Royally Kissed | ✓

28|2; the prince's deception

"You're well-aware I hardly disobey, Owen. But this−I...I can't lose Arthur because of something I don't understand. I have to know or else I'll go crazy."

Owen's eyes held something so much more than his calm expression at the wake of her confession. It wasn't an outright statement that she loved Arthur already but it was a good reason enough for him to perceive that Arthur had taken a very special place in her heart.

He huffed another pregnant sigh. "Fuck," he grumbled aside. "Alright, you better listen carefully because this is going to be pretty long." He cleared his throat before his mouth opened with crystal-clear voice. "Mr Robert West was married to another woman. So was Archer's mom. Mr West's marriage didn't work out probably because his wife couldn't bear a child. He knew Edith, Archer's mom, was wedded already, but still, they fell in love with each other. Mr West's legal wife was already happy with another, anyway, so he considered himself a free man...

"But Edith's husband had no idea about her affair, then. So she'd, I don't know, probably go back and forth from here to Rockstring. She was practically living a double life. When she wasn't at work with Mr West, she'd go to her husband. But she got pregnant with Archer, and as what she'd told my friend before she died, she didn't go back to Rockstring for a year because of that; just simply told her husband there were a lot more work that had to be done. I don't know how she managed to not let him see her...."

Paige could only blink as the new information kept flooding in.

"Now, what's even more crazy was that when she went back to her legal husband, she came home as if nothing happened and continued the double life, so I think that's when Arthur comes into the picture. Arthur and Archer both obviously didn't know they had a brother, within cities just practically right next to each other, both living different lives. I'm pretty sure, though, that throughout Archer's high school life until he got himself into business, Edith was there by his side. I can attest to that. So I guess she left her husband, in the end−that meant she left Arthur, too.

"She was a good person, Paige. We were just surprised how she'd been keeping something like that for a long time. Archer told us that his parents had an agreement that she'd visit Rockstring once a week. Not sure if Robert knows about Arthur, though. And if even he does, I don't think he'd want Arthur to know him, anyway, or him knowing Arthur. And, of course, the boys themselves. So..." He sighed. "That's it; quite a mouthful."

Although Owen had told her so many things, leaving her mind numbed and overwhelmed, the only words she could say at that moment was, "Now I get why Arthur's so hostile towards his half-brother. Her mother left his dad, him, and chose the Wests instead."

At the same time, she carefully ruminated the situation. What made Edith leave Rockstring altogether aside from 'loving' Mr West? Guilt for what she'd done to her husband and to Arthur? Is that the reason why she suffered from major depression?

"Maybe." Owen jolted one shoulder as he crossed his arms. "The first time Archer shared about her mother's past after her death, we were stunned. When you told me at the hospital that Arthur's brother is Archer, I almost couldn't believe it. I understand why he'd keep it to us when Archer found him, though. He's a public figure, the media could surely catch wind of the situation faster than a speeding bullet."

She bit her lip thoughtfully. "I'm just wondering, I've heard about Mr Robert West before but not about Edith, ever." Owen's eyebrow shot up. "No, I mean, not in social gatherings with family and friends."

"I don't know. Maybe she's just a private person. It makes sense, though. She hardly ever go out of their property. At least, during those times when the boys hung out at the West's. You know, I can't even remember if I've seen her at social gatherings. It's always just Archer and his dad. In retrospect, it's actually really strange why she didn't interact much outside their mansion. She's really different from how the boys knew her. Edith was quite the chatty type, very friendly, and always had this sunny smile. Not one who snubs."