Talia took a deep breath and put on a smile in her face before opening the door for Rebecca.
" Talia, You okay? What took you this long to open the door? I heard some noise. Is he here?... Did that guy do something to you? Hey what are you doing here? Shouldn't you have left after dropping her... "
Rebecca burst like a firecracker as she got in with her big bag filled with boxes. Talia frowned seeing Rebecca kicking away her shoes aimlessly in the foyer and placing the bag in the kitchen counter, walked to Arthur who seemed to be in a trance.
" Rebecca," Talia ran behind her and caught her right before she grabbed him by the collar and pulled her inside her bedroom.
Arthur still didn't move an inch and he seemed to be in his own thoughts.
"I'm fine, Rebecca. Don't overreact," Talia said calmly as she locked the bedroom door and Rebecca gazed at her for some whole seconds before sitting in the comfortable bed with her legs crossed.
Talia sat beside her and there was a pin drop silence for sometime where both of them didn't know what to say.
Talia gulped before she started. Rebecca's been with her for nine years and all she was a best friend but she truly hid a lot from her. She needs to explain herself.
But will she change once I tell her the truth? But I will try.
"I am Talia Brunton, the heiress of Northern Star Enterprises. My mother was the only daughter of my grandpa and..."
"You are also a Princess?" Rebecca asked. Cordelia Dupont was their other roommate and she is now the Queen Consort of Rosandale. Back then in University she was yet to be married and was the Fiancée of Prince Louis of Rosandale. Back then she'd address Talia as Her Royal Highness when alone but Rebecca found out about it and Talia had to reveal the truth to her.
Talia didn't know of her connection to the Royal family for long and she only knew of it after the death of Cyrus. Apparently her grandfather knew about her father's lineage some years before and chose to hide it from her fearing she'd leave him. All her life, she had been manipulated by everyone around her and she had no trust left in her.
"Yes," Talia nodded and Rebecca sighed.
"Look at you... A sole heiress to how many billions...? And also an actual Princess! You have it all, huh... And that guy outside... Is he really your..."
"No! He is not my husband," Talia refuted firmly.
"Ah, that's a shame! He looks handsome, " Rebecca looked visibly upset. "But... Then why is he..."
"I was about to be married to his brother but then I refused to marry him and he was arrested in a murder charge. So my family and his family announced that I was married to this one to reduce the impact on the stocks the scandals caused... I Have it all, right?" Talia smiled dryly, "Can't even decide for myself."
"Well boo-hoo princess, cry me a river!" Rebecca rolled her eyes, "Still better than being poor and having to fight for a boiled egg for breakfast!"
"Yeah, still better"
Talia had to agree. Her life was bad but it is not that bad. She really is uber privileged.
"And Talia... Did you actually... Um..." Rebecca struggled to bring the topic up.
"Yes. I did kill a man. And faced no repercussions. Talk about privilege!" Talia snorted and lay on her back. Somehow she felt liberated saying that aloud. Everything's been going out of control in her life these past few days and she didn't know which direction she should head from here on.
Rebecca saw Talia lying on the bed closing her eyes and her expressions unreadable. She's been with her for nine years and she has never seen her flaunting her wealth or position or privilege anywhere. It was her elegant demeanour that showed her class. She studied using scholarships and washed dishes as a part-time job for pocket money and still scored better.
She was cold and aloof and somehow would come off as an introvert, but she could never imagine her as someone who'd kill a person. There were some comments she read where they said that there was a video but she couldn't find any video. Probably it was taken down and she couldn't find it.
"Talia... Why?" Rebecca asked holding Talia's hand. If she did it, there must have been a proper reason. What would make a sixteen year old kill a man? She should have been in immediate danger. That should have been the only reason. Rebecca concluded by herself but she couldn't help but ask to confirm.
"Why?"
Talia's eyes widened as she looked at Rebecca. She seemed to be curious and worried and not a least bit scared. And Talia wondered if anyone has ever asked her this question.
No one did!
"He asked me to. "
Talia closed her eyes and a teardrop rolled from the corner of her eye and dripped on the sheets. She closed her eyes with her hand and Rebecca who was holding her other hand could feel the chillness in her hand and she could feel her hands tremble. She didn't want to push her with this issue again.
But she was a bit stunned by her reply. What does it mean.? Who asked her to? The guy who died or someone else? Still... How could she kill a person?
Is that why she is traumatised? All the medications and the nightmares she used to have... It all were because of this, right? If so, how did she escape punishment? Isn't she still living though it? Poor girl!
Feeling guilty towards someone and not even having an option of asking forgiveness... That's the worse kind of pain.
Rebecca did feel sorry for her. Seeing her sorry state, she decided to change the topic. She did come here to check up on her and not to stab on her wound.
Rebecca checked her room and saw the big portrait and became gossipy.
"You are still keeping this photograph? Don't tell me, you miss him..."
"Who?" Talia opened her eyes and wiped her tears off knowing what her friend was doing.
"No. I heard he is getting married soon," Talia said with a smile.
"Really? Who? "
"That childhood friend of his... What was her name... That publisher..."
"Linda Smith?"
"Yeah, her." Talia nodded.
"You seem happy," Rebecca smiled devilishly. She never understood Talia entirely but she knew she tried really hard to make that relationship work. He was a nice guy who really took good care of her but they broke up suddenly.
"Yeah, why won't I be happy?" Talia asked back. She really felt happy for him.
"You don't have any feelings for him anymore?" Rebecca probed.
"No. We broke up and... That's it. Our relationship ended. And this photograph... This is a good picture of me and so I'm keeping it," Talia answered truthfully as she looked at the picture.
David is a professional photographer and he is a pretty good one at it. That day when they took this photograph in his attic, she couldn't pose properly and was stressed. She had a slight fear of those big cameras as it reminded of the paparazzi who followed her before.
David the expert he is, lightened the mood with some jokes and asked her to think of something pleasant, like her first love or first kiss to have a nice effect.
And looking at the window, she got reminded of her first kiss and that's when this picture was captured.
"Look at that! Even I find myself so adorable! Why would I throw it away?"
Talia added. It is rare to have these kind of pictures. Why throw it away for something trivial like it was taken by an ex-boyfriend?
"Yeah, right. You look like a young maiden in love in that picture. And your eyes... Wow! It is pretty. Wish Joe could photograph me like this... That idiot could never take a picture!..." Rebecca started dissing her husband and Talia shrugged. Once she starts talking about Joe, she never stops.
She knew it. It took her long to accept. But it is the truth she cannot deny. She does love Arthur even though she should be hating him.
" By the way, Tallie... What are you going to do about that guy?" she pointed outside.
"I asked him to annul our marriage. It's not going to work out between us"
"Annulment? He agreed?"
"He will"
"But...He stayed with you and you spent a night together. Does your country allow annulment if the wedding is consummated? I'm no expert, but I think that's the case... Isn't it? I think you should be looking for divorce."
"Really?" Talia was surprised there could be such rules for annulment. "But we didn't do anything!"
It's the truth.
"Really? Then what's that about?" Rebecca pointed at that red lingerie lying on the floor and Talia's face reddened.
"It's all your fault!" she hit Rebecca with a pillow and she only giggled. "But nothing happened."
"Really?"Rebecca was skeptical,"Then does he even like women? I bet you looked like a snack in that dress! If he didn't make a move then... " she wriggled her eyebrows.
"Oh, he is straight as a pole, I'm sure" Talia smirked. "And even if he lies, I have irrefutable proof that we never consummated. "
The moment those words came out of her mouth, Talia regretted it.
"What do you mean" irrefutable proof"? What kind of proof? You have a video recording of the entire night? But... "Rebecca paused realising something.
"Oh, no... Oh, no! Tallie you frigging... Really? Really? Talia look at me... " Rebecca giggled uncontrollably and tried to pull Talia out of her duvet.
"You are still a virgin? A twenty six year old virgin? Shameful? Hey, is the problem with you then? Did David broke up with you for this....?" Rebecca teased Talia for a while.
It is rare to get a chance to tease her. She is always perfect.
"But Tallie..." Rebecca paused, "You love him, don't you? Your husband?"
As a friend she could understand her a bit. Of she really despised him as she wants to believe, she never would have allowed him to call himself her husband. She'd have stopped him by any means.
"I told you... He is not my husband" Talia spoke from under the covers.
"But you wanted him to be, didn't you? If that day the wedding was arranged between you and him, would you have refused?"
Sensing no reply from her, Rebecca continued.
"Think it through, Talia. Will you be happy if you see him with another woman by his side? Will you be actually happy for him like you are happy for David?"
Talia was stupefied by that proper question.
Can she? Can she see her Freddy bear with another woman?