"Sir Robert," Talia looked at Mr. Ed and he nodded in acknowledgent and pulled Joe away from there.
"Talia! You can’t do this! Let talk to her... Aren’t you my friend too?!" Joe’s shouts echoed in the hallway and other securities rushed there too.
Talia knew she was making a commotion, but the powder room was at a distance from the hall where the luncheon was going on and so it won’t cause much disturbance.
She blankly stared at Joe trying to grab at anything for a hold as three n pulled him from his back away from the hallway.
"How could you do this to ?" Joe shouted seeing the indifferent attitude of Talia.
"Let go! Let go of my son, you thugs!" Mrs. Feldstein who wanted to find where his son went, saw the way her son was manhandled and tried to interfere. She used her entire strength to pull away her son. But failed.
"You! How could you do this? He is your boss and you got salary from him! Is this what your parents taught you? Just because you beca a Princess one day, you can use your power to-"
"Mom, will you shut up? Will you just shut the f*ck up and leave?" Joe stopped struggling and shouted at his mother. "It’s all your fault! You ruined my life! Just get lost before I kill you!"
"You.." Joe’s mother had tears in her eyes as she reached out her hand to touch his face, but Joe ruthlessly turned his face away from her. Wiping the corners of her eyes, his mother left.
Talia was surprised by the tone Joe used against his mother. It was clearly apparent he’s extrely stressed. There was silence in the hallway for soti and it was broken by a sharp noise of door unlocking.
Talia looked to her left as the knob slowly turning and Rebecca opened the door slightly.her eyes were bloodshot and her nose was red. As she spoke Talia could hear her nose is stuffed. "Can we leave now?"
"Becky!" Joe shouted almost like a madman as he charged in and soon the securities grabbed him. Rebecca imdiately closed the door and Talia could hear the door locking once more.. She really didn’t want to et him now.
"Talia, tell them to let see her! It’s not fair you’re treating this. She’s my-"
"Not fair?" Talia snorted. He wants fairness now?
Talia who already felt tired keeping appearances for more than an hour, felt like she’d implode if she stays here anymore and she wanted to leave soon. She had t everyone she had to et and have smiled for enough photographs and all she had to do is leave. Who cares about lunch anymore?
"Joseph Dean Feldstein, " Talia said leisurely and walked towards Joe as her heels clicked on the marbled flooring. Maybe because he was called by his full na, Joe was too stunned to say anything.
"It doesn’t feel good when you are on the receiving end of other’s show of power, huh?" Talia tried to find it in her heart to genuinely hate Joe. But she couldn’t.
Her friend is hurting, Joe is hurting, making her mood go sour and she wanted it all to end.
"What were you thinking when you put her on the watch list, Joe? Did you laugh, sneer as you watched her leaving the airport crying? Why did you do that? Isn’t that ’cause you have power over her?" Talia asked with a sigh.
Joe could see Talia actually trying to help and cald down a bit. He felt weird seeing this person entirely different from how he knew her just weeks before. He didn’t know she had this much emotions she could feel.
" Talia, her hotown... The people there hate . Once she goes there, I won’t be able to even have a glance at her. Becky... She’s with our child, Talia. How could I let her get away from just like that?" Joe spoke from his heart.
Seeing Talia shake her head, he continued," I know the way I went about it is improper and stupid even.k was distressed... I shouldn’t have - "
" Yes, you shouldn’t have done that, Joe. Imagine her plight. She hears your parents telling her everyti that she’s a nobody and unworthy of you. And for her you were the only solace. She tried to be the best in front of everyone just because she loved you, Joe. You think she wasn’t hurt by their words? She was! She just didn’t bother you with it since she didn’t want to add stress to you. She trusted you so much, she loved you so much, she believed that you will never hurt her. And one day even you of all people, crushed her like a bug. You broke her wings, Joe. Do you think she can handle that?"Talia asked.
" A bug? I never thought her as soone beneath , Talia. You should know that!"Joe now got angry. How could Talia say that he did that because he thought Rebecca had no ans to fight back? He never ever would think that way.
He knows he is the lowliest scum and she is an angel from heaven. He’s a pig in the mud while she is a beautiful steed majestically galloping the fields. How could Talia misunderstand.?
His Becky knows what he thinks of her! Why should he bother to explain himself to Talia?
Too bad he didn’t realise that Rebecca was made to think of herself as lowly by his parent’s behaviour towards her.
Talia could see he was offended. She believed him. But...
"Did you explain your relationship with Rachel to her?"
"That’s it? How many tis should I tell her that? I HAVE NO ROMANTIC FEELINGS TOWARDS RACHEL!" Joe was exasperated.
Why is it hard for her to believe?
"Did she tell you? We saw you..." Talia paused to see if Rebecca talked to Joe about it but seeing his confused look, she continued, "That day of the riots at the Levitt Center, we saw you having breakfast with Rachel."
Joe staggered a couple of steps back and ended up with his back resting on the wall.
He could now understand. That one ti! That one ti he lied to his wife, he got caught! She tried to make him tell the truth to her, but he stacked lie over lie.
And now it all collapsed!
" Rachel has troubles with Peter and so I -"
"You know what? I don’t care! You have to explain to your wife, why you felt like you needed to lie to her to et your ex-girlfriend when you know how she fella about that woman," Talia said and walked to the powder room door and Rebecca opened it before knocking.. She might have heard everything Talia said.
" Let’s go, Tallie," Rebecca who now looked a bit composed said and walked to the front and darted her glance at Joe.
Her pure eyes were filled with expectations. Maybe after all these, he’d tell her the truth.
" Becky... I... "
Rebecca waited for Joe to speak for an entire minute but it seems like Joe had no words to say.
In large strides, Rebecca left the hallway and Talia arranged for security to take her to their car.
After affirming with Lambert that it is okay for her to leave, Talia with Mr. Ed protecting her, exited the hall.
As she exited the building, she was surrounded by a bunch of reporters surprising her.
Talia was startled by the pushing and plowing group of reporters with their recorders and the incessant sound of clicking caras.
"Miss Brunton...What are your plans now that the Northern star doesn’t belong to you?"
"Talia... Care to comnt about your relationship with the President? "
"Princess Talia... Are you retuning to Rosandale now that Esteria rejected you?"
"Talia..."
"Ms. Brunton..."
"Are you..."
"Did you lie..."
"What do you want to...."
A series of questions were bombarded at her and all Talia could hear was a loud mumble... Like bees buzzing. She couldn’t understand a thing.
They were different caras and they were all questioning her, but all Talia could hear were sneers of n; sneering at her.
She knew she is in an entirely different place and that Ray and his n are not here, but still she couldn’t control the anxiety. Combined with the tiredness from socialising for a long ti, she felt disoriented.
"Your Highness!" she heard the voice of Mr. Ed and even his face got blurry as she felt giddy. She dket like the floor beneath her feet was slipping ; or she might have stumbled. Also, her stomach hurt a lot and she felt like vomiting.
Suddenly she felt a strong grasp by her arm. When she looked to her side, Mr. Ed was pushing away the reporters trying to get close to her and protected her from getting photographed.
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