Chapter Sixteen
The time of the party was at hand. The normal procedures went on. The visitors were announced one by one. There were drinking, dancing and everything was in perfect order.
I stood directly beside Richard and every food he wanted to eat, I took a bite first. Everyone in the academy now knows that I will no longer enroll in the next semester and I am the future king’s cousin. We didn’t let anyone know about me being the princess.
“Are you alright?” I asked him as the gifts to him are being presented to him. By this time the queen already left for she was tired.
“Yes, of course I do. Will Joan be alright? She’s going on rounds now right?” Richard seemed genuinely worried.
“She’s stronger than you think she is. Almost as strong as me,” I winked at him.
“I hope you’re right.”
“This thing going on between the two of you, is this serious?” I wondered.
“I don’t know about her, but for me it is. I just don’t want her to freak out and run off but everything I felt so far with her is something I have never felt before. She’s really something else.” He sighed in exasperation. “Even if she doesn’t feel the same way, I would give everything for her to stay beside me always.”
“Would you still say that even if she was the one who killed Melody?” I asked. For a moment, he was silent but afterwards, his reaction surprised me.
“I’ve always thought it was you who did it. Oh well, it doesn’t matter. It just shows she saved me from loving the wrong person.” He smiled. I felt really happy when he said that. It was the only thing bothering me about their relationship anyway. Joan can tell the rest of her story to him herself.
There was a confetti explosion on top of the chandelier and I became weary the moment it popped. Leaflets flew everywhere I quickly took one. The whole room was in turmoil as they read what was inside it.
“Long live the first born of King Henry Corona, Princess Angelica Hove Sphere Corona.” A loud voice rang around the room. They all looked towards me and then Richard. They all started to run towards us.
“Lorialette Shield!” Joshua ran towards us as he chanted and created a force field around us so no one could get near us. “Are you alright?” He asked looking at me deeply in the eyes and then to Richard.
“Yeah,” I answered.
“What’s the meaning of this?” A reporter asked.
“This is false! I am only the cousin of the prince.” I lied. They went on and on with asking us what the leaflet was about.
“The party is over.” Everyone was silent when Richard spoke. It wasn’t because he was the crowned Prince and he was sitting on the throne but because of his expression right now and the tone of voice he used. “It’s true though, the princess is Angelica. She is my half sister.” Cameras flashed and they took photos of me together with the prince.
“What the hell are you doing?” I hissed at him.
“Within five minutes, I will have anyone who still remains in this mansion thrown in the dungeon for a year.” Everyone cleared out as soon as they could. They ran out as fast as they could because Richard sure wasn’t joking.
Joshua took the shield off when everyone was out. “What was that all about?” He wondered.
“It’s better if they know about you now before they find out from the Yin Yang.” Richard sighed. “I’m sorry Angel but this was bound to happen anyway.”
