Franklin was chasing the ball Beatrice had thrown at him across the lawn when Teddy came out of the palace doors and made a beeline for her.
"Did we choose a July wedding? I thought we said September," Teddy asked as soon as he was in hearing distance. Beatrice's brows furrowed as she turned to him.
"No, it is September the 1st, as planned why?"
Teddy pulled out his phone and handed it to Beatrice. Royal wedding date leaked. Queen to be married on the birthday of the nation!
"That's not us, someone out a false trail out," Beatrice said looking at the photo of an invitation then back up at Teddy.
"Well the photo was taken in the front entrance you can see the marble floor" he pointed out before running a hand through his hair. "I don't get it" Beatrice shook her head and picked the ball up Franklin had brought her.
"Well we are going to find out"Sam was waiting for Beatrice in her office.
"Did we have an appointment Sam?" Beatrice asked confused looking at her watch.
"No but I decided I should drop by, to explain things," Teddy and Beatrice took a seat opposite Sam. Who slid the fake invitation across the table and a thick stack of pictures of Daphne talking to a woman in large round sunglasses. Beatrice waited for Sam to explain.
"The mole was Daphne, she's been leaking information for years, Jeff and Nina, Ethan and Nina, wedding tidbits from last year, the zip line place, and this wedding invitation, she's also blackmailed several lords and servants along with you Beatrice," Teddy turned to Beatrice who gave him an explanatory look and he nodded, Beatrice had told Teddy about Daphne trying time blackmail her months ago.
"She needs to go" Sam said at the end. Beatrice nodded, "she needs to be let go by Jeff, and something needs to happen so nobody else thinks to do it again.
"So who tells Jeff?" Sam asked. Beatrice took a deep breathe,
"I do, as the monarch, and the head of the Washington family that falls to me, and Teddy if you want to be involved." Teddy took her hand and squeezed it.
"I'll be there if you want me there,"
"Then you'll be there," Beatrice said before turning to Sam. Find Jefferson and tell him to come to my office immediately. And just like that Beatrice was replaced by the Queen.Jeff strolled in lazily to Beatrice's office where he nodded to Teddy who was reading by the window before he walked and took a seat across from Beatrice. She slid a folder towards him. It was full of everything Sam has collected on Daphne. Jeff's face grew pale when he opened it. His eyes scanned the page before he shoved his chair back and stood up.
"Your lying!" He yelled pointing a finger at Beatrice and Teddy's eyes flicked to meet Beatrice's and she nodded she could handle this.
"I wish I was Jefferson, but she's done worse" Beatrice said taking a steadying breathe before motioning back to the chair. "She leaked the wedding announcement, she also leaked out vacation schedule in Puerto Rico, your relationship with Nina, and then hers will Ethan before they could tell you," Jeff's hands clenched into fists.
"Why now, you haven't ever indicated you disliked her before today, what changed,"
"She betrayed my trust, she leaked what she thought was my wedding invitation, if she can't keep something minuscule like that to herself, then she can't become a Washington. I will not tolerate that in my household, in my family,"
"How do you know it was her," Jeff yelled his voice desperate as he ran a hand through his hair.
"Because Sam planned the whole interaction my weddings set for September not July," she paused before adding "and she blackmailed me to get what she wanted," Beatrice said watching as Jeff's face changed from anger to betrayal and horror over and over as he collapsed into the chair.
"Why, would she I told her I loved her, I thought she,"
"I don't know why she did, but she needs to be gone, she is a parasite, and yesterday was the last time she is welcome to enter the Palace or any property owned by the Washington's. I will see her two more times and then never again," Beatrice the queen said coldly and watched as Jeff's face became strained and he nodded before looking at her.
"And if I don't end it?"
"You will not be welcome here if she is with you, if you marry, I nor anyone in the family will attend, and she will it receive a dime from our family's allowance which I control," Beatrice said Jeff nodded again he knew what the consequences would mean.
"In addition after your break things off this story will be run by several newspapers and my actual wedding announcements will be published." Beatrice slid another article towards him and his eyes grew wide.
"This will ruin her,"
"I don't care, she needs to carry no favor with the media or the people, we will wash our hands of her," Beatrice said.
"I'm supposed to have her over tonight but I'll take her somewhere private to fix this, is there a way the article can stay out of this?"
"No,"
"I was afraid of that, I feel so blind," Jeff said running a hand over his face. Before he grabbed the file, and quickly ran out of the room Beatrice wanted to follow but Teddy stood.
"I got this Bee," he said and she nodded gratefully before sitting down at her desk.
YOU ARE READING
Regina
FanfictionFan-fiction of what happens after Majesty in the American Royals series by Katharine McGee