Stand By Me Darling
Chapter 396: Unyielding And Steadfast

Chapter 396: Unyielding And Steadfast

Arnold nodded at his bodyguards and they all backed off. Mr. Ed noticed Talia’s reluctance and he blocked her from Arnold’s view.

"You can give me a security check if you want, Mr. Gaston. I will even remove my shoes," Arnold raised his hands to his side with a smile. His assistant by the side had a very stupefied expression by his boss’ insistence to meet with this woman.

He even is willing to go through a security check? He won’t go through it even in airports. He doesn’t like getting touched by others. What is he doing?

Talia didn’t want to prolong the conversation anymore. "No need," she waved at Mr. Ed and got in her car as he opened the door for her.

Arnold Belfauger got in from the other side and the car travelled in silence.

"That was a very well orchestrated hit-job done in plain sight," Arnold chuckled and Talia took in a deep breath.

Of course the Duke of Trenton was supposed to die tonight one way or not. If it was not Lambert’s hand, it would have been by someone else. He was given strong drinks, provoked to confront Talia to her face and it is inevitable he’d raise his hand at her.

Whether it was her great grandmother or Louis who planned this, Talia didn’t feel any pity for the Duke of Trenton.

"Ours cannot be compared to the kind of hit-job you arranged for my granduncle as a "jet accident", or the kind you arranged for me to get killed in a "riot" you caused?" Talia asked scrolling through her phone.

She needed to check if Arthur had his meal and went to bed.

"I didn’t know you were Brunton’s grandkid. I would’ve protected you had I-"

"So Queen Catherine’s great granddaughter doesn’t have your protection?" Talia was in no mood to be polite with him.

Arthur was still awake and her lips curled to a smile seeing the picture he sent of his solved Hard-level Sudoku puzzle.

[Solved it in twenty five minutes. Who is getting smarter each day?"]

[My dear Freddy bear is!]

Talia sent the reply.

"Edith Pembrin lied to my mother and I was under the impression that I am one of the heirs to the Rosandale throne. My heart ached whenever I thought that the one lauded as The Great King abandoned me for his jealous wife."

"So you killed the one who you thought as your half-brother and his son?" Talia sneered. "You’re making it harder for me to sympathise with you, Mr. Belfauger."

She looked at him and her eyes only showed impatience. "My great grandmother made it clear that she doesn’t want to meet her son’s killer. I’m not willing to say ’let bygones be bygones’ and forgive you for what you did to my family either. May I know the reason for your insistence on meeting me?"

"You... You really are Jerome’s blood. He really passed on his ruthlessness to you." Belfauger sighed. "I’ll come to the point. I wanted to ask you to authorise Cobra to talk to me."

"I know there are a lot of rumours about me and I have no idea who told you that I have contact with cobras, but I’m not a snake whisperer, Mr. Belfauger." Talia said with a shrug.

Arthur already read her message and sent her a bunch selfies of him making silly faces. Talia wanted to laugh out loud, but she held back.

[I’m in my car with Arnold Belfauger. He thinks that I’m in contact with Cobra.]

Arnold’s became sombre seeing Talia acting this way. He knew she knows who Cobra is and she is not willing to even start a conversation with him.

"Cobra is refusing to give me the exact composition of the drug my daughter was given without your authorisation. The doctors say that she can be cured if the composition of the drug that poisoned her is known-"

As Belfauger was speaking, Talia received a call from Arthur. She answered the call and Arthur asked to put the call on speaker.

"Mr. Belfauger, insinuating my girlfriend who is a Princess has contacts with an international criminal is slander. As I already stated, Cobra’s decision to give the composition of the drug to you in exchange for the location of Ralph Runtley has nothing to do with us. Please refrain from badgering her. Stay away from the Lockhart family too."

Arthur spoke in a cold voice which was very foreign for Talia to listen. She could feel that Arthur hated Belfauger just from the tone of his voice. She wished that she never becomes the recipient of his cold voice. It felt so menacing.

"So the Bear King recovered truly as it was reported," Belfauger chuckled and it was very dry.

Talia felt a little tingle in her heart seeing that old man looking desolate thinking of his children. She is always weak against these situations, but she hardened her heart this time. Every time her grandpa was lenient and forgiving, his enemies had only considered that as his weakness. It is time to let everyone know that the Brunton family cannot be messed with anymore.

"Why would we lie about my recovery?" Arthur chuckled. "I’m good as new. I have never hurt innocents and so I have accumulated good karma."

Talia turned off the speaker mode and placed the phone at her ear. Belfauger looked defeated and she didn’t want to rub salt in his wound lest it angers him. "Fred, I’ll talk to you later."

"Talia, don’t let your kind heart waver. Keep in mind that if his daughter’s recovery isn’t tied to you, he wouldn’t spend half a minute with you." Arthur spoke in a lecturing tone.

Ever since he learnt from Jerome Brunton that there is a secret cabal, he has started to develop defence strategies on how to protect his family and the Northern Star. His wife doesn’t have to be cautious with anyone.

Except Ralph who really went missing. They still have to find him. And he needed the cabal to be of his aid. For that Belfauger needs to be used. If his kind-hearted Iris promises to get what Belfauger wants, he won’t search for Ralph anymore.

"Understood," Talia ended the call.

"I want to find that b*stard who hurt my daughter and skin him alive too. But when I have to be busy dealing with my sick children and my business, I can’t concentrate on him."

Belfauger started to, make excuses and Talia wanted to roll her eyes.

He is not a working single mother who has a sick child at home. He’ll have people who do his work for him and why is he making excuses?

"You can ask Ralph what he gave Sandy. It would be more accurate that what a snake says since it isn’t sure if Ralph added anything more. Maybe you should find Ralph first." Talia decided to be assertive.

The car was silent for a while and they already reached Balstone city. Belfauger’s car was following Talia’s car all along. Talia wondered when he would get off since she has refused to help him. She thought he might get mad for refusing to help him, but he seemed very calm and silent.

Is he the guy who plots the destruction of others with a calm face? She wondered.

"A man of God told me that I am cursed by the blood of the innocents and asked me to atone for my sins. I want to apologise to that Lady and that’s why I want to meet her. I’m already old and at the age where I should be playing with my grandchildren, I am watching them both suffer in hospital beds." He sighed.

’If you’re going to apologise, you should first apologise to the nations whose people you exploited with cheap labour,’ Talia wanted to tell him that, but she refrained from speaking out loud.

If this guy is really trying to atone, who is she to criticise him?

Arnold Belfauger got down from Talia’s car soon after she agreed to pass this information to the Dowager.

A couple days later, Talia heard that her great grandmother had a two hour personal meeting with Arnold Belfauger and she visited her great grandmother’s place in the evening.

She was scheduled to leave for Esteria the next day to stay there for a week, before resuming her duties in Rosandale.

As she walked through the long hallways leading to the garden, Talia felt her heart sinking with the thought of returning back to Esteria.

In the past, she’d be exhilarated in the days leading to her departure to Esteria, but this time, Talia felt scared to return to Esteria. She couldn’t understand why.

Drinking tea with her great grandmother in the garden, she pondered.

"So, Arthur knew about his tumour much longer?"

The dowager asked and Talia’s eyes widened with surprise.

But then she let out a deep breath.

Of course, Mr. Ed must have learnt about it and tattled it to my great grandmother.

It made her angry and she turned to look at Mr. Ed.

"Sir Robert, from today on, you will wear my insignia on your shoulders." She said without showing her anger at her face.

Mr. Ed was shocked and happy hearing this. If he carries Talia’s insignia, it would mean that he is her exclusive staff. He won’t have to answer to anyone else, even the King to some extent.

"I’ll accept this honour, Your Royal Highness," he knelt happily.