Stand By Me Darling
Chapter 421: A Shocking Gossip

Chapter 421: A Shocking Gossip

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Arthur clenched his fists. When she was unconscious, Ralph had not set up the camera and it is hard to know what actually happened and he didn’t care either.

He must have set the camera after realising she’d wake up and everything that happened made him want to make Ralph bleed to his death.

He understood what she meant by ’filthy’. It probably was a combination of the irk she felt by his touches and getting soaked in excrements. She is like a cat in keeping herself clean, and for her to be humiliated like that, she’d be very distressed.

Hearing Ralph’s story, he got raging mad at Jerome Brunton. Is Jerome a guy who gets jealous and keeps his brother’s child away? He wasn’t sure. Jerome had helped thousands to get out of poverty and could he act this heartless towards his family? It certainly is not that believable.

Arthur was an outsider and he experienced first-hand how Jerome treated him. So he won’t doubt him.

He didn’t know how true Ralph’s beliefs are, but Jerome truly didn’t handle it well.

And in the end Iris suffered!

Ralph is being brought back to Rosandale in another private jet and Louis arranged a secret location where he’ll be held. Cobra wanted an audience with Talia and so was Alexandra Belfauger and they are granted access.

Arthur knew now is the time for him to make new covenants with these powerful figures, for the sake of Iris. In the end, they were the ones who aided in getting Iris back safe.

Arthur watched Talia getting ready for landing as she got dressed. She took a long shower and she seemed refreshed. Her pale face was powdered with red rouge to make it look healthy. Her long hair was neatly combed and she was wearing a dress with long sleeves.

He watched as she practised smiling in the mirror.

This is not the first time he watched her do this, but this time he felt a tug in his heart. No matter what struggle she faces, no matter how broken she is inside, she has to suck it in and plaster a smile on her face for others to see.

But she wants to do this!

"Remember, no punching and no engaging with the reporters." Talia said in a firm tone as she stepped down from the jet.

Now is not the time to make enemy of the press as they will purposefully make negative stories about her, if they weren’t treated fairly. They are a bunch of thin-skinned people who can’t be rational or accept criticisms.

"I know," Arthur bent and whispered in her ears making her smile. They could hear the camera shutters going off like crazy.

He bent and looked at her hand and he knew she was stressed. She, who never shows public displays of affection, was now tightly holding his hand and she even was walking a step behind him.

He patted her hand, assuring her everything will be fine. As they passed through the reporters, many were asking questions. After expressing their happiness that she is back, they asked how she is holding up and Talia answered that she is fine and that she is unhurt.

"Were you s*xually assaulted?"

A voice was heard from the back. Arthur’s hands trembled with rage.

What does that got to do with you?

He wanted to ask. But Talia squeezed her hand and ignored that question and answered another reporter who asked if she’d ever return to Basmia.

"Of course, I will. After seeing how much they are lacking and experiencing myself how terrible the conditions are for the people, I will continue to do my best to help the people. And I have been entrusted with the donations of a lot of kind souls and I want to make sure their hard earned money will be spent for the intended purposes they donated."

Talia then thanked everyone who supported her and wished her well when she was abducted.

Arthur sighed. He knew she is not doing lip-service like a politician. She is expressing promises she’ll keep and she will go back to Basmia.

Oh, Iris... Why must you work this hard?

But he was impressed by how regal she looked with her chin up and her eyes focused. Her words were clear and her demeanor was elegant as usual. It was like the trauma she faced, hasn’t affected her at all.

But Arthur knew the fact. And he was in a way glad that only he knows what she truly feels. She will act weak with him because she trusts him more than anyone.

"Although I wasn’t able to see the messages of thoughts and prayers, I felt the love everyone sent for me and I am sure it enabled me to escape the terrible people."

Talia said with gratitude. The reporters then started to ask about the details of her kidnapping and that one voice that wanted to know if she was assaulted kept on ringing louder and louder.

Talia thanked the reporters and told them that the Palace will be releasing statements sooner regarding her kidnapping and turned to leave.

"Answer me, Princess! I heard the militia is known for r@ping and pillaging the villages in the area. As a journalist it is my duty to give a detailed report to the people. You were held by them for more than half a day. How did they treat you? Did they try to violate you? Your answer might inspire many women who struggle the same as you. Speak up, Princess Talia!"

The reporter relentlessly followed Talia shouting the questions. More than anything, he wanted a good scoop to print in block letters in the first page of their tabloid. And so, he wanted to provoke Talia to get a reaction. Her reaction or probably Arthur’s reaction.

Arthur felt Talia’s hand squeezing him hard and he knew this time she is not doing this to stop him, but because she is stressed.

Her securities pushed forward to bring her out but that particular journalist kept on following them asking over and over again if she was assaulted.

He even pushed his way near Talia and tried to stuff his microphone in her face.

"Ask your mother if she was assaulted, you f*cking bellend!" Arthur pushed his microphone away and grabbing her hand walked faster with the help of her bodyguards.

"I screwed up," Arthur rubbed his forehead leaning on the seat of the car on their way back to the Palace.

He knew within half-an-hour, there will be an article confirming that Talia was assaulted as confirmed by ’an anonymous source close to the Princess’.

"It’s fine. We can handle it. We expected this much. In fact we made precautions in case you hit someone. We can mitigate this damage easily." Mr. Ed turned to the back and said with a serious expression and Arthur’s face went red out of embarrassment.

"Don’t get embarrassed for this, Your Gingerness!" Talia made a slight bow and everyone in the car laughed.

On the way back, there were many people waving little flags to welcome her and Talia waved her hand back with a smile accepting their love.

She felt her fever rising as she reached the palace and after taking a couple of pictures with Louis and Lambert to be later released to the press, Talia was brought to a guest room to rest. Louis and Lambert were holding back her tears and wanted to talk a lot, but Talia excused herself as she wanted to rest for a while.

Talia felt head spinning as she walked and Arthur picked her up. Cordelia was walking with her and she held her hand.

"You look pale," Cordelia blinked her eyes to stop herself from crying.

"My periods arrived today. I don’t know why but I am bleeding a lot this time. It’s more than a week late and maybe that’s why... there’s clotting too..."

Talia closed her eyes. Cordelia paused her steps for a while before asking Mr. Ed to bring doctors to test her once more. She knew Talia had pretty regular periods and she doesn’t have heavy bleeding usually. She had a doubt.

Arthur watched her sleeping and she seemed to have nightmares still, but it wasn’t frequent or violent as before and she slept without waking up.

Jerome Brunton came to visit and Arthur found it hard to maintain his usual composure with him.

Leaving Jerome with Talia, Arthur went to take a puff. He saw the guilty expression on Jerome’s face and he didn’t want to judge him.

But why is Jerome adamant to keep this a secret? Ralph is thinking he is Jerald Brunton’s grandson. Did Jerome really want to keep the Brunton wealth in his name? Is that why he chased away Ralph’s mother? And even after seeing Talia suffer this much, why can’t he still open his mouth and speak the truth?

As he was silently taking a puff near a bush, he heard some whispers.

"Are you sure this is pregnancy? The hCG levels usually increase around the end of the cycle..."

"Absolutely! The hCG levels are high and so is the progesterone level as I tested it using the blood samples from yesterday. It surely is pregnancy, but sadly Her Highness is losing it. Progesterone is rapidly decreasing and ..."

"Wow! Seriously? Princess Talia was pregnant?"

Arthur’s hand trembled hearing what the couple of lab-technicians who came for a smoke were talking.

My Iris is currently losing our baby?