Stand By Me Darling
Chapter 422: In A Box

Chapter 422: In A Box

"I can walk by myself, Fred," Talia pulled Arthur’s collar but he was not budging.

She couldn’t understand why she must be carried to the bathroom each time she needs t0 go. True, she was having a heavy bleeding and almost fainted when she stood up once, but this guy has been carrying her around ever since.

Arthur wanted to take care of her. After hearing what the lab technicians said, he made sure none of it is recorded and spoke with the doctors to not record it anywhere and only give her the necessary treatments without any records.

Louis knows and he put a gag order. Having a relative who is an actual King helps at times. Also, the medical staff that are taking care of Talia are asked to sign NDAs to keep Talia’s miscarriage secret.

Secret from Talia herself.

Only Arthur, Louis, Jerome and the medical staff know about it and not even others from the family.

Yes, Talia asked him not to keep any secrets from him, but he did keep it from her anyway. She thinks of it as a late heavy period and that’s how it will stay.

Arthur tucked her in the bed and gently massaged her legs since she complained of cramps. As he massaged her legs, she fell asleep.

Arthur wiped the corner of his eyes, and placed a kiss on her cheek. No matter how hard he tried to contain his sorrow, he couldn’t and he keeps on tearing up.

It was odd for him. He thought he didn’t want kids now. But losing the child he wasn’t even one hundred percent sure there was, gave him a deep pain.

If it hurts him this much, he could only imagine how much it will hurt Talia. He wants to spare her this sadness.

"If she wasn’t kidnapped, we probably wouldn’t have lost our child."

Arthur voice trembled. He couldn’t hold back his tongue and ended up speaking his mind to Jerome, standing in the hallways. He tried his best not to blame Jerome for what happened to Talia, but in the end, he couldn’t.

Jerome as usual, said nothing and Arthur wanted to shake him to make him spill the truth.

"I’m meeting Ralph tomorrow. Bring MaryAnn with you." Jerome said with not much expression in his face and walked away.

Arthur gritted his teeth, fisting his hands. As always Jerome’s a proud prick and does what he likes!

----

"I’m fine... Now tell me how Ralph is holding up."

Talia leaned on Arthur’s chest. She was feeling a lot better in the morning after enduring a very painful night. She inferred that the hot climate and the extreme stressful kidnapping contributed to her severe cramping and left it at that.

She was more happy and pleased to be leaning on Arthur’s chest now. He’s been with her all the time, and with him beside her, she could feel secure and sleep well.

"He’s been kept alive by giving bare minimum of water and food... he’s screaming all the time, demanding to meet your grandpa. Umm... and he is on suicide watch since he tried to kill himself."

Arthur didn’t tell her that he’s given the same thing she was given by Ralph. He was stressed to the max and experts say that he’ll break down entirely sooner. The wound in his hands are getting infected and the infection will spread to his blood giving him immeasurable pain.

Arthur has to say, the military facility holding Ralph has some men who are very talented in getting guys break up. They did nothing but sit and talk to Ralph, making him go crazy level by level. And they were impressed by the ’work’ started well by their Princess.

Cobra who visited asked if they needed any drug, but by looking at the state of Ralph, even she was impressed by how fast he was deteriorating.

"Is everything getting recorded?"

Talia asked and Arthur nodded. "What do you want to do with the footage?" he asked kissing her forehead.

She doesn’t get very startled by his touches anymore and it made him feel relieved.

"Want to know?"

She smirked and seeing ruthlessness in her face, Arthur was impressed.

------

The ride to the secret facility where Ralph was held was silent. Arthur, driving the car, had no time to spare for Jerome, while Talia sitting by his side was deeply contemplating. Jerome sat closing his eyes and he was having a little briefcase with him.

Talia was surprised when Arthur fitted her with winter cat, mittens and even ear muffs.

Am I climbing the Everest? She thought.

Talia saw Ralph inside a room with all the four walls being two-way mirrors. More than a room, it can be called a glass box in the middle of a warehouse. In fact it can’t be called a warehouse, but a freezer, since the temperature was almost freezing.

She saw Ralph kept in the box with nothing to cover himself. And he was having some kind of collar in his neck.

Is that a shock collar?

As they saw Talia entering, through a little opening, they threw in a little towel.

"Her Royal Highness is here. Cover yourself."

The big guy in the Royal Marine uniform barked as an order.

Ralph, who was lying on the floor in a foetal position silently till then, ended up laughing.

"Tell your Royal Highness to naff off!"

His sneering was followed by his loud screams as he rolled on the floor holding his neck.

So it is a dog collar!

Screaming in pain, he crawled and got the small towel and covered his privates.

Only then the big guy placed the remote down and Ralph ended up panting and coughing lying on the floor. His fingers weren’t even bandaged and the exposed wound had started to go blue with no blood circulation.

Talia watched everything as it happened and she didn’t feel bad for him even a bit. There wasn’t even an ounce of sympathy in her heart for him.

"They are keeping him alive just fine," She smirked and Arthur rubbed her back.

His lips looked parched and he crawled on all his fours to a little pot on the side.

His face contorted smelling the content of the aluminium pot, but then he drank it pinching his nose.

She chuckled turning to Arthur. "Where are they getting goat piss?"

"I think that is horse piss," Arthur whispered in her ears with a cheeky smile.

"Let me in."

Talia heard her grandfather asking the big guy and walked closer to him.

"I’m going in with him."

"Iris!" Arthur held her arm. He didn’t want her to get exposed to Ralph’s infections. God knows how many infections he has.

"It’s fine. I’m going in with Grandpa."

Talia nodded with a smile. Her grandpa might have a stoic expression and hides what he truly feels, but she knew he’d be broken inside, more than her.

Talia refused to take in a handgun since she feared Ralph might get it from her. But she did get the little remote for the shock collar from the big guy.

She asked Arthur to stand out since she felt like her grandpa wanted this to be in between Ralph and him alone. But she did decide to b*tt in.

The big guy checked the suitcase her grandpa had for anything that might turn dangerous and with a bunch of papers in his hand, Talia’s grandpa stepped in the box, followed by Talia.

"Don’t record anything spoken." Talia gave an order and Arthur saw the big guy turning off the microphone in the observation box and only the video was recorded.

When Talia got in, he saw Ralph gritting his teeth and glaring at her grandfather.

"Did you see the video, Jerome? Did you feel bad seeing your precious granddaughter suffer?"

"Whoa, this place stinks more than the cave you held me. But a piece of excrement like you would be already used to this smell, right?" Talia rubbed her nose and stopped Ralph from speaking further.

"You!" he screamed trying to lunge at her.

Talia with a smile pressed the button and he rolled up on the floor trembling in pain. Arthur rolled his eyes watching in the monitor but seeing the pleased expression in Talia’s face, he smiled.

Yes, get over your trauma whatever way you want, my love! You’re allowed.

"Your mother, bless her soul..."

Talia rolled her eyes hearing her grandpa still being polite with Ralph. He doesn’t want to speak ill of a dead person.

"She really wasn’t my brother’s child."

Jerome added and Ralph chuckled lying on the floor.

"You came here to tell me that again, Jerome? Why are you-"

"I came here to show you the proof."

Jerome placed a bunch of papers on the floor, in front of Ralph. Ralph didn’t stop chuckling.

"What did you bring me, Jerome? A faked DNA report? Or-"

"Read it!"

Jerome’s voice seemed gentle but it made Talia’s heart skip a beat since she knew this was her grandpa’s don’t-mess-with-me-anymore voice. She wondered if she should read the papers if Ralph doesn’t take it anymore since she was really curious.

Maybe Ralph felt it in his bones; he lied on his back and started to read the papers one by one.

"Ha...ha...haha"

Ralph laughed out loud and this time, there was frustration deeply embedded in his laugh.

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