"I'll just take this to the limousine and then we'll go after that, Your Royal Highness." Sita said, referring to the suitcase. I nodded my head as a response. When she went out of my room, I continued reading my book while sitting in my wheelchair.

Then, after a couple of seconds, I heard a knock on the slightly open door. My forehead crinkled and looked at the door. I cocked up an eyebrow upon seeing who it was. Maximus.

He bowed his head and then cleared his throat.

"Can I talk to you, Your Royal Highness?"

"No, I am busy." I answered casually and continued reading my book again. Everything went silent. I discreetly looked at his direction from the corner of my eyes and saw how his jaw was flexing but he remained silent. I could tell that he was frustrated.

I thought, he would leave because I was giving him cold shoulders, but he remained standing there while staring at me silently. I suddenly felt uncomfortable under his gaze. I could feel his heated gaze on me, and it made my heart thump faster.

"Your Royal Highness, everything is prepared. We can leave now." The deafening silence broke by Sita's voice. I released the breath that I didn't know I was holding upon seeing her.

"Okay, let's go then." I answered simply. She was about to approach me to push my wheelchair when Maximus spoke.

"You can go on ahead, Sita. I'll be the one to push Her Royal Highness' wheelchair." My jaw dropped.

"Are you sure?"

His lips curved with a lopsided grin. "Of course, Sita."

"Okay. I'll just take Her Royal Highness' bag." I was about to protest but she already went on ahead. Maximus went behind me and started pushing my wheelchair out of my room.

Our bodies were not touching but I felt like there was an electric-like sensation that crawled up my spine because of his presence behind me. Cazzo, Athena! What's happening with you?! This is just Maximus! You don't have to get affected by his presence!

Oddly, everything was silent between us while we were down the hallway. I sighed in relief because he didn't say anything.

When we reached the elevator, I wanted to facepalm when I saw that the elevator was open, and two men were fixing it. I looked at the other elevator at the right side and it was the same.

When the workers noticed us, they immediately stopped and bowed their heads towards me.

"Good morning, Your Royal Highness."

"Good morning. Is there a problem with the elevators?"

"Yes, Your Royal Highness, but we'll be finished fixing everything in 30 about minutes." One of them answered. I groaned inwardly.

"Then we'll use the other elevators in the left wing."

"Sorry, Your Royal Highness, but all the elevators are down right now."

"Then, we don't have a choice but to wait." I uttered and sighed but then gasped when I felt my wheelchair move.

"What are you doing? Didn't you hear what they've said?" I asked Maximus with furrowed eyebrows.

"I heard it, but we still have the stairs. We don't have time to wait for 30 minutes." He continued pushing my wheelchair.

"What?! Are you crazy?"

"Maybe?" I craned my head to glare at him, but he just smirked at me. He stopped when we reached the stairs. I crossed my arms across my chest and raised an eyebrow at him.

"So, how do you plan on taking me downstairs then?" My voice held sarcasm.

"Easy as pie." Before I could figure out what was on his mind, he was already in front of me. He put his right arm around my back and his left arm underneath my legs before lifting me up from my wheelchair. I squealed and held onto him.

"What are you doing?!" I hissed but he just chuckled.

"Stay still, mi hermosa." I squeezed my eyes shut when he began descending on the stairs. I unknowingly wrapped my arms around his neck, afraid that we might fall. My body was slightly trembling.

"Relax. You're in safe hands." I heard him whisper to my ear. For some reason, his voice was soothing, and the trembling of my body stopped. I bit my lower lip when I realized how close our bodies were. His warmth felt so good against my skin and it sent delicious sensations throughout my system.

I groaned inwardly upon realizing what I was thinking and chastised myself. I didn't know how long before we finally reached the last landing.

"See? I told you, you'd be safe." I released the breath that I was holding when I heard that. I slowly opened my eyes just to gasp for air when I realized that our lips were almost touching already.

"You're too close." I tried to toughen my voice, but it came out as a sotto voce. He chuckled. I could see that his eyes were sparkling with mischief.

"I can't help it. You're hugging my neck so tightly. Well, I like the way you're clinging onto me right now so I'm not complaining." My eyes widened and unwrapped my arms from his neck right away. He laughed heartily.

"You're so cute when you're embarrassed, mi hermosa."

"Excuse me, I'm not embarrassed!"

"Really? Then why are your cheeks red?" I wanted to falsify what he was saying but I couldn't find the right words the say. I felt like my whole face redden including my neck.

"They're not! Just put me down already."

He grinned. "Why are you in a rush? I'm still enjoying carrying you like this." His voice was suave and the way he uttered those words brought me delicious sensations that rushed down my spine. My jaw clenched. I wasn't pleased of the reaction of my body towards him.

I was about to speak again when Maximus spoke.

"Thank you for bringing it down here, Manuel."

"You're welcome, sir." My forehead creased and looked at the man named Manuel. He brought my wheelchair down. I've never seen him in the palace before. He sounded so formal. He was wearing a black suit and has slick back hair cut.

He looked so formal, around his early forties. I was about to thank him, but after he bowed his head towards me, he left.

"Much as I want to carry you like this longer, we need to go. They're waiting for us." Maximus got my attention. I gave him a sharp stare, but he just smirked at me before putting me down into my wheelchair.

I chose to remain silent. Later on, he resumed pushing my wheelchair towards the exit. When we reached the vehicle, I was surprised when I saw Amelia talking to someone. It was Celeste, former mistress of my father; well, if that was the correct term.

According to my father, he was drunk when he slept with Celeste not to mention that he was devastated because he and mamma had a fight back then. He went to some high-end bar and got drunk. That was when Celeste approached him, and the rest was history.

Even though they didn't have a relationship after that one-night stand, my father couldn't escape her claws.

Celeste curtsied upon spotting me.

"Hi, Your Royal Highness. You're looking great." My jaw flexed as irritation rose within me. Everytime this woman opens her mouth; whatever she's saying, irritates me.

"What are you doing here?" I asked coldly.

"Well, I'm here because Íñigo wants to see Her Majesty and of course, everyone too. You know that brother of yours. He loves spending time here in the palace." Yes. My father and this woman had a son because of that one-night mistake.

"Where is Íñigo, Amelia?" I asked Amelia instead of Celeste. She was about to open her mouth to answer my question when a voice echoed behind us.

"Sorellona!" A smile automatically appeared on my lips upon hearing how excited he was. I turned my head at his direction and saw him running towards us with an excited look on his face. I opened my arms and he came running to me for a hug.

"Hi, handsome. I thought you already forgot about us." I said when he pulled away from me. Íñigo is already 14 years old.

Even though I loathed my father for what he's done, I couldn't bring myself to hate Íñigo. He's such a sweet and kind kid. Sometimes, I couldn't help but to be thankful because he didn't inherit his mom's attitude.

He scratched the back of his head. "I'm sorry, sorellona. I've been busy with my studies that's why I couldn't come to visit you guys." I chuckled. He looked guilty. I touched his cheek. He looked so much like Antonius and Aris.

I couldn't believe that he's 14 years old now. It felt like it was just yesterday when my father brought him home. Of course, my mother was so devastated upon learning that my father cheated on her but eventually accepted the baby after that.

According to her, no matter how angry and devastated she was, she couldn't bring herself to hate an innocent child.

She filed a divorce, but my stubborn father didn't give her what she wanted. We thought that it was the end of their marriage, but my father did everything to woo our mamma back. A year later, they finally reconciled.

We took care of Íñigo for years but when his 13th birthday came, Celeste suddenly appeared and claimed her rights to her son. Surprisingly, Íñigo decided to go live with her. We understood his decision because he had been longing for his biological mother's love even though mamma treated him as her own.

But ever since he went to live with Celeste, he drastically changed. He wasn't the cheerful kid that I used to know. Then, he confessed that he hated his stepfather but couldn't leave because of Celeste.

"I was just kidding, cucciolo. I know that you're busy right now. Don't worry because we understand." He beamed.

"I'm glad that you came over, fratellino. Athena finally smiled because of you." It was Amelia. Íñigo looked at me worriedly.

"Why, sorellona? Do you have a problem?"

Celeste scoffed. "You know how your sister is, figlio." I glared at Celeste and she immediately went serious.

"Don't worry about me, cucciolo. I'm fine. I'll be leaving now though. I'm sorry that I can't be with you today." His forehead crinkled.

"You too? Why? Where are you going?" I was about to answer when I was interrupted by Celeste's phone's ring. She spoke with the caller for a couple of seconds before she ended the call.

"Figlio, since your nonna isn't here, we need to go home now. Your papà Diego is already here to pick us up." Íñigo's face soured. Diego is Íñigo's stepfather.

"Diego is not my father, mamma."

"Íñigo!"

"That's enough, Celeste. Íñigo is right so don't raise your voice as if everyone here is deaf." I rebuked with a tinge of sarcasm in my voice. Her jaw clenched but didn't say anything more. I could tell that she was pissed at me, but I couldn't care less.

Maximus on the other hand was silent the whole time while listening to us while Sita was standing next to the car.

"When are you going to come back, sorellona? Everyone will be out of the country these next few days."

"I don't know yet, cucciolo. Don't worry because when I get back, I'll let you know so that you could come here."

"Me too, Íñigo. I'll be coming back home next week so you could come here. We could go somewhere together." It was Amelia.

"I'm sorry, figlio, but you can't come here next week. We have something to do as a family." It was Celeste again. Íñigo's face became sad. I held his hand and gently squeezed it, silently telling him with my eyes that everything's going to be fine and looked like he understood. He's really a smart kid.

He finally smiled and then slowly nodded his head.

"Good morning, Your Royal Highness, Princess Athena, Your Royal Highness, Princess Amelia." Everyone's attention went to the newly arrived person. Diego. As usual, he was smiling friendlily as he bowed his head.

"Good morning too, Diego." Amelia greeted back formally. Diego has always been respectful and friendly, but I couldn't bring myself to be friendly at him. Even my siblings feel the same. Well, they never said anything bad about him but they're always formal whenever he's here.

"Come on, Íñigo. Say goodbye to your sisters because we need to go now." Íñigo obliged before they went on ahead. I heaved a sigh. I wanted to be with my little brother more but I didn't have a choice but to let him go home for now.

"Make sure to call Íñigo when you get back next week. You know that he hates staying there with his stepfather." I instructed Amelia and he chuckled.

"Don't worry, Ath. That's my plan. If Celeste doesn't allow him to come over, I'll pick him up myself." I nodded my head.

"Good."

"Anyway, enjoy your vacation. I wanted to come with you to De Falco farm, but I need to go back to England for school." Amelia sighed. "This is so frustrating." Even though she attends an international school in England, she comes home every Friday night to spend her weekend in the palace.

"You can always go there during school vacation."

She pouted. "Well, I can't do anything for now aside from waiting." I chuckled. Later on, we got in the limousine and drove off to the airport.

"I'll be going now, Ath." Amelia said to me when we arrived at the tarmac before looking at Maximus. "Take care of my sister, Mr. Vázquez."

He smiled. "I'll assure you that I will, Your Royal Highness." Amelia was escorted by her PRB towards the private plane. We went on our separate way towards the other private plane that we would be using. De Falco farm was an hour and thirty minutes from Santino, the capital of Costavia.

The name was derived from our great great great grandfather's name.

Of course, Maximus was the one who wheeled me to my seat even though Sita and the cabin crew volunteered to do so.

He was acting so friendly with everyone and I couldn't help but to roll my eyes. When the plane started moving, readying for take off, Maximus stood up. He had a weird look on his face.

"Sir, you need to sit down. The plane is about to take off." One of the cabin crew said.

"Tell the captain to stop the plane right now." I scowled at him.

"What are you saying?"

"There's a problem with the plane. I can tell it just by the sound that its emitting." Everyone went silent.