Bad Royals

35

The day dragged on, and Bella stayed curled up in her room, claiming that she needed some rest before the party tonight when in fact, she just dreaded facing Archer when they were supposed to be moving on, and clearly, she isn't.

As Bella's thoughts wandered in the darkroom, a knock sounded from the door. "Bella?" It was Tia. "The guests started arriving. Are you up yet?" She asked through the door, thankful that Tia wasn't noisy enough to come barge in and Bella's pathetic state was in.

Bella cleared her throat, wiped any evidence of her tears, and replied, "Yeah, I am up. Send a maid to notify the stylist and his people that I am ready for them, please."

"Sure, see you downstairs," Tia said. Bella heard the echo of her high heels fading away with each step she took away from the room.

Not long after, the stylist and her helpers were all here working their magic on Bella. It took longer than Bella hoped for, but it's not like she was in a hurry or something. If it were in her hands, she wouldn't have come at all, but she has to, to prove that she is over Archer and she is happy for him. Kind of.

"Beautiful. Amazing. Fascinating." Her cheery stylist bragged as she studied her handwork. Bella was always her favorite client. "The moonlight princess herself." She complimented, and Bella didn't really understand it, but she let it go.

Finally, Bella was allowed to look at herself in the mirror to be met was someone she didn't recognize. She looked gorgeous, well prettier than she looked before. At first, she looked like a zombie with her puffy eyes and red cheeks from all that are crying and sniffing. But now? That all was gone, and a beautiful model was looking right at her through the mirror. Not to mention the dress they picked out for her. She has that amazingly alluring navy blue off-shoulder dress with very little sparkling looking exactly as if she was wrapped in the night dark sky that was littered with millions of sparkling stars. The dress complimented her chest with the little cleavage on display and flew freely from the waist down to her toes with a slit present on the dress's side. She looked absolutely amazing, as if she was never crying her heart out just minutes before. These people really knew what they were doing.

"Thank you." Bella voiced her gratitude. "You did an amazing job."

"No, no, honey, thank you." The stylist immediately butted in. "You are an absolute fine specimen. These Italian genes in you are really something." She winked at Bella, whose cheeks were in flames remembering when Archer once told her those exact same words. He always loved the Italian part in her, saying that it made her special and for a moment she believed him, but now she wasn't so sure.

The stylist and her crew soon wrapped their stuff up and left Bella all on her own in a bundle of nerves. The party started an hour ago, and everybody was downstairs already; she had to walk all by her own downstairs, and that would be hella awkward, especially with all the eyes that will be set on her when this wasn't really her party. She was a mere guest, the same as all of them.

Just when she gathered her courage to ascend downstairs, a knock sounded on the door. It probably was one of the maids reminding her of the party if Bella fell asleep again or something. And to prove them wrong, she yelled a respective, "Come in." The door opened, revealing a handsome-looking man. He always looked handsome in a suit with his hair combed back and everything. After all, they shared some genes. "Dylan, what are you doing up here?" He was supposed to be downstairs already mingling in the party.

"I thought you needed a chaperon, so I came to offer my services." He winked at her. Her playful Dylan surfacing back. Since he was crowned as a king, he became all serious and buried in the kingdom's matters, so she could find him being a little playful like before. She actually missed their bickering and the trouble they used to get in, but that was before they each grew up and led a life of his own. "So, shall we?" He offered her his arm, and she beamed at him. He was always at her rescue.

"Thank you, Dyl." She kissed his cheek then they started making their way to where the party was. With every step closer they took, her heart started beating as if it was running a marathon. Her hands became sweaty as her nervousness kicked in.

"Relax." Dylan squeezed her hand, feeling her hesitancy. They always had that connection that he could read her easily without her uttering a single word. It was like they were those special twins who always had each other's backs. "I will be right here, beside you." Bella nodded just when the grande doors of the hall where the party was taking place opened, revealing them to the guests' curious eyes.

Bella had to gulp her nervousness up and man up a bit with each eye fixated on them. She was a princess, for god's sake. She was used to the attention and was trained on handling it, which was no different from the event she ever went to. One difference that the previous events weren't thrown for the man she loved would be marrying another woman. Locking that thought in the back of her mind, Bella straightened her back, pushing her chest out, and walked elegantly as she was trained to ignore all the gazes. However, this newly discovered courage disappeared as soon as her eyes connected with his. Again with the guarded eyes. Did he hate her that much? However, this time there was an unfamiliar glint in his eyes as they looked her up and down, taking in her whole appearance. What did he hate it?

Dylan led them to where the kings, Ashley, Archer, and Valerie, were gathered. The kings each greeted Bella then went to greet some important people leaving their children all on their own.

"Finally, you graced us with your presence," Ashley remarked as she held a soft smile on her face. "You look amazing, by the way."

"Thank you, Ash. You look pretty amazing yourself with all that pregnancy glow." Bella was trying to act all tough and playful as if she was losing her shit right now with Archer just a couple of feet away from her and his arm around his fiancee.

"Oh, stop it!" Ashley brushed her off as her cheeks reddened. She was even cuter when she was pregnant as she hid her face in Dylan's chest, who kissed her head lovingly.

"She is right," It was Valerie, and as on impulse, Bella gritted her teeth discreetly. "Despite your fat stomach, you look good."

Ashley's eyes flamed with anger, her hormones in full swing. "That fat stomach is called a baby bump, and being pregnant does not make me fat!" She reached for Dylan's hand, ready to drag him away from here but stopped. "And I definitely look more than just good." Oh damn! Pregnant Ashley is not someone you should miss with for sure. Upon that thought and that frightened look on Valerie, Bella's lips twitched into a faint smile. Wait, are they leaving Bella on her own with them? No, no, no, fucking no!

"Baby," Valerie's sick voice invaded Bella's ears as she rubbed herself against Archer. Bella just wanted to rip her apart. "Your sister really scares me. I didn't mean to upset her." Baby, blah blah, I am an idiot bitch, blah blah blah. Bella mocked in her head. God, she loathed that woman!

"She is just pregnant, and it's the hormones talking." God, did she miss his voice! It was deep and captivating that made her body tingle everywhere. Valerie nodded, planting a kiss on Archer's lips as Bella suddenly felt cold. She rubbed her arms with her hands, looking away from the scene. God, she needs to find an excuse to get the hell away from them.

"Oh, you are still here?" Valerie's voice brought her eyes back at them. "Did I hear congratulations on your engagement from you, or it just slipped?" Please don't kill her. Please don't kill her. Archer wants her. Bella chanted on repeat.

"Val,..." Archer sighed as his eyes met briefly with Bella's.

"No, It's my bad." Bella rushed in. "I was just going to." she mustered the best fake smile she could ever do and said the next heart-stabbing words, "Congratulations on your engagement. I hope you have a long loving life." She did not! She certainly did not hope them that, but she had to. She has to try.

"Don't worry; we will." That freaking stuck-up bitch! Again she turned to catch Archer's lips, and Bella almost wanted to puke. Almost.

"Bella!" Someone called for her. And whoever that someone was, she was grateful for. She looked to the source of the sound, and her eyes widened from the surprise. And what a surprise it was!