Chereads / Time Between Our Hearts / Chapter 3 - Portrait Of The Prince

Chapter 3 - Portrait Of The Prince

A sigh released on the other line, discerning the outrageous rules that needed to be obeyed by the members of the family except for the head, her father.  

"I can't believe it's still a thing… your family didn't have royal blood to have strict rules that needed to be obeyed."

"It's a big deal to my family so I can't help but to heed. Anyway, I'll talk to you later. I'm in the middle of the road."

"Okay, drive safe."

She hung up the call and focused her eyes on the road yet the excitement didn't leave her system. 

The museum they will visit was one of the largest museums in the world and despite that, it had many historical art paintings and sculptures. 

What made it more interesting was the 3D pyramid at the center of the building. 

Basically, it was like a palace of England which was delicate and well-detailed. 

And with all that information, she didn't waste time visiting it and glimpsed all the paintings. 

"I'm so excited!" 

After a long journey, she parked her car and ran towards a woman of her age, five feet and six inches tall with straight short black hair with full bangs and black eyes. 

She was wearing a cream turtleneck sleeve, black leather pants, and high heels boots. 

And Camrynne could see a fury inside those gazes with arms akimbo. Her friend was mad and wanted to strangle her to death. 

Her eyes twitched when reminiscing those memories played inside her head.  

"I've been here for a long time and my hair turned gray while waiting for your arrival, you idiota!" She exclaimed and hit her head. 

"Ouch! You don't have to do that, Shane!" She winced whilst caressing her hair.

"Well, I just did… Anyway, let's go." She said as they walked inside the museum.

Shane Ashton was her trusted friend and partner in crime in reaching her goal. 

They had been friends at the party which was hosted by the Payne family. 

Three years ago, Shane attended the party without her parents since they'd gone on a business trip. 

Since no one wanted to talk to her, she was standing behind the guests. Camrynne noticed it and decided to talk to her. 

They shared an interest in the loving history of a certain person including serial killers and also certain events from the past. 

Afterward, they became good friends and wanted to discover mysteries from the past together. 

Shane gave the ticket to the receptionist. "Have a nice day, Madame. Especially you, Miss Payne." The receptionist said and bowed at them. 

"You are the famous one." She mumbled whilst nudging her right arm, teasingly grinning at her. 

She sighed deeply and shook her head. It was tiring that her family was too famous from every corner she went to. 

"It was tiring that they recognized me and I don't have space, Shane."

"I don't know, Rynne. Even though our family is rich, we are not like your family. Respectful and a famous family."

"To the fact that we're not celebrities well my mother was one before but it doesn't count to be recognizable." 

"Well, at least you could do whatever you want." 

She shook her head and replied, "for now, Shane since my father knew that I'm well-behaved. You know that I need to bribe the manager of the museum not to report anything to my father or else… our dreams shattered." 

It wasn't surprising that every staff member or the citizens recognized her. Ever since she was little, her face was stuck in the media and tabloids. 

And her father introduced her to every special gathering. 

Her name was attached to everyone's memories that couldn't be easily forgotten and she didn't like it at all. 

However, maybe someday she became a normal citizen, who didn't need to watch every move she acted. 

"You know, it was just in the past and your future depends on your present so you can change it…" her friend said and walked around the place to observe every painting and sculpture. 

She just chuckled when her friend was happy while looking at the masterpieces. 

Lucky for them, there weren't many people around the museum since it was still early in the morning. 

Mostly, the tourists and citizens visited around late morning until afternoon. 

As she walked around to observe the paintings, one of the paintings was calling for her attention. She didn't know what painting but it felt like it was near her. 

In a corner of her eyes, a painting called for her attention. She glimpsed at it and she couldn't see clearly. Hence, she sauntered closer to see the painting clearer. 

Her heart thumped rapidly when a prince portrait deeply looked through her eyes. The deep ocean-blue eyes gaze straight into her heart as if he was connected to her life. 

She intertwined her hands and arms crossed, pressing her hands near her chest, and unconsciously tears built in the corner of her eyes and rushed through her cheeks. 

'Why… Why am I like this? It feels like he was familiar to me. Not just a familiar figure, it was like a connection between our hearts.' 

Slowly, she leaned closer and strived to touch the portrait. As the fingertips touched the portrait, an electric shock rushed through her fingers and a vague voice of an unknown figure came into her ears. 

"Come find me, my princess…"

She was stunned and pulled back her hand, she was taken aback yet she bumped into someone behind her. 

Then, She glanced at it and it was a man in his mid-30s, a tourist from another country. 

"I-I'm sorry… I didn't mean to bump into you," she mumbled.

"It was nothing…" the man said with a smile formed on his lips.

She glanced back at the portrait and her eyes stuck into the prince's beautiful figure. 

Then, her eyes gazed below the portrait and it said, "Prince Liam." 

She flinched when someone tapped her shoulder. She looked at it and saw her friend, who was surprisingly worried about something with her eyes widened. 

"Rynne, what happened to you? Why are you crying?" 

"W-what?" she murmured and touched her cheeks. 

It was wet from her tears, she immediately wiped her tears away from her cheeks. She cleared her throat and took a last glimpse at the portrait. 

"Are you interested in that portrait?" her friend asked, 

She shook her head and replied, "I don't know Shane but... something about him that I wanted to know." 

Camrynne glanced at her friend and mumbled, "Anyway, l-let's get out of here. I'm hungry."