Talon sighed, the exasperation and fondness mingling in his voice, âYou know, Regina, you can be such a hardhead sometimes, always thinking youâll be a burden to us.
But when the chips are down, arenât you always the one standing solidly by our side? If it werenât for you, I probably wouldnât be here today.
Sometimes showing a little vulnerability isnât the same as throwing in the towel, you get that? Youâre just too stubborn, which is why those two always seem to get the upper hand.
And letâs face it, your dad is just a regular Joe. Men like him canât resist a damsel in distress. So, I think you might want to ease up on the strategy a bit.â
Listening to him seriously instruct her on how to handle her stepmother and stepsister, Regina couldnât help but laugh. âDo you think weâre in some kind of soap opera with all these schemes and betrayals?â
âIâm just saying itâs good to be prepared. Learn a thing or two for self-defense, right?â âAlright, alright, just help me get ready for tonight. Letâs tackle this evening first.â
Regina closed her eyes, weariness seeping through her voice. âI need to catch some sleep. Didnât get much last night.â
âSleep away, Iâve got you covered. I promise youâll outshine those two by a mile!â
As he looked at Regina, who had fallen asleep almost instantly, Talon couldnât help but sigh. Yet, as his fingers brushed her flawless skin, he felt a twinge of envy. Despite a sleepless night, not a hint of eye bags â life really wasnât fair!
By the time Regina woke up, Talon had already laid out her outfit for the evening.
âWow, how long did I sleep? Feels like an age.â
âJust an hour or so. When was the last time you actually had a good rest? One second, youâre talking to me; the next, youâre out like a light.â
Regina yawned and was about to slap her cheeks awake when Talon grabbed her wrists. âDonât be daft; Iâve just done your makeup. Youâll ruin my masterpiece!â
âSorry, Iâm a bit disoriented from the nap.â She chuckled and flashed him an apologetic grin.
âWow, youâve really outdone yourself. I canât see a single flaw; Iâm glowing!â
âHmph, only your canvas would allow me full creative license like this.â
Reginaâs beauty wasnât something Talon could fully capture with mere cosmetics. A makeup session could only magnify her looks, not replicate them.
âDoing your makeup is always bittersweet for me. Sweet because your natural beauty gives me so much to work with, but oh so bitter because youâre already stunning. My makeup just adds a pinch more to your score,â said Talon.
Regina shot him a look. âThatâs not true at all. looked pretty pale before, but now I feel like Iâve had a full ten hours of sleep!
Alright, letâs get moving. I need to slip into my evening gown and call the driver. Otherwise, Dad will start his lectures again. You wouldnât believe how much he nags now that heâs getting older. He can go on and on about the same thing until youâre ready to scream.â
Even as Regina complained, a gentle smile graced her lips.
Seeing her content, Talon felt reassured. No matter what their current family dynamics were, as long as Francis, her father, still held her close to his heart, that was all that mattered.