Once Upon A Drunken Mistake

29. A Not So Friendly Family Reunion

The clinking of the silverware against the porcelain plates filled the awkward silence in the room. Everyone seated at the table stared down at their plates.

"Who died?" Alessandro entered the room, with a wide grin, breaking the silence. Hayden glared at his cousin, unamused by his antics. "I'm sorry, too soon?"

"Why are you here Alessandro?" Hayden asked cooly.

Alessandro's hand went to his heart, clutching it for emphasis. "Oh, you hurt me dear cousin. Do I need a reason to visit my adored family?"

"You did not even bother to show up for your uncle's funeral," Guilia retorted. "So, why are you here?"

       "I was summoned by my beloved Prime Minister," Alessandro grinned as he took a seat at the table between Flora and Camilla. "You must be the lovely Flora. You are as beautiful as many have described."

Hayden's eye twitched as Alessandro grabbed Flora's hand and placed a kiss on it. Flora held back the look of grimace and forced a smile. "Umm, thank you."

       "However, did you two meet?" Alessandro smirked mischievously as he noticed Hayden's tense expression. "I thought your wedding with Princess Isabelle was set?"

       "That is none of your business," Hayden tried to stay calm, but Alessandro was not done pushing his buttons.

       "Tell me mía bella —" Alessandro grabbed Flora's hand again and caressed it seductively which was all it took for Hayden to slam his hands on the table.

"Hayden!" Rebecca gasped, but Hayden's glare was set on his cousin as he hissed, "get your hands off my wife!"

Flora pulled her hand away from the dirty blonde Duke, who wore a smug expression. "Calma mio caro cugino."

"Come," Hayden whispered to Flora as he grabbed her hand leading her to the exit. "I do not know what you came here for, but—"

"Cousin, you know very well what I came here for." Alessandro said cooly, a wicked expression in his pale blue eye.

"Well, you came in vain," Hayden retorted as he turned on his heel.

Alessandro picked up the mug in front of him nonchalantly, taking a short sip from it. "With the scandal you gave, I doubt my arrival was in vain."

       Hayden stopped on his tracks, turning his head back slightly to glare at his cousin who smirked triumphantly. Hayden jaw tensed before turning around and leading Flora out of the dinning room.

       "What does your cousin want?" Flora asked curiously as the entered the lounge.

       "The crown," Hayden sighed as he dropped onto the nearby couch. Flora sat next to him, gently caressing his face. "Alessandro's father — my uncle — was first in line to the thrown, but he abdicated after remarrying Alessandro's mother."

       "Why did he abdicate his position?" Flora questioned.

       "Well, for starters Lilian was a commoner which was frowned upon back then —"

       Flora giggled. "It still is."

       Hayden smiled up at his wife and brought her into a side hug. "She was also rumored to be a prostitute and my grandfather was not going to allow someone like that to become a Queen. So, my uncle had no choice but to abdicate his throne. Alessandro grew a strong resentment against my father and I, he believes that the throne belongs to him and not me."