Stand By Me Darling
Chapter 57: Getting Back

Chapter 57: Getting Back

Arthur didn’t know when he fell asleep, but when he woke up, the sky was already getting dark.

He noticed Talia’s phone blinking and he saw it was an incoming call from...

[ P. Hypocrite ]

Arthur couldn’t hold back his laughter. ’P’ should stand for Prince, right? She actually stored Prince Edward’s number as Prince Hypocrite.

Talk about walking the walk!

Once she hates someone, she goes all out, it seems.

He tried to wake up Talia but she was still sleeping deeply and he didn’t feel like waking her up. She knew she is supposed to go for the private dinner with Prince Edward and still she went to deep sleep. She probably doesn’t want to go to the dinner.

As he wondered, Prince Edward called his number.

The moment Arthur accepted the call, an arrogant voice came from the other side, leaving him no room to say anything.

"I know you are with her. Send her down immediately. I’m waiting in the car for her."

"She’s..."

*Click*

Before Arthur could answer, the call ended and Arthur looked at his dark phone screen,his lips pursed to a straight line.

’What a whiny baby!’ he thought, ’Demanding respect by being an arrogant a*s! No wonder my Iris hates you!’

’The nerve in him to command my wife like that! Too bad I’m of lower status than him! Stupid rebellious ancestors of mine ruined my life!’

He grumbled in his heart. He could snap his neck off just like that but Jerome asked to be careful and patient with him for some reason. It seemed like there were some troubles between Jerome and the Royal Family and Arthur as an outsider didn’t want to meddle and make a bigger mess.

He bent to place his phone on the coffee table and that’s when he noticed Talia looking at him with her bright eyes fixed on him.

As their eyes met, she raised her hand and poked her index finger on his forehead between his brows.

"What a deep frown!" she said and sat up.

Arthur rubbed where she touched and it felt cool as if she has applied an ointment and all the stress he felt flew away.

"Ah, it’s late..."

Talia got up and walked to the closet. The smile she had turned to a smirk. She didn’t hear everything but she could hear the tone of the voice from the other side.

’Ha! You dirtbag! You used to have the sense to be humble with my family’s dog even! Now you talk in that tone with my Fred? Is he worse than my family’s dog in your eyes or have you forgotten your place now Cyrus is not here and I’m being shunned?’

Arthur wasn’t pleased to send her to meet Edward, but somethings has to be done. He might be a King in the business world but in his country, among the aristocrats, he is just a low-class man, a peasant with not much say. In a country run based on class, there isn’t much he could do openly to keep his dignity.

Talia came back wearing a shirt above her slip and Arthur was stunned.

"You’re going out like this?"

"I’m going to call my grandpa. Is this time okay?" she asked and Arthur looked at his phone and he checked the time in Esteria.

He didn’t want to ask about her sudden chance in mood to make a call to her grandfather in case she changes her mind. He knew her call would make that old man so happy he’d probably be cured.

"Yes, he’ll be in the library after dinner. But you are not going to..."

"No! Not in the mood today," she said casually rolling her hair to a bun.

Arthur’s gaze landed on her slender and fair neck that had some little hair left over. Her hands were raised holding her hair and the simple act of making a bun looked so beguiling.

He himself wondered if he has turned into some sex crazed maniac with all the thoughts he is having.

Always having these thoughts should not be healthy, right.? But I only have these thoughts when I am with her. So I should be fine, right?

"Fine... Wait, I’ll make the call," he picked the laptop but Talia refused, "Phone is enough. I’ll use mine and pretend you are not here. "

She said as she finished tying her hair and seeing him still sitting close to her she puffed up her cheeks.

"He already knows I’m sleeping with you," he looked at her and she glared back.

"Fine! I’ll go to the bathroom to make the call," she pretended to get up and Arthur pressed her shoulder and got up when Prince Edward called again.

This time Talia picked up immediately.

"Ah, Your highness, actually we... I slept a bit and I’m not in the mood to go out for dinner anymore. You don’t mind right?"

"Oh... That’s a shame... You’re not sick, right?" the voice from the other side was tender making her skin crawl.

"How about this time tomorrow?" she asked without answering his questioning. She checked her nail that almost got bent by her fisting her hands hard.

Poor nail! You got the brunt of my hate towards that...

Begone hypocrite, with that fake concern of yours!

"Yes, and..."

*Click*

She ended the call abruptly not even listening to what he was about to say. However important what he was about to say might be, it can wait till tomorrow.

Arthur could not understand what was in her mind. It was not like her to not keep her word. And speaking in this condescending tone with that man... It is not good, right?

Not only is she a Brunton but also the Royal Princess of Rosandale. It is highly improper for a Princess to act this way and she’d know it too.

He didn’t mind her acting this way, but why did she act so brazen?

Talia on the other hand didn’t mind his perplexed expression as he walked to the bedroom and proceeded to make the call.

She felt overwhelming as she was seeing her grandfather after a decade. She placed her hand over her heart that was beating like it would jump out of her chest.

The call connected and there was silence for sometime as Talia searched for words and her grandfather was overwhelmed by the sudden video call too.

Her grandfather didn’t seem much different from a decade ago, at least on camera. There were some more wrinkles on his forehead and around his eyes and that permanent dominance in his eyes seemed to have gone down and replaced with gentleness.

She just talked for a while about her job and the city she lives. He just nodded, laughing and he could see his eyes getting misty and that surprised her more. He looked proud of her too. Her grandfather being emotional is something she had never seen before.

After some minutes both didn’t know what to talk anymore. She is not a talker and her grandfather Is even more so. She was about to say good bye but her grandfather randomly brought up some matters to talk about and soon even that ran out.

At that time Sebastian made an appearance and seeing that chubby old grandpa still old and chubby brought a smile to her face.

Sebastian had a lot of complaints about her grandfather and even when her grandfather was smacking him with his walking stick, Sebastian jumped around and added on her complaints.

Talia who tried to be proper in front of her grandfather felt the comedic sketch done by two old men was too much for her.

As if that was enough, Arthur who was ignored for half an hour made his own Mr. Bean impersonations and in the end Talia could not hold back her laughter.

The two old men from the other side was surprised seeing that little girl who grew up right before her eyes who never laughed, laughing until her face turned red and they started laughing.

She was closing her mouth with her hands not able to control her laughter and her blue eyes were teary as they were filled to the brim with tears as she laughed.

’She is laughing! She is laughing again like she used to!’

Jerome could not hold back his tears and he let it out not considering anything else as his hands gently touched the screen.

It seemed like she was looking away from the camera and was laughing at someone. He know it should be Artie on the other side. Only he could make her laugh like that.

Throughout the call he was conflicted if he should bring up her return to Esteria to let him have a look at her but in the end he decided not to.

’It is enough she smiles like this! It’s enough! Now I can die peacefully knowing she is happy.’

He is some old man who’d die today or tomorrow. She is the one who has a lot of life left to live. She should be happy wherever she chooses to live.

He wanted to give the company he made a conglomerate to her. But it is fine if Artie takes charge. He knows what he is doing and his vision is the same as him too. And if it belonged to Artie, he won’t abandon his granddaughter too. He felt an inexplicable happiness.

Talia after threatening Arthur to stop playing, talked some more to her grandfather.

"I’ll call you often, grandpa. Night-night. Sleep early." she waved her hand.

"I’ll be waiting, my sweet Mary-Ann. You sleep well too," her grandfather placed his hand on the camera and Talia could see the old, callused hand that used to carry her around and smiled.

It’s funny how she doesn’t feel any hate towards him now. It’s odd!

She patted her chest as she ended her call.

The old man on the other end shouted.

"Sebastian! No more alcohol for me and make me all the diet the nutritionist spoke of! I want to speak to my granddaughter many times more!"

"Yes, Master" Sebastian left the room with a bow wiping a tear from the corner of his eyes.

It’s good his master gained the will to live! It’s good!

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