The breakfast table was not as chatty as before as the King was not present, Max was too sleepy and was tired after he reached the palace pass midnight after partying. He was lucky to even wake up after Maxis had to shake him a few times and drag him to his en-suite.
AJ on the other hand was eating her breakfast on one hand while on the other with an ipad. AJ keeps signing one contract after another while Dina explains to her the contract terms. AJ was swamped with work when she woke up that morning.
Maxis's eyes were looking at her the moment he came into the dining chamber. Instead of eating he kept playing with his food and was not eating his breakfast. He felt the greatest guilt after he found out when his father told him about the gold bar which makes a lot of sense and because of it he could not sleep at night and was thinking of how he would apologize and how he would make it up to her.
"Are you alright, your highness?" said Anna when she saw that Prince Maxis had not touched his food. Prince Maxis looked up at Anna and smile,
"I'm fine. AJ I'll meet you outside...Anna gets Drew to get the car ready!!" said Prince Maxis as he stood up and walked out of the dining chamber. Prince Max who was half asleep and half eating despite being tired and sleepy he followed his brother out dragging his feet and cursing himself for staying at the party too long.
AJ close her ipad and drink her coffee in one go before she stood up and says to Dina,
"We will go through this later!!!"
"I'll meet you up front...I'll take the production file first!!" said Dina as she stood up, took her things and ran to her chamber to gather the production things. AJ saw that no one was there, only Anna and AJ, AJ took a pieces croissant with ham which she had already cut into two, she took a piece and fed Anna. Anna was stunned but she quickly chewed the croissant so that no one saw AJ feeding Anna the royal servant which was forbidden.
"Nice!! Tell the chef I said it was delicious!!" said AJ, Anna's cheeky smile at Anna's childish behavior while she started to clear the table.
"Anna once I finished looking at the production we might leave by tonight or tomorrow night! Get ready alright!" said AJ.
"It's too short notice I need to..."
"I know it's too short notice but we need to return as soon as possible!!" said AJ. Looking at AJ's facial reaction Anna knows that their father might not live any longer and they need to be there beside him soon. Anna nodded her head and says,
"I will inform Bethany and pack my bags!!"
"I'll see you later!!" said AJ as she took her things and walked out of the dining chamber, while Anna resumed back to clean the dining chamber.
Anna and the other girls took the plates to the kitchen and placed it in the sink so the stewarding could start washing the plates. Anna was about to go up with the girls to clean both the princes bedroom when Bethany called Anna and told Anna to follow her. Anna without any suspicion she followed Bethany until she saw that they were walking to the King study Chamber.
Bethany knocks on the door, second later Butler James opens the door and they walk in, King Matthew looks up and sees Anna walk in with Bethany. He stops what he was doing and walks towards them.
"Bethany thank you!" said King Matthew, with Bethany and Butler James walking out of the King study chamber. Anna was holding her hand tight. This is the first time she was left with the king alone. She did not know why the king called her alone, she just hoped that she did not do anything to hurt the king's feelings.
"Sit down Anna!!" said King Matthew as he showed her the sofa for her to sit while he sat next to her at the single sofa.
"Anna, how old are you now?" asked King Matthew.
"25 your majesty!!"
"A year older than Max!!"
"Yes, you're majesty!!" replied Anna. King Matthew looked at his wife's photo and smiled.
"I still remember when Bethany brought you to us when she found you at the baggage storage in the cruise ship. Catherine took you in her arms, she did not care whose child it was but to see you being abandoned she decided there and that to take you in and make you a part of us."
"Thank you for even considering me as a part of the family!!"
"It's always nice to have a girl in the family. Catherine has always wanted to have you as our legal daughter but you know it was hard to persuade the ministers to agree and that was always her regret but always know that Catherine has always loved you as her own!!" explain King Matthew something that even he wanted too but he could never fulfil that wish for his wife.
"I have always treated Your majesty and the late queen my parents. Even though I am just a royal servant, I never once feel out of place. Thank you for taking me in!" said Anna. King Matthew took her hand with a heavy heart King Matthew order,
"Anna from this period onwards you are no longer needed in this palace!!" Anna looked at King Matthew with tears in her eyes, she could not believe what she had heard.
"Anna...I'm so sorry but I could not let a sister of a billionaire work in the palace as a servant. AJ already told me that she will be bringing you back soon and I think it's really time for you to be with your own family especially when your father could not live long." hearing that Anna felt relieved, she thought that King Matthew did not want her because she did something wrong but it was not it.
"I understand your majesty!" Anna replied as she wiped her tear away.
"Anna you will and always be mine and Catherine's daughter, this palace will always welcome you and AJ!" said King Matthew as he hugged her as his daughter no longer the servant of the royal palace.
---
Dina ran out of the palace and saw that AJ was waiting for her before they went into the royal black, Mercedes SUV. AJ sat behind the driver facing Prince Maxis and Prince Max. The driver then starts to drive off the frontage to bring them to the production line.
Along the way, Max, AJ and Dina were talking about the production and the detail but Maxis has kept quiet when he was supposed to coordinate with AJ. His talk with his father keeps appearing in his mind and he is yet to apologize to her, not only that he wishes that AJ would open his heart for him just like she was before.
Max looked over at his brother and saw that his mind was somewhere else other than the production line plans. Max elbowed his brother's arms lightly which made Maxis regain himself and look over at him.
"What's wrong with you?" asked Max but Maxis shook his head and took the plan from Max hand and looked over it again even though he had read it for the tenth time, just to make sure that the production plan worked for his citizens.
Almost 45 minutes later, AJ looked out and saw the land that she was about to buy, as the SUV was driving up the hill and saw that they needed to make the road wider and they might need a shuttle bus for the workers who are going to work there in the near future. AJ told Dina to take note so that they can make plans later after they looked at the production line.
The SUV stopped at the front of the builder of the production and renovation consultants were waiting for them. Dina opens the door and they walk out from the SUV. Max introduced them to AJ and Dina, before long they looked around the production factory.
The land was big, they could build another production line if they needed too and an onsite office separate from the production line. As she looked at the fields she saw potential and planned in the future they could do a greenhouse of fresh ingredients.
AJ was looking at the field with Max showing her how far the land goes before his phone ring and excuses himself leaving AJ alone in her mind, planning without realizing that Maxis was standing beside him. AJ only realized when she turned to her left and saw him standing next to her.
"Scared me!!" said AJ when she saw him.
"Sorry!! Were you really scared?" tease Maxis.
"Abit!! I like the land, I can't make promises but I am thinking about doing more than the production line." said AJ. Maxis only nodded his head and turned to look at her.
"Why didn't you tell me about the gold that you found in my father's chamber?" Maxis asked. AJ stop at her track and replied,
"It's not necessary!!"
"But if you would have told me..."
"It would not make any difference would it!!"
"It would!! AJ it would!!"
"It should not be...even if I did not find that gold bar. You should have known what type of a person I am!" said AJ as she looked at him, he could see how heartbroken he had made her. AJ saw the guilt on his face she immediately looks away and take control of her feeling before she turn back to Maxis and says,
"Bearman, I don't have much grudges with anyone except for my mother. What I told you about me is true only the part of who I am is not. I did not want us to be stranger anymore...let us pass this stupid misunderstanding." Maxis smile and agrees with her,
"I am sorry and yes let this stupid misunderstand pass!"
"Next time follow your gut alright! I know that you believe me!!" said AJ.
"I did...I was too blind to see."
"Extremely!!" joked AJ as she laughed at her and walked back to the group so that they could proceed to look inside the production factory. Maxis looked at her and smiled, somehow that burden lifted when AJ agreed to move forward and not act like enemies. He could not stop smiling and he could feel that butterfly in his stomach which he once felt came back. And he liked it.
As they got inside the production factory, the consultant showed AJ and Dina the areas where she can place the machines and where they could renovate the place with the builder's suggestion. As they were looking around, AJ was walking up the staircase which led to the office where the control of the production line was when suddenly a metal pipe holding the gas broke and dropped onto AJ which made a loud bang.
They looked at each other and counted who was not there, they then turned to the area where the loud bang was and saw AJ was on the floor with a metal pipe on top of her. They rushed to remove the heavy metal pipe aside. Maxis went to her and tried to wake her up but there was no response. His heart just stopped, AJ was unconscious and was not replying to him.
"CALL THE AMBULANCE...CALL THEM NOW!!" he screams at them shaking with AJ on his lap.
----Please comment and vote. Thank you and stay safe :)