Royal Heartstrings

Chapter 3- The crowned prince

Valerie's POV:

As I walked into the house, I was greeted by my parents' worried faces. They were sitting in the living room, waiting for me, and immediately rushed to meet me as I entered. I glanced up at the wall clock, which hung above the fireplace, and saw that it was past nine. I was supposed to be home an hour ago, and I knew I was in for a lecture.

"Where are you coming from?" my mom asked sternly, her arms crossed over her chest.

"Mom, I'm coming back from work," I exclaimed self-consciously.

"Are you sure?" she asked suspiciously, her eyes narrowing.

"Sheila!" Dad warned, his voice firm but gentle.

My mom sighed and eased up her tone. "Fine, but why did you come late and why didn't you pick up my calls? I wanted you to get something from the hardware shop for me."

"I wasn't with my phone," I replied, seeing the worry and concern etched on their faces.

They looked like they didn't know if they wanted to shout at me or even do worse. "I'm starved, let's eat first," I said quickly, trying to ease the tension and change the subject. My stomach growled at the thought of food, and my mom smiled, knowing I loved her cooking.

Over dinner, I recounted the whole encounter with the mysterious biker. My mom had made my favorite Calonia dish, "Pollo con Salsa de Azafrán," a traditional recipe passed down from our ancestors, with a modern twist.

As I finished my story, my dad looked disbelievingly at me, his mouth agape. "So, what you're saying is that you rode on a motorcycle?" he asked, stunned and impressed. I nodded, and he sat back in his chair, still looking surprised. "Wow," he muttered.

My dad had always wanted to ride a bike, and I wished he could one day, just like me. That was why he was stunned; he couldn't believe his daughter had done something he had always dreamed of doing.

"Either way, that was reckless," my mom added, her expression stern.

"I know, I'm sorry, but that won't stop me from helping people, mom," I replied.

My mom sighed and smiled, reaching out for my hand. "You didn't let me finish, dear. Nonetheless, that was brave of you. I'm proud."

I was taken aback, my eyes widening in surprise. I was expecting a lecture, not praise! Even my dad looked surprised- he was sometimes scolded by mum too.

I was instantly overcome with happiness, and a laugh escaped my lips. I went back to eating my food, savoring the flavors and textures.

Just then, my mom added, "But don't do it again, or call me before you do it."

Her expression turned strict, and my dad chuckled, "Yeah, that's the wife I know."

I smiled, still feeling happy and relieved. This night was definitely bearable.

★★★

I rolled out of bed, and realized I was five minutes late and that was not a great start to the day. I quickly took a bath and threw on jeans and a coat, trying to hurry. In the mirror, I caught a glimpse of my tired eyes and messy hair, which I swiftly threw into a ponytail.

I still had the same wish as before - to avoid running into the Golden family at all costs. I planned to evade them for the entirety of their stay at the Weldon's estate.

When I got downstairs, my parents were already having breakfast. Mom looked up at me with a gentle smile and said, "You woke up late, honey; I was ready to wake you up."