IN TROUBLE

{Jane's pov}

I sat on a back rest chair outside, I had just finished my meal and was resting, Yelin hid something behind her as she walked up to me, most times this daughter of mine kept on frustrating me and giving me a tough time, I stared at her blankly as she catwalked to where I sat.

"Mum look at what I found" she handed a pile of money to me.

"What? Where did you get this from? I asked her shocked and surprised as I held the money.

"Evelyn's bedroom, I saw it in her bedroom" she replied and I was dumbfounded, where the hell did she get such amount of money because I knew I didn't have this amount of money in my house.

"Evelyn" I yelled her name

{Evelyn's pov}

I was humming as I washed the stack of clothes Yelin gave me to wash when I suddenly heard my name, I quickly rinsed my hands and rushed to answer aunty Jane.

"Where did you get this money? Jane snapped at me.

"I.....I..... the...mo.... the....."I stammered shocked

'how did she find it? I asked myself

"The... the.....mo.....mo...." I was still stammering unable to explain myself.

"When I'm talking to you, answer me with immediate effect" Jane said and a hot slap landed across my face.

I yelled out crying and fell on my knees begging.

"Evelyn I am losing my patience, where did you get this money? She asked again.

"Ju..... Judy..... she gave me" I lied.

"Why? Is that why she has been coming here really often? Yelin asked

"Judy gave you such amount of money and you kept it....in my house, did you ask her where she got this amount of money from? No but as a fool that you are, you collected the money and hid it in my house" Jane scolded me.

"I'm sorry.... I'm sorry" I wept loudly.

"By the time I am finished with you, next time if you see Judy you will avoid her" at this, aunty Jane pounced on me, both her and her daughter dealt with me.

After the beating, all my body was swollen, my body ached, aunt Jane had used the stones on the ground to hit me countlessly, making most part of my body seriously bruised and injured, my skin barely covered my flesh. Frank had just returned from class where he went to receive lectures when he met me on the ground crying. Half of my clothes torn, I was partially naked.

"Evelyn" he shouted as he rushed to me.

I couldn't see him clearly because my eyes were swollen and sandy, particles of sand were in my eyes.

"Evelyn we need to get you to the hospital" Frank added trying to lift me but I was too weak to lift a finger.

"Frank please leave me here, it's time I join my parents" I said.

{Frank's pov}

As soon as I sighted Evelyn on the ground, I rushed to her, she looked like she was about to die, she looked miserably beaten by my mother.

"Evelyn we need to take you to the hospital" I said as I tried helping her up but she was too weighty.

"Frank leave me here, it's time I joined my parents" she said as fresh hot tears flowed down her cheeks.

"Nobody is joining anybody..... do you know what you are talking about? Evelyn you are stronger than this...I want you to gather your strength and follow me to the hospital" I said as I couldn't help the tears that flowed down my cheeks, it was really heartbreaking to see how Mum and Yelin treated her.

"Why are you encouraging her? Mum asked as emerge from the house and stood few metres away from me "she said she wants to join her dead parents, she said it so why are you discouraging her" she turned to Evelyn "Evelyn do you need some help, I can help you. You maybe more useful dead than alive" Mum said as she smile.

"Mum! I exclaimed

"Will you shut up your dirty mouth! Are you sick? Mum retorted at me

"How can you wish her death? I asked stubbornly.

"You are still talking? Mum asked getting annoyed with me.

Someone suddenly drove into the compound, the car was flashy, as I and Mum was admiring the car, we wondered who was the driver. The person alighted from the vehicle and immediately rushed to me.

"Theodore! I exclaimed

"What happened to her? He asked

"Please let us take her to the hospital first before I answer that your question" I said and he immediately helped me to lift her into the car and we drove to the hospital.

*The hospital*

"Doctor how is she? I asked the fifth doctor I was seeing that day.

"Who? The well built man asked me, he was dressed in a white coat, blue jeans, black t-shirt and black shoe, he was really handsome.

"Sorry for the mix-up" Theo apologized to him, he nodded and depart "Frank you have to put yourself together, Evelyn is fine, not all doctors are attending to Evelyn......most of them have their patients, the doctor that went in with Evelyn is not out yet" he said to me patting my shoulder.

"I don't know why I'm so restless, I can't stop imagining the worst things that can happen, the state Mum and Yelin left her is crucial, anyone can die from that extent of beating, I wonder what she did to receive such punishment from Mum and Yelin" I said.

"Just pray that she will still be fine and stop... imagining things that won't help the situation" Theo said as he gave me a smile, he was trying to hide his worry for Evelyn.

He really likes her.

Ofcourse I knew Theo was in love with Evelyn, even if he didn't tell me, it was noticable.

"You know you should tell her" I said initiating a distracting conversation.

"Tell her what...? He asked

"I mean Evelyn.... when are you going to tell her that you like her? I asked him with a wide grin on my face.

"I've never told anyone I like her.... how'd you know? He asked

"You are very bad at hiding emotions" I laughed and he chuckled.

"Well I was planning on that...I want to ask her out but though.....not yet, she may refuse me" he said

"Why will she do that? I asked

"I want to propose close friendship to her first.....I don't want to just rush her into a relationship.....I want us to take our time, get to know each other first before anything" he said and I nodded in agreement.

"But....I just hope it wouldn't be too late then" I said

"Does that mean Evelyn noticed my feelings for her too? Because it's easier for you to....." He was saying but a doctor walked up to us.

"Are you relatives or guardians of Evelyn? He asked.

"Yes yes yes yes" I answer quickly

"Please follow me to my office" he said as he direct us towards the office.

{Kenneth's pov}

"King Uvan Walter, my great great great great great great great great grandfather" I identified the picture on the wall presented to me by Dad.

Yes I am training, I felt identifying dead people was really not necessary, they are dead after all, why identify them but Dad made it both important and compulsory, I wanted to ditch training and rush down to Evelyn but there are two reasons why that will be an impossibility:

1. We agreed not to meet through out this week, so even if I skip training and rush down to her, it will be fruitless, it will obviously involve a miracle just like the other day I met Judy.

2. I need this training for us, for me, for her, for my family and for the country.

"You are improving Ken" Dad said.

"Thanks Dad" I replied

"Let's take a break, shall we? Dad inquired

I nod.

We sat down opposite to each other drinking and discussing about random things.

"Son.... King Mark has decided to take the marriage proposal to another step" Dad suddenly said and I furrowed my brows.

"Why the rush? I asked

"The earlier the better, without a queen by your side you can't be crowned King" Dad explained

"I don't want Delilah to be my queen" I stated

"I and your mother have already engaged Delilah on your behalf and I doubt.....there will be other single.... princesses for you.....we were lucky to King Mark accepted" Dad said.

"Dad that is the point, Delilah was engaged on my behalf, I didn't ask you to engage her for me, you made that decision without my permission. Secondly, I don't want to marry a princess, I have a woman in mind"

"Nonsense..... you can't marry from a non-royal family, it's a curse. A non-royal would not know the customs and traditions of the City"

"Trust me when I say she knows all the customs and traditions of not only this City but others"

"Is she an indigen of City S?

I thought of answering Yes but that would endanger Evelyn so I said "no she isn't but she resides in City S"

"Please Ken, I know what is best for you and Delilah is going to be a good queen, your future will be secured with her..... moving her to another room is not going to allow you both connect... think about it"

"But....."

"Let's get back to training" Dad stated.

                     **********

I got into my bedroom to rest after today's training, I felt exhausted and I just wanted to sleep. As soon as I got into my room, I collasped on the bed yawning and stretching weakly, as I turned around to find a better position to sleep well, I sighted a white big envelope on the table, I got up weakly and picked it up.

I opened it and read the contents.

It was the report I sent Ian to get for me, it was a useful report and a very good evidence, Evelyn wasn't lying after all, it's not as if I doubted her, I just didn't want to jump into conclusions and now, with this evidence, I can pass out my judgements.

Speaking about Evelyn, I was missing her so bad, I haven't seen Evelyn for five days now and it felt like five years. I thought of calling her but then I remembered she didn't give me her number- not like she has a phone.

I picked up my phone to call Ian.

"Hello Sir"

"Ian, how did fixing up dinner with my uncles go? I asked.

"Fruitless Prince Ken, although Prince Richard accepted the invite, Prince Dan, Prince Bennard and Prince Kelvin refused the invitation claiming to be on business trips or in important meetings and the company..."

"Okay, please keep reminding them of the dinner... what about the trailers?

"They are close, watching and alert"

"No mistakes"

"Yes my prince, no mistakes"

"What is my schedule tomorrow?

"Tomorrow morning, you'll be training with your Dad in the morning, you will be having lunch with princess Delilah's parents and signing the monthly reports on your improvements in training and I'll do the rest"

"Add shopping to my schedule tomorrow"

"What?

"Ian I said, add shopping to my schedule tomorrow"

"O...o...ok...oka.. okay sir"

I hung up immediately and turned around when I heard Gina's voice.

"Shopping huh...? She asked cat walking to where I stood.

"Why are you always eavesdropping? Stop sneaking out on me" I complained

"I can't help it, you are so secretive...and I'm so curious.....so we compensate each other....so you are going shopping tomorrow? We both know who you are shopping for tomorrow, so no need to ask..... the most important question here is..... can I go with you? Please I promise to be a good girl" she pleaded in a childish tone and I wondered when she was ever going to grow up.

"No" I stated simply

"Look Kenneth Walter, I am a female and Evelyn is a female too, you should understand what I am trying to say" under her breasts.

I laughed "no miss Gina Walter, I don't understand what you mean" I added.

Gina slapped her hand against her forehead in frustration "I mean I would know what she prefers, I would know what she likes, I'm a woman so I will know her taste, do you understand me now mister Walter? She asked

I laughed long, when I suddenly stopped laughing, the look Gina gave me made me burst into another laughter.

                         *********

Meanwhile,

{Delilah's pov}

I had just finished taking my bath and was taking a walk round the empire with my personal maids when I decided to visit Ken for a short while because apart from greetings we have not had any other discussion. I walked through the hallway and stopped by his door. I was about to knock when I heard Gina's voice.

"Look Kenneth Walter, I am a female and Evelyn is a female too, you should understand what I am trying to say" I heard Gina saying and I quickly waved my hands to discharge the maids.

'who the heck is Evelyn? I asked myself as I pull close to the door.

"no miss Gina Walter, I don't understand what you mean" Ken said as he occupied what he said with laughter.

'why is Ken so excited talking about this Evelyn? I asked myself again.

"I mean I would know what she prefers, I would know what she likes, I'm a woman so I will know her taste, do you understand me now mister Walter? Gina said and then it dawned on me.

'Evelyn is a lady whom Ken is interested in..... what does she have that I don't.....he can go shopping for her...but...me....he barely even looks my way. Is she a princess, duchess, a president's daughter.....who the hell is this Evelyn that have captured the heart of the man I love? I asked myself

I withdrew from the door when I heard Ken laughing loudly, I gritted my teeth and my hands turned into a fist.

I angrily walked back to my room.