Chapter 26

"Someone is happy," Sein entered my room when I was getting Ethan ready for the day. Ethan skipped school today, I gave him the leisure to skip actually. Yesterday he was very tired from the long day already, he deserved a leave from school.

And yes, I had been very happy from morning. Scratch that,  was ecstatic. I smiled more than I did in the past year and an unknown excitement twirled in my stomach when I recollected my plans for the day. I was going to repair every other mistake that I made as the life progressed.

"Shouldn't I be?" I raised my eyebrow.

For a second his face twisted in horror. "Trying to use the evil card, aren't we?"

"Well, I can't help that someone is a fool." I giggled. He could be adorable at times. I was definitely going to miss him. But, no worries, a great man invented skype for these purposes. When I'd move out of Spain, Skype would always act as my rescue team from the chaos of my new life.

"Well....if you are ready, everyone's waiting downstairs for you," he said.

Will everyone respect my decision and understand it from my point of view? I glanced down at Ethan, he was tucking his shirt inside his pants. He loved the look. Mostly he preferred, tucked in shirts, loose ties and fitted jeans. He already behaved like a handsome boy, good luck to all the girls who'd befriend him in future.

This decision is going to affect him the most along with my parents as everyone started growing on him and vice-versa.

My heart became brittle for a moment when I thought about him. But I knew, I knew that eventually he'll come to his understanding.

"Well...shall we?" Sein's voice brought me back to reality. Though I was happy at the same time I was sad, hurt, afraid. My hands would shake and my legs would go weak when I utter te bitter truth in front of my parents and bring them to light. My stomach twisted as an image of their face filled with the look of betrayal flashed in my brain.

They wouldn't be too disappointed in me, would they?

I hoped not.

"Come on." I grasped Ethan's little palm in mine and followed Sein out of my giant room. Sein whistled all the way to the hall as we skipped hallways, stairs and greetings of some guards. For the reasons unknown, Sein seemed overly joyed on the way to the hall. Was he having some good news?

Once we reached the room, the giant doors were pushed open. The door squealed at its hinges and an irritated shiver ran through me at the sound.

"Good Morning!" Everyone greeted, some cheerful and some dull and boring. Ethan immediately left my grip and sprinted towards his grandpa. Dad lifted him up and settled him in his lap. Even though dad and mom were absent the first three weeks we moved into the palace, Ethan managed to get cozy around them after they returned.

"So, what is the important matter you wanted to discuss?" Mom asked me, smiling. The wrinkles spread throughout her face, an indication that she was tired, very much, and she couldn't wait to pass over the responsibilities.

Only few days, mom, until the deserving person is crowned.

I eyed Samuel and Alice, seated at the far end of the room but on different couches. For the first time, Alice wasn't on Samuel's lap, neither was she smirking triumphantly throwing smug smiles. On that moment, something changed, Samuel didn't believe if Alice tried to feed him lies after yesterday night. For once, I felt proud of him. Maybe, he finally realized that trust isn't something that should be played with.

"I want to talk about my ex-husband mom," I said, calmly. Everyone in the room stiffened, my parents, my brother, Sein, Samuel and last but not the least, Alice whilst Ethan was playing on the mobile, oblivious to the atmosphere.

"So are you finally ready?" My mom smiled at me and an unknown kind of joy reflected in her eyes. Maybe, she was happy that her daughter finally made a decision to open up. But then her smile faltered. "What is the role of our guests here then?"

"Because one of the guests is her ex-husband, mom," Phillipe spoke up. He often referred my parents as his as he practically grew in the palace along with mom and dad. And they did total justice in his bringing up.

My parents remained silent from shock for a moment but then there was a moment. Ethan gently was placed on a comfortable seat by my dad. "Is it true Mr. Anderson? What my daughter said is true?" Dad's voice was calm, suspiciously calm. If I'd not stop him, he would charge at Samuel any moment.

"Alejandro," I called out the guard. He guarded the door as long as the conversation went on.

"Yes ma'am." He produced himself in front of us.

"Will you please take Ethan to one of the maids?"

He bowed and took Ethan away from all the uprising chaos.

"Dad, please be calm," I said. I sent some signals to my mom. She placed her hands on his shoulders and massaged his shoulder easing off little tension from his body.

"Calm down, darling. Don't do anything out of rage. It will only result in damage."

For a king, my dad definitely wasn't very much composed in my matter. I knew what was his patience level. The person had the patience of a pope but seeing him angry for me just warmed my heart. Even though I was absent all his life till now, he developed the strong fatherly feelings in a short time.

"Calm down? How can you say, calm down? That person doubted my daughter!" he roared. Yes,my parents knew what happened in my life except for who was the person. Now that awareness surrounded them, I was afraid what my father would do.

"Dad, please, calm down."

"Stay out of this, Sofia!"

"I will not stay out of this! This is my life! I said you this because you deserved to know about this. I don't want you hurting Samuel in any form. What's done is done! In the end, he is the miserable person with no wife and son!" I pointed Samuel whose face was stoic not allowing any kind of emotion cross through his face. I couldn't comprehend his thoughts as I didn't know him from the day he divorced me.

"If so, then we are cancelling the deal with him." Why was my father acting insane all of a sudden? Why were people taking decisions in a snap? Just for me who wasn't worthy so much, he'd put the future of Spain in trouble? Until the last day of my life, I wouldn't allow any injustice in my presence.

"You are not going to do anything like that, King," my mom addressed for the first time. I was glad that she understood my situation. "But, he shall receive the punishment he receives."

I waited with baited breath for a cry of protest from Samuel but nothing came. Everyone was silent in the room, allowing the conversation to flow. But what surprised me was the authority my parents directed on Samuel, or was Samuel just accepting it out of guilt? Alice didn't even mutter, let alone protest loudly. It was too odd to be true.

"He isn't going to visit Spain except when we give him permission to do so. And, he'll not linger anywhere near my daughter. I'd allow a one month visit to meet his son," she paused, "provided that guards always accompanied wherever he went."

"But-"

"Not a word from you, Mr. Anderson, the Queen's decision stays final," dad interrupted. Well, I was thankful that Samuel signed all the rights to me, unknowingly or knowingly doesn't matter. Or else, trips to court for custody would become too prominent in coming days.

Samuel sighed defeated when he realized that all the rights were with me.

"This was all you want?"

"No, mom, I still have some things to clear. Samuel and Alice will you both please leave this room? This is for family." I didn't fail to notice when Samuel's  eye twitched at the mention of 'family'.

"But he is't family." He pointed out Sein.

"For us, he is," Phillipe stated and Samuel left.

"What is it?" dad asked.

"I want Phillipe to take over as your heir."

"What?" Everyone yelled except I and Phillipe. Their faces held 'Are you fucking serious now?' expressions. I would've been equally shocked if my daughter said the same thing but they should understand my perspective. Phillipe would any day prove that my abilities were at the lowest level compared to him.

"And I am moving to Australia."

"No, you can't!"

"Are you insane?"

"Pearl, you need treatment." Thank you, dad.

"You didn't talk to me about this," last but not the least, Phillipe protested.

"Wait, let us talk this thoroughly," mom said and everyone nodded in agreement, still in the after-shock of my decisions.

We took respective seats and I rested on Phillipe while we talked.

"Why do you want to handover everything to Phillipe when you are the rightful heir?" dad asked first and I felt Phillipe stiffen beside me. The answer was oblivious for everyone but me. When I entered into this palace, I saw the hidden pain beneath the happiness Phillipe radiated. He projected the joy, yes, but also sadness consumed him when he got to know that he was going to be replaced after all the hard work he put in to become a King.

Initially, I didn't ponder upon that but later on as the days passed, I sensed responsibility, authority, bravery and cleverness in Phillipe. He possessed the will-power and passion to lead people more than I did.

"He is rightful for the position, dad."

"Bu-"

"Listen to me and then say," I looked in his eyes, determined, "he had been training all his life for the position and possess better skill and more passion than me. He is also very much attached to the position, itself. He had been dreaming about this all his life and some girl randomly comes into the picture and snatches it from him. Imagine how he must be feeling dad. I may be the rightful heir but believe me, Phillipe can do this job better than I can.

"I saw the hurt in his eyes dad."

Phillipe was as hard as a pillar beside me, there wasn't an emotion, movement or anything from him. Was he shocked that I saw through his facade? Or was he angry that I pitied him? Because in reality, I didn't pity him, at all.

"Son," my dad started, "is everything said by Sofia true?"

Silence greeted my dad. But after a minute or so, Phillipe nodded. "I'm sorry, dad. I should've said this to you earlier instead of being jealous with Sofia. And thanks, Sofia, you are the kindest person ever."

"Stop joking." I slapped his hand and laughed. He managed a half grin through the tear filled eyes.

"Come here," dad said stretching his arms for a hug from Phillipe. They gladly hugged and there was a moment of awe between them. It was good to see that everything was fine between them.

"Forgive us, son. We should've consulted you before stating Sofia as the next heir," mom butted in and joined the group hug. This must had been the picture of how the family looked before I entered their lives. Seeing them only two words came into my mind, family goals.

"And why do you want to leave Spain when in reality it just had been two months since we've met? You need to spend time with us, Sofia. I'm totally against the decision," Sein said vehemently. And this grabbed everyone's attention.

***********

Dun.Dun.Dun. Finally an update. sorry for this two-week wait. There was heavy rain and super fast winds here which broke our street transformer last week. So, there was no electricity last friday and saturday. And thn, I became busy in my room painting and remaining is history.

So, this is the last chapter!

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STAY TUNED FOR THE UPDATE ON SEQUEL AS WELL AS SAMUEL'S POV!