𝒯𝒽ℯ 𝒫𝓇𝒾𝓃𝒸ℯ'𝓈 𝒞𝒽ℴ𝒾𝒸ℯ

Chapter |44| Catfight

I threw off Hardin's shirt and grabbed my dress, quickly pulling it on and then fastening the zip at the back. I splashed my face with some cold water and then pulled back my frizzy hair into a ponytail.

"Arabella, he's gone." I jumped slightly at the sound of his voice and then slowly opened up the door again. He took one look at my outfit and sighed in disappointment.

"I'm guessing you're going back to your room then." I shrugged, handing him back his shirt that I longed to keep.

"Sorry, but I think it's for the best." He nodded in understanding and walked me down to the elevator. I pecked his cheek and whispered a quick apology into his ear, before leaving.

When I reached my floor, I found myself lingering outside Astrid's old room. I had never been in there, I'd never been invited in and it was hard to think about the girl who used to live inside those four walks.

Now it was just another spare room.

I smiled softly and then carried on my walk back to my room. I really wanted to spend the day with Rory, and I definitely had to check up on Wyatt.

I probably had to talk to Xander and Flo to inform them of what happened last night, although Hardin assured me they got word that I was alright.

"Doing the walk of shame now, are we?" I froze, my hands clenched at my sides, but I turned with a fake smile plastered on my face.

"No, actually I was kidnapped and tortured last night and I just got back from being checked out in the hospital."

Please believe it. The last thing I needed was Ivy spilling my whereabouts from last night.

"I already know about you getting tortured and kidnapped by some psycho. Me and Rory were warned not to walk around the Palace by ourselves, but the second part is a lie. You're sleeping with him, aren't you?"

"Yes Ivy, I nearly died so I thought why not fuck the Prince of Dahlia?" I spat sarcastically, and then turned to leave.

"Please you're just like Astrid, a whore, but at least your acting like a whore for the right person. She whored herself out to that stupid guard with that god awful hair cut." I stopped in my steps and slowly turned around. I gave her a dangerous look as everything slowly began to fit into place.

"It was you, wasn't it?" She didn't reply, instead she gave me a look that feigned confusion. "You told the King about Astrid. You saw her with him as well, and you snaked her out didn't you?"

"I have no idea what you're talking about." The smug look on her face said it all though.

"Oh my god! You really are a bitch. You let Astrid die out of what..spite? Jealously? Or just because you're an insecure bitch who doesn't think she can win the competition herself and so has to resort to killing off her competition."

"She deserved to die. She cheated on the Prince! The fricking Prince of Dahlia! She chose some lowlife over him for a reason I'll never understand."

"She did it for love!" I screamed, as an uncontrollable rage started to take over. "And you killed her. You destroyed both of them. You really are pathetic."

"I would rather be a pathetic Queen on the throne, than some sad little orphan girl who's stuck with a guard for the rest of her life. Oops, that's not real going to happen now since well, she's dead." The laugh that left her mouth caused me to snap.

I lunged at her, aiming for her face, and I grabbed a chunk of her hair as I swung her onto the floor. She shrieked and stared up at me in shock and I grinned, before jumping on top of her.