~ {|} The Royal Charm Academy {|} ~ A Novel ~ {|} On Going

❦ Chapter Twelve ❦

When lunch rolled around, Katherine made her way to Devona's office. Anyone who she passed could tell she was fuming, and everyone made sure to stay out of her way.

She pushed open the door to the secretary's room, walking past the secretary's protests. 

She swung Devona's door open and crossed her arms, standing in the doorway. "Devona! How could you!" She exclaimed, pointing her finger at her friend.

Devona paused mid-bite from her salmon bowl and set her fork down on the napkin on the desk. "Katherine," She curtly greeted, pushing up her food and resting her arms on her desk. "Could you elaborate on what I exactly did?"

Katherine impatiently tapped her foot on the floor, crossing her arms over her chest. "How could you not tell me you were allowing Marshall to work here? You know our relationship and I should have been the first one to know!" She exclaimed angrily.

'Apparently, Marshall and Katherine had met, seeing as she's here and livid.' Devona thought to herself before putting on a polite smile. "Katherine, I am the headmistress of the school, therefore what I say goes. Your opinion is irrelevant to who I choose as a teacher."

Katherine tapped her fingers on her arm as she impatiently waited for Devona to finish. "How is my opinion irrelevant? I am a teacher here! I should have a say too!" She exclaimed, her voice growing a few more octaves higher than before.

Devona took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "I do not tell the other teachers about decisions I make. Decisions are between Alexander and I only, since we own and run this academy." She calmly replied, crossing her legs.

Katherine frowned, marching over to Devona's desk and plopping down in one of her chairs. "You could have at least given me a heads up that my ex-husband was going to be working here as your friend!" She grumbled, tapping her foot on the floor.

Devona sighed softly, closing the lid to her lunch. "I wasn't the one Marshall asked. You should talk to Alexander about that since he's the one handling finding teachers since we are short-staffed this year." She reminded her friend, calmy.

Katherine's foot tapped a bit faster as she listened to Devona. "I should have known you'd never give the okay and it was your husband! I will go give him a piece of my mind -" She started to go onto a tangent only to be cut off.

"Katherine, please just leave it alone." Devona quickly cut her friend off from speaking another word. "What's done is done and we need the extra help. If things go well, he could be a permanent teacher here and it would be one less thing to worry about." 

Katherine leaned forward in her seat, unable to comprehend how passive Devona was being. "But Marshall has no teaching experience! He didn't do well in school! I've seen his report card." She exclaimed, standing abruptly up and making the legs on her chair squeal against the marble floor.

Devona braced herself for the noise before shaking her head. "You don't have teaching experience, but I allowed you to teach here too. Perhaps this gives you a chance to focus more on being Regent rather than a teacher." She sternly said, picking up her drink and taking a sip from it.

"Do remember there is a counsel of nobility to handle most of the tasks. All I do is an overview and sign off on proposals with the occasional christening of a new building or business." Katherine asked, trying to get her to recall the memory.

Devona inwardly rolled her eyes but kept a polite smile on her lips. "How could I forget? I use to help you organize your day before my grandfather passed away." She deadpanned, opening back her lunch. "I do suggest try and get along for Thea's sake."

Katherine bitterly bit her tongue, recalling Thea had said the same thing. For her sake. "Everyone makes it sound so easy!" She complained, tapping her nails on the armrest. "As I told Thea, I make no promises but I can try. Hopefully, Marshall won't be insufferable as he always is. I hope he will mind his own business and stay out of mine. I don't want him worming his way into kingdom affairs like he's prone to do."