Chapter 37 – Broken Friendship

She sat in contemplation while staring at the design that the imperial princess seems to have made perfectly for her and Lucius.

It is incomparably sophisticated and flashy, but also impeccably elegant. Above all, the silver and gold color combination design is a perfect match with Tiana’s silver-gray eyes and Lucius’ gold eyes.

If you’ve designed such look that perfectly fits us, it means you know Lucius and I quite well. There’s no doubt in her relationship with Lucius, but what about me? Have we met before?

Tiana suddenly became aware of how Inabel and Alfred were trying hard to appear nonchalant while glancing at the design she handed them. They must have known something about the relationship between Tiana and the imperial princess.

“Alfred. If you know something, tell me now. We don’t keep any secrets here.”

Silence.

“Have Alexandra and I ever met?”

“Yes,” he said nodding his head nervously. He returned the design to her and continued. “You two have met before. Two years ago…”

“Two years ago?”

“Correct. At the palace where she visited with the duke, you got to know her and often invited her to the palace.”

“Is that the truth? So, she and I were… really close to each other?”

“That’s right…”

What is going on? Tiana and the imperial princess have been close friends this whole time? They already knew one another? But it was different in the original book.. Hold on… Alfred said two years ago?

“If so… then this whole time? She hasn’t even been around recently.”

“About that… you and she have been out of touch for the past two years for no particular reason. You had exchanged letters a lot, but for the last two years… nothing.”

“Why is that? Why haven’t we been in contact for two years? What happened?”

“Well, that…”

What the hell happened to make them cut their contact with one another for two years?

The imperial princess indeed had a unique personality, but if they used to exchange letters, it meant that they weren’t just close friends. Their relationship could have been more, deeper somehow, so there was no way they would cut ties with each other out of the blue.

Did she ignore Tiana like she ignored her family? With what nerve did an imperial princess ignore the royal princess?

If they were that close, what could have been the reason behind the demise of such beautiful friendship? Tiana looked at Alfred expectantly, she wanted to know more. She must know more! Yet Alfred just kept his mouth shut and resolved to dismiss her further inquiry. So she shifted her gaze upon Inabel who jumped up in surprise and avoided eye contact. What the hell happened that no one can tell me?

“What are you hiding from me? Was it that bad that you can’t say it out loud?”

“About that…”

“Did my father forbid you to disclose the truth from me?”

“Umm…”

“Is that it? Why in the world would he do that?”

Edwin disallowed them to speak the truth? Tiana cannot fathom the reason behind such action. There’s an inner voice within her that she couldn’t silence. What else is there to hide? Is it more serious than what Lucius had done? What the hell happened two years ago?

Tiana suddenly felt anxious and confused as her head seemed to twirl around the new information that she learned of or the lack of it. She wanted to find out the answers to the questions piling up her thoughts. She must know everything in the soonest time before she couldn’t tolerate the rushing headache anymore, but Alfred and Inabel remained mute about the matter.

Tiana traces her throbbing temples with her fingers. She could see that her two companions are agitated and aware of the tension that is building up in the air. If they’re going to put this much stress on Tiana they might as well just tell her…

Unable to tolerate it much further, she decided to find out the truth for herself. This is nothing that she could merely dismiss. She shook her head at her two wary companions and got up from where she’s seated.

“Where is my father at right now?”

“Ma’am, please…”

“I’ll find out on my own.”

She felt sorry for the two who were trying desperately to stop her, but she couldn’t seem to move past this incident and just continue forward as if nothing happened.

She stormed past them with design in her hand, as the two tried to block her way, but right when she was about to grab hold of the doorknob, the door flew open from the outside.