Lover of Mine | h.s. |

26

"I want you to speak to the public later today." My father declares, making eye contact with me across the room.

The air goes deathly still, everyone in the room, even the guards, stiffening.

I stare at him, my eyes so tired from no sleep. And crying. Lots of that, too.

"A speech about what?" I inquire, my eyes narrowing.

"A speech to announce your engagement."

Mother chokes on her glass of wine, her eyes nearly popping out of her head as she looks over at my father.

"What are you talking about?" I ask again.

"Put the puzzle pieces together, Cordelia." Father rolls his eyes. "I thought you were intelligent, not dumb."

"James," My mother says harshly, coming back from her wine incident, and shooting a glare at her husband. "Shut your damn mouth."

"I needed to take matters into my own hands."

"You've already done that." I seethe, sitting up in my seat. "What more can you do besides send Harry away?"

"You mean the man that brainwashed you into thinking he was the one for you?" He counteracts. "Please, Cordelia, it's already been a week. Move on and realize that he was just using you as a way to get to our money."

"Oh my god." I stand up, a scoff leaving my throat. "You're ridiculous."

"Your speech is at noon." He ignores my statement, standing up himself before walking over and handing me a piece of paper. "Read that before then. Dress appropriately, not like...this."

I feel my face turn red as I take in his words. I was wearing one of Harry's sweatshirts and a pair of shorts that I was most comfortable in.

My hair was unbrushed, my body unclean, bags under my eyes from the lack of sleep my body has received.

"This is the look of your actions after ruining your daughter's life." I say, ripping the paper out of his hands.

"Well you look awful." He responds, looking at me with disapproval. "You could've at least cleaned up."

My eye twitches, my hand clenching into a fist at my side.

He had no idea how hard it was for me to come out of my bedroom, let alone get out of my bed. This was the first time this week that I was out here spending time with my family and he decides to insult me and push me into a situation I wasn't willing to do.

"You're a prick, you realize that?" I ask him, looking up to meet his eyes.

"Is that so?" He says, a smirk starting to form on his face.

I don't think about my actions until it's over.

The sound echoes throughout the room, earning a gasp from both my mother and my brother.

The stinging in my hand makes itself known a few seconds after, my eyes landing on the red spot that's quickly taking over my father's cheek.

His head is tilted to the side before he slowly turns it to me, anger flaring in his eyes now.

"You little shit," he whispers, shaking his head at me. "Thinking you have that kind of power to hurt me-"

He raises his hand to slap me but another, rougher hand wraps around his wrist.

"I think the princess should go back to her room now." I look up and see Liam standing beside me, his eyes meeting the hard stare of my father's, his hand still on my father's wrist. "As her personal guard, I think that's what's best for her."