Royal Thief (Editing)

Chapter 18

"The bathroom is up the stairs, between two doors, I will get you the shirt."

I nodded and followed her up the stairs.

"I have a perfect shirt I think you will like!" We both stopped on our tracks and turned to Annabelle's aunt who had her ever bright smile.

***

I walked down the stairs to the sitting room where Annabelle and her Aunt sat whispering, I refused to put on Valerie's shirt, Annabelle's white shirt with a picture of Mikey mouse was preferable to a jumped shirt showing my belly button.

The conversation halted as I took the last steps, Valeria walked to me with a black blanket in her hands.

"Now you have a goodnight rest ok?"

I nodded. "Thank you."

She smiled and took the stairs, leaving Annabelle who had a cup of tea in her hands.

"Is this your first time sleeping on a sofa?"

Ignoring her, I spread the blanket on the sofa and laid on it with my hands underneath my head.

"I think the blanket is supposed to be on your body and not the sofa."

"Go to bed Annabelle," I said, closing my eyes.

She sipped her tea, loud enough for me to hear. "Sure, it just feels nice seeing you all tensed up."

My eyes flew open at the through of this morning event at the field.

Payback!

"Goodnight your highness," She said moving away from the sofa.

I turned over as my phone buzzed in my pocket, I picked it up and screwed through Aaron's text.

"How are you holding up?"

"I don't want to talk about it."

***

The moment I heard the door slammed shut, I sat up. The sofa was not comfortable, but it seemed better than the floor.

I can't believe this is really happening.

I heard footsteps and turned to see Annabelle's aunt taking the stairs, she took the seat beside me with an envelope in her hands.

"Hope I didn't scare you with early events?" She asked with a smile.

"Actually you did."

Her smile widened. "Well, I'm sorry that's the only way I could get you to stay, you are strong-headed."

"I think you beat me to that."

She passed the envelope to me. "I had to give you this, I didn't want Anna to know." She paused. "This is the money she loaned from you, every bit, I had to sale my horses tho."

My brows arched at the realization of what she was doing. She was paying me off and unknowingly breaking the deal I had with Annabelle.

"I can't take this," I said, passing the envelope back to her. I didn't need the money, I needed the girl.

She sighed heavily, her eyes focused on the floor. "Annabelle lost her dad five years ago in an accident, quite a young girl she was," she said looking into my eyes.

"Her mum sent her to her uncle Jeffery, who promised to help her finish up high school but-" She paused.

My heart did a double-take at the sight of tears rolling down her cheeks.

"The moment she got to Jeffery she disappeared, for over a year we couldn't find her," she continued wiping the tears off her cheeks, with the back of her hands. "Belle is a strong girl, she won't talk about the one lost year."

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't be doing this," She said with a smile that didn't lit her eyes as always.

"It's ok," I said realizing I knew nothing about the girl who unknowingly was saving my ass, she had a script filled with my history, my past, my ex, my life, while I knew nothing about her.

"My younger sister, Annabelle's mum didn't tell me about this, I would never let Belle take a loan. Now I'm here, I want to pay the debt," She said moving the envelope back to me.

I moved it back to her, covering her hands with mine. "I made a deal with Belle." A frown drew on her lips at the mention of deal.

"She only has to work this month and she is free to leave." I paused to ensure she understood. "Don't take it the wrong way Valeria, but I don't need this, go get your horses back," I said smiling at her.

"Really?"

"Yes, get your horses back and don't bother yourself, Annabelle is fine."

She caged me in an unexpected hug. "Thank you, I'm happy she's in good hands."

My heart did a little skip at her words.

She stood up, started up the stairs but stopped, turning back, she took out my keys from the envelope.

"Here is your key," she said throwing it on the sofa.

"Good night Valeria."

"You can leave tomorrow, just don't leave tonight, it's a warning," She said with a warning look.

I smiled, knowing fully what she meant.

***

Authors note.

Hey guys, so if you want to know what happened to teenage Anna in that one dark year, stick to me.

Hope you enjoyed this💖💖🤗.