41

41-LUKE

I heard from Drey that each of the ladies were able to get themselves capable sponsors who is willing to give them the support they’ll need during the events. Some of these sponsors will either remain anonymous and some will boast about it. Though I am positive that some of these ladies will gain more than they already got as the event pushes through.

“Sire, were you able to enjoy todays event?” Aaron asks me as helps me with my dress shirt. It is not that late but I decided to rest early today so that I can start my duties early tomorrow. Since my entire time will be focused on the upcoming events. I still have a few hours to spare tomorrow for some of my ‘other’ duties.

“Well, it is more of an execution than a joyful event, Aaron.” Why enjoy an event that will decide your future after? I still don’t want to get married and it is only natural for a man to feel like they are being executed when they are being set up to ladies that could potentially control their every move in the end. I mean who wants that?

“You’re being pessimist sire. I’m sure you’ll find someone suitable to like from the set of ladies sire. Someone you might eventually love as time go by.” I shake my head with his choice of words. He excused himself after since I have to take a bath and he obviously can’t come with me. That will just be weird.

Love is something I don’t usually associate myself into. And just to be clear, I don’t have any bad experience with love, I just don’t really see myself going for that moment. I like playing around and I would exchange that for something too serious. I already felt love for someone before and for me it was just enough.

I took a quick but relaxing bath. I needed something to wash every sort of disgust in my body. I had to talk and fake some pleasantries with people who hardly ever talks to me when both of my parents are not around. They just feel like talking to me since they want my parents favor and they basically use me as their puppet to make my parents agree on whatever they want. Though that’s usually not the case, my parents wouldn’t just agree on anything I say. They have their own set of beliefs they follow and honestly, I still don’t know what those beliefs are. They just usually like teasing me and would often disagree with me just they could mess things inside my head. Let’s just say both my parents just loves to torture their children with mind games.

I let my mind play the things that occurred today. I am still curious about a lot of things and one of those is Danielle’s connection to a certain noble. Though I am sure that my parents know something, they would never tell me anything. Even if I do push them to tell me, they’ll just dismiss me and tell me to mind my own business.

Things are escalating way to quickly, I have to find out the relationship between Danielle and my parents and I also need to keep the Prime Minister locked inside his quarters. I wasn’t wrong to assume that he was up to something while he is here stock within the walls of the palace. One of my spies already reported back to me and the person I ordered for him to follow is already on the move. It wouldn’t be long before something relating to the Prime Minister rises again. I must appease the minds of those who doubt and not let them be deceived by those who follow the Prime Minister.

I made a glass of whiskey just to relax every piece of muscle inside my body, who knows when I will have this chance again. Living a double life tends to take a lot of energy and I sometimes wonder what kind of reward would I get for doing so much. I will always be the bothersome prince that everyone dislikes.

Then like a trick of the mind, images of Danielle’s face filled my thoughts. Images of her walking at the center of the garden with her gorgeous body attracting every male in the place and looking like she was built to be present in that very place. No one may have noticed but I did. The moment she was introduced and led to the garden, though some may appear unbothered; the moment she passes by, eyes follow. Just recalling the faces of those perverted men ogling on Danielle’s body makes me want to punch something and end the whole event.

Which was so confusing to me because Danielle meant nothing to me. She’s just this mysterious lady that came out of nowhere and brought too many questions and confusing situations on my end.

Drey is still looking more into the information he gave me earlier and he usually gets the job done fast. Danielle just had to ruin that record. She’s too mysterious for me not to doubt her every move. Even when she shows me kindness, at the back of my mind, I still see her as someone who will betray me when the right time finally comes. She’ll eventually show me the real side of her once everything sorts out.

I let the whiskey do its thing and laid down on my bed hoping that sleep may visit me tonight.

And it did.

-DREY-

I have decided to completely rely on my instinct and do what’s best to find out more about Lady Danielle. I mean, for someone who grew up and lived within the walls of Estrella; she’s an alien. People do know her but they don’t know much. They only know the things that are already in her records but not the things that matter. Like: how does she usually eat her bread? Or how often does she enjoy having coffee while doing something so evil?

I would have settle for something that relates to her sexual preferrences but even with that, I couldn’t get anything important. Even when I already have someone in mind who could probably help me with my special questions, I’m still contemplating whether I should even trust her words since she is loyal to Lady Danielle. I am also not in the mood to pursue someone who is close off and pretty much hates me.

I took a stick of cigarette from my stash and went out to my balcony to smoke. I can’t smoke inside my room since a hot lady is sleeping there right now and I can’t wake her up with a fog of smoke. Its enough that she likes me for being handsome and not for my being so hot with a cigarette.

I don’t usually smoke but on days that my mind is just too full with thoughts and sex can’t seem to clear my head, I turn back to my good old friend.

I let my body relax. There is no point at worrying about Lady Danielle now, she still seems like a harmless puppy so gathering infromation about her could wait. I have other things to worry about and I’m on a schedule. I should start demanding for an increase, Luke is basically making me move in every place while he acts stupid in front of everyone.

I’m not exactly mad at him, I am more of irritated that he has to hide what he can actually do for the kingdom and act like he doesn’t when clearly he does. He has to hide behhind all the stupid things he did just so some of the idiots that’s against him being the king would mind their own businesses and leave him alone.

Back when we were still studying and Mark was still alive, thought Luke was a scum, he was still a genius. He would purposely fail all his subjects or even do something awfully crazy just so people would see Mark as the better prince. Though there really was a phase. Even so, Luke was still someone who is genuinely good but would despereately ruin his own name for the sake of his family.

I don’t regret becoming one of his people. Yes, he make my mind go crazy with his ideas and plans but he is a good leader. I couldn’t wait until he proves to everyone just how good he is. He deserves to be crowned as the next heir. Mark would have said the same thing if he was still here.

Even to this year, I still remember how Mark would often make me promise to make sure that Luke gets to where he needs to be; may it be the countless parties they have to go as a family or to events when Luke has to make a speech, even when he is drunk, I just had to make sure that Luke reaches his distanation.

This is why even when it takes too much of an effort ad even when things are just so impossible, I make sure to make everything possible. I don’t want to disappoint Mark and I would never forget just how much Luke and Mark did to me just so I can have the power I have right now.

So I am not mad, I am irritated.

-ISABELLE-

The event was successful, but I wasn’t so satisfied at how things, transpired. I wanted to impress some nobles so that I can gather multiple rich men to support and sponsor me during the events. I already know a lot of nobles who without question would sponsor me at any time I ask them to do so but with my fathers situation and the rumors spreading, his influence is slowly diminishing amongst the people who used to follow him around.

Though I won’t really need any sponsors, I can support myself on my own, plus my families loaded. Just having the name Orlin’s daughter is even enough to last me a lifetime.

I already learned from my father to never begged for anyone on anything. The last time I did that, he made me understand just how much effort he could give to make anyone give him exactly what he needs. And he gave none. Well not entirely nothing, but he made me see something I shouldn’t have seen at a young age.

I don’t hate my father and I also don’t love him, I basically don’t feel anything towards him, well except respect of course. I respect his ways to manipulate and make people believe at how pure and glorious he is for the kingdoms well being. He may not know that I already know some of his hidden works but I do know them even when he keeps denying things to people who already has evidence against him.

Many people are obviously after him, I didn’t know that weeks ago when my father could still roam around and do his biddings. Right now, it seems that everyoner just wants him to stay in his holding chambers and just silently rot there. I have been working someof his businesses recently and it’s not so hard to figure that some are beginning to doubt and loose interest. I had to do some stupid digging just to understand whatever it is that has been happening behind my fathers little act.

I have been silently reviewing every detail of my fathers business edeavors, all his connections and the kind of money he has in his hands. I had to make some decisions I never thought I would be doing while I am in this age and getting ready for the upcoming choosing ceremony.

Even now, I have been doing some silent work just to secure my fathers businesses and also his influence. As much as I hate evrything I have been doing this past few days, the influence and money we have right now gives us the power we need to secure the lineage we have since Estrella was established. I can’t count on anyone to do the dirty work while my father stays silent and guarded between the walls of the palace; I have to do everything on my own.

Weeks ago I still see myself as someone who was treated high and noble because of my stand, skills and intellectual capacity but after knowing every piece of work my father made throughout the years, I could only feel shame and distraught. Even so, I could no longer feel sorry now, this has happened for a reason and since I already made a decision to do my fathers dirty sidelines, I have to act the part. I could pretty much say now that I just sold myself to the devil to save my ownself.

“My Lady, your step-mother has returned. Should I send her to your fathers office” one of my attendants said to me as I was reading some records of my fathers past transactions.

My step-mother, well, she’s just one of the ladies my father fansies when he is in the mood to mess around a little. There are others and they all reside to different places where they could hardly see each other or even know each other. This one in particular just happens to be my fathers favorite. She just came back from her vacation and is still not aware of my fathers situation, this is going to be her first time hearing about the little changes that I’m about to do and I am positive that she won’t like any of those changes.

“Let her wait in my fathers office. I’ll meet her shortly.” Following my instruction, my attendant went out to inform my step-mother. I could already see the frown forming on her face once she learns everything. Let’s just say she hates me so much she asked my father to make sure not to put both of us in the same room. She doesn’t like the fact that I am more entitled than her. She just loves to boast about how my father would always bring her to parties and give her all these gifts to make up for his absence.

My father is a busy person, just by looking into our accounts, anyone could pretty much say that he has been working too much. Gifts would always be my father’s way to make up for his mistakes. He thinks that money resolves everything and though in some sense, he does make sense but I’m not that blind or deaf to not feel and see the things that cannot be controlled by money.

The world has truly revolved and now people are starting to learn that money isn’t everything. Yes, one may have everything with richness but they could never have the kind of happiness they truly seek. I have come this far to know that not everything has a price and that certain situations will always prove me wrong. And because of these knowledge, I became stronger and wiser with every decision I make.

I walked to my fathers office and left mine since I didn’t want to talk to my step-mother with all of the Orlins treasury piled up in my desk. Though she is just another lady my father decided to adopt out of the streets, she just happens to have an idea of how money actually works. I don’t want her to have an idea of just how much the family has or eveyrthing that I’m planning to do with her might end up in the trash.

“Step-mother, you finally came back.” I said as soon as I saw the sight of her drinking champagne while sitting on my fathers couch.

She was still dressed like she’s about to go out and attend some ball. I bet her gown alone cost a fortune and I am not even going to calculate the designer bag on her side and the limited edition strapped heels, she’s wearing. If I start counting the amount of purchase she makes everyday, my mind might just burst,

“Isabelle how lovely it is for you to invite me this evening. I thought the reasion why I was asked to return was because your father needed me, Turns out it was you who ordered the men to fetch and drag me back to this place” my step-mother has that distinct look in her face that when she hates something she just couldn’t help but show it. Even when she tries to hide it, she just can’t.

I walked passed her and went to my fathers chair to sit on and gather every patience in every corner of my body. I am the one that is mature in this room and I’m not going to spoil that leverage by loosing control.

“Well, I have been studying the accounts of the family and with my father still in custody, I have to make some changes. I will be gone from time to time so before that, I need to settle some important matters and that includes you.” I directly point my finger towards her and she made a scowl I hate the most. “Before you start complaining, you should know, my father is in the inner palace beong watched and investigated so there is no way for you to talk or even begged him to give you back any of the things I am about to remove from you”

I smiled as I saw her fear passed her face. She is about to experience life in a whole new level and I am not stopping, not even when dad returns and redo every piece work that I do. That is, if he can really redo everything because I will have to make sure that everyhting that I do from now on would be final and irreversible.