Chapter 19: Chapter-19 Reality check

"Princess, you are back!" The chef who was returning to his room, stopped and greeted her. However, when he saw her dazed expression, he looked behind her at Miss Zoya, who shook her head at him.

Right now the princess was anything but chirpy.

"Miss Zoya, I want to be left alone for some time. How can I reach the rooftop/terrace?" Elliana asked, and Miss Zoya thinned her lips.

She knew exactly why Elliana wanted to be left alone. A part of her wanted to console her and say everything would be alright and that nothing that her sister said was true, but that would also mean embarrassing her even more by letting her know she heard everything.

"Beth! Accompany the Princess to the terrace and leave her alone once she is there. Do not disturb her until further orders, okay?" Miss Zoya asked another maid, who nodded in return.

Elliana followed the maid to the terrace and stood near the railing. During the journey from the university to the mall to Palace, her mind kept replaying the incidents at the University.

What hurt her the most was that the man who was once her friend didn't even trust her enough. Everything Madeline said was the truth as hard as a rock for him.

It's funny how Madeline found a way to make her life interestingly sad even when she isn't living with them, or should she say, wasting their resources and smooching off the royal family.

Her father has still not contacted her even after two days. It makes her wonder if she really mattered to him. Or was she someone he wanted to get rid off of too? Was he not worried about her at all? Right. Why would anyone want to worry about her anymore? She was filth for them. A black spot that they got rid of in a very fashionable manner and were able to use at the same time.

It was because of Aditya, no? Now it made sense how Madeline, who had caught an infectious disease, looked perfectly fine at the university.

She was eyeing the position of the council head's wife. There is no way Elliana would believe that Madeline was in love with Aditya. She wasn't the kind of girl who believed in love.

Madeline might be in love with the power that comes with becoming the council head's son, but not with the person for sure. Elliana looked ahead towards the forest, feeling the same allure to nature that she always felt.

The urge to leave everything behind and live in the arms of mother nature was even stronger than before, and she pulled the chair towards the railing before sitting there to calm her mind.

Meanwhile, Sebastian walked inside the palace and looked around to see if his so-called wife returned.

"Has the princess returned?" He asked the guard, who bowed in return.

"Yes, sir. The Princess returned a few minutes ago," the guard said. Sebastian was about to go straight to his room to confront Elliana when he paused.

Rather than confronting the princess, he should ask Miss Zoya about it, no? Among the two of them, Miss Zoya is more likely to tell the truth. He can even pressurize her.

Sebastian walked to the living room and summoned Miss Zoya through the mind link before sitting on the boss's chair.

When Miss Zoya walked inside the living room and saw the prince pinching the bridge of his nose, she immediately knew that the prince was dissatisfied with something.

"You called me, sir?" Miss Zoya stood in front of him with her head bowed, and Sebastian opened his eyes to look at the woman he respected.

"Yes, Miss Zoya. I want you to report on the Princess's adventures today. You were with her all the time, right? What did she buy? Where did you guys go? What kind of things did she like that made her excited?" The prince asked, and Miss Zoya gulped.

"She bought a sketchbook and some expensive colors," Miss Zoya said, and Sebastian raised his eyebrows.

So the second transaction of $58 was for that stuff? He found it funny when he saw the notification. For a moment, he didn't know which one shocked him the most.

The fact that Elliana paid for Miss Zoya's daughter's fee or the fact that she only bought some colors and sketchbooks for herself?

"Is that all?" Sebastian looked at Miss Zoya with a stern gaze, and the latter immediately broke down.

There is no way she can hide the truth from the Prince. Even if it means Shreya would have to drop out of the University, she can't risk the life of her daughter with this lie.

The prince will find out about it sooner or later, and if he finds out she lied to him, he will never forgive her. Zoya bit her lips.

She should've known that it was a bad idea. Why she got influenced by Princess's nice words was beyond her.

Wait. How can she blame the princess? How can she be so mean and rude? She arrived only two days ago and was only trying to help her. Zoya's lips trembled at the thought of breaking her daughter's heart, but it wasn't like she had any choice either.

Sebastian hates lies and betrayals the most in the world.

"We went to International University," Zoya started.

"University?" Sebastian pretended like he didn't know anything.

"Yes, sir. Princess, she... She paid for my daughter's fee," Miss Zoya stuttered.

"And why would the princess do that?" Sebastian supported his head on his palm and looked at the head maid with a stare, a stare that makes the worst convicts squirm under him and reveal the truth.

"It's because I accidentally slipped how much Shreya wanted to study, but I am an unfortunate and imbecile mother who couldn't afford it for her adoptive daughter," Miss Zoya said, and Sebastian sighed.

"And for some reason, you couldn't come to me even when I told you that you mean a lot to me? Was it easier to have this slip up in front of a stranger than your Prince?"

"I was afraid, sir. I already feel like I am using too much of the palace's resources by living in the palace when all the maids live in the quarters. You have done so much for me already, sir. At first, I was reluctant when the princess mentioned she would help me, but eventually, I gave up. Please forgive me,"

Sebastian looked at Miss Zoya sternly for a few seconds before his expression turned even.

"And what did you promise her to do in return for this favor?" He hated going around in circles and asked directly.

"Nothing, sir. She didn't ask for anything. She just said she feels happy when she can help others. Her life and title have been worthless all her life. If she can help someone else by using her status, she is more than happy to do so," Miss Zoya said, and Sebastian hummed.

He didn't expect any of these answers when he found out about the expenditure, but it's not like this scenario had another meaning.

"Sir, you can punish me for what I did, but please don't punish my daughter or the Princess. She is not at fault. The poor girl even got humiliated so much that it brought tears to my eyes and -"

"Humiliated? What do you mean?" Sebastian's ears perked along with Lucas, who walked to the living room with the blueprint of the palace where the masquerade ball was to be held.

"It's just that, when we reached there, and Princess was paying for the fee, her stepsister Madeline came out of nowhere and started asking her questions. Mrs. Elliana didn't want to talk to her, but that vile human pulled the princess away," Miss Zoya clenched her fists, and the action didn't go unnoticed by Sebastian.

"She insulted Mrs. Elliana repeatedly, even when the princess said she didn't want drama. She called our princess a bas*ard, imbecile, fool, b*tch, wh*re, and daughter of a h*e. That girl even asked the princess if you haven't killed her because you are drinking her blood or because she is a good wh*re in the bed with a -" Miss Zoya paused at the word about to leave her mouth.

How can she be shameless enough to even speak of it so casually?

She raised her gaze and saw the Prince's hard and angry ones. Sebastian looked into Miss Zoya's eyes and read what was on her mind through telepathy, his gaze turning darker with each second.

"And the Princess didn't do anything? How can she let anyone bully her like this? Who is she afraid of? Does she have no confidence in me or our family?" Sebastian roared in anger. This wasn't just an insult to Elliana but to him too.

"Pardon my interference, Prince. You are like my son to me. But have you done anything in these two days to ensure you have gotten her back? That you will be there to protect her?" Miss Zoya's words were harsh to Sebastian, and he didn't like how the head maid was being brutally honest with him.

"She knows that you suspect her, and she did her best to not do anything that will hurt your reputation. She even went there with a mask so that no one recognizes and questions her. What else do you expect from a human girl who knows nothing about our world?" Miss Zoya asked, and Sebastian scoffed.

"You are already taking her side, Miss Zoya! Are you bribed just like that?" Sebastian asked, and Miss Zoya smiled before shaking her head.

"I am not taking her side, prince. I am just trying to show you that maybe you are being a bit too harsh on your relationship. Maybe she is just a broken girl who has never received love from her family, just like you?" Miss Zoya asked, and Lucas looked at the prince whose hands clenched to his side.

"You had your mom and dad until they were alive. That girl? Did she have anyone? I am sorry if my words were rude, but please think about these things. You can kill me if my words offended you, but it won't change the truth," Miss Zoya bent on her knees, and the prince looked at her in shock.

Though his expression remained the same because of his mask, Lucas could feel the temperature around the prince, dropping.

Miss Zoya has never knelt in front of anyone. Even when his mother was present and a maid had broken an expensive vase and blamed Miss Zoya, at that time, Miss Zoya had brazenly said she would rather get killed than now to anyone when it wasn't her fault.

Just what kind of magic does this girl possess for people to start siding with her already when it's only two days?

"You have had your research done on her, right? Think carefully before doing something that will leave you guilt-stricken for the rest of your life. You can kill 100 humans without remorse if they deserve it, but the death of one innocent can snatch everything you ever believed in, everything Elder Miss taught you," Miss Zoya said, and the prince looked at the bowing head maid one last time before he left angrily.