Brittany sighed, "You''ve got it all wrong."
She poured herself a cup of coffee, took a leisurely sip, and finally said, "Family ties are unbreakable. As Eltham''s fiancée, of course, I want him to have a good rtionship with his daughter." The queen huffed, "That would be for the best."
Brittany, she did indeed like.
But Brittany''s influence on Eltham, causing him to defy her, also brewed a bit of dislike within the queen.
At dinner, Tw was all over Eltham, trying to get his attention. Eltham, not wanting Brittany to feel left out, tried to reassure her.
But Tw always managed to interrupt him at just the right moment, shifting the focus away from Brittany.
Brittany, feeling like an outsider at the table, was thoroughly ignored.
After eating her fill, Tw nted a kiss on Eltham''s cheek, leaving him momentarily stunned.
Then he pinched her cheek, "Time for bed."
Tw pouted, "But didn''t you promise to tell me a bedtime story tonight?"
"Are you going back on your word?"
Her eyes began to well up, and Eltham felt a headacheing on, "I need to go back tonight, how about Ie visit another day, okay?"
Eltham had moved out long ago and rarely spent the night at the royal residence.
Tw looked even more upset, "Dad, do you not like me? Is that why you don''t live with Tw?"
Eltham pressed his lips together.
He wasn''t particrly fond of kids, but the bond of blood was undeniable.
Seeing this, the queen intervened, "Alright, stay tonight."
She paused, "I''ll have the guest room prepared."
The guest room was intended for Brittany.
Brittany didn''t mind; it didn''t make a difference to her where she slept.
Eltham agreed, and Tw''s mood instantly brightened, showering the queen with affection and calling her "granny," much to her delight. Brittany continued to eat her meal slowly, realizing for the first time that Tw was quite smart, especially skilled in winning people over. Only, it seemed, with a bit of hostility towards her.
Brittany rarely stayed at the royal residence and felt somewhat out of ce.
After Tw was taken back to her bedroom by a servant, Eltham finally had a moment to speak with Brittany.
"Tw is still young, she might be a bit clingy. I''ll teach her to be more independent in time."
Brittany brushed it off, "She''s your daughter. It''s natural for her to be close to you."
Eltham frowned, "About Hestia..."
"That''s your past. You don''t need to exin anything to me."
Who
do with her. She wasn''t
interested, nor did she care to listen.
Seeing her disinterest, Eltham grew frustrated, "I never touched her."
Brittany said nothing.
Not touched? What, was it some kind of immacte conception?
Eltham was still investigating the matter, "I will give you an exnation for this."
Discovering her fiancé had a daughter just before their wedding would have caused many to explode in anger, but Brittany epted it calmly, without even asking a single question.
Eltham knew she didn''t like him, but he still felt he owed her an exnation.
Brittany smiled, "It''s gettingte, and Tw is waiting for you."
Thinking of Tw''s clinginess,
Eltham felt somewhat helpless, "t
take you back tomorrow. If prefer, you don''t have to
here
again." .
Brittany happily agreed.
Eltham went to Tw''s room to tell her a story.
After putting Tw to bed, Eltham went downstairs.
He bumped into the butler, who was escorting Hestia inside.
Hestia looked thinner than before, her eyes particrly striking.
"Your Highness."
Eltham looked straight at Hestia, "You can leave us; I have something to ask."
Once the butler left, Hestia sensed the coldness in Eltham''s demeanor and instinctively stepped back.
"I didn''t tell the queen about Tw''s existence."Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org.
They had been found by the queen just before boarding their flight.