Talia who turned to leave, heard that voice that seemed to be withholding many emotions.
She turned to see a woman in her early thirties wearing a nice designer apparel. At first glance, she looked like someone who works in a top or middle management of a firm. But something was odd about her as if she is not what she is wearing.
That short nails that weren't that well taken care of...
Is that pepper in her nails?
And... It looks like she types a lot.
And, The little crumbs of bread sticking to her hair, a not so obvious smudged egg white stain in the dress over her abdomen and a strong scent of bacon as if she fried it herself sometime ago...
If she had breakfast ,why is she here for brunch? Business meeting? But who comes to meetings this... way? Single mother? Most Possibly... If she had a partner, she wouldn't have left the home looking like this.
She looks like a work from home mother than an office worker. And she looked like she had a beef with Talia.
'But what would I know? She could just be a mother who had to cook for her child herself today after she got dressed and might be having a bad day! '
Talia knew it would be absolutely unnecessary for her to interact with that person but in the end she decided to. Sometimes, ignoring people will infuriate them more and make them enemies.
"I am! And, You are...? "
Talia didn't show any of her thoughts in her face as she replied within seconds and pulled a chair for herself to sit.
."Hmpf," the woman sneered and Talia who tried to remember who that woman failed to find her in her memory.
Okay, is she my enemy or my family's?
"You would be pleased, you shameless dirty money grubber, " she added making Talia snort.
"To whoever has, more will be given," Talia stood up not willing to engage with her more. She had no intent to get bashed by a woman for doing her job. That woman's face did contorted terribly.
"Why are you leaving? Here I am trying to hire a PR firm for my business and isn't it unprofessional for you to leave? Miss, COO?" she tried to stop Talia and Talia stopped moving and turned to look at her.
"Miss... Whoever you are, I have no time for this. If you really want to hire a PR firm, go to someone you trust," Talia said firmly.
"Won't you listen? I write blogs and when I got the biggest scoop, I got shut down by very powerful people and now you are profiting off of it. I don't want that to happen again... Being bullied to submission that is... ," she said and Talia could sense she is hiding a lot.
"MistyFlower?" Talia could now understand something. She is salty her scoop got swept under the rug.
"Well, I have nothing to do with what happened with you and this is a country with laws and you should have stood your ground than blaming others if you really wanted the truth out. And our PR firm doesn't provide the services you are looking for," Talia shrugged off. What she said was truth and she didn't care if her truth hurt the other party.
"You have nothing to do with it?" MistyFlower banged the table and the entire restaurant looked at her but when they met Talia's eyes they got back to their own business. Talia signalled Stacy who was still waiting for her to get out and Stacy left after lingering for a moment. The lawyer has left immediately after the signing.
"It was not Senator Campbell or his party who forced me to delete it, it was the Royal family you are part of who threatened m...me. They didn't want videos of you out! Oh, and I trust you a lot Ms. Brunton! That's why I came for you. At least you won't mind putting bullets inside me if you find me unnecessary in the future!" the woman said gritting her teeth and seeing Talia who was till then calmly shaking her head now with her eyes wide with surprise and panic stricken face, she smirked.
" What do you want? Can you speak what's in your mind?" Talia asked as her hands began to shake. This woman seems to know a lot more about her. Her connection with the Royal family of Rosandale is a tightly kept secret. Only her family and Rebecca know about it.
So how did this woman know about it?
At that time that woman received a text message and her face paled visibly and she stood up immediately. Talia looked at the door to see the Lion Heart bodyguard standing by the door with a deadly expression.
"Tell me...," Talia gripped MistyFlower's hand as she tried to leave and she turned with her eyes reddened.
"Tell you what? If I tell you, will everyone who died for you and by you magically come back to life? You should check your privilege, Ms. Whiteford. Not everyone has other people dying for them. And do you even remember at least the names of those people who died for you and the one you killed.... "
MistyFlower shook off Talia's hands and left the restaurant with her eyes filled with tears and Talia couldn't stop her trembling. She felt like the safe and secure space she built for herself slowly crumbling. After that incident ten years ago, it took a lot of effort for her to be in a good place and right when she got used to it, everything seems to be coming apart once again.
She didn't know when she started waking and that woman's tears came to her mind.
'I remember all... I remember all the people who died for me. I attended their funeral. Every single one of them... No... Not everyone... I didn't attend one funeral. One! His... '
'I'm sorry! I'm sorry, Cyrus! I'm sorry!'
Talia's chest hurt and she squatted on the pavement holding her chest. She didn't even notice there was a homeless woman sitting beside her.
As the city that never sleeps many people passed her. Some with a weird look and others didn't even glanced at her. Everyone had their own jobs, their own troubles and their own life. Who would bother with a struggling soul by the side of the road?
Arthur who was following her the entire day was pretty blissful watching her prancing around. He was happy he decided to dye his hair dark. Otherwise, with his seven feet tall stature and his obviously red hair, she'd have made him.
He watched her entering the restaurant and decided not to push his limits and waited for her to come out to stalk... No, watch-her-from-afar a little longer. He had crossed the road as he saw her exiting the restaurant. But when he saw her desolate state, he didn't even care about the oncoming traffic and crossed the road making many cars stretch to a halt and the drivers shouting profanities at him.
All these chaos didn't seem to bother her.
He didn't care for it as his eyes were only fixed on the hurting woman wearing blue coat just like the day he met her who is now crying in her heart. All he wanted was to get to her and hug her...
To assure her...
To let her know she is safe...
To say that, He is now here for her...
To tell her, She does not have to suffer alone anymore...
As he reached the other side of the road, he saw another man holding her hand and patting her back and bringing her inside his luxury car and Arthur smiled.
Whatever must happen, will happen!
At the same time another car rushed near him and the window rolled down...
"We are late for our meeting," Jordan said raising his sunglasses and resting it on his head. He had this tourist vibe on him even though he dressed for business.
Arthur got in the car and rubbed his forehead. He thought that he'd wait for a right moment to show his face to her and talk with her privately. But it seems like it is going to be abrupt.
She might create a ruckus but he didn't care. He wanted to believe that ten years would have healed her heart and got her wounds healed. But who knows how much she is hurting still? How much pain is she in for a princess like her to sit on the dirty pavement not even realising it?
My Iris! Why can't you forgive yourself?