Jas Harper straightaway ascended the few stairs to get onto that grand podium. Every ounce of his existence emitted confidence, determination, arrogance — the power he held. His sharp gaze scanned the woman sitting in her wheelchair, looking at him, still in shock.
His expression remained the sa — cold and aloof — as he looked at her.
"Mr. Harper, good to see you here, but..." the Queen began, not knowing what exactly was going on.
If it had been soone else who disturbed the royal ceremony like this and arrived uninvited while creating such a ruckus, she wouldn’t have tolerated it. But she couldn’t treat soone like Jas thoughtlessly. Jas was not the type to act impulsively, and there had to be a reason for him to be here all of a sudden.
"Your Majesty, apologies for intruding like this, but I had to," Jas said firmly.
The Queen quickly composed herself, awkward in front of everyone. She managed a light smile. "It’s alright, Mr. Harper. You may be part of this ceremony."
"But I am not here to be part of it either," Jas began as he turned to look at Caryn. "I’m here to take my woman with ."
His words shocked everyone, but Jas didn’t waver, even when Caryn was glaring at him as if warning him to stop this nonsense.
Everyone followed his line of sight, which was fixed on Caryn. Natalie could not believe her ears. Did he just call Caryn Shaw his woman?
"My woman, Caryn Shaw — mother of my only child, Natalie," Jas said very clearly for everyone to hear.
"Jas!" Caryn finally broke her silence, but everyone else had fallen into dead silence.
There was only one question running through everyone’s mind: Did he an Natalie is his and Caryn’s daughter? Was Natalie’s unknown father, in fact, Jas Harper?
Natalie had just heard the most shocking revelation of her life — so much so that she forgot to breathe. She hadn’t been this shocked even when she learned she wasn’t Jay Ford’s daughter. But this... this was sothing beyond shock.
Before anyone could react, Jas had already stepped toward Caryn and scooped her into his arms as she said, "We are going ho."
"Jas..." She tried to speak, but he warned, "Say a word, and everyone will see how I silence you."
Caryn swallowed all her words and let him carry her. She knew he wasn’t going to let her go now that he was here — there was no need to create a scene. Jas always did what he said.
Before descending the stairs, Jas stopped for the last ti and looked at the shocked Natalie.
"I am taking your mother ahead. Take care of things here and then co back ho — back to your parents, Caryn and I," he said and left after offering a farewell nod to the Queen.
Natalie didn’t know how, but she ended up nodding. Just like her mother, she found herself helpless in front of him. What was this man, really?
The Queen didn’t know what to do. She looked at Natalie, who was equally lost.
Everyone could only watch as Jas Harper carried their princess to the chopper and left. The man ca like a storm and left, leaving dead silence in his wake.
No one knew what to do now. So many people, citizens of Belvorn, had gathered at the palace to witness this, and if that wasn’t enough, the coronation ceremony was being brodcasted live across the world.
The entire words had witnessed what had just happened.
"Your Majesty," the assistant approached her, urging her to act as everyone was waiting for so explanation.
The Queen got back to her senses and looked at Natalie. Natalie imdiately sensed the Queen’s intentions and quickly said, "Grandma, it would be better if you address the people and cancel today’s ceremony."
The Queen was already aware of Natalie’s reluctance toward becoming a princess. It seed like both Caryn and Natalie had their own lives they wanted to live in their own way — without being trapped by royalty and status.
The Queen collected herself and addressed the crowd. She apologized to everyone for what had happened and announced that the coronation ceremony was dismissed.
Inside the chopper, Jas still had Caryn sitting in his lap.
"Will you let go now?" Caryn gritted her teeth.
"Aren’t you more comfortable this way?" he asked, keeping his hands firmly wrapped around her thin and delicate body.
"There are safety asures one needs to take while sitting in this flying machine. I don’t want to have an accident while I’m still weak," she said, though annoyed, trying to reason with him.
The corner of his lips curved up slightly as he finally placed her in the seat next to him and fastened the seatbelt for her, then for himself.
Now that she could finally breathe without being held by him, she asked, "What’s the aning of all this? Because of you, I couldn’t get what’s rightfully mine — the official title of princess."
"You never wanted it. You only wished to use it as a way to escape from ," Jas replied, turning to look at her. "And I won’t ever let that happen. You’re going to spend the rest of your life right by my side."
"At this age, you want to have a mistress?" she countered coldly. "You seem delusional to ."
"Mistress?" he raised a brow, "I was planning our marriage, but here you are into being my mistress. Is that more exciting than being my wife?"
"Marriage?" she looked back at him with a cold stare. "That’s you being even more delusional."
"We’ll see who’s more delusional — whether , wanting you to be my wife, or, it’s you, wanting to be my mistress."
"When did I say I will be your mistress?" she spat out angrily.
"The fact remains that from this mont onward, you are going to live with . If you don’t want to marry , then the answer is clear on your side."
"I won’t be your mistress ever!"
"Then it’s decided. You will be my wife."
"No, I didn’t say that either... umm..."
Her mask covered mouth was shut the next mont by him.
A few monts later, when she had cald down, he said with his face still closer to hers, "The more you talk, the worse it will get for you. So better keep quiet like the good girl you are."
"Jerk," she mumbled under her mask, her eyes shooting daggers at him.
He chuckled softly. "I missed those days when you used to curse . Seems like I won’t have to miss anything from now on. Keep it up."
Under the mask, she pursed her lips, realizing that whatever she did, he would always co out as the winner. He was truly shaless, and it only got worse with age.
Ahead of them, Lucas was sitting in the next seat by the pilot and could hear them clearly.
These days, his boss — the cold and aloof man — was giving him shock after shock with the way he was acting and talking. If he wasn’t sitting there and listening to it all personally, he would have thought his ears were at fault for making things up.
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