Chapter 22 (Part 3): Loving on a Lie

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Here's the chapter as promised guys! It's been so long since I've written I had to go back and read to remember all the things I had planned. I noticed a TON of silly mistakes and I will start editing next week for sure. If you need a refresher, just glance at the previous chapters and hopefully it will jog your memory and leave no confusion. Anyway, more questions are going to start being answered and I'm interested in hearing your opinions and thoughts. If you want, feel free to comment below and I will check it out and try to drop subtle hints without giving too much away. So without further ado, here is the next chapter so many of you have been waiting months for, enjoy :)

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"You don't have to continue if you don't want to." Prince Christopher suggested as he saw a tear drop escape from the corner of my eye.

I had been talking through that night for almost three hours now, and outside the harsh smashing of pouring rain had dimmed to a light pitter patter as tiny rain drops dripped against the window. Beyond the speckled cobblestone driveway, rich ivy colored grass, and towering black iron carved gates, was the dawn of a new morning resting on the horizon. The edges of sun rays peaked through from the tippy tops of the woodland evergreens and light the sky with a soft rosy pink tint. The thunderstorm had passed and took with it the howling wind and pouring skies to leave behind not damage, but a new beginning.

I snuffled and with a quick wipe with the back of my hand, the droplet disappeared from my cheek. I kept my head titled downwards , trying to conceal as much of me from him as possible, and it astonished me how he could still read my mind. Perhaps it was because my walls had crumbled down on top of me, leaving me exposed and defenseless.  

"No, it's fine. You should know everything." my voice crackled. I took a breathe and attempted to swallow the massive lump in my throat but every time I inhaled, my chest would pulse with slight pain as my damaged heart struggled to continue beating.

"If you insist" Chris complied, adding " but remember if it gets too hard, stop." 

A rough hand was pressed on my shoulder, but it was unusually soft and interestingly warm. With both his emotional and physical support, I continued reciting the order of events.

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With suitcase clenched tightly in hand , I fled down the grand staircase faster than Cinderella at midnight. After dashing down corridors and shoving doors open, at last I was near the entrance of the castle. I felt the anxiety creep into my mind and begin to coil around my wounded heart like a deadly boa constrictor, preparing to contract and squeeze the rest of the life from me.

As I rounded the final corner to the final stretch, two voices chirped up and stopped me dead in my tracks. Instinctively, my body flattened against the wall with my head outstretched and ears open to hear the conversation.

I easily identified both a male and female voice, both very familiar to me. The workers were simply chatting as the fulfilled their tasks. I peaked around the corner to see the man straightening massive linear portraits descending down the royal bloodline. The woman on the other hand was using a feather duster to brush away all the pesky dust particles as she restored the frames back to their original golden gleam.

My breathed swallowed as I breathed through my nostrils, enhancing the eligibility of the words they exchanged. The woman, though I did not know her name, was on the smaller side and with each swipe of the duster, another word would leave her lips. She was the more talkative one of the two, gossiping madly about another maid while the butler gave approving nods and one worded opinions, agreeing with her outlandish statements every time. By examining the picture closest to me, it was evident the usual bright luster was still concealed with dust and they had only just begun their duties.

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