Everything went faster than Ella anticipated as her would-be husband arranged their wedding to go public instantly. The first instance being the kiss on her cheek in front of the crowd of the airport. Limousines arrived in front of the public place, resulting in the lot of people to disperse away from the area, then Roy showed her way to the car with a big smile on his face looking too awkward on a man who hated coming in front of the cameras. Now they were captured as a loving couple by the witnesses, Ella just smiled a bit then rushed to usher herself into the ride.
The press reached the outskirts of the palace, the same way when the Prince had arrived in there. Both of them had been working together for months, hence the sudden attention on their proximity was raising eyebrows from the reporters who were capturing every detail from the shoes to the distance between them.
This time there was no announcement made, yet the public had become fans of the couple in a matter of hours, mostly because of Roy Knight. He was the face of the corporation, working as a knight for the throne and instantly attracting eyes on himself.
On the second day of their arrival, Ella got inside his room early in the morning around eight, her features appearing irritated. She threw something on his desk where he was writing something, "What is this? You want to do an interview about us?"
"I very well remember, I said it would be 'us' who would come for the interview," he corrected which wasn't taken approvingly from the woman.
"I don't want to do this." She announced her decision, moving to turn away from there. "Are you scared? Of coming in front of the people?" When she just stared at him, he asked again, "Or are you scared of bringing our relation in front of them?"
"Why would I be scared?" She retorted.
"Then come with me," Roy stood up from his seat, rounding about the desk to stand in front of her, his hands in his trouser pockets. His attire showed he was ready to get into the parlor if Ella hadn't barged in. "The people know we have been staying together long enough to suspect something going on between us. I accepted the interview because you agreed to marry me." He explained his actions which were just but when go through them another time, it would soon become clear he was having insider thoughts.
"Or is it a warranty card you are playing over me?" Ella hinted, searching his eyes for acceptance to her statement, which he turned to look down confirming her suspicions.
"You have already given your word to one man who was a Royal, benefitting the country entirely. What is the certainty that you won't do anything like that with me?" He looked up to meet her eyes which seemed to have hollowed and painful emotions in them as if she had accused him of something unimaginable.
"Also I am not any Royal. You can discard me like a used paper and won't turn back." He added to her guilt.
"I won't take any action against you for as long as you are an asset for the corporation and the throne. If you turn your back on that, I will never forgive you." She said her eyes stern on his, promising her words. Her tone turned softer, "Professional life shouldn't be mixed with the personal one. I won't go back on this because I want to marry you willingly." Ella was disheartened that she had to give an assurance to say that she won't be moving away from him but the situations have persisted both of them to be walking the steps warily. There was still so much until they trusted each other completely. And even then, Ella doubted it would be easy for her or him to be transparent with each of them.
Roy stepped close to her, kissing her lips roughly unlike the way he was speaking a moment ago, his emotions were clearly made for the woman to grasp to. Closing their conversation with the intimate moment he let go of her waist, she stepped back, controlling herself on her legs. He glanced her reddened cheeks, smugly viewing the effects on her.
Steadying her breath, Ella opened her mouth, "Did you talk with Ty?"
"You can't do that." He didn't step back, he came closer to her, rubbing her cheek with his thumb, "Avoiding the difficult conversations to important ones."
"That's because they are important."
"Difficult are also important." Roy persuaded. "I want to have all easy, difficult and important and unimportant talks with you. That's what the married people do."
He placed his hold back on her even when she responded lately, placing her hands on his shoulders, she wanted to move back but hesitated if it would draw a wrong picture. "What happened with the Prince was purely on contractual basis which I didn't want. We never had anything to be forced on us." She clarified his perception, knowing her words came from her heart.
"Not even when I took your first kiss?" he was smirking at her. "Not even then." She shook her head in answer, surprising both.
Hugging her tightly and not letting her go he got back to her question, "I will speak to Ty tonight. Why don't you go to meet your friend from the mall?" He suggested, knowing she wouldn't feel comfortable with the boy around asking questions about them, where they were gone, why were they gone.
Ella nodded to him, kissing her once more he let her leave the place before anyone else woke up or came in her way questioning a hundred reasons. Ella left the house in the car waiting in front of the stairs, getting inside she avoided the media flowing around the gates. The view was frightening in the rear mirror while riding in the back seat, she specifically instructed the driver to take different turns before reaching the Broadgate mall.
The mistress had sunglasses worn to cover her eyes, wearing her hair in a ponytail she took the floors to visit her friend. Carla was the same when she greeted her friend, loud and free. "So? What have you decided to wear on your wedding night? I have given the order to make one for you," her friend contributed. Ella knew her friend was not talking about simple clothes but the undergarments.
"I don't need one."
"Of course you do! Your bodice would attract him till the end," Carla winked at her friend knowingly.
"Keep your ideas to yourself Carl." Ella uttered releasing a tired sigh from her lips.
"What's wrong?" Carla caught up to her. "Do you think I am doing correct? Marrying Roy? I don't know why but I imagine every man coming into my life to be hiding something or other which hurts me in the end." Ella let go of her thoughts to a person unaware of her life but could listen to her in the view of a third person.
"You haven't got anything against Roy, right?" Carla guessed correctly when her friend remained silent. "Good. Go for him then."
"That was not why I told you. I need you to convince me that this is all a mistake!"
"Why would I do that?" Carla asked confused then added, "Unless you want to hand him over to me, I won't mind. He is not my type but I'll find someone compatible among my friends."
"Go away!" Ella shooed her friend, deciding to get away from her constant remarks. She heard her friend's advice, "I think you are taking every event in your life in the same manner. Just because one of them hurt you doesn't mean everyone would."
"For example, me!" She piqued in, lighting Ella's face.
"I doubt you are 'my' friend."
"Ahh...! Now the bride is accepting him as her fiancé... And here I was beginning to think calling my friends over for a bachelor party. Did you know, Shirly slept with another man in her bachelor's? Who was none other than her best friend."
"Aaron?" Ella recollected from her high school memories. Some people stay etched in your mind with the uniqueness in their work performed in the school. Shirley was well known to have boyfriends more handsome than the former ones.
"Yes! Aaron, the best friend of her husband. I mean ex-husband."
Ella was shocked hearing it, having never contacted the mates in her school, she didn't indulge in their affairs until now that her friend narrated interestingly. "Your stories are not helping me. How long was Shirly married?"
"I didn't count. Days. Hours maybe. Definitely not more than a week."
"What happened to her husband then?" They chatted their afternoon away with unworthy topics, passing the time with some sales in between. Carla used Ella as the specimen to experiment on most of the undergarments to sell better. At the end of the day, Carla discovered she made most sales than the time when she and her husband used to work together.
"When will Paul join you?" Ella asked, sliding the handbag in her arms. She asked about Carla's husband whom she didn't get to meet in her reunion.
"He is busy with his work," her friend made a grunting noise. "Sometimes I feel like giving away this business and wearing all these to get him come back to me." Ella laughed at her friend's comment, she might be funny to be with but she had conscience strong to know the reasons around her.
"I will go now. I have to get back to Mom." She kept her words short not involving her friend into the complications.
"Yeah, yeah. I'll be present on your wedding day." Ella bit her tongue in embarrassment; it was her job to invite her friend for the occasion.
"Yes. You will be always invited," she gave a guilty invitation to which her friend laughed away.
"Maybe you need to take tips from Shirly to plan a wedding."
"Bye Carl." Ella bid her friend who waved back energetically, blooming her mood.