Stand By Me Darling
Chapter 53: Her Concern

Chapter 53: Her Concern

" This is your mother, right?" she asked and Arthur now seated back on the couch, hummed in affirmation.

And the first thought that came in Talia’s mind was, ’Thank God my family has nothing to do with his mother’s death’.

He never talked about his mother to her, but she heard from others that it was some inoperable brain tumor that took her life when he was just three years old.

Poor Fred, he might not even remember his mother!

"Your mother is really pretty," Talia said from the bottom of her heart. She really had that kindness in her eyes and a gentleness in her smile. Looking at that picture made her miss her mother and her eyes misted a bit.

"But why does none you brothers have her hair? She has a really beautiful brown hair. I thought brown is the dominant colour, so why did you all ended up like the Weasley family?" she asked trying to distract herself from crying.

Arthur could see from her reaction that she misses her mother and he felt bad for pushing her away sometime before.

And that’s when that thought popped in his mind. If he knew that his mother’s death involved the Brunton family in any shape or form, he wouldn’t have even spared a single glance at her. But she...

"My mother’s mother was a redhead and maybe that’s why we ended up with red hair," he stood up and walked to her and stood behind her, hugging her.

"Hmm..." Talia didn’t speak further as his warmth spread on her back and it felt like his heart was beating over hers. She really liked this position and went through his wallet and found an eternity ring inside.

Her hands shook as she picked it up and she could feel his hold tighten.

"It was not a dream then..." she mumbled.

"Even in your dream you tried to push me away, Iris!" he whispered in her ears in a despondent tone and she flinched.

He watched her putting the ring back in and his heart squeezed with pain.

"I’m sorry," she whispered back. She was sorry for herself.

At that time, her phone beeped and she picked it up and saw it was another text from Prince Edward.

"Look at that! He requires to have a discussion over dinner with me! Is he here? What is there to discuss with me?" she said in a mocking tone and threw her phone back on the counter.

"Maybe about business? You are not answering still? " Arthur was surprised she is shunning him that much.

"Nah! He can wait. I don’t think it is business. If it is, why is he making his PA texting me? He just wants to throw his weight around as the Prince of Esteria and expects me as a citizen to bow in front of him. Ha! Like I will!" she giggled turning to look at Arthur,

"Can you imagine his face staring at the phone, expecting a reply only to realise that I’m not going to..? It would be better if he knows I read his texts and still not replying," she laughed a bit evily making Arthur wonder.

"What’s the deal with you and him anyway?" She rarely hates someone this much.

" I think he is just jealous of me!"

"Jealous?" Arthur was more intrigued and guided her to the couch and sat beside her.

Why could a Prince be jealous of her?

Looking at his expecting face, Talia closed the wallet and continued, " Back then before my mum... You know what... I used to go everywhere with my grandpa in the mornings since Cyrus had to attend school. We used to go to the Palace at times and one day, my father wanted to discuss something with the King and I was asked to play with "him". My grandpa gave me two marbles; red and green to play with. I didn’t know what they were at that time. He always gave me colourful marbles since I liked them. Apparently those two marbles that were almost the size of my palm at that time were polished emerald and Ruby. So we were walking in the garden with his governess... " she paused seeing him sighing.

" What? " she asked.

" Your grandfather really gave you rubies and emerald to play with? "

Yeah! Anyone would get jealous of a kid playing with actual gems! Even he is right now! Ruby the size of a child’s palm? Seriously.?

" Well, yes! I was always a careful child and never lost anything and I liked colourful things. So my grandfather will give me marbles... Don’t worry, I liked the colour of the marble you gave me the best, "she smiled and Arthur saw her expression pure like he used to know and kissed her lips.

Don’t blame him, he just felt like it!

Talia who didn’t expect the sudden kiss blanked out for a while. Somehow this act of his reminded her of the past. Back then he used to kiss her for no reason too.

" Well, anyway! That guy made me throw the marbles into the fountain saying about some wishes or something. I didn’t want to and so I just sneakily threw some pebbles in and kept the marbles safe in my pockets. But later when I went back, he complained to me that I’m a liar for not actually throwing the marbles. That thief! Only later Cyrus explained how his little brain calculated to steal those from me! Crooked boy! Not only that, he would pull my hair, ruin the bow I have on my hair and once he even tried to pass the blame of ruining the cake on me. Even my grandfather asked me to apologise for something I didn’t do and he stood there proudly but Cyrus brought video evidence, proving that it was him who ruined the cake... He is such a dishonest child."

She went on telling all the bad deeds," And later in our high school days, in one of the balls, he actually berated you and your father with his friends and when your father was there, he acted like a polite gentleman... That hypocritical nincompoop! "

" He asked me for a dance and when I refused politely, he tried to trip me... Trip me! "

She added more and more and for Arthur, his deeds didn’t seem like jealousy but something different. He probably liked her and acted petty with her. And of course she didn’t realise that and he decided to keep it that way.

" I agree! He is such a hypocrite!" Arthur tried to grab his wallet. He didn’t want her to speak anymore of him.

This woman! Why does everyone fall for her?

"Wait... I haven’t gotten your card yet!" she opened his wallet and there were only few cards.

"Wow! You have a black card?" she pulled out the much coveted metallic card. Only after saying that did she realise that it would be weird if he didn’t carry a black card. But she was shocked seeing the name on the card.

Why is this my grandpa’s card?

"Your grandfather wanted you to have it. So there you go..." he tried to get his wallet.

"Wait!" she grabbed his wallet and went through the other cards and there was one platinum card.

Why doesn’t he have a black card and I’m supposed to have one.?

Does my grandfather...

Talia’s hands froze as she remembered the fights her parents sometimes used to have. She didn’t remember much, but only the gist of it.

His father used to complain that he wanted to be a professor and not work in a company.

"I left my job... My passion for you just because your father was ashamed to have a measly professor as a son-in-law!"

She heard her father was shouting one night with her mother and now that she thinks about it... He might have been drunk.

And she didn’t remember what happened after that but those words stuck with her and that was the first time she had some reservations towards her grandfather because he caused the fight between her parents.

But is Fred really happy there or he is just there for me? I know he is a Boswell and he might not be treated well by the older people in grandpa’s company.

"Fred..."

Talia held his hand, "You don’t have to work for my grandfather if you don’t like it there, right... There are..."

"Silly... What are you saying? Why would I not like working for your grandfather?" Arthur looked at her confused.

And he remembered all the gossips surrounding her father in the company. The old people still remember how Robert Whiteford was treated there. But even they didn’t blame Jerome as he never got himself involved in that. It seemed like her father’s ideas for the company clashed with Jerome’s vision.

Jerome always shared the dividends with the workers while Robert wanted to invest the profit in more businesses and in turn employ more people and both their ideas clashed and usually people sided with Jerome making Robert feeling neglected.

But how much did she know? And is she worried I’m being mistreated? How cute!

"You know in the recent poll there is an unanimous consent that our company is the best to work in, right? Don’t think too much. No one can bully me! I’m the King, remember?" he dashed his head on hers and she rubbed it pushing him away.

"Why did you hit me? I’m going to take your card and spend all the money!" she stood up and walked to the counter.

"310895" he stood up and walked up to her, "The PIN number, " he added and hugged her from behind.

He saw her picking up the phone and accepting the dinner invitation sent by Prince Edward, telling she would bring Joe together with her and a reply came immediately asking her for a private dinner.

"That’s fishy!" she said while accepting the invitation and Arthur’s frown deepened wondering why he wants to meet her alone if not for business purposes.

Guess I have to have a talk with him!

"Were you worried that I’m being mistreated by your grandfather?" he whispered in he ears while he pressed her on the counter supporting her abdomen to not get squeezed in the counter.

"No! Why should I care about you?" she said and he could see her ears getting red.

"Because you love me," he wrapped his arms around her and kissed her lips and this position seemed more amorous and he felt his abdomen tighten.

Slowly their kiss deepened and her hands grabbed his neck and her chest curved in a very alluring way making his breath heavy.

He turned her picked her up and placed her on the counter while never leaving her lips and his hands wandered South, he could feel her pantyliner and stopped himself.

Talia could not stop her laughing seeing Arthur donning a really painful expression.

"You... Why didn’t you remind me before kissing me? You turned me on and now I have to suffer...you clearly haven’t changed!" Arthur grunted in dissatisfaction.

She led him on purposefully knowing they can’t go further! This woman!

"You were the one who kissed me," Talia still didn’t stop laughing, "And why is your little guy so excited just by a kiss? Are you a teenager? "

Although she was mocking him, she was still pretty excited that he gets turned on just by kissing her.

Does he want me that much?

"Shut up!"

He stood between her legs and hugged her waist while resting his head on her shoulder.

"Don’t move until I calm down. Or I’ll make you go down on me!"

Talia couldn’t stop her laughter and yet decided to give in to him.

"310895... Is that a date...? Is that your mum’s..."

"Yes, my mum’s death anniversary," he said lazily leaning on her shoulder and she could feel him calm down.

Well, taking about one’s mother will do that!

"You never talked about your mum," she asked.

"I don’t remember much. All my memories are when I visited her in the hospital. She used to pat my head. It would be so gentle. Maybe she was just weak...."

"I’m sorry..." Talia could sense him tensing up and hugged him.

There was silence for some more time and he let her hug him.

"Ah, it was a long time ago... I’m fine now," he stood up straight.

Talia looked at his eyes that seemed to be clear like an emerald pool and got down from the counter.

"I’ll leave for work now. No need to make lunch. If you want to tour the city bring Jordan with you..."

After telling him whatever she wanted to tell, she left her apartment.

She when she kept the keys in her purse she saw the platinum card and for some reason a pretty smile bloomed in her lips.

Now I can understand Rebecca. Spending your husband’s money feels really good!