- Giselle -I walked into the room and closed the door behind me, only to hear a loud noise. It turns out I pushed the door a bit harder than intended, which distracted Franklin from his study, and he looked up.He raised his brow at me questioningly and I smiled with my upper lip awkwardly. Nothing was funny."It was a mistake," I explained. He looked on for a few more minutes before agreeing with me and looking away.I sighed and walked towards the bed. This is stupid. Why will Father even agree to such a thing? Doesn't he know what we are dealing with? This is an expensive business deal! He can't just take Kira with him because of sentiments unless she is really able to represent him.Just then, a knock came on the door and Franklin looked again."I'll get it," I told him and he nodded. I opened the door and it was Father."Dad?" I called out, wondering what he was doing here."Is your husband in?" He asked, and I looked back, not like I did not know Franklin was in, of course."Ye
- Giselle -I returned to the bed and sat on it heavily."Everything okay?" Franklin asked."Yeah," I replied, my voice low."You're sure?" He pressed. "It seems unusual for your father to want to have a word with you like that. And he did not bother to say hi to me. Did you two have any issues?""Nothing is wrong. We just..." I sighed and continued. "We were just talking about something which is not so important, and I don't want to bother you.""Well if you say so," he said. "Just that, the way you are looking, I'm forced to think something is wrong.""I said everything is fine!" I retorted angrily. I was getting worked up and I wished he would just leave me alone. "Do you have to know even if something is wrong? Do you want him to tell you every little thing we are dealing with? This is between me and my father, you don't have to know. You don't..."It's okay, honey," he cut in softly, and I found myself shutting it immediately. "I'm sorry for pushing you when you said there was no
- Kira -"Why are you worried about this?" Mother asked me with a frown. "It's all for your good. Do you know what it means for you to go with your father to this meeting? It means you are going to gain some crazy recognition. Let me tell you what you don't know. I've done my research and I know the kind of men that will be present there. This is an opportunity to shine.""Mother I am not saying it is not," I told her. "But I am worried because I don't even know what to do when I get there or what to say. Plus, this is a business meeting and I'll have to speak or present. I would have been happier if it were another kind of gathering.""There is another thing you have not considered. Do you think your father does not know about this? Of course, he does, but why do you think he still agreed? He is definitely going to make other plans so you don't have to say anything there.""That will make me look like an escort, and that's pathetic," I lamented."But you are not an escort. He will de
- Kira -"What are you doing here?" I blurted. "And where did you drop your manners? Why would you barge into someone's room without a knock.""I have been knocking," she said calmly. "It's obvious you did not hear me because you were busy...""What do you want?" I eyed her."Nothing too serious," she shrugged with a sigh. "Though too important to have brought me to your room.""And what's that?""I want to run you through the contracts before you go there and make a fool of yourself," she said casually, the intention of her insult sinking in."You know, back there at the table, you were acting all nice and sweet, but I know you to be a very terrible, envious person. Good thing I was not carried away by your deception.""Good for you," she replied with a smile."You are just jealous that I am the one going to the meeting and not you. You think I don't know? I can see it in your eyes, Giselle. I can see the pain," I said."Look, sister. We will have all the time to do this after you ar
- Giselle -"Giselle! Giselle!" I heard someone calling my name as I walked back to my room. I turned round to see Xavier running after me.My brows knitted as I wondered what he wanted."Hey," he said breathlessly as he approached me."What?" I looked at him from head to toe."Uhm, how are you doing Giselle?" He asked. I did not reply. What was with the pleasantries?"What?" I asked again so he would go straight to the point."Are you not going to answer my greeting?" He asked and I scoffed."When did this start? We have not greeted each other in weeks, and all of a sudden, you pull this up? What do you want Xavier?" I retorted."Indeed, we have not been in this kind of term with each other but it shouldn't be. For how long are we going to keep brushing each off. At least, we are family now. Your sister is my fiancé and my father, your husband. I don't think there should be any holding back now.""I don't want to have anything to do with you," I told him. "Not now or ever and not eve
- Kira -It was the day for the meeting and contrary to the confidence I had felt before now, I became jittery.The ride was prepared and we set out with many guards. Now alone with King Marcus on the ride, I realised how lonely I was.We were going out of the pack. My subconsciousness had to remind me at a critical moment like this that even if I am no longer a maid, I am still a princess recognised only in my own pack and not beyond.I tried to shove off the negative thoughts. I will do fine, I assured myself."How are you holding up there?" King Marcus asked and I managed a smile."I'm doing just fine," I replied, glad my voice did not shake because I was shaking inside like I had a cold.The realisation just dawned on me now that this is more serious than I thought. The atmosphere, the carriage, the expensive attires, the scent of the air around me, everything.Gosh, I should have dropped whatever feeling and pride and listened to Giselle's lectures at least. I saw her look as we
- Kira -I let out three deep breaths immediately, I got out of the huge building. The darkness had begun to set in and the lights around illuminated the building beautifully.But all these were none of my concern. It was the humiliation back in there that suffocated me more than the fresh air from all the trees here despite the wind blowing in every direction.I should have just stayed back home but no, I was happy to have replaced Giselle and now this. What can take this shame away? Absolutely nothing. I just came here to disgrace myself and I did.Everyone would mock me if they heard this, and Giselle would have a good laugh, of course."So? Princess?" I heard someone say and turned round to look. I was alarmed because I did not know anyone there. A young man was looking at me with a mischievous smile on his face."Who are you?""Prince Morgan," he replied with a feeling of importance. "And I am the team awarding your father this contract."I eyed him."Oh," I said shortly."You're
- Kira - I looked over Morgan's shoulder to see a very tall and well-built man. I was caught in this glamour for a split second, not missing how handsome and charming he was even in the situation I found myself in. I ran to my saviour, definitely a prince in shining armour and stood behind his broad shoulders, feeling safe there. Morgan turned round with a deep frown on his face from the interruption. "Jason," He called the name of the other man between gritted teeth. "Prince Morgan," the other, whose name would be Jason, replied, unruffled. "How dare you throw yourself into an issue that does not concern you?" Morgan blurted. "You were harassing the young lady," Jason said. "And the young lady is not your fucking sister," he retorted. "You have no business here." "I am sorry but I will not let you with the young Lady. If she does not want you, you cannot force yourself on her as that would be assault." "I can never force myself on any woman and definitely not on this low cla
- Franklin -"Where is my wife?" I asked the question I dreaded."Oh, she is fine," the doctor said. "She and the babies are fine.""Thank goodne..." I let out a deep breath and sucked it back in almost immediately as his words registered in my head. "What did you just say?"He smiled."She had twins," he told me. "A boy and a girl."I couldn't believe my ears and did not know how to react to the news either."You mean, I'm having two babies at once?" I asked, holding out two fingers.I don't know why that sounded funny to the doctor but he chuckled and nodded."In fact, you already have them," he said. I brushed him out of the way into the room and found them. My two gems and lovely wife are on the bed.Words failed me. And for the first time in a very long while, tears gathered in my eyes."Oh my goodness, oh my goodness," I muttered as I moved slowly towards them. Giselle was awake but looked weak. In spite of that, she managed a small smile.I held her hand hands gently and kissed
- Cleopatra -I turned round abruptly, surprised to see him."Franklin?" I called as if I was not sure of his existence in flesh and blood. "What are you doing here? I thought we agreed you were going to wait in your chambers so the doctors can work this out?""I changed my mind," he said. "I will stay here till the end of it.""No you will not," I said hastily before I could stop myself then sighed. "I mean, you shouldn't. We've discussed this already. It's not nice for you to go through this. I will stand in for you. You will only be agitated waiting here.""Don't worry about that, sister," he said with a straight face. "I am strong enough to wait. It is cowardice to leave my wife in this condition and stay in my room. Let me worry about her. That might not even be the problem. I am staying strong where her strength fails her.""But it's not even the issue of staying strong or not," I chuckled. "It's making an environment where these guys can work freely and save her. If you stand o
- Franklin -There was a strange look on the doctor's face, not exactly strange because I could already tell what he was going to tell me was not a good news."Her pregnancy was induced," he told me. "We'd have to take out the baby to save her life.""Her life?" I was able to pick. "And what of the child?"The doctor went mute and looked away. I held his shoulder and shook him."Tell me," I half yelled."I'm afraid we might lose it," he said slowly. I let him go, my heart shredding to pieces. I cannot lose my child. No. Not after all these years. Not again."And my wife? What is the probability of her being saved?" I asked, and again, I feared his response."If I'm to be sincere with you, it's a fifty," he said. "But, I will assure you that we will do our best."I ran my hand through my hair and took deep breaths in a bit to calm myself. I was not thinking straight and I felt extremely cold.King Markus was there with me, looking and watching. There wasn't one amongst us who could com
- Jason -I instinctively placed a hand on my stomach, waiting to feel any slight pain."Did you poison me?" I asked him. The seriousness dropped off his face, and he laughed. Morgan laughed long and hard, doubling over. He hit his fist on the table while he laughed, and I watched him, dumbfounded.He finally struggled to control the laughter with a wheezing sound, tears in his eyes."Gosh, you need to see the look on your face," he said. "I did not poison you, silly."I let out a deep breath I had not realized that I was holding."Now, why will I want to kill you and choose to do it by poisoning your food?" He asked, taking a cup of water from the table. He gulped it down and shook his head at me. "You looked so shaken. Are you that scared of death? For someone like you, poisoning is a disgraceful way to die, for even if I wanted to kill you, not that way."He laughed again."Morgan, that was not funny," I had to say."You think? You looked like a wrung chicken. You looked like your
- Jason -I had just finished speaking with Alpha Sheka about very important matters of the pack and was about to leave when he called me back."That reminds me," he said. "I need to invite you to a banquet tonight. I was going to tell you earlier but I skipped. Also because of the matters at hand you know.""I understand alpha," I replied empathetically. "Where'd we get the invitation from now?""Oh it's not far," he said with a suspicious movement of his lips that could pass for a smile. "It's from my son.""Oh, that's interest...what!?" I was saying before my brain registered what I heard."Yes, my son, Morgan. He arranged the banquet specially made for me and you," he repeated and I still could not believe my ears."Did he say he wanted me at the banquet?" I still asked because I could not make sense out of it yet."He made a special request for you to be there. You are surprised, aren't you? Well, I am too. I hope you don't mind the banquet. I've always thought you two were...uh,
- Jason -It took me a few seconds after I returned to my room, to notice someone was there. I turned around with a displeased frown on my face."What are you doing here, Morgan?" I asked him."It's Prince Morgan but yeah, I think I can let that slide since it's you and also seeing that you'd always stress me with having to correct you all the time," he said with a grimace."What are you doing in my room?" I sighed."I'm here to talk," he replied with a shrug. "Can't I talk to you?""What are we talking about and why in my room? Official meetings are not held in the bedroom.""That's it," he snapped his fingers. "Because this is not an official business.""I cannot tell when we began to have an unofficial relationship," I stated and he laughed."Maybe if you were paying attention more, you'd remember that I did mention it.""I don't want to be acquainted with you, Morgan," I said to his face. "I am fine the way we are.""Come on Jason, don't make this hard," he said, relaxing his back
- Cleopatra -I eyed the greedy man and scoffed."What do you mean by this is not enough? Do you want four generations' wealth before you're okay?" I scowled at him."My lady, you know what it caused us to be able to cover up for you. And I have other people to settle and keep their mouths shut. You will have to remit more."I sighed tiredly."Okay fine. I am going to give you some more but that will be it. You must not complain nor ask me for anything after that. And you must not try to contact me because we can never be seen together. Do you understand?""Clearly," he replied."Good."I was able to handle him without anyone finding out about it, and I hoped it remained that way. Anna has promised to keep her mouth shut and only say what was agreed on if Giselle finds her, but I couldn't trust her.How could I hold her to her words? I looked into her eyes and saw the fear. Such a person can be easily l
- Giselle -I was very eager for the reports, but I was disappointed."There were no prints," the experts told me. "The old lady poisoned herself to death.""You're trying to tell me she took her own life?" I asked for clarity even though I heard them. I felt like asking them why, but knew they wouldn't have an answer to that.The midwife was well, according to the reports given to me hours before I went to see her, and then she poisoned herself?This doesn't make any sense to me."There has to be a reason why this happened," I said thoughtfully as I paced around the room. "Why did she take her life? What made her do it?"I lifted my head, and Franklin was barely paying any attention to me."What do you think about this?" I asked, and he looked at me."I don't know," he said with a shrug."You don't think she'd take her life for no reason, right? What must have made her do it? Did someone threa
- Giselle -"What?" I asked, my eyes following the direction of his hand. There was something at the edge of the bed, and I walked towards it.An old woman, obviously the midwife, was lying dead on the ground in the corner."Oh gracious heavens," I muttered, placing a hand on my chest. One of the guards moved close and picked up a bottle lying beside her."Looks like a poison," he said, lifting the bottle to his face and observing it. She had foam all over her mouth, and her body looked fresh like she could have died just a few minutes before we arrived.How did we not even notice all this while? And I looked all over the room. There were no signs of death anywhere.Gosh, I was this close to getting her, I lamented."Looks like murder," Another commented, what was going through my mind."What do we do now?" They asked me after moments of staring at the cold body beneath.