affection. Too bad she believed his act.

Now that it is all out, the power structure of Esteria will shake and she could only hope it would bring good changes.

"I will trust your word then, Mr. Lockhart," Camellia Langdon stood up and left the room after closing the door. The moment she stepped out, she was met with the scrutinising glare of Cyril as he stood leaning on a pillar.

She left the Lockhart residence as if she didn’t even see Cyril there.

Lord Lockhart sighed.

Cyrus... How could you do that to a woman and then act like you fell in love with her sister? What were you thinking when you hurt ’Your Princess’ for the girl, whose sister you set up for the worst torture that can happen to a woman?

And yet, how did you pretend you loved her?

Was that your atonement by letting her kill you with her own hands? Is that what you thought? Or were you heartless towards her too and decided selfishly? Did you ever love anyone other than yourself?

---

Talia felt extremely restless after talking to Camellia. She looked at the screen with the codes running and in the end decided not to pursue this issue.

She lied on the recliner and closed her eyes and fell I to deep thoughts.

Cyrus... What happened to you? Why is everything a secret even after ten years? What should I do? Why did you leave me in such a lurch? How could you do this to me? Why did you die?

It took her sometime to stop thinking about Cyrus and she diverted her thoughts. Thinking about Cyrus will only bring her misery.

The documentary...

That documentary did her more good than bad. In fact it made her seem like a Saint compared to others so should I thank them?

Although she didn’t understand why they included that her boyfriends cheated on her. Isn’t that sexist or something? Her boyfriends cheating on her doesn’t define her, does it? It only shows how much of a scum they were. It’s not like it is her fault!

Ah... But three in a row... Maybe it is my fault... Eh! Who am I kidding? With the pills I popped, and the indifferent, celibate life I led, it was kind of my fault they cheated .

It takes two to tango! It takes two to make a relationship work.

Speaking of relationships...