"Morning..."
"Morning! Green juice, as usual..."
Khittan takes the glass from me with a smile on his face. It's his routine; a glass of green juice before anything else. Said it's good for digestion, but I couldn't bear the color and the smell.
Say someone who hates green.
"What's on schedule?"
"I have a meeting with a diplomat from Europe,"
"I was this close to invite you for lunch!"
"Check. I'll clear the schedule..."
"Are you a nut? Dare to ditch some politicians?" he points his finger at me.
"You mentioned it yourself. They are some politicians..."
"And I just shared your space..."
"You're more important. Besides, I can't miss your cooking!"
I shake my head in tiny.
"You love free food, don't you?"
"Excuse me, but I pay for the groceries, lend you my kitchen, and pay for the utilities. It's not free,"
Opsie, I forgot the fact that this house belongs to Khittan!
"Fine! But don't blame me if The Royal Council roasted you later!" I give him a stern warning. He chuckles as he grabs his jacket from the chair.
"Gotta go now..." I put my hand up a bit and occupied myself with dishes in the sink.
Somehow, suddenly, Khittan grabs my waist from behind and turns my body, facing him. I am in deep shock at his reaction. He stares deep into my eyes.
My heart thumps so fast!
"Wait for me, okay?" he speaks with his monotone voice. My throat blobs up and down. I feel like he treats me like his wife!
Words stuck in my vocal cords. I can only bob my head up and down in tiny. He smiles and caresses my hair a bit before leaving me in the stunt.
What was that for?
***
I was struggling with the heat from the stove when I heard hustle and bustle from the outside. Today, the cleaning team is coming for a spring cleaning.
Perhaps there's more incoming. I just ignore them and continue with my work.
"Lady..."
"I told you, don't call me that-"
My heart drops when I turn around.
***
"Is it not enough for you to make a scene on a live stream, and now you live together with a man?"
I stand up straight, motionless. My eyes stare at the man who sits furiously in front of me. Don't ask how his sit furiously looks like, for right now that's the only emotion that I see on him.
"The man is her fiancee, don't make a fuss over it, honey..."
"Is he? She refused him. How can he be?"
"Honey, at least The Crown Prince takes good care of our daughter-"
"Shut up! I'm talking to her now!"
"Don't talk like that to Mom!" my inner side couldn't take the harsh tone being used towards the person who brings me into the world.
"Who gives you permission to speak?!"
"Who gives you permission to treat my mom like trash?"
One swing and I fall onto the floor.
"Honey! That's our daughter!"
"If she behaves like this, then she's not my daughter anymore!" I touch my red cheek. I can feel the heat sips into my head. My sight is blurry, but I lift my head and gaze at my dad with my eyes full of fury.
"I'm even ashamed to have a father like you!"
"What did you just say?!"
"Have you ever treated me right? Have you ever treated Mom with respect? We, the women in The House of Sun, are nothing more than just a trophy for you to show off!" I slowly stand on my feet, bravely facing my dad.
"Oh, now that you have your own life, you think you can rebel against me?!"
"Certainly, I am! Have you ever wondered why I took this path? Leaving all the wealth behind and living like a commoner?" my face leans even closer towards my dad, staring at him with an anger that slowly builds inside me. "Because you never care about me, Dad. You were ashamed when you suddenly had an eldest daughter instead of a son! So, why should I stay?" I can see the anger in him, too.
Again, my body drops to the floor.
"Karin!"
"Don't you dare!" my mom freezes in her seat. She dares not to object to my dad. His patriarch lesson has blended in so well that she can't even make her own decisions, nor dare to look straight into my dad's eyes.
"It's okay, mom. I've been facing this for so long. I can handle it," I sarcastically chuckle, casually grab the chair, and lift my body on my feet again.
"Karin..." I glared at my mom, signaling her not to worry about me. If she can't fight him, I will fight him for her.
For me. For us. The ladies of The House of Sun.
"You certainly wanna fight against your father!" my dad pushes me a bit. I stand firm on my ground. There is no way I would be afraid of him, nor respect him in any way I could even live in this world!
"I can. And I will. By hook or by crook, you won't get what you want from me unless you put some respect on your wife, Dad..."
He smacks my cheek furiously. I can taste blood in my mouth now.
"You have no right to teach me!"
"I have my right to up stand myself!"
Another smack is incoming. This time it's more violent than before.
"Since you left the house, you forgot how to respect the head of the house. Let me give you a lesson so you will remember..."
"Honey! Dont!"
I shut my eyes tight. Grit my teeth. Freezes my body. The sting feeling lingers all over it. With the sound of whipping and my mom's cry serenade to my ears, I shut down my hearing.
"Stop it, please... I'm begging you!"
I accept the fate with open arms. I know this is what I will get from him. The man who never recognized me as his daughter. The one who uses me as a pawn to regain power. I let him do whatever he wants, but to have me back home, it's impossible.
I rather die now.
"Stop!"
I open my eyes slowly.
"Calm yourself down, General!"
I look up as my eyes catch the sight of a figure who stands between me and my dad.
"Stay away from my family business, Your Highness!" my dad pushes him away and starts beating me again. I close my eyes tight when suddenly I feel someone hugging me and shielding me from my dad's vicious act.
"Honey! Stop! You hurt The Crown Prince!"
The beating stops.
"I don't care. You better follow me home! I had enough of people talking shit about you! They disrespecting me because of you! You brought nothing but shame to the house!" tears rolling from my eyes as I stare at Khittan, who still hugs me tight in his warm embrace.
"Your Highness! Is everything fine?!" two Royal Bodyguards storm into the room. One of them halts my dad while the other one helps us up.
"Take General Sun back to his hotel..."
"I'm not done yet!"
"Sir, you better leave now," the bodyguard stops my dad from getting closer to us.
"Your Highness, you can chase me out now. But remember, as long as the Royal Council doesn't sign the paper, I have rights to drag Karin back to Fransco!"
Khittan gazes at me. He brushes his finger against my bruised cheek.
"At least, for now, please don't appear in front of me," he glares at my dad. Then, his bodyguards usher both of my parents out.
"Are you okay?" he inquires. I look at him, tears in his eyes make me feel sad as well. I touch his cheek and smile in pain.
"It's okay. I'm used to this..."
Khittan quickly pulls me into his embrace. He cries as he tightly holds me in his warm hug.
I don't know what's on his mind. As for now, I just wanna stay like this forever.
That's what I want.