The Blackmail® [Complete]

Chapter Seven

"Queen? Who said anything about being queen. I was asking why... I didn't... I have never thought-"

"You? You who blackmailed me, who-"

"Ovian, please believe me." I sighed. "I know how low you think of me. Even I think low of me. But believe me when I tell you that, since all of this happened, I have never thought about being queen. I only asked because I've always been curious as to know why? When I was younger, I thought the reason was because you were cripple, and then I saw you for the first time in the morning paper, when I was fifteen, and realized you were, um...  er... okay. So I just assumed that maybe you had a disease or something."

"Well, as you can see, I am well and don't worry I won't die on you." With that he bent down and gave me a kiss on my cheeks, got into his car and drove off.

I sighed and went back into the house.

"Lady Hawthorne?"

"Yes?" I responded, after a few seconds. I made a mental note to get used to being addressed as Hawthorne.

"I was asking if you would like something to eat?"

"No, Jasper, but I would like an aspirin and some water. I have a slight headache from the travel. I will take them in my room. Also, please send them through Taylor. Thank you." I said and walked towards the stairs.

"Yes, my lady." He bowed and left.

Behaving like a lady wasn't something hard for me. My mum, bless her soul, raised me up to be like one. Working for a noble, she had picked up some mannerisms and inculcated them into me. I think she probably secretly hoped I would someday marry a noble. If she could see me now, engaged to a prince.

I came out of the shower to find Taylor lounging on my bed.

"Lady Hawthorne." She mused.

I smiled. "It does sound stiff. Ovian said the real lady Hawthorne is late. That she actually died from the same disease that killed her father."

"Oh my. Did he know her?"

I nodded. "According to him, he's the only person who knows that she died."

"Hmm. Maybe they had been in love?"

"Possibly." Thinking about it now, it is possible that Ovian and the real lady Hawthorne had been in love. That may be the only reason he alone knows she's dead.

Taylor just kept watching me as I took out a tank top and shorts and put them on. I still felt her eyes on me as I returned back to the chair that was across from my bed. I rolled my eyes and exclaimed, "What is it now?"

"Is there something you are not telling me?"

"Something like what?"

"The kiss?"

"What kiss? Oh that kiss. It wasn't really a kiss. He just brushed his lips against mine." And for the life of me, I blushed.

"Somebody liked the kiss." She sang.

I rolled my eyes again and reached for my aspirin. I popped them into my mouth and reached for my glass of water when Taylor snatched it away.

"Come on!"

"Tell me about the kiss." She said holding the water away.

"Taylor! What is there to tell?" I exclaimed, exasperated.

"Did you like it?"

"I don't know!"

"Oh you liked it!" She said and handed me the glass of water. "Is it possible for the two of you to fall in love-"

I almost choked on my water. "Taylor, please, I beg you. All I want to do now is sleep."

"But seriously-"

I shooed her away from my bed and sank down into the covers. I pulled my hair out and rested the thick mass over my right shoulder.

"Tania? Please, consider the possibility. If you-"

I turned towards her. "It's not possible Taylor. How can anyone fall in love with such a brooding, stuck up, tyrant? I am still wondering how I am going to cope as his wife, especially when he exerts his husbandly duties, of which I'm dreading like a plague. So don't worry about me falling in love with him. It will never happen."

"Okay. If you say so. Let me get some rest too. See you at dinner?" She asked at the door.

"Yes." As she was about to close the door. I called, "Taylor?"

"Yes?"

"You are not going to tell me 'I told you so' this time."

She smiled. "We shall see." And she closed the door quietly behind her.