LVI

(A/N: First of all, let's all gape to His Highness' picture for a while. LOL. Since we are 1K reads away from our goal, I'm going to give you the update now. I know there are a few people out there who wants an update so I'm not that bad to not give it to you. But, before we go to our update, I'M SO THANKFUL to all new readers! *ten claps* I'm very happy that you found this story interesting and you continue to read up to the latest chapter. Also, I'm still grateful to old readers who patiently waiting for my update every week. I love you all! Please, I'm begging, comment the chapter you want to be written in Prince Alexander's POV :3 Enjoy reading!)

LVI

I ran my hand through my hair in fatigue although the day was only starting and it was a bright morning in our home. I spotted mom in the kitchen, cooking a heavy meal for our breakfast. It would be a very arduous Monday for me.

Cassandra cried when I put her on the high chair in the dining area. My little girl did not want to separate from me since last night. She had a fever, symptom of her sore throat, which was resulted from ice cream she ate in the mall yesterday. Her throat was more sensitive than to her twin brother, she got that from me.

I had a meeting at nine a.m. at the hotel for our offer to Mr. Isaac Warden. I was still thinking how to face him after all these years if he was still remember me. I would be hypocrite if it did not occur to me that Prince Alexander could come in sight any time today or tomorrow or in the near future, especially, when his best friend would learn that I was working in that hotel.

I knew I was not ready to see him personally if ever he would show up in front of me. It was not I was bitter. Actually, I was not. However, I was afraid I could break myself again after recovering from that nightmare. On the other hand, he might be the one who would destroy me if we finally meet because of what I had done that night three years ago.

But, it was not yet happening. I must prepare myself whatever the outcome of the meeting would be later. I was hoping that my boss would call and saying the other party cancelled the meeting. I waited for that call, but it did not happen.

I snuggled Cassandra again when she did not stop from crying. It was so painful to see her sick. If only I could get it from her, so I would be the one who was suffering right now.

"Shirley," mom emerged in the dining area while holding a tray, "You're up early."

"We will do an offer to a client, and Cassandra is sick, I don't think I can attend," I sat on my usual chair and put my daughter on my lap. Hoping mom would agree with my excuse for not going to the hotel today.

"You should attend. Leave her to me. I won't go to market so I can take care of her," Mom offered while arranging the plates. Uh oh, mom, that was not I wanted you to say.

"Are you sure, mom?" I tapped Cassandra's back to make her sleep.

"Shirley, I took care of you and your three younger siblings for many years so taking care a child with a sore throat is not difficult to me," she suppressed a smile and went back to the kitchen.

No more excuse, Shirley! My subconscious yelled triumphantly. What was wrong with her?

We had our usual breakfast together. I did not talk much because I was not in myself since the first minute I left the dreamworld. I felt something would happen unfavorable, but I was hoping it was only paranoia.

-----

We arrived in our office on time through Lola's red Porche. That was the gift of Cricket's parents to her on their wedding day. What a lucky gal.

Mr. Legend and other personnels from accounting and management were waiting for me in one of the conference halls of the hotel exactly thirty minutes before the meeting. If we wanted to win the surely profitable service we would have for the month, we needed to strategize before Mr. Isaac Warden or his representative would come at the hotel.

I was not one hundred percent sure if Isaac could still recognize me or even remembered my name. But, I was wishing his representative would go to this offer, instead of him. I did not tell this Isaac Warden thing to Lola because she would probably laugh at my face. Seriously, it was not a problem

"Shirley? You okay?" Violet brought me back to earth again, "You're nervous, aren't you?"

I furrowed my eyebrow to her, "No, I'm not. It's just I'm thinking of something."

"Really?" Candy teased, "Or, you're nervous because the glorious Isaac Warden will go here. Don't lie that you didn't search in Google all about him, because we all did."

I gave her what-the-heck-are-you-saying-look then Violet joined Candy in fooling around, "However, our chances are low because he is already married. Do you see the pictures?" She excited asked everyone and held her both hands while imagining something in her brain, "It was the fairytale of the real world."

If only you knew I was there, I wanted to say it but I could not voice it out. No one knew here about my life in England. I took Lola's advise that it was better if everything happened to me was only a secret. My co-workers knew that I had twins, but they did not ask who the father was. Who knew what they were thinking on how I became a mother of two beautiful kids.

Thanks to Violet and Candy who kept on talking about the hot billionaire, as what they named him, that it distracted me for a while. Well, not at all. I was still in the trail of my 'what ifs'.

"Can you address me as Miss Woodman for this meeting, please?" I pleaded, desperate to be unrecognizable.

"Why?" Candy asked, amused of my sudden plead, "You're really into that hotty, aren't you?"

I ignored her. Thinking carefully why I asked that stupid thing. Yeah, this was a desperate measure. I could not remember saying my surname to him, but I bet my life that if he knew it before, he cartainly forgot it in the present. Moreover, I was not the only Woodman in the world. He might think that it was only coincidence.

The clock ticked at nine o'clock and I became nervous as crap. There was nothing I should feel this way. Isaac Warden was not Prince Alexander.

He is the best friend, fool! My subconscious yelled repeatedly that made my blood left my face. As far as I recalled, they were the typical best friend like Lola and I. The problem of one was also the problem of the other. The life of one was known by the the other. Damn best friends.

Fidgeting, I poured the water from the bottle to my mouth. Something crossed my mind. After I put the pieces of my puzzle in three years, was this my reaction in just meeting his best friend? I was not that Shirley who left the palace anymore. She was coward, I was brave. I could face anything without fear because this was the real me. Meeting his best friend after I left him, so what? I was the one who decided this path, therefore, I should catch all the consequences.

I finally composed myself when the door opened and the receptionist of the hotel entered. She smiled at us and said, "Mr. Isaac Warden is here."

After hearing his name, I took a very deep breathe and stood up with the others. You can do it, Shirley. He's just the best friend. He's not Prince Alexander. These were keeping on playing in my mind until and during he walked inside the conference hall.

He looked all business like the day of his wedding when he walked down the aisle. My memory never failed me because it also showed to me that Prince Alexander was walking beside the groom. So sexy and handsome with that suit. The way he looked at me that day. I was in full denial that day, but I knew my heart was already beating for him that very moment.

Someone pulled me out of my thoughts, or rather, pulled me down to my chair. I realized that everyone was sitting on their respective chairs, and I was quite embarassed. It was gone when no one noticed my spacing out. I looked at Violet who pulled me down and mouthed thank you.

Isaac Warden was sitting far away from me that flooded relief to my emotions. He was reading the papers while talking occassionally to people around him, mostly the group heads of our hotel.

"Miss Woodman, Mr. Warden is requesting for two more room just below the penthouse," Mr. Legend said, getting my attention.

I looked at him, but instead of meeting dark eyes, I met those jasper eyes in the process. He stared at me as if I was a new creature. He was reading my mind, I was sure of that. He could see in my eyes that I was his best friend's ex-wife. I avoided Isaac Warden in nano-second and nodded to Mr. Legend.

He continued, talking to the owner of Warden Security Company, "In total, you will occupy the penthouse suite, thirteen rooms on the floor just below the top floor and one conference hall."

The Billionaire Briton agreed, "Yes, if ever we have additional request, I'm going to order my secretary to reach you."

They talked about stuffs, more on food and activities that would happen next week – the time they would stay. They would be in the hotel until the anniversary. He would be our primary guest, I thought.

"Why are they occupying a lot of rooms if it is not a company outing?" Candy asked beside me. It was also my question. Whatever it was, I did not care. The important was our hotel would earn more.

"Who knows? He said that this stay is conclusive, only those group heads know about it, until next week," Violet rolled her eyes as if disappointed she did not get juicy things from this meeting.

"Do you want a tour, Mr. Warden?" I heard one of the heads spoke, I did not see who it was because I was listening to Violet and Candy.

"No, no need. I'm accepting your offer, anyway," Isaac responded and immediately held my gaze. I did not know how that happened. I could not avoid it unlike earlier. It seemed like his jasper eyes queried me many questions all related to Prince Alexander.

All of the people smiled, excluding me. If anyone saw me, they would think that I was gawking to Isaac. It was not I was really gawking, it was that I felt the remorse and guilt that I was trying to bury together with my past. By his stares, I knew he blamed me to what happened.

"I want to talk to Miss Woodman, if you don't mind?" He said without breaking our eye contacts. I was neither nervous nor worried. I was ready to face the past I left in England. I had not seen this would come, but somewhat, I was happy that I would face his best friend and not him.

Mr. Legend seemed stunned before gaining his coolness, "It's okay Mr. Warden, we're going to arrange everything you need for your stay here," he stood and extended his hand to the billionaire, "Thank you for choosing us."

They shook hands, and he took his time to greet everyone. All stood up and exited the office. Violet and Candy stared at me like I was indebted to them. The other women shared also same looks. If only they all knew the truth. I was beyond willing to shout it to them.

I remained on my seat inside of the conference hall with Prince Alexander's best friend. I saw him in the corner of my eye that took his seat again on the chair he was sitting during the meeting. He removed his all-business mask in one snap and questioned me like an angry brother.

"What have you done to him?"

The question swirled in my brain like a curse avoided for several generations. It crawled on my skin and ran to my blood painfully.

I snapped my head to Isaac, who had his arms crossed on his chest. His face was dark and his eyes were like a gun endlessly shooting me.

What had I done to him? All I knew was I had sacrificed my own felicity to let Prince Alexander find his own happiness. I saw him on news, he was better than he was when I ruined his life three years ago.

Possibly, Isaac was only exaggerating.

"I don't know what you're saying, Mr. Warden," I stood and got my papers on the table.

"I thought you're the right woman for Alexander, but it turned out that you're a heartless," the statement made me glared at him. He was not in the right position to say that.

"Yes, I'm heartless," I responded sarcastically, "After I betrayed my husband and saw him kissing his ex in his office, yes, I'm the only one without a heart here."

"You have no idea how messed up he was when you left," his words were as if stones threw at me until I died.

I bowed my head and continued to listen. I did not speak because my tears would betray me any time. I wanted to defend myself, but I could not. I might not stop myself from saying things that should not disclose to people closely related to Prince Alexander.

"He is still mess up and I don't think he can live a new life without you," the words came out bluntly from him.

"You don't know everything, Mr. Warden," I found him still sitting on the swivel chair in front of the conference hall.

He chuckled darkly and shrugged, "He just lost all the women he loved beginning from his grandmother, Emily, Victoria, you and recently, his mother. Maybe, this is the consequence of him being a playboy."

I should not be affected because he might be asking for sympathy or not all those words were true. But, my curiosity ate me and I blurted, "His mother?"

He nodded, "He discovered what really happened to your father three years ago after our investigation."

My heart skipped its beat and my breathing stopped for a moment. I had never talked again about the accident of my father after he recovered. We never tried to file a case or ask for further investigation because, as what the police had said, it was merely an accident. However, Prince Alexander discovered something. Was it a ploy to make me come back to him? Nice try, anyway, he was using his billionaire friend as if I would believe this one.

"I know what you're thinking, Shirley, and I'm not tricking you," Isaac muttered and looked at me intently, "Alex also lost his mother three years ago."

"What do you mean?" Confusion joined my army. I was sure that Queen Beatrice was still alive because I saw her on the television two nights ago. Possibly, Isaac was really fooling around with his fool lies.

"It doesn't mean she died," he barked and wrinkled the skin between his eyebrows, "What I mean is, Alexander-the one you run away from-selected you over his mother. He discovered the queen was the one who ordered to involve your father in an accident. He hunted all the compliance in this crime and put all of them in jail except his mother. Of course, Royal family needs to maintain their reputation. But, as what I had said before, he chose you. He doesn't follow any orders from Queen Beatrice since then."

Tears threatened again because of two things. First was my hatred to the queen. I assumed the reason she did that was she wanted to break Prince Alexander and me. She did well because I was too weak and coward. I had no idea how she learned about my past relationship to his son.

The other thing was the squeezed I felt on my heart. I was afraid to believe Isaac's statements. It was too good to be true. Prince Alexander would not do that fictional scenario for me. He still loved Princess Emily. I had seen them with my own eyes kissing each other and it remained as my nightmare in three years.

I sighed and closed my eyes, "Do you think I'm going to believe you?

I could sense that he stood up. "Don't believe me, then," he said, my eyes flew open in his frankness, "You wasted those three freaking years believing on what you saw at his office that day. All he did for you were all stupid in your eyes because you still trapped yourself in non-existent thing."

I swallowed the lump in my throat, "I witnessed them."

"You're really thinking Alexander is an idiot?" He asked quietly but I did not reply, "Yes, he's an idiot because he still believes that your feelings for him remained after being away from him. He loves you so much. Whatever his reason that day, he didn't put Emily or anyone above you."

Don't, I shouted mentally to prevent myself from trusting him. He was a businessman, after all. He knew how to speak in-no-turning-back-way with his investors, as he was doing right now. I almost accepted it, but I had the evidence buried in my memory.

I narrowed my eyes when I asked, "Why are you doing this? It's none of your business. It won't increase your stocks."

He took a deep breathe in disbelief and put his palms on his hips, "You're right, it's not my business to interfere with you and Alex. But, I'm sick of him seeing as if dying every day because you're missing in action. Remember this Shirley Woodman, I won't allow that man to suffer again for another day because of you."

Surprised by his words, my feet planted on the tiled floor while he quickly left the conference hall without looking back.