WINTERS SECRET (RISE OF OYO EMPIRE)

ROYAL MESS

29th of August.
(7:40am)

"Dling dlin" (the sound of a telephone ringing).

"Hello" I picked up the call directly from my sleep, it was Lina, why was she calling me this early?

"Diana" her voice was soft and fragile, she sounded tired and stressed out.

"Yes, what's the matter?" I spoke in a comforting tone, this was what I could do now, comfort her.

"They've fixed the date" she continued to sob immensely, they've fixed the date to her wedding I'm sure, so sudden? Why the hurry? It's a royal wedding after all.

"When is it? Do we still have time?" We have to figure out who and what her mother owes a favour to, maybe then we can try to renegotiate, but with the way things are going it seems to be my mom and if she is the one, she won't make anything easy for us.

"10th September" she continued sobbing, it was not up to a month from today, what are they thinking?

"Okay, stay calm and don't allow anyone know you are aware of it, I would speak to my grandma and let's see what she has to say" I reassured her, crying was not going to solve anything this time around, that was the problem with dealing with influential people, you could not run there was no where to run to.

"Okay, let me get some rest" she said as she hanged up the phone, she sounded stressed like she has been crying for a while now, maybe all night sef.

"I should check in with gran gran and hear what she has to say" I said to myself as I got up from bed, yet again winter was no where to be found, this feels less of a honeymoon and more of a work vacation for him.

"Daniella" I called for the help as I walked into the dinning hall, although she was more than a help to the Winter family as she was ine of the many people that took care of my husband when he was a child, but still she was always late, things weren't organised as they used to be back home.

Breakfast was 8:30am and everyone was seated at the table and everything was ready, but here breakfast was anytime Daniella deemed fit it was.

"Diana take a seat, your breakfast would be out in a minute" and she wasn't the nicest of people too, she was strict and the few days I have spent with her made me realise she had her own autonomy, she bearly did anything I asked her for rather she does whatever she likes, she is not afraid to get into an argument with me, i just hate her guts.

I was going to go see dorathy at the hospital today, she is getting discharged today and I guess she would be going home to her family, wonder why they haven't checked up on her all these while, besides she was just a young adult in her early twenties.

"Here you go ma" one of the kitchen staff placed my meal on the table.

"Thank you, can you tell John that I would be needing a ride later" I instructed.

"Okay ma, but he drove the young mister to the office" office? In tamaje? Winter has an office here? I wonder what I don't know about that man.

"Should I still call me?" The help from the kitchen asked.

"Yes and what's your name by the way"

"There would be no need for that, you would take an Uber" Danella yelled from thr kitchen.

What was her problem? I never noticed her sour attitude towards me until some days back, funny how she is this sweet old lady in front of everyone else.

"Hi, I would be going to the hospital later on, tell your driver to come pick me up" I texted my husband, I wasn't going to book an Uber now, especially when I did not need to.

(2 hours later)

"Sorry ma" John said as he began to drive the car.

"No issues, I wasn't waiting for too long" I said even though I was, but still it wasn't an issue I was not running with time.

"There was traffic at the..." I wasn't interested in his flimsy excuse, was it Daniella that instructed him to waist my time? No I'm sure she did no such thing, maybe I'm reading meaning into stupid things.

"I should probably call gran gran to while away time" I said to myself as I picked up my phone and began to dial her number on it.

"Diana" she said with a cheerful tone.

"Good morning ma" I greeted.

"Morning my princess, how was your night?" Gran gran sounded happy, she must be doing better after her discharge from the hospital.

"It was okay" I said, my night was far from that I spent most of it thinking about my life and Lina, not to mention the winter book that I am so curious to know more about, mom's pregnancy and her unborn child amongst many other things, not to mention my husband left before i got up.

"I've missed you my dear, oh that reminds me I was hearing some rumours flying around the palace some days back, is it true?"

"True? What's true?"

"Is Fred getting married to your friend? I don't know princess li.. li.. yes Lina" I guess the news had become public, how did gran gran know about it? Last time I checked she only knew things that was going on in ofuland and not the whole globe.

"How did you get that information?" I asked.

"The whole royal family was invited to the wedding, and it is set to take place 10th of September, so soon" so it was really happening, not only that but theyve decided to make it official to the public.

"Well that was the exact reason I called you, I wanted you to help find out what's between mom and the Queen of oyoland" it has to be mom, no other sane person would want their daughter to marry a loser like Fred, it has to be her.

"Why do you want to know that?" This was the first time gran gran is hisitant towards me.

"Click" John opened the car door for me as I stepped out, we were in the hospital already.

"Well Lina is looking for a way to get out of the marriage, and she said it's a marriage of favour" gran gran was well knowledgeable when it comes to things like this, she would know exactly what to do.

"Well in thst case..."